@Tsuchiya: Oh, because for a platform to be considered a success, it must have Nintendo games? Wow. And all this time, I was thinking a successful gaming platform could be defined as one that had original games that successfully exploited their platform's potential using their own individuality and innovation.
Besides, I never compared mobile/tablet gaming to console gaming. I said the former is competitive in its own respect. Do interpret me correctly.
In fact, just drop it. You're barely negating me in any sense.
@Tsuchiya: Yes, they do. I've had a wealth of experience with mobile/tablet gaming, and I can tell you that as a verified fact. The majority of this industry is just overwhelmingly oblivious of this. Even SEGA, Ubisoft and Square Enix have had notable success in realising this with their IP on mobile platforms, e.g. Sonic, Rayman, Final Fantasy, talk less of many others.
@Damo: They actually do offer a depth akin to traditional gaming in many respects (the Vita is a good example of a critical sufferer), but they haven't been realised in that area yet as they should. Rather, the key word here is that tablet/mobile gaming and console gaming don't offer the same experience. In that respect, it's completely incomparable. With this weird comparison, and the ludicrous insinuation that the Wii U's price should be on par with current-gen consoles, I'm starting to question Guillemot's reasoning ability with this complaint (or apparent lack thereof).
With the prospects of Miiverse being an actively social game diary, the integration of an achievements system is primitively redundant. Achievements have now become one of the most superficial system integrations in gaming, and are now mostly relied on by developers as tactical diversions.
If you're truly set on sharing your in-game accomplishments, use an interactive gaming community network. Miiverse provides instant access to a dedicated social space like that, and it's easily accessible at any time on the Wii U. It's a fitting, more evolved concept of what socialising in gaming should be, more so than some shallow accomplishments system to boost your gaming ego.
A little disappointing, but it's not like it's that much of a loss. Essentially, Miiverse is a more social and matured concept of an achievements system; it's a "game diary". You can let known all your progress, your achievements and the like in a more interactive and socialised manner. It's much less tacky and more evolved than a simple, "Oh wow, you did five ground pounds with Luigi in rapid succession!".
Goodness, the melodrama that becomes of this industry is beyond me.
In America, information doesn't sell products. Imagery does. The US commercial does its job.
It depends on the target audience. The US commercial is best suited to those not very familiar with mainstream gaming, i.e. the casuals. As an avid gamer, seeing this commercial alone would definitely not convince me to be interested in a Wii U.
@Mahe: A lacklustre line-up of games? Gaming may be defined as subjective, but that statement is dangerously near pure ignorance. As for Nintendo "botching" backwards compatibility, I don't see any justification to this perception. The Wii U merely needs a firmware update to play Wii games, and it's essentially compatible with all Wii games, accessories and peripherals; if that is "botching it up", then I have nothing to say to you.
@CactusJackson: It may have perfected its own genre, but it's doing nothing to deviate from the current standstill of progression in the genre. It's literally, "run, cover, TAKATAKATAKA BOOM!" and repeat. It's only perfected upon what FPS games have been doing for years, so yes, its lack of re-invention does make it boring in some respects.
This sounds a little worrying, but Activion is still probably getting orientated with the Wii U, seeing as this version is most likely the last to be developed. It probably was in development for only a few short months. But this is only an educated guess.
At least we have little worry on it regarding whether or not the Wii U's online system has been established.
Sigh. Not more of this. Although, it's nice to finally see someone who can assess their own environment. Still, he doesn't seem to acknowledge the extent to which they are in competition, as @Ren has pointed out. The industry is still proving extremely short-sighted as to what can amount from what is currently on display.
As of now, I don't think tablets and smartphones are significantly affecting the mainstream market, seeing as both their respective markets are currently not intertwined. Regardless, these devices are certainly have their potential exploited better lately - exposure is the key issue. Smartphones/tablets have been proven to be fitting devices for gaming, and loads of notable industry developers (Ubisoft, SEGA, Square Enix etc.) are supporting this well; being dedicated is a limitation, not a virtue. A multi-purpose device need not have the competence of its platforms compromised for the sake of it being "multi-purpose".
In future, it all depends on Nintendo on how they aim to keep handhelds significantly different from whatever smartphones/tablets will have undeniably achieved by then. Hopefully, they'll have themselves realised in this field more prevalently in a few years, and would've stepped up in quality and competence, as have PCs alongside consoles.
Judging by the amount of development, resources and finishing that were put into this, I'd say the price is somewhat justified. It's unfair to compare this to a mere online Wiki resource - this is a handy professionally-designed 3D Pokedex with a lot of noteworthy additions. It's understandable that as consumers, we aren't liable to consider the other side of the spectrum (and that in no way renders us "spoilt brats"), but it's a legitimate novelty. You might not feel the need to spend $17 on something of the sort, but it is worth the price for something of its kind. I'm surprised it's not even retail.
Anyway, this is essentially the strategy Nintendo employed during the beginning of the NES era, and look how that worked out. Miyamoto's re-visiting the company's roots and it should pay off.
