Wii Hardware Discussion

[lordmetroid]

I wonder how it works... I speculate that the sensorbar's position is read by the front of the wiimote(Would explain why stepping further back would give a better reading). Or it is the other way around the sensorbar reads a signal transimtted by the front of the wiimote.

 

That however seems quite confusing as it was clearly shown that people waved them all over the place and hence the front of the wiimote wasn't always in the direction towards the sensorbar. How does is it being controlled?

 

I can say I'm quite excieted but having a projector. The screen and projector is being bumped into or other things happens somewhat more regularly than with a TV. How will this effect my gaming. I need more insight!

[Helmsly]

Gamespot have put it a pretty good little Feature on the Wii called "What Wii know". Check it out here:

 

http://uk.gamespot.com/features/6146540/index.html

 

 

IGN have an interview type thing with Perrin Kaplan at E3:

http://uk.media.revolution.ign.com/articles/708/708093/vids_1.html

 

Perrin Kaplan: "We're aiming for a worldwide launch"

 

:yay: :yay:

[Sarka]

Place the sensor bar on top of the TV or stand back further to make it work better

 

Yeah, that'll make it easier for us tall folks!

 

I hope that the speaker, functionality and wireless-ness of the controller doesn't effect battery time. Still, the wavebird appears to last forever so I'm sure Nintendo know what they're doing.

[goku21]

So this goes to all the nay-sayers!!!!!!!!!! Read this:

 

IGN: Is the hardware as easy to use on the Wii as it was with the GameCube? The two systems are very similar is structure we're told.

 

Konami: Yes, the structure is very similar to GameCube, but you already knew that.

The development was not that difficult, as the Wii system has built in physics simulation. That helped the process.

 

 

then you know why havok-physics-engine will have to be optimised for the wii!! Yeah yeah. so

there you have your ppu! or @ least ppu-like extensions to the cpu or the gpu!!

[DCK]

The way she talks about it from an architectural point of view, it seems they are not extensions but a different chip. I don't see how an extra chip would help the process so I guess we'll have to wait and see until some developer talks about the final specs.

 

A PPU would really help the system, but I wonder how it would affect the price of the console.

[raven_blade2006]

That sounds great. Built in physics simulation. What else are Nintendo hiding?

[lordmetroid]

From what I know of my amateur coding for the GBA and DS. The DS API wise isn't more than two GBA merged and some extra registers(Hardware controllers) for the new functions previously missing from the GBA like mic, 3D, touchscreen and so on.

 

If Wii is as I suspect anyone that coded for the Game Cube would know the API from the Game Cube developement and a lot of thing would be so compatible you could literrary just copy the code you want to use from a Game Cube software.

 

And of course some extra functions that you would have to get aquinted to. But overall considering the rumors(Never investigated it myself) regarding how Playstation is so hard coded. That just ain't true with a modern Nintendo system. Unlike the Playstation I know that the GBA and DS Hardware handles alot of otherwise timeconsuming to code effects like blending, rotating 3D and 2D rendering and the list goes on.

 

What essentially is left to code is the game itself. Rather than what you generally need to code for PC and previously from what I have heard the playstation architecture where you need to code everything from rendering routines to controll implementation and th elist get big rapidly.

Nowdays though there is OpenGL and DirectX libraries for the PC. But it's still a whole lot of work if you really want to use the hardware good(Nowdays as the hardware is so fast you don't but anyway).

 

I'm just trying to sa,y from what I have come to known thru rumors and experience. Nintendo hardware is moneky easy to develope for.

[gaggle64]

a

Rayman = best looking game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

http://www.mozlapunk.net/homepage/index.php?p=296

 

You thought the short footage in the pressconference was prerendered?

Think again.... yes

 

Rayman = best looking wii-game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

http://www.mozlapunk.net/homepage/index.php?p=296

 

 

 

 

you thought that was a prerendered video? think again!!!

 

Show´s that the square/enix-games shown can be unexpectidly realtime-graphics and no renders!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

here is the video!!!! It´s in realtime on wii-hardware!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do you see all this great usage of fur-shaders?????????? http://media.revolution.ign.com/media/821/821585/vids_1.html

I was wondering that - Rayman looks genuinly spectacular.

