Topic: Nintendo Reveals "Third Pillar"!

[Bill Aurion]

That's what the reports say...Two screens "flushed" together to make one screen...Like so ----> [screen||screen]

[B00tleg]

well, the big N definetely suprised me with this one. its hard to think exactly how having two seperate screens would be beneficial after years of switching to different view points and screens for menus, sub menus and so forth. Oh well, we consumers don't know what we really want, and N is at least trying out a new idea. This could go the way of the VB, or it could be the next big thing. Who knows, hope it works out, can't wait for more info.  

[yellowfellow]

sorry, i guess a bit off-topic, but i can see nintendo generating multiple versions of N5 and pulling out the one they believe will compete most closely with sony and ms.  ie, delaying announcement till a day after ps3 to see what sony has decided to include, feature-wise (dvd etc).

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Adults must be pretty stupid by that logic. I hate extra features. I didn't buy my Game Boy to organize notes, I didn't buy my cell phone to play games, I didn't buy my MP3 player to organize notes OR play games (go to hell iPod). I really don't want Nintendo to add in extra crap and I firmly believe that they won't.

it's the just value of a dollar.  with money as the uttmost important factor in sustaining a comfortable standard of living, people need to feel as if their purchases are warrented.  

[Seryll]

Well, I'm sure Nintendo knows what they're doing. They usually. . . usually do.

. . . Just hope it doesn't end up like another Virtual Boy.

[GoldShadow1]

You know, I think it was a big mistake of Nintendo's to give us information so early.  If they had kept it until E3, they could've showed it off with games and give us an idea of how it plays.  As it is, though, by the time E3 comes around everyone will have heard of the DS anyway and it won't be anywhere near as big of news.

[ruby_onix]

I think everyone's too hung up on whether or not this thing will "succeed".

I don't expect that this will replace the GBA, or fight off the PSP, or anything like that. IMO, Nintendo's just making a new toy. A continuation of what the Virtual Boy should've been, if anyone (including Nintendo) had allowed Nintendo to explore things that "aren't popular". And I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

I personally think that the PSP will fall when it goes up against the one-two punch of the current GBA and then the upcoming GBA2. But Sony won't roll over and die like Nokia. Which is where this new NDS will step in and provide an entertaining contest. The PocketStation 2 versus the Virtual Boy 2! No holds barred!


Anyways, I'm more interested in the fact that the cart size is (up to) 1 gigabit (the GBA's max cart size was 256 megabits, until shortly before the launch of the GBA SP, when that spec was mysteriously removed from official GBA specs). And the fact that Nintendo now seems confident that they can offer backlighting on a GBA-sized screen, times two, in a portable, battery-powered (presumably) unit.

[Chongman]

GoldShadow1~ I disagree

nintendo gave us just enough information to leave most of us at least slightly satiated. This is, afterall, quite a shock to most everyone. Had they unveiled at E3, most people I think would not have taken it well. This way we can at least digest some of the nintendo gold thats assuradly to come. Trust me, it'll be big news. In any case, what do we really know? Next to nothing compared to what nintendo most likely has truly planned.  

[Ocarina Blue]

Well, like the Virtual Boy; the DS's concept is known but unexpected, the machine is portable but has elements that hinder the portability, and will not be a very suitable system to port games to. Still, there have been alot of cool ideas come out of this thread alone for games - I like the ALttP one with the two worlds the most - if Nintendo can produce enough, it should be bought at least buy the fans.  

[nolimit19]

my imagination is crazy, but i usually like to just be negative to stomp the hope out of others lives.  and have i gone mad, or is it only me that cant find the screens of this thing?

[Geno911]

Nintendo believes its doing the right thing. The 'Nintendo DS' will have just as many, or more, features as the PSP. Adding an extra screen proves that.  Nintendos pleathora of features worries me.  I can only think of the famed virual boy and how it seemed almost intimidating.  Not many people were willing to purchase this giant spider of a gaming system so why are they going to double up on this portable battleship? I think the idea is new, inovating, amazing....but is it too much so? I feel nintendo would make a better rival to the psp with just a bulked up gameboy.  They said that video game technology is frozen in terms of making the graphics better.  But this is only true in the home console market...so it wouldnt be a bad idea to just make a sweet arse gameboy....or not...whatever

[Matrix]

Well, using my mad photoshop skillz and a little creativity, I have predicted EXACTLY what Nintendo's new console will look like...

http://members.shaw.ca/lordmatrix/nds.jpg

(Hi, guys! Been awhile)  

[GoldShadow1]

"1. Two screens is just one of the features of this thing."

