Schnozberry
Member
There's no reason they can't have web services available to other devices, but I wouldn't construe Iwata's comments to mean that they are going to have new release Nintendo Games available on non-Nintendo hardware. At least yet.
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Nintendo looking for Lead Graphic Engineer for Next-Gen Console SoC in Redmond
- Thread starter BY2K
- Start date
There's no reason they can't have web services available to other devices, but I wouldn't construe Iwata's comments to mean that they are going to have new release Nintendo Games available on non-Nintendo hardware. At least yet.
Chmpocalypse
Blizzard
Most gamers don't seem to agree. Even Nintendo can't find a way to justify the gamepad as a necessity for gaming.
Personally, I'm glad it didn't become the new industry standard in control. I saw what happened when the wiimote got popular, and Nintendo's concept of "innovation" is not where I want the industry to go. At least the wii was designed to enhance immersion, not break it by forcing you to look away from the screen.
GhostTrick
Banned
blu
Wants the largest console games publisher to avoid Nintendo's platforms.
But the point is, nintendo should have zero interest in an one-off x86 design. Aside from the fact it does nothing to homogenize their ecosystem, one should look beyond 2014. Two years from now everybody and their cats will be doing A57s as the bare minimum, and the big SoC players will be doing custom v8s. Going for a x86 this next gen will be the most questionable decision a console vendor like nintendo could make. Basically, a last-resort 'Halp, our A, B, and C plans fell through, scramble for an x86!' sort of move.
I think you're a generation out-of-date on ARM capabilities.
Head.spawn
Junior Member
So, new hardware in 3 years?
Do it.
Do it.
Chmpocalypse
Blizzard
Historically (and I ask because I really don't know), do companies do hardware refreshes on failed systems? If so, what were the results? I'm trying to recall any but can't.
1) Im pretty sure any modern application that runs on any modern platform could run on PC. You do know where these applications are built, no?
2)I wasn't thinking anywhere near this semantically. If this is what it takes to be "right" then by all means. But lets not pretend that the PC isnt the consenus universal computing device. And yeah it does near all, and most well.
Those are custom ARM cores you refer to. SoC are more often custom than not, and are assembled of different standard parts (ARM cores just being one of them) that for itself are usually not customized further. It's also were Intel is highly lacking as they prefer to offer as SoC parts on their own, resulting in packages that are substandard to other available SoC solutions (e.g. LTE support in mobile SoCs).
I think it's just the software buying habits of the consoles' owners that's most important-- The guts of the machine doesn't matter so much as whether the publishers can make lots of money off of the audience. The WiiU got ports of core games from some publishers, even an exclusive M-rated game from Ubisoft that showcased the gamepad, so if those made money for the publishers, they'd have continued supporting the WiiU. Those publishers wouldn't have taken those risks at launch if "bridges were burned" so I think the matter of what the audience buys is the main problem.
GhostTrick
Banned
I partially agree. Yes, it depends of the software buying habits. But let's face it: Some publishers didn't took a risk. In fact, I'd say EA for exemple did everything in their power to sabotage their own games. A lot of these choices made by these publishers didn't made sense. But I'm also blaming Nintendo for not courting 3rd parties more agressively, at least, in West.
AvoidDaNoid
Banned
The gamepad is actually awesome for a number of reasons whether people that never used it understand it or not
Off screen play is great when I want to watch a show and play a game at the same time or even if my wife and kids are watching something I can be int he same room and play on the gamepad.
It is more immersive when used correctly. Even the little touches in Batman added to the experience. Simple things like tuning in a radio frequency with the touch screen. It was cool using it for Batman's gadgets.
Even as a map in Pikmin 3 it is cool. You use the touch screen and give your pikmin orders through the screen itself.
Local multiplayer is also awesome because you get a screen dedicated to yourself instead of a split screen and they can't see your location like in a split screen.
Other opportunities for multiplayer games open up like in Nintendoland where one person plays as a ghost and uses the gamepad etc
That's why AMD K12 is on the way.
Chmpocalypse
Blizzard
I wonder what the gimmick will be this time. Hang upside down from the ceiling like a bat? An electronic blindfold with shock sensors to help guide your sightless platforming? A literal hand-holding mode where one of their interns comes to your house to cheerlead you and give you a hug when you fail the level? : p
No. I meant many Nintendo devices with the same OS and unified accounts, not a hybrid of some sort.
Panajev2001a
GAF's Pleasant Genius
I do not think a switch to x86 would be unsustainable and a last resort method, especially for a home console.
Portable console could use a reduced version of that design or use an ARM core for the CPU, not trivial to get the same software stack on both, but not impossible either as AMD makes heterogeneous designs a point of pride (Apple does not have a problem either... see the iOS Simulator for everything but GPU benchmarking, but the GPU is using a reference rasterizer AFAIK). It can work and it would have its software ecosystem benefits.
