Topic: Wii U - e3 is over... now what?

[Ceric]

How would you make the Nunchuck more useful?  The only thing its missing that traditionally is on that side is a D-Pad and it has the Gyro stuff.

[Chozo Ghost]

What really needs to be improved is the Sensor Bar. Nintendo engineers need to figure out a way to make it more cat resistant. I don't know why, but the Sensor Bar wire is like a cat magnet and even though they generally leave other wires alone they like to chew on that one in particular and ruin it.

[Ceric]

What really needs to be improved is the Sensor Bar. Nintendo engineers need to figure out a way to make it more cat resistant. I don't know why, but the Sensor Bar wire is like a cat magnet and even though they generally leave other wires alone they like to chew on that one in particular and ruin it.

Battery operated one or you could just put two candles at the  right spot lit up like a seance and play your Wii in a Spiritual Manner.  Shoot its just 2 infrared emitters I'll but they could be powered on radio waves.

[Adrock]

A diamond or cross button formation is the best solution because it works well for every type of game. The problem with the large A button and the satellite button layout is that it sucks for certain games.

Nintendo should aim for standards. Developers like additions but not at the expense of tradition. Nintendo can add motion controls, a speaker, a camera and/or a large screen. Developers like options and will experiment as long as they aren't forced to. Don't make unnecessary changes in a vain attempt to be different. Only Nintendo has really tried to mess with the button formation since creating the one that every manufacturer since has adopted. Nintendo doesn't have to reinvent the wheel when they invented the wheel in the first place. Keep the cross/diamond button layout. It works. Save a lot of people a lot of headaches.

[MaryJane]

I personally loved the nontraditional N64 button layout and the GC as well and thought they worked great.

[Chozo Ghost]

Yeah, the GC controller layout was awesome and the best I've seen to date. I don't care what anyone says.

[Adrock]

Certainly, there are people who prefer the GCN layout. That's besides the point. While I like the GCN controller, it just sucks for some games, namely fighting games.  Nintendo can't afford to lose any kind of game. They want every game the competition gets. They can add all of the extra doodads they want to a controller but at the end of the day, it's still a game controller and it has to play games as well or better than their competitors' controllers.

The basic layout of the SNES controller has pretty much been the standard for 20 years. There's a reason it's been copied so many times. It's familiar and works well. No one wants to **** around with controls; they want it to just work. It's in Nintendo's best interest to stick with the standard layout. That's one less thing in the way of getting ports which sounds bad but isn't. Fewer 3rd party exclusives exist today so Nintendo just needs to match Sony and Microsoft game for game and they can't be seen as inferior in any way.

EDIT: Just to clarify, I'm not personally saying one layout is better/more comfortable than the other. Let's not get into that. I'm only pointing out why the cross/diamond layout is better for Nintendo in the long run.

[MaryJane]

I see what you're saying, and yeah the GC layout was a little awkward for fighting games, but I remember adapting to it. What sucked was playing the GC version of Soul Caliber 2 at home, and then playing the PS2 version at a friends house and constantly pressing the wrong buttons.

[Chozo Ghost]

If you only used the GC controller layout you would get used to it and it would work fine with any kind of game, and I'd argue if you got used to it enough and didn't play the diamond layout for so long then the diamond layout would be what seems awkward. It all depends on what you are used to.

[Adrock]

Nintendo shouldn't be asking anyone to "get used to it" because the other 2 console makers aren't asking anyone to do that. If it's a matter of "get used to it," people are just going to get the game on one of the other platforms. If people keep doing that, the Nintendo console version will always do worse and ultimately, that affects future support.

Nintendo really needs to start looking at the big picture. Most people are used to the cross/diamond layout and that's including Nintendo fans because of DS/3DS.

[Chozo Ghost]

Last time I checked Nintendo was still the market leader. Besides that, I would think most gamers only own one console and one console only so they only need to get used to the layout of their one console and that's it. What difference would it make if the other 2 console makers did something different if you are a Nintendo fan and only own and play Nintendo hardware?

[Dasmos]

Chozo, it's no coincidence that there was very few fighting games on the GC, just like there's hardly any on the Wii. As the current consoles start to offer similar experiences, (motion controls, online, graphics etc.) the only thing differentiating them is what exclusives they have. Fighting games have made a huge comeback, if Nintendo chose a contorl set-up like the GC again they would risk not having these titles on their system and gamers who like these titles will gravitate to consoles that cater to what they want.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Johnathan Blow (Braid) says Wii U has "A LOT more RAM"
I hope he means a lot more than PS360 and not just a lot more than Wii...
http://www.next-gen.biz/features/jonathan-blow-interview?page=5

NG: What do you want from a new generation of consoles?

JB: For this type of game, I do wish the new generation of consoles had come out by now. Even if it only meant slightly faster graphics processor and a lot more RAM. Because having more memory would make a huge difference to being able to bring a game like this to a console. It makes it much easier. When you look at the Wii U, I'm told it has a lot more RAM - that would be wonderful, although I'm unsure about that platform for other reasons, especially in light of the iPad. If that console succeeds, it would be a nicer place to bring the game than the 360, if only because it has more RAM.

