Wii U - General Discussion Thread

dothog

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I'm not capable of creating a worthwhile first post, but if someone wants to give it a go, this thing is WIKIFIED.

 
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It is odd to have so little news with it coming out next year. I'm not all that interested in it. At least not near launch. At most I'll wait a few years for price drops and a solid bunch of good games to be out.

Learned my lesson on buying Nintendo consoles at launch with the GC and Wii--both got some solid games the first year or so, then had pretty long draughts until the next wave of great games hit. I'll wait for those first two waves to be out and prices on the hardware to have dropped this time!

Also worried about the hardware. I figure it will end up being around the 360/PS3 in power and be made obsolete again when MS and Sony launch their next gen consoles. And that will again dry up third part support as devs focus their core games on the most powerful machines.

But I'll probably end up with a Wii U eventually, if nothing else it will be like the Wii and provide a good diversion from the shooters and WRPGs I play on the other machines.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']Also worried about the hardware. I figure it will end up being around the 360/PS3 in power and be made obsolete again when MS and Sony launch their next gen consoles. And that will again dry up third part support as devs focus their core games on the most powerful machines.[/QUOTE]

The Wii U will be 1080p capable, it will have comparable performance to the Big 2, I really don't see how it comes down to hardware. The development kit, maybe, but the hardware shouldn't be a factor, Nintendo seems aggressive on that point. This isn't going to be a case of Wii vs. 360/PS3, where the Wii wasn't even in the same ballpark in performance.

But that's all supposition. There's not a lot out there, and what's out there is terribly vague. The question for me remains this peripheral, I'm still uncertain how this is a legitimate direction. None of the demos I've seen give me the feeling that Nintendo has ever taken it beyond R&D, it remains a "concept" and not a product. We don't have any rumors about flagship titles using it, we've got nothing.

I still have that feeling from E3, where you say to yourself, "Well, I guess it's good?" in the hopes that they're doing something. But what they can do with it isn't as clear as motion control was when the Wii was announced.
 
For the first time in my life I have little to no interest in a Nintendo console. I wasn't too excited for the Wii but I bought one anyway out of curiosity and Wii Sports + backwards compatibility seemed to initially justify the purchase. Also, more of the same with the core franchises will be fun sometime in the future for $20 a pop but I'm done paying full price for the same games over and over and over.

I'm under the impression that the Wii U will be slightly more powerful than a PS3 and Xbox 360 but will be left in the dust (again) once the Microsoft and Sony next-gen consoles launch. I hope Nintendo gets their act together and releases something on par with its competitors (including online functionality with achievements/trophies) but I'm not counting on it.
 
I think they unveiled Wii U before it was ready. That's just my assumption, of course. They really didn't want to focus on concrete details, either. I really have no clue what Nintendo is going to do with Wii U. Rename/rebrand it, change the form factor, etc. Online functionality? Will it launch with a major franchise? That sort of thing.

I don't know where it'll stand power-wise, but I get the assumption it'll get ports of the next Xbox/PS games because the manufacturer's saw what Big N did this generation when it comes to profit margins on hardware sales. There will be a gap, but not enough to prevent ports.
 
[quote name='Javery']I hope Nintendo gets their act together and releases something on par with its competitors (including online functionality with achievements/trophies) but I'm not counting on it.[/QUOTE]

Provided they're within a year or so of the 720/PS4 releases, I don't think there will be anywhere near the performance gap that there was for the Wii vs. 360/PS3. That was one of the only points from E3 that was intelligible, that they had every intention of meeting "hardcore gamer" expectations in terms of HD and performance.

However, that could have been the voice in my head, I blacked out sometime after realizing Luigi's Mansion 2 was handheld only.
 
[quote name='dothog']Provided they're within a year or so of the 720/PS4 releases, I don't think there will be anywhere near the performance gap that there was for the Wii vs. 360/PS3. That was one of the only points from E3 that was intelligible, that they had every intention of meeting "hardcore gamer" expectations in terms of HD and performance.

However, that could have been the voice in my head, I blacked out sometime after realizing Luigi's Mansion 2 was handheld only.[/QUOTE]

Well, Wii U is supposed to come out 2012, and there was a story the other day that suggested no new Xbox until 2014, and a story today (see the 360 forum) suggesting the next Xbox will be about 20x more powerful than the 360....though I'd take that with a grain of salt.

In any case, unless something really changes the market I just don't see Nintendo consoles being worth much beyond owning to play the handful of great first party games each generation--at least for those of us generally not into Japanese games. Even if it's equal power, I don't see it getting enough market share to get any meaningful third party exclusives from western developers. At best it will get ports of the multi-platform games that are at least decent next gen--unlike this gen due to the power gap in consoles this go around.

