Happenstance Posted August 22, 2014 Posted August 22, 2014 My knowledge of AI is pretty limited, but it is an area I can accept as moving forward. I haven't seen a large difference over the last couple of generations though.. Perhaps I am playing the wrong games! Can you think of any examples yourself of notably improved AI since the GC/PS2/XBOX era? No probably not because AI isnt something you are supposed to notice. The better it is, the more natural it should be. I guess its like with first person shooters for example over the past few generations we have had enemies change from just running towards you shooting to actually taking cover, running away or working with other NPCs for reinforcements.
drahkon Posted August 22, 2014 Posted August 22, 2014 (edited) Can you think of any examples yourself of notably improved AI since the GC/PS2/XBOX era? Destiny. It even improves on the AI from the recent Halo games. Edit: Let me just add: This has been my experience with Destiny... Edited August 22, 2014 by drahkon
Fierce_LiNk Posted August 22, 2014 Posted August 22, 2014 Hmm. You're tempting me. Tbh GTAIV was my first since the original and the SR games was just off the back of a trailer for III I bought II and fell in love. Many would say SR is a weaker game than GTA, but I view them as being quite different despite similar genres. I'm hoping for the same from WatchDogs really. My only concern regarding what you say about content - is there a difference between the 'nextgen' versions and the 'currentgen' content wise; as I understand the WiiU version is likely to have more parity with the PS360 versions? Whereas you're playing PS4. Hmm. Time to go do some research of comparisons! EDIT: Didn't take long to find PS3 vs PS4 - http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2014-watch-dogs-ps3-vs-ps4 Mostly sounds not too bad, so if WiiU is at least on par or possibly even in between it might not be too shabby after all. Problem is that the damage may already be done, and for me I'm not yet ready to drop the dime and assume it IS on par with at least the 360/PS3 versions. You've definitely got me thinking about it again though, Flink! I'd think very, very carefully before paying for a WiiU version. Read up everything that you can beforehand, because there will be things that are cut...possibly added. I don't think the WiiU version will be a definitive version of the game at all. What concerns me is that an integral component of the game is the online. Personally, I don't know whether there will be enough people buying this game to actually make it worthwhile. I can imagine searching for people to hack and having to wait minutes, or struggling to find others to race against. I might be wrong, there might be just enough to make it work. The fact that there's been very little info about the WiiU version rings alarm bells. I'd strongly consider waiting for a few weeks after the release and reading up on views and comments of the game before putting your cash down on it.
Rummy Posted August 22, 2014 Posted August 22, 2014 I'd think very, very carefully before paying for a WiiU version. Read up everything that you can beforehand, because there will be things that are cut...possibly added. I don't think the WiiU version will be a definitive version of the game at all. What concerns me is that an integral component of the game is the online. Personally, I don't know whether there will be enough people buying this game to actually make it worthwhile. I can imagine searching for people to hack and having to wait minutes, or struggling to find others to race against. I might be wrong, there might be just enough to make it work. The fact that there's been very little info about the WiiU version rings alarm bells. I'd strongly consider waiting for a few weeks after the release and reading up on views and comments of the game before putting your cash down on it. Oh don't worry, I am. That's my original skepticism in fact. I worry because there might additionally not be enough good WiiU version info out there after release for me to get a clear picture. As I said I could still take the plunge to get it on my PS3 then(and probably at a silly low price) - but as you say the online is a massive part of it so I don't want it on WiiU if it isn't popular enough, but then I also don't want to jump on the PS3 wagon so late that the activity is dead there too. My gut tells me even so the PS3 version'd be more active, but who knows. I won't be buying the WiiU version before seeing what others have thought of it, though.
Ashley Posted August 23, 2014 Posted August 23, 2014 Actually I wanted to exclude graphics because that was the one feature I can easily see how it can benefit from more powerful hardware. Really though, the record and share is more a consequence of social media, technically I am sure the PS2/GC/XBOX could have handled that, albeit with add on's being employed with the GC and PS2, but the potential was there. Without add-ons the last gen definitely had the capacity to do so, it was lacking software, not hardware that hampered that, no? "With add-ons". You could do many wonderful things with add-ons. You could turn your SNES into a toaster with add-ons, doesn't mean we shouldn't make toasters (I'm being flippant to make a point). Yes perhaps last generation could have done it if added to, but that kind of proves my point rather than yours right? The improved technical abilities make it available out of the box. Look at the Wii U. The improved specs help the latency of the GamePad, but I'm sure from a technical point of view something similar could have been done on former Nintendo console, it just would have been more laggy. The improvement of console specs aren't about bringing competently new possibilities, but rather making possibilities achievable. There are many areas that get improved as designers get used to the architecture (lighting, music, AI, online, frame rate, social aspects, crowds etc ) that take it beyond just looking prettier to being better.
