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Wii U Speculation Thread 2: Can't take anymore of this!!!

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royalan

Member
You mean, if their own hardware/software combination is all they have to distinguish themselves? Like, say, why people buy Apple products at a significantly higher price than a competitor?

It is of course a difficult job to convince people of this. It requires a huge amount of skill and effort in the development of software and hardware, in unison.

It's a tricky thing to compare anything to the success of Apple products. And, to be fair, Apple always outputs hardware that's technically impressive, even if they sometimes omit certain features (multitasking, NFC). You'd never see Apple do something akin to taking their latest software and slapping it on old Blackberry Curve hardware...which is kinda what Nintendo would be doing if the Wii U really is just a repackaged 360.
 

Hoo-doo

Banned
Links to these statements from devs?
For every one dev that has said on par, we've had at least 5 say above.

Just read the entire Arkam debacle, plenty of people "in the know" have mentioned that it wasn't going to be significantly more powerful, and you know this as well.

I am merely observing how you are stating things as absolute fact, when they clearly are still speculation at this point, it tends to confuse people.
 
From every gaf member that's been verified by a mod who works for a video game company and have actually seen real WiiU dev kit and have said it's either slightly below or on par with current PS360 tech vs random non verified dev comments on the interweb.

I know which one I trust more.

One GAFer has said below. And he doesn't even work with the system.
The others have said above.

Just read the entire Arkam debacle, plenty of people "in the know" have mentioned that it wasn't going to be significantly more powerful, and you know this as well.

I am merely observing how you are stating things as absolute fact, when they clearly are still speculation at this point, it tends to confuse people.



What people in the know? A guy that hasn't even touched the thing? Or the people that have?
 

Instro

Member
From every gaf member that's been verified by a mod who works for a video game company and have actually seen real WiiU dev kit and have said it's either slightly below or on par with current PS360 tech vs random non verified dev comments on the interweb.

I know which one I trust more.

Wait, what?
 
The Wii was basically a reconstituted Gamecube, cost $250 and was far from DOA. But then the tablet controller isn't quite as unique/ as much of a literal gamechanger. Arguably.
 

HylianTom

Banned
Back from Mardi Gras - I have the day off from my job doing 3D data production and manipulation
(again.. see how true vaguery can be fun?)
.
Better yet, the Krewe of Rex had a float the reminded me of one of the temples in Skyward Sword. Very Mayan-flavored.

Thread still seems popular. Lots of people seem interested in whether Nintendo will sink or soar.

I also think that Nintendo's competitors will give them cover if they decide to go closer to 2x 360 instead of 5x. There's lots of suspicion that MS and Sony will go with a more modest rise in processing power this time around, just out of financial sense. If this ends-up true, you're going to be less likely end-up with a "Car Vault vs. Oblivion" screenshot scenario once again.
 

Plinko

Wildcard berths that can't beat teams without a winning record should have homefield advantage
From every gaf member that's been verified by a mod who works for a video game company and have actually seen real WiiU dev kit and have said it's either slightly below or on par with current PS360 tech vs random non verified dev comments on the interweb.

I know which one I trust more.

LOL

No.
 

cyberheater

PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 Xbone PS4 PS4
One GAFer has said below. And he doesn't even work with the system.
The others have said above.

I personally believe that the final version is going to be slightly more powerful then PS360 when it launches. It will be down to the devs to make it shine though.
 

Delio

Member
From every gaf member that's been verified by a mod who works for a video game company and have actually seen real WiiU dev kit and have said it's either slightly below or on par with current PS360 tech vs random non verified dev comments on the interweb.

I know which one I trust more.

Slightly below? Jesus we need this thing to launch already.
 
You could end up being right, but I just don't see the tablet controller being a wiimote/kinect level game changer. The tech world is flooded with tablet devices right now, and all the ones that aren't named iPad/Kindle Fire/Nook aren't setting the world on fire with their sales. We're getting to the point of market saturation where just slapping a touch screen on something isn't going to get people running.

It will come down to how the tablet is utilized by devs, of course. Combined with the HD display, the subscreen offers everything the DS did and then some as far as gameplay possibilities go. Those other tablets also don't have the advantage of a Nintendo leading the way in creating unique experiences. All it takes is one software title on the level of Wii Sports to make everyone a believer. Iwata has stated in the past that they are constantly on the lookout for the next "big hit," ala Wii Sports, Wii Fit, and Brain Age.

Also, do not underestimate the feature of freeing console gaming from the television set. Being able to seamlessly switch from tv to game has the potential to be a huge hit with families, couples, and even frat houses. One of the biggest hurdles for console gaming is the time it takes to get something started. The fact that you don't even need a tv to start up a game or check the network is a huge step forward.
 

