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Nintendo files patent application for stationary game console without optical disk

B

BitStyle

Unconfirmed Member
Hopefully the card slot includes support for cartridge games; I'm not sure I would like a digital only game collection. Other than that, this is an interesting build.
Though I am rather weary about the supposed controller with a screen after everything that happened with WiiU.
 
T

TheCochese

Banned
Neoxon said:
Is that memory card their new physical format? If not, I don't think a digital-only console would go over well with the general public. Data caps & limited access to the internet are still real problems that need to be overcome before a digital-only system can be accepted by consumers.
Click to expand...

Less of a problem with Nintendo due to the size of their games. At least in my experience, compared to Sony and Microsoft. 2-10GB downloads haven't been too painful to me, it's those 45GB and 15GB patches on the other two that have absolutely killed my cap.

I'm more concerned with Nintendo's awful digital rights management policies. Particularly as it revolves around handhelds, but that's for another thread.
 
T

To Far Away Times

Member
I would welcome a return the cartridges.

And what other posters have been saying about unifying the portable and console system... it makes sense.

The costs must have surely come down by this point.
 
H

heyf00L

Member
So a while ago I met with a patent lawyer about an idea I had. He said that you cannot patent something if it's just taking already invented things and sticking them together, even if no one has put all those pieces together before. You have to have something truly new and novel.

It looks like this patent hinges on point 20 and following, which is of course spruced up patent logic, but sounds like backwards compatibility to me. But perhaps in some new way.
 
Deft Beck

Deft Beck

Member
Neoxon said:
Is that memory card their new physical format? If not, I don't think a digital-only console would go over well with the general public. Data caps & limited access to the internet are still real problems that need to be overcome before a digital-only system can be accepted by consumers.
Click to expand...

Perhaps they could offer Famicom Disc System-style download kiosks. Plug your memory card in, download a thing, take it out, go home and play.
 
IMACOMPUTA

IMACOMPUTA

Member
Never really thought about it, but Nintendo is the only of the big three that can pull off a digital only console right now.
 
N

Neiteio

Member
Finally, the future is here. Silver jumpsuits, flying cars, and floating energy balls in lieu of optical disks and carts.
 
F

Fourth Storm

Member
Griss said:
Wow, a return to carts, maybe to share between this console and a handheld. Exciting!

It BEGINS...
Click to expand...

I don't think this is a return to carts as much as using SD cards to store games which are downloaded either at the store or at home. I need to read on, however...
 
J

jetjevons

Bish loves my games!
Carts could be read/writeable. You download a game, save it to a R/W cart, and lo - it runs better than even a SSHD.

Gotta get in on that proprietary storage biz!
 
N

Neoxon

Junior Member
TheCochese said:
Less of a problem with Nintendo due to the size of their games. At least in my experience, compared to Sony and Microsoft. 2-10GB downloads haven't been too painful to me, it's those 45GB and 15GB patches on the other two that have absolutely killed my cap.

I'm more concerned with Nintendo's awful digital rights management policies. Particularly as it revolves around handhelds, but that's for another thread.
Click to expand...
If the NX Console is anywhere near the PS4 in power, you'll have to worry about game sizes for Nintendo games. For reference, Xenoblade X is around 22GB in size (nearly filling a single-layer Wii U disc). As for their digital rights management, they're moving to account-based ownership in the future thanks to their partnership with DeNA.
 
O

Oregano

Member
The best thing about lacking an optical drive would be the profile of the console. The Wii's sleek size was one of its best points and the Wii U is mostly disc drive.

I'd love a tiny console.
 
J

jmizzal

Member
Neoxon said:
Is that memory card their new physical format? If not, I don't think a digital-only console would go over well with the general public. Data caps & limited access to the internet are still real problems that need to be overcome before a digital-only system can be accepted by consumers.
Click to expand...

Maybe they have it where you still buy the games from the stores but they just install another way instead of off the disk like PS4 and Xbox one.

No way they go where every game needs to be downloaded
 
T

TheCochese

Banned
Fourth Storm said:
I don't think this is a return to carts as much as using SD cards to store games which are downloaded either at the store or at home. I need to read on, however...
Click to expand...

Downloading carts at the store would be awesome, but I wonder how ridiculous the efforts to combat piracy/homebrew would be.
 