Josh64 Posted August 23, 2014 Posted August 23, 2014 The Wii U is probably the perfect example, as in a way, the GBA to GameCube connectivity is an add-on that shows how the Wii U concept was, to a degree, done on past hardware.
bryanee Posted August 23, 2014 Posted August 23, 2014 Watch Dogs is excellent...That is all. Oh and I cant find my Wii U gamepad charger...I had a clean around yesterday and now its gone walkies. *leaves*
Happenstance Posted August 23, 2014 Posted August 23, 2014 I enjoyed Watch Dogs but I think other similar open world games have done a much better job at creating an interesting world to travel around in. That and the more I thought about the main character after I finished playing, the more I didnt really like him or what the writers did with him.
Josh64 Posted August 23, 2014 Posted August 23, 2014 I've heard such mixed opinions on Watch_Dogs but I am seriously interested in it, too. I do think it's dead on Wii U though. I really don't think it's gonna happen, but if by some miracle it does, it will no doubt be heavily reduced on PS360 by that point anyway so I'll just get it on one of them along with most other people who haven't bought it yet.
Dcubed Posted August 24, 2014 Posted August 24, 2014 My gut is starting to tell me that the bi-monthly Nintendo Direct has been delayed till next month... Would be only the second time that this has ever happened (the last one being one that was due in December 2012 - yeah, they didn't count the one that they had then as a "major" one) I wonder why this one seems to be late... The last time this happened, Iwata apologised and said that it was down to "materials preparation and announcement timing issues" - with the following ND in January being the big Wii U panic button one where they announced like everything they had cooking up for Wii U. Now I don't think that's gonna happen again after this (because they've only just played their full hand again at E3 a couple of months ago - so doing the same thing as last time would be impossible), but I can only imagine that the reason for it being late comes down to something they want to unveil that has specific timing in mind... (perhaps something that they want to make available as soon as the Direct is over... like an eShop title, or even N64 VC games...)
Serebii Posted August 24, 2014 Posted August 24, 2014 My gut is starting to tell me that the bi-monthly Nintendo Direct has been delayed till next month... Would be only the second time that this has ever happened (the last one being one that was @Hero\-of\-Time and I have been saying, it's likely because Iwata has not been well.
Dcubed Posted August 24, 2014 Posted August 24, 2014 (edited) Think it is clear why it's late, as @Hero\-of\-Time and I have been saying, it's likely because Iwata has not been well. And why would Iwata have to be the one hosting the video? There are plenty of other people at Nintendo who could host it just as well... Miyamoto, Tezuka, Konno, Eguchi, Sakurai, Takao Shimizu, Kenzuke Tanabe, Aonuma, Koizumi... They've all hosted parts of Nintendo Directs before, so what's stopping them from doing a video without Iwata? I think it's more likely that they've got something specific in mind to show. Something that they have a certain timeframe that they would want to show/release it in... Something like N64 VC games for instance (and it's available... right now!), where they can't be shown until they're ready for release. Or something like Flipnote 3D in the west. God only knows it's been overdue for long enough! Edited August 24, 2014 by Dcubed
Ronnie Posted August 24, 2014 Posted August 24, 2014 I think Iwata being unwell is the most likely reason for the delay. Let him recover and get back to hosting them. A few extra weeks is no big deal.
Serebii Posted August 24, 2014 Posted August 24, 2014 And why would Iwata have to be the one hosting the video? There are plenty of other people at Nintendo who could host it just as well... Miyamoto, Tezuka, Konno, Eguchi, Sakurai, Takao Shimizu, Kenzuke Tanabe, Aonuma, Koizumi... They've all hosted parts of Nintendo Directs before, so what's stopping them from doing a video without Iwata? I think it's more likely that they've got something specific in mind to show. Something that they have a certain timeframe that they would want to show/release it in... Something like N64 VC games for instance (and it's available... right now!), where they can't be shown until they're ready for release. Or something like Flipnote 3D in the west. God only knows it's been overdue for long enough! If it were a game specific one, then sure I'd agree someone else can host. However, for a general one, there's no person other than Iwata.
Cube Posted August 24, 2014 Posted August 24, 2014 Pretty much anyone could host one. Even an intern at NoE.