Plinko

Wildcard berths that can't beat teams without a winning record should have homefield advantage
The Wii was basically a reconstituted Gamecube, cost $250 and was far from DOA. But then the tablet controller isn't quite as unique/ as much of a literal gamechanger. Arguably.

It also introduced motion controls to the gaming world.

The tablet has been out for years. I think people will like it but it won't have anywhere near the success of the Wii. I predict another Gamecube situation.

Also, NO WAY will 3rd parties get on board if it's not much more powerful than the 360.
 

Hoo-doo

Banned
Not really. I suspect Arkam was mistaken about the RAM or referring to the final system's specifications. Most of what they've said has lined up nicely.

It's funny, really, when you think about it.

lherre: "The system isn't all that powerful and some people are getting their hopes up too high."
Chopper: "My source is disappointed with the Wii U's specs."
Arkam: "The system isn't all that powerful and some people are getting their hopes up too high."

I've verified all three. Take that as you will.

What people in the know? A guy that hasn't even touched the thing? Or the people that have?

It's still all just speculation at this point, let's not act like it isn't.
That's all what i'm saying here, I have no horse in either race.
 
It's still all just speculation at this point, let's not act like it isn't.
That's all what i'm saying here, I have no horse in either race.

In science, when we take data we discard outliers.
Right now, Arkam's statements of it being below the 360 is an outlier.
 

Log4Girlz

Member
It also introduced motion controls to the gaming world.

The tablet has been out for years. I think people will like it but it won't have anywhere near the success of the Wii. I predict another Gamecube situation.

Also, NO WAY will 3rd parties get on board if it's not much more powerful than the 360.

Yeah, Nintendo released motion controls and has been out for years. I don't think the Kinect will have anywhere near the success...oh wait.
 

HylianTom

Banned
It also introduced motion controls to the gaming world.

The tablet has been out for years. I think people will like it but it won't have anywhere near the success of the Wii. I predict another Gamecube situation.

Also, NO WAY will 3rd parties get on board if it's not much more powerful than the 360.

Even if it were more powerful, I'm still skeptical.

Third parties, particularly western ones, seem to be the Lucy to Nintendo's Charlie Brown. One flimsy excuse, another flimsy excuse, another excuse.. pull the ball.

If MS and Sony don't go with a pad, there ya go..
Convenient Excuse #4: We Didn't Know What to Do With the uPad

And I know.. the launch lineup - heavily supported with ports from PS360 - may be impressive, but what happens after that wad is shot?
 

Plinko

Wildcard berths that can't beat teams without a winning record should have homefield advantage
Yeah, Nintendo released motion controls and has been out for years. I don't think the Kinect will have anywhere near the success...oh wait.

Not even close to the same thing.

1) No controller--totally different way to play

2) HD graphics

At that point, the only thing the Wii U would have going for it is the ability to play with the TV off. I think that will be a great feature but not a huge system-seller.
 
From every gaf member that's been verified by a mod who works for a video game company and have actually seen real WiiU dev kit and have said it's either slightly below or on par with current PS360 tech vs random non verified dev comments on the interweb.

I know which one I trust more.

LOL. Sorry brah but you're wrong. Many who have seen the devkits have stated its more powerful than whats currently available.
 

Rhod

Member
It's a tricky thing to compare anything to the success of Apple products. And, to be fair, Apple always outputs hardware that's technically impressive, even if they sometimes omit certain features (multitasking, NFC). You'd never see Apple do something akin to taking their latest software and slapping it on old Blackberry Curve hardware...which is kinda what Nintendo would be doing if the Wii U really is just a repackaged 360.

Looking at it a different way, Apple builds a system apt to the functionality they want to develop, and it often works very well. The original few generations of iPod, for example.

Nintendo has successfully employed the same strategy for many years now.
 

antonz

Member
Looking at it a different way, Apple builds a system apt to the functionality they want to develop, and it often works very well. The original few generations of iPod, for example.

Nintendo has successfully employed the same strategy for many years now.

Outside of the Wii we have seen Nintendo has lost ground every single console Generation. Its always because they make some pretty questionable decisions too.
 

Rhod

Member
Outside of the Wii we have seen Nintendo has lost ground every single console Generation.

And yet the Wii and DS were the two systems in which their 'just make it technologically as good as we need it, and bring the fun in other ways' philosophy was followed most closely.

So why would they change path?

It's not that everyone has to like it, it's just that it's not *wrong* for them to follow the Wii U plan that they are talking about.

