I'm expecting OG DS when closed sized.
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Speculation based on trademark minutia: Nintendo NX to use cartridges
- Thread starter Smellycat
- Start date
I'm expecting OG DS when closed sized.
If the cartridge is read/write, then put it on the cartridge itself. If not, then there's a ton of space on the NX Console's hard drive that won't be used by game installs.
Basically, think of it like how the 3DS handles Day 1 patches.
dangeraaron10
Unconfirmed Member
You'd all be surprised how persistent this rumor is among the laymen and casual audience outside of NeoGAF, and outside the internet in general. I usually buzz local GameStops, privately owned gaming stores, and general retail stores to get some impressions from both customers and employees. By far the most persistent (often times only) rumor about the NX is the fact that it will be cart/card based, for both the handheld and console, assuming they know that it will also be a handheld, or assume it will be. I have a good feeling about this one, and this recent evidence only solidifies that case, with bucket fulls of potential positives of bringing back the carts.
Edit: I don't do this very often, now. Just when it's convenient. Either people mention the cart/card rumor or they don't know what NX is. It's that brought up.
Edit: I don't do this very often, now. Just when it's convenient. Either people mention the cart/card rumor or they don't know what NX is. It's that brought up.
Just like they do now?
Dark Cloud
Member
I know right? The irony of why FFVII went to PS just to see it come back for the reason it left is like a full circle 20 years later.
Dagobert Duck
Member
This. I've lost a lot of good soldiers to the horrors of discs getting scratched.
*sheds tear for Melee*
Man I remember one of my PS1 discs falling out of my hand and all of a sudden there is a huge scratch over it, ruling it unplayable...yet my NES is still good to go without problems...
The same way they work with the Vita I imagine, which is the same with the 3DS. The patch would, like with consoles, be installed to local storage (SD card, or whatever they use).
I didn't really think about a specific size, but maybe like Gameboy or GBA games? They wouldn't be so tiny that you're scared of losing them, but still small enough for a handheld.
It will still have internal storage, USB storage and hopefully an SD card slot that you can actually use.
I mean, Blu-Ray discs have gotten better about tanking scratches (& making the discs themselves more resistant to scratches), but the risk is still there. And as you said, cartridges last longer. My N64 games are still alive & well to this day, or at least the ones my mom didn't donate. Even the copies of said donated games that I was able to track down have been around for decades & still work like a dream.
If it's shared console-handheld software you can expect to pay $60 for a standard release regardless.
OrbitalBeard
Member
The reason I want this to be true so badly (apart from my love of cartridges) is that if the NX isn't a fully cross-compatible ecosystem with multiple form factors, I don't believe it will be a success.
:Motorbass
Member
Would be very cool to have multiple slots (like 10) so you don't have to swap out games every time.
dangeraaron10
Unconfirmed Member
Can confirm. Can play my entire N64 library as of now. I even have some unplayable PS2 games.
And you believe all the Nintendo statements?
Coupled with basic logic and rudimentary physics, there's no reason to think it will be a single hybrid home console/handheld device.
Sodding_Gamer
Member
Ah ok sure. Just had a bit of a brain fart moment there. Would be super interesting if they go back to carts. In fact, I kind of want them to now thinking about it more.
Same case for the SNES. For example, there's physical copy of Earthbound on the SNES that my aunt keeps locked in her safe. I'm pretty sure that works like new since she barely lets anyone touch it (I'm the only one with the key since she's studying abroad, right now). But yeah, cartridges can last for a long-ass time, & they're easier to maintain.
Depends on the power you need for your games and Nintendo don't need too much flops to show amazing games.
Glass Rebel
Member
When first real news about the NX came out and Iwata described it as a unified platform rather than a single device, this was one of my first thoughts: How are you going to share the retail games across platforms? This is probably the simplest option but I don't know how high manufacturing costs for cartridges are, especially since we're talking BD size capacity here.
mocolostrocolos
Member
Considerig the hybrid-thing NX must be, I was expecting this.
OrbitalBeard
Member
Cartridges can hold more than 1.44 megabytes.
SolidSnakex
Member
But that raises an issue of Nintendo once again making a platform for themselves rather than for developers as a whole.
SatoAilDarko
Member
I love the idea but the one thing I'm afraid of is Nintendo having a max cart size of 16 GB instead of 32 GB.
3DS and Vita both use max 4 GB so 16 GB is a good step up but allowing 32 GB allows for larger assets to be used. It would also be helpful for 3rd party games.
The only two Nintendo published titles that I remember crossing 20 GB are Lego City Undercover and Xenoblade Chronicles X. I could definitely see the new Zelda being under 16 GB with the limited voice work and not have the large number on NPC's and different monsters a game like Xenoblade X would have.
3DS and Vita both use max 4 GB so 16 GB is a good step up but allowing 32 GB allows for larger assets to be used. It would also be helpful for 3rd party games.
The only two Nintendo published titles that I remember crossing 20 GB are Lego City Undercover and Xenoblade Chronicles X. I could definitely see the new Zelda being under 16 GB with the limited voice work and not have the large number on NPC's and different monsters a game like Xenoblade X would have.
