YenRug

Yep, I was reading a tech piece on the Cell; it went on to describe how the Cell is optimised for video decoding, rather than general processing. In other words, the Cell is focused on supporting the Bluray player in the system, not on games.

A nice thread with some good points, rather than the usual degeneration into a slagging match, for once. My take/clarification on the situation: 1. I'll start with this rather pertinent point; there are still around two months until launch. I've mentioned it once or twice before, but most of the graphical polish on a game comes in the last month before release; a lot of people will claim that's BS, but if you ever read any developer's interview/blog/whatever, they all pretty much say the same. That can be the difference between an average looking game becoming a pretty amazing one, or a pretty good one just looking that little bit more shiney. As it stands, a lot of the games being slagged of as having sub-GC quality graphics need to be seen at release, before a genuine judgement can be made. 2. The Wii, according to recent interviews, is capable of producing graphics superior to the Xbox, although some effects are easier to achieve than others. This does not mean that the Wii has crap graphics, it just means that they will not be as good as the PS3/Xbox360; a lot of people were wowwed by what the Xbox could achieve, people should stop knocking the Wii for being able to produce better. Yes, it would have been nice to be as good as the competition, it isn't, get over it already. 3. Thanks to development costs, Sony need the PS3 to last about 10 years to recoup them. Xbox360? Hard to say, I think you should expect that to last at least 5 years; Microsoft would probably like to draw out the system life as long as possible, this time, but it's possible they could push for the 5 year point. Now, Nintendo are in the best position; they've introduced their new technology, now they can spend the next 5 years refining it and pushing towards the more powerful machine to use it on. If HDTV takes off enough in that time, they can easily work to that; I think they took the better position of the long-look on it.

That's pretty much the feeling I expressed, in my e-mail to Nintendo, I'll probably still buy one but I'm doing so grudgingly.

I downloaded the high-res trailer from IGN, this morning, just hoping this is truly representative of the in-game graphics. Loving the art style and think it looks fantastic.

Yes, I know this is SPONG, but they're simply reporting the views expressed elsewhere, it's not an editorial piece. http://news.spong.com/article/10819 TGS: Wii For The Win? According to Famitsu Publisher and Japanese Analysts 22 Sept 2006 So-called experts and analysts can't keep from piping up about who is going to 'win' the new/next generation console war. We reported yesterday that Business Week revealed analysts' predictions of worldwide sales of 71 Million PS3s and 40 million Wii's by 2011. Hang on a second though. Today's two-penneth from some more 'enlightened industry watchers' suggests otherwise. And when one of these industry watchers turns out to be Hirokazu Hamamura, president of Enterbrain, the publisher of Japan's leading gaming magazine Famitsu, then SPOnG's ears are a-waggin' Speaking at a news conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan in Tokyo on Thursday, Hamamura stressed that the Wii-mote's intuitive handling is likely to allow Nintendo to attract people that have never played on a games console before, noting that "if one member of a family is a gaming fan, others in the family will be easily drawn into trying out computer games." Which is of course the overriding message we've been hearing from Nintendo for the best part of the last year. Hamamura continued, "I believe there will be big sales (for the Wii) from the very beginning. I feel this growth will slow a little from the third year, but altogether the sales will exceed 10 million units," he said, basing his assertions on figures from an Enterbrain survey of 2,500 Japanese gamers. Speaking about the PlayStation 3, Hamamura noted that: "The impressive feature with the PlayStation 3 is the outstanding graphics and outstanding price... Brand image [for the PlayStation 3] is very high, and half the people we surveyed said they wanted one, but when we ask if they will buy one many say that it's too expensive and that they'll wait until the price drops." Enterbrain estimates that the PlayStation 3 should sell at about half the rate of the PlayStation 2, predicting a price cut and a new Final Fantasy game late 2007 to attract more buyers. The publisher also predicts total Japanese PS3 sales of between 9 million and 10 million consoles by 2010. What of the beleagured Xbox 360 in Japan? Enterbrain's survey suggest it will continue to lag behind in the next four years, with a paltry 1-2 million units sold in the country by 2010. "It looks like Nintendo is giving everything they possibly can for the Wii console," said Hiroshi Kamide, director of the research department at KBC Securities Japan, who also spoke at the correspondents' club. "Nintendo hasn't had a successful machine for the last 10 years, so for us analysts it's quite difficult to imagine a scenario by where Nintendo is actually going to win. But for me right now, especially in Japan at least, Nintendo does seem to have the upper hand. "It doesn't look completely unrealistic that Nintendo could get the dominant market share this time round," Kamide added. (source: http://digitalworldtokyo.com/)

Except that it's not a DVD drive, so it isn't standard. GC discs were not mini-DVD's; for starters they are spun in the opposite direction to normal discs, then they were a custom format, too. Wii discs are not DVD's, either; whilst they are the same physical size and have the same capacity as a DVD, they are a custom format. Also, up until now, the slide in disk slot drives have only supported CD/DVD sized discs, the one in the Wii supports two different sized media in a single device. Are you still sure that it's not something special?

