Nintendo E3 Conference - Summary Page #1

[SharkEnergy]

Well if Microsoft and Sony are going to be sticking to their current consoles for years to come, why are nintendo being so amazingly cagey about the specifications?

Because 1) They don't know Sony and Microsoft's plans. 2) They probably don't know the final spec 3) They know it'll be ripped to shit by the Internet and 4) Not revealing specs for the Wii didn't stop them taking top spot.

[barkbat]

I'm not really talking about hard stats - although nintendo have provided them in the past, especially when trying to positon themselves as the most powerful player in the market as with the Nintendo 64. I'm just talking basic performance relative to its competitors. Even the dolphin was pitched relative to its generation, and with the Wii U, nintendo have acknowledged that it is the hardcore gaming community they most want to win back with this console. So if the stats were available, and were impressive, and gave nothing to the opposition, I'm sure they'd supply them. Maybe not on the keynote stage. But certainly in a press release afterwards.

[shynra]

No news on Dragon Quest X ??? - just remembered -

[phresh]

I imagine it's because there isnt a simple comparison of hardware spec that consumers will lap up as it was back in the era of 'bits'. Nobody gives a fuck how many processors or shaders it has.

[roskelld]

I think the next gen for Sony and MS is going to be the hardest sell for them yet, because basically, the only thing they can sell is raw grunt power. Online, firmware updates, OS updates have given the companies the ability to update their consoles capabilities and functionality, continuously from launch. The 360 you play today is nothing like the 360 you played at launch.

2005

2011

So, what can MS do to sell you some new hardware? What USP's can they bring to the table to make you part with your cash? The same goes for Sony.

MS and Sony can duplicate what Nintendo has just shown, they can both launch new controllers with screens, use the PSV or whatever, but that doesn't mean they need to launch a new console device. Tactically Nintendo might have played a cunning hand here, because I think raw power isn't enough of a selling factor now. Not unless these consoles are kept for another 4 years or so. This years showing of games looks amazing, Uncharted, Skyrim, Battlefield, they all look incredible. Even Skyward Sword shows how nice even the Wii can look with the right art style. Sure, the PC versions of the games (Skyrim, Battlefield) look better, but by how much? and by enough to launch a new console and risk not getting that 40+ million install base all over again?

Maybe Nintendo are trying a new tactic here. Overlapping/cross compatible products. The fact that the Wii U is stylised like the Wii and compatible with the controllers, doesn't make it feel like you're starting all over again. In someways it feels no different to buying the WiiFit board; It's optional, but there are games you can't play without it.

It's more like Apple. The iPhone/iPod Touch and iPad have been a huge success, and there's been 4 versions of one and 2 of the other in less than one cycle of traditional home console. Just because a new iPod comes out, it doesn't make the old one feel irrelevant and you don't feel as though you need to start building up a whole new collection again; it's more of an organic transition. I think the biggest thing with Apple is that their new products carry this must have vibe about them, without needlessly harming the people that can resist the urge to upgrade.

[strawdonkey]

what a bird simulator?

Could we finally see Kolibri 2?

[SharkEnergy]

Also has anyone considered this is like a giant DS? Some of the uses of the screen show it as such. Flick a weapon on your touch screen and it appears on the top screen etc. They will probably have you using it as a catapult and all sorts. They could remake many DS games in HD and knowing Nintendo - they will!

[FishyFish]

That controller, while undoubtedly offering interesting possibilities, looks like the most uncomfortably unergonomic choice possible. I can imagine hideous handcramps kicking in in short time.

Despite Wii U having the power to handle the sort of genres popular on the 360 / PS3, it may be a difficult sell to get people to play them with a controller like that. Even if a seperate, traditional controller option is provided, how many people will want the burden of seperate control options for different game types?

Still, quite a while to go yet until release, and I remember similar amounts of scepticism prior to the Wii being launched, and look how that turned out. I just hope it doesn't start a new console arms race - I'm still perfectly happy with the power of the consoles currently available and don't really want to see them lose support in favour of expensive new replacements.

[scottcr]

Garnet Lee, he of 1up and general gaming journo fame has tweeted that the controller is very comfortable and natural to use.

Can we put that to bed now?

[FishyFish]

But for what sort of games? I can't imagine it being so for an extended online FPS session for instance. I'll reserve jugement until I get a go with one myself, but my first impressions (from a purely ergonomic perspective) aren't great.

[Mr. Gerbik]

Giant Bomb has said the same, surprisingly comfortable and natural to use. Can't blame people for thinking it is unergonomic though, it looks like an even bigger version of either a Jaguar or Dreamcast pad when you first see it!

[exwhyzed]

Nintendo always make good controllers. It must be like holding a 360 pad but with your hands far apart. No biggie.

[dismembo]

Do people really think that the new wiiU controller is gonna be much heavier than holding a 3DS? Cos you know, after holding something like that, with that amount of weight, you just have to give your arms a rest after a few minutes play.

[exwhyzed]

need to bulk up for the WiiU bro

[dismembo]

need to bulk up for the WiiU bro

Or be able to hold a can of beer for more than a few minutes. *sips from aforementioned beer can*

[BigShimmeryWall]

So since it has circle pads, does that mean there's no L3/R3 equivalent?

