Jasper Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 That's what they want you believe. If the above statement was true we'd have an Xbox Live style online play thing. The rate of HD conversion is increasing all the time, loads of people have them now. Even people who know absolutely nothing about TVs. They get them because they're flat screens and generally look good and they're assured by the shop assistant they're future-proof. There something vastly different going on here. At this moment, people buy flat-screens. They don't buy HD-tv's. If my parents talk about buying a new TV they are thinking about a flat-screen. Not of the awe-inspiring visuals that come along with it. Nintendo made a pretty good decision - even with only gaming. Just don't forget that Nintendo's resources for online gaming are not as good (and i'm not talking about money, here, I'm talking about the necesarry experience in the team) as Microsoft. They look at numbers and the number of online videogames were pretty tiny back in the days of GameCube. If they went online then, they would have a tiny install base - simply because the numbers of online gamers was low at that time. Everybody had internet, but when GameCube launched we were still at the very start of a huge internet experience (the internet boom came after that with YouTube and Google becoming immense). Now Nintendo jumps in with an (okay, it's lacking) online service, but the timing is correct. Even the PS2 didn't support awesome online gaming that much, and everybody is only looking at Nintendo for this. Nintendo's decision against HD might seem stupid now, but it's clever enough. The numbers were there: 5% of the American Households had HD when they made that decision. I didn't even know what HD was before they said they didn't include it. Here's the problem with HD: the general consumer does not know what it means, does or how it enhances the experience. People buy a fancy HD-tv and play regular DVD's on it, and meanwhile they think they have enhanced visuals on their TV, but actually they don't. What people don't know, and what the HD-group should tell them, is that they need to upgrade all their devices to HD. And for now, that isn't happening. I've got a 19" HDTV, 37" HDTV and a HD Projector in my house. Anyway, a firmware update could make the Wii HD compatible with future games that support it. The Xbox and PS2 did HD. Any device could do HD. But do you ever stop and wonder why there's so much horsepower in PS3 and Xbox360? Because HD visuals requrie a system to make four times as much calculations on screen - you need four times as much pixels. And you don't have any control running yet. So yes, Wii could do HD, but it could a) look like a 1996 PC-game (wich means there are more straight lines to a ball than a cube) or b) smoothly as PS3... at 5 frames per second. The Wii cannot do HD by a system update, neither could an Xbox or PS2. Upscaling, yes, that would be possible, but that means you make the games in non-HD and sharpen them afterwards again, after scaling it. it's easier, but it won't increase detail in the visuals (you can't make a one-pixel enemie on the horizon, because with upscaling, it would be about four pixels). My parents ain't picking up HD for a while, and I guess the public that Nintendo is aiming at right now won't for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cube Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Any device could do HD. But do you ever stop and wonder why there's so much horsepower in PS3 and Xbox360? Because HD visuals requrie a system to make four times as much calculations on screen - you need four times as much pixels. And you don't have any control running yet. So yes, Wii could do HD, but it could a) look like a 1996 PC-game (wich means there are more straight lines to a ball than a cube) or b) smoothly as PS3... at 5 frames per second. I explained that in my second post, that it isn't a matter of the resolution, but more to do with how it performs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steggy Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 I think in the UK we are pretty much being forced into HD. I needed to get a new TV last year, and I had a choice of a budget CRT with next to nothing connectivity or a plasma or LCD. All I really wanted was a CRT with component inputs, which were easily availiable a couple of years prior but were non-existent at the time. In the end I managed to get hold of the only HD CRT model availiable in the UK and I'm more than happy with it. Okay HD material isn't quite as sharp as on an LCD, but considering I don't want to spend a fortune on Sky HD that doesn't really matter. And then when I do pony up the cash, only 10% of my viewing will be in HD anyway. So I got something that was better looking than an LCD at SD resolutions and not quite as good at HD. Most people arn't even aware that this option exists in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Nintendo made a pretty good decision - even with only gaming. Just don't forget that Nintendo's resources for online gaming are not as good (and i'm not talking about money, here, I'm talking about the necesarry experience in the team) as Microsoft. They look at numbers and the number of online videogames were pretty tiny back in the days of GameCube. If they went online then, they would have a tiny install base - simply because the numbers of online gamers was low at that time. Everybody had internet, but when GameCube launched we were still at the very start of a huge internet experience (the internet boom came after that with YouTube and Google becoming immense). Now Nintendo jumps in with an (okay, it's lacking) online service, but the timing is correct. Even the PS2 didn't support awesome online gaming that much, and everybody is only looking at Nintendo for this. . Xbox Live on the original Xbox started in 2003 and it was amazing. Loads of people used it regularly, and still do use the original Xbox live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cube Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Xbox Live on the original Xbox started in 2003 and it was amazing. Loads of people used it regularly, and still do use the original Xbox live. Nintendo are probably basing it on their own failed experience with online, mainly due to starting it way too early. Also, Nintendo games generally don't suit online, as they always have "hidden" depth in the gameplay, it's part of the thing that makes it fun and noone complained about them. Until online came