The Nintendo Zii: This Year at GDC

[Mike McC]

Requesting a generic console war rage-off thread because we need a place to banish that stuff to. People just won't stop getting mad 'bout veedjia jhames.

[Kyanbu The Legend]

Originally Posted by Lev

1) Why buy a console trying to be a computer when you could buy just a computer without paying for the brand name on every stick of ram and videocard?
2) TBH I don't like the wii's controls as-is... they were rushed and that's understandable. The IR camera tracker works wonderfully for games like COD... until someone grapples you and then you need to swing wildly around for about a solid minute... or try frantically to figure out how to use the motion for the defibrillator paddles in Trauma Center, which come to think of it is a very fun and challenging game!

In the end when you add up the price you would have to pay to get a new Com and/or parts for it you're still paying more then you would for a new console. I know because if all you really had to do was get new ram I'd be running Vista/7 by now. Phoenix more then likely will be using a motion set up similar to what's seen in the movie "GAMER". You know that motion add on for the 360 that Microsoft was talking about months/a year ago.

I guess what i should have said is that in 20 years time (3 gens) consoles will be computers. As in it will be the exact same thing.

[Bells]

Ok ok, let's get constructive here. WIIHD was debunked by Nintendo itself. Not that it's not possible, but it's not on the table right now...

BUT...

If the merged the Nucnhuk and Wiimote and Wiimote Plus into one design... then make it BC compatible with the whole Wii and Gamecube library, then open it's Online capabilities and substituite the IR bar for something better (not a camera, but not something that can be replaced by a par of freaking candles)

Now you keep the Flash memory (bigger) and allow the thing to use USB HDD solutions.

Now the Twist. The current nunchuk, merged with the original Wiimote, gives place for a new Wireless Power Glove. Optional for most games, but useful.

In the end, what you TRULY get is a "Wii2". But the Wii works on it's own unniverse, so a good upgrade is better than a full overall.

[Doc ock rokc]

NO! I Don't want a new generation Yet! I DON'T HAVE THE CASH!

[bluestarultor]

Originally Posted by Lev

1) Why buy a console trying to be a computer when you could buy just a computer without paying for the brand name on every stick of ram and videocard?
2) TBH I don't like the wii's controls as-is... they were rushed and that's understandable. The IR camera tracker works wonderfully for games like COD... until someone grapples you and then you need to swing wildly around for about a solid minute... or try frantically to figure out how to use the motion for the defibrillator paddles in Trauma Center, which come to think of it is a very fun and challenging game!

The problem with IR tracking is that, like a remote, it only works when you're pointing directly at the receiver. The "sensor bar" actually doesn't sense shit; it's the part that emits the IR. The Wii-mote is the part that actually senses stuff. Without Motion Plus, if you're not pointing it directly at the screen, it's totally blind.

A better alternative is actual tracking, like the PS3 wand or Natal. The camera is an actual camera that looks into the room, eliminating blind spots. Sure, it makes point and click a bit more difficult, but if you want point and click, that's what a mouse is for. Aside from that, it's not impossible with tracking; you just have to track an object as the pointer, rather than having a pointing beam. It simply means that the pointing is a gesture, which means out of the box, the Wii-mote requires the least movement out of any of the motion control systems, which entirely defeats the marketing.

Edit: My bad, I missed the "don't." >.<;

[Azisien]

Originally Posted by Kyanbu The Legend

In the end when you add up the price you would have to pay to get a new Com and/or parts for it you're still paying more then you would for a new console.

This is only somewhat true. I'd say to surpass the performance compared to console gaming you have to spend more on a PC, but I'm the exception in my circle of PC gamers because I was willing to do that. Most of the friends I play Left 4 Dead 2 with are doing so on $200-300 refurbished desktops.

And of course not counting the multitasking ability of PCs.

And the games which are on average $10-30 cheaper than console games.

And the god damn mouse and keyboard god daaaamn.

[Kyanbu The Legend]

Originally Posted by Azisien

This is only somewhat true. I'd say to surpass the performance compared to console gaming you have to spend more on a PC, but I'm the exception in my circle of PC gamers because I was willing to do that. Most of the friends I play Left 4 Dead 2 with are doing so on $200-300 refurbished desktops.

And of course not counting the multitasking ability of PCs.

And the games which are on average $10-30 cheaper than console games.

And the god damn mouse and keyboard god daaaamn.

Some consoles have/had keyboards (DC had one. 360, and PS3 are compatible with just about anything that can be plugged up to a USB port to my knowledge which shouldn't be interpreted as a fact.) That aside everything is else is correct.

[bluestarultor]

Originally Posted by Azisien

This is only somewhat true. I'd say to surpass the performance compared to console gaming you have to spend more on a PC, but I'm the exception in my circle of PC gamers because I was willing to do that. Most of the friends I play Left 4 Dead 2 with are doing so on $200-300 refurbished desktops.

And of course not counting the multitasking ability of PCs.

And the games which are on average $10-30 cheaper than console games.

And the god damn mouse and keyboard god daaaamn.

I just want to say this, but a lack of multitasking is actually one of the greatest strengths of consoles because it means it can use resources however is needed without having to divide them up. Computers don't actually multitask so much as rapidly switch between different tasks, putting a higher load on the resources just by having to switch. In a console environment, it's easier to code things because you don't have to worry about sharing the resources or the sunk resources used to do the rapid switching.

Originally Posted by Kyanbu The Legend

Some consoles have/had keyboards (DC had one. 360, and PS3 are compatible with just about anything that can be plugged up to a USB port to my knowledge which shouldn't be interpreted as a fact.) That aside everything is else is correct.

I wouldn't be so against having keyboard controls if developers didn't feel they had to use every single one. That's another strength of consoles is that their controllers have a limited number of buttons to force some modicum of restraint onto developers, and even then, people these days can't be dissuaded from using L and R3.

[Kim]

@Bells: If I remember correctly, they didn't say the next Wii wouldn't have HD, but that it wouldn't be exclusively HD. They don't want to lose their shovelware developers, so HD won't be a requirement for games to play on it.

[PsychicKid]

Nintendo copyrights names all the time. Just look at the Pokémon franchise. They likely snagged Zii just to keep poor imitators from flooding the market.