Rhazer Fusion
Member
....but wouldn't cartridges probably end up costing more? I think they should stick to discs or whatever. Not sure going back to cartridges is a good idea in this day and age unless they found a way to rectify the limitations normally associated with cartridges. I know Nintendo likes to be in control and have their philosophy, but they HAVE to think of developers over themselves if they want to stand a chance.
Chittagong
Gold Member
Yamauchi's N64 20th anniversary surprise!!
dangeraaron10
Unconfirmed Member
Stated quite a few times in the thread already.
-Durable, less prone to damage and can last a long time
-No need for a bulky, expensive, and prone to malfunction disc drive, prolonging console life and driving down manufacturing cost
-Nigh required for handheld devices, look at the PSP as to why discs on handhelds is a bad idea. Shared Library between Handheld and Console basically requires carts
-Shorter/No Load times
-Less/No need to install data on a harddrive
-Previous failures of cards have since been rectified as the technology has caught up to optical discs in terms of storage space
-Cheaper to make than previous
I'm sure I'm forgetting a few.
To be fair, most 3rd party devs already treat Nintendo like a joke. This move is only positive for Nintendo. Also, cards are beginning to/already surpassed optical discs.
Thing is, the biggest reason why carts make sense to be used on both a hypothetical handheld and console, is that Nintendo actually has AMAZING first party output, but fractured between systems. Having the "Shared Library" where the same cart works on both systems with scaling fidelity doubles the size of Nintendo's first party line up, diminishing the need for third parties to pick up the slack. The actual target audience for most 3rd parties are already entrenched on other systems and likely aren't going to budge anytime soon.
Leona Lewis
Banned
GAF until August:
If they're going with cartridges it's probably because of a handheld. You only have to put a standard DVD next to any handhelds you own to see why. And I doubt they'll do a proprietary disc format after the Gamecube.
Interceptor
Banned
And you believe all the Nintendo statements?
Thats such a non question.
Of course i dont believe in every empty PR phrase out there.
But there is no reason not to believe the CEO when he said: "Its not a hybrid and here´s why" followed by statements he explained in depth at shareholder meetings and which are ein line with everything he said basically during the last 15 years.
He actually laid out the Wii as well during the Gamecube reveal back in 2001. It was all there if you listen to him.
So if Nintendo told us "Its not a hybrid" and even explained to us why it is not a hybrid there´s no reason not to believe them other than "but Reggie made a vague statement about xyz in 1994 so its a hybrid".
SallyIsNow
Banned
- If Nintendo wants a shared library with the handheld, then they kinda have to go with cartridges.
- Cartridges have caught up to discs in terms of how much data they can store within a reasonable price range.
- Tying back into the first bullet point, Nintendo saves money by only having to print one SKU for a game rather than two.
- While on the subject of saving money, Nintendo can cut down on costs for both manufacturing & potential repair costs by doing away with an optical disc drive. Said saved costs can instead be diverted to upgrading the specs of the NX Console or just lowering the NX Console's price tag.
One of the traditional limitations is storage space and that's rectified by technology. They would end up costing more to make but at least some of that would be offset by reduced storage and logistics costs.
PHOENIXZERO
Member
How much does decently fast (say ~90MB/s) flash memory cost per GB these days to manufacture? Unless Nintendo is going to eat the cost or they've fallen below a Blu-Ray I doubt publishers would go for it. Though if the rumor of this being a console/handheld hybrid it would make sense.
Personally I'd love to be able to go back to a card/cart format as long as much faster than standard HDD read speeds come along with it and without a price increase.
Personally I'd love to be able to go back to a card/cart format as long as much faster than standard HDD read speeds come along with it and without a price increase.
Thats such a non question.
Of course i dont believe in every empty PR phrase out there.
But there is no reason not to believe the CEO when he said: "Its not a hybrid and here´s why" followed by statements he explained in depth at shareholder meetings and which are ein line with everything he said basically during the last 15 years.
He actually laid out the Wii as well during the Gamecube reveal back in 2001. It was all there if you listen to him.
So if Nintendo told us "Its not a hybrid" and even explained to us why it is not a hybrid there´s no reason not to believe them other than "but Reggie made a vague statement about xyz in 1994 so its a hybrid".
Depends on the definition of hybrid.
It's psvita tv a vita hybrid?
Vigilant Walrus
Member
Most rumors are obvious and trollish in that they feel like the deranged prediction of haters and/or fanboys. But this. Now this is such a crazy rumor, you almost hope it'd to be true.
I can see the news articles now: "*3rd party Dev* explains Nintendo's return to cartridges is the reason why they won't develop for the console", "Why 3rd parties don't like the NX", "Production prices for NX's cartridges scare off 3rd party publishers".
Interceptor
Banned
Can you play it on a subway?
Yup. Well - that's if they're cross buy etc. Practically it could work.
Keep the size manageable for the handheld and it'd run as-is on the home console if offline, but it would also download higher res assets for the home version if you're connected to the Internet. A bit like some PS4/XB1 games still have to if they're bigger than a bluray
I'd imagine so, but that option would likely be used by third parties more than Nintendo themselves (with a few exceptions, of course).
Rhazer Fusion
Member
Haha, I was thinking the exact same thing.
The industry doesn't.
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