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Aliens on Wii U 'one of the best looking versions', "More RAM/really great processor"

H

Hoo-doo

Banned
Apparently, more developers have chimed in, backing up the report from GameIndustry.biz.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=468841

Backing up a report this week claiming Wii U is less powerful than Xbox 360 and PS3, key developers told CVG that it's processor intensive game systems which they're struggling to get up to par with current-gen consoles.

Sources said graphical quality "won't be a problem" on Nintendo's new console, but a drop in CPU horsepower compared to 360 and PS3 could see Wii U lag behind in areas such as complicated physics and AI.
"Assumptions that Wii U games will look like 'up rezzed' current-gen titles with better textures aren't quite right. They'll look just as good, but not better," one developer told CVG. "You shouldn't expect anything special from a graphics point of view," they added.

A second source working on a big name franchise said GPU and RAM power "won't be a problem" on the new console but, again, claimed Wii U struggles to match PS3 and 360 in processing power.
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"We're still working on dev machines but there have definitely been some issues [in porting PS3/360 games]," our source said. "It's not actually a problem getting things up and running because the architecture is pretty conventional, but there are constraints with stuff like physics and AI processing because the hardware isn't quite as capable."

The same source concluded, bluntly: "I suppose you don't need sophisticated physics to make a Mario game."

Some dev sources have speculated that Wii U's relatively low technical specs may be down to an attempt to attractively price the console, which will of course come bundled with a pricey touchscreen controller, as first revealed by CVG. It's also worth noting that unlike its rivals, Wii U has the task of sending separate images to that controller, potentially eating up more hardware juice.
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D

donny2112

Member
Still waiting for E3...

Being more powerful than PS360 was never a legitimate question. Support of next-gen engines on it is, though, and since that directly ties into third-party support, that's the much more meaningful question.
 
C

CrunchyFrog

Member
Sammy Samusu said:
N4R9F.jpg
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we seriously need a ban on these stupid vague dev comments on system power threads. It's getting beyond ridiculous and pretty obvious by now that there's just an inordinate amount of misinformation going around one way or the other
 
S

salpa

Banned
Wii U will be many times more powerful than PS360.

Devs are devs. Not all of them even have the same dev kits. If rumored specs are anything to go by, 1GB of RAM with even a triple core IBM Power7 and the lowest possible spec R700 AMD GPU would still put it at 4x the power of PS360.

People expecting it to be a stop-gap between this gen and the next gen are delusional. Sony and Microsoft are not coming out with anything special either. It's all about the money now. Microsoft got a taste of it this gen, and Sony cannot afford to lose much more.

The entire upcoming generation is going to be a stop-gap between now and next-gen.
 
T

Thoraxes

Member
I'm confused: I'm reading late in the cycle as in that they're towards the end of hardware iterations and finalizing the hardware specifications; not late to the current console generation cycle we are in now.
 
R

radioheadrule83

Banned
Hoo-doo said:
Apparently, more developers have chimed in, backing up the report from GameIndustry.biz.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=468841
Click to expand...

CVG is Future Publishing UK, so odds are those comments come from a UK developer.

For those who haven't been following the Wii-U thread, there are multiple versions of Wii-U dev kits out in the wild and V5 got a bump from V4, so I'm hoping that if those comments are genuine, its because they're working on old dev hardware.

I don't see how Pitchford could claim its a "bridge to the next generation" if the latest dev hardware was the one failing in that regard. He did add:

"And even since they gave us our first alpha kit, our very first 'pre-prototype' development hardware that they kind of let us play around with, they've done so many things to make the platform better. So it's getting better for us as developers."
Click to expand...
 
X

XPE

Member
Remember people this is Nintendo they have a ram fetish, whatever amount of ram they put in the wiiU it will be some good stuff.
 
G

guek

Banned
Hoo-doo said:
Apparently, more developers have chimed in, backing up the report from GameIndustry.biz.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=468841
Click to expand...

This is actualy exactly in line with what wsippel said about the CPU according to an official middleware document he found. Evidently middleware has been struggling with the CPU for awhile now due to optimization issues. The document states that they've very recently improved performances by 400%, bringing CPU usage at 360 levels in most areas and superior to 360 in a few. Imagine if your middleware was performing 4x less than optimal, that would explain CPU troubles some devs have been talking about.
 
C

crazygambit

Member
Donnie said:
No I wouldn't think Ipad was more powerful if I read that quite in isolation. He doesn't say anything about the processor, he only mentions screen resolution.
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Well it's pretty much the same case here. He mentions RAM and the processor, but makes no mention of the GPU.

When you build a gaming PC where do you allocate most of your budget (Hint: the GPU).

So the fact that you can conclude the Wii U is more powerful than the HD consoles based on his comment in isolation is just as ridiculous as concluding the new iPad is more powerful than the HD consoles based on Capps comment.

I'm not saying it won't be more powerful. It probably will be. The point is we don't know how much more powerful it'll be. Or maybe it's more powerful in specs, but having to spend resources on the controller's screen might mean real world performance on games is pretty much on par with current consoles. Point is we just don't know.
 
C

capslock

Is jealous of Matlock's emoticon
I just don't know what to think anymore.

I can't think of any other console in recent memory, Wii included, that's been as much of a headfuck as this one.

Would love to just bunker myself and not read this stuff anymore but there's fat chance of that happening.
 
Reallink

Reallink

Member
So which side has more corroborations at this point, <= PS360 or > PS360? I know some of you are keeping count.
 