@Wheels2050: That's actually an ingenious proposition. It'd effectively improve the performance and capabilities of consoles, while keeping it significantly cost-effective. The threshold for games consoles could be set even higher if manufacturers adopted a strategy like that. In addition, it could reduce the costs and trials of console development overall - manufacturing consoles from scratch technology might stop being the requirement. Consoles could set themselves a basic infrastructure using standard off-shelf parts, and upgrade upon it every cycle - off-shelf PC parts would've gotten another drastic upgrade within the 5-6 year gap. Plus, as you say, it'd be easily customisable, which is another good incentive aside from costs.
Besides this, I'm not quite sure but I think something similar to this is what's been said that Nintendo has used for the Wii U. It uses a completely different infrastructure from the Wii entirely as its base, but it incorporates some of the Wii's old hardware. From what we know, the Wii U uses an IBM motherboard and an AMD graphics card, but I'm still not too sure whether or not this is the case.
@bulby1994: Whoa, really? I got to review Kingdoms of Amalur around the time it was about to see release; the development teams seemed like really nice folk and it was a great game, especially in multiplayer. Sad to hear that.
@Wheels2050: Indeed, that may be a possibility - but I think the cost of hardware reflects differently in PCs than in consoles. With PCs, you only consistently upgrade the key components on an established infrastructure, unlike games consoles where you start development from complete scratch. So, that's why it seems PCs are always light years ahead at such a sustainable cost; you can't get that same huge technical leap for consoles without suffering finanically - it takes quite a lot more research and development costs.
Although, I agree that the issue lies more in game development nowadays. Graphics are starting to become too much of a superficial improvement and focus for developers, and the bare quality and ingenuity of games are starting to suffer as a result. Graphics are definitely also a substantial part of a game but when it starts taking priority over the experience itself, it becomes too much of a tactical diversion to cover up increasingly mediocre, underdeveloped or repetitive games.
We need more open-ended developers willing to fully realise new gameplay ideas on to consoles, and that means development must retain open to developers of all classes in terms of cost, ease and fluidity. And that means less focus on technical upgrades, and more focus on opening up consoles to control innovation and accessibility.
Sorry, but how on earth will the PS4/720 successfully go on to get an even bigger upgrade in graphics? Or has everyone forgotten the industrial disaster that amounted from the PS3 and Xbox 360 prematurely pushing HD entertainment?
Developers and consumers won't be able to afford to take advantage of expensive technology that is still in its prime, especially with the current financial state inflicting the industry. Native full HD is something the current-gen is still missing, and it's an option that practically all gaming households will be able to fully appreciate at the start of this era, unlike forcing consumers to upgrade to some other $800+ TV technology that's still in its prime, along with buying an absurd $600 "power-house" console. I'd say graphics-wise, next-gen consoles need to make it a priority to make this a universal standard, not outdo themselves once again.
If the definition of a successful triple-A franchise is consistently utilising costly new technology and increasing development budgets to a ludicrous limit for the sake of saying it's "advanced", then the alleged "top-end" of this industry is going to see a huge collpase within itself.
@rogerwilco: From what I've heard, the GamePad's touchscreen will be used as an on-screen keyboard. So, I doubt we have much to worry about in that respect.
YouTube was confirmed to be included on the Wii U at E3 2012, so relax everybody. Whether it's included in Nintendo TVii or as a separate app on its own I'm unsure of, but it's there.
Touché, @Burning-Spear. To me, the Wii U looks to be a slight replication of the 3DS situation - only this time, it's noticeably better prepared.
It's pretty apparent we will see a spike in 3DS figures come this holiday season and Q1 2013 so with the established well-being of the 3DS, I have no idea what all the fuss on sales figures and analysts is about. It's obvious we have little to worry about here for the timebeing, and any "haters" saying otherwise are either clearly underinformed or trolling. Enough with all this never-ending "research" being conducted, we ought to know already.
As for the whole "social gaming/mobile gaming is taking its toll on the industry", I really believe people need to up and realise by now that their respective markets are still not directly intertwined. Yet.
Nice to hear for something that's a supposed gimmick for games consoles, especially seeing as you can browse using the GamePad while multitasking. It'll also make the Deluxe digital promotion process a lot easier.
But still, I can't say I'm all that surprised it serves better than IE10; I mean, this is Internet Explorer we're talking about. Even programmed dog poop should be able to run HTML5 better than IE.
@HarmoKnight: I know tons of people who bought a 3DS solely to play Virtual Console games for the nostalgia, and I've seen many of them on this site.
Anyway, what I'd love to see Nintendo do is create unique Nintendo IPs on mobile platforms, not bring over their mainstream stuff. They could acquire a small development team (so as not to disrupt internal console development) to create new things for mobile platforms - that way, they can provide different experiences on different platforms, yet still maintain their prrimary exclusivity on their hardware. If anyone will be able to fully utilise combined touchscreen/motion controls in a completely intuitive and innovative way while setting an example to this industry, it's Nintendo.
@kurstasbestos: It's funny, because you're on a Nintendo site with Nintendo gamers who buy Nintendo consoles. By your standards, I suppose playing all those flash Mario fangames must reduce me as a gamer.
