A Nintendo spokesperson has told GameSpot that they won't be releasing minigames for smartphone. So that definitely leaves out games. (phew)
EDIT: @Kyloctopus Due to the nature of the platform and the hardware, games must be designed differently: to be played at shorter intervals, using just the screen and gyroscope as controls, have limited file size, leading to limited graphic / video assets, and they usually have ads on them or have microtransactions. And personally, i don't like any of that in my games (except for the small file size).
The limited input options leaves me the impression that some games are playing themselves, such as racing ones. And generally speaking, you can't have a full-fledged, open world Need for Speed, or play a Smash Bros-like game properly / confortably. You can't run complex operations on mobile devices because that leads to overheating and lower battery life, so the AI and graphics are usually lower quality. Or when playing shooters: i own Dead Space for android, and i can't play it on my phone because the screen is too small for seeing what's happening, nor in my tablet because the device itself is too big to use the motion controls, so that game was basically just an expense.
In conclussion, there are some genres that suit small screens (such as puzzle games and some RPGs), and there are others that are definitely better played on other hardware (fighting and racing games, shooters).
An overview of the curious japanese mobile phone market. Nintendo would have to compete against that in their own homeland if they were to release a mobile phone. (Yes, i'm aware the second article is a bit old... 2009)
Uuuh... Let's be careful. This topic is a can of worms.
I can be sure of one thing: a Nintendo phone wouldn't be feasible because Nintendo would not only have Microsoft and Sony as competitors... But also phone manufacturers such as Asus (Google Nexus phones), Samsung, Sony again, Apple... And then they will be again playing catch-up with higher specs. Another spec game in which they lose is what they need least. Heck, in this day and age, with phones having eight core processors, 1080p displays, LTE connectivity, and whatnot... (As far as freaking IP57 rating, water and dust proof) and with flagship phones aiming to break the ultra HD barrier this year or the next... In the console department Nintendo is struggling and they have the creativity muscle. In the phone department Nintendo would meet a harsh entry point in an extremely overcrowded market.
Let's not forget that just in GSM several frequencies are used worldwide, and Nintendo would have to seek licenses for using the tech in each one. Next up is the fact that there would need to be GSM and CDMA versions. And don't get me started on the subject of CARRIERS.
No.
Just... no.
But let's see what they have to announce. I highly doubt they will devaluate their intelectual properties by releasing their games on other platforms, as adamant as they are (not only that, but Nintendo wouldn't get 100% of the sales the software gets, at least with the draconian Apple store policies). A better bet would be creating new ones, as that would be fresh air for the company's portfolio and short and mid-term sales projections.
Zelda, Rosalina and Viridi in one picture. There's one thing i thought i would never see.
What if there is additional dialogue while Pit is in the Kid Icarus stage, like Fox and Falco on Corneria and Snake on Shadow Moses Island in Melee and Brawl? What if Viridi has, once again, the talent of her KI:U voice actress Hynden Walch? As if like this SSB wasn't awesome enough?
Patience is a virtue, they say...
EDIT: Thanks for other commenters for pointing the Palutena "leak". And thanks NL for not posting about it. That aside, if the screenshots are not edited she probably is an assist trophy. Why jump to "she is playable" conclusions so fast?
Hadn't played this in a while. I undoubtedly have lost some charm... Yet I still can defend myself. Hopefully i can join you NL staff in the future. It was pretty good nonetheless.
@Zodiak13: In fact, that's exactly why I only frequent this site over all gaming sites. The content is seriously documented within their own rules and the staff is amazingly friendly yet responsive. If it were other gaming sites, I'd bet this article would have witty comments, to put it somehow appropriate, all over it.
The rules against piracy and all are not because lack of "freedom of speech", but to avoid any kind of issue with Nintendo or any other party in the first place. Like when certain pokemon site got a cease and desist note from Nintendo for publishing screenshots of the then-unreleased in the west Black and White pokemon games for documenting fifth gen pokemon. The webmasters had to replace everything with Ditto (claiming that pokemon isn't eligible of copyright due to its nature).
Rosalina's Observatory... Interesting concept, an AR planetarium. Sadly, it would need better hardware, given that the 3DS cameras are low resolution and have very low light sensibility.
@AlexSora89 "Super Mario Galaxy 1+2 = 3D" for the 3DS. Wowzers... Does that mean that... Half life 3 is confirmed? XD
Quoting my favorite part. "...it no longer runs DS ROMS, but rather only retail 3DS cartridges. It is then apparently possible to run 3DS retail games (only legitimate copies) from another region on any 3DS, essentially breaking the region lock."
I approve of using a flashcart for losing the posibility of using flashcarts for good and removing the region locking to hard copies of difficultly and legitimately obtained, exotic games from Shangri-La. Have a good day.
@kolz @MAB: That exactly is the very essence of it, my friend. Playing exotic games in their original languages. Some of us like and value it since they give us a chance and a reason to practice any foreign language we're studying. We are in a globalized world, developers should let us choose what language we read on, and Game Freak with their latest Pokemon installment gave a push in the right direction in this regard. Some other games even have the option to include the original voice acting, which is a rare yet delightful ocurrence.
I pressume they are setting up extra infrastructure for load-balancing (A gateway/proxy and an additional cluster of servers, maybe? Given they are charging the service i would hope so). At this scale the implementation takes several weeks, if not months. I wouldn't hold my breath.
