Originally Posted by Strell Also, holy shit - Scobie is alive.

Yeah man. Never really went away... mainly read through the boards without logging in. Thank you and thanks to all the others for keeping things going here and keeping the faith.

Vin, I can't tell if you trying to intentionally miss the point or not, and then parlaying that into some typical "this is anti-consumer" rant to cover your tracks.

Originally Posted by mrx001 Is Nintendo trying to offend me?Goes to show you how Nintendo views its market or fans.

It is because the hardcore gaming market hasn't been Nintendo's market for a long time, ever since Sony and then later Microsoft took it away.

Nintendo knows that they need to grow the market for themselves, and that market isn't just among the core gamer community.

That's not to say that they can't do a better job with the core gamer (and I don't think creating OMG 1337 gaming system is a good solution for them, given the amount of money Sony and Microsoft can throw around.), but I don't expect whatever Nintendo does is going to ever blow them away, because Nintendo is going for a broader audience.

Personally, I see a lot of good things in that presentation to make consoles a better social hub for gamers, and to extend things beyond just gaming. What I also see is also a good platform for Skype-like abilities that don't require much overhead to set up. It is going to be interesting to see if they are going to try to tie into other social networks.

all this wii u news is fantastic, but i still expect release dates for paper mario 3d and luigi's mansion 2 to be announced.

Everything about this smells exactly the same as every other Nintendo Press Conference over the last decade.

A. Nintendo is late to the game. Announcing features like online communities and connectivity amongst various devices have all been done by other consoles for years now. Oh boy, HD content, that would be really exciting if this was 2006!

B. Pushing secondary features like social networking connectivity, online features, and the ability to connect with other devices is great, but at the end of the day, this is a VIDEO GAME CONSOLE. It's not computer, it's not a tablet, it's not a television, and it's not a cell phone. I want a video game console that plays video games. If I want to keep in touch or connect with my friends, I'm not going to do it on my Wii. Here is a quote directly from Nintendo's Facebook page:

"Nintendo Global President Satoru Iwata says that Wii U will bring people together, uniting them whether they’re in the same room or great distances apart."

Seriously? Microsoft has had their online network running for almost a decade now, and Sony's has been around for 5 or 6 years. People have been connecting through Facebook for years now, and e-mail longer than that. People don't need anymore help connecting or uniting, they're already there.

Is Nintendo even in the Video Game business anymore? It's almost as though they're more interested in everything except the games. To me, Nintendo is now the WWE of video games. WWE made millions in the pro wrestling business, promoting wresting matches, and marketing wrestlers. If you were to ask them today what it is that they do, they would say that they are in the global entertainment business. What they do isn't Pro Wresting anymore, in fact they're embarrassed the concept. Nintendo is the same way, except with Video Games.

The Wii U is not a video game console. They don't consider themselves in competition with MS or Sony, they're in a market of their own. So, my question is, who is Nintendo's market? What will the WiiU be able to do that other devices won't? If Nintendo can't answer this question, and I don't have faith that they will, then they've lost me as a consumer.

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Originally Posted by spmahn Everything about this smells exactly the same as every other Nintendo Press Conference over the last decade. A. Nintendo is late to the game. Announcing features like online communities and connectivity amongst various devices have all been done by other consoles for years now. Oh boy, HD content, that would be really exciting if this was 2006! B. Pushing secondary features like social networking connectivity, online features, and the ability to connect with other devices is great, but at the end of the day, this is a VIDEO GAME CONSOLE. It's not computer, it's not a tablet, it's not a television, and it's not a cell phone. I want a video game console that plays video games. If I want to keep in touch or connect with my friends, I'm not going to do it on my Wii. Here is a quote directly from Nintendo's Facebook page: "Nintendo Global President Satoru Iwata says that Wii U will bring people together, uniting them whether they’re in the same room or great distances apart." Seriously? Microsoft has had their online network running for almost a decade now, and Sony's has been around for 5 or 6 years. People have been connecting through Facebook for years now, and e-mail longer than that. People don't need anymore help connecting or uniting, they're already there. Is Nintendo even in the Video Game business anymore? It's almost as though they're more interested in everything except the games. To me, Nintendo is now the WWE of video games. WWE made millions in the pro wrestling business, promoting wresting matches, and marketing wrestlers. If you were to ask them today what it is that they do, they would say that they are in the global entertainment business. What they do isn't Pro Wresting anymore, in fact they're embarrassed the concept. Nintendo is the same way, except with Video Games. The Wii U is not a video game console. They don't consider themselves in competition with MS or Sony, they're in a market of their own. So, my question is, who is Nintendo's market? What will the WiiU be able to do that other devices won't? If Nintendo can't answer this question, and I don't have faith that they will, then they've lost me as a consumer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hfYJsQAhl0

Really glad to see they have a traditional controller for the system.

I was shocked at how similar it looked to the 360 controller, which isn't a bad thing as the 360 controller is one of the most comfortable/ergonomic controllers I've used.

Also excited for the Nintendo Network, although I hope they can somehow compensate customers who have already downloaded games on their Wii.

Originally Posted by KingBroly

Someone clearly doesn't visit these boards that often.

He only shows up on the N boards to troll. Been that way for years now.

Originally Posted by Strell He only shows up on the N boards to troll. Been that way for years now.

Oh, I know. It just gave me an excuse to post the video.

Originally Posted by Strell He only shows up on the N boards to troll. Been that way for years now.