And they *are* talking about their defining concepts for Wii U. And none of them are *amazing GPU*:

Iwata said:
One of the Wii U's proposals is, "Even if you don't buy the latest TV, the existing TV in your house will become multi-screen." In households in Japan, I believe many families have recently replaced their TVs to watch terrestrial digital media broadcasting as the transitional period to which ended just the other day, and I do not imagine that mass amounts of those new TVs will be replaced in the near future. One of Wii U's proposals is that the TV will turn into a multi-screen TV that works very closely with the Internet, without replacing the TV.

Miyamoto said:
we have designed the Wii U to be recognized as being different from any other hardware system. Although I cannot elaborate on its network functions today, as we are preparing for the launch of the Wii U, we are taking into consideration its network-related capabilities.

Iwata said:
the Wii U is not simply a Wii with a different user interface and we are not proposing to society a performance-enhanced Wii, rather we are proposing hardware with a totally different concept and vision.

When evaluating new Nintendo hardware, thinking about the tech specs is missing the point. Assuming it will be bleeding edge tech is, on recent-past form, just peculiar.
 

Log4Girlz

Member
Not even close to the same thing.

1) No controller--totally different way to play

2) HD graphics

At that point, the only thing the Wii U would have going for it is the ability to play with the TV off. I think that will be a great feature but not a huge system-seller.

People are all over touch gaming, it will be a massive system seller at the right price and with the right software. The 3DS is lighting it up now (now that they've corrected the price).
 

Hoo-doo

Banned
In science, when we take data we discard outliers.
Right now, Arkam's statements of it being below the 360 is an outlier.

This isn't about it being below the 360, read my posts. I said low estimates put it "on par" with the current HD consoles, that's all.

And with other developers being disappointed, or even outright saying the system isn't all that powerful, i'd say my statement isn't far off.
 

antonz

Member
And yet the Wii and DS were the two systems in which their 'just make it technologically as good as we need it, and bring the fun in other ways' philosophy was followed most closely.

So why would they change path?

Nintendo has a fantastic strategy when it comes to handhelds. The DS was the same strategy they have always used as is the 3DS when it comes to power and potential.

Its the console market they flail around in.
 

royalan

Member
It will come down to how the tablet is utilized by devs, of course. Combined with the HD display, the subscreen offers everything the DS did and then some as far as gameplay possibilities go. Those other tablets also don't have the advantage of a Nintendo leading the way in creating unique experiences. All it takes is one software title on the level of Wii Sports to make everyone a believer. Iwata has stated in the past that they are constantly on the lookout for the next "big hit," ala Wii Sports, Wii Fit, and Brain Age.

I agree with this, but I don't think Nintendo games are the problem. As someone stated a page ago, Nintendo making great games for their hardware has never been the issue. Wii U could end up being a Wii and a Gamecube duct taped together, and Nintendo would still make impressive games for it.

The issue for a lot of people going forward is 3rd party support. The Wii demonstrated that it doesn't matter how much your console sells, and it doesn't matter how good the 1st party games are; if you stray too far outside of what the rest of the industry is doing, you won't get the support. I'm personally anxious to see how Nintendo is going to address that, because after this gen, no one developer's games are enough to make go in on a console at launch. 3rd Party support is going to be a big deal for me, and for a lot of people.

Also, do not underestimate the feature of freeing console gaming from the television set. Being able to seamlessly switch from tv to game has the potential to be a huge hit with families, couples, and even frat houses. One of the biggest hurdles for console gaming is the time it takes to get something started. The fact that you don't even need a tv to start up a game or check the network is a huge step forward.

I hesitate to count this as a game-changing feature because it won't be viable for all (or even most) Wii U games. For example, any game that makes even minor use of the tablet controller as a secondary screen will not be able to also use the controller to function as the main screen at the same time. Sure, they could code the game to play differently if the upad is being used as the primary screen, but then you get into the issue of Nintendo expecting devs to do too much extra to support their hardware.
 

Log4Girlz

Member
I see a lot of ladies streaming netflix on their tablet while their boyfriends/husbands are watching something else and vice versa.
 
This isn't about it being below the 360, read my posts. I said low estimates put it "on par" with the current HD consoles, that's all.

And with other developers being disappointed, or even outright saying the system isn't all that powerful, i'd say my statement isn't far off.

Some devs will be disappointed if it doesn't have a billion gigs of RAM and a thousand TFLOPs...
 

antonz

Member
I see a lot of ladies streaming netflix on their tablet while their boyfriends/husbands are watching something else and vice versa.