Let's just rely on wonder trade a little longer. They are really giving several unobtainable pokemon. (Still, teams with legendary trios or the like will remain a japanese exclusive, and a small portion of said users at that.)
3DS First-Party Retail Game of the Year - Very tough question.
@Guybrush_Threepwood It's OK to go against the current and have your own choices and all... But i'm curious to know if you have played it. The hype is not just hype, the game is really good: level design are creative (while some elements are taken from the galaxy games you never feel it's something you have played before) and very polished, the graphics are absolutely amazing for Nintendo's first party standards to date, and playing it alongside 3 friends can get as crazy as it's fun. Also, it's always good to give a Wii U game some exposure, especially to people who haven't seen any other consoles than Sony / Microsoft ones.
I'm glad they are returning to Twilight Princess Link for the Wii U. Another Zelda with that same graphic style, with better graphics, of course, would definitely be amazing.
In the UNAM (Mexico's national autonomous university), at the faculty of engineering (where I have finished my studies and have almost graduated as of now) Arduino is more popular because of the lower level of programming it offers: as it is a microcontroller (put in simple terms, a microprocessor mounted on a circuit board with with just some other circuits and ports connected: a subset of what a computer has) with a lot of add-on modules, it is versatile enough to be used for electronic and computer engineers alike. We could buy the ethernet or VGA port add-ons, while keeping the module attractive and affordable for those who just want an automated control system, a sensing interface, an independent data-output device (such as 8-segment displays) or something similar. They also offer courses on what to do with an Arduino and how to write code for it, and even when it is extremely cheap, they sometimes offer some sponsoring.
On the other hand, while the same vendors who carry the Arduino also sell the Raspberry Pi, they are less popular, not supported by the faculty, a bit more expensive and a lot less documented (although it's nothing Google can't fix).
While i know what Nintendo Zone is, on my 3DS i have tucked away that "useless" icon (alongside Face Raiders and safety info), since it's very unlikely i will ever use it. Unless i buy a raspberry pi / some other alternative for setting up a Nintendo Zone at home, that is.
Personally, i like my pedometers pokemon-flavoured. On my pokewalker i have 6,886,055 steps recorded over a span of 1364 days (since Pokemon HG/SS release). On a regular week day i make around 7,500 steps, 2500 under the "recommended" or "considered healthy" number of 10,000 daily steps. That, of course, with all the Pokemon related goodies (some of which cannot be transfered to new generations, by the way).
I'm also curious to know what happens when the total count reaches 9,999,999 + 1. How / does the hardware manage the overflow?
All we know is that now a high-polygon count model of a Skull Kid exists, and will appear on SSB. It may or may not be reused for, or taken from, certain N64 game that a lot of people want re-released as a 3DS game.
Rune Factory 4... So much detail, so much content, so much personality... The perfect blend between Harvest Moon and Final Fantasy gameplay. Even when the graphics failed to deliver, the game itself is a true masterpiece. I really mourn this news: Rune Factory as we know it is now in question, even when another sequel is (JUST) possible.
I really hope someone will pick up their franchises. Natsume sounds like a good candidate since they also make Harvest Moon.
Wow. What i really like about Nintendo is that even when they are a company and their goal is to make a profit, they frequently aknowledge their customer base as people and not just money cows. And what an original idea: a narrative contained in three different pokemon cards.
I might get those cards just by what they symbolize.
@Zombie_Barioth You make some really good points. Perhaps i'm just too familiar with the concept at this point, and it just doesn't wow me anymore.
As for the second part, I guess some people could just look up in online guides how to play their way, removing some of the obstacles for playing as a beginner, without dumbing down the overall experience. Everyone plays games to enjoy them, and in the end that's what counts.
@Zombie_Barioth @Senario In terms of pokemon design, I guess it's just the fact there are people with all sorts of different tastes. I'm also not necessarily inclined to the first generation. There are no "wrong" tastes, am i right? Like Ken Sugimori, for me the franchise overall has lost the initial charm it had.
Let me also assure you it hasn't anything to do with an "irrational hate" or "something against a different culture". This is simply not the case. In fact, i have been studying the japanese language 6 years as of now (and i still have a long way to go...), and this comment is just for pointing the fact i'm familiar with their language, society structure and culture, not just in a shallow or commercial level.
There are Pokemon TV shows, printed media, the obvious case of videogames - main games or spin-offs - and in the case of Japan, even Pikachu planes and a Piplup car. Taking this into account, and the fact its origin is Japan, i think said market has a big influence in Pokemon designing, merchandise-wise.
How many pokemon are too many pokemon? I don't really know, but as long as the franchise is doing well in Japan, and in sales in general, Game Freak is going to continue producing it. But I'm afraid someone who wants to start playing with 800+ monsters will find it intimidating, to say the least. In this light definitely a "simpler approach" would be a smart move.
Even Sugimori feels that Pokemon doesn't have the same appeal as older generations. And personally, i don't like how any gen 6 pokemon looks. Especially Sylveon, it's a love letter to the japanese "kawaii" concept. As far as i know, Eevee evolves to adapt to its surroundings, not to be a japanese girly merchandise theme, because just very few of Gen 6 pokemon are "kawaii" enough to make plushes or the like. Or tell you what... Make 1,000+ pokemon. In Japan the franchise is dominating 3DS sales so...
But i'm afraid it will eventually get to the point the concept will get stale, or Pokemon as a whole will be so big that new players will perceive it as, if not complex, overwhelming.