[Nespresso]

So since it has circle pads, does that mean there's no L3/R3 equivalent?

Didn't even thought of that. Though maybe it won't need to as its got the touch screen.

[SMD]

So since it has circle pads, does that mean there's no L3/R3 equivalent?

Nintendo haven't done clicky sticks though, have they?

[dan_tm]

Also the Bird video Did seem to show off some DX10/11 effects. It seems a powerful machine.

Taking into account the 640x480 Flash stream effect, even the graphics demo (specifically made to show off the power of the graphics processing, surprisingly) didn't look as good as some off the in-game stuff shown off the day before in the other two conferences. Not as an overall package anyway, admittedly the water effects towards the end were pretty nice.

By the way, is there a sensor bar alongside the camera in that black bar at the top of the controller, or are Wii games only back-compatible when played on a proper TV? Must say, the screen-controller thing looks like a massive gimmick to me and probably does even less than the 3/DS could have done instead, as that would have its own processing power as well. Unless playing your WiiU games on a portable* machine is a big feature for some people - but doesn't the PS3/PSP do that sort of thing? I don't remember anyone going crazy about that...

*not portable

[JohnC]

Oh my fucking god.

Others are slated for it because they show more than what the system can actually do. You can't be saying Nintendo should be hauled over the coals for showing less than its system can do. Because that would make you a blunt trauma victim or something.

Bullshit.

In ALL the other conferences, everyone was going "Where's the fucking gameplay?". Nintendo don't bother with demoing anything on stage, leaving that for the journos on the floor later, and they are creaming themselves over them. Others are slated for montages. Nintendo show loads of montages and they cream themselves over it. It's a load of hypocrisy. It was like those Jesus Camp videos in here during the conference. Your reactions are the same. Just ignore what's happening and throw insults at anyone who dares question.

[TheSlugFormerlyKnownAsNap]

Still no Link's Awakening in the eShop

[sandman]

Is Links all 3d now?

Looking back at the conference this morning I can honestly say it was the strangest one I have ever seen. A poor and incredibly confusing reveal of their new console with nobody on stage actually playing the thing. No mention of the wii at all apart from zelda (and would that have been mentioned if not for the 25th anniversary) - why drop a console with that massive a user base.

And what about the Ds - again, dropped like a stone by Nintendo, yet you can still readily buy one anywhere. And the biggest user base of all time.

I'm beginning to think they have seriously lost the plot over there. Still, at least the first party 3ds line up looks amazing. Shame about the 3rd party stuff which looks worse than the launch lineup.

[Mallet]

Regardless of whether the console and controller is good or bad how far must any games be away if they didn't have a single demo to show? 2 years, 30 months?

[Lothar Hex]

Not sure what to make of the Wii U myself, will wait and see closer to launch or perhaps a year afterwards. However Joystiq has revealed that the 3rd party game reel they showed was actually using PS3/Xbox 360 footage, which seems a bit iffy to me.

http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/08/wii-u-third-party-sizzle-reel-composed-of-360-ps3-pc-footage/

[TheSlugFormerlyKnownAsNap]

Is Links all 3d now?

No, it's a straight Gameboy Color port.

[roskelld]

Here's a quote from Gamespot regarding the controller.

"Despite its size, the controller doesn't feel like a brick. It's light enough to hold in one hand quite comfortably. At the same time, the lack of weight doesn't translate to a cheap or flimsy feel.

The controller’s touch screen has excellent viewing angles, a well thought out feature as it seems to be the primary viewing screen for the player in many of the experiences Nintendo had on display at E3 2011. Two players can also use the controller sideways for head-to-head gaming on the screen.

Motion controls felt crisp and accurate. If there was jitter, it was pretty hard to tell. From all the use cases we experienced, you’ll likely treat it more like a camera than a piece of sporting equipment. Although the Shield Pose game did bring in some dancing and waving. Surprising, considering that Nintendo didn’t have any straps on the controller at the time.

Zooming close to the controller’s screen, we found it rather difficult to discern individual pixels. Nintendo did not reveal what resolution the screen runs at, but it’s sufficiently high as far as we’re concerned. Even at a distance of mere inches it was very difficult to pick out the pixels."

[Snowman]

Does that really come as a surprise?

[TheSlugFormerlyKnownAsNap]

Not really, as it was pointed out a couple of times already

For those who missed in the 3DS thread, Link's Awakening is in the shop now.

[Robo_1]

Rather worryingly (for Nintendo at any rate) is the news that their stock has taken a hit since the announcement:

Eurogamer

Nintendo's share price has hit its lowest value in five years following the unveiling of the Wii U device.

That's according to Bloomberg, which noted a 7.5 per cent drop in the price to ¥16,610 (around £125). More than 1.67 million shares changed hands yesterday, compared to the daily average of 724,000.

"There were high expectations from the new version of the Wii and this fell far short," said analyst Yusuke Tsunoda.

"People had expected to see something more at a big event like the E3, but there wasn't really anything more than what's already reported."

[SharkEnergy]

The markets really do my head in. 'they only revealed what we know already! Sell sell sell'