Posted June 25, 2006 "Here are some excerpts from the briefing where the price was announced: Nintendo intends to announce the pricing and launch structure for Wii before September. Nintendo hopes to provide third-parties with development kits for as low as $1,732. This is less than one tenth the cost of a PS3 development kit. Internally Nintendo has big plans for Wii support. In fact, Iwata expects the company's research and development budget to rise with the impending launch of the console. This is because Nintendo intends on having a steady supply of software for Wii in order to avoid the drought faced by GameCube in its first year of release. Nintendo said it has already begun approaching third-party developers to help turn their ideas into games. The results of this will be seen beginning next year. Nintendo has set a shipment goal of 6 million Wii hardware units and 17 million Wii software units during the fiscal year ending March 2007. Iwata has no regrets about the "Wii" name. "I am one of the people who have decided this final product name," he explained. "Of course, I am not the only person to make this decision, but I have never thought that it was a mistake to name it, "Wii." I understand that a great many people have already accepted this product name. When someone has some hesitation today, we'd like to make efforts so that they will come to like this name in the end." Iwata said that his top priority is to remedy the severe DS shortage problem in Japan. The problem stems from issues with production of the "bicolor molding." Once the kinks in production are solved, Nintendo has planned shipments of more than 2 million Nintendo DS units each month. Iwata also acknowledges competition. In particular he said he is not concerned about Microsoft entering the portable games industry. He says such competition will not change Nintendo's path." Source: Gameworld Network http://www.gwn.com/news/story.php/id/9842/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 25, 2006 $1,732? What's that, like twenty quid these days? I reckon the community at RE should buy one collectively and make a forum game. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 25, 2006 Steady supply of software from Nintendo? Im going to me skint for the next x years then... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 25, 2006 $1,732? What's that, like twenty quid these days? I reckon the community at RE should buy one collectively and make a forum game. I was gona say does anyone wanna throw a few €'s and £'s together and buy one together! Take it in turns ya know! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 25, 2006 Hopfully people will start tinkering with stuff and coding stuff on their own computers. The DS homebrew scene is great because of people getting to grips with the wi-fi and touch screen stuff, hopefully we could at least see some homebrew breakout/pong games. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 25, 2006 Actually, i can see nintendo releasing a Wii "Lite" Development Kit, which is basically some PC software and a USB cable. And then allow people to upload the game to the VC. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 25, 2006 Actually, i can see nintendo releasing a Wii "Lite" Development Kit, which is basically some PC software and a USB cable. And then allow people to upload the game to the VC. LOL! As much as I wish that would happen but this will never happen. DRM and tight security is what Nintendo is all about. They did not use the mini-DVD for the Gamecube because it is cool but to prevent piracy. Everything which lets the user explore the system itself is hated by Nintendo. For that the Playstation 3 is the better choice. Region free, Linux, HDD, ... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 25, 2006 Hopfully people will start tinkering with stuff and coding stuff on their own computers. The DS homebrew scene is great because of people getting to grips with the wi-fi and touch screen stuff, hopefully we could at least see some homebrew breakout/pong games. That made me think they could do a pong game for the wii, hold you controller in an upright position like a pong stick, and move it up and down, itll mimmick it on screen of course. Id love to get my hands on one of those development kits. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 25, 2006 That made me think they could do a pong game for the wii, hold you controller in an upright position like a pong stick, and move it up and down, itll mimmick it on screen of course.Id love to get my hands on one of those development kits. # Like the Pong (well, Table-Tennis) game shown in one of those E3 videos? But that was moving left/right. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 25, 2006 # Like the Pong (well, Table-Tennis) game shown in one of those E3 videos? But that was moving left/right. didnt see that vid, if i did then i got a crap memory. I hink a pong game released over Connect24, would be awesome, Online competitive pong FTW! Rockstar shoudl definitely bring the table tennis game to the Wii. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 26, 2006 Whew, that's not much of an investment at all. This means hobbyists could get a devkit if Nintendo's other demands aren't too high. