Official Wii U Discussion Thread

Jacob4000 said:
If that's all, I'm starting to wonder if the next generation will yield much of an increase over the current generation. It's a decent power bump, but probably only enough to get games finally running smoothly at native 1080p, with perhaps a bit of extra polish thrown on (better AA, better lighting). It'll help 3D games keep a better frame-rate too.

It's an advance I'll take, but probably not enough to really give developers the tools to change much over what they're already doing this generation. Probably the most significant advance is that it'll likely be using Blu-ray Disks, which will give the next XBOX greater parity with the PS4 (and even Wii U) in terms of asset quality and uncompressed audio.

WiiU is said to be twice the power of the current Xbox 360, while the NextXbox is said to be 20% more powerful than WiiU. A doubling of power with each generation is standard practise, but Microsoft are going a touch further, because they now require the reliance of being technically superior.

Squidboy said:
Yoshinori Ono, Capcom:

What we saw last E3 is not a reflection of everything this console is able to offer. We have been trying the development kits and some of its new characteristics will improve its possibilities. It isn't something like Kinect or similar accessories, it's something different.

I can't tell you more about it because, if I do, Nintendo will send assassins to finish me! (laughs) But let’s say that Wii U will be a console with so many and unique possibilities that it will be difficult to show them in the box they are going to sell it or to be published by magazines and other mediums.

Just came here to say that I love Yoshinori Ono. He truly is a legend, I'd love to meet him. He seems like a funny guy.

WiiU is said to be twice the power of the current Xbox 360, while the NextXbox is said to be 20% more powerful than WiiU. A doubling of power with each generation is standard practise, but Microsoft are going a touch further, because they now require the reliance of being technically superior.

I don't see the point you're trying to make.

I'm saying such a bump is going to be inadequate to really do much more than they've already been doing this generation. With that extra power they'll be able to push current gen games to 1080p with a smooth framerate, and they'll probably be able to do better AA and better lighting. I think after they've done that they'll be left with little headroom to do anything substantially new.

Second of all, a doubling of power is not really standard practice by any means. Generally a new generation brings on new consoles many, many times more powerful than the last. (this report says the next Xbox will be 6 times the current 360)

Yes! Nintendo is considering changing the name of their next console. Wii U sounds too much like Wii and the dumb consumers won't be able to tell the difference.

Jacob4000 said:

WiiU is said to be twice the power of the current Xbox 360, while the NextXbox is said to be 20% more powerful than WiiU. A doubling of power with each generation is standard practise, but Microsoft are going a touch further, because they now require the reliance of being technically superior.

I don't see the point you're trying to make.

I'm saying such a bump is going to be inadequate to really do much more than they've already been doing this generation. With that extra power they'll be able to push current gen games to 1080p with a smooth framerate, and they'll probably be able to do better AA and better lighting. I think after they've done that they'll be left with little headroom to do anything substantially new.

Second of all, a doubling of power is not really standard practice by any means. Generally a new generation brings on new consoles many, many times more powerful than the last. (this report says the next Xbox will be 6 times the current 360)

...8bit, 16bit, 32bit, 64bit, 128bit, is the bulk of videogame console history so far.

It's more than ample, all the platforms will be able to push graphics on par with what current gaming PC's can handle, which is the incoming trend because of cost of manufacture issues. Increased bandwidth and RAM will result in little to no loading times in open world games, they will be able to load in the BG as PC games do. There will also be considerably more real-time physics, photo-realism and an array of new lighting and texture mapping effects, that are simply not possible now in DX9. Then there's Tessellation which is one of the biggest things that will effect graphics, gameworlds are going to get far greater realism because of it.

Only those who have top end gaming PC's will have some idea of the visual quality of the games that are coming to consoles. Developers are looking to bring movie like experiences to consoles, in the next generation all platforms will be able to do this using an array of new graphics techniques and AI models. Your suggestion that there is no room for further advancement is utter nonsense, there isn't a dead end in either the technology or the creativity, I haven't seen that in more than 20 years.

Mush123 said:

Squidboy said:
Yoshinori Ono, Capcom:

What we saw last E3 is not a reflection of everything this console is able to offer. We have been trying the development kits and some of its new characteristics will improve its possibilities. It isn't something like Kinect or similar accessories, it's something different.

I can't tell you more about it because, if I do, Nintendo will send assassins to finish me! (laughs) But let’s say that Wii U will be a console with so many and unique possibilities that it will be difficult to show them in the box they are going to sell it or to be published by magazines and other mediums.