W

wsippel

Banned
guek said:
This is actualy exactly in line with what wsippel said about the CPU according to an official middleware document he found. Evidently middleware has been struggling with the CPU for awhile now due to optimization issues. The document states that they've very recently improved performances by 400%, bringing CPU usage at 360 levels in most areas and superior to 360 in a few. Imagine if your middleware was performing 4x less than optimal, that would explain CPU troubles some devs have been talking about.
Click to expand...
It's also worth noting that the document I've seen was talking about the software pipeline of the engine in question. There's also an even faster hardware pipeline on Wii U that's not available on PS360, but that one leads to different results and therefore means more work for the development studios.
 
T

theBishop

Banned
salpa said:
Wii U will be many times more powerful than PS360.

Devs are devs. Not all of them even have the same dev kits. If rumored specs are anything to go by, 1GB of RAM with even a triple core IBM Power7 and the lowest possible spec R700 AMD GPU would still put it at 4x the power of PS360.

People expecting it to be a stop-gap between this gen and the next gen are delusional. Sony and Microsoft are not coming out with anything special either. It's all about the money now. Microsoft got a taste of it this gen, and Sony cannot afford to lose much more.

The entire upcoming generation is going to be a stop-gap between now and next-gen.
Click to expand...

So what console is Epic planning to release this on?

289258.gif
Click to expand...

And why would they be developing it when they're already working with next-gen hardware if that hardware can't handle it?
 
P

popeutlal

Member
A new console being released this year should not be 'almost as powerful' or 'powerful in some areas' compared to 7 year old tech....it should be better in every area.

Not only PS4/Next Box, but Kelper based Tegra4 chips will embarrass this machine next year.
 
A

alphaNoid

Banned
Magic Ovaries said:
A new console being released this year should not be 'almost as powerful' or 'powerful in some areas' compared to 7 year old tech....it should be better in every area.

Not only PS4/Next Box, but Kelper based Tegra4 chips will embarrass this machine next year.
Click to expand...

Obviously, but its Nintendo we're talking about here.
 
C

cw_sasuke

If all DLC came tied to $13 figurines, I'd consider all DLC to be free
Im gettin worried, i hope for Nintendo that MS/Sony wont reveal or hype their next systems too much this e3.
 
D

Dash Kappei

Not actually that important
Metalmurphy said:
"They’re late in the cycle so they’ve got this really great processor.”"


This says everything. This won't be a next gen machine. Just a really good current gen console.
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It says nothing really, since he's also comparing it to the PC version so it speaks more about the development of the game for current platforms than anything. But whatever the spin, are there people who thought Wii U was going to be a "next-gen" console in the common term? I don't think so.
I think we're likely to see a 3DS to Vita situation, imo of course. To me power is not the only thing that defines a next-gen experience, the controller could be. Like to me glasses-free 3D is an amazing feat, but not for everybody. And it's fine really, there's the Vita if you prefer brute force power and think kinda esoteric/experimenting features are a gimmick. Isn't it better to see different platforms bringing different experiences to the table?

But what's always irrititating in these threads is the people won't ever change their mind, it's already made up and scratch everything positive/negative about the platform.
Even worse tho is reading about "rabid Nintendo defense force" when I've yet to see one people in the speculation thread believing WiiU would be comparable to PS4etc. All they're hoping is for the console to be powerful enough to get scaled ports, and that the hardware is at the very least a bit more powerful than PS3/360 like Xbox was to the PS2, which seems likely the case going by real devs talk and devkits spec leaks.

And we're hyped about the controller, the Wii Remotes support and the fact the the console will once again take the reign for local multiplayer experiences.
So a better Wii, with Nintendo games in HD for the first time. We're genuinely excited for that and for the concepts the tablet will bring to gaming, like we loved the idea of the pointer or perfected motion+ controls on Wii. Do we like good graphics? Of course we do, the prettiest the better but most of us don't care for 3 console clones, and maybe wiki go with PC + WiiU combo, or PS4 + WiiU if they care for Sony exclusives (I do!).
People who can't see the difference from current gen games gfx to the WiiU tech demos (we don't know if those tech achievements will pan out in games tho) are BLIND.
There are far more anti-Nintendo LOL posters in WiiU threads, spinning extrapolated dumb rumours better than Sony does its NPD PRs than rabid NDF fellas screaming how the machine is 10X current-gen, if any. Very annoying.

cw_sasuke said:
Im gettin worried, i hope for Nintendo that MS/Sony wont reveal or hype their next systems too much this e3.
Click to expand...

That is a given, they did the same with the 3DS. And the Dreamcast. Why shouldn't they (especially Sony), it makes perfect sense.
 
I

I Stalk Alone

Member
theBishop said:
So what console is Epic planning to release this on?



And why would they be developing it when they're already working with next-gen hardware if that hardware can't handle it?
Click to expand...

to run that in 720p 30fps then you will need a gpu equivalent to 1.2TFLOPS (pre southern islands flops) I am guessing the new sony and MS consoles can do that. What we would like is for wiiU to be able to do the same thing but even if it will be able to run it in 600p people won't notice too much will they?
 
E

evilromero

Member
This is kind of reminding me of how the Wii was marginally more powerful than the Xbox in some areas but not all. I'll be disappointed if the Wii U can't best the PS3/360 in all areas. After six years there's no excuse.
 
N

Neo C.

Member
cw_sasuke said:
Im gettin worried, i hope for Nintendo that MS/Sony wont reveal or hype their next systems too much this e3.
Click to expand...

Huh, why should you be worried. If you like the Wii U, the other consoles won't hurt your fun (unless your fun is related to console wars). And from a business point of view, the Wii U is going to launch this year, while the other two are far away. No matter how strong or weak the PS480 are, Wii U is going to have the spotlight for several months.
 
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