"But teacher, how do you expect me to learn the entire periodic table?" "The same way you learned the names and types of well over 500 pokemon." (That means... by battling and trading them...)
@theblackdragon: "Mega evolutions are just a way to dress older pokemon. Who needs them?" Absolutely yes. My favorite part is Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y. Oh, and let's not forget Charizard -> mega Charizard -> shiny Charizard. Or something. Suuuuuuuuuuure.
@Senario: Technically, growl and leer don't do the same thing... Growl lowers the attack of the defending pokemon, while leer lowers its defense.
I agree with the 3D effect being dropped down, the trouble with allocating the processing power and expenses needed to implement it probably don't justify the small user base that have access to a 3DTV (Or worse, the intersection between the current Wii U userbase hint hint and a 3DTV userbase, to put it as in set theory). And, in the case of multiplayer (the focus of this title, as far as i can see from trailers) two to FOUR pairs of glasses.
I, for one, HATE how the characters of A Link Between Worlds look (or the game in general, for that matter). Very plastic-like IMHO. I don't know if he's saying it because of Wind Waker (cel-shaded graphics don't really look bad, and bonus points for letting Link be extremely expressive there)... Skyward Sword (Which i don't think looks bad, but rather... weird) or the aforementioned game (full of PVC action figures).
For the new Zelda, I'd love to see a vastly improved Twilight Princess style, with realistic textures and lighting. I'm pretty sure the Wii U will handle it. Probably this will impact the ESRB rating again, but... Can we get HD, top-notch, realistic graphics for once? The Zelda tech demo shown a while ago should be a good starting point...
This game INDEED isn't for everyone. It's kind of love it or hate it. Once have said this...
I planned on getting, and currently playing this instead of pokemon. I like it a lot... There is ALWAYS something to do, and I tire out before getting bored... The story is lenghty, the characters have a lot of dialog instead of two or three generic lines, as pointed in this review some item descriptions are absolutely hilarious... There are a lot of references to previous games (My favorite of them are those that unlock by completing the second part of the main story!)
Talking of the review, I agree that the menus are pretty well organized, given the sheer amount of items and data it could have been a mess... But hey, it isn't! This implementation is amazing!
The only fact that i really, really hate is the underused, lackluster, terrible 3D. It's used pretty well here and there, but that's it... Otherwise this could have been near perfection.
Hyrule and Lorule... As in Highrule and Lowrule?
Hilda and Zelda... As in Sabrina the teenager witch?
EDIT: Darn, Duffthemonkey beat me to it by FIFTEEN seconds...
EDIT2: For whoever is confused by the new names... The two above lines and the last seconds of the trailer should clear it up
Name analysis aside, i don't like the looks of this game. It looks sort of... plastified? IDK. And i haven't seen something truly ground breaking... But i'm liking the new gameplay mechanics so far. So this is still an average release in my book.
In reference to a certain pokemon incident... I need just TINY spoilers for convincing me this isn't going to be just another Zelda game. (Put down your pitchforks, "Every zelda game is the best zelda game" folks.) What the game will offer to me, aside from playing a Zelda game in 3D, that i haven't seen before?
I'm currently most hyped for the Wii U Zelda. Reading about breaking all Zelda conventions, aiming for uniqueness, and hoping for another Twilight-princess styled, HD game sounds better for me than this game.
It's about time this game got released. It was rescheduled what... twice? Thrice?
Well, let's see how this fares content-wise. What we know so far is that this game saw several QA related delays because it's so text-heavy. But I'm interested to know how lengthy the main campaign is, how the 3D effect is used (hopefully it's not lackluster, as in just 2D sprites in a semi-3D environment, or a very light 3D effect, or blurry a-la NSMB2), how many ways to spend time and how much variety/new features are there in this virtual world... I really, really liked 3, so i have very high hopes for this sequel, just for the record.
While it's true that Nintendo knows its hardware capabilities and architecture best, since they designed it and it's basically two Wiis "glued" together, it's also true that they really don't know how to use their new high-tech efficiently. It's something that will happen through time. Combine this fact with Nintendo's pretty efficient code, and games in a couple of years will be lightning-fast, pretty good looking, and hopefully with lots of content.
The fact that the GPU is general purpose might help do higher order computations while not very heavy graphics are being rendered on screen, like advanced encryption, heavy data compression, or collision detection. I agree that it's up to developers to use "tricks" to speed up their games, instead on just loading up everything in RAM like the "more powerful consoles" do (i know, i know, that is exaggerated). In some cases this means recoding the game completely for adjusting it to the new architecture and its limitations, meaning more resources poured instead of just coding once and releasing on two different platforms.
Question. Why does Linzner say that "Bandwidth is mostly an issue for the GPU if you make scattered reads around the memory"? I knew that read times from memory were equal to a constant, irrespective of which memory direction was read... Why does bandwidth vary? What am i missing there?
I hadn't thought of the on board memory from Reggie's perspective. I understand that the 25 or so usable GiB of memory aren't enough, and that it will be filled up with two or three retail games, but i have several external HDDs and plan to dedicate the smaller of those (500 GiB) for the Wii U. Storage prices are also falling over time, so console prices are independent from those... To me, it makes sense.
As i use the external drives for back-up imaging and media storing purposes, they aren't really "part of the Wii U cost" for me, as some people wrote in the comments on another article. It's actually the opposite: An external HDD can be used not only for a console, but also on computers and even some tablets or phones that support USB-OTG, have adapters, and support file systems like NTFS. It's up to you to get the most from your money.
