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Nintendo files patent application for stationary game console without optical disk

KingBroly

Banned
I prefer physical as well, but man, some games I have to get digitally. And some of the games that I don't I really regret not getting them digitally, like Splatoon, Smash and MK8.
 

RuGalz

Member
Sound to me that NX will be able to accept cart from a new handheld if you want to play the game on big screen. Then you can choose to have native NX games delivered digitally or buy optional optical drive if you opt for physical disc...
 
Sound to me that NX will be able to accept cart from a new handheld if you want to play the game on big screen. Then you can choose to have native NX games delivered digitally or buy optional optical drive if you opt for physical disc...

That would be a dream machine... I could get all my Nintendo in one place.
 

QaaQer

Member
In the extreme case it's indeed digital only, how to make retailers happy? Easy.

Amiibo game packs! You buy it, you get at home, you scan the amiibo, you get to unlock the game related to the amiibo (one-time-operation, cannot be repeated), and the download starts. Physical presence for both customers and retailers + selling games digitally. Best of both worlds!

I still hope they become a thing if (higher chances) devices of the NX family still have physical support.

gamestop makes most of its money on used game sales. a primarily dd platform will get the pspgo treatment there.
 

SalvaPot

Member
This is nice and all (I love cartridge gaming, disks pisses me off) but what does this means for backwards compatibility? Is NX not going to be compatible with Wii U disks?
 
So this is the Apple TV/iPhone concept. Powerful handheld that can connect to your TV through a dongle of some sort? Probably Wii U level of power...
 

sinxtanx

Member
GAME CONSOLE NX

I simply "translated" the patent to the best of my ability, cutting out the fluff. There's a lot of fluff.

It's a game console! The example console has no disc drive. You connect it to a television and play video games.

The example is totally of a Digital-only console but this in no way restricts any other NX hardware to be exactly that, says patent. Digital-only can be made on the cheap tho, says patent.
Passage literally confirming NX device with disc drive (bolded is my notes):
The first basic program 24(NX kernel) and the second basic program 25(NX OS) also operate in, for example, a game apparatus including an optical disk drive or a game apparatus not including the internal HDD 13.

Other hardware configs need not neccessarily include an HDD. (Like, say a portable device? Hmm?)

Has HDD, Internet, CPU, GPU, RAM, like a home console would

OS Kernel has it's own memory, and it's fast so the console can boot faster

Can check if the main OS has been tampered with by checking additional storage and restore corrupted high-security data

OS has full multitasking support

You can download games to the console

Games installed to HDD

Games have code for more than one hardware configuration and the hardware determines what code is the right one to run (NX is a platform like iOS, duh it has this)

External hard drives can be connected and you can install games to them

Can emulate different HDD read/write speeds primarily for games that have special code for external HDDs, can seemingly pretend that the HDD is an optical disc as well. SPEED CONTROL

Controller with rechargeable battery (Pro Controller?)

Interesting passages:
The controller 3 is provided exclusively for the game apparatus 1. The controller 3 includes a processor 31, a wireless communication unit 32, an operation unit 33, a display unit 34, a battery 35, a connection unit 36 and the like.
The operation unit 33 is constituted by a push button, a cross key, an analog stick, a touch panel or the like.
Controller with screen. GamePad support? Could be new controller, too. Will probably have at LEAST the functionality of the GamePad.
Can charge the GamePad equivalent by plugging it into the console.

Save files are stored on the HDD O_O OMG WOW
It is to be noted that the internal HDD 13 can store various data such as, for example, stationary data, video data, sound data, text data, additional data of a game, or data obtained through communication.
Bolded could be interpreted as being the oft-touted "high texture download" option.

Can read/write SD cards. This allows for retail distribution or OS updates using SD cards. Really any data that you can think of putting on an SD card, can be used. No confirmation on anything.
 

TI82

Banned
This is nice and all (I love cartridge gaming, disks pisses me off) but what does this means for backwards compatibility? Is NX not going to be compatible with Wii U disks?

Sorry Salva, PS4 has proven BC isn't as important as people think it is and Nintendo needs the money!
 
The gamepad returns and a console with no optical drive?..

..
.
Told you so. ^^


GAME CONSOLE NX

I simply "translated" the patent to the best of my ability, cutting out the fluff. There's a lot of fluff.

It's a game console! The example console has no disc drive. You connect it to a television and play video games.

The example is totally of a Digital-only console but this in no way restricts any other NX hardware to be exactly that, says patent. Digital-only can be made on the cheap tho, says patent.
Passage literally confirming NX device with disc drive (bolded is my notes):


Other hardware configs need not neccessarily include an HDD. (Like, say a portable device? Hmm?)

Has HDD, Internet, CPU, GPU, RAM, like a home console would

OS Kernel has it's own memory, and it's fast so the console can boot faster

Can check if the main OS has been tampered with by checking additional storage and restore corrupted high-security data

OS has full multitasking support

You can download games to the console

Games installed to HDD

Games have code for more than one hardware configuration and the hardware determines what code is the right one to run (NX is a platform like iOS, duh it has this)

External hard drives can be connected and you can install games to them

Can emulate different HDD read/write speeds primarily for games that have special code for external HDDs, can seemingly pretend that the HDD is an optical disc as well. SPEED CONTROL

Controller with rechargeable battery (Pro Controller?)