Nintendo used to be my main gaming platform through the NES-N64 eras. But for me I've pretty much moved on. Didn't even own a Wii from Jan 2008 to Last week as I sold my launch Wii in early 2008 as there wasn't really anything I wanted to play at that time that I hadn't already beaten.

Nintendo is great as a second or third console for me as I still love Mario, Metroid, Zelda etc., but they just don't get enough games that are up my alley for them to be my only or main gaming platform any more and I don't see the Wii U changing that. I'll end up with a next gen Xbox or Playstation close to launch and eventually get a Wii U to play the Nintendo franchises over summer gaming droughts etc. as a fun change up from the WRPGs and FPS games I spend most of my time on.
 
Okay, fair enough, it may not be up to snuff in terms of performance if the Other 2 release much later, or it could be a processing beast.

That aside, what do it do? How to maek fun gamez w purrifral? Holy Broly's asking the right questions, will it launch with anything, will online be taken seriously, etc.? We're not far out from a follow-up and there's nothing out there.

The announcement was definitely rushed, another question for the thread would be why? Maybe they felt compelled to jump the next gen the way 360 did, but then they're playing a different game than MS was. It's just a strange time for them. It feels like there was no transition between itprints$$$.gif to Wii U and the 3DS mess.
 
It seems to me to be a regular Nintendo thing, they made the announcement, then goes quiet to let people like the OP asking where it is, then it will reveal a plethora of content in the next month or so, more likely after the Holidays (dont want to confuse people who are buying their stuff now). And from how the timing seems, Im thinking the gameplan is to build up the hype after being quiet for a few months, then ride the hype into launch day. Unfortunately Im not sold on the Wii U controller and hoping they dont overestimate the novelty of it like they did with 3DS (cool, but not a game changer).
 
Hopefully what they showed was just a concept.. and they make a lot of changes between then and when it releases. I hate that there's a new Nintendo console coming out soon, and I truly don't care. My childhood cries about this moment.
 
[quote name='tankass']It seems to me to be a regular Nintendo thing, they made the announcement, then goes quiet to let people like the OP asking where it is, then it will reveal a plethora of content in the next month or so, more likely after the Holidays (dont want to confuse people who are buying their stuff now). And from how the timing seems, Im thinking the gameplan is to build up the hype after being quiet for a few months, then ride the hype into launch day. Unfortunately Im not sold on the Wii U controller and hoping they dont overestimate the novelty of it like they did with 3DS (cool, but not a game changer).[/QUOTE]

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[quote name='dothog']That aside, what do it do? How to maek fun gamez w purrifral? Holy Broly's asking the right questions, will it launch with anything, will online be taken seriously, etc.? We're not far out from a follow-up and there's nothing out there.[/QUOTE]

I agree those are the major questions.

1. Games. Will it just be more Nintendo sequels or will they actually get some third part support?

2. Controls. Have they learned that motion controls are great for some games, but traditional controls/controllers are best for a lot of core games? Will the console have both and be like a 360 with Kinect, or will games be too focused on motion controls (IMO) like with the wii.

3. Will online be more than an after thought this time around?
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']Nintendo is great as a second or third console for me as I still love Mario, Metroid, Zelda etc., but they just don't get enough games that are up my alley for them to be my only or main gaming platform any more and I don't see the Wii U changing that. I'll end up with a next gen Xbox or Playstation close to launch and eventually get a Wii U to play the Nintendo franchises over summer gaming droughts etc. as a fun change up from the WRPGs and FPS games I spend most of my time on.[/QUOTE]

+1. Sad to say but Nintendo just fills in the gaps between the games I really look forward to now. I mean when you compare games like Zelda or Mario to games like Mass Effect, Modern Warfare, Uncharted, Gears and Skyrim the difference with respect to content and production values is laughable. I mean, Zelda and Mario are excellent games/franchises but I can't help but feel that they should retail for around $30 or less if these other games are selling for $60.
 
I wouldn't go that far. The production values of a Zelda or Mario or Metroid type game are top notch. They just look like ass this generation on HDTVs as Nintendo made the boneheaded decision to put out an non-HD console.

That's one problem we know will be fixed with Wii U.

Aside from graphic problems, the art design, sound, gamplay etc. are all top notch in games like Zelda Skyward Sword or Mario Galaxy or Metroid Prime 3. Gameplay wise those are among the best games I've played this generation. Shame they aren't on a fully powered current gen console so they could look as good as they play!
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']I wouldn't go that far. The production values of a Zelda or Mario or Metroid type game are top notch. They just look like ass this generation on HDTVs as Nintendo made the boneheaded decision to put out an non-HD console.