Just came here to say that I love Yoshinori Ono. He truly is a legend, I'd love to meet him. He seems like a funny guy.

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

This is about ten times longer than I originally intended. My bad.

...8bit, 16bit, 32bit, 64bit, 128bit, is the bulk of videogame console history so far.

Bus-width is a very important factor but hardly the determining one in terms of comparing power. Doubling the word size does not automatically make your entire system immediately twice as fast. It just doesn't work like that. For instance, the Game Gear and the original Game Boy both use an 8-bit processor. We all know the Game Gear was more powerful than the Game Boy. Another example: various registers within the Cell processor are 128-bit, 64-bit, and even 32-bit. Does that mean the system is on the same level as the PS2, which also uses a 128-bit processor?

Most of the "bit marketing" of the 90's was just because it was an easy way to indicate advancement. "Your machine is 16-bit, mine is 32-bit. Ha!". There's a reason its not really part of the marketing lingo anymore -- things aren't quite so simple these days.

Increased bandwidth and RAM will result in little to no loading times in open world games, they will be able to load in the BG as PC games do.

But the rumored specs don't correspond with top of the line gaming GPU's at all. (Not even close, actually). I already said it WILL be better, but a significant portion of that increase in power is probably going to be absorbed by going to a higher resolution (1080p).

John Carmack agrees:

It's obvious what you do if you got a title on this current generation; the next one you go ahead and you run a 1080p instead of 720i. If you're a 30 hertz game, you try to push up to 60. Actually, most games will run out of power on the new consoles even before they've added all those things onto that.

Annnnnd more RAM doesn't automatically decrease loading times. You still have to load crap into the RAM in the first place even if you have more of it. You might reduce the number of times you have to have a loading screen by being able to stick more into it ahead of time (and then creatively shuffling things around as the player moves through the world), but you're still going to have to do some loading at some point.

There will still be load times in Mass Effect 4. You can quote me on that. And a good portion of that advantage that PC has over consoles when it comes to load times is because loading from a hard-drive is faster than loading from a disc. Unless the next generation consoles require an install, that limitation probably isn't going anywhere.

Your suggestion that there is no room for further advancement is utter nonsense, there isn't a dead end in either the technology or the creativity, I haven't seen that in more than 20 years.

You're missing my point and creating a strawman argument in its place. I never said there's no room for advancement, I said the current specs being bandied around for the next generation of consoles won't give us much of an advancement over what we already have.

The bottom line is diminishing returns. In order to make a noticeable difference going forward, your game machine has to be significantly more powerful. We're no longer in the days of jumping from a SNES to an N64. These rumored specs don't point toward "super machines" capable of delivering that "oomph" over what the current generation already offers. They point toward machines that will deliver more or less the same experience at a higher resolution with a few added coats of polish.

Then there's Tessellation which is one of the biggest things that will effect graphics

The 360 already uses Tessellation (it's a built in feature of its GPU), though obviously not quite of the caliber that's available on today's best cards (and the rumored Xbox 720 GPU is not one of the best available cards). Not too many games take advantage of it, but one notable example is Halo Reach.

( Edited 27.01.2012 06:18 by Jacob4000 )

Nintendo Network info. http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/121/1217360p1.html

"Unlike Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, which has been focused upon specific functionalities and concepts, we are aiming to establish a platform where various services available through the network for our consumers shall be connected via Nintendo Network service so that the company can make comprehensive proposals to consumers."

The publisher's plans are as follows:

Personal Accounts for Wii U - Nintendo will now allow personalized accounts for its next home console, which will allow multiple users per system. Online profiles will no longer be system-based. "We will also be able to construct and offer the [personal account system] by combining a variety of different services and content," Iwata said.

Digitally Distributed Packaged Software -Nintendo is exploring the idea of selling full retail games through the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. The company is not willing to say when this program will start, but it now has the full ability to do so. Iwata noted Nintendo would need to consider retailer relationships first. He also noted SD card space limitations would be another factor. "The significance of this business field will increase," said Iwata.

Paid Downloadable Content - As we've heard previously, publishers will now be able to offer paid DLC for different games, starting with Square's Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, which will allow players to purchase new songs for the rhythm-based game. The title releases in Japan on February 16.

"As a software maker, Nintendo believes that its packaged software should be sold to our consumers in a form so that the consumers will know in advance that they can enjoy playing the software they purchased just as it is," Iwata said. "We believe that our consumers will be able to feel more secure if we offer our add-on content as an additional structure in which those who love the game will be able to enjoy it in a deeper way for a prolonged play time."

