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[Tathanen]

It's conceivable that they are thinking "SD cards are too small." With that one game (was it Tekken?) weighing in at 17GB, you couldn't even fit two of it on a 32GB card. 3DS and Wii don't have that issue at all. Thus, with the Wii U here, they think of the SD card slot as "for media," and have it up in the front for that reason, easy in and out for pictures, music, video, etc. And your more permanent USB storage stuck in the back, with its far larger capacities.

Just a guess.

 

[Hobby]

Let me just re-translate that stuff so as to not cause confusion. This all comes from the JP Wii U site's Q&A section:

Q. Can download software saved to USB media be played on another Wii U?
A. No. Download software can only be used on 1 Wii U per 1 USB media.

Q. Where is software that I purchased a download for saved to?
A. Internal memory or USB media. Download software can't be saved to the SD card.

http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wiiu/support/qa/software/index.html

 

[Foshy]

If the games are tied to accounts you should be able to redownload them off the E-shop.

The OP says that exactly this is not possible.

 

[piteru]

Nice.I just bought a 32gb sd card and it's already wasted.so if I can't save My digital games,what's the fuckin use of the sd card on a wiiu?

 

[fabricated backlash]

I think the safest assumption is that downloaded content will be encrypted to the console.
Thus taking a harddrive with you would not work on another console.

It should however be possible to log into your account and redownload it on another console, deactivating the content on the old one.

But again, this is Nintendo. I would not be surprised if they manage to fuck this up royally.

 

[maquiladora]

Not sure what to make of this ...

Edit: So what can the SD card be used for?

 

[Diablos54]

Bit annoying that you can't use someone's Wii U (Not that anyone I know will have a Wii U anyway), but people are jumping the gun on the whole 'tied to hardware' stuff. We don't know how this will work yet so let's wait until we do until we start saying 'LOL NINTENDO!'

 

[Baconsammy]

People were really expecting this? haha, I can't see nintendo letting you "sharing" accounts over multiple consoles like on psn.

I'm not suggesting that at all. I'm referring to the 360 method of forcing you to be logged into your account to access your games.

 

[H_Prestige]

Well not being able to move your HDD around to plug and play with any WiiU is not an issue, the question is whether or not you can log into your account and download them to another WiiU to play.

If they aren't allowing the former, why would they allow the latter? That's probably even worse from their perspective, since you can just give any friend your log in info and they can download all your games.

 

[GraveRobberX]

6 threads for WiiU info on first page, Jesus!

This is still the calm before the storm, next week is going to be fun lol

 

[WrenchNinja]

How is it that we're a week from launch and we still dont know the exact details about their account system

 

[Baconsammy]

Let me just re-translate that stuff so as to not cause confusion:

Q. Can downloaded software saved to USB media be played on another Wii U
A. No. Downloaded software can only be used on 1 Wii U per 1 USB media.

Well there ya go. Nintendo sure goes out of its way to ensure it will never be my main console.

 

[tenchir]

Now I am thinking this is a propietary file system issue and not an issue with the sd slot itself.

 

[ffdgh]

I have a SD usb adapter so no issues here tho it's still troublesome. I assume they don't want another hack on their hands.

 

[NateDrake]

Let me just re-translate that stuff so as to not cause confusion:

Q. Can downloaded software saved to USB media be played on another Wii U
A. No. Downloaded software can only be used on 1 Wii U per 1 USB media.

Q. Where is downloaded software saved to?
A. Internal memory or USB media. Downloaded software can't be saved to the SD card.

http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wiiu/support/qa/software/index.html

So one Wii U is active with my account and I can play my games. Whatever Wii U I log-in on should work fine it sounds like, maybe?

We need more details before hitting the panic button like so many have done already.

 

[CoilShot]

6 threads for WiiU info on first page, Jesus!

This is still the calm before the storm, next week is going to be fun lol

I hope there is a general Wii U thread or its going to be insane

 

[Instro]

How is it that we're a week from launch and we still dont know the exact details about their account system

Because Nintendo is dumb.

 

[bryehn]

People were really expecting this? haha, I can't see nintendo letting you "sharing" accounts over multiple consoles like on psn.

Never owned an Xbox 360? I think most of us were expecting that sort of account-based "ownership" or leasing of games.

 

[Nibel]

You're not wrong but SD card is easier to carry your content around. But that's moot since downloaded content is only playable on the original console, lols


PS3 allows you to activate up to 2 consoles. X360 allows you to play your content on another X360 provided that you login to your XBL Gamertag.

Nintendo: carry your Wii U lulz

You've got a point there. Well, at least the console is small and not super huge or heavy - I guess that's something

 

[kami_sama]

Well there ya go. Nintendo sure goes out of its way to ensure it will never be my main console.

I don't know what are you reading there. It says that 1 game downloaded on the usb can only be used on one wii u, if I understand correctly.

