Topic: Wii U in Review (News & Rumor Consolidation)

[BranDonk Kong]

Non HDTV owners are using obsolete technology and should have upgraded years ago...

[MysticGohan]

That's weird, my post didn't post.

Why is there a charging cradle AND a stand? The cradle is a stand, no?

Maybe it's like the 3ds that had a charging cradle, but you could just plug it straight in, instead of going to the cradle, perhaps that's what it's for?

[MagicCow64]

Kind of bizarre that they didn't include the non-charging controller stand in the basic kit. It's just a little piece of plastic, and you'd think they'd be keen on highlighting the Skype type functionality from that nerd promo video for all comers.

[Shaymin]

Wow, I just noticed... no composite cables included! Non HD TV owners will need to buy some extra cables...

This brings me back to the days when I needed to buy RF Adapters for my N64 and GC... *sighs wistfully*

Pretty sure Wii cables (non-HDMI) will work with the WiiU.

[Kairon]

Wow, I just noticed... no composite cables included! Non HD TV owners will need to buy some extra cables...

This brings me back to the days when I needed to buy RF Adapters for my N64 and GC... *sighs wistfully*

Pretty sure Wii cables (non-HDMI) will work with the WiiU.

Ah, that's a good point. Thanks!

[BlackNMild2k1]

the cradle can stay near the plug (next to the tv and/or the console) and the stand can be wherever you need it.

[Chozo Ghost]

Non HDTV owners are using obsolete technology and should have upgraded years ago...

Aside from graphics, CRT TVs are better for gaming. Don't they have a greater response time for things where milliseconds count like in FPS games? Also, light guns won't work on anything else. So if you want to play Duck Hunt or Hogan's Alley or whatever, you need a CRT tv.

[Louieturkey]

Non HDTV owners are using obsolete technology and should have upgraded years ago...

Aside from graphics, CRT TVs are better for gaming. Don't they have a greater response time for things where milliseconds count like in FPS games? Also, light guns won't work on anything else. So if you want to play Duck Hunt or Hogan's Alley or whatever, you need a CRT tv.

Another fallacy.  Any tv made in the last 5 years (at least, possibly 7 or is fine for gaming.  There were a ton of people coming into stores in 2005 and 2006 that were wanting to purchase HDTVs for their new consoles.  There were a select few tv models that were made very cheaply that had delay in the connection.  Sony has never had this problem as far as I know and every other tv maker was tired of returned tvs so they fixed the issues.

And if you are playing Duck Hunt on an HDTV, you're doing it wrong anyways (unless it was made for the Wii or Wii U). Light gun technology has gone way past this problem and is rarely used at this point that it's just an argument for argument's sake.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Need for Speed Most Wanted 2 coming to Wii U
http://portal.mj.gov.br/ClassificacaoIndicativa/jsps/DadosJogoForm.do?select_action=&tbjogo_codigo=5027

[Chozo Ghost]

is fine for gaming.

I'm sure any TV is fine for casual gaming, but I'm talking about the "try hard" players who will go to what normal people would consider ridiculous lengths to squeeze every possible millisecond advantage out of games. They insist on using wired controllers, a direct ethernet link to their router/modem, and so on and so forth.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Has this been posted yet?

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-09-14-wii-u-fantastic-games-make-up-for-high-price

excerpt from the end

In other words, there's a chance that this could all play out very nicely for Nintendo - and who would have expected that we'd be talking about a $300 Wii U in such terms, only a few scant days ago? The company has delighted core fans and will sell strongly to them at a high price point, and may then have the flexibility it needs to drop the price and appeal to more price-sensitive consumers later in 2013, once the software library has grown and the value proposition is more clear. That's a good position for a console to be in, and one enabled solely by the strength of the launch line-up the company has prepared.

Perhaps this is a reminder to everyone in the industry, that for all the talking we do about hardware and specifications and platforms, this is still ultimately a business that's about selling games. Nintendo still does that better than almost anyone else. For the fourth time in a row (DS, Wii, 3DS and now Wii U), the industry finds itself having somewhat underestimated the extraordinary talent and market strength of the gaming legend from Kyoto. The real proof will start to pour in on November 18th (or 30th in Europe), but for now, my feeling is that Nintendo has done enough to ensure a solid launch - and demonstrated the kind of abilities it'll need to climb the steep slope ahead through 2013.

now go read the rest

[ShyGuy]

Good to see Need For Speed. The Wii U needs some racers!