S

Spieler Eins

Member
Carts are nic...

Rösti;176139219 said:
Additionally it describes a controller with a display screen
Click to expand...

OuiC4Z8.gif
 
N

Neoxon

Junior Member
Oregano said:
The best thing about lacking an optical drive would be the profile of the console. The Wii's sleek size was one of its best points and the Wii U is mostly disc drive.

I'd love a tiny console.
Click to expand...
You'd still have to worry about how much space the motherboard would take up, as well as the fan.
 
G

georly

Member
Carts are more expensive to make than disks, but you gain a ton of benefits by not needing a disc on the console. No easily breakable parts, doesn't have to be as big, etc etc. Also I assume faster loading.
 
K

Koren

Member
heyf00L said:
So a while ago I met with a patent lawyer about an idea I had. He said that you cannot patent something if it's just taking already invented things and sticking them together, even if no one has put all those pieces together before. You have to have something truly new and novel.
Click to expand...
It sometimes depends on the lawyer... I remember being impressed by such a lawyer that explained to me how to patent software... and although it was twisted logic, I fear it may have worked.
 
O

Oregano

Member
Neoxon said:
If the NX Console is anywhere near the PS4 in power, you'll have to worry about game sizes for Nintendo games. For reference, Xenoblade X is around 22GB in size (nearly filling a single-layer Wii U disc). As for their digital rights management, they're moving to account-based ownership in the future thanks to their partnership with DeNA.
Click to expand...

I know it's semantics but Nintendo already has account-based DRM, it's a lack of user de/authorisation that is a problem.
 
G

GustyGardens

Banned
Theoretically, how much data can be stored on a cartridge these day? I'm all for having my Nintendo collection going back to cartridges.
 
R

Rodin

Member
Guys, it says "card slot". Why would they put a card slot in there if the console is "dd only"?

I'm very excited about this. It was the first thing i wanted on NX.


EDIT: about the controller with a screen, there are a few ways they can tweak the Wii U gamepad to make it a much better controller where the screen is "optional" and required only in certain titles. Maybe games like Splatoon and/or the improvements it brings to Zelda forced them to go that route again. Hopefully this time will be cheaper.
 
T

TheCochese

Banned
Neoxon said:
If the NX Console is anywhere near the PS4 in power, you'll have to worry about game sizes for Nintendo games. For reference, Xenoblade X is around 22GB in size (nearly filling a single-layer Wii U disc). As for their digital rights management, they're moving to account-based ownership in the future thanks to their partnership with DeNA.
Click to expand...

I'm admittedly ignorant to the former. To the latter, I hope that as is good of news as I think it is.
 
C

Cipherr

Member
Dr. Kitty Muffins said:
I don't think the new Zelda would come close to fitting on a cart or SD card. Let's be serious.
Click to expand...

yeah, lets be serious

1430853679000_1135914.jpg
Click to expand...

SD cards can be absolutely huge. I don't think space is the problem there. Its more about production costs of the cards themselves. There are 32 GB sd cards for less than $20 and that's enough space to house maaaaaaaany of the games you buy today during this gen.
 
Z

Zoon

Member
Is it possible to have the core game(handheld version) on a cartridge and download higher quality textures/models on the hdd for the console? Similar to what Xenoblade X does.
 
N

Neoxon

Junior Member
jmizzal said:
Maybe they have it where you still buy the games from the stores but they just install another way instead of off the disk like PS4 and Xbox one.

No way they go where every game needs to be downloaded
Click to expand...
The Xbox One tried to do the exact same thing, & it's still recovering from the brand damage.
 
K

kurahador

Member
Better be carts. Can't imagine how clusterfuck it'll be having digital only console for a company that doesn't even have a proper account system.
 
S

spekkeh

Banned
Could the speed selector of the processor mean that you can insert both NX and 4DS cards into the console and play everything?

edit: or just 4DS cards and the NX games are fully digital.
 
T

TheCochese

Banned
Oregano said:
I know it's semantics but Nintendo already has account-based DRM, it's a lack of user de/authorisation that is a problem.
Click to expand...

It's the inability to share games between in-house multiple units that irks me. Absolutely no point in buying digital on the 3DS if you have more than one. I'm about to have a 3DS and three 2DS this Christmas, and I've obviously stopped buying digital.
 
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