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Wii 2 (Project Cafe): Officially Announced, Playable At E3, Launching 2012 [Updated]

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Keyouta said:
I'm assuming the picture posted in the comments on that site is fake, but:

nintendojps77.jpg


I don't believe it will look like that.
That looks pretty neat.
 
SmithnCo said:
Well I'm sure Nintendo will have wiimote support still, so it would be a Move situation where some games can use it if they want to.

That would be awful. If it's just the original Wiimote, then there's no Cafe-mote that has the enhancements that Move has made. It also guarantees that not everyone owns one. Third parties already largely ignore Move. Have any FPS games supported it that aren't published by Sony?

I want a Cafe-mote with more precision and more buttons. Not just last gen controller support. How many Wii games really supported the GC controller? How many games really support Move?
 

Krowley

Member
bridegur said:
I'm going to have a really difficult time paying more than $250 for anything that's only slightly more powerful than 360/PS3.


Apparently they say that, but the specs they quote (and the ones IGN is quoting) are significantly more powerful according to GAF tech types.
 

EatChildren

Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
Keyouta said:
I'm assuming the picture posted in the comments on that site is fake, but:

nintendojps77.jpg


I don't believe it will look like that.

Why the fuck does that thing have nubs?
 
I think it's pretty clear that Nintendo is trying to blur the line between console/portable. Tablet screen, Project Cafe, potentially being called "Stream"...looks like they're going for the whole portable wonder machine. Seems more like a PSP2 competitor than an Xbox/PS3 rival.

The crazy thing is...why would they push thing angle when they already have the DS line on the market. Short of having some batshit crazy awesome connectivity features between the two, I'm very confused by their approach. I guess E3 will reveal all...
 

antonz

Member
DECK'ARD said:
I sincerely hope we are still missing the 'big idea', or Nintendo have severely lost the plot here.
Well the French are saying besides all this there is still a big surprise.
 

Christine

Member
enzo_gt said:
I know the Dualshock is stuck in the past and stubborn people who've gotten use to it can't shake it, but I feel like the ergonomics on the GC pad is not much better. The odd placement of the Z button, and the C-stick are just fruity additions to differentiate the Nintendo brand it seems, and keep things always experimental.

The GC controller doesn't fit me like a glove, simply because touching the C-stick and the face buttons immediately make me question the rationale for these design choices. I have yet to figure out why the face buttons are placed so awkwardly and the C-stick is so user-unfriendly.

The face buttons are fine (sometimes even optimal) for software that was designed for their layout rather than the diamond. Of course, that makes them effectively awkward for just about every multi-platform 6th generation game.

The C-stick is kind of nubby but it's got the same lever design and sensitivity as the primary stick. I prefer it to the sloppy huge dead-zone DS2 sticks, at any rate.

The GC controller's biggest sins are as follows:

D-Pad: What the fuck?

Z-button: Okay, I know that this was added at the request of 3rd parties who wanted an additional bumper input. Why'd you have to half-ass it, though? Being tiny is the least of its problems, the real issue is the STUPID hinge design that makes only the rightmost 1/3 inch actually depressible, for a guaranteed claw grip.

L/R Triggers: The linear travel is an interesting choice, and it wouldn't be so bad if the springs weren't so terrible. After only few hours, the L and R triggers are practically guaranteed to have a perceptibly different physical resistance, with a corresponding difference in the analog input distribution across each button's travel. Goddamn they're fragile.
 

Kilrogg

paid requisite penance
Nirolak, I've only glanced through the last pages, but I don't think anyone has translated the entirety of what you quoted, so here goes (yes, I am French). Sorry if it's redundant. Also, the link seems to be down. Anyway:

- Non-HD screen. Around 500*800 Not multitouch. Tentative release date given to developers: June 2012. They talk about some kind of tablet thing that would be called V2... Is this an existing product/component or something?