along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caris Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Wii HD is never ever gonna happen, get over it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.X Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Wii HD is never ever gonna happen, get over it. Well until 4 years time, mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellfire Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Look Nintendo won't release a HD special edition, when they release their next console, they release it with HD capabilities, that's it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goron_3 Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Wii 2 will have HD, not our beloved Wii; it's not powerful enough. Upscaling however...possibly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy2211 Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Xbox Live on the original Xbox started in 2003 and it was amazing. Loads of people used it regularly, and still do use the original Xbox live. The Xbox 360 is hardly flying off shelves is it? And even then only 55% of consoles have actually connected to Xbox Live. Online gaming isn't that big, sure, in 5 or 10 years it will probably be a large part of gaming (at least alot bigger then it is now) but when it is, Nintendo will be there ready to pounce. Thing is, at the moment, it's not important, and so Nintendo are in a good position with their focus, it's their but it's pretty suttle. I still think Wii online is going to be great come 2008 anyway, the list of online games is growing at a good pace and it is extremely cheap and easy for online to be built into Wii games, no doubt a huge enticement for any developer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cube Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Weren't Nintendo first for downloadable content for consoles? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy2211 Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Weren't Nintendo first for downloadable content for consoles? About 20 years ago, yeah lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calza Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Wii in HD. Best oxymoron I've heard in ages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasper Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 Xbox Live on the original Xbox started in 2003 and it was amazing. Loads of people used it regularly, and still do use the original Xbox live. Let's not forget a few things here. Back in the GameCube days, Xboxes weren't selling like hotcakes and not even all of them connected. The online gaming community back then was incredibly small. Microsoft hadn't launched live! cross-platform, so the only way a developer could make a succesfull online game was to publish it on pc or Xbox, wich couldn't play together as nice yet. So what did you have? 25 million sold Xboxes and maybe 10 million connected users. On a total consolenumber over the 150 million? That's nothing. Back in the day, Nintendo made a rational decision. Wii HD is never ever gonna happen, get over it. Catch Numbero Duo: Wii is a name that will stay. Nintendo stated it was like 'Yahoo' and 'Google', and the people Nintendo aims at know the console as Wii (i.e. 'Let's play Wii!' not 'Let's play Nintendo (Wii)'). SO the next console Nintendo announces, it will be somewhere around 2009-2010, will still be named Wii. But Caris, you made the most rational remark, only you left out the necessary details. The current Wii HD is never ever gonna happen, het over it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zechs Merquise Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 FACT 1: Wii is not HD FACT 2: There is no hidden HD chip FACT 3: Nintendo aren't going to make Wii 1.5 with HD, they are not going to make the mistake of an upgrade/add-on like they did with the 64DD FACT 4: Nintendo left out HD as part of their business plan, because they make more money this way and they didn't see HD take up high enough to warrant including it for another 6-8 years, by which time we will be in another generation. FACT 5: If you want games in HD buy a 360 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasper Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 FACT 1: Wii is not HD FACT 2: There is no hidden HD chip FACT 3: Nintendo aren't going to make Wii 1.5 with HD, they are not going to make the mistake of an upgrade/add-on like they did with the 64DD FACT 4: Nintendo left out HD as part of their business plan, because they make more money this way and they didn't see HD take up high enough to warrant including it for another 6-8 years, by which time we will be in another generation. FACT 5: If you want games in HD buy a 360 You make discussing a possible Wii with HD a little boring, don't you? We are talking about the next generation, wich for Nintendo might pop up sooner than you think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cube Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 You make discussing a possible Wii with HD a little boring, don't you? We are talking about the next generation, wich for Nintendo might pop up sooner than you think. There isn't any whisperings of a new DS, and "GBA2" has vanished completely. IIRC, at this point in the DS's lifespan people were like "GBA2 will have PSP graphics" or "GameCube graphics" It's just the same again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCK Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 Yeah, it doesn't make any sense... Why would Nintendo's next generation start any earlier? Their consoles are more timeless than they ever were. Personally, I don't see a new Nintendo console being released before 2011, which might be a good time for a DS2 with new gameplay features. At the end of the day a HD Wii wouldn't make any difference if your TV has a good upscale chip built in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zechs Merquise Posted July 18, 2007 Share Posted July 18, 2007 You make discussing a possible Wii with HD a little boring, don't you? We are talking about the next generation, wich for Nintendo might pop up sooner than you think. The next gen won't be happening for a good five to six years. No one knows which company will kick the next gen off. And it's a pointless discussion because the Wii is what the Wii is. I was annoyed at first that we wouldn't be seeing Link and Samus in glorious hi-def, but hey the games can still look very good indeed, and I don;t have an HD TV! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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