People play this just to see how bad it really compares to a real Mario game, not as if it's actually a serious game to play above the real games.
Pretty wise, as E3 2013 is bound to bring big competition (i.e. that means resisting being overshadowed by the alleged revelation of the PS4/720). You could tell that this was Nintendo's strategy from the beginning, and for that I'd say its Wii U launch line-up is pretty good in anticipation.
It has been confirmed that Miiverse will reach smartphones/tablets, PCs and the 3DS in the near future, so essentially that's what Iwata here is saying - it's not anything new. He's just endorsing the idea further.
On the issue of smartphones/tablets not being able to provide quality gaming experiences, he is sorely mistaken. Sure, mobile platforms aren't all that heavy in that area (seeing as they're overshadowed by poor navigation and an overwhelming flood of crap), but if you take the time to look hard enough, you will find so much sweetness with brilliant gameplay and intuitive control strategies. It's not necessarily unseating handhelds as of now (especially not Nintendo), but it's offering a hearty experience alongside handhelds.
There's a reason a lot of renowned console third-party devs are embracing smartphones and tablets.
@HarmoKnight: Okay, yes, the eShop is less confusing, but you should take the time to search iOS stuff on the internet too - just like we read eShop reviews on Nintendo Life to know what we want to spend our money on. You can find plenty of great games that have been overshadowed.
@shinpichu Well I think of it this way, most people judge Nintendo on a few crap titles, why not judge this on having only a few good titles
@HarmoKnight: Forget the fact that you just contradicted yourself, how is that even intelligent reasoning, much less motive...? Nobody intelligent person in this industry I've ever encountered "judges" a platform based on a few crap titles, much less Nintendo; everybody worth talking to know that they have great games, and are the ones who established this very industry that we, as consumers, are part of today.
Why on earth would you want to emulate the few dumb trolls who throw about condescending statements on platforms they know nothing about nor have done any research on? ...Actually, don't even answer that question.
@Neram: Yes, "mobile" is considered a platform now, and for three good reasons.
a. It serves as a more open, approachable and flexible outlet for indie developers.
b. The latest hardware currently exceeds that of current-gen handhelds (yes, the Vita too) and that is something devs can take advantage of - and best of all, you can find it in reasonably-price products (e.g. the Google Nexus 7, starting at $199. Check its specs.)
c. It has a hugely varied install base that continues to grow rapidly, so developers have many people to cater to.
Sonic CD, Rayman Jungle Run, Bastion, The Room, God of Blades, Final Fantasy Dimensions and Knights of Pen and Paper. Only a few examples of mobile games with brilliantly structured gameplay and intuitive controls, not to mention other multiplatform games that played better on smartphones and tablets, i.e. World of Goo, Plants vs. Zombies and BIT.TRIP BEAT. Sorry, but clearly you haven't been looking hard enough.
Besides, I doubt anybody with half a brain would choose this over a real Mario handheld game, let alone a console one. It's clearly only a rubbish parody that, at most, pays as a terrible homage to the real deal. Nobody's paying for this crap, nobody's profiting from it and even its description blatantly describes it as a clone of a well-known gaming franchise. The gaming market isn't going anywhere based on just this, honestly.
@Mk_II: In essence, they could be considered limited edition. Legendary vintage consoles with a unique modern design? I'd say it's justified for collectors' purposes.
It blatantly proclaims itself as nothing more than a Mario platformer clone and the "developers" are also clearly not profiting from it, so I doubt it can be considered plagiarism per sé. It tires me that these things continue to overwhelm the Android library, but I'm not in the least angered.
While I don't have anything at all against Nintendo Life or its editors, I think posting these kinds of things are a little redundant. It's only giving these copycats more undeserved publicity and even worse, fueling the belief that mobile platforms are only filled with crap shovelware, "$1 timewasters" and clones - a misconception that can be displaced by anyone with substantial mobile gaming experience.
But hey, it's news and it's Nintendo-related therefore Damien is obliged to post this on the site, however "scandalous" it may be regarded. Let's lay off with the rapid fire on him please. And I think I might actually try this out, just for the poops and giggles.
@Torterra275: It's called maximising demand, and it extends well beyond pre-order figures. With this many people pre-ordering the Wii U with very little information to the point that it's sold out, think the wonders that'd happen when the console is totally out there and into the light.
@Klyo: My guess is that they probably aim to dramatise the Wii U just bang-slap before the release date to maximise its launch hype and what not. And then we be talking sales and ker-ching, yo.
Seeing as Miiverse is a previously unseen concept in gaming, I'd say Nintendo is realising their fatal flaw with the last generation, and with a bag of sugar on top.
Angry Birds Space as best mobile/tablet game? Lol, no. Bastion? The Room? God of Blades? Hello?
Quite disappointing that Nintendo didn't win anything over their vast selection of nominations, but better luck next year. I'm glad to see that Yogscast won a Golden Joystick Award for best YouTube gamer, though; they deserve it.
For the record, I do believe Uncharted: Golden Abyss does beat out most of the newer Marios, but with Kid Icarus: Uprising and Resident Evil: Revelations on the line-up, I'm very surprised.