I'm afraid that that isn't the same game, there is some here, though: http://uk.media.wii.ign.com/media/853/853783/vids_1.html

There isn't an official branch of Nintendo in Mexico, as I recall, only a licensed importer, hence the over-inflated price of the Wii.

You know what? I just looked at those screnshots and decided it's a game I'm going to get; yes, they aren't amazing graphics, but they certainly evoke the feeling that it's going to be fun.

Strangely enough, that was exactly the point I was making. Whilst companies claim we have got a high average wage, it's a false basis to justify high prices, because the majority of people are actually earning a lot less than that; it's down to a small group earning incredibly large wages that are lifting up the average, to an unrepresentative level of earnings in the UK. Whilst he's currently out of work, at the moment, the last job my step-father was working in was paying less than the job he had been doing 15 years ago. That's not in "adjusted values" either, we're talking actual numerical difference. Employers are going out of their way to pay as little as possible, in general, and look for loopholes to ensure that they have got as few responsibilities as possible, too. They do this in an effort to maximise profits, but then they complain that their sales are down. Anyone care to guess why people aren't buying as much? Is it possible that people haven't got the money to spare?

Dare I ask, how much do you earn? I assure you, whilst the "average wage" of the UK is pretty high, there are one hell of a lot of people who are earning a lot less than it. A couple of years ago there were two surveys announced around the same time; the first survey stated that the average wage for the UK was £25,000; the second survey stated that 1 in 4 workers were earning £100,000 or more. Do you see the problem, there? 1/4 of the workforce are earning all of the money needed to create an average wage of £25,000; what does that leave for the other 3/4 to be earning? Let me just say, not a lot.

Will do, however, I think they might be afraid of giving me more ammo...

Wonder what response this will generate: Actually, if you read my previous reply, I did at least allude to profit margins of Japanese retailers; I will bold them for you in this reply, so you can read it a little easier. So, you are confirming, for me, that Nintendo are purposefully charging consumers more for buying the same product than the rest of the world, rather than take a small reduction in profit? I'm pretty sure that's what you have stated here and which is what I was wanting to know. I know Nintendo have a policy of making profit, unlike their competitors, on their hardware; I just wasn't aware they were ignoring their new business ideology to do so, thus risking the loss of support and the consumer mindset failing to perceive them as a possible mass market leader. Oh well. Yours Adam Gurney

I'm tempted...

You live in an "incredibly small" town and yet you have a GAME, Gamestation and HMV? I think you need to redefine your definition of small! My town's efforts for supplying gaming is thus: 1 x Woolworths, which carries the chart games and whatever they've got stuck in the bargain bin. 1 x video/DVD rental shop which sells second-hand games. I have to drive to either of the, equidistant, two nearby cities to find decent gaming shops.

Yeah, I know, I think it might be down to including The Sun's news desk in the list of addressees.

Well, I've been away for the weekend; had to leave, on Friday, before they could be bothered to actually squeeze out the date and pricing. A friend texted me the details, I think I can say I'm not pleased by it; it's not unaffordable, but it's definitely overpriced compared to other regions. I actually sent out an e-mail, to Codestorm, NoE PR Enquiries and The Sun (because they like covering Rip-Off Britain stories) before seeing this thread: Codestorm reply: My reply: Codestorm reply:

Hard to say, the statement suggests it might not be in there at all, however it is still vague enough to mean a plug-in/dongle could be in the future.

Confirmed: http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/732/732730p1.html Wii DVD-movie Playback Out NOA confirms that Wii will not play Hollywood DVD movies. by Matt Casamassina September 14, 2006 - Nintendo of America's vice president of marketing and corporate affairs, Perrin Kaplan, confirmed to IGN Wii today that its forthcoming Wii console will not play Hollywood DVD movies. The decision to remove the functionality was made in order to deliver the machine at a cheaper cost and because most people today already own DVD players. More as it develops.

Source, per chance?