Okay, good point.  But until Nintendo releases more info, I'm still skeptical.

"2. Two screens can do whatever one screen can do"

They can, but unless it has a design capable of moving one screen out of the way, it would be extremely annoying to see a blank screen filling up half of your vision while you play a game.  One of my pet peeves is a lack of symmetry.

"3. One screen cannot do whatever two screens can do"

Yes it can.  Split screen games have been around for ages.  The only difference is that it each screen is slightly smaller - which could be retified by a larger screen.


"To shut the haters up, consider this:
Which is better, one or two analogue sticks?"

Analog sticks are different.  For one thing, they're independent of each other - there's no way an analog stick could be split the way a screen can.  Also, they're methods of control, which in my book is much more important than a method of display.

[Edisim]

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"is that a THIRD PILLAR in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?"

LOL. Best. Third. Pillar. Joke. Ever.

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I honestly don't see nintendo leaving their Game Machine Only mentality.

I agree that Nintendo is a games-oriented company, but that spiel was just their answer/excuse for not having the entertainment capabilities of the xbox and ps2. With Nintendo giving in and making the gameboy player and the Q, I can see them giving in to other consumer demand. Not that I think they will, just that's it's not as unlikely as it used to be.

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Well, using my mad photoshop skillz and a little creativity, I have predicted EXACTLY what Nintendo's new console will look like... http://members.shaw.ca/lordmatrix/nds.jpg

LOL Funniest "mock up" yet.

The specs given in the update would seem to suggest that it could play gba and and maybe gcn games... the media used (cartridges?) would indicate that maybe it won't store or play gcn games directly though.. maybe n64 games.. crappy ique... nevermind.

The problem with most of the ideas given so far is that, as has been pointed out, they can all be achieved through split screen. What is intriguing, though (at least to me), is whoever-it-was's idea of a touch screen and a transparent lcd. You could have, let's say, the lower lcd (the transparent touch screen) almost literally be the control panel of a space ship or tank or whatever.  

Another possiblity is that the two screens on one system could be used sorta like the gcn and gba together in head-to-head games. One screen (the one powered by the more powerful processor--assuming that each has a dedicated processor, and not just for graphics) could be for the view that would normally be on the tv, and the other screen (and processor) could show and process your own secret stuff... This wouldn't really work on split-screened tv, but could be done through the existing systems, gcn and gba... but not many developers have.

It is sort of interesting that Nintendo will do things with their hardware to either encourage or force developers to do something more; remember how the n64 had loads of 4 player games because it had 4 built-in controller ports even though they could have easily made and sold an adapter, and how the gcn controller setup sorta forced developers to make controls more intuitive? ... Ok, the controller example isn't a strong one. But you get the jist..

I never doubt Nintendo's software, but hardware is a different story. And I'm not just refering to the Virtual Boy. Nintendo does release hardware that doesn't necessarily open up new worlds of gaming possibilities. Think about it. They do it to make money. No other games company makes more money (or loses less) on their gaming hardware than Nintendo.  

[Mannypon]

this can become really usefull, I didnt read the full talkback section so I dont know if anyone has already mentioned what I'm bout to say.  For racing games I read someone sayin that it can be used to show the rear view, it can also be used to show a full map of the course and the locations of all the cars along with vital info on you car and lap time and whatnot.  For rpgs it can be used to access the menus or can be a first person view while the other screen shows the game from third person or top head view.  Sports game will get a huge benefit from this since lets say for basketball one screen can be used for the gameplay and the other can show the game taking place but in tv style views and can highlight players running to the basket for an free dunk or players providing picks.  Football games can use the extra screen to show the recievers runnin down the feild and give you a better view of anying breakin off defenders.  The posibilites and endless and I cant wait to see how this is implemented.

[Kyosho]

I don't know.. it doesnt seem like the market right now really needs or wants something like this.  I'm not so much excited as curious as to what this system is like.  It certainly does not appeal to me much though.  As for the uses of the split screen, I'd much rather play sports/racing and such on a big screen than a 3" screen.  Im' sure it'd be nice for portable uses like if you were stuck with your annoying girlfriend on a plane for 15 hours, but other than that, I personally don't find this to be much of use.  Oh well, we'll find out more at E3.

btw, if any of u are Insiders, IGN has a round table posted up on the editor's thoughts.  One word to describe the whole atmosphere: surprised.