Pachter may come off as an ignorant sharpshooter at times, but he does state some pretty insightful points at times (aside from sales projections and comparisons, IMO). I should know, I've interviewed him.
He said some okay stuff from what I just read. But here, he seems to forget that the Wii U's launch line-up isn't mainly composed of old ports, and besides that, developers are obviously not going to be willing to output their next-gen titles right now on only one console that can't be guaranteed maximum exposure; it's the consequence of Nintendo having the advantage as the next-gen starter. They currently still need to output all current-gen hits on the Wii U to ensure complete coverage for adopters of their platform, else they're inadvertently giving in to the competition (for now) for the sake of being 'next-gen'. Nintendo knows their game. Plus, Nintendo's also obviously keeping their bigger guns (first-party hits) in their arsenal for E3, so as not to be overshadowed by the alleged revelation of the PS4/720.
I'd say with a launch/launch-window line-up of about 50+ games, Nintendo's going good for a system's initial launch - the best it's ever been, in fact. And there are more games lined up for it than many currently care to realise, aside from ports and the obvious AAA titles.
As for price, I couldn't care less to comment on that. I think that's a matter of opinion, especially seeing as it doesn't seem to hinder compulsive buyers (hello there, Apple). For a next-gen console with presumably advanced hardware, £200/250 sounds delightful to me.
In all seriousness, this is absolutely mental. The 3DS gets an eBook service and now a music store in Japan? I probably won't use it much personally (yay, smartphones and tablets), but this is awesome for a handheld.
@HarmoKnight: That's because the Kindle is a dedicated eReader with combined technology and services that make the concept of digital reading more attractive on its device. Ever since it's been released, any other incomparable device that could incorporate eBooks would not measure up, i.e. the 3DS, a gaming handheld.
@zerks: They said light novels, bro!
I like the idea of an eBook services on the 3DS, but it isn't really beneficial to reading to be honest. The screen, battery life and size are crippling, but the 3DS XL might prove alright-ish. I'd like to see this come to the West though, as it'd be a great mini pocket eReader for when I'm out and about.
Comments 436
Re: Ubisoft Boss Thinks Wii U Is Cheap, But Is Still Unhappy On Pricing
@Tsuchiya: I can agree to that as that was half my point anyway. Let's just shake hands now, or whatever.
Re: Wii U Has "Plenty Of Power" According To Team Ninja
"Right up there with the PS3 and Xbox 360."
From the little we know about the Wii U's tech specs, I think it's quite a bit more powerful than what that statement implies.
Unless he's referring to the development of launch titles in comparison with current PS3/Xbox 360 titles.
Re: Ubisoft Boss Thinks Wii U Is Cheap, But Is Still Unhappy On Pricing
@Tsuchiya: Oh, because for a platform to be considered a success, it must have Nintendo games? Wow. And all this time, I was thinking a successful gaming platform could be defined as one that had original games that successfully exploited their platform's potential using their own individuality and innovation.
Besides, I never compared mobile/tablet gaming to console gaming. I said the former is competitive in its own respect. Do interpret me correctly.
In fact, just drop it. You're barely negating me in any sense.
Re: Ubisoft Boss Thinks Wii U Is Cheap, But Is Still Unhappy On Pricing
@Tsuchiya: What an amazingly justified and informed counter-argument.
Re: Ubisoft Boss Thinks Wii U Is Cheap, But Is Still Unhappy On Pricing
@Tsuchiya: Yes, they do. I've had a wealth of experience with mobile/tablet gaming, and I can tell you that as a verified fact. The majority of this industry is just overwhelmingly oblivious of this. Even SEGA, Ubisoft and Square Enix have had notable success in realising this with their IP on mobile platforms, e.g. Sonic, Rayman, Final Fantasy, talk less of many others.
Re: Ubisoft Boss Thinks Wii U Is Cheap, But Is Still Unhappy On Pricing
@Damo: They actually do offer a depth akin to traditional gaming in many respects (the Vita is a good example of a critical sufferer), but they haven't been realised in that area yet as they should. Rather, the key word here is that tablet/mobile gaming and console gaming don't offer the same experience. In that respect, it's completely incomparable. With this weird comparison, and the ludicrous insinuation that the Wii U's price should be on par with current-gen consoles, I'm starting to question Guillemot's reasoning ability with this complaint (or apparent lack thereof).
Re: Talking Point: Life Without Wii U Achievements
With the prospects of Miiverse being an actively social game diary, the integration of an achievements system is primitively redundant. Achievements have now become one of the most superficial system integrations in gaming, and are now mostly relied on by developers as tactical diversions.
If you're truly set on sharing your in-game accomplishments, use an interactive gaming community network. Miiverse provides instant access to a dedicated social space like that, and it's easily accessible at any time on the Wii U. It's a fitting, more evolved concept of what socialising in gaming should be, more so than some shallow accomplishments system to boost your gaming ego.
