Wii U / Nintendo general news and discussion

tok9

DeSelby83 wrote: »

They should just make an open world pokemon game and use the gamepad as a pokedex and it would solve a lot of problems for them. That would be a system seller

It seems so obvious. I still can't understand why they don't have a major Pokemon franchise on the home consoles. My only logic is they may think it'll affect the handheld game sales.

Anyway completely agree with you DeSelby83.. that and using the controller as a Pokedex is a great idea.

Personally.. I think they should get rid of the controller from the box and leave the consumer choose to buy it if they want as there hasn't been any major benefit shown for it yet.

Retr0gamer

I'd wish more games would use the gamepad as dungeon master controls. ZombieU is a blast in two player with one player placing zombies while the other tries to fend them off. I could see something like a real time version of the board game descent working really well.

Banjo

No major benefit? Hello? Off TV Play!

OFF!
TV!
PLAY!

It's the only reason I continue to own the console. Well, that and all the fantastic 1player games.

Granted, for the money I could just buy a second TV from Lidl but that's not the point! Off TV Play may as well be called On Toilet Play, because that's what I'm using it for. If you think you can relax playing a game on XBox or PS3, man you know nothing! There's always that one muscle you kept tensed up... that is, until now!

gaynorvader

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I'd wish more games would use the gamepad as dungeon master controls. ZombieU is a blast in two player with one player placing zombies while the other tries to fend them off. I could see something like a real time version of the board game descent working really well.

Card games like Yu-gi-oh would benefit from this as well.

NTMK

/\/ollog wrote: »

I saw a halo game while looking for an RDP client on the play store, unless I'm crazy. I'm sure it's nothing like a proper halo game, but they've done something.

Also, p4 and x1 are their way of making money, easy x86 setups along the same lines power-wise as their last gen claims, they'll be very profitable this gen.

Theres a halo game on or coming to WP8 but other than that and the ocasional game to pc its used by MS on MS platforms since the first

There is no Offical game on any non MS platform. There might be some sort of social app but little else afaik

It will probably be profitable i agree but there is still external factors at play (i.e Sonys Situation and MS potentially giving up on control of the living room) that will change the landscape

Nintendos loss of $250mill isnt that bad when, compared to the other 2 divisions, Nintendo are a lot bigger

Varik

tok9 wrote: »

Anyway completely agree with you DeSelby83.. that and using the controller as a Pokedex is a great idea.

Personally.. I think they should get rid of the controller from the box and leave the consumer choose to buy it if they want as there hasn't been any major benefit shown for it yet.

I disagree about removing the controller as while it might be good for the ONE to lose the Kinetic due to the PS4 and ONE being so similar with the exception of the large price difference, but at the current price even if they did remove the controller the price would not change enough to change sale considerably but would lead to a segregated market. In the case of the ONE the kinect has not yet been used for anything worthwhile even though it is included with all systems.

tok9 wrote: »

It seems so obvious. I still can't understand why they don't have a major Pokemon franchise on the home consoles. My only logic is they may think it'll affect the handheld game sales.

I'd give Nintendo until their next shareholder's meeting, if things haven't improve then someone is getting fired and we'll see a large shift.

Mario does well on multiple systems in both 2D and 3D forms, if they are concerned about cannibalizing their handheld sales then keep the classic turn based combat and some of the game-play systems unique to the handheld.

richymcdermott

with the gamepad its only a matter of time before they bring out a project zero game and i can use the gamepad as a camera to kill ghost :L

tok9

Banjo wrote: »

No major benefit? Hello? Off TV Play!

OFF!
TV!
PLAY!

It's the only reason I continue to own the console. Well, that and all the fantastic 1player games.

Granted, for the money I could just buy a second TV from Lidl but that's not the point! Off TV Play may as well be called On Toilet Play, because that's what I'm using it for. If you think you can relax playing a game on XBox or PS3, man you know nothing! There's always that one muscle you kept tensed up... that is, until now!

And all the power to you. As I said they can still sell it but remove it from the box and put the pro controller in instead.

Very few games use the tablet at all. I don't have one so I can't say for sure but my understanding is that The Wonderful 101 is the only one to really use it. Not sure if it has a use in Pikman, Super Mario 3D World - a handful of levels, Rayman - Murfy levels.

