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Topic: Your Guess as to this year's surprise E3 Wii U Announcement(s)

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skywake

Bolt_Strike wrote:

In reality, we know more than jack. We know that Nintendo is unifying the architecture and the NX is going to use the same architecture as the 3DS and Wii U. That points to the NX providing a stronger relationship between handheld and console and a stronger relationship between generations. It's hard to say exactly what it is, but it's not outrageous to say that the NX could potentially replace the Wii U when the intent is to bring handheld and console closer together.

Either we don't know this or I've missed something. All I've heard is that they've brought their home-console and portable divisions together so they'll be talking to each other. That doesn't necessarily point to them using the same hardware architecture as existing platforms. It certainly doesn't point to them using the same architecture as both because they use entirely different architectures! Them working together could easily be as simple as them wanting their difference pieces of hardware to work together. At all. Because right now the 3DS and Wii U don't talk. All we really know is that this thing has a codename of NX. Which Nintendo has said stands for "next". Which tells us nothing about what this is.

The only thing we have that we can read into are sales and software output. The 3DS is slowing down both in terms of sales and software. The Wii U is coasting along on both metrics but isn't performing well overall. The thing that makes me think it's a 3DS replacement is that you look at them in isolation you'd say "yes" for 3DS and "no" for Wii U. That and when people say it's replacing the Wii U they have to come up with ways that Nintendo could smooth it over PR wise. Which makes me think people arguing that point already know it's a bad move.

Edited on by skywake

Some playlists: Top All Time Songs, Top Last Year
"Don't stir the pot" is a nice way of saying "they're too dumb to reason with"

Bolt_Strike

skywake wrote:

Bolt_Strike wrote:

In reality, we know more than jack. We know that Nintendo is unifying the architecture and the NX is going to use the same architecture as the 3DS and Wii U. That points to the NX providing a stronger relationship between handheld and console and a stronger relationship between generations. It's hard to say exactly what it is, but it's not outrageous to say that the NX could potentially replace the Wii U when the intent is to bring handheld and console closer together.

Either we don't know this or I've missed something. All I've heard is that they've brought their home-console and portable divisions together so they'll be talking to each other. That doesn't necessarily point to them using the same hardware architecture as existing platforms. It certainly doesn't point to them using the same architecture as both because they use entirely different architectures! Them working together could easily be as simple as them wanting their difference pieces of hardware to work together. At all. Because right now the 3DS and Wii U don't talk. All we know is that this thing has a codename of NX. Which Nintendo has said stands for "next". Which tells us nothing about what this is. That's quite literally us knowing jack about what this thing is or isn't.

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2014/02/nintendo-discusses-unif...

It's more than just merging staff and having the two communicate with each other. In fact the latter's already been around for years. As long as a year ago they've been discussing how they plan on the next gen console having unified accounts, and yes, unified architecture, so that they can have one architecture with different form factors. On top of that they describe the next handheld and console as "brothers". So clearly they don't view the next gen consoles as two independent devices, but a unified system continuing from 3DS and Wii U accessed from different devices.

skywake wrote:

The only thing we have that we can read into are sales and software output. The 3DS is slowing down both in terms of sales and software. The Wii U is coasting along on both metrics but isn't performing well overall. The thing that makes me think it's a 3DS replacement is that you look at them in isolation you'd say "yes" for 3DS and "no" for Wii U. When people say it's replacing the Wii U they have to come up with ways that Nintendo could smooth it over PR wise. Which makes me think people arguing that point already know it's a bad move.

This is another reason for them to not cut off Wii U support soon after, with cross gen releases it provides a smoother transition into 9th gen and they can phase out Wii U support as NX support increases. This would give Wii U owners plenty of time to consider an upgrade while still getting value out of their Wii U.

Edited on by Bolt_Strike

Bolt_Strike

Switch Friend Code: SW-5621-4055-5722 | 3DS Friend Code: 4725-8075-8961 | Nintendo Network ID: Bolt_Strike

skywake

Bolt_Strike wrote:

skywake wrote:

Either we don't know this or I've missed something. All I've heard is that they've brought their home-console and portable divisions together so they'll be talking to each other. That doesn't necessarily point to them using the same hardware architecture as existing platforms. It certainly doesn't point to them using the same architecture as both because they use entirely different architectures! Them working together could easily be as simple as them wanting their difference pieces of hardware to work together. At all. Because right now the 3DS and Wii U don't talk. All we know is that this thing has a codename of NX. Which Nintendo has said stands for "next". Which tells us nothing about what this is. That's quite literally us knowing jack about what this thing is or isn't.

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2014/02/nintendo-discusses-unif...

It's more than just merging staff and having the two communicate with each other. In fact the latter's already been around for years. As long as a year ago they've been discussing how they plan on the next gen console having unified accounts, and yes, unified architecture, so that they can have one architecture with different form factors. On top of that they describe the next handheld and console as "brothers". So clearly they don't view the next gen consoles as two independent devices, but a unified system continuing from 3DS and Wii U accessed from different devices.