And what if you want to take your HDD to another place? There are several bump resistant, good capacity, portable hard disk drives. There are also options if you want a smaller but faster one.
I have been a supporter of Nintendo making account-based systems, but i will go digital for the Wii U because most of the time the console is fixed in one place, making it less likely to be damaged or lost compared to a 3DS. An unified account system would be nice nonetheless. I also am planning on buying some of the greatest games as disks, like Smash Bros.
Agreed. The world was massive, the dungeons were quite varied, the story was lengthy. The graphics are amazing. Zelda's model is beautiful, might i add. And we had the spinner!
Ocarina of time is the true legend because it founded a lot of standard and unique 3D zelda concepts. It had the lens of truth, for example.
Skyward Sword... I felt there is a lot of recycling on there... Sure there are a lot of good points, the ancient cistern is the most interesting dungeon i have ever seen. But it's a bit... Meh.
Needless to be said, this is up to personal preference.
This is pretty much why i don't like online in pokemon games:
Battles? "If my perfect, all shiny team loses i disconnect before something gets recorded."
Trades? "Sure, i will try to scam and do 2 for 1 trades."
GTS? "Sure, i want to stop worldwide trading economy by asking impossible to get pokemon just because. Perhaps if i leave it for, say, a year, i will get one." (It seems like the recipe for pokemon wine is something along the lines of Rattata Lv3 + 2 years = Lv1 Genesect.)
Thanks for rendering the online functionality useless, all of you.
Translation of the japanese comments, because i felt like doing it.
エイエス AIS.LV01
色を付けると普段倍以上時間がかかりますね。描き心地最高ーー！！アナログとほんと変わらないです。高解像度っていいなぁ。
Blending colors and the five clothfolds were the most time consuming elements. Drawing art is great! I wouldn't change natural controls. It's best for high-res pictures.
おふろ ofulon
みんなそろそろ忘れてそうなアレ描いてみた
I tried to draw THAT apparently forgotten by everyone piece of art...
おこめ happak
マイホーム My home
かっちゃん ka2kazken
金麦Mii Beer (Kinmugi is a trademark for beer)
Comments 278
Re: The Nintendo Phone Almost Happened A Decade Ago
A Nintendo spokesperson has told GameSpot that they won't be releasing minigames for smartphone. So that definitely leaves out games. (phew)
EDIT: @Kyloctopus Due to the nature of the platform and the hardware, games must be designed differently: to be played at shorter intervals, using just the screen and gyroscope as controls, have limited file size, leading to limited graphic / video assets, and they usually have ads on them or have microtransactions. And personally, i don't like any of that in my games (except for the small file size).
The limited input options leaves me the impression that some games are playing themselves, such as racing ones. And generally speaking, you can't have a full-fledged, open world Need for Speed, or play a Smash Bros-like game properly / confortably. You can't run complex operations on mobile devices because that leads to overheating and lower battery life, so the AI and graphics are usually lower quality. Or when playing shooters: i own Dead Space for android, and i can't play it on my phone because the screen is too small for seeing what's happening, nor in my tablet because the device itself is too big to use the motion controls, so that game was basically just an expense.
In conclussion, there are some genres that suit small screens (such as puzzle games and some RPGs), and there are others that are definitely better played on other hardware (fighting and racing games, shooters).
Re: The Nikkei Reports Potential Nintendo Smartphone Strategy, to be Announced This Week
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galápagos_syndrome
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/20/technology/20cell.html?_r=0
An overview of the curious japanese mobile phone market. Nintendo would have to compete against that in their own homeland if they were to release a mobile phone. (Yes, i'm aware the second article is a bit old... 2009)
EDIT: I'll make sure to not stray from the topic at hand. But i also found this: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/09/technology/09paper.html
Re: The Nikkei Reports Potential Nintendo Smartphone Strategy, to be Announced This Week
Uuuh... Let's be careful. This topic is a can of worms.
I can be sure of one thing: a Nintendo phone wouldn't be feasible because Nintendo would not only have Microsoft and Sony as competitors... But also phone manufacturers such as Asus (Google Nexus phones), Samsung, Sony again, Apple... And then they will be again playing catch-up with higher specs. Another spec game in which they lose is what they need least. Heck, in this day and age, with phones having eight core processors, 1080p displays, LTE connectivity, and whatnot... (As far as freaking IP57 rating, water and dust proof) and with flagship phones aiming to break the ultra HD barrier this year or the next... In the console department Nintendo is struggling and they have the creativity muscle. In the phone department Nintendo would meet a harsh entry point in an extremely overcrowded market.
Let's not forget that just in GSM several frequencies are used worldwide, and Nintendo would have to seek licenses for using the tech in each one. Next up is the fact that there would need to be GSM and CDMA versions. And don't get me started on the subject of CARRIERS.
No.
Just... no.
But let's see what they have to announce. I highly doubt they will devaluate their intelectual properties by releasing their games on other platforms, as adamant as they are (not only that, but Nintendo wouldn't get 100% of the sales the software gets, at least with the draconian Apple store policies). A better bet would be creating new ones, as that would be fresh air for the company's portfolio and short and mid-term sales projections.
Re: Feature: A Week of Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS Screens - Issue Twenty Two
Zelda, Rosalina and Viridi in one picture. There's one thing i thought i would never see.
