BigJKO

The Nintendo Wii U is Great Thread

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Oh i'm not disputing that you said 4.5" screen - you asked whether I was talking about iphone screen or android screen, so I responded iphone screen (because that's what I have).

And I totally agree that UI should scale with pixel density. Not all mobile games do that because they're usually designed with one platform in mind and lazily ported over - but in wiiu's case Nintendo could've used a something like iphone 4G display, and give developers strict guidelines such as everything being legible at 2 feet or whatever.

My personal preference is to sacrifice pixel density for bigger screen so that it can hold more visual information at comfortable arm's length.

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I think they've got the screen size/pixel density just right. The size is somewhere between a phone and tablet, to balance of being able to hold it like a controller and use it like a tablet. The pixel density is similar to an iPhone, but will be used at a further distance than an iPhone, which means most people won't even see the individual pixels at all.

Personal preference will vary, but by-and-large I think most will agree they are in the right ballpark.

I think this really depends on the software design. There's plenty of iPhone software where I've wished I had a stylus because the UI elements were just too small or too close together for my sausage fingers (this is a problem even in the built-in ipod and contact list apps).

It's more than that though. The problem with resistive screens is that they're just more effort to use. You need to apply more pressure for it to register a touch and, as you touched upon, the touch resolution isn't nearly as high.

For things like buttons it works pretty well (by making the buttons huge), but for drag/swipe gestures I find that the DS stops registering the gesture half way through because I let up on the pressure.

Also, don't forget the multitouch thing. It's a big deal IMO.

Maybe this is a dumb assumption, but I can't help but think that capacitive technology isn't this super-expensive, futuristic tech anymore given the multiple supply chains in existence for them at this point.

I think it's still pretty expensive, actually. Something about capacitive screens requiring rare earth metals. Also, remember that the screen needs to be glass too.

I argue though, that it's worth the expense because of the huge net win game mechanic wise.

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Maybe I'm alone on this, but would any of you guys actually want to play a shooter with this controller? I know that might not be the point of focus for people fully into the enthusiast, "core" space, but there are a ton of gamers out there who will base their purchase on whether or not you can buy the next Halo, Call of Duty, or Gears on it. If people complain about the PS3 controller for shooters, what does that spell for the Wii U Touchpad?

That's the main reason I'm worried about size, to be honest.

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It seems Nintendo are returning to an idea they had years ago with the GameCube and GBA. It'll be interesting to see if they can get it to work, or if there's actually any real benefit to having a second screen in your lap. (Personally I think it'll just be annoying to keep having to refocus your eyes.)

Also, if the tablet controller was HD, wouldn't those with SD TVs prefer to use that over their TV?

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I though it worked very well with Four Swords Adventures, but it's hard to think of it really applying in many other aspects.

Besides a minigame for Rayman 3 that was pretty ingenious with the GBA/GC connectivity, I can't think of using that cable for much else. There was a way to move Tingle around on the GBA for Wind Waker, but it was pretty damn useless and would not have been fun for any second player in any sort of seriousness.

Going by what worked for me in Rayman 3 and Four Swords, I think the key to that sort of setup is to offer something different on the handheld screen in terms of gameplay and look that engages in an entirely different way. Maybe a Henry Hatsworth game would work remarkably well on such a setup?

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Also, if the tablet controller was HD, wouldn't those with SD TVs prefer to use that over their TV?

This is where personal taste starts to make things a bit unpredictable. I personally would take a large SD screen over a small HD screen due to the enhanced cinematic experience. But then I know some people who opt to use a tiny monitor over their TV because it's HD. :erm:

I personally think the resolution of the pad is perfect for its intended purpose, which I still see as more a way of accentuating a regular console experience (ie: the main game is played on the TV and the controller screen is used for things like inventories, scores, touch interfaces, etc) — I'd never want to use it to actually play an entire game as the Vita will most likely tear it a new arse for that.

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I though it worked very well with Four Swords Adventures, but it's hard to think of it really applying in many other aspects.

Besides a minigame for Rayman 3 that was pretty ingenious with the GBA/GC connectivity, I can't think of using that cable for much else. There was a way to move Tingle around on the GBA for Wind Waker, but it was pretty damn useless and would not have been fun for any second player in any sort of seriousness.