- The second part is basically the supposed SNES-like futuristic design, though they say they can't confirm, and about the name (possibly Stream) and the system's streaming feature. It is said to be able to stream various types of content (games, media) wirelessly from the system to the controllers. It should thus be possible to play without even turning your TV on, or to start a game on your TV and continue to play on your controller.

Basically, nothing really new.
 

EatChildren

Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
Nirolak said:
I think that's just a photoshopped 3DS.

Good.

Now lets talk about why I hate the lack of pointer again.
 

Gospel

Parmesan et Romano
DECK'ARD said:
I sincerely hope we are still missing the 'big idea', or Nintendo have severely lost the plot here.
I'm hoping against hope that all of this is a giant elaborate hoax and i'm asleep and taking part in some kind of experimental memory-implantation procedure as part of market research by a company called total recall

wait what
 

Truth101

Banned
antonz said:
They do suggest that is supposed to be a big feature of the system. The ability to stream across multiple controllers different media and games.

That's really interesting, though I wonder how streaming different games would work.

1.) A person could be playing a game while another streams Netflix.

2.) Multiple people can be playing different games at the same time.

-If that is the case then there are two other options.

A.) They are talking about Wiiware type games
B.) One person is playing a retail game while others play Wiiware games.
C.) You can either install/download retail games and play them concurrently
D.) A combination of the above


Also I would like to note that if the Stream is say a generation 3.75 then Nintendo might be putting themselves in good position. Because the Stream will be the base for new-gen development engines, so the engines could be scaled to fit the needs of the new Sony/Microsoft Consoles when they are released.
 

Krowley

Member
DreD said:
http://www.01net.com/editorial/5319...es-precisions-sur-la-manette-et-le-streaming/



All the processing would be done by the console, so the controllers would only act as the command input and a display terminal. This, in theory, eleminates latency issues.


this is the most interesting part to me, because if I'm not misunderstanding what some of the translaters are posting (pantherlotus specificly), that means it's not just streaming video to the controllers, it's streaming mostly-compiled code, and then the controller finishes unraveling it, and displays it, or something like that.

Very cool tech, if that is true, and my understanding isn't screwy.
 

JJConrad

Sucks at viral marketing
DoomXploder7 said:
i'm betting on the "surprise" being an updated wii controller. both controllers are packed into the box so that both are supported.
I'll take that one step further and say that the updated Wii controller will be released soon.
 

Dark Schala

Eloquent Princess
Beaten hard by antonz, but I got this far. Parisian French is a little different from Quebecois.

Got the intro and end down, though:

The information that IGN released yesterday regarding the technical characteristics of Project Café confirmed in all respects the ones we published in our article on April 15th. Moreover, our sources confirm that “mablette” (? They’re using the French terms manette (joystick) and tablette (tablet) here as a contraction), which we revealed here [linked article in that post], was represented by Nintendo as a “Version 2 (V2)”.

An Air of UDraw

To give us an idea of what it would look like, our sources suggest to imagine a close cousin of the UDraw Tablet designed by THQ for Wii, with a touch screen instead of the touchpad, and buttons around the screen (“triggers”, D-Pad, two bumpers, sticks, etc).

Light Customer?

The console and controllers could work to operate on a principle of "virtualization", with the bulk of the work and processing being done by the console itself, with the controllers serving as "terminals" that display "precalulated code". This system would distribute the game in high-quality to the controllers, without significant latency and without using a compressed video stream and being demanding in terms of bandwidth.

Not too much info in there that is new, however.
 

antonz

Member
brochiller said:
Damn that's a big screen.
Yeah a 6" screen is going to be a fairly hefty thing and I think it makes alot of sense really. Casual gamers will have their Touch interface etc and the dudebro will get their dual sticks etc. Its thebest of both worlds in a single device while allowing streaming etc.

carlo6529 said:
It's got to be vitality sensor tech. Or was this already mentioned?