Press Release: Big Brain Academy™ (temporary name) Format: Wii™ Date Available: TBA ESRB: RP (Rating Pending) Game Type: Fun Mental Training Accessories: TBA Players: 2 Developer: Nintendo KEY INFORMATION The Wii Remote controller’s hands-on control makes playing a cinch. This rethinking of the popular Nintendo DS™ game will test players’ brains with fun problems and allow people of any age to play together. Multiplayer versus and co-op play modes also have been added, allowing players to use the title as a brain-training exercise or a raucous party game. • The Wii Remote’s hands-on control makes playing the game a breeze, and revamps the DS game that exercised players’ minds with enjoyable brain-teasers. • In addition to single-player mode, there are versus and co-op multiplayer modes that people of any age or education level to play together. • Mii™ data compatible. Special powers/weapons/moves/features: The game features a two-player versus mode that uses a split screen. The same problems will appear in a different order. The first player to get 12 correct answers wins.

From the Nintendo Press Site: Wii Press Release: NINTENDO’S INCOMPARABLE Wii CONSOLE LAUNCHES NOV. 19; MSRP $249.99 30 New Games, 30 Retro Titles, User-Friendly ‘Channels’ Make it the Affordable System for Gamers, Newcomers and Families NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2006 – Nintendo will reshape the home entertainment and video game landscape with the launch of its heralded Wiiâ„¢ home video game console. The Americas will lead the worldwide launch on Nov. 19. Wii will be sold as an affordable, mass-consumer product at an MSRP of just $249.99. The price includes one wireless Wii Remote controller, one Nunchukâ„¢ controller and the groundbreaking collection of five different Wii Sports games on one disc, which anyone can play using simple movements, experienced or not. Every Wii console includes another distinctive feature: a series of on-screen “channels†that make up the Wii Channel Menu, which makes the console approachable and customizable for everyone, from the most avid gamer to people who have never played before. The Wii Channel Menu is the starting point for all of the console’s functions. The “channels†offer a gateway to a rich variety of entertainment options. When connected to a TV, the Wii Channel Menu offers a simple interface, letting users pick games to play, get news or weather, view and send photos or even create playable caricatures of themselves to use in actual games. Additional functions allow users to redeem Wii Points and download classic games to Wii’s Virtual Consoleâ„¢. The variety of options available through the Wii Channel Menu motivates both gamers and non-gamers to turn on Wii’s power every day. Wii is creating worldwide excitement with its unique control system, an inventive, first-of-its-kind controller whose position can be detected in a 3-D space. The new controller allows users to pinpoint targets in games or move through the Wii Channel Menu with precision and ease. This intuitive control system will be understood immediately by everyone, regardless of their previous experience with video games. With this one small controller, Wii makes games both easier and more intense than anything previously experienced. For example, in the Wii Sports tennis game, players swing the Wii Remote like a racket to hit the ball, as in real life. They can add topspin or slice the ball just by angling their hands and wrist like they would in a real match. “Wii reinvents games for the devoted player,†says Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. “But more importantly, Wii breaks the wall separating players from non-players by delivering the best game experiences for the most affordable price. We believe the next leap is games for the masses – young and old, gamer or non, alone, with a friend or with the whole family.†Fils-Aime made his remarks in New York, shortly after Nintendo executives in Japan announced Wii will launch there on Dec. 2. Between launch day and Dec. 31, Wii owners will enjoy a robust lineup of 30 software titles, with selections for everyone from video game veterans to newcomers. Some top Nintendo launch titles include Wii Sports, a compilation of tennis, baseball, golf, bowling and boxing; The Legend of Zelda®: Twilight Princess; and EXCITE TRUCKâ„¢. While publishers are free to set their own prices for games, first-party Nintendo titles will have an MSRP of $49.99. Wii’s self-loading media bay also can play the entire library of more than 530 Nintendo GameCubeâ„¢ titles from day one. Third-party developers around the world have lined up to provide unprecedented support for Wii. “The Wii is changing audience interaction, opening up whole new experiences that have never been possible in video games,†says Robert Kotick, Chairman and CEO, Activision, Inc. “With the instinctual control of the Wii Remote, Nintendo is advancing the gaming experience to the broadest audience of gamers. Activision is excited about the launch of the Wii and the opportunity it offers. So much so, we plan to have five titles available at launch – our strongest lineup ever for a new console. We have more development resources devoted to the Wii than to any previous Nintendo platform. The Wii is likely to have a profound impact on the size, growth and overall opportunities for the video game market.