General Nintendo sales/business discussion topic (previously: The Wii U Thread)

[Patticus]

Nintendo, do you even want me to buy your console?

Why is Gamescom so essential to your purchasing of the Wii U?

At this point in time, I imagine that Nintendo will want to bombard us with an absolute clusterfuck of new information, new info, new announcements and all sorts of crazy crap in one fantastic event.

If anything, their no-show at Gamescom is only heightening my anticipation for E3. Yeah yeah, I'll only be disappointed... but a guy can dream, can't he?

Edited May 11, 2012 by Patticus

[Nintendoga]

Why is Gamescom so essential to your purchasing of the Wii U?

At this point in time, I imagine that Nintendo will want to bombard us with an absolute clusterfuck of new information, new info, new announcements and all sorts of crazy crap in one fantastic event.

If anything, their no-show at Gamescom is only heightening my anticipation for E3. Yeah yeah, I'll only be disappointed... but a guy can dream, can't he?

It's not essential, but most of the time it feels like Nintendo doesn't want to market the console. I understand that you want to show off your console at E3, but don't just let E3 be the showing place of the Wii-U. Show it off at other major conventions, give us trailers, new info on it periodically throughout the year instead of just at one place.

You gotta market and hype the console, not jump out and SURPRISE everyone with it in one day then almost never talk about it again till near release date.

I dunno man, I'm just disappointed that they haven't told us alot about the console.

[Nintendoga]

It's unknown right now, but sources say Nintendo may have tweaked the Wii-U to run the Unreal Engine 4.

But anyway a rumor from "trusted sources" say

Tadashi Sugiyama, an employee with Nintendo who has worked as a Director or Supervisor on projects such as F-Zero X, Luigi’s Mansion, Wind Waker, and Mario Kart: Double Dash, is supposedly working on a title for the Wii U that will be shown at E3 2012. The information comes “from a trusted source”, and considering the selection of title’s he’s been involved in, it will hopefully mean he has something interesting in the works.

If this is true, then considering that he has directed/supervised almost all of my favorite GC games, i'm excited to see what he has for E3.

Edited May 13, 2012 by Mike Dawson

[Patticus]

With the specs of the machine up in the air until relatively late in the day, it comes as no surprise to learn that they might want UE4 games running on their machine. This should allow it to compete better with Sony and MS' systems (although they'll always be all, "oh, we're not competing with them") for a much longer period of time. They need to instill as much longevity as they can, as they're getting one hell of a head start on the others as it is.

[Nintendoga]

http://gonintendo.com/?mode=viewstory&id=177067

The next FPS from Ubisoft (oh the irony) Killer Freaks from Space, will have an online multiplayer mode

Crytek (the creators of Crysis) are not working on a Wii-U game right now, but to understand the console, they put a Crisis 3 Level on it to fully understand the Console capapbulities and the results were promising. It was able to run at 30 fps with these settings,

DirectX 9

Native 720p resolution

FXAA filter (it is impossible to use txaa)

High-quality texture (no pop up as in the Ps3/x360 game version due to the higher RAM amount)

Not fully implemented water shaders

“Great” particles effects (ambient occlusion on par with PC version)

Lighting effect on par with PC version (ultra setting)

One of the limitations is that the developers weren’t able to turn off the display on the tablet controller though, so the staff thinks if that was possible, they would be able to run the game at a native 1080p resolution.

And finally, from Pavan Kumar Madasus, we learn that the Wii-U's GPU actually started development way back in June 2009. So they've been working on the Wii-U for at least 3 years.

[Tornado]

I think it's kind of surprising that the tablet is that much of a resource drain on the console. Early devkit limitations?

[Candescence]

I think it's kind of surprising that the tablet is that much of a resource drain on the console. Early devkit limitations?

They never specified what the tablet screen was showing, for all we know it could be a second render of the game screen, which would make a lot of sense.

But the fact that they managed to get Crysis 3 working on WiiU with an early devkit at high-end PC levels certainly is promising.

Edited May 15, 2012 by Masaru Daimon

[Blacklightning]

I imagine it's fairly similar to the limitations of splitscreen gameplay on existing consoles (in that you're rendering the whole game world 2-4 times at once), but it's kinda hard to gauge anything off because they don't actually specify what they were using the tablet screen for in the meantime (or even whether they left it powered, but blank). It's the first I've heard of the tablet alone being a noticable burden on a game besides that, unless stuff like Battle Mii and Aliens: Colonial Marines have similar such problems that I haven't heard of yet.

EDIT: And in comes Masaru for the motherfuckin' ninja.

Edited May 15, 2012 by The Cheese

[Blue Blood]

Sounds about right that Nintendo won't let devs shut off the tablet. I mean, it should be allowed but sounds pretty normal of Nintendo to say no.

[Blacklightning]

If it's really that important to have a game unburdened by the tablet display, they can always opt for an exclusively Wiimote-Nunchuk game anyway, couldn't they? Or hell, aren't the classic pads still compatible with it too?

[Patticus]

Sounds about right that Nintendo won't let devs shut off the tablet. I mean, it should be allowed but sounds pretty normal of Nintendo to say no.