That's one problem we know will be fixed with Wii U.

Aside from graphic problems, the art design, sound, gamplay etc. are all top notch in games like Zelda Skyward Sword or Mario Galaxy or Metroid Prime 3. Gameplay wise those are among the best games I've played this generation. Shame they aren't on a fully powered current gen console so they could look as good as they play![/QUOTE]

While I agree the games are really great I really think they are only top-notch in production using ridiculously inferior technology.... which doesn't cut it for me for a current-gen console. They might step it up with the Wii U to HD and PS3/360 caliber graphics but I'm not convinced that will be enough to keep pace with Sony and Microsoft... and we haven't even begun discussing online content.
 
Some people have this idea that the Wii U will have about the same processing power as the PS3 and xbox, and then Sony and MS will release their new consoles and "blow the Wii U out of the water." I don't see that happening, mainly because as of right now, there really isn't much in the way of ugrades for the PS3 and xbox other than sheer processing power. While the Wii is still the same device that was released 5 years ago, the PS3 and xbox have had their hardware updated as the technology advanced. This leaves a huge gap between the Wii and Wii U, and narrows the gap between the other consoles and their next versions.

I don't know how people can expect a "next-gen" console to come out within the next couple years and be THAT much better than current PS3 and xbox consoles. It's starting to look like one of the biggest improvements we can expect from a new console would be gaming in 3D and the PS3 is already doing that. Graphics-wise, we won't see any major improvements until 4k resolution displays start making their way into people's homes, which probably won't happen anytime soon.

If Sony and Microsoft put out new consoles within the next 2 years, they're going to really have to add something revolutionary to give people a reason to upgrade; and if they wait to put out true next-gen consoles, it's going to be a long wait.
 
There's still a lot that can be done in terms of having better textures, better animation, lesser loading times, lesser slowdown and other issues etc.

Games on a top end gaming PC still look a ton smoother and overall better than 360 or PS3 games.

That said, I don't think there will be all that big a graphic gap between the Wii U and whatever else comes out. And just getting in HD will be a huge help. I'm not a huge graphics whore, but SD content looks awful on my HDTV so it does take away from the experience with Wii games.

My main concern with the Wii U is the same as with the Wii---lack of games that I'll personally want to play. I'm not big on Nintendo franchises beyond the main Mario, Metroid and Zelda games and third party support has been dreadful from the N64 on, especially from Western developers.

What can they do to fix that? That's the key question for me if a Nintendo console will every be more than a machine to play Mario/Metroid/Zelda on during gaming droughts on the other consoles. If that's not fixed, then I'll wait a few years and grab the console for $150-200 after price drops to play those great Mario/Metroid/Zelda games if nothing else.
 
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Here's a little more taken from an interview with Reggie...
The Wii U has to deliver a differentiated experience that can only be brought to bear through the use of these two screens. If all we do is a beautiful game in HD, it's been done before. We have to take advantage of the second screen, we need to take advantage of the connectivity that the system will offer and, if we do that, we believe that we will yet again disrupt the market the same way we with DS and Wii.

I know he doesn't mean it this way, but I think it's alarming that he's grouping it with the DS and Wii, both of which took a relatively long time for their "concept" to manifest itself in games that were true to that concept. The Wii especially took a while, for all of its successes, it wasn't until Skyward Sword (IMO) that the console truly had a marquee title that could be experienced no other way than with the Wii.

Reggie's a tough read, he's always got something dynamic and business jargony to say. I really wish they'd tip their hand a little more. They're gonna have a tough launch, especially after the 3DS fiasco.
 
Yeah, that worries me as well. I just don't see any real gameplay innovations coming from having two screens like that.

It just all comes across that they realize they can't compete with MS and Sony for the hardcore gamer crowd by just making HD games people will want to play as much or more as the HD games on those consoles.

Thus they're again going for the peripheral gimmick to try to lure people in. I just don't see the appeal of the second screen beyond being able to use it as a monitor if you have to share the TV you have your console hooked up, or things like calling plays in a football game or having the map always displayed in a game like zelda etc. Nothing ground breaking there.

Maybe they'll shock me and come up with some great use of it. But I'm not holding my breath. I bought into the motion control hype and bought a Wii at launch and have generally ended up hating motion controls. So I'll play a wait and see game with the Wii U and definitely check one out and play some games before even thinking of buying one.


I'd much rather them just be talking about how they have great games and a strategy to attract third party developers so that they can take on Sony and MS on equal footing. But maybe that's just realistically not possible. Maybe there's not really room for three companies in the core gaming market. Time will tell I guess. *shrugs*
 
Wii U's gimmick is key in local multiplayer and homes where the console is under the main TV for families to watch over their kids. That's really the hook. That's really how Nintendo has always operated.