Iwata wrapped the Nintendo Network segment of his investor presentation with the following statement: "Whether it's our first-party titles or third parties' titles, for a number of games, we will actively attempt to achieve compatibility so that our consumers can enjoy our online services that we will deploy under the name of the Nintendo Network."

High Pedigree Crytek Employee Moves to Nintendo to work on Tech

http://www.revogamers.net/noticias/wii-u/nintendo-ficha-al-director-tecnologia-del-cryengine-3-7948.html

This information comes from a Ruliweb member that supposedly hunted down this info...

- Retro looking to recruit many FX Artists
- looking specifically for 3D environment artists
- Retro wants these artists to have talant for hand painted textures
- also looking for people to assist in translations for better communication with Nintendo

Hand painted, see I thought that they'd be working on their own project, rather than an existing Nintendo I.P, and that seems to be more likely now; unless Nintendo want to relaunch an old I.P.

But then again, that could go with Zelda, and their isn't much to say this isn't just a rumour.

( Edited 11.02.2012 07:49 by Stulaw )

Why does looking for people to hand paint textures mean they working on an existing Nintendo IP?

It doesn't, but a new Yoshi's Island would be nice.

Pikmin 3 will apparently be closer to Miyamoto's original concept.

http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/35369/newspikmin-3-wii-u-will-be-miyamotos-ideal-pikmin-game/

Interesting Industry Gamers article:

http://www.industrygamers.com/news/wii-u-what-nintendo-should-and-shouldnt-do/

in response to that article; what nintendo should do with wii u is work on getting the definitive versions of COD, GTA, AC, MH, FIFA, PRO EVO and a top notch racing sim. once the best version of these games are made available for the wiiu nintendo will win the nxt generation hands down. consumers will flock to the console in droves if spanking new versions of theses games are announced b4 xmas and look better than the ps3/xbox versions. ps4 and nxtbox would be fighting for an even more reduced market share. if theres going to be 1 console to rule them all in the future id put my money on nintendo.

what nintendo should also do is rename the console. have wii as a sub brand, just as move and kinect are to ps and xbox. i do however get the theory behind the naming of the wiiu console so i don't expect it to change to drastically. if it is changed i expect the name to keep reference to the singular: nintendo u, nintendo i, nintendo 1 ( my fav) ..... and launch the console in a dark colour. black? my personal choice would be 2 tone nintendo grey ala SNES!.. OH! and please give me 1080 or waverace at launch

( Edited 16.02.2012 11:03 by MiiWiiKing )

Nintendo filling out patents for the controller, mostly thing that probably won't be used.

http://wiiugo.com/nintendo-filed-patents-for-3dhd-display-for-controller/

http://nintendoeverything.com/82882/2011-wii-u-patent-points-to-likely-canned-features-3d-hd-display/

abit more info on the canned features

MiiWiiKing said:
http://nintendoeverything.com/82882/2011-wii-u-patent-points-to-likely-canned-features-3d-hd-display/

abit more info on the canned features

Wii U could be used as a videophone “exchanging images and sound”
- Hints that Skype/Skype-like service was being considered for Wii U; may still be possible

If fact, alot of them bar the 3D/HD screen, will probably be in the controller.

Here's the patent application: http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220120015732%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20120015732&RS=DN/20120015732

( Edited 17.02.2012 18:56 by Stulaw )

According to sources so far, the next Xbox will only be 20% more powerful in terms of performance than Nintendo’s Wii U. It's hardly anything to be concerned about when we know Nintendo choose not to focus on raw power.

Squidboy said:
According to sources so far, the next Xbox will only be 20% more powerful in terms of performance than Nintendo’s Wii U. It's hardly anything to be concerned about when we know Nintendo choose not to focus on raw power.

You really can't go by internet rumours though.

I don't get post #281. Can someone please explain that one to me?

“I think Nintendo is in disarray. I think they’ve completely blown the Wii U by not telling people what the price is going to be. It’s going to launch at $249 because it has to. I think they’re dead anyway because Xbox with Kinect will be priced below that by the time they launch. Wii was a bubble and that the Wii bubble has burst. Nintendo Wii fans are now playing Farmville. The Wii was a bubble. The Wii bubble has burst.” - Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter

Whatever that guy says the opposite always happens so it's safe to assume that he doesn't have a clue what he's talking about. He's probably still mad about his Wii HD prediction not coming true. =3

He does it so he gets recognised, that's it. He's a stupid troll that should be ignored and that's that.

In other news CryEngine 3 could be running on the Wii U at GDC.