Yes, because your ad hominem attacks are really adding to the discussion

Your broken record isn't.

Originally Posted by Vinny My logic (which is in no way technical) is that if Sony could do it via hardware on the early PS3s and through software on the 2nd gen PS3s, why can't Nintendo do the same with the Wii U? Sure the Wii is more power than the PS2, but the Wii U is likely going to be noticeably more powerful than the PS3. I'm guesing cost is a factor but seeing as how people have been clamoring for a HD Wii, it seems like such a useful addition.

I never had a PS2 capable PS3, but did it do an HD upconvert, or was it just a PS2 with the benefit of HDMI? I bet it is the latter. To be honest, my PS2 games look pretty decent on my PS2 with component cables. Meanwhile, PS1 games still look like shit on the PS3.

My money's on Nintendo wanting to get in on the HD "remake" market... but either way, I get it, it's a pipe dream. Overall, I'm pretty sick of all these companies wanting to double dip on the games we already purchased though (unless they're actual HD remakes).

Well, if you are sick of it, you are not required to buy. Even tho the Sly Collection came out, I'm still playing Sly 3 on my PS2. I'm probably not buying the MGS collection because I have 2 and 3 yet to play on my PS2. Might buy the ICO/SotC collection because ICO isn't that easy to find on the PS2, and I never got far on SotC.

I've never had improved graphics be a driving factor as to whether I want to buy something or not.

Originally Posted by Strell Your broken record isn't.

It's doing a better job than you are

spmahn,

Nintendo doesn't care what you individually want. They care about the features that will convince large numbers of people to buy their hardware. To do that, they do need to be more than "just a game console". With the Wii, they broadened their market to casual gamers that might not have otherwise considered a console and give an experience that multiple people in a household can enjoy. With this, they are looking to broaden that to the online community (something which they missed on with the Wii).

You say the other consoles already do what the presentation showed. BS. My PS3 doesn't have near the community features they are pushing. Now, I don't know how much I'd use it, but I could see being able to contact other gamers to talk about a game at my console being handy.

The funny thing is that I could see this being a trend. Microsoft has wanted an "everything machine" to be the centerpiece of a living room for years, and it wouldn't shock me if Microsoft continued to push that direction. Sony likes to copy what the other guys are doing.

And hey, if you want it to be just a game machine, no one says you have to buy into any of these things.

I feel however that if you're trying to be an "everything machine", instead of focusing on a couple of things that you do really well, you're just going to have a system that does a lot of different things, but most of them are half assed. I also feel that by trying to encroach into markets outside of your core competency, you're just asking for trouble.

The technology field is crowded and filled with juggernauts like Apple and Facebook and Amazon and Microsoft, and I really think it's foolish for Nintendo to try and horn in on this territory, they're not going to win. It remains to be seen if the niche that Nintendo created for itself with the Wii is still going to stick around for Round 2, or if they have jumped ship for the Androids and iPads of the world. Nintendo went for the quick easy money route for the Wii, but when the fad died, it died quick.

I'm not confident Nintendo is going to be able to pull through with this one, but maybe I'm wrong.

Originally Posted by spmahn I feel however that if you're trying to be an "everything machine", instead of focusing on a couple of things that you do really well, you're just going to have a system that does a lot of different things, but most of them are half assed. I also feel that by trying to encroach into markets outside of your core competency, you're just asking for trouble.

It isn't an "everything machine". It is a step further in the direction the Wii went, and something they acknowledged with the 3DS, and that is the linking of individuals together and getting us to play together. While we do have some of that in other consoles, it is still somewhat primitive.

The technology field is crowded and filled with juggernauts like Apple and Facebook and Amazon and Microsoft, and I really think it's foolish for Nintendo to try and horn in on this territory, they're not going to win. It remains to be seen if the niche that Nintendo created for itself with the Wii is still going to stick around for Round 2, or if they have jumped ship for the Androids and iPads of the world. Nintendo went for the quick easy money route for the Wii, but when the fad died, it died quick.

Then there are companies like RIM who never changed much and are paying the price. Those who survive are those who are willing to adjust what they do to the marketplace.

I don't see this horning in on anyone's territory. In fact, I could see them playing along with others eventually. I don't see this as being a replacement for Facebook, or Twitter, but it certainly could integrate with that.

And let's say this, whether you liked the Wii or not, there's no arguing that it was the best selling and most profitable console of this generation. Only taking it a half step forward rather than a full step like the other console makers did shorten the lifespan of the console, but they did benefit greatly from it while having the ability to learn what worked and what didn't in this generation, while bringing in the cash.

Yes, I do think selling a new console in an age when people are relatively happy with the PS3 and Xbox 360 is going to be a challenge. Is this going to be good enough to convince people to buy consoles? I don't know, but I do know that it isn't going to be done with a simple upgrade on the stat sheets and keeping it just a game machine. You need to stand out from the crowd.

I just wish Nintendo would focus more on software as well as cutesy gimmicks. Nintendo 3DS and I can list the number of must have games on it on one hand. Mario 3D Land is great, but not flawless. Kid Icarus is a mixed bag. Zelda and Star Fox were good but ports. Mario Kart was great as always, but didn't really innovate a whole lot. The fact that I haven't picked up my 3DS in 6 months is a problem. I just wish Nintendo would at least acknowledge their deficiencies in this area, and do a better job weeding out the shovelware crap and holding third parties to higher quality control standards.

lol bro, they are having an hour e3 conference on the software for wii u.