 

[GraveRobberX]

So 1 WiiU console has the rights to all DL software

Multiple accounts can play said DL software through that WiiU

You can't carry over the DL to another WiiU

So 1 activation is required

No clue how deactivation will work though, busted WiiU will be a whole new situation

 

[boiled goose]

if all content is tied to hardware and not the seemingly possibly useless nintendo account then there goes the chances of me ever buying a WiiU.

 

[Spieler Eins]

I think the safest assumption is that downloaded content will be encrypted to the console.
Thus taking a harddrive with you would not work on another console.

It should however be possible to log into your account and redownload it on another console, deactivating the content on the old one.

But again, this is Nintendo. I would not be surprised if they manage to fuck this up royally.

I'm also expecting the worst, but otherwise I really don't see the point of the Nintendo account. You'd just have it to replace a friend code? lol. In an ideal world, all the DD content in the Wiimode will also be tied to the account, but that's even less likely to happen.
Even when online did sound okay on paper for the 3DS (also streetpass), it still has lots of unnecessary quirks and fuck ups.

 

[Eusis]

It's conceivable that they are thinking "SD cards are too small." With that one game (was it Tekken?) weighing in at 17GB, you couldn't even fit two of it on a 32GB card. 3DS and Wii don't have that issue at all. Thus, with the Wii U here, they think of the SD card slot as "for media," and have it up in the front for that reason, easy in and out for pictures, music, video, etc. And your more permanent USB storage stuck in the back, with its far larger capacities.

Just a guess.

That's actually kind of short sighted: the 32 GB cards would be cramped, but we have SDXC now, and so you could stuff a 128 GB in and be fine for a small handful of downloads, which will probably be quite practical further into the system's lifespan.

I think more likely it's because they want to keep the SD Card slot for the Wii games, and if you want to be serious about downloads you'll get an external HDD drive. Or if you REALLY want to use that SD card you'll do it through USB.

 

[Wario64]

So if your Wii U breaks down and you buy another, you'll have to call Nintendo to transfer your licenses over?

 

[kami_sama]

if all content is tied to hardware and not the seemingly possibly useless nintendo account then there goes the chances of me ever buying a WiiU.

The game itself isn't, the thing that's tied to the account is the installation.

 

[dwu8991]

Are you able to copy or move between storage memory and USB storage media body?

I can not copy can be moved. For details, refer to the "Data Management" in "System Settings" Wii U menu.


You can't copy like PS3 but you can move your DD games !!!

 

[Dion Blaster]

Not buying digital anymore from Nintendo. Not after I'm stuck with my Wii full of VC games that I can't tie to an account and need to buy a Wii U to transfer to first and then can't even play them on the gamepad screen.

Nintendo's online system is the reason I haven't bought anything from the 3DS eShop.

 

[fabricated backlash]

So one Wii U is active with my account and I can play my games. Whatever Wii U I log-in on should work fine it sounds like, maybe?

I think that's how it's going to work. Once you log into another console, your digital rights are deactivated on the original console, or you're required to be online to access the content.


But again, they might just simply tie it to one console and call it a day. Wouldn't surprise me.

So far all that is certain is that we can't take a USB HDD with us and use the content on another WiiU. Don't know about redownloading it using the account.

 

[Baconsammy]

So one Wii U is active with my account and I can play my games. Whatever Wii U I log-in on should work fine it sounds like, maybe?

We need more details before hitting the panic button like so many have done already.

Yeah, I may be reading too much into it. This may be like the 360 system where the game will only run on one Wii U at a time, and not specifically the Wii U it was downloaded upon. It's lame of Nintendo to not have spoken at all yet about how they're handling the account system. The problem is that given Nintendo's own awful history, we expect the worst because more often than not that's what they deliver (see most recently the 3DS eShop).

 

[GraveRobberX]

So if your Wii U breaks down and you buy another, you'll have to call Nintendo to transfer your licenses over?

Just like MS no?

Sony gives you at least 2 activations, so 2 PS3's

 

[Diablos54]

So if your Wii U breaks down and you buy another, you'll have to call Nintendo to transfer your licenses over?

I assume so. Or maybe they'll be some sort of app for it. Hopefully it's easier than it was on the Wii.

 

[boiled goose]

Not buying digital anymore from Nintendo. Not after I'm stuck with my Wii full of VC games that I can't tie to an account and need to buy a Wii U to transfer to first and then can't even play them on the gamepad screen.

Nintendo's online system is the reason I haven't bought anything from the 3DS eShop.

It is the reason I havent bought a 3DS...

One activation is fine. as long as content is tied to ur account. Someone needs to confirm this.
If someone buys Mario U DD and wants to buy a new WiiU, how does one move it to the new console?

 

[Bloodrage]

Stupid U, Nintendo.

