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Mario Kart 8 : new trailer

Who gives a shit how it looks relative to systems it's never, ever going to be on? Even then, I seriously doubt anymore than 0.01% of people engaging in this discussion have an eye for or any idea about engine and processing technicalities that are necessary for understanding if this-can-run-on-that and are instead basing their impressions exclusively off the art and presentation, which is not, has never been, and never will be a reliable metric to judge technical complexity.

Game looks lovely, technically and artistically, making good use of the closed technology available, and seems to be the frontrunner in impressing both people who own and those curious about the Wii U. Winner winner chicken dinners.
 
ShockingAlberto said:
It looks better because the Wii U has more useable RAM. It'd be really weird if it didn't look better.
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I think there's a bit more to it than that though mate. I'm still in the fixed functions camp. Would certainly explain how a 176GFlops/352GFlops GPU with such a low power draw can throw around this many polys at this resolution, framerate and also have v-synch enabled. At the very least I reckon they have HDR lighting and DoF being 'free' to use. And will also explain why the ALUs are twice the size they should be.

I just don't know how they've done it and kept the rendering pipeline standard, the TEV Unit in the Wii was a big reason why a separate SKU had to be developed for the Wii, it gave the Wii a nonstandard rendering pipeline as far as I understand things..?

We know that Nintendo were working closely with engine creators whilst the Wii U was being took together so maybe they've evolved the TEV Unit so that it can be fully usable with their engines..?

There's certainly something/some things going on under the hood that we're unaware of.
 
The things that impress me the most are the lighting and the special effects. I think they are thanks to the more advanced GPU inside the WiiU.

I have not seen lighting like that before on a 360/ps3 game

People might started getting out halo4 and Tlou pics but that lighting still dont look the same to me and its not an art style thing either,I think its better on a technically level, Ah hell, I dont know if it is better on a tech level but it sure look better.
 
It honestly looks leaps and bounds ahead of any kart racer out there

Certainly better than the wii effort, and sony's lacklustre copycat kart racers last gen

Alas i can't justify buying a wii u
 
PSYGN said:
Makes me want to purchase a Wii U just for this game.
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iboHjeFC2XAdgw.gif
 
Alistair Roo said:
Looking at this gif, I remember Konno or Yabuki saying the tracks were narrowed compared to MKW but they look as wide or even more...
And it's not the only case, Royal Raceway, Dry Dry Desert and Toad's Turnpike look way too wide.
Click to expand...

That's always been bullshit. Since E3 2013 we've had Toad Harbour and it's a perfect counter-example to his statement with the wide downhill part and the starting line zone.

I don't have any issue with that, though, but it's a bit ridiculous from their part to say such a thing if it's simply wrong.
 
The track design in this game is phenomenal. Even though I knew I was going to purchase the game, I was pretty ambivalent about it. However, the new footage looks ridiculously good, and suddenly, I can't wait until release.

I like how the items have a timer that tells you exactly how long it'll last before its effects wear off.
 
I wish I could stop visiting this thread every once in a while to check out the new GIFs. I think I've spoiled every single track for myself now.

Anyway. This game looks simply magnificent graphicswise, definitely a masterpiece. If the gameplay delivers... Greatest Mario Kart and kart racer ever? We'll see.
 
Have just noticed the very first 'bad' point from a gif, but if you blink you'll miss it lol. When you go through the cutaway plane where the bonus thingies are I've noticed that the plane body isn't as round as everything else in the game. Looks like it's made up of 16 or so sides.

Nintendo, you should be ashamed lololol
 
tapedeck said:
So good.

Just think, one more gen till renders = in game...HNNNNNNG
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Slightly related: I like the lighting they use on their HD games more than the ones they use in their CG renders.

Though lately Nintendo's been using a softer kind of lighting on the renders too so it doesn't bother me as much.
 
Ugh...Console wars...
Maybe things should be more about the developers than consoles. You could give me me a PS4 dev kit and I couldn't make jack. I'm assuming programming isn't as straight forward as 60 this or 1080 that, and there are probably a lot of tricks to the trade.

1.21Gigawatts said:
I feel like the graphics have been significantly upgraded since E3.
If you watch this footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HT3diQX3i1I

Looks much better now. Can't put my finger on what exactly they changed, tough.
Click to expand...

That's what I thought
So I've found an example. I think the shadows and lighting wereworse in the E3 build.

Toad Harbour (E3 Build) 4:55
- Going up that bridge. Stuff looks a bit flat.

Toad Harbour (Gamexplain) (Off-Screen too, mind you) :40
- Higher Res Road Texture
- And reflective road lighting, this may be the big difference
- ...Maybe higher Res textures in general...

And these two videos are compressed and stuff so it'd be more apparent elsewhere.

Did that help?

EDIT:
Looking back, yeah it got a major upgrade. At least for Toad Harbour. Wait, I'm not British...
 
The fact that this thread has devolved into a Wii U versus last gen consoles graphics debate is majorly disappointing.