What if there is additional dialogue while Pit is in the Kid Icarus stage, like Fox and Falco on Corneria and Snake on Shadow Moses Island in Melee and Brawl? What if Viridi has, once again, the talent of her KI:U voice actress Hynden Walch? As if like this SSB wasn't awesome enough?
Patience is a virtue, they say...
EDIT: Thanks for other commenters for pointing the Palutena "leak". And thanks NL for not posting about it. That aside, if the screenshots are not edited she probably is an assist trophy. Why jump to "she is playable" conclusions so fast?
Re: Guide: How To Become The Ultimate Monster Breeder In Pokémon X & Y
This is the most complete and comprehensive guide on breeding that I have ever read. Thanks, Joe @Serebii.
I didn't knew about the shiny charm item or the breeding use of destiny knot, since i skipped gen V completely.
Re: Play: Mario Kart 7 with Nintendo Life - The Return
Joined in for some races.
Hadn't played this in a while. I undoubtedly have lost some charm... Yet I still can defend myself. Hopefully i can join you NL staff in the future. It was pretty good nonetheless.
Re: Video: This Bravely Default Story Trailer Goes For An Epic Approach
I heard about it last year and i wasn't interested. Played the demo (with extra content and transferable items) and now I will buy it on launch day.
That's a good marketing / sales strategy and management, EA. Take note.
Re: Matters Of Import: A Peek Into The Tragically Unobtainable World Of Dragon Quest X
All of my want.
Re: 3DS Region-Free Hack is Hacked by Hackers
About the picture... I don't know what that thing is, but how about this one?
Re: 3DS Region-Free Hack is Hacked by Hackers
@Zodiak13: In fact, that's exactly why I only frequent this site over all gaming sites. The content is seriously documented within their own rules and the staff is amazingly friendly yet responsive. If it were other gaming sites, I'd bet this article would have witty comments, to put it somehow appropriate, all over it.
The rules against piracy and all are not because lack of "freedom of speech", but to avoid any kind of issue with Nintendo or any other party in the first place. Like when certain pokemon site got a cease and desist note from Nintendo for publishing screenshots of the then-unreleased in the west Black and White pokemon games for documenting fifth gen pokemon. The webmasters had to replace everything with Ditto (claiming that pokemon isn't eligible of copyright due to its nature).
It's complicated.
Re: 3DS Region-Free Hack is Hacked by Hackers
At first glance, and without delving further, this sounds like a conflict of interest to me.
Re: Feature: Nintendo Games We'd Love to See in 2014
Rosalina's Observatory... Interesting concept, an AR planetarium. Sadly, it would need better hardware, given that the 3DS cameras are low resolution and have very low light sensibility.
@AlexSora89 "Super Mario Galaxy 1+2 = 3D" for the 3DS.
Wowzers... Does that mean that... Half life 3 is confirmed? XD
Re: Weirdness: Try Not To Squirm As This Doomed Miiverse Romance Turns Sour
Wow.
Remember that anyone may or may not be whoever they say to be: Man, woman, bot or chimera. Even if they have photos of "themselves".
I had some other words and safety advices, but on second thought... Nah. Read about internet safety yourself. Ask your friend Google about it.
Re: 3DS Hack Removes Region Locking For Retail Cartridges
Quoting my favorite part. "...it no longer runs DS ROMS, but rather only retail 3DS cartridges. It is then apparently possible to run 3DS retail games (only legitimate copies) from another region on any 3DS, essentially breaking the region lock."
I approve of using a flashcart for losing the posibility of using flashcarts for good and removing the region locking to hard copies of difficultly and legitimately obtained, exotic games from Shangri-La. Have a good day.
@kolz @MAB: That exactly is the very essence of it, my friend. Playing exotic games in their original languages. Some of us like and value it since they give us a chance and a reason to practice any foreign language we're studying. We are in a globalized world, developers should let us choose what language we read on, and Game Freak with their latest Pokemon installment gave a push in the right direction in this regard. Some other games even have the option to include the original voice acting, which is a rare yet delightful ocurrence.
Re: Pokémon Bank Remains Offline in Japan as Nintendo Apologises for Issues
I pressume they are setting up extra infrastructure for load-balancing (A gateway/proxy and an additional cluster of servers, maybe? Given they are charging the service i would hope so). At this scale the implementation takes several weeks, if not months. I wouldn't hold my breath.
Let's just rely on wonder trade a little longer. They are really giving several unobtainable pokemon. (Still, teams with legendary trios or the like will remain a japanese exclusive, and a small portion of said users at that.)
Re: Masahiro Sakurai Confirms Separate Super Smash Bros. Trophies for Wii U and 3DS
Good. It won't feel like i'm playing the exact same thing twice.
Re: NES Remix Miiverse Contest Cancelled Due To Emergence Of Exploit
While this game exploit doesn't require modifying hardware or software to do, when done in competitive environments it's downright cheating.
I always find it amazing how people can discover such advantageous software bugs.
Re: Feature: Time to Vote For Your Game of the Year 2013
3DS First-Party Retail Game of the Year - Very tough question.
@Guybrush_Threepwood It's OK to go against the current and have your own choices and all... But i'm curious to know if you have played it. The hype is not just hype, the game is really good: level design are creative (while some elements are taken from the galaxy games you never feel it's something you have played before) and very polished, the graphics are absolutely amazing for Nintendo's first party standards to date, and playing it alongside 3 friends can get as crazy as it's fun. Also, it's always good to give a Wii U game some exposure, especially to people who haven't seen any other consoles than Sony / Microsoft ones.