Re: Wii U Won't Include Trophies Or Achievements
A little disappointing, but it's not like it's that much of a loss. Essentially, Miiverse is a more social and matured concept of an achievements system; it's a "game diary". You can let known all your progress, your achievements and the like in a more interactive and socialised manner. It's much less tacky and more evolved than a simple, "Oh wow, you did five ground pounds with Luigi in rapid succession!".
Goodness, the melodrama that becomes of this industry is beyond me.
Re: Feature: Nintendo's Wii U Hype Machine
TysonQ7 wrote:
It depends on the target audience. The US commercial is best suited to those not very familiar with mainstream gaming, i.e. the casuals. As an avid gamer, seeing this commercial alone would definitely not convince me to be interested in a Wii U.
Re: Feature: Nintendo's Wii U Hype Machine
@Mahe: A lacklustre line-up of games? Gaming may be defined as subjective, but that statement is dangerously near pure ignorance. As for Nintendo "botching" backwards compatibility, I don't see any justification to this perception. The Wii U merely needs a firmware update to play Wii games, and it's essentially compatible with all Wii games, accessories and peripherals; if that is "botching it up", then I have nothing to say to you.
Re: Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Live Streaming Confirmed, But Not on Wii U
@CactusJackson: It may have perfected its own genre, but it's doing nothing to deviate from the current standstill of progression in the genre. It's literally, "run, cover, TAKATAKATAKA BOOM!" and repeat. It's only perfected upon what FPS games have been doing for years, so yes, its lack of re-invention does make it boring in some respects.
Re: Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Live Streaming Confirmed, But Not on Wii U
Sounds like a nifty integration.
This sounds a little worrying, but Activion is still probably getting orientated with the Wii U, seeing as this version is most likely the last to be developed. It probably was in development for only a few short months. But this is only an educated guess.
At least we have little worry on it regarding whether or not the Wii U's online system has been established.
Re: Wii U Browser to Use Multiple GamePad Control Options
@goldgin: The Wii U browser's performance is miles better than the 3DS's. It even outperforms Internet Explorer 10 on PC in some respects.
@123akis: It supports up to six tabs.
I like how with most integrations, the Wii U is proving itself to be advanced using intuition, not expense. Smart indeed.
EDIT: Also just found out that there's a feature you can use to use curtains to hide what you're browsing on the TV while on the GamePad.
Re: Nintendo Executive Describes Rise of Tablet Gaming as "Undeniable"
Sigh. Not more of this. Although, it's nice to finally see someone who can assess their own environment. Still, he doesn't seem to acknowledge the extent to which they are in competition, as @Ren has pointed out. The industry is still proving extremely short-sighted as to what can amount from what is currently on display.
As of now, I don't think tablets and smartphones are significantly affecting the mainstream market, seeing as both their respective markets are currently not intertwined. Regardless, these devices are certainly have their potential exploited better lately - exposure is the key issue. Smartphones/tablets have been proven to be fitting devices for gaming, and loads of notable industry developers (Ubisoft, SEGA, Square Enix etc.) are supporting this well; being dedicated is a limitation, not a virtue. A multi-purpose device need not have the competence of its platforms compromised for the sake of it being "multi-purpose".
In future, it all depends on Nintendo on how they aim to keep handhelds significantly different from whatever smartphones/tablets will have undeniably achieved by then. Hopefully, they'll have themselves realised in this field more prevalently in a few years, and would've stepped up in quality and competence, as have PCs alongside consoles.
Re: Hide And Seek Footage From Chasing Aurora is Found
@ReshiramZekrom: No. Chasing Aurora doesn't include online multiplayer, it focuses on the Wii U's asynchronous multiplayer features.
Re: Review: Pokédex 3D Pro (3DS eShop)
Judging by the amount of development, resources and finishing that were put into this, I'd say the price is somewhat justified. It's unfair to compare this to a mere online Wiki resource - this is a handy professionally-designed 3D Pokedex with a lot of noteworthy additions. It's understandable that as consumers, we aren't liable to consider the other side of the spectrum (and that in no way renders us "spoilt brats"), but it's a legitimate novelty. You might not feel the need to spend $17 on something of the sort, but it is worth the price for something of its kind. I'm surprised it's not even retail.
Re: Reaction: Wii U's Social Potential Takes Shape
I'm rather underwhelmed with all I've caught up on today, but it does indeed look swell.
Re: Feature: Nintendo's Presidential Candidates
@Joshers744: Bowser's political ideologies sound a lot like that of Soviet Russia. I don't like the idea of being ruled under a dictatorship.
"Before, you stomp Goomba. But now, Goomba stomp you!"
Re: Feature: Nintendo's Presidential Candidates
No Captain Falcon? For shame.
Re: Miyamoto Working to Encourage More Wii U Third-Party Developers
Anyway, this is essentially the strategy Nintendo employed during the beginning of the NES era, and look how that worked out. Miyamoto's re-visiting the company's roots and it should pay off.
Re: Miyamoto Working to Encourage More Wii U Third-Party Developers
@ThreadShadow: Metroid: Other M. That is all.