If some ridiculous need for console ownership-based self-justification gives you an ass-backward mental block so insurmountable that you can't look at Infamous: Second Son and say "that looks fantastic" and then look at Mario Kart 8 and say "that also looks fantastic," then I pity your lack of ability to enjoy things. And shame on you for bringing that hangup into this formerly awesome thread.
 
Tookay said:
Slightly related: I like the lighting they use on their HD games more than the ones they use in their CG renders.

Though lately Nintendo's been using a softer kind of lighting on the renders too so it doesn't bother me as much.
Click to expand...

They have actually upgraded their renders too

Mario_and_Toad_Mechanic_Artwork_-_Mario_Kart_8.png
Click to expand...

Click to zoom on the finish details ;)
 
Converse said:
The fact that this thread has devolved into a Wii U versus last gen consoles graphics debate is majorly disappointing.

If some ridiculous need for console ownership-based self-justification gives you an ass-backward mental block so insurmountable that you can't look at Infamous: Second Son and say "that looks fantastic" and then look at Mario Kart 8 and say "that also looks fantastic," then I pity your lack of ability to enjoy things. And shame on you for bringing that hangup into this formerly awesome thread.
Click to expand...
Preach and testify.
 
Converse said:
The fact that this thread has devolved into a Wii U versus last gen consoles graphics debate is majorly disappointing.

If some ridiculous need for console ownership-based self-justification gives you an ass-backward mental block so insurmountable that you can't look at Infamous: Second Son and say "that looks fantastic" and then look at Mario Kart 8 and say "that also looks fantastic," then I pity your lack of ability to enjoy things. And shame on you for bringing that hangup into this formerly awesome thread.
Click to expand...

QFT. It's an awesome game, nevermind your console wars. Be happy, people!
 
I'm really jazzed about this game right now whereas before I was really skeptical about it -- like I thought it would just be MK7 again except with new courses and fitted for the console instead. But it's clearly exceeded that with the anti-gravity, track design, and the amazing look to it.

It's leaps and bounds above what I expected and is going to make April and most of May really difficult to get through.
 
I will play the shit outta this with my son. it should have come out with the launch of the Wii U but we can't change this now.

I turned the N64 version back in the day into a drinking game and I rekon I might do that again with the Mrs..
 
Tookay said:
Slightly related: I like the lighting they use on their HD games more than the ones they use in their CG renders.

Though lately Nintendo's been using a softer kind of lighting on the renders too so it doesn't bother me as much.
Click to expand...
Agreed, I pretty much just grabbed a similar angled render of Mario to compare with the screenshot. Didnt even realize it was from MK7 lol.

MYE said:
They have actually upgraded their renders too


Click to zoom on the finish details ;)
Click to expand...
Not to derail this thread too much but yeah holy crap the new ones are gorgeous.
wii-u-mario-kart-8-render-2.jpg
Click to expand...
 
MannyToons said:
I love how you can see the stitching on Mario's hat emblem. That's a nice touch.
No longer looks like plastic.
Click to expand...
It really looks amazing. IDK but If you look closely you can also see that Mario has some actual skin texture! Very subtle but dat attention to detail is awesome.
 
Tookay said:
Slightly related: I like the lighting they use on their HD games more than the ones they use in their CG renders.

Though lately Nintendo's been using a softer kind of lighting on the renders too so it doesn't bother me as much.
Click to expand...

Yeah I love that Mario's gone from this:

zZf2IrS.jpg
Click to expand...

to this:

6ttThDX.jpg
Click to expand...

Whoever was that brave soul at Nintendo who stood up and said 'Hey guys, what about adding lighting effects?' I will love you forever.
 
So how does the map work if the gamepad isn't being used?
Or if more than one person is playing?

Does it show up again on the main screen?
 
Tookay said:
Slightly related: I like the lighting they use on their HD games more than the ones they use in their CG renders.

Though lately Nintendo's been using a softer kind of lighting on the renders too so it doesn't bother me as much.
Click to expand...

Ever since the Gamecube generation, I always felt like the straight renders were too sickly or overly sanitized. It wasn't until Galaxy when things started looking nicer and then it really got awesome looking for the 3D/Smash 4/Mario Kart 8 games.

Converse said:
The fact that this thread has devolved into a Wii U versus last gen consoles graphics debate is majorly disappointing.

If some ridiculous need for console ownership-based self-justification gives you an ass-backward mental block so insurmountable that you can't look at Infamous: Second Son and say "that looks fantastic" and then look at Mario Kart 8 and say "that also looks fantastic," then I pity your lack of ability to enjoy things. And shame on you for bringing that hangup into this formerly awesome thread.
Click to expand...

I love this post so much.
 
How the fuck does Nintendo make such high quality renders? That Mario and toad one is fucking nuts. The more you zoom in the more crazy it gets.
 
Alistair Roo said:
Nope.
So far, the only way to see the map is on the gamepad.
Click to expand...

I hope there's an option to change that.
Admittedly, I don't use the map that often. Except for seeing how far ahead 1st place is, or how close you are to lapping someone. Or when your character celebrates hitting someone, so you look at your map to see who suddenly became still.

It better be there actually.
 
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