†“I believe the Wii will attract new and casual gamers to the world of interactive entertainment,†says Larry Probst, Chairman and CEO, Electronic Arts. “It’s a fun, easy and economical system that will become a bridge to gaming for mainstream audiences. At EA, we are putting more support behind the Wii than any Nintendo hardware launch since the Super NES.†“The Wii control scheme opens up unexplored areas for our talented teams to innovate when creating games,†says Laurent DeToc, President of Ubisoft North America. “It’s invigorating for us. We believe that it will help create a new level of interest in video games and engage more players around the world.†Additional information about the list of Virtual Console games and the pricing structure will be revealed in the coming weeks. The worldwide innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Nintendo DSâ„¢, Game Boy® Advance and Nintendo GameCubeâ„¢ systems, and upcoming Wiiâ„¢ console. Since 1983, Nintendo has sold nearly 2.2 billion video games and more than 375 million hardware units globally, and has created industry icons like Marioâ„¢, Donkey Kong®, Metroid®, Zeldaâ„¢ and Pokémon®. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, visit the company’s Web site at http://www.nintendo.com. Wii Fact Sheet: Wiiâ„¢ Launch Date and MSRP: Nov. 19, 2006, in the Americas at an MSRP of $249.99. Color: White. Size: About 8.5 inches long, 6 inches wide and less than two inches thick (157mm x 215.4mm x 44mm). Controls: Intuitive control for anyone using the physical motion of the Wii Remote controller, which resembles a television remote control. Up to four Wii Remote controllers can be connected at once using wireless Bluetooth technology. The wireless signal can be detected within 10 meters of the console. Both the Wii Remote and Nunchukâ„¢ controllers include a three-axis motion sensor. The Wii Remote controller also includes a speaker, rumble feature and expansion port, and can be used as a pointer within 5 meters of the screen. The Wii Remote controller has a power switch, plus pad, A, B, Minus, Home, 1 and 2 buttons. The Nunchuk controller includes an analog control stick and C and Z buttons. The Look: The Wii console features a compact design that will make it a natural addition to any television setup. It can be displayed either vertically or horizontally. Media: A single self-loading media bay will play single- or double-layered 12-centimeter optical discs for the Wii console, as well as 8-centimeter Nintendo GameCubeâ„¢ discs. Channels: The Wii Channel Menu is the main gateway for a variety of easy-to-use, interactive multimedia, entertainment and communication functions. Communication: The Wii console can communicate with the Internet even when the power is turned off. The WiiConnect24â„¢ service delivers a new surprise or game update, even if the system is idle. Users can connect wirelessly using IEEE802.11, or with a USB 2.0 LAN adaptor. The Wii console also can communicate wirelessly with Nintendo DSâ„¢. Virtual Console: The Wii console will have downloadable access to 20 years of fan-favorite titles originally released for Nintendo® 64, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System® (SNES) and even the Nintendo Entertainment System® (NES). The Virtual Consoleâ„¢ also will feature a “best of†selection from Sega Genesis titles and games from the TURBO GRAFX16 console (a system jointly developed by NEC and Hudson). It also will be home to new games conceived by indie developers whose creativity is larger than their budgets. The Specs: The Wii console has 512 megabytes of internal flash memory, two USB 2.0 ports and built-in Wi-Fi capability. A bay for an SD memory card will let players expand the internal flash memory. Design was optimized with state-of-the-art processing technologies that minimize power consumption, keep the console compact and enable the “sleepless†WiiConnect24 mode. CPU: PowerPC CPU (code-named “Broadwayâ€) Made with a 90 nm SOI CMOS process, jointly developed with and manufactured by IBM. Graphics Processing Unit: Being developed with ATI. Other Features: Four ports for classic Nintendo GameCube controllers. Two slots for Nintendo GameCube Memory Cards. An AV Multi-output port for component, composite or S-video. Wii Channel Menu: The Wiiâ„¢ console will revolutionize how people play games. But more importantly, it will entice new players into the world of video games by offering a variety of entertainment, information and communication Channels that add value to the console and make it a device that the entire family can enjoy. The Wii Channel Menu will be the first screen shown on the television, as it easily integrates itself as part of people’s everyday lives. Disc Channel: This channel allows users to play either Wii game discs or the entire library of Nintendo GameCubeâ„¢ discs. Miiâ„¢ Channel: Fun caricatured portraits created in this channel can be used as characters across a variety of Wii software. Portraits can be stored in a user’s Wii Remote and taken to a friend’s house to play on another Wii console. Each member of the family can have his or her Wii Remote personalized with a caricature. Photo Channel: This channel allows users to take digital pictures stored on an SD memory card and display them on their television screens. Users also can manipulate the photos in a variety of