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 26, 2006 Whew, that's not much of an investment at all. This means hobbyists could get a devkit if Nintendo's other demands aren't too high. The general terms and conditions for getting Wii developer status (and possiblity to buy dev kit) are following: 1. Developer Qualifications: An authorized developer must have demonstrated the ability to develop and program excellent software for Nintendo video game systems or for other video game or computer systems. In addition, an authorized developer must have a stable business organization with secure office facilities, equipment, personnel and financial resources in order to insure the security of Nintendo proprietary information and in order to ensure an effective environment for working with Nintendo and/or its licensees. Home offices do not meet this requirement. Nintendo provides authorized developers with highly proprietary information and many of Nintendo's licensees also rely on recommendations and referrals to authorized developers. For these reasons, Nintendo exercises a very high level of care in approving only a select number of authorized developers. SOURCE: http://www.warioworld.com/apply/wii.html Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 26, 2006 Oh well. Then it doesn't matter whether this one costs $1732 or $3588,55. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 26, 2006 Home offices do not meet this requirement. Dang. *Cancels order* Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 27, 2006 LOL! As much as I wish that would happen but this will never happen. DRM and tight security is what Nintendo is all about. They did not use the mini-DVD for the Gamecube because it is cool but to prevent piracy. Everything which lets the user explore the system itself is hated by Nintendo. For that the Playstation 3 is the better choice. Region free, Linux, HDD, ... True, but this is sony. Think rootkits and all the things sony put on music CD's to prevent copying. They snuck things on that damaged the computer and were illegal. I just hope they've changed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 27, 2006 True, but this is sony. Think rootkits and all the things sony put on music CD's to prevent copying. They snuck things on that damaged the computer and were illegal. I just hope they've changed. Well with the Playstation 3 they can do whatever they like because if the go for super tight security you either buy the PS3 or you don't. The problem with the rootkit issue was that it installed hazardous software on my hardware. Whatever happens with the PS3 hardware Sony can do whatever they like but not with my computer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 27, 2006 Where I work we're seriously considering getting a devkit. Allthough we're not a games company, we did publish a game (we let Larian studios do the development - in fact you can read about our game on their site : here). So there's a chance I can get my hands on a devkit somewhere in the future. Not that I would be able to DO much with it. Too many years of programming java and websites have crippled me when it comes to game programming. But our IT department just got a management change, and my new boss knows how I feel about games, and he likes me, AND he explicitly told me that he WANTS to have game development going on at his department (amongst other things, mind you). So I might still become a game developer. I just HAD to tell everyone this. This is such great news for me. Well, it's all still speculation, but still ... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 27, 2006 <_< do you work at a place where when they have nothing to do they say 'meh, let's get a Wii devkit, because you like games'... Talk about a relaxed workplace Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 27, 2006 Well, it's not often that we have nothing to do, but yes, in essence, you are correct We also took a rather big break today to play brain training. And a month ago I was asked to bring my Gamecube and some party games to work. For research... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 27, 2006 You do know that indie developers can create a game and submit it to the Wii's Virtual Console - not requiring you to buy a dev kit? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 27, 2006 And a month ago I was asked to bring my Gamecube and some party games to work. For research...Sounds like teh greatest research ever to me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 27, 2006 You do know that indie developers can create a game and submit it to the Wii's Virtual Console - not requiring you to buy a dev kit? Lol So they would create these games for the virtual console without any coding library's or the actual dev kit......(fair enough though if they've already got a cube dev kit). And also these titles would still have to go through Nintendo..........not just anyone can just make a game on a PC and have it available for online distribution. Virtual Console games will still go through the same standards checking with Nintendo as normal cd/dvd based media games do. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted June 29, 2006 You do know that indie developers can create a game and submit it to the Wii's Virtual Console - not requiring you to buy a dev kit? Show some (official) information on that subject... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
