Wii U announced.

[KillerSkaarj]

*Stuff*

Okay, seriously does it even matter if the flippin' hardware is outdated? It's a video game console. It plays games. What more do you want? Were you expecting a PC-esque powerhouse from Nintendo of all people?

And I've been holding off on saying this again but I'll go ahead and launch it out there once more. Graphics capabilities does not make a next-gen console, it's the innovation. Remember going from D-Pad to analog in the SNES to N64 transition? Remember the DualShock controller, with its two analog sticks? What about Xbox Live, on the old Xbox, delivering real online play to a console? The only time that graphics were solely involved in the transition AFAIK were the transition from N64 to Gamecube, PS2 to PS3 and Xbox to Xbox360.

So what if the damn console is outdated by today's bloated standards? The built-in screen just opened up a multitude of new worlds of possibilities. The third-parties are starting to take notice of Nintendo again. That's a massive difference from the current gen. That's what matters.

 

[dragonfliet]

Okay, seriously does it even matter if the flippin' hardware is outdated? It's a video game console. It plays games. What more do you want? Were you expecting a PC-esque powerhouse from Nintendo of all people?

And I've been holding off on saying this again but I'll go ahead and launch it out there once more. Graphics capabilities does not make a next-gen console, it's the innovation. Remember going from D-Pad to analog in the SNES to N64 transition? Remember the DualShock controller, with its two analog sticks? What about Xbox Live, on the old Xbox, delivering real online play to a console? The only time that graphics were solely involved in the transition AFAIK were the transition from N64 to Gamecube, PS2 to PS3 and Xbox to Xbox360.

So what if the damn console is outdated by today's bloated standards? The built-in screen just opened up a multitude of new worlds of possibilities. The third-parties are starting to take notice of Nintendo again. That's a massive difference from the current gen. That's what matters.

Yeah. Now I can scribble while my friend waggles. But aside from circle-jerk simulators, are we really going to see innovation? The Wiimote and the touchscreen are no analogue stick or online innovation. Nintendo will release some cool games, as they have for the Wii, but 3rd party support will be paltry and everything interesting (except, you know, Zelda and Metroid games) will be happening on the ps4/720/whatever. As soon as the new systems launch (very soon) it will left in the dust again.

Does the hardware REALLY matter? Not really, just like the crappy hardware of the Wii doesn't really matter, it's still fun and they will still make some great games for it. It isn't going to appeal to the hardcore, though, and it will receive as much third party support as the Wii did. I never said that the games won't be fun or that the tech is the most important question, I merely answered your question about how the tech would be outdated.

 

[ambershee]

That's the point though. The tech isn't outdated and it isn't matching the 360/Ps3. The GPU is a custom built 40nm Radeon HD. The worst chipset in that line at present is the 5450, which is already much more capable than what you see in the 360/Ps3.

If the hardware were not up to par, I strongly doubt the third party developer lineup would be anywhere near as good as they showed at E3.

 

[hal]

Why are we talking about this as though any of us has any earthly idea what to expect from the hardware or software? We've seen a brief tech demo and now there are lots of solid conclusions?

Also, let me say that I believe there are plenty of people, like myself, that have hardcore games for the PC and a console that's all about fun and innovation is very appealing. It looks like it can compete graphics-wise with what developers are doing now and, honestly, isn't that okay? I have no desire whatsoever to buy a PC-like console.

 

[ambershee]

Both IBM and AMD have made press statements regarding the hardware.

 

[dragonfliet]

That's the point though. The tech isn't outdated and it isn't matching the 360/Ps3. The GPU is a custom built 40nm Radeon HD. The worst chipset in that line at present is the 5450, which is already much more capable than what you see in the 360/Ps3.

If the hardware were not up to par, I strongly doubt the third party developer lineup would be anywhere near as good as they showed at E3.