Any company with an architectural license can do custom designs. Apple is obviously out of the question, but quite a few companies including the two you mentioned, AMD, Marvell, AMCC, Samsung and even Intel have architectural licenses and design custom ARM cores. Well, Intel doesn't, they just got a license because they could.
And the thing is: Nintendo is absolutely willing to contract unknown or unexpected companies. I mean, look at their GPU suppliers:
Silicon Graphics (N64)
ArtX (Gamecube, Wii)
Alchemy (DS)
Digital Media Professionals (3DS)
AMD (Wii U)
Of the five different vendors Nintendo worked with, only one was actually on anyone's radar. ArtX, Alchemy and DMP were startups, Silicon Graphics used to do high-end workstations and big iron exclusively. And they're not alone. Apple's impressive custom ARM cores? Designed by what used to be PA Semi, a pretty much completely unknown company with zero experience when it came to ARM chips (they developed PowerPC cores).
ARM makes this easier than ever. Any startup can apply for a license, and manufacturing would be outsourced, anyway. Nintendo's next SoC could be developed by some tiny startup nobody has ever heard of.
Tronic knows the score. This is what NCL needs to do. An OS platform with multiple devices.
Yeah, ideally everything that runs on the portable would run on the console and it'd be easy for most games to support both (i.e. console game runs at a higher resolution/framerate + extra bells and whistles). Obviously the console should be clearly more powerful than the PS4.
JetBlackPanda
Member
can I please just get a Nintendo handheld with an amazing display? please.
Dreamwriter
Member
Just to note, Nintendo is *always* working on new systems, new technology. They have research teams always trying out new things, and then when it comes time to make a new console or handheld system, they look at what all people have done, pick the best bits and has them make it into a new system. Iwata has said in the past that they start working on a new console the day the old one is released. In fact, I'd bet the new 3DS came from some guy experimenting with improving the 3D effect, and they decided to use his work in a revamp rather than wait until next generation.
The amazing thing about this news is they are moving at least part of their research division to the US. In fact, they've had the same guy doing the SoC research ever since they designed the NES (he told the manufacturer "We want something that can run Donkey Kong at home on a TV").
The amazing thing about this news is they are moving at least part of their research division to the US. In fact, they've had the same guy doing the SoC research ever since they designed the NES (he told the manufacturer "We want something that can run Donkey Kong at home on a TV").
That's seems to be exactly what they plan to do, actually. They also want more devices, not less.
Amentallica
Unconfirmed Member
Abandon the Wii name. Please, abandon that forsaken fucking name.
What are you talking about? The gamepad's a non-starter because it followed industry trends rather than bucking them. It's just a 360 pad with a tablet in the middle, there's no real innovation there and it's incredibly non-threatening to the core demographic compared to something like the Wiimote.
Well Vita's already seen two revisions (LCD model and microconsole) that have done not much for it. Probably in part because neither bothered with it's biggest design flaw: proprietary storage.
Unknown Soldier
Member
Nintendo and Microsoft have been corporate neighbors for decades now
Dreamwriter
Member
They are literally next-door to each other.
This is massively conflating "running software" with "doing activity well." If Nintendo wants to make something like the Wii Fit Meter do you think strapping a laptop with a USB-based accelerometer to your hip is going to make for a usable experience? Do you think it would work at all even if theoretically it could perform those integrals quickly?
System on chip.
I think Nintendo will end up abandoning the Wii moniker. Perhaps Nintendo will share the same basic new moniker between handheld and home consoles in the next generation in order to emphasize their unified architectural relationship , hardware capabilities and connectivity.
Dreamwriter
Member
The System on Chip is the combination CPU/GPU that makes the core of modern consoles. This job is for a graphics guy to try out the different GPU's that are submitted as part of new SoC's to see how cool they would be for a new game system, and make suggestions.
Same. Play the same games but at higher graphics settings on the console.
yeah me too I was just making a funny that probably only I thought was funny
Nintendojitsu
Banned
Avatar quoting is one of my favorite guilty pleasures...if done right, it gets me every time
Heh, I remember when someone made a joke about the Wii U's name sounding like a french ambulance siren, and I cannot stop thinking about that whenever I hear the Wii U name being brought up.
Eolz
Member
Hibiki Kurosawa
Member
Get this guys, it'll be called the New Wii U!
-Pyromaniac-
Member
No wonder the wii u turned out like it did. They didn't have a lead graphics engineer.
GhostTrick
Banned
Yup, you got me right sir. That's, in my opinion, their only way back to profit. If they can have, at least, Wii U graphic fidelity on the handheld, they could push more on the home console. For that, they need a really solid SoC for the handheld, to make sure it doesn't look too gross on home console.