[Pale]

"I agree that Nintendo is a games-oriented company, but that spiel was just their answer/excuse for not having the entertainment capabilities of the xbox and ps2. With Nintendo giving in and making the gameboy player and the Q, I can see them giving in to other consumer demand. Not that I think they will, just that's it's not as unlikely as it used to be."

The Q was put out by Panasonic and its already been canned.  I think that gets rid of that thought.  And how does the Gameboy Player take away from being a Games only machine?  And when was the last time you heard the argument that someone went ps2 cause it can play games?  People are realizing how cheap and better dvd players are, they aren't worried about that anymore.

[WesDawg]

""3. One screen cannot do whatever two screens can do"

Yes it can. Split screen games have been around for ages. The only difference is that it each screen is slightly smaller - which could be retified by a larger screen."

The difference is this thing has a processor for each screen. If you just doubled the screen size of the GBA the little guy would probably have trouble keeping up. With this theres no performance hit for using the extra screen space.

[AManatee2]

I guess this would be kind of cool.

Just think. A zelda game with the map always available there for you. Third parties will probably just use it as a map hehe.

[PaLaDiN]

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They can, but unless it has a design capable of moving one screen out of the way, it would be extremely annoying to see a blank screen filling up half of your vision while you play a game. One of my pet peeves is a lack of symmetry.

I take it you haven't heard that both screens can act as one screen.

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Yes it can. Split screen games have been around for ages. The only difference is that it each screen is slightly smaller - which could be retified by a larger screen.

Isn't that what they did? They have a larger screen now if they want it... and a separate processor for each side of the screen. You know what the biggest problems with split-screen are? Slowdown and unnaturally reduced area and ratio aspect for each screen. Go play Halo co-op and tell me I'm wrong. This completely nullifies slowdown, and each screen is designed so it'll look like a proper screen would on the GBA when developers use both screens. How is that bad?

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Analog sticks are different. For one thing, they're independent of each other - there's no way an analog stick could be split the way a screen can. Also, they're methods of control, which in my book is much more important than a method of display.

What you see influences what you have control over. Somebody said silent scope a while back... that's a perfect example. Would it be the same game with split screen? No, not even close.

Another good thing about this, being vertical and all, it'll be more like an arcade screen, with inherent support for games like Ikaruga. Maybe I'm the only one happy about that, but I am.  

[vudu]

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Originally posted by: GoldShadow1
You know, I think it was a big mistake of Nintendo's to give us information so early.  If they had kept it until E3, they could've showed it off with games and give us an idea of how it plays.  As it is, though, by the time E3 comes around everyone will have heard of the DS anyway and it won't be anywhere near as big of news.

i believe nintendo stated that they were starting to give specs to developers, so they were afraid information would start to get leaked.  they thought it would be better to hear the announcement from the source than from nintendo0wnZar.com.

[Pod]

http://www.eurogamer.net/article_discussion?article_id=54253
Funniest nintendo forum ever.

Anyway, how mane eyes does one person have? 2. Mostly. this could still be 3D glasses. WIRELESS 3D glasses. Explains the radio transmitting thing, as the Wave Bird functions the same way. Would also make sense in the "3rd pillar" and "functioning with existing games" department. Would also explain the "it's okay if most people aren't that interested" attitude.
Alright, shoot, I dunno why 3D glasses would need two ARM processors. Maybe the to generate the 2nd picture, that needs to be viewed from a slightly different angle? "Fun and movement"? Looking around incorporated into the glasses like that Kiby's Tilt 'n' Tumble thing.


Anyways, it'll probably just be something hastily slapped together for pitching against the PSP, which I believe to be an impossible fight, as the PSP will, aside from fans of handheld gaming devices, also appeal to every idiot with a PlayStation who aren't even aware of Nintendo's existence, and every other idiot who usually just play games on their cell-phones, but still consider PlayStation to be "cool".

[PaLaDiN]

Not to pipi on your parade, but it can't be glasses because they're vertical.

[Pod]

"And when was the last time you heard the argument that someone went ps2 cause it can play games?  People are realizing how cheap and better dvd players are, they aren't worried about that anymore."

Actually, I'm seeing the exact opposite happening. PS2's are right now being sold in bunches around Europe, on the slogan "best selling DVD-player ever," which isn't even a lie.
Most people see through the fact (or are unaware of it) that it's a rather rubbish DVD-player by todays standarts, and buy because it also plays games and really is rather cheap by now.

[GameTavern]

here are a few mockups that i did, maybe this will start some ideas.


here

here

here

[vudu]

if your links worked they might be worth something.