Thats speculated but nothing really known. The French have placed a great emphasis on the remaining secret. Its supposed to be a pretty massive thing
 
DreD said:
You could basically start a game on your TV and then continu playing on your controller if someone else wants to watch a TV show.

That is big. Eliminates a big console drawback. And you're confirming what I guessed before, these are like dumb terminals. Saves money.
 

Krowley

Member
brochiller said:
Why would they use the slide-pads for this console? It's not like it needs to be folded or put in your pocket.

They have a giant screen, and they want it to look less intimidating, so they make it look like a hand-held, something people are used to seeing all the time.

It makes the controller smaller, which is important if the screen is huge.

/assuming it has slide-pads.
 

Instro

Member
Keyouta said:
I'm assuming the picture posted in the comments on that site is fake, but:

nintendojps77.jpg


I don't believe it will look like that.

Something like that but with real handles, less rectangular, and normal analogs would be pretty good.

Anyway Im still not worried about the power of the console, if it really is using an r700 based gpu and a good cpu it will certainly be a solid jump over current console hardware.
 

enzo_gt

tagged by Blackace
TwinIonEngines said:
The face buttons are fine (sometimes even optimal) for software that was designed for their layout rather than the diamond. Of course, that makes them effectively awkward for just about every multi-platform 6th generation game.

The C-stick is kind of nubby but it's got the same lever design and sensitivity as the primary stick. I prefer it to the sloppy huge dead-zone DS2 sticks, at any rate.

The GC controller's biggest sins are as follows:

D-Pad: What the fuck?

Z-button: Okay, I know that this was added at the request of 3rd parties who wanted an additional bumper input. Why'd you have to half-ass it, though? Being tiny is the least of its problems, the real issue is the STUPID hinge design that makes only the rightmost 1/3 inch actually depressible, for a guaranteed claw grip.

L/R Triggers: The linear travel is an interesting choice, and it wouldn't be so bad if the springs weren't so terrible. After only few hours, the L and R triggers are practically guaranteed to have a perceptibly different physical resistance, with a corresponding difference in the analog input distribution across each button's travel. Goddamn they're fragile.
Yeah okay you've summed up my issues with the controller better than I could have, and reminded me of others.

The face buttons being so different from other platforms really puts devs in an odd position, and even otherwise, devs have to somehow build their game around the physical layout of the face buttons much more adversely thank a simple to understand diamond layout. Not saying the diamond is perfect, but the irregular layout of the GC face buttons surely provides an additional challenge when trying to ensure accessibility and ease of use of all of the buttons. It simply doesn't fit a human thumb very well.
 

Regulus Tera

Romanes Eunt Domus
This is the first time I've been unexcited for a new Nintendo console. I hope that whatever they end up showing blows my mind.
 
It's the article I was referring to in the other thread, I didn't post the link because we had already discussed it.

The article mentions a single touch screen that isn't HD with an unusual resolution (5**x8**). Even the design of the controller that has been shown to developers might not be final. June 2012. The screen is used for streaming games and other media. Mentions "virtualization", as in, the system does most of the work and the controller is really just a client, which would make lag minimal.

Now what I was saying in the other thread is that I found weird that this article states that IGN had confirmed everything they had in the initial story, even though the reports seem to be in conflict when it comes to the power of the system.
 

Pimpbaa

Member
800x480 ain't too bad, especially if the video from the games is downsampled when streaming to the controller.
 
EatChildren said:
Good.

Now lets talk about why I hate the lack of pointer again.

Still can't get why people are arguing that Kinect's existence justifies the possibility of Nintendo abandoning the Wii Remote design and motion control in general.
 

guldakot

Member
Hmmm, the touch screen is making me think nintendo might be going after not only the core gamer but the ULTRA casual as well, if it can surf the net from the controller, I don't see why you couldn't implrement flash as well.
I love the idea of being able to play flash games on the controller as well, fire up armor games on it and play some age of defense while you wait for a friend to go get pizza lol. Just pause the game, and hit the internet for game strats etc. Could be very interesting.
 

alr1ght

bish gets all the credit :)
Holy Order Sol said:
Mentions "virtualization", as in, the system does most of the work and the controller is really just a client, which would make lag minimal.

