Topic: NIntendo wants your thoughts!!!

[Ian Sane]

"I never knew my GC warranty was four times longer than a PS2's."

Neither did I.  Considering the common problem of people having to replace their PS2 after only a few years I think that's something Nintendo should make a bigger deal about.  It should be on the box in big red lettering.

"Adding online would be worth it just for the third party support..."

Agreed.  This is why the new God: DAMN is not being released on the Cube despite good sales for the Cube original.  The developer wanted the game to be online and felt the effort wasn't worth it to make the Cube version online.  And then there are games like Splinter Cell: PD and the EA Sports lineup and are online for the other consoles but not the Cube.  The Cube is automatically getting inferior versions of these games and anyone that owns multiple consoles is all but guarenteed to not buy the Cube version.

"Someone is forgetting that this is a thread on an online forum..."

I've never understood this as a problem.  What sort of person who is interested in videogames is not able to post in an online forum?  They either have to be a little kid, elderly, or somebody who is either too poor or not tech savy enough to have access to the internet.  If you fall into those categories you likely aren't buying many games anyway.  Sure not everyone is going to post in the Nintendo forums but most have the option to.  I would consider the inability to respond to an online forum due to a lack of internet access to be equal to not being able to write a letter of complain because you can't read or write.  It just isn't a valid excuse to me.  And if you can respond but for whatever reason don't discuss gaming on the internet or post on forums well you probably don't read reviews and buy crappy games too, so tough.  It's not my fault you're not a smart consumer.

[Infernal Monkey]

Dear Nintendo,
Please send viruses to the majority of posters on your official forum.

Thanks for your time,
Infernal  

[- NintendoFan -]

To me at this point it would be almost useless for GameCube to go online, N5 is where I would put my money for Nintendo to have an online plan. And I also think Nintendo is clearly working on some form of online plan for N5, whether or not it will be brought out at the time of launch is another story.

[DrZoidberg]

people have asked for a new 2d Yoshi for Gamecube right? RIGHT?

[joeamis]

pretty much, and it would hurt their image more if they put together
a small online plan at this stage, it would just make them look more
inferior to the competition in many peoples eyes.  (if they do put online
together for GC I don't see it being anything large at this point)
The only reason I could see for them to go online now is to get rid of
the broadband adapters in stock because not really anyone is lagging around
4 tvs and 4 GCs and 4 BBA around to take advantage of it.
(on that note actually just take the losses for the unsold BBA, it's a better
business decision for what I stated above)

The fact is N5 needs to be online at launch, if just for third party support.
Otherwise we will continue to see publishers forgo releasing games
for the N5 like they're now with the GC.  It will also result in games
being released for N5, while the same game is released for PS3 and XB2
with online support thereby having people buy those versions instead.
If Nintendo wants more market share they need those 3rd parties.  

[Chongman]

I don't think anybody could disagree with the fact that online gaming would be a turnoff at ALL. I mean, seriously, who in the world would say "BAH! Me no like online! It make console bbbbaaad!!!" That just doesn't make sense.

But on the otherhand, online still isn't that profitable at all. ESPECIALLY in America where 100% broadband isn't apparent yet, not even a major majority. Therefore, online gaming just isn't profitable until the US's online capabilities reach their peak.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Nintendo doesn't want my thoughts.  I'd make 'em cry.

[Bill Aurion]

Quote
Originally posted by: DrZoidberg
people have asked for a new 2d Yoshi for Gamecube right? RIGHT?

It's coming...

[joeamis]

it may not be profitable in terms of making money directly off it
but when it comes down to it, it really is profitable in other ways.

1. it's profitable in the eyes of developers/publishers, they want
to make online games so either you provide them with the system
in place or you disregard their wishes and turn them away from your business.

2. alot of people play games online casually and religiously, alot
of people want it and alot of people expect it.  When you provide
your customers with what they want, they support you more.
When you say to your customers, well we can't rake in dough from
providing you with what you want- they support you less and respect
the company less which plays a big role in their future purchases.

[Bill Aurion]

There isn't a single developer out there that doesn't support the Cube because of a lack of an online plan(this is an image thing), so null that point...And most gamers(non-ignorant ones, that is) don't quantify their purchase on whether the game is online or not, so null point number two...Add to that the most important fact that online gaming isn't profitable and you get a pretty strong argument against online gaming, at least for time being...

(Oh, and please stop pressing enter at the end of every few words!  It makes your posts hard to read... >_<.)  

[Mario]

Quote
Originally posted by: Bill

Quote
Originally posted by: DrZoidberg
people have asked for a new 2d Yoshi for Gamecube right? RIGHT?

It's coming...

People were saying that over 2 years ago. I'm still waiting.

[Bill Aurion]

Wait longer...