The reason why they're getting help from EA for online is because they really have no clue about the space and what makes it successful.
 
Exactly. Which is why I worry that it will be another console with limited appeal to core gamers. They seem still focused on families and kids. Which is fine. I'm fine having it eventually as just a mario/metroid/zelda machine.

Just odd as it doesn't at all vibe with all their talk about wanting to focus more on hardcore gamers with the Wii U.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']Exactly. Which is why I worry that it will be another console with limited appeal to core gamers. They seem still focused on families and kids. Which is fine. I'm fine having it eventually as just a mario/metroid/zelda machine.

Just odd as it doesn't at all vibe with all their talk about wanting to focus more on hardcore gamers with the Wii U.[/QUOTE]

I guess...but they've been extremely wishy-washy about everything so far. Having an account for their online shop would probably make Wii U a big seller to hardcore gamers alone since that'd mean stuff was tied to an account and not a system. Especially when they're the company that usually sells multiple systems.
 
Yeah, that's a much needed change. I already lost some VC games from my launch console that I gave to a family friend that I can't redownload on my new Wii now.

But that's a minor thing.

If they want to sell to core gamers, they need more traditional control options for core games, new franchises that appeal to older gamers (i.e. some shooters, wrpgs etc.), and to have comparable versions of top third party games like Call of Duty, Dragon Age, Skyrim etc.

If it's missing quality ports of those big third party games, it will never be nothing but a secondary console to core gamers.
 
Wii got COD, but it was a year too late unfortunately. It didn't get MW2, yet it got MW3 (I seriously don't get this one) and yet they sold really well. I think Wii U's control scheme is more in-line with traditional controllers except for clickable sticks, but I fully expect competent developers to put that stuff on the touch-screen.

I also expect a Skyrim GOTY edition on Wii U next year. I don't see any reason for there not to be.
 
[quote name='KingBroly']I also expect a Skyrim GOTY edition on Wii U next year. I don't see any reason for there not to be.[/QUOTE]

Whoa, you're moving fast. At least buy WIIU a drink first, sailor.
 
I really want Wii U to be cool and successful but I'm starting to doubt it. Perhaps the tablet controller will be a great success and used in really cool ways but right now I just don't see it. But I didn't expect the touch screen and second screen of the DS to be as interesting as it was either, so maybe they have a plan.

It'll be interesting to see if being the first "next gen" system released will be an advantage for them or if the WiiU is going to be the next Dreamcast. If the next XBOX and Playstation are considerably more powerful, a slow start could be a disaster for Nintendo. One podcast I was listening to earlier this week (I believe it was Windows Weekly) suggested that the next set of systems aren't going to have the big technological jump as previous generations because of the combination of already outputting at the highest resolution TVs can display and Microsoft and especially Sony most likely not pushing the technology as cutting edge so they can get their consoles out at a lower price than the previous generation. If this turns out to be accurate and if Nintendo makes the WiiU powerful enough instead of half-assing it so they can make a big profit on hardware from launch, I could see the WiiU finding its place in the market.

It has to suck to be at Nintendo right now, a couple years ago they were on top of the world with the massive success of both the DS and Wii, now they've gone through a poor launch for the 3DS, the Wii fell off the face of the earth faster than anyone expected, and their next console feels like it's grasping at straws.
 
[quote name='rlse9']I really want Wii U to be cool and successful but I'm starting to doubt it. Perhaps the tablet controller will be a great success and used in really cool ways but right now I just don't see it. But I didn't expect the touch screen and second screen of the DS to be as interesting as it was either, so maybe they have a plan.[/quote]

I don't know about that. Some of the ideas they suggested during their E3 presentation are interesting ideas. It is a question of if it will move consoles.

It'll be interesting to see if being the first "next gen" system released will be an advantage for them or if the WiiU is going to be the next Dreamcast. If the next XBOX and Playstation are considerably more powerful, a slow start could be a disaster for Nintendo. One podcast I was listening to earlier this week (I believe it was Windows Weekly) suggested that the next set of systems aren't going to have the big technological jump as previous generations because of the combination of already outputting at the highest resolution TVs can display and Microsoft and especially Sony most likely not pushing the technology as cutting edge so they can get their consoles out at a lower price than the previous generation. If this turns out to be accurate and if Nintendo makes the WiiU powerful enough instead of half-assing it so they can make a big profit on hardware from launch, I could see the WiiU finding its place in the market.

A big problem console makers are going to have next generation is that a simple tech update might not be enough to convince people that a new console is worth it. Nintendo seems to realize that, which is why you see them trying other things to try to move consoles. While the hard-core gamer never really warmed up to motion controls, it was good enough to sell to the mass populous. Obviously it doesn't always work, with the 3DS falling flat. We'll see how the WiiU does once we actually have something to judge it by.