To quote the source directly:

Iwata wrote:

For example, currently it requires a huge amount of effort to port Wii software to Nintendo 3DS because not only their resolutions but also the methods of software development are entirely different. The same thing happens when we try to port Nintendo 3DS software to Wii U. If the transition of software from platform to platform can be made simpler, this will help solve the problem of game shortages in the launch periods of new platforms
[...]
In this perspective, while we are only going to be able to start this with the next system, it will become important for us to accurately take advantage of what we have done with the Wii U architecture. It of course does not mean that we are going to use exactly the same architecture as Wii U, but we are going to create a system that can absorb the Wii U architecture adequately.
[...]
Still, I am not sure if the form factor will be integrated. In contrast, the number of form factors might increase. Currently, we can only provide two form factors because if we had three or four different architectures, we would face serious shortages of software on every platform [...] Whether we will ultimately need just one device will be determined by what consumers demand in the future, and that is not something we know at the moment.

so basically they want to:

  • make it so that they'll talk to each other better and ports will be easier
  • not use literally the same architecture but make it so that they're "similar"
  • Not shrink down to one device, if anything bring back the "three pillar" strategy. Probably stick to two.
  • Have a unified platform along the lines of iOS or Android. i.e. NOT literally in hardware

Which fits with what I've been saying. That the NX will be a singular device, probably a portable. That it won't be a hybrid and that the closeness of their two hardware divisions is purely to make ports easier. That because of this they'll have more software out of the gate when it launches.

Maybe they'll launch it with a game build on the work done in 3D world, a portable sequel to the Zelda game they're working on. Maybe they'll copy over StarFox, Pikmin 3 or Splatoon. Maybe they'll have it so ports from Wii are also easy and launch the thing with a portable version of Twilight Princess or Super Mario Galaxy. Maybe they'll have the two stores talk to each other so that a VC purchase will count across both. Maybe the similar "OS" will mean that VC releases come out faster and even directly alongside the ones on the Wii U. Nothing they have said goes against this theory and if that's what it is? I'm buying it. If it's this hybrid monstrosity people are talking about? I'm not interested.

Edited on by skywake

Some playlists: Top All Time Songs, Top Last Year
"Don't stir the pot" is a nice way of saying "they're too dumb to reason with"

Bolt_Strike

skywake wrote:

so basically they want to:

  • make it so that they'll talk to each other better and ports will be easier
  • not use literally the same architecture but make it so that they're "similar"
  • Not shrink down to one device, if anything bring back the "three pillar" strategy. Probably stick to two.
  • Have a unified platform along the lines of iOS or Android. i.e. NOT literally in hardware

Which fits with what I've been saying. That the NX will be a singular device, probably a portable. That it won't be a hybrid and that the closeness of their two hardware divisions is purely to make ports easier. That because of this they'll have more software out of the gate when it launches. A game build on the work done in 3D world, a portable sequel to the Zelda game they're working on. Maybe they'll copy over StarFox, Pikmin 3 or Splatoon. Maybe they'll have it so ports from Wii are also easy and launch the thing with a portable version of Twilight Princess or Super Mario Galaxy. Nothing they have said goes against this theory and if that's what it is? I'm buying it. If it's this hybrid monstrosity people are talking about? I'm not interested.

Your idea goes against Nintendo's MO, it's probably not the way they're going to approach the idea of a unified platform. Do you really think Nintendo, who routinely experiments with hardware, is simply using the unified platform for ports and communication? That'd be disappointingly similar to previous gens, even more so than 3DS and Wii U are. There's more to this idea than lame ports.

Anyway, if the plan is to make a unified platform with different form factors, then holding off on the console for a year doesn't make much sense from a marketing standpoint. With only one device you can't really demonstrate it as a unified platform with different form factors, you only have half of the idea.

Bolt_Strike

Switch Friend Code: SW-5621-4055-5722 | 3DS Friend Code: 4725-8075-8961 | Nintendo Network ID: Bolt_Strike

skywake

Bolt_Strike wrote:

Your idea goes against Nintendo's MO, it's probably not the way they're going to approach the idea of a unified platform. Do you really think Nintendo, who routinely experiments with hardware, is simply using the unified platform for ports and communication? That'd be disappointingly similar to previous gens, even more so than 3DS and Wii U are. There's more to this idea than lame ports.

There's more to what the NX is than simply being a "machine for ports". For sure. But I don't think there's much more to their idea of what "unified platforms" is.

As for their MO, think about the launch of any of their systems in the last decade or so. All padded out with ports. Last generation the DS launched with Super Mario 64 and was known for its SNES ports. The Wii came booming out of the gate with Twilight Princess and had droughts padded with the New Play Control series. The 3DS is the same deal with Ocarina of Time, StarFox 64, Donkey Kong Country Returns and more recently Xenoblade. Same again with Wind Waker HD on the Wii U, hell I even remember reading somewhere that Pikmin 3 started on the Wii. Wouldn't it make sense if they make it easier to do what they're already doing? So that they reduce the amount of work required and therefore produce more content? Seems pretty sensible to me.