It's barely being used.

tok9

Varik wrote: »

I disagree about removing the controller as while it might be good for the ONE to lose the Kinetic due to the PS4 and ONE being so similar with the exception of the large price difference, but at the current price even if they did remove the controller the price would not change enough to change sale considerably but would lead to a segregated market. In the case of the ONE the kinect has not yet been used for anything worthwhile even though it is included with all systems.

I understand your point but I wouldn't say there would really be a segregated market due to the post above - lack of games that actually use the features of it.

I would be interested to hear how much it costs to produce as it can't be cheap and last I heard was they are losing money on every console sold. Considering it's had a price cut and been out for over a year.. that isn't great. Especially when you consider the PS4 and Xbox are both profitable after buying it with a game.

MakeMyFriend

cherryghost wrote: »

PC + PS4/Xbox One + Wii U is all a true gamer really needs

It's not clear what you mean by "true gamers" to be honest. What's a 'false gamer'?

Also buying a Wii U would probably be a rubbish idea since Nintendo, as said above, seems to be recognising it as a failure, and will hence likely abandon it. So you'd be getting ... barely any games at all really. I wouldn't buy an Xbox One or PS4 either to be honest, particularly the Xbox One, as MS seem to be striving for a general entertainment system, so the games might be generic guff, based on that. But both consoles have very few games out. I don't really understand the idea of buying a console on launch to be honest.

PC + 360/PS3 + 3DS + PS2 on the other hand, yes I would say that'd be quite the collection

Allyall

MakeMyFriend wrote: »

Also buying a Wii U would probably be a rubbish idea since Nintendo, as said above, seems to be recognising it as a failure, and will hence likely abandon it. So you'd be getting ... barely any games at all really.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Wii_U_games

Also, they will be bringing out plenty of more games for a while yet. They won't be just abandoning it next Sunday, and immediately stop releasing games.

CiDeRmAn

Banjo wrote: »

Granted, for the money I could just buy a second TV from Lidl but that's not the point! Off TV Play may as well be called On Toilet Play, because that's what I'm using it for. If you think you can relax playing a game on XBox or PS3, man you know nothing! There's always that one muscle you kept tensed up... that is, until now!

Note to All!
If Banjo sells his WiiU, be sure to give the gamepad a clean with alcohol wipes, making sure to pay attention to the various recesses, you probably don't want to know what might been emitted or smeared on there in a moment of excitement, especially with Bayonetta 2 on the way!

Allyall

^^

Radiosonde

I'm becoming convinced the seemingly cool Off-TV Play feature (which I've used and enjoyed plenty myself) is a bad thing, because it gives developers a lazy answer to what to do with the Game Pad. Rather than come up with some fun innovation (the actual point of having two screens) they can just stick a map and some menus on there, and enable Off-TV Play and that's their special WiiU feature. Nintendo should tell their teams (basically the only people left developing for the console outside of Platinum, Atlus, and the indies) NOT to use Off-TV Play, to make games where you NEED both screens.

PerrinV2

Whats the rumour doing the rounds now? Nintendo Fusion,leaked specs etc etc and all that jazz

readyletsgo

Radiosonde wrote: »

I'm becoming convinced the seemingly cool Off-TV Play feature (which I've used and enjoyed plenty myself) is a bad thing, because it gives developers a lazy answer to what to do with the Game Pad. Rather than come up with some fun innovation (the actual point of having two screens) they can just stick a map and some menus on there, and enable Off-TV Play and that's their special WiiU feature. Nintendo should tell their teams (basically the only people left developing for the console outside of Platinum, Atlus, and the indies) NOT to use Off-TV Play, to make games where you NEED both screens.

Personally, I think Nintendo would be wise to not get their own Dev's to work on second screen play/use the gamepad, except for off tv play, just to future proof it, so, bear with me now, that they can port Wii U games to the VC in 10 years time to what ever system they have out in 2024 when no one will be using the gamepad.

Face it folks, the Wii U is a bomb, we will get great games over the next 4/5 years for sure, Nintendo are best under pressure (see GCN), but its not selling, and it wont have a turn around like the 3DS did in 2011, Wii U already had a €50 price cut, it didnt help, sadly. I have one btw since launch, and I do love it, but I can see why other people would have no interest in it.