fun and creative ways, such as zooming or creating mosaics, puzzles or slide shows. They can draw, add stamps, and copy and paste. They also can change the “mood†of photos by brightening them, converting them to monochrome, inverting the color or changing them to stark black and white. Users can even add an MP3 tune to their slide shows. It provides a fun and easy outlet for people to edit their digital pictures. Users also can send their pictures to other Wii consoles by attaching a photo to the Wii Message Board. Forecast Channel: Users who have connected their Wii console to the Internet can access free local weather forecasts just a few seconds after turning on the Wii console. The WiiConnect24â„¢ service automatically updates local weather information. Users can view forecasts for cities around the world on a 3-D globe. News Channel: Users can access breaking news with the touch of a button. When connected to the Internet, the WiiConnect24 service automatically updates this free channel and organizes it in a variety of topical categories. Users can see where news is happening by viewing the location of news stories on a 3-D globe. Wii Shop Channel: This is where users go to buy Wii Points or redeem them to download classic video games to the Virtual Consoleâ„¢. Users also can use points to download the Opera browser used in the Internet Channel. Internet Channel: This channel dramatically changes the relationship between a user’s home, the television and the Internet. Users download the Opera browser with Wii Points. Then they can surf the Internet right from the comfort of their couch. They can do quick research while watching a television program (“What was that actor’s name again?â€). Or book travel plans and shop during commercials. The service is compatible with Macromedia Flash. Wii Message Board: Forget hand-scrawled notes tacked to the refrigerator door. Users can leave messages for other family members on a calendar-based message board. They also can use WiiConnect24 to send messages to people outside the home as well. Even better, people can trade photos and text messages with cell phone users. The service also allows for incoming messages targeted at software, such as a new map or weapon for a game. Games can constantly be updated, thereby extending their playability. Quotes from Third-Party Publishers about Wii “I believe the Wii will attract new and casual gamers to the world of interactive entertainment. It’s a fun, easy and economical system that will become a bridge to gaming for mainstream audiences. At EA, we are putting more support behind the Wii than any Nintendo hardware launch since the Super NES.†– Larry Probst, Chairman and CEO, Electronic Arts “The Wii is changing audience interaction, opening up whole new experiences that have never been possible in video games. With the instinctual control of the Wii Remote, Nintendo is advancing the gaming experience to the broadest audience of gamers. Activision is excited about the launch of the Wii and the opportunity it offers. So much so, we plan to have five titles available at launch – our strongest lineup ever for a new console. We have more development resources devoted to the Wii than to any previous Nintendo platform. The Wii is likely to have a profound impact on the size, growth and overall opportunities for the video game market.†– Robert Kotick, Chairman and CEO, Activision, Inc. “The Wii control scheme opens up unexplored areas for our talented teams to innovate when creating games. It’s invigorating for us. We believe that it will help create a new level of interest in video games and engage more players around the world.†– Laurent DeToc, President of Ubisoft North America “Nintendo’s strategy is expanding the market. We are thrilled.†– David Pierce, President and CEO, Atari, Inc. “Nintendo’s vision perfectly aligns with our strategy to broaden our portfolio by allowing us to create new genres that have strong global appeal.†– Shinichi Suzuki, President, Atlus U.S.A., Inc. “Video games are becoming more of a mainstream phenomenon than ever before with virtually all members of the family playing different games in the living room. Nintendo’s strategy of ease of play and mass marketing pricing is perfectly aligned with Disney.†– Graham Hopper, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Buena Vista Games “In order for our industry to continue to grow, we’ve got to think about gaming and games differently. That’s exactly what Nintendo is doing.†– Geoff Mulligan, COO, Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. “For established publishers, the Virtual Console model is a tremendous opportunity to extend our classic brands. Nobody ever thinks of a good book as retired – why shouldn’t great games live forever, too?†– Naoya Tsurumi, CEO, Sega of America “With escalating costs for both developing games and for consumers buying new game systems, we applaud Nintendo’s drive to spread gaming to the masses – and we fully support that approach.†– Brian Farrell, President and CEO, THQ, Inc.

But US prices are always quoted without sales tax included...

Saying it's "light-gun" means that you will shoot at where you directly point on screen, you won't be moving the character's gun to point in the right direction.

IGN equivalent of updates: http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/732/732707p1.html