[Deguello]

An online poll about online games is usless.  It's like polling the state of Georgia about the treatment of minorites, but restrciting the poll to people who are members of the Ku Klux Klan.  Not only are the results predictable, but they are not indicative of the whole populations opinion.  You would only hear one thing over and over, and anybody who would say different would conveniently not be a member of the KKK.  Yet if you would compare that poll of another poll which questioned everybody regardless, not only would it show a complete 180 in terms of opinion, it would indicate quite a bit of scorn and dismay towards the other poll's resulting outcome.

[mouse_clicker]

Quote
An online poll about online games is usless. It's like polling the state of Georgia about the treatment of minorites, but restrciting the poll to people who are members of the Ku Klux Klan.

The funny thing is, GameFAQs has done quite a few polls about online gaming, and it's quite clear from the results of just about all of them that most people do NOT want to play games online. I posted links to a slew of them in a Talkback thread a while back. How ironic that even the online community isn't too interested in online gaming.

[joeamis]

Quote
Originally posted by: Bill
There isn't a single developer out there that doesn't support the Cube because of a lack of an online plan(this is an image thing), so null that point...And most gamers(non-ignorant ones, that is) don't quantify their purchase on whether the game is online or not, so null point number two...Add to that the most important fact that online gaming isn't profitable and you get a pretty strong argument against online gaming, at least for time being...

(Oh, and please stop pressing enter at the end of every few words!  It makes your posts hard to read... >_<.)

Then why have I read on more than one occasion that (insert company) decided not to make a GC version because it lacked an online system in place, on videogame sites on the interweb?

And there is nothing a person can say when jimmy who owns a GC and a PS2 goes to the store and sees (one of the dozens of games) that is online for PS2 but not GC, that he is going to opt for the PS2 version (despite inferior graphics) because his parents just got (insert internet connection better than 56k).

Gamefaqs is a site where people who can't make it through a game without guidance every step of the way go to, therefor it's not surprising about the poll results in regards to online gaming.  Everywhere else you look, people are talking about online gaming as the next step in videogames.  And the important companies are gearing up for it, for example you got EA talking about the future of online gaming and how it may turn into something like on demand television, and then of course is the example of SquareEnix and the whole restructuring in place there with the emphasis on online gaming, add in the new employee they just hired whose job is to tell the company what needs to be done for the advent of online gaming.

[Ian Sane]

Okay I just posted my thoughts on their forum.  Page 47.  If someone is still reading this I hope they check every day or they're going to have a LOT to read each time they check.

[Bill Aurion]

"Then why have I read on more than one occasion that (insert company) decided not to make a GC version because it lacked an online system in place, on videogame sites on the interweb?

I would like some specifics, because I haven't seen a single thing like this...

And there is nothing a person can say when jimmy who owns a GC and a PS2 goes to the store and sees (one of the dozens of games) that is online for PS2 but not GC, that he is going to opt for the PS2 version (despite inferior graphics) because his parents just got (insert internet connection better than 56k).

Until Jimmy's parents see they have to pay a monthly fee to keep playing a game that they already paid for...

Gamefaqs is a site where people who can't make it through a game without guidance every step of the way go to, therefor it's not surprising about the poll results in regards to online gaming.  Everywhere else you look, people are talking about online gaming as the next step in videogames.

A trash site like Gamefaqs is where you'd expect to find more people whining for online gaming...It's not that there are more people wanting online than others, it's because those that want online gaming are bigger whiners...Do you think someone is going to start a thread entitled, "OMG ONLINE IS TEH SUXORS"?  You see it once in a while, but it's rare...The minority that want online are just creating a bigger stink...

[Perfect Cell]

I would like some specifics, because I haven't seen a single thing like this


the new Godzilla Game, at least according to IGN

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

iF NO official ONLINEgaming, then PLEASE just give us decent, robust, comprehensive LAN options and *optimized* network code so that independent solutions like Warp Pipe can run as smoothly as we'd like, instead of 5fps Mario Kart games whose frame(processing)-rates are "entirely" dependent on the reception of location-per-frame game data.

[joeamis]

Quote
Originally posted by: Bill
"Then why have I read on more than one occasion that (insert company) decided not to make a GC version because it lacked an online system in place, on videogame sites on the interweb?

I would like some specifics, because I haven't seen a single thing like this...

And there is nothing a person can say when jimmy who owns a GC and a PS2 goes to the store and sees (one of the dozens of games) that is online for PS2 but not GC, that he is going to opt for the PS2 version (despite inferior graphics) because his parents just got (insert internet connection better than 56k).

Until Jimmy's parents see they have to pay a monthly fee to keep playing a game that they already paid for...

Gamefaqs is a site where people who can't make it through a game without guidance every step of the way go to, therefor it's not surprising about the poll results in regards to online gaming.  Everywhere else you look, people are talking about online gaming as the next step in videogames.

A trash site like Gamefaqs is where you'd expect to find more people whining for online gaming...It's not that there are more people wanting online than others, it's because those that want online gaming are bigger whiners...Do you think someone is going to start a thread entitled, "OMG ONLINE IS TEH SUXORS"?  You see it once in a while, but it's rare...The minority that want online are just creating a bigger stink...