Hope it's not as laggy as remote play.
 
Balb said:
Shouldn't your purchasing decision ultimately hinge on the games? Or are you just not willing to pay its launch price (which won't be $500)?

Of course games are a part of the decision, but i can't justify buying a $350-400 console + games (which makes $500) if the tech is only a "half jump" from what I've been playing with for 5 years now.

JordanLMiller said:
You can still get it though because it's only gonna be $300!

Again, I'm counting in everything with the $500 price. You can't just buy a console without a game (or multiple) right?
 
The screen in the controller makes sense if you think about what game type it mostly benefits: Social Multiplayer. Each person getting their own screen for private info or streaming a part of the game makes sense. I loved Pac Man Vs, but what made that work was the private screen was a completely different game than what was going on via the TV.

This is something Nintendo has always prioritized over something like Online Multiplayer, which the extra screen really only helps as perhaps a keyboard. Who cares about looking down at another screen when you have the whole TV to yourself? Just use a HUD or picture in picture.

I guess the screen can be used to stream games too, but really, why not just turn on your TV? And doesn't Nintendo already have a handheld? What's the point of your controller looking just like your handheld, but with an extra analog stick?

I really hope they didn't give up the pointer for this.
 

JCRedeems

Banned
The whole rumored controller is so uncreative and uninspiring, and that's why I don't believe Nintendo would adopt such an idea. I can't wait until Nintendo sets everything straight.
 
SlipperySlope said:
That is big. Eliminates a big console drawback. And you're confirming what I guessed before, these are like dumb terminals. Saves money.

Or you and a friend could be playing on a TV in one room while a third and fourth player, who may want to watch something on TV and play, could go to another room and watch the TV while taking their controllers with them and playing with you at the same time.
 
JCRedeems said:
The whole rumored controller is so uncreative and uninspiring, and that's why I don't believe Nintendo would adopt such an idea. I can't wait until Nintendo sets everything straight.

Nintendo can't wait for you to be set straight.
 

Nirolak

Mrgrgr
guldakot said:
Hmmm, the touch screen is making me think nintendo might be going after not only the core gamer but the ULTRA casual as well, if it can surf the net from the controller, I don't see why you couldn't implrement flash as well.
I love the idea of being able to play flash games on the controller as well, fire up armor games on it and play some age of defense while you wait for a friend to go get pizza lol. Just pause the game, and hit the internet for game strats etc. Could be very interesting.
Yeah I would say this is a pretty obvious assault on the tablet market while still trying to cater to the console market as well.
 

Pimpbaa

Member
Regulus Tera said:
This is the first time I've been unexcited for a new Nintendo console. I hope that whatever they end up showing blows my mind.

You were excited for a system that used recycled Gamecube hardware and a controller that looked like a tv remote?
 
I really like the mock up in OP. I really hope it ends up in a similar form.

It looks like one of those removable screens from one of them internet refrigerators.
 
Hmm, I think I like the idea of multiple handheld screens. Would be cool for an internet tablet type device. Assuming it'll have a decent range and have an internet browser from the start.

Although, knowing Nintendo, it won't.
 

AstroLad

Hail to the KING baby
Freezie KO said:
The screen in the controller makes sense if you think about what game type it mostly benefits: Social Multiplayer. Each person getting their own screen for private info or streaming a part of the game makes sense. I loved Pac Man Vs, but what made that work was the private screen was a completely different game than what was going on via the TV.
Yup, Nintendo have always been the kings of local multi. And it's even more pronounced now that the other systems are outright pathetic when it comes to local multi.

Put me down for a system and four controllers day one. Loves me some local multi.
 
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