The demos they showed were all 360 and ps3 games that will be launching in a few months on those consoles and in a year on the WiiU. Yay? Is that strong developer support or sloppy seconds? AMD custom built a chip for the Wii, it was still a very low powered system. 40nm is the size, and smaller is cheaper. Unless Nintendo thinks that it's in their best interest to completely undersell their systems with graphics that look just the same as current gen, then what you're going to get it something that is pretty much on par with the 360/ps3. By out of date, I mean that it is a new console coming out in a year that is looking to be as good as consoles that launched in 2005 and 2006, which is, I might add, the same strategy they pursued with the Wii (well, you know, except move that date back to 2001).

 

[Polychron]

CRAP!

 

[ambershee]

The nanometer comparisons refer to the size and distance apart of transistors within the processor. Smaller architectures are more expensive and require a different manufacturing process. It's too costly to come up with a completely new set of chips based not based on the existing manufacturing process and it's also a waste of time reinventing the wheel. The GPU will have to be similar to a 5000 or 6000 series model. It's therefore also very unlikely it will only be as capable as the 360/Ps3.

Yay? Is that strong developer support or sloppy seconds?

Studios don't invest hundreds of thousands of dollars of manpower learning it's way around new hardware to produce one off titles on a platform they have no intention of supporting in future.

Development kits aren't free. Early development licenses don't come without stipulations. Existing in-house tools and technologies have to be adapted. Every developer in the team has to learn their way around the new platform which makes progress much slower and therefore very costly. Sure they are getting games that are being released on the 360/Ps3 before the WiiU becomes available. But guess what - the WiiU is getting them, and the other games it'll be getting at the same time haven't been ****ing announced yet on ANY of the platforms.

 

[Darkdrium]

Let's get mad talking about machines that play vidyagaems.

Nintendo stock prices drop 5% after WiiU announcement.

SOUND THE ALARM! WIII UUUU WIII UUUU WIII UUU WIII UUU

 

[dragonfliet]

The nanometer comparisons refer to the size and distance apart of transistors within the processor. Smaller architectures are more expensive and require a different manufacturing process. It's too costly to come up with a completely new set of chips based not based on the existing manufacturing process and it's also a waste of time reinventing the wheel. The GPU will have to be similar to a 5000 or 6000 series model. It's therefore also very unlikely it will only be as capable as the 360/Ps3.



Studios don't invest hundreds of thousands of dollars of manpower learning it's way around new hardware to produce one off titles on a platform they have no intention of supporting in future.

Development kits aren't free. Early development licenses don't come without stipulations. Existing in-house tools and technologies have to be adapted. Every developer in the team has to learn their way around the new platform which makes progress much slower and therefore very costly. Sure they are getting games that are being released on the 360/Ps3 before the WiiU becomes available. But guess what - the WiiU is getting them, and the other games it'll be getting at the same time haven't been ****ing announced yet on ANY of the platforms.

Wow. Calm yourself. Firstly, smaller chips are cheaper to produce. Here is a random piece of anecdotal evidence. Yes, it is expensive to create new factories, but once they are created, they can create more, better, faster, cheaper, more efficient chips. Next, you can create a budget card for very, very cheap, and seeing as how Nintendo is going to be packing a freaking tablet in every console they sell, they're going to need cheap systems, so yeah, it will be from the HD line, but the hyper-budget line.

As for the dev units and support and whatnot: same thing for the Wii. Developers devoted teams to the Wii and bought development units and guess what, they made crap games, and not that many of them.

Again, they've done this before, launched an unimpressive demo with a new gimmick, and they're doing it again. I'm saying the last generation is a key and they're repeating themselves. I'm not saying they won't make any good games, just that what has been shown is generic, current gen tech that will very soon be outdone and I have little to no faith in their launch announcement.

 

[hal]

Both IBM and AMD have made press statements regarding the hardware.

Yes, but we're all just making suppositions based on an insufficient amount of information.