Re: Talking Point: Splinter Cell Director Doubts Triple-A Gaming's Future
@Wheels2050: That's actually an ingenious proposition. It'd effectively improve the performance and capabilities of consoles, while keeping it significantly cost-effective. The threshold for games consoles could be set even higher if manufacturers adopted a strategy like that. In addition, it could reduce the costs and trials of console development overall - manufacturing consoles from scratch technology might stop being the requirement. Consoles could set themselves a basic infrastructure using standard off-shelf parts, and upgrade upon it every cycle - off-shelf PC parts would've gotten another drastic upgrade within the 5-6 year gap. Plus, as you say, it'd be easily customisable, which is another good incentive aside from costs.
Besides this, I'm not quite sure but I think something similar to this is what's been said that Nintendo has used for the Wii U. It uses a completely different infrastructure from the Wii entirely as its base, but it incorporates some of the Wii's old hardware. From what we know, the Wii U uses an IBM motherboard and an AMD graphics card, but I'm still not too sure whether or not this is the case.
@bulby1994: Whoa, really? I got to review Kingdoms of Amalur around the time it was about to see release; the development teams seemed like really nice folk and it was a great game, especially in multiplayer. Sad to hear that.
Re: Talking Point: Splinter Cell Director Doubts Triple-A Gaming's Future
@Wheels2050: Indeed, that may be a possibility - but I think the cost of hardware reflects differently in PCs than in consoles. With PCs, you only consistently upgrade the key components on an established infrastructure, unlike games consoles where you start development from complete scratch. So, that's why it seems PCs are always light years ahead at such a sustainable cost; you can't get that same huge technical leap for consoles without suffering finanically - it takes quite a lot more research and development costs.
Although, I agree that the issue lies more in game development nowadays. Graphics are starting to become too much of a superficial improvement and focus for developers, and the bare quality and ingenuity of games are starting to suffer as a result. Graphics are definitely also a substantial part of a game but when it starts taking priority over the experience itself, it becomes too much of a tactical diversion to cover up increasingly mediocre, underdeveloped or repetitive games.
We need more open-ended developers willing to fully realise new gameplay ideas on to consoles, and that means development must retain open to developers of all classes in terms of cost, ease and fluidity. And that means less focus on technical upgrades, and more focus on opening up consoles to control innovation and accessibility.
Re: Talking Point: Splinter Cell Director Doubts Triple-A Gaming's Future
Sorry, but how on earth will the PS4/720 successfully go on to get an even bigger upgrade in graphics? Or has everyone forgotten the industrial disaster that amounted from the PS3 and Xbox 360 prematurely pushing HD entertainment?
Developers and consumers won't be able to afford to take advantage of expensive technology that is still in its prime, especially with the current financial state inflicting the industry. Native full HD is something the current-gen is still missing, and it's an option that practically all gaming households will be able to fully appreciate at the start of this era, unlike forcing consumers to upgrade to some other $800+ TV technology that's still in its prime, along with buying an absurd $600 "power-house" console. I'd say graphics-wise, next-gen consoles need to make it a priority to make this a universal standard, not outdo themselves once again.
If the definition of a successful triple-A franchise is consistently utilising costly new technology and increasing development budgets to a ludicrous limit for the sake of saying it's "advanced", then the alleged "top-end" of this industry is going to see a huge collpase within itself.
Re: Wii U Web Browser Software Specifications Revealed
@rogerwilco: From what I've heard, the GamePad's touchscreen will be used as an on-screen keyboard. So, I doubt we have much to worry about in that respect.
Re: Wii U Web Browser Software Specifications Revealed
YouTube was confirmed to be included on the Wii U at E3 2012, so relax everybody. Whether it's included in Nintendo TVii or as a separate app on its own I'm unsure of, but it's there.
Re: Number-Crunching Reveals That Nintendo's Handheld Market Is "Stable"
Touché, @Burning-Spear. To me, the Wii U looks to be a slight replication of the 3DS situation - only this time, it's noticeably better prepared.
It's pretty apparent we will see a spike in 3DS figures come this holiday season and Q1 2013 so with the established well-being of the 3DS, I have no idea what all the fuss on sales figures and analysts is about. It's obvious we have little to worry about here for the timebeing, and any "haters" saying otherwise are either clearly underinformed or trolling. Enough with all this never-ending "research" being conducted, we ought to know already.
As for the whole "social gaming/mobile gaming is taking its toll on the industry", I really believe people need to up and realise by now that their respective markets are still not directly intertwined. Yet.
Re: Wii U Web Browser Posts Impressive Benchmark Results
Nice to hear for something that's a supposed gimmick for games consoles, especially seeing as you can browse using the GamePad while multitasking. It'll also make the Deluxe digital promotion process a lot easier.
But still, I can't say I'm all that surprised it serves better than IE10; I mean, this is Internet Explorer we're talking about. Even programmed dog poop should be able to run HTML5 better than IE.
Re: Talking Point: Games That Need Wii U - World of Warcraft
The idea seems miraculous, but has not a snowball's chance in the fires of hell. This entire notion extends hazardously well beyond gameplay.
Besides, we've got Dragon Quest X. Booyah.