#1
As specific as you can get: See Godzilla at the bottom



#2
Most online games are FREE.  Theres like 2-3 games for PS2 online out of the what 30+ games online that actually charge an additional fee.

#3
by your comments regarding Gamefaqs it's clear you equate online gamers as common visitors to "trash" sites.  And those that want online are bigger whiners?  What do you
expect when people who want online games are faced with people saying online games should not exist?  Just because you don't like online games doesn't mean they shouldn't
be provided for those that do like them.  It's really just another genre when you think about it.  Go ahead and play the games that you do like, and let others play the games
they like, its democracy, not communism.  Change is good.

[mouse_clicker]

Don't bash GameFAQs simply because it doesn't work in your favor- the fact is nearly every gamer that has internet access has visited GameFAQs at one time or another, and a huge amount of people vote in their polls, so it's a reasonably good depiction of the thoughts and opinions of gamers who spend a lot of time online- you can't dismiss that by railing on people who utilize the site's resources. It only makes you look worse. To tell you the truth I'm really getting sick and tired of all this online talk. You say it could be profitable when MS and Sony have lost copious amounts of money on it. You say the market is there when sales of XBox Live and Sony's modems show otherwise. You say most gamers want online gameplay when the gamers themselves overwhelmingly say they don't really care about it. Honestly, what do you have to support online gameplay at this point? I haven't seen a single shred of evidence to indicate Nintendo was wrong to keep out of the online market, just a lot of hearsay and made up facts. I'm not saying that Nintendo's approach to the subject has been perfect, but I find it very selfish of you to think that Nintendo should dive into online gaming and lose vast amounts of money simply because YOU want it.

Also, just curious, but why do type in columns, joe? It's getting kind of irritating- if it's a technical, problem, though, that's fine.  

[Bloodworth]

I think Nintendo does need to provide online tools to third parties whether or not they think it's profitable for them to take their own games online.  The big players like EA and Ubisoft see online as the "next 3D", and whether or not you agree, if Nintendo doesn't provide some basic support, eventually these companies are going to see dropping sales and will reconsider bringing out versions for Nintendo systems.

I for one want to play Splinter Cell multiplayer, and am planning on buying an Xbox to do it. Most people interested in the Pandora's Tomorrow want to at least try multiplayer, which unless some miracle happens, means that they aren't going to wait on the GC version.  

That brings up another point: LAN play.  Although I'm not terribly interested in online gaming, and especially don't feel like paying monthly fees, I really do like getting together for LAN parties.  There's a much better chance of developers putting LAN modes into games that are designed for online.  Expecting them to put the effort into making games with LAN modes without the potential of making a profit from online is silly.  They'd rather axe the feature than try to weed out the bugs.

[Kyosho]

"I find it very selfish of you to think that Nintendo should dive into online gaming and lose vast amounts of money simply because YOU want it."

lol... that is very contradicting to business practice.  The POINT of a business is to sell to the consumer's wants.  *I* think Nintendo should offer online gaming because yes I want it.  Four/Eight player LAN is not practical in my situation.  How would Nintendo offering online hurt YOU or anyone else advocating against it? It doesn't take half of Nintendo's assets to set up online play.  Examples: Kali, Warp, early conception of Battle.net, etc.  

[joeamis]

I wouldn't say I bashed Gamefaqs, I just stated that the people who go there are those that need help every step of the way in games.  I would say that Bill bashed Gamefaqs alot more than I may have and he's on your side of the argument.

I should restate what I said because it will illustrate my point better.  The people who vote on the Gamefaqs polls are those that visit the site often, the people who visit the site often are those who need help every step of the way.  People who have that much trouble playing games are less likely to appeal to online games because they don't have enough technical know how for them, and the competition online is a step up from what they're used to, therefor its not appealing.  People who do not goto gamefaqs often are very unlikely to vote in the polls, they could care less, they want to get their games faq info they need and get right back to the game they were playing.

I already stated many facts that support my view, and others who have just peeked into this discussion have stated they agree with me.  The sales of Sony's modems have actually been quite brisk, and they're increasing at very high rate.  One shred of evidence for you is what I posted about Godzilla which you obviously didn't read?  They're not the only developer who thinks that way.  I'm not arguing that specifically Nintendo should go online.  My main reason all along was for third party support.  I am arguing that there should continue to be healthy online support in general and that online gaming should not be abandoned simply because some people don't like it.  

I stopped typing in columns posts ago, I originally typed that way so I would never make it so other people would have to scroll the screen horizontally to see the posts.  I also answered this question in the PM response to yours yesterday.  If you don't like online games you have a choice of not playing them...  

[Rich]

Ok, we all know that online is not profitable but heres the question, is the money lost hosting online gaming made up for by the benefits like better public outlook and better 3rd party games and stuff?