PerrinV2 wrote: »

Whats the rumour doing the rounds now? Nintendo Fusion,leaked specs etc etc and all that jazz

Huh? what ya talkin about?

petes

readyletsgo wrote: »

Huh? what ya talkin about?

http://www.nintendonews.com/2014/01/nintendo-fusion-could-be-nintendos-next-gen-hardware-name/

RasTa

Is Wii-u region locked? Bah

readyletsgo

petes wrote: »

http://www.nintendonews.com/2014/01/nintendo-fusion-could-be-nintendos-next-gen-hardware-name/

Ah right. So like Nintendo Cafe all over again

I fully believe they are working on their next systems as Iwata did say after the first year of a new systems release they move on to work on their next system, but its way to early for leaks on both systems.

For anyone who wants to know the rumors of the next systems that is mentioned in said link...

Fusion DS

• CPU: ARMv8-A Cortex-A53 GPU: Custom Adreno 420-based AMD GPU
• COM MEMORY: 3 GB LPDDR3 (2 GB Games, 1 GB OS)
• 2 130 mm DVGA (960 x 640) Capacitive Touchscreen
• Slide Out Design with Custom Swivel Tilt Hinge
• Upper Screen made of Gorilla Glass, Comes with Magnetic Cover
• Low End Vibration for Gameplay and App Alerts
• 2 Motorized Circle Pads for Haptic Feedback
• Thumbprint Security Scanner with Pulse Sensing Feedback
• 2 1mp Stereoptic Cameras
• Multi-Array Microphone
• A, B, X, Y, D-Pad, L, R, 1, 2 Buttons
• 3 Axis Tuning Fork Gyroscope, 3 Axis Accelerometer, Magnetometer
• NFC Reader
• 3G Chip with GPS Location
• Bluetooth v4.0 BLE Command Node used to Interface with Bluetooth Devices such as Cell Phones, Tablets
• 16 Gigabytes of Internal Flash Storage (Possible Future Unit With 32 Gigabytes)
• Nintendo 3DS Cart Slot
• SDHC “Holographic Enhanced” Card Slot up to 128 Gigabyte Limit
• Mini USB I/O
• 3300 mAh Li-Ion battery

Fusion Terminal

• GPGPU: Custom Radeon HD RX 200 GPU CODENAME LADY (2816 shaders @ 960 MHz, 4.60 TFLOP/s, Fillrates: 60.6 Gpixel/s, 170 Gtexel/s)
• CPU: IBM 64-Bit Custom POWER 8-Based IBM 8-Core Processor CODENAME JUMPMAN (2.2 GHz, Shared 6 MB L4 cache)
• Co-CPU: IBM PowerPC 750-based 1.24 GHz Tri-Core Co-Processor CODENAME HAMMER
• MEMORY: 4 Gigabytes of Unified DDR4 SDRAM CODENAMED KONG, 2 GB DDR3 RAM @ 1600 MHz (12.8 GB/s) On Die CODENAMED BARREL
• 802.11 b/g/n Wireless
• Bluetooth v4.0 BLE
• 2 USB 3.0
• 1 Coaxial Cable Input
• 1 CableCARD Slot
• 4 Custom Stream-Interface Nodes up to 4 Wii U GamePads
• Versions with Disk Drive play Wii U Optical Disk (4 Layers Maximum), FUSION Holographic Versatile Disc (HVD) and Nintendo 3DS Card Slot
• 1 HDMI 2.0 1080p/4K Port
• Dolby TrueHD 5.1 or 7.1 Surround Sound
• Inductive Charging Surface for up to 4 FUSION DS or IC-Wii Remote Plus Controllers
• Two versions: Disk Slot Version with 60 Gigs of Internal Flash Storage and Diskless Version with 300 Gigs of Internal Flash Storage

'3G Chip with GPS Location', this I find hard to believe, just look at the 3G Vita, and sure 4G is out now.


Anyway, pinch of salt an all that :pac:

petes

readyletsgo wrote: »

Anyway, pinch of salt an all that :pac:

Bucket of salt!!

Radiosonde

readyletsgo wrote: »

Personally, I think Nintendo would be wise to not get their own Dev's to work on second screen play/use the gamepad, except for off tv play, just to future proof it, so, bear with me now, that they can port Wii U games to the VC in 10 years time to what ever system they have out in 2024 when no one will be using the gamepad.