 

[Fox Mulder]

I'm getting the console, but it feels like I really know nothing about the little things like this.

Online services are a big deal now, and digital downloads will only be a bigger thing next gen.

 

[Wario64]

Just like MS no?

Sony gives you at least 2 activations, so 2 PS3's

No, Microsoft lets you transfer license on your own. Once every 6 months or so.

 

[cloudyy]

I'm not suggesting that at all. I'm referring to the 360 method of forcing you to be logged into your account to access your games.

Forcing you to log-in to play your games isn't that great of a solution too.

 

[Instro]

It's pretty silly that we are having to translate Japanese info a week before the console is out in the US.

 

[ShogunX]

Just like MS no?

Sony gives you at least 2 activations, so 2 PS3's

No. Firstly the game is tied to your profile so as long as you are signed in you can play on any Xbox. Second - You can transfer licenses yourself on the console.

 

[GraveRobberX]

No, Microsoft lets you transfer license on your own. Once every 6 months or so.

Oh I didn't know this

 

[Sandfox]

So if your Wii U breaks down and you buy another, you'll have to call Nintendo to transfer your licenses over?

It depends on how the account system handles the games. You might just need to redownload.

 

[Fourth Storm]

Bad news all around today. Ninendo seem to be overlooking many of these little things and it's just an inconvenience to consumers. Strange and aggrevating decision...

 

[Wario64]

Oh I didn't know this

Transfer content licenses

You can transfer content licenses from one console to another once every four months.

If your console was recently repaired, or if you’ve purchased a new console, use the license transfer option on your console to transfer content licenses. Here’s how:

On your console, sign in to Xbox LIVE using the gamertag that you used to purchase the content.

Go to the Settings, and then select Account.

Go to Your Billing Options, and then select License Transfer.

Follow the on-screen instructions to transfer the content licenses.

After the licenses are transferred, you need to download the content again to update the local licenses. This way the content can be used by other profiles on your console and when you’re not connected to Xbox LIVE.

 

[Baconsammy]

Just like MS no?

Sony gives you at least 2 activations, so 2 PS3's

Microsoft doesnt do that. Your 360 breaks, you simply download your profile to whatever new 360 you get and then hit the 'transfer licenses' option. Takes less than 5 seconds to transfer.

Forcing you to log-in to play your games isn't that great of a solution too.

Of course it's a good solution. It's the only way they can prove you purchased it. On 360 the console you bought the game on is the only one that doesnt require you to be logged in to play DLC.

 

[Eusis]

No, Microsoft lets you transfer license on your own. Once every 6 months or so.

I wonder if Nintendo will allow that afterall? Probably stupid crap like only one system can be activated, and you either need to deactivate the other or it'll deactivate upon connecting to the internet.

Then you have to redownload the games anyway, because Nintendo believes in baby steps.

 

[Tathanen]

It is the reason I havent bought a 3DS...

Nintendo's online system is the reason I haven't bought anything from the 3DS eShop.

This is pretty crazy to me. Sure it may be a little weird and/or stupid in parts, but I figured people bought machines because of the games, not because "the infrastructure for software management is sub-optimal." And the 3DS has a ton of great games, including eShop games.

Shows what I know.

 

[SapientWolf]

Forcing you to log-in to play your games isn't that great of a solution too.

You only have to do that with XBL content if it's not the console you originally downloaded it to.

 

[fabricated backlash]

I'm also expecting the worst, but otherwise I really don't see the point of the Nintendo account. You'd just have it to replace a friend code? lol. In an ideal world, all the DD content in the Wiimode will also be tied to the account, but that's even less likely to happen.
Even when online did sound okay on paper for the 3DS (also streetpass), it still has lots of unnecessary quirks and fuck ups.

Yeah seems like the WiiU online infrastructure is just another brick in Nintendos wall of shame. I'm still going to enjoy the WiiU, but come on, it's 2012, not 1991 anymore.
To think that they would introduce accounts but completely miss the point why people were expecting them, and what kind of convenience that consumers expect in 2012...

And to think that it was an outside company that came up with this shit as well... or at least helped them produce such a POS.

 

[TriGen]

I think that's how it's going to work. Once you log into another console, your digital rights are deactivated on the original console, or you're required to be online to access the content.


But again, they might just simply tie it to one console and call it a day. Wouldn't surprise me.

So far all that is certain is that we can't take a USB HDD with us and use the content on another WiiU. Don't know about redownloading it using the account.

That's my guess to this as well. We'll obviously have to wait to see because you can't exactly ever know what Nintendo is doing, but that's what I think. You basically have to declare a particular Wii U console. Basically only one Wii U console has active "approved for play" games, but that can be switched, just when you switch the other one deactivates. We'll see. I would be surprised by nothing.

 

[Burai]

Not sure what to make of this ...

Edit: So what can the SD card be used for?

Wii fridge management?