That said I'm not saying that the next portable should only have Wii U games. That would be ridiculous. What I'm saying is that if they make them close they can launch with one or two Wii U or Wii games. Or instead of building a game from scratch instead port an existing game over and then tweak it for the portable release. How much quicker do you reckon we'd get Mario Kart 9 if instead of starting again they instead could "easily" port over Mario Kart 8, make new tracks and then polish? I'm pretty sure that's 100% the sort of thing Iwata was talking about in that investor meeting. To quote him again:

Iwata wrote:

For example, currently it requires a huge amount of effort to port Wii software to Nintendo 3DS because not only their resolutions but also the methods of software development are entirely different. The same thing happens when we try to port Nintendo 3DS software to Wii U. If the transition of software from platform to platform can be made simpler, this will help solve the problem of game shortages in the launch periods of new platforms

In a nutshell, think of how much smoother the Wii U launch would have been if we had Wind Waker HD and maybe a 3DS port of something like Kid Icarus on day 1. That's what they want to be able to do.

Edited on by skywake

Some playlists: Top All Time Songs, Top Last Year
"Don't stir the pot" is a nice way of saying "they're too dumb to reason with"

St_Tingle

My prediction is that we'll have Animal Crossing U announced as the surprise; with the characters already put in HD for the Wii U Plaza, I feel they could somewhat easily manage a port of New Leaf with maybe a bigger town, more online guest visitors at once, and the amiibo card implementation. Maybe even cross-connectivity with the 3DS if we're lucky.

I don't think it'd be too far off to also live in a world where they'd show off a Mario 3D World 2 to capitalize on the assets already crafted and to implement leftover ideas. Maybe even throw in a couple extra characters like Wario or (more unlikely) Birdo.

A new IP (perhaps utilizing the concepts of Project Guard/Giant Robots extended further)?

Pokken Tournament, to me, seems HIGHLY likely.

Not to mention an HD remake of... something. In fact, they could, instead of making the above mentioned Mario 3D World 2, drop a Mario 64 remake of sorts utilizing the 3D World assets. Mario 64 World has a nice ring to it and would definitely have me clamoring.

And lastly, I also almost feel that we could even get something of a reveal for the smartphone game they're dropping this year.

Some of these might be a little far-fetched for THIS E3, but a boy can dream.

Edited on by St_Tingle

Nintendo Network ID: wowzatim93.

Wii U owner. Top 6 games for system: Splatoon, Mario 3D World, Captain Toad, Smash Bros, Bayonetta, and Pikmin 3.
Eagerly anticipating: Zelda U and the hopeful announcements of Animal Crossing U and Paper Mario U.

Octane

This is more a wishlist rather than a prediction, but I'd always love a sequel to older games like Ice Climber, The Mysterious Murasame Castle or Balloon Fight (just like they did with Kid Icarus). Updating the game to modern times in the case of Balloon Fight or Ice Climber and turn them into an adventure / platformer game or something like that. Or a 3D Murasame Castle in the vein of Zelda.

Octane

Grumblevolcano

St_Timothy wrote:

My prediction is that we'll have Animal Crossing U announced as the surprise; with the characters already put in HD for the Wii U Plaza, I feel they could somewhat easily manage a port of New Leaf with maybe a bigger town, more online guest visitors at once, and the amiibo card implementation. Maybe even cross-connectivity with the 3DS if we're lucky.

I don't think it'd be too far off to also live in a world where they'd show off a Mario 3D World 2 to capitalize on the assets already crafted and to implement leftover ideas. Maybe even throw in a couple extra characters like Wario or (more unlikely) Birdo.

A new IP (perhaps utilizing the concepts of Project Guard/Giant Robots extended further)?

Pokken Tournament, to me, seems HIGHLY likely.

Not to mention an HD remake of... something. In fact, they could, instead of making the above mentioned Mario 3D World 2, drop a Mario 64 remake of sorts utilizing the 3D World assets. Mario 64 World has a nice ring to it and would definitely have me clamoring.

And lastly, I also almost feel that we could even get something of a reveal for the smartphone game they're dropping this year.

Some of these might be a little far-fetched for THIS E3, but a boy can dream.

I don't think they'd release a SM64 remake as the original is already on the eshop, also Nintendo's announced that they aren't mentioning anything to do with mobile at E3 which makes sense as anything smartphone related will cause a huge backlash. http://gonintendo.com/stories/232959-nintendo-won-t-be-showin...

Grumblevolcano

Switch Friend Code: SW-2595-6790-2897 | 3DS Friend Code: 3926-6300-7087 | Nintendo Network ID: GrumbleVolcano

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