Sure we'll all be hooked up to the matrix by then anyhow.

Most obvious bs in those specs is holographic discs. Those things are not commercially available yet and measure storage capacity in terabytes.

Retr0gamer

Seems like utter bull**** to me. Nintendo would be stupid to abandon the WiiU and start throwing money into a hardware cycle. Also a system that will replace the 3DS is nuts considering it's out selling everything on the market at the moment.

CatInABox

petes wrote: »

Bucket of salt!!

I'd need a salt mine to deal with that rumour.

To be honest, the window of opportunity that the WiiU had is gone, if there ever was one. Developers won't support and customers aren't interested. It is a Failure with a capital F, and everyone knows it. I would not be surprised if Nintendo were looking into a new console already, one that may have to have the ability to compete with the Xbox One and the PS4.

Also, if the 3DS couldn't meet its targets with the strongest line-up of games for any console in years, then the WiiU won't, even with a slew of Nintendo games to come out.

Grumpypants

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Seems like utter bull**** to me. Nintendo would be stupid to abandon the WiiU and start throwing money into a hardware cycle. Also a system that will replace the 3DS is nuts considering it's out selling everything on the market at the moment.

It makes perfect sense to have something new in the pipeline, why wait until the sales of current consoles drop to start working on a new console that could take 2-3-5 years to get to market, then you have the traditional 1-2 years of pick up for new hardware. Do Nintendo want a new console on the market in 5 years time?

Retr0gamer

Well something will be in the pipeline but to have concrete specs down or even speculative ones at this stage is ridiculous.

Myrddin

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Seems like utter bull**** to me. Nintendo would be stupid to abandon the WiiU and start throwing money into a hardware cycle. Also a system that will replace the 3DS is nuts considering it's out selling everything on the market at the moment.

Those specs may indeed by bs, but I'd be very surprised if Nintendo's R&D weren't well on the road to working on the successor to the 3DS & Wii U

Allyall

Yep. Something in the Pipeline could mean anything. But to be actively making progress to push out their next console would be ridiculous.

As mentioned, the 3DS is a massive seller, the 2DS is even making slow progress now (most likely to do with the price drop), the DSi is still in demand.
The Wii-U will probably drop it's price. I think they'd be better off with a better marketing strategy, but they should still sell a bundle more over the next year. It would be suicide to push those consoles out of the market already.

Grumpypants

But you kind of need specs to even start developing a console otherwise you are just drawing pretty pictures of futuristic looking consoles.

Those would be default specs as just something to get started on, then the development process would refine that, take parts out, add other parts, change parts to other manufactures. Specs change right up to hitting the GO button on the production line and even afterwards.

If you ask a gamer what to put in a console who would get answers relating to display, online, games and controllers.

Ask a console engineer and he will give you specs. That's all the list is an idea of what might work.

Retr0gamer

The fact they have partners picked out already is telling. Having that before any tendering or chip design has been done is just plain silly. Some of the other proposed tech is ridiculous. HVD disks... sure and motorised circle pads on a handheld is utter nonsense.

Most telling is the Power PC co-processor. Sure it will give WiiU backwards compatibility but it would raise the cost of the system to silly levels and would be a nightmare to access using the x86 processor. I don't believe that for a second.

Otacon

Grumpypants wrote: »

But you kind of need specs to even start developing a console otherwise you are just drawing pretty pictures of futuristic looking consoles.

Those would be default specs as just something to get started on, then the development process would refine that, take parts out, add other parts, change parts to other manufactures. Specs change right up to hitting the GO button on the production line and even afterwards.

If you ask a gamer what to put in a console who would get answers relating to display, online, games and controllers.

Ask a console engineer and he will give you specs. That's all the list is an idea of what might work.

Having never built a console myself, I can only assume the development follows a similar process to corporate project management. In that case, Nintendo are probably still doing a post-mortem on the Wii U, seeing where they went wrong. They may also be looking at what they have in R&D currently that could be a selling point on a new console.

The goals and requirements may be close to final by now if they started a few months ago. The specs to achieve those will not need to be final until closer to launch to make the most of their specs versus price.