He is talking 3rd hand of course, but this is likely coming from another Dev to him, so that should be promising.

[nickmitch]

He's told that the Wii U has a lot more RAM. Not the most promising.

[BlackNMild2k1]

But it's something, and he does imply that his comparison is to PS360, which we would all assume to be true anyway.

My personal expectations for the Wii U at this point are this:
3+core IBM POWER based CPU
48XX class GPU with tesselator tech from 5/6XXX class GPU's
1.25/1.5GB RAM (something fast, maybe GDDR3 using IBM tech)
16MB+ eDRAM for CPU
32MB+ eDRAM for GPU
16GB onboard Flash Mem + 8GB SD card installed (24GB mem)
Throw in somethign like 128MB-256MB of 1T-SRAM in there somewhere and I think we're good to go

[Chozo Ghost]

I'm hoping the Wii U will have more RAM than onboard flash storage, just because that would be funny as hell.

[Mop it up]

Considering how conservative Nintendo typically is, I don't envision those expectations being met.

[Kytim89]

Nintendo does follow a very conservative business model, but if they want to future proff this system for atleast five years then they must give all the specs for the system some power to be reckoned with and as long as it dfoes not hurt their profit margins then I do not see an iss with them doing this.

[Luigi Dude]

Considering how conservative Nintendo typically is, I don't envision those expectations being met.

The Wii is the only home console Nintendo's made that was really conservative and that's because they didn't want to be risky after the Gamecubes not so steller performance.  After the Wii's huge success, it's not hard to believe that Nintendo will be releasing a powerful machine with the Wii U like the SNES, N64 and Gamecube since Nintendo has a huge home console market pressence again.

[Mop it up]

There is always at least one aspect of their systems that's lacking, though. The SNES had a slower CPU compared to the Genesis, though I s'pose it made up for this with the GPU. The NIntendo 64 didn't have a sound processor, and of course the cartridges bottlenecked the whole system anyway. The GameCube also had smaller discs, and I believe it has less RAM than the other consoles.

I just don't see Nintendo making such a huge leap over the Wii, especially since they are once again focusing on the controller over the system specs, one which looks like the most expensive controller ever produced for a gaming system. So I'm quite certain that at least one aspect of the Wii U will be lacking, but time will tell what that is.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Vicarious Visions Working On Wii U
Project Nova is GOOOOO!!!
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6337307/vicarious-visions-working-on-wii-u

According to the LinkedIn profile page of a Vicarious Visions associate producer, the developer is currently at work on three unannounced titles for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Wii U. None of the projects were named outright, but the staffer's page indicates three codenames and their respective release platforms: Project Atlantis (Xbox 360, PS3), Project Phoenix (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii), and Project Nova (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U).

And another Wii game. Must be something licensed if it's coming to PS360 & Wii, but maybe it's not.

But I wonder what Project Nova could be. Another Marvel Alliance game?

[BlackNMild2k1]

EA: We love Wii U
Moore to visit Kyoto to make sure Wii U is up to spec
http://blogs.reuters.com/mediafile/2011/10/06/ea-we-love-wii-u/

Peter Moore, the video game industry veteran who was promoted to be Electronic Arts’ chief operating officer in August, told Reuters this week that everything appears to be on track with the Wii U, at least from his perspective working for a publisher making games for it.

“There are no indications that there’s anything that feels like it’s off target,” Moore said. Nintendo’s stock has taken a beating in recent months and its share price is approaching its low for the year.

Moore said he will be visiting Nintendo’s hometown of Kyoto next week to check on how the console is shaping up.

“From our perspective right now, specs are a big deal,” he said, adding that during his trip, he will looking to find out more about the gadget’s graphic and computer processing units, its price and when it might be shipped.

Moore, who has experience launching consoles from his days at Microsoft, says Nintendo was smart to incorporate a tablet into the console with the Wii U.

“No one thinks its going to replace an iPad 2 but it is playing into what a consumer feels comfortable with,” Moore said.

In the past, publishers have backed away from dedicating too much content to Nintendo platforms, since the Japanese company tended to use its consoles to push its own software titles. But make no mistake, EA is on board with the Wii U, Moore said.

“Our teams are working on it around the world. Our key franchises will be there. We’ve made that commitment to Nintendo.”

Commitment... I'll believe it when the games hit the shelves.
But I'm excited that EA is excited even though it's because they are involved. And that is a good thing too. They have a hand in directing the creation of the Wii U so they have an interest in making sure that it succeeds.

[Chozo Ghost]

Right now would be a good time to buy Nintendo stocks because its so low. I bet a year from now once the Wii U launches and the 3DS finally hits its stride all those retards who sold their Nintendo stock this year will probably be kicking themselves.

[Enner]

EA is making a commitment to Nintendo's Wii U? Hmm, didn't they say such rosy words for the Wii as well? Regardless, I hope their commitment bears great content. I would love to see a great Burnout or Need for Speed game on the Wii U.

[Ian Sane]

EA, Ubisoft and Activision love EVERY platform.  It means jack **** to have their support.  The only notable thing is that if you don't have their support, you are seriously fucked.