Re: Zelda Unveiled as New Smash Bros. Challenger
I mainly use Zelda (without transforming). Welcome back.
This model of Zelda is gorgeous, and the HD update really did step up that fact.
Re: Hyrule Warriors Is Zelda Meets Dynasty Warriors, And It's Coming To Wii U In 2014
I'm glad they are returning to Twilight Princess Link for the Wii U. Another Zelda with that same graphic style, with better graphics, of course, would definitely be amazing.
Re: Rosalina And Luma Work Their Magic On The Super Smash Bros. Roster
AHEM!! I mean,
Re: Pokémon X & Y Update Mandatory for Online Play, Reportedly Blocks Data Cheats
"Does the arrival of this patch renew your confidence in playing these titles online?"
Hmm... Somewhat. How polluted with people wanting downright unfair and impossible trades the GTS is? (Genuine question, i don't yet own either game)
Re: SpillPass-Pi Could be a Clever Workaround for All The StreetPass Hits You Need
In the UNAM (Mexico's national autonomous university), at the faculty of engineering (where I have finished my studies and have almost graduated as of now) Arduino is more popular because of the lower level of programming it offers: as it is a microcontroller (put in simple terms, a microprocessor mounted on a circuit board with with just some other circuits and ports connected: a subset of what a computer has) with a lot of add-on modules, it is versatile enough to be used for electronic and computer engineers alike. We could buy the ethernet or VGA port add-ons, while keeping the module attractive and affordable for those who just want an automated control system, a sensing interface, an independent data-output device (such as 8-segment displays) or something similar. They also offer courses on what to do with an Arduino and how to write code for it, and even when it is extremely cheap, they sometimes offer some sponsoring.
On the other hand, while the same vendors who carry the Arduino also sell the Raspberry Pi, they are less popular, not supported by the faculty, a bit more expensive and a lot less documented (although it's nothing Google can't fix).
While i know what Nintendo Zone is, on my 3DS i have tucked away that "useless" icon (alongside Face Raiders and safety info), since it's very unlikely i will ever use it. Unless i buy a raspberry pi / some other alternative for setting up a Nintendo Zone at home, that is.
Re: Fit Meter Iwata Asks Outlines Panasonic Partnership and Moving Beyond Pedometers
Personally, i like my pedometers pokemon-flavoured. On my pokewalker i have 6,886,055 steps recorded over a span of 1364 days (since Pokemon HG/SS release). On a regular week day i make around 7,500 steps, 2500 under the "recommended" or "considered healthy" number of 10,000 daily steps. That, of course, with all the Pokemon related goodies (some of which cannot be transfered to new generations, by the way).
I'm also curious to know what happens when the total count reaches 9,999,999 + 1. How / does the hardware manage the overflow?
Re: Majora's Mask Appears Again, This Time as a New Smash Bros. Assist Trophy
All we know is that now a high-polygon count model of a Skull Kid exists, and will appear on SSB. It may or may not be reused for, or taken from, certain N64 game that a lot of people want re-released as a 3DS game.
Re: Weirdness: UK Store GAME Creates Christmas Dinner In A Can
Re: Rune Factory Developer Neverland Closes Its Doors
Rune Factory 4... So much detail, so much content, so much personality... The perfect blend between Harvest Moon and Final Fantasy gameplay. Even when the graphics failed to deliver, the game itself is a true masterpiece. I really mourn this news: Rune Factory as we know it is now in question, even when another sequel is (JUST) possible.
I really hope someone will pick up their franchises. Natsume sounds like a good candidate since they also make Harvest Moon.
...Damn.
Re: Weirdness: Pokémon Cards Tell A Story of Family
Wow. What i really like about Nintendo is that even when they are a company and their goal is to make a profit, they frequently aknowledge their customer base as people and not just money cows. And what an original idea: a narrative contained in three different pokemon cards.
I might get those cards just by what they symbolize.
Re: Video: This "10 New Things" Super Mario 3D World Trailer Will Push Your Buttons
Freaking 10th caught me completely off guard.
I MUST own this one.
Re: Pokémon Art Director Would Like to Simplify the Next Generation of the Franchise
@Zombie_Barioth You make some really good points. Perhaps i'm just too familiar with the concept at this point, and it just doesn't wow me anymore.
As for the second part, I guess some people could just look up in online guides how to play their way, removing some of the obstacles for playing as a beginner, without dumbing down the overall experience. Everyone plays games to enjoy them, and in the end that's what counts.
Re: Pokémon Art Director Would Like to Simplify the Next Generation of the Franchise
@Zombie_Barioth @Senario In terms of pokemon design, I guess it's just the fact there are people with all sorts of different tastes. I'm also not necessarily inclined to the first generation. There are no "wrong" tastes, am i right? Like Ken Sugimori, for me the franchise overall has lost the initial charm it had.
Let me also assure you it hasn't anything to do with an "irrational hate" or "something against a different culture". This is simply not the case. In fact, i have been studying the japanese language 6 years as of now (and i still have a long way to go...), and this comment is just for pointing the fact i'm familiar with their language, society structure and culture, not just in a shallow or commercial level.
There are Pokemon TV shows, printed media, the obvious case of videogames - main games or spin-offs - and in the case of Japan, even Pikachu planes and a Piplup car. Taking this into account, and the fact its origin is Japan, i think said market has a big influence in Pokemon designing, merchandise-wise.