[Nintendoga]

Updates

Just some rumors, games, a cool patent, and Michael Patchuuuurrrr.

http://www.neogaf.co...postcount=14359

A new selection of rumours describe the operating system for the Wii U as “huge” and “never seen before on a normal home system”. The specifics of what that means aren’t clear, but supposedly Nintendo has reserved at least 512MB of RAM for the operating system alone. And to clarify, that is a lot for the operating system on its lonesome. It’s re-iterated that:

…it’s pretty sure that it will remain the biggest software layer seen on this kind of platform

Also some other sites saying they don't want a name change, while others say they do. Do you want a name change for the Wii-U? What would you change it to?

Aye, New Patent!

This patent shows interaction between the Wii-mote and Wii-u tablet. If there was an object on the T.V. screen, a person could grab it on the screen, and move it to the tablet using the Wii-U. Sounds neat.

http://www.gamesindu...-and-profitable

Ubisoft is making two "core" titles and five "casuals" for the Wii-U. We already know about Assasin's Creed 3 and Rayman Legends. as the cores. Unrelated, but Ubisoft is also gonna reveal a major franchise at E3.

And finally, Michael Patcher has said that casuals won't buy another console again. which is bullshit imo.

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/170406/As_the_middle_market_falls_out_game_retail_collapses.php

Michael Pachter has said that “casual gamers are never buying consoles again”. He didn’t specifically mention the Wii U, although it’s clearly implied. But while I can sort of understand the perception, the same thing has been said about every form of media that’s existed. For the most part though, the options for entertainment expand, they don’t die. Maybe the existence of consoles will be a more “niche” experience, but even that feels a little farfetched. As long as there’s a value provided by consoles (and I don’t feel that value had evaporated), they will remain relevant.

Edited May 19, 2012 by Nintendoga

[Carbo]

Leaked Wii U controller picture reveals slight redesign.

The 3DS nubs are now analog sticks and the + and - buttons are now on the side underneath the ABXY buttons.

Original Twitpic link here. Thanks to TimmiT on Retro.

[Tornado]

Holy crap. And they didn't even put those stupid octagonal gates on the surround like they've used since the N64.

...

Mein Gott!

This could be the best Nintendo controller since the SNES in terms of ergonomics.

Edited May 19, 2012 by Tornado

[Detective Shadzter]

Cool! I think I like the redesign better. Guess that also means the Wii U name is staying.

[Cola]

Leaked Wii U controller picture reveals slight redesign.

The 3DS nubs are now analog sticks and the + and - buttons are now on the side underneath the ABXY buttons.

Original Twitpic link here. Thanks to TimmiT on Retro.

Oh wow, cool! Looks like the thumbsticks have been moved to the outside more, too.

[Ekaje]

Hopefully they can also be pushed in slightly to be used as extra buttons like on the PS3/360.

[VO.SUPER]

So apparently the latest Wii U rumor states that Retro's newest project may be a crossover between Starfox and Metroid. http://paulgalenetwork.com/home/2012/05/19/rumor-is-retro-studios-wii-u-game-star-fox-metroid-fusion-saga/

Huh. I was honestly expecting F-Zero, but if this is true count me interested.

[Scar]

Leaked Wii U controller picture reveals slight redesign.

The 3DS nubs are now analog sticks and the + and - buttons are now on the side underneath the ABXY buttons.

Original Twitpic link here. Thanks to TimmiT on Retro.

Oh my god that is SOOOOOOOO much better its not even funny.

I'm wondering what exactly Nintendo were thinking with the original uPad (that's what I'm going to call it) in terms of its design.

Now, if they put in a relatively high-res screen; at least qHD (960x544), things will be looking good.

One complaint however, the positioning of the analogue sticks is a little bothersome to me. It doesn't look right.

[Conando]

Those who tried out the original pad said it's a necessity. Apparently dual analog games feel like a dream with the sticks in that position.

[Solkia]

Hope it feels better than it looks.

Am I the only one who liked the octagonal design around the previous thumbsticks? Fully circular ones feel too slippery to me.

[Scar]

Those who tried out the original pad said it's a necessity. Apparently dual analog games feel like a dream with the sticks in that position.

The original had them directly above the face buttons, here they're a little outwards. Now ordinarily, that would make sense, but they look like they're a little too close to the outer edge of the device. That could potentially cause some problems. They could either make the device wider (FUCK NO, its huge already) or make that screen a little smaller and change the aspect ratio.

[Patticus]

Posting for the new page:

Quite a few changes to the layout there! I feel bad for the guy who accidentally leaked it though, he's out of a job for sure.

I wonder what the squares under the d-pad and next to the power button are for?

[---]

Posting for the new page:

Quite a few changes to the layout there! I feel bad for the guy who accidentally leaked it though, he's out of a job for sure.

I wonder what the squares under the d-pad and next to the power button are for?

NINJAAAA'D >8/

Seriously though, Nintendo possibly making a good decision?

[Chili Dawg]

So apparently the latest Wii U rumor states that Retro's newest project may be a crossover between Starfox and Metroid. http://paulgalenetwo...id-fusion-saga/

Huh. I was honestly expecting F-Zero, but if this is true count me interested.

Not sure if want. See, I don't really give a fuck about Metroid, but I love Star Fox 64, and would love to see a new balls out Star Fox rail shooter. And I'd rather just have one of those than some wacky crossover shit. Likewise, any Metroid fans who don't give a fuck about Star Fox would probably just prefer a balls out Metroid game instead of some wacky crossover shit. I feel like this would be an attempt to serve two crowds and not satisfying either.

But what do I know, plenty of ideas have sounded not so great on paper and ended up pretty fucking awesome. But I'm pretty doubtful that this is actually happening either way.