Re: Nintendo Offering Real Gold To The Top New Super Mario Bros. 2 Coin Collector
James Newton, you must win the gold! For your dignity! For the pride of Nintendo Life!
Re: Ostrich Island Could Be Making Its Way To Wii U
The Wii U eShop is only getting better and better.
Re: Iwata: We Must Make Smart Devices Our Allies, Not Our Enemies
@HarmoKnight: I know tons of people who bought a 3DS solely to play Virtual Console games for the nostalgia, and I've seen many of them on this site.
Anyway, what I'd love to see Nintendo do is create unique Nintendo IPs on mobile platforms, not bring over their mainstream stuff. They could acquire a small development team (so as not to disrupt internal console development) to create new things for mobile platforms - that way, they can provide different experiences on different platforms, yet still maintain their prrimary exclusivity on their hardware. If anyone will be able to fully utilise combined touchscreen/motion controls in a completely intuitive and innovative way while setting an example to this industry, it's Nintendo.
Re: Mario Clone Super Maria Land Jumps Onto Android
@kurstasbestos: It's funny, because you're on a Nintendo site with Nintendo gamers who buy Nintendo consoles. By your standards, I suppose playing all those flash Mario fangames must reduce me as a gamer.
People play this just to see how bad it really compares to a real Mario game, not as if it's actually a serious game to play above the real games.
Re: Nintendo Is Holding Back Wii U Titles To Maintain Momentum Into 2013
Pretty wise, as E3 2013 is bound to bring big competition (i.e. that means resisting being overshadowed by the alleged revelation of the PS4/720). You could tell that this was Nintendo's strategy from the beginning, and for that I'd say its Wii U launch line-up is pretty good in anticipation.
Re: Iwata: We Must Make Smart Devices Our Allies, Not Our Enemies
It has been confirmed that Miiverse will reach smartphones/tablets, PCs and the 3DS in the near future, so essentially that's what Iwata here is saying - it's not anything new. He's just endorsing the idea further.
On the issue of smartphones/tablets not being able to provide quality gaming experiences, he is sorely mistaken. Sure, mobile platforms aren't all that heavy in that area (seeing as they're overshadowed by poor navigation and an overwhelming flood of crap), but if you take the time to look hard enough, you will find so much sweetness with brilliant gameplay and intuitive control strategies. It's not necessarily unseating handhelds as of now (especially not Nintendo), but it's offering a hearty experience alongside handhelds.
There's a reason a lot of renowned console third-party devs are embracing smartphones and tablets.
Re: Mario Clone Super Maria Land Jumps Onto Android
@HarmoKnight: Fine. Believe what you want. Too bad. You're missing out big-time.
Re: Mario Clone Super Maria Land Jumps Onto Android
@HarmoKnight: Okay, yes, the eShop is less confusing, but you should take the time to search iOS stuff on the internet too - just like we read eShop reviews on Nintendo Life to know what we want to spend our money on. You can find plenty of great games that have been overshadowed.
Re: Mario Clone Super Maria Land Jumps Onto Android
HarmoKnight wrote:
@HarmoKnight: Forget the fact that you just contradicted yourself, how is that even intelligent reasoning, much less motive...? Nobody intelligent person in this industry I've ever encountered "judges" a platform based on a few crap titles, much less Nintendo; everybody worth talking to know that they have great games, and are the ones who established this very industry that we, as consumers, are part of today.
Why on earth would you want to emulate the few dumb trolls who throw about condescending statements on platforms they know nothing about nor have done any research on? ...Actually, don't even answer that question.
Re: Mario Clone Super Maria Land Jumps Onto Android
@Neram: Yes, "mobile" is considered a platform now, and for three good reasons.
a. It serves as a more open, approachable and flexible outlet for indie developers.
b. The latest hardware currently exceeds that of current-gen handhelds (yes, the Vita too) and that is something devs can take advantage of - and best of all, you can find it in reasonably-price products (e.g. the Google Nexus 7, starting at $199. Check its specs.)
c. It has a hugely varied install base that continues to grow rapidly, so developers have many people to cater to.
Sonic CD, Rayman Jungle Run, Bastion, The Room, God of Blades, Final Fantasy Dimensions and Knights of Pen and Paper. Only a few examples of mobile games with brilliantly structured gameplay and intuitive controls, not to mention other multiplatform games that played better on smartphones and tablets, i.e. World of Goo, Plants vs. Zombies and BIT.TRIP BEAT. Sorry, but clearly you haven't been looking hard enough.
Besides, I doubt anybody with half a brain would choose this over a real Mario handheld game, let alone a console one. It's clearly only a rubbish parody that, at most, pays as a terrible homage to the real deal. Nobody's paying for this crap, nobody's profiting from it and even its description blatantly describes it as a clone of a well-known gaming franchise. The gaming market isn't going anywhere based on just this, honestly.
Re: French Firm Recycles SNES Consoles With a Unique Twist
@Mk_II: In essence, they could be considered limited edition. Legendary vintage consoles with a unique modern design? I'd say it's justified for collectors' purposes.