How many pokemon are too many pokemon? I don't really know, but as long as the franchise is doing well in Japan, and in sales in general, Game Freak is going to continue producing it. But I'm afraid someone who wants to start playing with 800+ monsters will find it intimidating, to say the least. In this light definitely a "simpler approach" would be a smart move.
Re: A Fresh Batch of Lovely Super Mario 3D World Screens is Ready
Now, take a good look, ladies and gentlemen. This is how a Mario game should look in HD.
Re: Pokémon Art Director Would Like to Simplify the Next Generation of the Franchise
Even Sugimori feels that Pokemon doesn't have the same appeal as older generations. And personally, i don't like how any gen 6 pokemon looks. Especially Sylveon, it's a love letter to the japanese "kawaii" concept. As far as i know, Eevee evolves to adapt to its surroundings, not to be a japanese girly merchandise theme, because just very few of Gen 6 pokemon are "kawaii" enough to make plushes or the like. Or tell you what... Make 1,000+ pokemon. In Japan the franchise is dominating 3DS sales so...
But i'm afraid it will eventually get to the point the concept will get stale, or Pokemon as a whole will be so big that new players will perceive it as, if not complex, overwhelming.
"But teacher, how do you expect me to learn the entire periodic table?"
"The same way you learned the names and types of well over 500 pokemon." (That means... by battling and trading them...)
@theblackdragon: "Mega evolutions are just a way to dress older pokemon. Who needs them?" Absolutely yes. My favorite part is Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y. Oh, and let's not forget Charizard -> mega Charizard -> shiny Charizard. Or something. Suuuuuuuuuuure.
@Senario: Technically, growl and leer don't do the same thing... Growl lowers the attack of the defending pokemon, while leer lowers its defense.
In other news... Pokemon gen 7 confirmed.
Re: Super Mario 3D World Director and Producer Discuss Content Choices
I agree with the 3D effect being dropped down, the trouble with allocating the processing power and expenses needed to implement it probably don't justify the small user base that have access to a 3DTV (Or worse, the intersection between the current Wii U userbase hint hint and a 3DTV userbase, to put it as in set theory). And, in the case of multiplayer (the focus of this title, as far as i can see from trailers) two to FOUR pairs of glasses.
Re: Talking Point: Regional Online Multiplayer Misses the Point
Not cool, Nintendo. I want to play with japanese and european gamers, too.
Do it on Mario Kart 8 and rest assured i WON'T buy it. Online is everything for those games.
Re: Nintendo Will Be "Careful" About The Artistic Direction Of Zelda In The Future
I, for one, HATE how the characters of A Link Between Worlds look (or the game in general, for that matter). Very plastic-like IMHO. I don't know if he's saying it because of Wind Waker (cel-shaded graphics don't really look bad, and bonus points for letting Link be extremely expressive there)... Skyward Sword (Which i don't think looks bad, but rather... weird) or the aforementioned game (full of PVC action figures).
For the new Zelda, I'd love to see a vastly improved Twilight Princess style, with realistic textures and lighting. I'm pretty sure the Wii U will handle it. Probably this will impact the ESRB rating again, but... Can we get HD, top-notch, realistic graphics for once? The Zelda tech demo shown a while ago should be a good starting point...
Just my two cents.
Re: Review: Rune Factory 4 (3DS)
This game INDEED isn't for everyone. It's kind of love it or hate it. Once have said this...
I planned on getting, and currently playing this instead of pokemon. I like it a lot... There is ALWAYS something to do, and I tire out before getting bored... The story is lenghty, the characters have a lot of dialog instead of two or three generic lines, as pointed in this review some item descriptions are absolutely hilarious... There are a lot of references to previous games (My favorite of them are those that unlock by completing the second part of the main story!)
Talking of the review, I agree that the menus are pretty well organized, given the sheer amount of items and data it could have been a mess... But hey, it isn't! This implementation is amazing!
The only fact that i really, really hate is the underused, lackluster, terrible 3D. It's used pretty well here and there, but that's it... Otherwise this could have been near perfection.
Re: Nintendo Working on Fix for Pokémon X & Y Game Breaking Bug
@123akis put a link to the english map. Beat me to it, i was about to comment that the map tells to not save in the blue area.
Re: Feature: A Week of Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS Screens - Issue Eight
Fox's texture looks weird...
Re: Nintendo Unveils New Trailer and Details For The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
Hyrule and Lorule... As in Highrule and Lowrule?
Hilda and Zelda... As in Sabrina the teenager witch?
EDIT: Darn, Duffthemonkey beat me to it by FIFTEEN seconds...
EDIT2: For whoever is confused by the new names... The two above lines and the last seconds of the trailer should clear it up
Name analysis aside, i don't like the looks of this game. It looks sort of... plastified? IDK. And i haven't seen something truly ground breaking... But i'm liking the new gameplay mechanics so far. So this is still an average release in my book.
In reference to a certain pokemon incident... I need just TINY spoilers for convincing me this isn't going to be just another Zelda game. (Put down your pitchforks, "Every zelda game is the best zelda game" folks.) What the game will offer to me, aside from playing a Zelda game in 3D, that i haven't seen before?
I'm currently most hyped for the Wii U Zelda. Reading about breaking all Zelda conventions, aiming for uniqueness, and hoping for another Twilight-princess styled, HD game sounds better for me than this game.
Just my two cents.
Re: Rune Factory 4
It's about time this game got released. It was rescheduled what... twice? Thrice?