It has to suck to be at Nintendo right now, a couple years ago they were on top of the world with the massive success of both the DS and Wii, now they've gone through a poor launch for the 3DS, the Wii fell off the face of the earth faster than anyone expected, and their next console feels like it's grasping at straws.

The thing is, the fall of the Wii is all on Nintendo. After a pretty good 2010, there was absolutely nothing until Skyward Sword. That is something I couldn't understand, especially with the seeming refusal to release Xenoblade over here. I understand part of it was to push the 3DS, but you just don't completely forget your other platforms.
 
[quote name='KingBroly']Wii got COD, but it was a year too late unfortunately. It didn't get MW2, yet it got MW3 (I seriously don't get this one) and yet they sold really well. I think Wii U's control scheme is more in-line with traditional controllers except for clickable sticks, but I fully expect competent developers to put that stuff on the touch-screen.

I also expect a Skyrim GOTY edition on Wii U next year. I don't see any reason for there not to be.[/QUOTE]

For it to matter they have to:

1. Get the big third party games same date as the other consoles.

2. They have to look as good as they do on the other consoles, or at least very close.

3. Controls have to work as well as on the other machines.

Remains to be seen if they can do those. Depends on how powerful the next gen Xbox and PS are relative to the Wii U, and how that big controller actually feels for playing traditional games.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']For it to matter they have to:

1. Get the big third party games same date as the other consoles.

2. They have to look as good as they do on the other consoles, or at least very close.

3. Controls have to work as well as on the other machines.
[/QUOTE]

I don't think those conditions are unreasonable. The fact that we've yet to hear *anything* on developer impressions of the Wii U, and we're instead hearing Reggie Gor-Blimey speaking in very general terms, makes #1 and #3 unlikely out of the gate.

The point isn't that the Wii U is doomed to fail. Nintendo might hammer out a concept that works in the next 6 months...

...however if the lack of news is any indication, they are doomed to repeat the cycle of the DS and Wii, where developers are waiting to see how it all shakes out. The 3DS experience is probably going to deprive them of early adopters. I think they'll survive the Wii U's first 12-18 months, but it ain't gonna be pretty.
 
I think Wii U will get a lot of day-and-date ports once the system's out, maybe games on a 1-2 month delay when it inevitably launches (games released 1-2 months before on the system when it comes out; Madden, GOTY's). I don't know when it's coming out though.

I don't expect stuff like NG3 and Batman:AC to sell though, because those games will come very late and most gamers would have already played it/passed judgement. I think a good indicator will be if GTAV is on Wii U or not. I'm guessing it will, but who the hell knows. They didn't reveal platform specifics, so...yeah.

Like I said before, the only control issues I can see popping up with Wii U is clickable sticks, which is something Nintendo has never had on their system, even with the CC Pro. Otherwise, it's going to be a port machine. Since it runs on similar architecture to a 360, it will probably get every non-retail exclusive it gets for a while at least.
 
There's also just the issue of how comfortable the controller from an ergonomics standpoint. Can they have that big touch screen controller just disappear in your hands like the 360 controller does (IMO).

I'm kind of picky on that stuff though. Controller preference is one reason I went 360 over PS3 as I've never liked the dual shocks.

That's all personal preference though of course.
 
[quote name='TheLongshot']The thing is, the fall of the Wii is all on Nintendo. After a pretty good 2010, there was absolutely nothing until Skyward Sword. That is something I couldn't understand, especially with the seeming refusal to release Xenoblade over here. I understand part of it was to push the 3DS, but you just don't completely forget your other platforms.[/QUOTE]

Problem is they've done this since the N64 era, heard of a game called Dinosaur Planet on N64, well that turned into Starfox Adventures on GC, a little title called LoZ: TP, was delayed in favor of releasing the Wii version before the GC version came out. Another GC title Super Paper Mario was pushed back and turned into a Wii title, and that Kirby game released recently, you got it, another GC--> Wii conversion.

This is old hat for Nintendo at this point, they abandon ship even before the boat starts to sink and then torpedo it themselves, how warped is that. :nottalking:

1. Get the big third party games same date as the other consoles.
I have to say since the NES era they have NOT managed to get stellar 3rd party support, with the Wii Sega's US boss, EA, and Activision all made comments about their misgivings with the Wii publicly, and because of moves like I mentioned above is the main reason why they think that M$ burned devs when they abandoned the Xbox 1 in favor of a new system, Nintendo keeps releasing underpowered systems that don't sell software that isn't gimmick or made by Nintendo themselves and guarantee sales, only Sony has supported a system past the release of their successor. Nintendo is going to have to get with it or prepare for the eventuality that the WiiU will fall into the same trap of the Wii, good hardware sales for the first few years then flagging sales and support because it isn't on par with their competitors.