Again, they've done this before, launched an unimpressive demo with a new gimmick, and they're doing it again. I'm saying the last generation is a key and they're repeating themselves. I'm not saying they won't make any good games, just that what has been shown is generic, current gen tech that will very soon be outdone and I have little to no faith in their launch announcement.

I think you're wrong and you're comparing apples to oranges. This is not exactly like the Wii in that with that platform, Nintendo pretty much said "we're going with the gimmick - you guys fight over the graphics". Here they're doing a bit of both and with sufficient horsepower to pull off hardcore games. At least you can see that to some degree?

And by the way, the controllers aren't "freaking tablets". It's a controller built around a screen. It simply has to display the information generated by the main unit.

 

[KillerSkaarj]

The demos they showed were all 360 and ps3 games that will be launching in a few months on those consoles and in a year on the WiiU. Yay? Is that strong developer support or sloppy seconds

Stop thinking in the now and start thinking to the future. Sure, WiiU will get these title much later than the others, that's because Nintendo didn't reveal their console until recently. Developers saw it, were impressed, and decided to port their awesome games to the new system. EA has even publicly expressed extreme interest in the new console.

We're getting these hardcore titles late because WiiU was revealed late. These games are close to completion. What about in the future? What about titles that have only just started production? Ever think that just maybe next year we'll start seeing awesome titles like these appear on all three platforms at the same time for the first time? How can you deduce how strong the 3rd party strong developer support is over something as stupid as "but these titles are coming late to the system?"

 

[Sir_Brizz]

We don't even know if they are getting ports or just universe games. For some of the things they said, they said they were getting "an Assassin's Creed game" That could mean anything. "A Call of Duty game" again, what does that mean? Right now, nothing is certain other than that Nintendo's own games will be great on the platform.

 

[KillerSkaarj]

Update! According to Ubisoft, Nintendo is ditching friend codes for an account-based online service, possibly going to be like XBL without the monthly fee. My thoughts: YES.

Source: http://wii.ign.com/articles/117/1174844p1.html

 

[ambershee]

Yeah, I saw that. Obvious move for Nintendo, big win for the consumer. Good riddance, friend code bull****, hello proper online play!

 

[[GU]elmur_fud]

Can't find anything else about this other then similarly crappy vids with people blabbering about the hardware. Don't care about it, 99% chance those controlers won't see a public release. Ecspecially with this gorgeous mysterious Zelda demo in the background.
[M]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTkCIJGTe_U[/M]

The spider rather resembles queen Gooma from Ocarina of Time. Of course that is not up the backside of a tree.

I do wonder if this might be the rumored Ocarina of Time remake.

 

[BITE_ME]

I hear the u stands for uranium.
Nuclear consoles are the future

 

[KillerSkaarj]

The spider rather resembles queen Gooma from Ocarina of Time. Of course that is not up the backside of a tree.

[nerdspeak] That's actually Armogohma from Twilight Princess. The battle was quite similar to OOT's Gohma, in that she crawled along the ceiling, but to kill her you had to get her down from the ceiling then possess a massive statue to bring its hammer down on the bastard. [/nerdspeak]

One thing I found quite odd was the fact that Nintendo basically teased this new, HD Zelda before Skyward sword is even completed. What worries me is that we were in this exact same situation back when the Gamecube was shown off at E3, where they showed a realistic Link fighting Ganondorf, but then we ended up getting Wind Waker. The realistic Link didn't show up until Twilight Princess.

If history is to be repeated we might see that happen here too. However, seeing as how Skyward Sword is already cel-shaded, it's unlikely that Nintendo would release two cel-shaded Zeldas in a row on two different systems.

 

[ilkman]

I think the system will do well. They just need to change the name.

 

[Plumb_Drumb]

yeah this is getting bad, the naming.

I still can't order the Rooty Tooty Fresh ‘n Fruity breakfast from Denny's unless I call it the "R-2 Double Eff!" but that's not much better than Wii U.