That poses its own problem. As tablet ownership continues to grow why are people gonna need or use a Wii U tablet when they have much nicer tablets already for the off the TV streaming etc. They will have the advantage of streaming Nintendo games but heck these days most tablets can stream games off PCs etc now.
 

Rhod

Member
I hesitate to count this as a game-changing feature because it won't be viable for all (or even most) Wii U games.

It will allow you to keep interacting with your Wii U, at *all* times. Sure, you won't be able to play every game but you'll be able to get messages, invites, browse stuff, play the virtual console, and play some big games.

It is important to keep the player's relationship with the system active. And it is a big step up from what we've had with games machines in the past in this regard.
 

Rhod

Member
That poses its own problem. As tablet ownership continues to grow why are people gonna need or use a Wii U tablet when they have much nicer tablets already for the off the TV streaming etc

As I said, it'll be difficult to define it as something worth having. But you appear to presume they can't, possibly based upon your estimations and of things you have already seen, but not based upon what has inspired a very large corporation to make a new device with a second screen as its major differentiator. Nintendo may well be wrong, but it would certainly be very odd for them to be investing so heavily if they didn't think it was worth it.

You need only look at Wii for an example of similar.
 
Those were the Yamauchi years...

You're absolutely right! DS and Wii are the first handheld and console platforms respectively to launch after Iwata took over, and DAMN did he do what Yamauchi couldn't, I mean would Nintendo, or anyone have predicted the success of these two platforms? Iwata certainly did the right thing at the right time, and more than worthy of his position.
 

tkscz

Member
we still talking about this? it's been said that his info was off AND that it was the first underclocked dev kits. please stop.
 
From every gaf member that's been verified by a mod who works for a video game company and have actually seen real WiiU dev kit and have said it's either slightly below or on par with current PS360 tech vs random non verified dev comments on the interweb.

I know which one I trust more.

Thats the important part isn't it? Out of all the "verified" posters, how many of them have actually worked on a built from the ground up Wii U Title? How many have merely worked with the Wii U hardware (making a port of a current gen title) to make an accurate comparison to the Ps3/360? And how many have simply heard from a loose lipped coworker?

Me personally, I won't believe any of these rumors until I hear from someone who has actually worked directly with the hardware (in other words, questions 1 or 2 is good enough for me, 3 takes a bit more for me to accept)
 

royalan

Member
It will allow you to keep interacting with your Wii U, at *all* times. Sure, you won't be able to play every game but you'll be able to get messages, invites, browse stuff, play the virtual console, and play some big games.

It is important to keep the player's relationship with the system active. And it is a big step up from what we've had with games machines in the past in this regard.

That's awesome. Don't get me wrong, I see great gameplay potential in a tablet controller. I've never tried to argue otherwise. That's one of the main reasons I'm excited for Wii U.

I just don't see the tablet controller being the big, "Whoa! I've never seen anything like that before!" draw with casuals that the wiimote and Kinect are. So I hope Nintendo's not putting all of their eggs into that one basket.
 

le.phat

Member
You know, considering this is already the second Wii U Spectulation Thread, I sometimes wonder how come it's got so many views and even posts. Clearly people must be immensly interested in Nintendo's next big thing as well as Nintendo themselves. It's gotta be FUN for you all or even an obsession of some sort, because you - fuck, me included - can't stop thinking about the damn thing. As soon as new information leaks, people jump on it like vultures on dead meat. The fact that Nintendo knows how to keep it's secrets makes it even more exciting and fun.

Nintendo must be the best thing ever, because they know how to produce enjoyment. Even just the thinking/the speculation about the Wii U let's people have fun - that's how genius they are. Nintendo's partly made out of PURE MAGIC it seems, don't you see? They know what you want, want makes you happy, even before you do. They could provide you with the details, but they don't want to. They just know how much fun it is to speculate about them.

They even have Ninjas, how is that?

Dude. Thats borderline creepy. As stated before, this is the first NG console thats slowly taking form. Obviously alot of people want to keep tabs, it isnt any different when x360 and ps4 roll out. And to be honest, for every person that sticks for the fun of speculation, another person sticks for meltdowns and drama.
 

Hoo-doo

Banned
They also play games.


HOLD THE PHONE NINTENDO, STOP DEVELOPING THE WII U.

Why were you even bringing up the Netflix example in the first place? I don't see the ladies flocking to the PS Vita when it's supposed to be capable of playing Netflix as well, and on a better screen to boot.
 

antonz

Member
Well looks like Nintendo Power is teasing an Epic Mickey 2 reveal for the next issue. As we know its supposed to be a Wii U game we will see what happens
 
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