The comments I've been reading all point to people not wanting a new system for at least 2 years (or more) since they don't feel the current systems (PS3/X360) need upgrades yet, why go against what the general public wants, you're doing nothing but hurting yourself by selling them something they don't want yet, is Nintendo too blind to see this? I honestly don't know what to think about their strategy in the last decade.
 
I'd agree with that, but I'd say that it'd since the SNES era, not the NES era. SNES had a lot of great 3rd party games.

Screwing up their partnership with Sony for a disc-based console and going with carts for the N64 was the beginning of their down fall. From then on they've made decisions that make it harder for developers to port games over to their consoles.

And they've just not kept up with the industry and kept focus on kids and families when shooters, WRPGs etc. have became the dominant selling genres as people like me who grew up on Nintendo grew up and moved on to those kind of genres.

Of course I'm not saying they should scrap their franchises etc., just that they failed to also make new franchises to compete with CoD, Halo etc. to keep adult gamers really interested in their platform, while also keeping Mario et al. around for the kids and for nostalgic purchases by older gamers like myself.
 
[quote name='dothog']Provided they're within a year or so of the 720/PS4 releases, I don't think there will be anywhere near the performance gap that there was for the Wii vs. 360/PS3. That was one of the only points from E3 that was intelligible, that they had every intention of meeting "hardcore gamer" expectations in terms of HD and performance.[/QUOTE]

It all comes down to how all three companies play their cards. If Nintendo continues to cheap out to profit on day one while the other two willingly take a loss to cram in fancy hardware(not to mention launch a 1+ later), then we most definitely will be seeing a big performance gap again.

My fear is that Nintendo is shooting for 360 and PS3 specs, or marginally better, which at this point are 6 years old.

[quote name='dmaul1114']
3. Will online be more than an after thought this time around?[/QUOTE]

They've already said they won't have a unified service and are leaving it up to developers to build their own infrastructures, which is a terrible idea. So a company maximizes their game for XBL & PSN, platforms that already exist, but have to start from scratch to make them playable online for the WiiU, ala PS2? I see ports getting gimped because of this.

[quote name='dmaul1114']
Of course I'm not saying they should scrap their franchises etc., just that they failed to also make new franchises to compete with CoD, Halo etc. to keep adult gamers really interested in their platform, while also keeping Mario et al. around for the kids and for nostalgic purchases by older gamers like myself.[/QUOTE]

Hell they don't even have to make new franchises in these genres, they merely have to make a comparable system with features that can run those games from third parties. Nintendo just doesn't get it when it comes to third party support and they haven't gotten it for 20 years. I don't expect that to change this time out either.

If they aren't going to offer a unified online experience, trophies, friend lists, chat, etc. then there is zero reason for a gamer to purchase the WiiU version of a popular franchise. Couple that in with a lack of a traditional ergonomic controller and you have a recipe for disaster for the core crowd. Like the last 3 consoles, it will remain a dedicated Nintendo franchise console from day one. It's amazing that the bigwigs at Nintendo can't see that after all these years.
 
[quote name='Corvin']If they aren't going to offer a unified online experience, trophies, friend lists, chat, etc. then there is zero reason for a gamer to purchase the WiiU version of a popular franchise.[/QUOTE]

Exactly. Then 3 years after the Wii U releases, people will still be chanting the same things. "Games likes Legend of Zelda: New Game, Metroid Prime 4, and Mario Galaxy 3 are awesome and look great on the Wii U!"

Basically, we'll be boasting how awesome 3 games are, in say.. a 3 year period.

I want to want one of these so bad. I am a true fanboy at heart, but logic has taken over. :(

Online service should be a staple now in current gen consoles. Its tarted way back with the original Xbox, it was improved tremendously with the 360..and I can see it possibly getting better with the '720'. Same for PS4. Their online is OK, but at least they have a similar system like Xbox. There's just no reason for them to NOT have it, and it's sad that people will defend this.

720 and PS4 will get the newest and greatest games, and we'll all be talking about how throwing a frisbee feels "even more real" now with OMG ISLAND VACATION 7. It's just so darn silly. They make suuuuch quality games, along with suuuuch quality systems... why are they just, being silly with their WiiU?!

I demand more info on this. I've already got it pegged as "pretty lame" and am basing it off of the small info we have. HOPEFULLY, that changes.
 