Re: Mario Clone Super Maria Land Jumps Onto Android
It blatantly proclaims itself as nothing more than a Mario platformer clone and the "developers" are also clearly not profiting from it, so I doubt it can be considered plagiarism per sé. It tires me that these things continue to overwhelm the Android library, but I'm not in the least angered.
While I don't have anything at all against Nintendo Life or its editors, I think posting these kinds of things are a little redundant. It's only giving these copycats more undeserved publicity and even worse, fueling the belief that mobile platforms are only filled with crap shovelware, "$1 timewasters" and clones - a misconception that can be displaced by anyone with substantial mobile gaming experience.
But hey, it's news and it's Nintendo-related therefore Damien is obliged to post this on the site, however "scandalous" it may be regarded. Let's lay off with the rapid fire on him please. And I think I might actually try this out, just for the poops and giggles.
Re: Hurricane Sandy Forces Isaiah Triforce Johnson To Abandon Queue For Wii U
Well, it seems as though Johnson's objectives have just been...
dons sunglasses
...blown away.
Re: Miiverse To Be Detailed In An Upcoming Nintendo Direct
@Torterra275: It's called maximising demand, and it extends well beyond pre-order figures. With this many people pre-ordering the Wii U with very little information to the point that it's sold out, think the wonders that'd happen when the console is totally out there and into the light.
Re: Miiverse To Be Detailed In An Upcoming Nintendo Direct
@Klyo: My guess is that they probably aim to dramatise the Wii U just bang-slap before the release date to maximise its launch hype and what not. And then we be talking sales and ker-ching, yo.
Seeing as Miiverse is a previously unseen concept in gaming, I'd say Nintendo is realising their fatal flaw with the last generation, and with a bag of sugar on top.
Hope we hear more about Nintendo Network as well.
Re: Insider Reports Suggest That Focus On Eternal Darkness 2 Has Crippled Silicon Knights
Th... There wa... There was an Eternal Darkness sequel in development and they messed it up? EFF YOU, SILICON KNIGHTS.
Ditto @SuperMinusConsole.
Re: How Did Nintendo Do At This Year's Golden Joystick Awards?
Angry Birds Space as best mobile/tablet game? Lol, no. Bastion? The Room? God of Blades? Hello?
Quite disappointing that Nintendo didn't win anything over their vast selection of nominations, but better luck next year. I'm glad to see that Yogscast won a Golden Joystick Award for best YouTube gamer, though; they deserve it.
For the record, I do believe Uncharted: Golden Abyss does beat out most of the newer Marios, but with Kid Icarus: Uprising and Resident Evil: Revelations on the line-up, I'm very surprised.
Re: Pachter Pours Scorn Over Wii U Sales Projections
Pachter may come off as an ignorant sharpshooter at times, but he does state some pretty insightful points at times (aside from sales projections and comparisons, IMO). I should know, I've interviewed him.
He said some okay stuff from what I just read. But here, he seems to forget that the Wii U's launch line-up isn't mainly composed of old ports, and besides that, developers are obviously not going to be willing to output their next-gen titles right now on only one console that can't be guaranteed maximum exposure; it's the consequence of Nintendo having the advantage as the next-gen starter. They currently still need to output all current-gen hits on the Wii U to ensure complete coverage for adopters of their platform, else they're inadvertently giving in to the competition (for now) for the sake of being 'next-gen'. Nintendo knows their game. Plus, Nintendo's also obviously keeping their bigger guns (first-party hits) in their arsenal for E3, so as not to be overshadowed by the alleged revelation of the PS4/720.
I'd say with a launch/launch-window line-up of about 50+ games, Nintendo's going good for a system's initial launch - the best it's ever been, in fact. And there are more games lined up for it than many currently care to realise, aside from ports and the obvious AAA titles.
As for price, I couldn't care less to comment on that. I think that's a matter of opinion, especially seeing as it doesn't seem to hinder compulsive buyers (hello there, Apple). For a next-gen console with presumably advanced hardware, £200/250 sounds delightful to me.
Re: Nintendo Reveals Its Version of iTunes For 3DS
People... still... buy... music? Well, I'm ashamed now.
In all seriousness, this is absolutely mental. The 3DS gets an eBook service and now a music store in Japan? I probably won't use it much personally (yay, smartphones and tablets), but this is awesome for a handheld.
Re: Capcom Shares Revelations on Wii U's Resident Evil Potential
A new, exclusive Resident Evil akin to RE: Revelations, with impeccable use of the GamePad, Capcom. Nothing less, nothing more.
Re: Japanese eBook Service Delayed For Nintendo 3DS
@HarmoKnight: That's because the Kindle is a dedicated eReader with combined technology and services that make the concept of digital reading more attractive on its device. Ever since it's been released, any other incomparable device that could incorporate eBooks would not measure up, i.e. the 3DS, a gaming handheld.
@zerks: They said light novels, bro!
I like the idea of an eBook services on the 3DS, but it isn't really beneficial to reading to be honest. The screen, battery life and size are crippling, but the 3DS XL might prove alright-ish. I'd like to see this come to the West though, as it'd be a great mini pocket eReader for when I'm out and about.