[Hellfire]

Actually DS has two processors: an ARM7 which is the GBA one and an ARM9 which is the NGAGE one if I'm not mistaken.

[conzer16]

Wii to cost $200!!

[Demuwan]

That sounds great. Built in physics simulation. What else are Nintendo hiding?

 

Perrin Kaplan said confidently that there are more hardware secrets to come!

in the IGN interview.

[DCK]

Rephrase that to: Wii thought to cost $200... Nothing's definite just yet, Nintendo probably haven't decided.

 

Anyway about the controller issues I've read about - it seems people are holding it wrong. If you treat the FHC as a lightgun, of course things are going to be more sensitive and tiring. In the Dutch Nintendo mag [N]Gamer (a rather intelligent mag) they figured out in their Red Steel session that you shouldn't point the FHC straight in front of you, but rather hold it close to you and make small accurate movements with your wrist.

 

Also, isn't it logical for the home button to be the button that resets the FHC to 'home', as in disable the motion sensing while holding it so you can readjust your position?

[goku21]

Rephrase that to: Wii thought to cost $200... Nothing's definite just yet, Nintendo probably haven't decided.

 

Anyway about the controller issues I've read about - it seems people are holding it wrong. If you treat the FHC as a lightgun, of course things are going to be more sensitive and tiring. In the Dutch Nintendo mag [N]Gamer (a rather intelligent mag) they figured out in their Red Steel session that you shouldn't point the FHC straight in front of you, but rather hold it close to you and make small accurate movements with your wrist.

 

Also, isn't it logical for the home button to be the button that resets the FHC to 'home', as in disable the motion sensing while holding it so you can readjust your position?

 

QFT..all guys that are bitching about the controll of Redsteel are just looser.

 

Go to gametrailers watch the ingamefootage and you´ll see if your IQ is above 70 you can totally own the game with that controllscheme!!!!

 

Take your mobile-phone (held like a wii-mote) then sit down and rest your fist on top of your thigh. You then have very precice controll.

 

then stand up stretch your arm foward and try to point dircetly to the sreen. Now you have very unprecise contoll!!1

 

I can´t understand how people can´t immagine ththis!

[myster0n]

So this goes to all the nay-sayers!!!!!!!!!! Read this:

 

IGN: Is the hardware as easy to use on the Wii as it was with the GameCube? The two systems are very similar is structure we're told.

 

Konami: Yes, the structure is very similar to GameCube, but you already knew that.

The development was not that difficult, as the Wii system has built in physics simulation. That helped the process.

 

 

then you know why havok-physics-engine will have to be optimised for the wii!! Yeah yeah. so

there you have your ppu! or @ least ppu-like extensions to the cpu or the gpu!!

 

gpu-accelerated physics. I think we can almost look at it as a fact.

Because :

1. ATI is making the graphics chip for the Wii.

2. ATI have already experimented with physics on the gpu.

3. Havok have ported their physics engine to the Wii.

4. Havok have made "Havok FX", which is a version tailored for Shader Model 3.0 class GPUs.

5. Havok have made a Havok FX addon for ATI (shader model 3.0)

 

And if the conclusion is indeed that Wii will get gpu-accelerated physics, then we can be sure that the ATI graphics chip will support at least shader model 3.0.

[...]

 

Anyway about the controller issues I've read about - it seems people are holding it wrong. If you treat the FHC as a lightgun, of course things are going to be more sensitive and tiring. In the Dutch Nintendo mag [N]Gamer (a rather intelligent mag) they figured out in their Red Steel session that you shouldn't point the FHC straight in front of you, but rather hold it close to you and make small accurate movements with your wrist.

 

Again, QFT.

Of course, it's like a mouse. You don't point the mouse to the monitor either, and you don't drag the mouse over your monitor. You don't even look at your mouse, you look at the cursor on the screen, which you control with the mouse. The same applies to the Wii remote, except in 3D space. Zelda has the fairy, which is the cursor, Red Steel, Metroid 3, etc, they all also have a sort of cursor on screen, that's your reference for the movement.

[goku21]

gpu-accelerated physics. I think we can almost look at it as a fact.