Blade Posted August 24, 2014 Posted August 24, 2014 I don't really care who hosts. Just announce some games!!!
Ronnie Posted August 24, 2014 Posted August 24, 2014 I don't really care who hosts. Just announce some games!!!
Serebii Posted August 24, 2014 Posted August 24, 2014 Pretty much anyone could host one. Even an intern at NoE. That's not how these things work.
Hero-of-Time Posted August 24, 2014 Author Posted August 24, 2014 I don't really care who hosts. Just announce some games!!! Outside of maybe a few surprise VC titles, we pretty much know what's coming for the rest of the year ( Hyrule Warriors, Bayonetta and Smash ). All that's left is to get release dates for the last two.
Wii Posted August 24, 2014 Posted August 24, 2014 Why does it only have to be Iwata? He's the president, he's not a presenter. It wouldn't be a bad idea either as they'd have more coherent English. They could get Rufus Hound. I bet he's doing nothing.
Ashley Posted August 24, 2014 Posted August 24, 2014 Pretty much anyone could host one. Even an intern at NoE. That's not how these things work. I'm pretty sure they got an intern to do the Treehouse production during E3. But yeah, they could do with someone with more charisma than Iwata. It's nice he is getting involved, but he's a bore when it comes to presenting.
Hero-of-Time Posted August 25, 2014 Author Posted August 25, 2014 Here's a bunch of info I stole from Gaf in regards to Nintendos restructuring. Central HQ Building / Kyoto Research Office (old buildings)- "1,000 developers" from the Central Office HQ vacated - "100 developers" from the Kyoto Research Office vacated - Intelligent Systems vacated from Kyoto Research Office into their new private building. - No more development personnel in Central Office HQ? - Only Mario Club Co., Ltd left in Kyoto Research Office? Kyoto Development Center (new building) - June 2014 official time of personnel transplant - "1,000" Nintendo developers from Central HQ and "100" Nintendo developers from Kyoto Research Office merged into new Kyoto Development Center. - Hardware and all Software personnel now in one building. - 1,100~ / 1,500+ capacity filled thus far - Nintendo hopes for better efficiency and expansion - SRD is on the "8th floor" of building (Nintendo technology affiliate) - EAD absorbed several SPD development personnel. - SPD production units still separate. May not be in this building. - SDD (Miiverse, System tools) and IRD (Hardware engineers) in building. - SDD includes a Network Operations Department, with over 100 developers purely focused on network infrastructure and network based applications. (small chapter at Tokyo office as well) - Katsuya Eguchi is department manager of all EAD groups in building. (New 90's Miyamoto) - Slight delay of Kyoto based development of games until 2015. Miscellaneous - Sakamoto and his personal development team re-emerging under new identity? (Game & Wario, Kiki Trick, Tomodachi Life) - Graphic Art staff collectively throughout Nintendo about 40-50% female. - EAD Tokyo unaffected - Iwata / Miyamoto establish "General Support Group" which is an alliance of small internal (1-Up Studio Inc., Monolith Soft Inc. Kyoto) and external support studios (Indies Zero, Mox, Bahaus Ent.) filling out large EAD production units. - Nintendo has become a large client of Digitalscape Co., Ltd. (temp agency) hiring large number of contract workers, and having a high retention rate of most of them after contract is over. (Mostly for EAD Tokyo)
Dcubed Posted August 25, 2014 Posted August 25, 2014 (edited) That part about Digitalscape contractors being kept on is interesting. Can't say that I noticed it myself! As is that part about there being enough room in that building for another 400 staff, though I imagine that a large chunk of that will be taken up by QoL staff. The really interesting part about the whole restructuring though is just what is happening with Sakamoto's team at SPD. It looks like they may be working more closely with EAD (theoretically meaning that Sakamoto would now be given the chance to work on big budget titles and fully 3D games, without the need to work with an outside studio like Team Ninja, if he wanted to!) That and just what is happening with the old building... BTW: Try not to get too hung up over the idea of this restructuring causing delays for EAD Kyoto, this is just the writer's own conjecture (I seriously doubt that Splatoon would ever have made it for 2014 anyway). Edited August 25, 2014 by Dcubed
Happenstance Posted August 25, 2014 Posted August 25, 2014 The charging cable for the tablet is also grey right?
S.C.G Posted August 25, 2014 Posted August 25, 2014 The charging cable for the tablet is also grey right? It is and it has its own mini power-brick too, mine's always plugged into the charging stand as I very rarely use the gamepad on its own apart from when necessary. : peace:
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