True. Still, I would hope (and think its likely) that extra devices could be purchased for a decent cost. Personally I'd rather have a separate one for myself and each of my children, tied to our individual accounts. While they would have no problem carrying around a gamer card device, a simple app would be more appealing to me. I'd also love to be able to message people on my friend list from that app while away from home.
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Wii U Speculation thread IV: Photoshop rumors and image memes
- Thread starter Sadist
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test_account
XP-39C²
About the street pass WiiU stuff, you think that Nintendo will use extra cost on something like this? Assuming that it is a pack in of course. Personally i dont think so. I think that some link between 3DS and WiiU is much more likely if Street Pass should be available on WiiU.
Just curious, in what way was it overhyping to make note of the importance of having a fighting game running at 60fps?
Such a device would probably cost like $5, maybe less. Extrapolated over tens of millions of consoles, it does add up, but I don't think they'd view it as a costly extra feature.
test_account
XP-39C²
A single unit will probably be cheap indeed, but as you mention, add it up to i.e 50 million units and you have an extra cost of $250 million. I guess it depends on how much they see it as a sales potential for the console, but i cant really see it happening.
AceBandage
Banned
The device would likely be huge in Japan, which would probably justify its existence.
I love the pocket device idea. If it can help me find other Nintendo fans in my area, then that'd be awesome. Moving to a different city, I don't have many N-friends around here.. but I know that this town is a very Nintendo-lovin' town (hell, we have Super Mario-themed Mardi Gras floats!), so I know that some friends are out there..
One caveat: if people can use this device in real life to meet-up, I can see Nintendo being very gunshy about it. Lots of "we gotta protect the children!" schtuff..
One caveat: if people can use this device in real life to meet-up, I can see Nintendo being very gunshy about it. Lots of "we gotta protect the children!" schtuff..
I hate to reach back a few pages but I highly doubt the veracity of this claim. I remember Dyack saying that he feared that he might be asked to do minigame compilations, but considering none of Nintendo's other studios like Retro or Monolith made minigames the basis for this fear was a little unfounded.
Of course such a turn of events is not unheard of in this industry (
Rare
Maybe the "gamer card" truly is a card? Something that you can slide into your wallet?
A quick google search showed that thin pedometers do exist, such as the image below:
You'd have to be a pretty hardcore gamer to put a clip on Nintendo unit when you're walking around. But a card you can stuff in your wallet by your drivers license and credit cards? Maybe.
EDIT: The example above apparently retails for $35, so assuming it's about $20 to produce, it's not that unreasonable.
A quick google search showed that thin pedometers do exist, such as the image below:
You'd have to be a pretty hardcore gamer to put a clip on Nintendo unit when you're walking around. But a card you can stuff in your wallet by your drivers license and credit cards? Maybe.
EDIT: The example above apparently retails for $35, so assuming it's about $20 to produce, it's not that unreasonable.
I remember Nintendo said that the subscreen has a little processor, and it could be possible play small VC games independient from the system. My memory is fuzzy at that, though.
test_account
XP-39C²
Yeah, it is possible. I like the idea, but i will be surprised if it is included as a pack in due to cost.
MisterHero
Super Member
Don't forget the rumor mentions color LCD, whereas that thing is not
It should look like a futuristic one-screen Game & Watch
Nintendo really made it sound like the tablet is expensive. A guts free unit with a 6.2" screen I picture being about $70 or $80... Cost prohibitive but not insane. IF it does have a processor, it will be $100+ and a good reason not to sell it in stores. So I'm not sure. I'm sure the thought of having people bringing the device with them to work and on the bus is appealing to them. The whole "what is that?" free advertisement factor. If it can run apps like email and Angry Birds and VC games up to SNES or N64 ability, I can see why they'd want to.
It might also further explain the slider pads as opposed to analog sticks. They don't want the analogs sticking out for portability.
GameplayWhore
Member
I've always heard the diametric opposite of this, that the only "processors" in there are the mux/demux and transceiver type hardware. I'd like to know if anybody remembers any text from previous interviews which clarify the matter either way.
The problem I see with having multiple devices accumulating StreetPass coins is that I could carry around both the gamer card and the 3DS at the same time and earn double the points. That is, assuming the systems are unified through accounts or something. But if they're not unified, then it's largely redundant.
It's a grain-of-salt rumor in the first place. Likely there's an element of truth to it but they might have some facts wrong. All we really know is Nintendo likes that feature on the 3DS. Just trying to think of ways to make it user friendly, and to me, a clip-on Wii U gadget isn't ideal.
But wasn't it also said that the device needs to be within certain distance to the console?
They stressed this alot at last year's E3 if I'm not mistaken.
Smiles and Cries
Member
something to lose 
No, they said that the subscreen had a little memory, so load entire roms on it is possible.
AceBandage
Banned
But the unit itself can not process the ROMs.
You will not be able to load apps onto the controller and use them away from the console.
Yes, please!
Thanks for clearing that up, Ace.
It would be really cool to be able to at least access apps away from the console though.
Smiles and Cries
Member
you guys listen to weekend confirmed?
I am listening to this week's now dunno why, I wish we had a podcast that had some good WiiU facts to listen to
I am listening to this week's now dunno why, I wish we had a podcast that had some good WiiU facts to listen to
That Podcast would probably had to be something made by GAF.