[quote name='Corvin']They've already said they won't have a unified service and are leaving it up to developers to build their own infrastructures, which is a terrible idea. So a company maximizes their game for XBL & PSN, platforms that already exist, but have to start from scratch to make them playable online for the WiiU, ala PS2? I see ports getting gimped because of this.[/QUOTE]

No, we don't know if they're going to have a unified account system or not. It's that simple. What has been implied is that they won't run online matchmaking/servers, I.E. it'll be the PSN approach, where developers front the cash for multiplayer servers.
 
[quote name='Corvin']Like the last 3 consoles, it will remain a dedicated Nintendo franchise console from day one. It's amazing that the bigwigs at Nintendo can't see that after all these years.[/QUOTE]

At this point I honestly think they don't care. They must do just fine profit-wise with selling their systems and about a game or 2 per year over the life of the system to the diehards. Anything on top of that (3rd party) is just icing on the cake.
 
[quote name='Corvin']
If they aren't going to offer a unified online experience, trophies, friend lists, chat, etc. then there is zero reason for a gamer to purchase the WiiU version of a popular franchise. Couple that in with a lack of a traditional ergonomic controller and you have a recipe for disaster for the core crowd. Like the last 3 consoles, it will remain a dedicated Nintendo franchise console from day one. It's amazing that the bigwigs at Nintendo can't see that after all these years.[/QUOTE]

It certainly looks like that is the case.

At this point I'll be shocked if it's not a repeat of the Wii and GC. A handful of great Nintendo Franchise games and another handful of good third party games outside of main genre's like FPS/WRPG.

And I suppose that's fine. We'll still have MS and Sony putting out machines that cater to hardcore gamers who want to play those kind of games. So Nintendo's stuff makes a nice complement to that--just not one worth buying near launch at full price. With the Wii since launch the only games I've really loved are the two Zeldas, Mario Galaxy (still need to play the 2nd), Metroid Prime 3, and NSMB. A few others that were just ok like Paper Mario, and a few more I still need to play like Donkey Kong Country. Just not enough games that interest me on Nintendo consoles to bother with paying launch prices anymore. But enough there, and enough differences from the other consoles, justify a purchase after price drops I guess.

Just a shame as a former die hard Nintendo fan to have lost so much interest in their console and really have had no use for their machines for the past 3 generations beyond nostalgic experiences with their big franchises. When back in the day the NES and SNES were where the majority of the great games were. :(
 
[quote name='Javery']At this point I honestly think they don't care. They must do just fine profit-wise with selling their systems and about a game or 2 per year over the life of the system to the diehards. Anything on top of that (3rd party) is just icing on the cake.[/QUOTE]

That and all the money they make selling multiple pricey controllers since the machines are big on local multiplayer. And pricey peripherals like Wii Fit balance boards etc.

The problem is I'm not sure they'll get those soccer mom type purchases anymore. That was likely a one time fad, and all those houses where wii fit boards are gathering dust are unlikely to buy another Wii Fit type game. So sales may go back to being more driven by kids and gamers.

So it would be a logical time to try to appeal more to hardcore gamers, adults who grew up playing Nintendo games etc., but from the little that's been released so far I just don't see much being done to move in that direction.

At most they'll shift back toward the N64/GC model of focusing mainly on the kid/family market and away from the casual gamer/soccer mom market.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']That and all the money they make selling multiple pricey controllers since the machines are big on local multiplayer. And pricey peripherals like Wii Fit balance boards etc.

The problem is I'm not sure they'll get those soccer mom type purchases anymore. That was likely a one time fad, and all those houses where wii fit boards are gathering dust are unlikely to buy another Wii Fit type game. So sales may go back to being more driven by kids and gamers.

So it would be a logical time to try to appeal more to hardcore gamers, adults who grew up playing Nintendo games etc., but from the little that's been released so far I just don't see much being done to move in that direction.

At most they'll shift back toward the N64/GC model of focusing mainly on the kid/family market and away from the casual gamer/soccer mom market.[/QUOTE]

Wasn't it kinda the point with that E3 presentation that they were going to work on being more friendly to the core gamer?

Thing is, what Nintendo's core strength has been is kid/family gaming, and I don't see any reason why they should move away from that. They do that better than anyone else. There is a reason why kids own a ton of DSs.

So, accepting that they are going to be that, what you should be hoping for is that at least the features are on par with the other guys so that you can play cross-platform games without feeling like you are missing out on something. Anything beyond that, well, you might as well go with Sony or Microsoft.

It is why I shake my head when someone says that "Nintendo needs their answer to Halo or CoD." No, because that isn't what Nintendo does or is about. Not to mention that there are enough of those type of games out there that Nintendo would look like an also-ran. I would like to see more unique content from Nintendo, rather than mostly leaning on past franchises, but I'm not looking for them to ape what the other guys do.
 