Interesting passages:


Controller with screen. GamePad support? Could be new controller, too. Will probably have at LEAST the functionality of the GamePad.
Can charge the GamePad equivalent by plugging it into the console.

Save files are stored on the HDD O_O OMG WOW

Bolded could be interpreted as being the oft-touted "high texture download" option.

Can read/write SD cards. This allows for retail distribution or OS updates using SD cards. Really any data that you can think of putting on an SD card, can be used. No confirmation on anything.

Nice post. Thanks.
Especially the bolded.
 

Ahnez

Member
This is nice and all (I love cartridge gaming, disks pisses me off) but what does this means for backwards compatibility? Is NX not going to be compatible with Wii U disks?

Well, if they change the architecture from PPC (something they should have done already), BC is not going to happen
 

Hubble

Member
I don't understand what in this concept is freaking patentable.

It's just looks like 'a design for a system that runs an OS while playing games but doesnt have a disk drive.'

conceptually, I very much doubt that can be enforced.

Is there anything truly unique in here?

This was my exact impression.
 

SalvaPot

Member
Sorry Salva, PS4 has proven BC isn't as important as people think it is and Nintendo needs the money!

I honestly think its fine, I expect something similar to the Wii games you can download on the Wii U now so everyone who gets NX can play Wonderful 101
 

levyjl1988

Banned
Digital is inevitable.

+ Save on shipping costs.
+ Cut out the middle man.
+ Save on plastic and paper

There's barely any instruction manuals anyway for current gen games.
Plastic cases are the cheap plastic kind these days that easily break.
This is evidence of that.

They need more of that retail shelf space anyways for consoles and selling amiibos.
 
Display on the controller doesn't necessarily mean something as big as the game pad. Could very well be as small as the bottom half of the 3ds with pro controller form factor and better triggers.

Cartridges would be great, and I'm sure, and being rewritable sounds like faster saves to me. We shall see.
 

GDGF

Soothsayer
I love this post. Would make for a killer platform.

GAME CONSOLE NX

I simply "translated" the patent to the best of my ability, cutting out the fluff. There's a lot of fluff.

It's a game console! The example console has no disc drive. You connect it to a television and play video games.

The example is totally of a Digital-only console but this in no way restricts any other NX hardware to be exactly that, says patent. Digital-only can be made on the cheap tho, says patent.
Passage literally confirming NX device with disc drive (bolded is my notes):


Other hardware configs need not neccessarily include an HDD. (Like, say a portable device? Hmm?)

Has HDD, Internet, CPU, GPU, RAM, like a home console would

OS Kernel has it's own memory, and it's fast so the console can boot faster

Can check if the main OS has been tampered with by checking additional storage and restore corrupted high-security data

OS has full multitasking support

You can download games to the console

Games installed to HDD

Games have code for more than one hardware configuration and the hardware determines what code is the right one to run (NX is a platform like iOS, duh it has this)

External hard drives can be connected and you can install games to them

Can emulate different HDD read/write speeds primarily for games that have special code for external HDDs, can seemingly pretend that the HDD is an optical disc as well. SPEED CONTROL

Controller with rechargeable battery (Pro Controller?)

Interesting passages:


Controller with screen. GamePad support? Could be new controller, too. Will probably have at LEAST the functionality of the GamePad.
Can charge the GamePad equivalent by plugging it into the console.

Save files are stored on the HDD O_O OMG WOW

Bolded could be interpreted as being the oft-touted "high texture download" option.

Can read/write SD cards. This allows for retail distribution or OS updates using SD cards. Really any data that you can think of putting on an SD card, can be used. No confirmation on anything.
 
Ah nice catch sinxtanx! It does seem to mention a possible disc based NX.

This has gotta be NX by the way. The detail here is hella intricate. Its not a one off patented "idea" its the full breakdown of a new console
 

Neoxon

Junior Member
Digital is inevitable.

+ Save on shipping costs.
+ Cut out the middle man.
+ Save on plastic and paper

There's barely any instruction manuals anyway for current gen games.
Plastic cases are the cheap plastic kind these days that easily break.
This is evidence of that.

They need more of that retail shelf space anyways for consoles and selling amiibos.
But there's also the following issues...
  • Pissing off retailers
  • People with limited access to the internet
  • People with data caps
  • Possible DRM issues (are you games truly your games?)
You could bypass the internet issue by offering cards that hold the games you can install at stores, but then you'd step on the XB1 landmine. Either way, there needs to be an offline solution to obtaining games or people will riot against the console.
 

Koozek

Member
Display on the controller doesn't necessarily mean something as big as the game pad. Could very well be as small as the bottom half of the 3ds with pro controller form factor and better triggers.

Cartridges would be great, and I'm sure, and being rewritable sounds like faster saves to me. We shall see.