Because :

1. ATI is making the graphics chip for the Wii.

2. ATI have already experimented with physics on the gpu.

3. Havok have ported their physics engine to the Wii.

4. Havok have made "Havok FX", which is a version tailored for Shader Model 3.0 class GPUs.

5. Havok have made a Havok FX addon for ATI (shader model 3.0)

 

And if the conclusion is indeed that Wii will get gpu-accelerated physics, then we can be sure that the ATI graphics chip will support at least shader model 3.0.

 

nice infos! QFT!

[system_error]

It is indeed strange that a developer from Konami specially mentions "..built-in physics.." but we should consider that it could be also a misstranslation or maybe a misunderstanding. After all he could mean that the Wii supports the common physics libraries which Konami uses for Elebits.

 

What makes me think about "hardware physics" is that ATI and also NVIDIA try that with their new GPUs and to be honest I think in the PC industry I prefer a enhanced GPU with a dedicated physics part instead of a whole new PPU.

 

Maybe Nintendo really has another hardware surprise for us but until I know more and dig a bit into that matter I say it is a coincidence.

[Jay]

Apologies if this has already been mentioned but this theory has popped up on the Gaming Age and Gamesradar Forums as a suggestion towards what one of the hidden hardware features is.

 

Each Wiimote comes with enough memory to not only stream sound files to, but also for individual user data. Give each Wiimote a "name" or I.D. making it your own. The customizable "Wiiple" data could be stored here as well...so if you use your Wiimote on someone elses Wii console YOUR "Wii Person" would pop up on screen like a lil' virtual "Yoo" (bite me) that you made yourself. Friend Codes could also be stored on each person's Wiimote as well, so (again) if you go to someone elses Wii console and access WiiConnect24, you don't have to re-enter your freindcode/password 'cos your personal Wiimote would be the "key" for bringing up your files on your system up on their system.

 

Think about it...with something like this being planned out, their whole "Wii" concept makes a lil' more sense. With this built-in Nintendo really expands their potential for WFC, WiiConnect24, the Wiimote and even NDS connectivity (you can use the NDS's touch screen to enter WFC data as well as drawing a face on your "Wii Person" and then save it to your Wiimote's built-in memory) all while giving it a psuedo-Animal Crossing "you are the mascot" customizable/communication appeal. And from a business side, having this lil' application pre-installed (along with whatever else they plan on packing in) really justifies not needing to pack in a full game...however, with the Wii name, it should mean that there's 2 Wiimotes packed in.

 

It sounds quite likely - Its very much like the functionality in the Dreamcasts VMU's really and it fits in with Nintendo's strategy. It would also fit in with the Wii Sports Tennis demo where each person playing it had their own character automatically without any character select screen being shown. To be able to design your own character and then use them in lots of games (Animal Crossing, Wii Sports, Wii Music etc.) would be ace

 

Thoughts?

[ShadowV7]

Actually that is a pretty good idea,wouldn't surprise me if it happened.Good find there Jay.

[blender]

That makes complete sense Jay , so instead of X-box Live, we may have an interface akin to Animal Crossing. Depending what games we play, we can get rewards to give out wee-man such as clothes or furnature.

[Sooj]

Miyamoto also mentioned is that Wii remotes will likely be able to be 'attached' to different members of your household—each person would have their own Wiimote. Nintendo's hopes are that everyone in the family will own their own Wii remote, each with a distinct look, and that people can just hop into a game with the controller—and the Wii would customize the look or settings of a game based on which controller turned it on the console...."

 

T'is official http://www.n-sider.com/newsview.php?type=story&storyid=2137

[AshMat]

I am gonna customize my Wii so much. It sounds like a really cool feature.

 

I hope there's a way you can trasnfer the info to e memory stick or something though, inc ase the controller breaks

[KingOfHyrule]

I wonder what screen resolution the Wii outputs at? I don't think anything has been said about this.

[goku21]

640x480(tv) or 720x576(dvd)

[conzer16]

Wiimote v PS3-mote

 

Nice little article pitting the Wii remote against PS3's russhed tilt sensors.

 

I wonder what screen resolution the Wii outputs at? I don't think anything has been said about this.

 

 

 

Screen output for Wii is 480p I think.