Well, let's see how this fares content-wise. What we know so far is that this game saw several QA related delays because it's so text-heavy. But I'm interested to know how lengthy the main campaign is, how the 3D effect is used (hopefully it's not lackluster, as in just 2D sprites in a semi-3D environment, or a very light 3D effect, or blurry a-la NSMB2), how many ways to spend time and how much variety/new features are there in this virtual world... I really, really liked 3, so i have very high hopes for this sequel, just for the record.
Re: Shin'en: If Developers Can't Make Great Looking Games On Wii U, It's Their Own Fault
TheRealThanos: Three Wiis... Today's not our day, is it?
Re: Shin'en: If Developers Can't Make Great Looking Games On Wii U, It's Their Own Fault
That'd be Cohort, comment 65. And thanks for pointing that they're basically three Wii U connected together TheRealThanos.
Re: Shin'en: If Developers Can't Make Great Looking Games On Wii U, It's Their Own Fault
While it's true that Nintendo knows its hardware capabilities and architecture best, since they designed it and it's basically two Wiis "glued" together, it's also true that they really don't know how to use their new high-tech efficiently. It's something that will happen through time. Combine this fact with Nintendo's pretty efficient code, and games in a couple of years will be lightning-fast, pretty good looking, and hopefully with lots of content.
The fact that the GPU is general purpose might help do higher order computations while not very heavy graphics are being rendered on screen, like advanced encryption, heavy data compression, or collision detection. I agree that it's up to developers to use "tricks" to speed up their games, instead on just loading up everything in RAM like the "more powerful consoles" do (i know, i know, that is exaggerated). In some cases this means recoding the game completely for adjusting it to the new architecture and its limitations, meaning more resources poured instead of just coding once and releasing on two different platforms.
Question. Why does Linzner say that "Bandwidth is mostly an issue for the GPU if you make scattered reads around the memory"? I knew that read times from memory were equal to a constant, irrespective of which memory direction was read... Why does bandwidth vary? What am i missing there?
Re: Poll: Would You Buy Grand Theft Auto V On Wii U?
What's up with all these GTA V articles, yo...
Re: We're Getting Digital Right On 3DS And Wii U, Insists Reggie
I hadn't thought of the on board memory from Reggie's perspective. I understand that the 25 or so usable GiB of memory aren't enough, and that it will be filled up with two or three retail games, but i have several external HDDs and plan to dedicate the smaller of those (500 GiB) for the Wii U. Storage prices are also falling over time, so console prices are independent from those... To me, it makes sense.
As i use the external drives for back-up imaging and media storing purposes, they aren't really "part of the Wii U cost" for me, as some people wrote in the comments on another article. It's actually the opposite: An external HDD can be used not only for a console, but also on computers and even some tablets or phones that support USB-OTG, have adapters, and support file systems like NTFS. It's up to you to get the most from your money.
And what if you want to take your HDD to another place? There are several bump resistant, good capacity, portable hard disk drives. There are also options if you want a smaller but faster one.
I have been a supporter of Nintendo making account-based systems, but i will go digital for the Wii U because most of the time the console is fixed in one place, making it less likely to be damaged or lost compared to a 3DS. An unified account system would be nice nonetheless. I also am planning on buying some of the greatest games as disks, like Smash Bros.
Re: Peter Molyneux Reveals His Favourite Zelda Title Of All Time
Agreed. The world was massive, the dungeons were quite varied, the story was lengthy. The graphics are amazing. Zelda's model is beautiful, might i add. And we had the spinner!
Ocarina of time is the true legend because it founded a lot of standard and unique 3D zelda concepts. It had the lens of truth, for example.
Skyward Sword... I felt there is a lot of recycling on there... Sure there are a lot of good points, the ancient cistern is the most interesting dungeon i have ever seen. But it's a bit... Meh.
Needless to be said, this is up to personal preference.
Re: More Than 1500 Cheaters Took Part in Pokémon's 2013 Global Showdown
This is pretty much why i don't like online in pokemon games:
Battles? "If my perfect, all shiny team loses i disconnect before something gets recorded."
Trades? "Sure, i will try to scam and do 2 for 1 trades."
GTS? "Sure, i want to stop worldwide trading economy by asking impossible to get pokemon just because. Perhaps if i leave it for, say, a year, i will get one." (It seems like the recipe for pokemon wine is something along the lines of Rattata Lv3 + 2 years = Lv1 Genesect.)
Thanks for rendering the online functionality useless, all of you.
Re: Feature: Some Early Miiverse Favourites From Art Academy: SketchPad
Translation of the japanese comments, because i felt like doing it.
エイエス AIS.LV01
色を付けると普段倍以上時間がかかりますね。描き心地最高ーー！！アナログとほんと変わらないです。高解像度っていいなぁ。
Blending colors and the five clothfolds were the most time consuming elements. Drawing art is great! I wouldn't change natural controls. It's best for high-res pictures.
おふろ ofulon
みんなそろそろ忘れてそうなアレ描いてみた
I tried to draw THAT apparently forgotten by everyone piece of art...
おこめ happak
マイホーム My home
かっちゃん ka2kazken
金麦Mii Beer (Kinmugi is a trademark for beer)
ルノ runo0207
深海の主 Master of the deep seas
Re: Feature: Some Early Miiverse Favourites From Art Academy: SketchPad
@Jray: Like this
[ img ]https://d3esbfg30x759i.cloudfront.net/ss/zlCfzRFku9s0Psvtp7[ /img ]
Without the spaces.