Basically Dualshock 4 with a screen instead of a touchpad^^
 
Digital is inevitable.

+ Save on shipping costs.
+ Cut out the middle man.
+ Save on plastic and paper

There's barely any instruction manuals anyway for current gen games.
Plastic cases are the cheap plastic kind these days that easily break.
This is evidence of that.

They need more of that retail shelf space anyways for consoles and selling amiibos.

Yep but with one exception.
They will keep retail to some degree. Small amounts of physical catridges/SD cards as standalone or with an amiibo.
Actually we could see the return of download kiosks. No internet at home or on a quota?
Bring you blank cartridge/handheld and just download it via the Nintendo Download Kiosk over local Wifi. The gamecode will then run on all your compatible NX devices.
We all know how Nintendo just loves to revisit old ideas.. And they actually did something like this with the Nintendo Disk Writer Kiosk.

rpbquncbzfgxmaw9xfkz.jpg

http://kotaku.com/digital-distribution-could-learn-from-nintendo-s-disk-w-1542718404

Bonus? Keep customers happy. Keep retail happy.
(Without the stupid deletion part of course...)
 
I really wonder if they are launching the new handheld and home console at the same time. That OS description straight up describes how its going to run on different hardware, iOS and Android style.
 
Even high speed 32 gb SD cards are cheap B2C online at major outlets like Office Depot:

32 gb SD Card

You figure Nintendo could procure these same SD Cards or better in bulk for a fraction of that price ($12.99).
 
Actually we could see the return of download kiosks. No internet at home or on a quota?
Bring you blank cartridge/handheld and just download it via the Nintendo Download Kiosk over local Wifi. The gamecode will then run on all your compatible NX devices.
We all know how Nintendo just loves to revisit old ideas.. And they actually did something like this with the Nintendo Disk Writer Kiosk.

rpbquncbzfgxmaw9xfkz.jpg

http://kotaku.com/digital-distribution-could-learn-from-nintendo-s-disk-w-1542718404

This seems such a bad/obtuse idea (since most places outside US/Canada/Europe/Japan won't have this thing, the places where you would actually need it, with bad internet support and the like) that I don't doubt Nintendo would actually do this.

It fits them like a glove.
 

Neoxon

Junior Member
I really wonder if they are launching tje new handheld and home console at the same time
That OS description straight up describes how its going to run on different hardware, iOS and Android style.
This would be the tricky part. You could release both at the same time. But if Nintendo were to stagger the release of each version of the NX, the console would have to come first. If the handheld comes out first, you'd run the risk of the NX Console being seen as the Vita TV to the NX Handheld's Vita.
 

Neoxon

Junior Member
So... NX is not a handheld?


:lol
If anything, this patent implies that the NX is instead an NX platform with multiple versions. Think of it this way, the NX Console & the NX Handheld would have the same architecture, the same OS, & most of the same games.
 
This seems such a bad/obtuse idea (since most places outside US/Canada/Europe/Japan won't have this thing, the places where you would actually need it, with bad internet support and the like) that I don't doubt Nintendo would actually do this.

It fits them like a glove.

You need it if you just don´t want to download 20+GB on your handheld. And maybe special shop discounts. I like the idea. The kiosk could double as an actual demo station as well, doesn´t need much space, the hardware would be cheap and can be updated via the net and retailers are happy to still get a share. win win.
 
So... NX is not a handheld?

NX is both a handheld and a dedicated home console judging by the patent. Now its not a hybrid system, they are both dedicated stand alone hardware. But the OS is universal and made to function on different pieces of hardware. Similar to a mobile OS
 
If anything, this patent implies that the NX is instead an NX platform with multiple versions. Think of it this way, the NX Console & the NX Handheld would have the same architecture, the same OS, & most of the same games.
That would be great. I want the handheld version.
 

Neoxon

Junior Member
still dont know to be honest but it is looking likely that its going to be a console
Actually, this part...
Summarization of the Patent by sinxtanx said:
Games have code for more than one hardware configuration and the hardware determines what code is the right one to run (NX is a platform like iOS, duh it has this)
...implies that the NX will be as we speculated, a platform with multiple form factors (EX: an NX Console & an NX Handheld).
 
If anything, this patent implies that the NX is instead an NX platform with multiple versions. Think of it this way, the NX Console & the NX Handheld would have the same architecture, the same OS, & most of the same games.

This. Think of NX how you think of Android. Not that this is a mobile phone but in that NX is more of a platform for multiple pieces of hardware more than it is a single device.

Essentially Nintendo is unifying their ecosystem by the looks of it
 
You need it if you just don´t want to download 20+GB on your handheld. And maybe special shop discounts. I like the idea. The kiosk could double as an actual demo station as well.

Mind you, I don't think your idea is bad, not that, and it certainly looks like something Nintendo would do, but it reminds me of stuff like doing a promo in the Nintendo World Store instead of something global like Amazon (yes, I know Amazon and Nintendo had a feud, I'm just using it as an example).
 

nubbe

Member
Nintendo sure as hell aren't paying consumer SDcard prices for their ROMs
since they buy volumes of multiple millions
 
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