That's definitely all true. My point was just that while they have talked about wanting to do more for the core gamer, I haven't seen anything that indicates they're doing that really. Still have a wonky, non standard controller. Nothing about having an online system comparable to XBL or PSN etc.

As I said above, it's really more just the case that Nintendo isn't really for me any more other than still enjoying their franchise games. As you note, their are two other consoles out that fit my gaming tastes better, so I really have nothing to complain about. Though I don't see why Nintendo can't keep putting out all the kid friendly stuff and also have their answer to Halo or CoD. I'd love to see what some of the Nintendo development teams could do with an FPS game or WRPG type game.....

Anyway, I've just been rambing a bit due to some mild buyer's remorse over picking up a Wii again as I'm sure it will gather dust once I get my hacked Xbox Live account back and move on to playing things like Skyrim and Batman and MW3 etc.

But I'm getting redundant, so I'll bow out of this thread, and these types of discussions here, since this is the Nintendo forum and I'm just not a Nintendo fan anymore. I'll limit myself to discussing the few games on their platform that I do enjoy rather than the merits of the platform.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']That's definitely all true. My point was just that while they have talked about wanting to do more for the core gamer, I haven't seen anything that indicates they're doing that really. Still have a wonky, non standard controller. Nothing about having an online system comparable to XBL or PSN etc.[/quote]

The problem right now is that Nintendo hasn't said much about the console itself, which has created a lot of FUD. My theory on that is that things are in flux and until things are nailed down, you aren't going to hear anything. The main thing Nintendo wanted to focus on was the controller and the potentially interesting things that it could do. Everything else is pretty much unknown and can change at a moment's notice.

As I said above, it's really more just the case that Nintendo isn't really for me any more other than still enjoying their franchise games. As you note, their are two other consoles out that fit my gaming tastes better, so I really have nothing to complain about. Though I don't see why Nintendo can't keep putting out all the kid friendly stuff and also have their answer to Halo or CoD. I'd love to see what some of the Nintendo development teams could do with an FPS game or WRPG type game.....

Metroid Prime?

Anyway, I've just been rambing a bit due to some mild buyer's remorse over picking up a Wii again as I'm sure it will gather dust once I get my hacked Xbox Live account back and move on to playing things like Skyrim and Batman and MW3 etc.

But I'm getting redundant, so I'll bow out of this thread, and these types of discussions here, since this is the Nintendo forum and I'm just not a Nintendo fan anymore. I'll limit myself to discussing the few games on their platform that I do enjoy rather than the merits of the platform.

Which is fair enough. To be honest, tho, most should take a wait-and-see approach to what they are going to be doing, because right now it is hard to draw any conclusions based on what we know right now, which is very little. Considering people aren't exactly beating down doors for a new console and Nintendo's competitors aren't likely to release anything new, the silence is fine for the time being.

I just wish while we were waiting that Nintendo would do more for the console that they do have out there.
 
Seemed pretty cool to me. If I could put NES emulators on it and watch netflix I could halve the number of crap in my living room. Fingers crossed for upscaled Wii games but I don't see it happening.

The easier to use Wii Fit and SSD seems like a good deal. I use the Wii Fit app all the time and rarely put in the disc.
 
[quote name='TheLongshot']
Metroid Prime?
[/QUOTE]

Those games were great and part of what makes me curious about what some of Nintendo's first and 2nd party teams could do with a pure FPS game with no lock on mode, full online MP etc.

But again, no big deal as there are more shooters than I can keep up with on the 360 anyway. Just a case of always being curious about what great developers could do with my favorite genres.
 
[quote name='uncle5555']Problem is they've done this since the N64 era, heard of a game called Dinosaur Planet on N64, well that turned into Starfox Adventures on GC, a little title called LoZ: TP, was delayed in favor of releasing the Wii version before the GC version came out. Another GC title Super Paper Mario was pushed back and turned into a Wii title, and that Kirby game released recently, you got it, another GC--> Wii conversion.

This is old hat for Nintendo at this point, they abandon ship even before the boat starts to sink and then torpedo it themselves, how warped is that. :nottalking:
[/QUOTE]

I don't get why they're so quick to jump ship. I can somewhat understand it if the console was a failure but with the success of the Wii, why bail so soon?

Also, is it just me or has this not been a problem on the handheld side? It seems to me like the DS has gotten good support through the release of the 3DS and while I didn't own a GBA it seemed like it had solid support through the release of the DS.
 
The handhelds have pretty good third party support which helped on that front. Those companies are happy to keep making money off huge installed bases.

Nintendo didn't put out much for the GBA after the DS was out, and it's been a good while since they put out a major DS game.
 
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