R
Rösti
Unconfirmed Member
I'm not a developer nor very smart in the field of computer physics, so my suggestion here may be total jargon, but could perhaps provide some food for thought. Anyway, after the revealing Rayman Legends video and the demonstration of figurines using the Near Field Communication features of Wii U, I came to think of what other uses this technology could have in relation to Wii U's hardware. I have previously written about the Nintendo 64 Expansion Pak and how I would enjoy if something like that was made available for Wii U (for Nintendo to utilize if the other next generation consoles from Microsoft and Sony respectively pack much more RAM etc.). This idea was met with healthy skepticism, and due to the form of modern motherboards and such this is probably not something that would work well. But, there might be another solution.
While searching for the rather stupid term "wireless RAM", I came across the Wireless F-RAM memory by Ramtron. Now, this is non-volatile memory and thus not the usual random access memory we talk about for Wii U. However, it apparently performs reads and writes like a RAM, so a slightly different volatile version could perhaps be developed. Its specs aren't that impressive, if we talk using it for Wii U anyway, with only 16-Kilobit of memory. So, to gain approximately 2 Gigabyte using these, it would require at least one million units (if my math is correct). Using these natively is therefore probably not a good idea. What I'm wondering is if you could perhaps use NFC to add more RAM (for example DDR3) to Wii U. This F-RAM uses RFID which is similar to NFC.
Wireless memory evidently exists in some fashion, so what to discuss here is whether a sufficient amount of RAM (or other type of volatile memory) can be added wirelessly, via NFC, to Wii U or if it would be too costly. Is such a thing even possible?
Source: http://www.ramtron.com/products/wireless-memory-rfid/gen2-uhf-ics-product.aspx?id=124
While searching for the rather stupid term "wireless RAM", I came across the Wireless F-RAM memory by Ramtron. Now, this is non-volatile memory and thus not the usual random access memory we talk about for Wii U. However, it apparently performs reads and writes like a RAM, so a slightly different volatile version could perhaps be developed. Its specs aren't that impressive, if we talk using it for Wii U anyway, with only 16-Kilobit of memory. So, to gain approximately 2 Gigabyte using these, it would require at least one million units (if my math is correct). Using these natively is therefore probably not a good idea. What I'm wondering is if you could perhaps use NFC to add more RAM (for example DDR3) to Wii U. This F-RAM uses RFID which is similar to NFC.
Wireless memory evidently exists in some fashion, so what to discuss here is whether a sufficient amount of RAM (or other type of volatile memory) can be added wirelessly, via NFC, to Wii U or if it would be too costly. Is such a thing even possible?
Source: http://www.ramtron.com/products/wireless-memory-rfid/gen2-uhf-ics-product.aspx?id=124
I can´t find the info. maybe it was just speculation on the Nintendo´s representative part, or maybe I remember it wrong. But the memory part was discussed because the Wiimote internal memory, subscreen is going to be internal memory too.
Smiles and Cries
Member
GAF hates Nintendo more than Weekend Confirmed though
It's not going to be a standalone device. From what has been said, the processor probably isn't used for anything beyond decoding video and isn't powerful enough for emulating VC games.
Fourth Storm
Member
Nope.
I listen to two or three. One at a banned site, one at another site that's possibly banned, and the one by the Nintendo World Report guys. It all depends on what mood I'm in, from silly to serious to something in-between.
I find that non-Nintendo shows got a bit too derisive somewhere around 2006-2007, so I quit "giving them a chance" and have never looked back.
AceBandage
Banned
Yes, it'll have internal memory, but it won't have the processing capabilities to render anything on its own.
Smiles and Cries
Member
no way this gud
AceBandage
Banned
They never know anything (at least not for Nintendo).
bgassassin
Member
Rösti;37380812 said:
If anything it sounds too complex to implement. I have a tough time seeing devs wanting to access extra memory in a manner like that.
Finally. These usually bring my hype through the roof, so I'm glad it's almost here.
They usually don't, but I like their predictions and what they think the big 3 need to show at E3 to be number 1.
The pocket device sounds like they're getting some information crossed.
When DQX was announcement for WiiU they said they wanted it to have StreetPass via 3DS connectivity. So the idea isn't new and we know developers are working on it.
The rumor-article connects the device to NFC, but NFC doesn't work the way they described. The tech hasn't the range to work like they claim and such a feature runs counter to the designed purpose of that technology.
Nintendo already has a method and protocol for StreetPass that they're not going to change. If such a device exists (more than just for development use), it's purpose would be to allow users to bypass buying a 3DS. Personally, that doesn't sound too smart and definitely not very Nintendo-like.
When DQX was announcement for WiiU they said they wanted it to have StreetPass via 3DS connectivity. So the idea isn't new and we know developers are working on it.
The rumor-article connects the device to NFC, but NFC doesn't work the way they described. The tech hasn't the range to work like they claim and such a feature runs counter to the designed purpose of that technology.
Nintendo already has a method and protocol for StreetPass that they're not going to change. If such a device exists (more than just for development use), it's purpose would be to allow users to bypass buying a 3DS. Personally, that doesn't sound too smart and definitely not very Nintendo-like.
I actually enjoy their Pre-E3 Episodes because it's mostly about prediction and hype than anything else.
And when the first part air it means that there is exactly one month left until E3.
No leak today. Wouldn't be surprised if we get a few more before E3.
There are a lot of people who use portable systems at home as their main console, so you're probably right on.
Smiles and Cries
Member
if anyone knows anything about Nintendo they won't be able to talk about it
if PS4 / 720 are not allowed at E3 what else is good to predict?
I think we'll see some confirmation of 3rd party titles in the next month or so. Just seems impossible that every single title will be kept secret.
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