[Kairon]

Gosh darn it I can't afford any more Wii U games!

[Chozo Ghost]

Gosh darn it I can't afford any more Wii U games!

P~9

[tendoboy1984]

High price? $300 is standard for console launch prices. If you want expensive, see the PS3 at launch ($599 US dollars), NeoGeo, 3DO, SEGA Saturn, etc.

[Chozo Ghost]

High price? $300 is standard for console launch prices. If you want expensive, see the PS3 at launch ($599 US dollars), NeoGeo, 3DO, SEGA Saturn, etc.

Especially when you factor in inflation. A dollar isn't worth as much as it was 20 years ago, and each year its value decreases a little bit more. I think the Wii U price is more than reasonable, all things considered.

[BlackNMild2k1]

They say in the article that the price is probably a little higher in the US thanks to the strong yen.

[tendoboy1984]

High price? $300 is standard for console launch prices. If you want expensive, see the PS3 at launch ($599 US dollars), NeoGeo, 3DO, SEGA Saturn, etc.

Especially when you factor in inflation. A dollar isn't worth as much as it was 20 years ago, and each year its value decreases a little bit more. I think the Wii U price is more than reasonable, all things considered.

I agree, though I was talking about what the hardware was worth at the time. I don't care about inflation, since it's a terrible way to compare prices.

[Louieturkey]

is fine for gaming.

I'm sure any TV is fine for casual gaming, but I'm talking about the "try hard" players who will go to what normal people would consider ridiculous lengths to squeeze every possible millisecond advantage out of games. They insist on using wired controllers, a direct ethernet link to their router/modem, and so on and so forth.

Then they are PC gamers and will use PC monitors to game.  TVs mean nothing to those people.

[Louieturkey]

High price? $300 is standard for console launch prices. If you want expensive, see the PS3 at launch ($599 US dollars), NeoGeo, 3DO, SEGA Saturn, etc.

Especially when you factor in inflation. A dollar isn't worth as much as it was 20 years ago, and each year its value decreases a little bit more. I think the Wii U price is more than reasonable, all things considered.

I agree, though I was talking about what the hardware was worth at the time. I don't care about inflation, since it's a terrible way to compare prices.

You may not like it, but it's the way Nintendo views everything.  When the yen is 120 = $1, Nintendo can charge less for their system.  When 100> $1, they have to charge more in the US.  It's the way global economics works.

[TJ Spyke]

Unity Technologies have announced that they have licensed their Unity engine to Nintendo for use on Wii U by Nintendo and third party developers: http://www.gamespot.com/news/nintendo-partners-with-unity-engine-for-wii-u-6396807

[Adrock]

I'm not terribly well versed in game engines so I never heard of Unity before. I looked it up and I found this article (I know it's Cinema Blend, but they have a gaming section). They refer to Unity as a poor man's equivalent of the Unreal Engine. They also say some other stuff about how fancy it is, but I don't know what any of it means. I presume this is good news for Nintendo. Can anyone shed some light on what this means for Wii U and Nintendo in layman's terms? Without a set of real detailed specs, where does this put Wii U?

[ShyGuy]

Unity is a somewhat popular engine for iOS, Android, and web games.

[TJ Spyke]

It's also being used for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network games.

[MrPhishfood]

Aside from graphics, CRT TVs are better for gaming. Don't they have a greater response time for things where milliseconds count like in FPS games? Also, light guns won't work on anything else. So if you want to play Duck Hunt or Hogan's Alley or whatever, you need a CRT tv.

I remember reading something long ago about response times and the Wii U pad.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-hands-on-with-wii-u

It has a significantly better response time than a HDTV. I can imagine hardcore fighting fans to use the Wii U Pad exclusively just because you can see what your opponent can do 7 frames ahead than what you can see on a TV.

I am hoping Capcom or someone brings out an arcade stick with a Wii U dock so you can see your moves list or just play the game from the Wii U pad for the competitive advantage.