Going by what worked for me in Rayman 3 and Four Swords, I think the key to that sort of setup is to offer something different on the handheld screen in terms of gameplay and look that engages in an entirely different way. Maybe a Henry Hatsworth game would work remarkably well on such a setup?

There were a few games which used the connectivity excellently: Pac-Man VS used a brilliant system, Crystal Chronicles was pretty good too.

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I though it worked very well with Four Swords Adventures, but it's hard to think of it really applying in many other aspects.

Besides a minigame for Rayman 3 that was pretty ingenious with the GBA/GC connectivity, I can't think of using that cable for much else. There was a way to move Tingle around on the GBA for Wind Waker, but it was pretty damn useless and would not have been fun for any second player in any sort of seriousness.

Going by what worked for me in Rayman 3 and Four Swords, I think the key to that sort of setup is to offer something different on the handheld screen in terms of gameplay and look that engages in an entirely different way. Maybe a Henry Hatsworth game would work remarkably well on such a setup?

I actually really enjoyed the GBA/GCN connectivity (what little there was of it). I actually have fond memories of the Tingle example in the Wind Waker. It was the sort of interaction that allows a second player to be involved in a single-player game, without being a full player in and of themselves. (Sort of like in Mario Galaxy where Player 2 can fire stars.) Tingle in Wind Waker could, among other things, dig up treasure, see points of interest on a map, and -- most hilariously of all -- explode bombs at will. Depending on who was playing with you, this could be helpful or it could be sadistic. Each bomb denotated cost the main player some rupees and also, you know, exploded. So a cruel Tingle could just keep blowing up Link while spending his money.

Besides FSA, there was also FF Crystal Chronicles, which I never played, and Pac-Mac Vs. Pac-Man Vs. was (for me at least) a ton of fun. Similar to one of the Wii U demos this year, one player is Pac-Man and three other players are ghosts. Pac-Man can see the map, the ghosts can't. Whichever ghost catches Pac-Man becomes Pac-Man! That was a lot of fun, too.

The general idea pushed by both GBA-GCN connectivity and the Wii U is that of asymmetrical information. By giving different players different perspectives and more or less information, you can change the play dynamics. It's much harder to visualize than "You can swing a sword LIKE YOU'RE SWINGING A SWORD," which explains some of the negative reaction. But I think there is a lot of gameplay potential there, especially in multi-player.

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Yeah, I mean, I just kind of went over the only three games I've ever used my GBA/GC cable for (Actually I used it for Sands of Time and it's only good for unlocking levels in the GBA version, no actual interactivity).

I felt the most successful of all was Four Swords Adventures, but it appears most of you guys liked the Tingle control for Wind Waker. I did use him to find secret messages and treasure, but all I did was just stop playing on controller 1 and sweep the area with Tingle for a bit on the GBA before switching back. I just didn't find it anywhere as involved a two player experience as Mad Trax in Rayman 3 or FSA.

On the other hand, I haven't played Pacman Vs. Sounds like I should get on that.

Nevertheless, I didn't mean to say the connection cable and set up was a bad idea, just that it was very rarely used and probably difficult for designers to think of good game design ideas to utilize it. Two out of the three major times I have used the connection set up were pretty awesome. Admission was really the price of a cable (Or it came with Four Swords), and I assumed most people already owned a GBA, so it was a good deal when used and not too much of a hassle.

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Come to think of it, didn't the Dreamcast have a screen in the controller? Albeit, a VERY limited one?

Yeah, that was the vmu, the crazy little gameboy-like memory card that slotted into the controller. Only a handful of games ever really took advantage of it.

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You couldn't control the VMU while it was in the controller though. It just displayed little animations or information while you played.

It was pretty awesome that you could play little minigames you downloaded when it wasn't in the controller however, but it wasn't really on the same level as the Gamecube/Game Boy Advance interaction. Unfortunately, as Sno said, there was large potential for branching minigames and side quest type stuff that really only Sega and Japanese companies were interested in developing.

I think the Playstation might have had a similar type of memory card that was only released in Japan. Not really sure what games it was used for but I remember reading a small bit of information on it last year.

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I think the Playstation might have had a similar type of memory card that was only released in Japan. Not really sure what games it was used for but I remember reading a small bit of information on it last year.

You're probably thinking of this guy right here.

Also, here's the wiki page for the VMU.

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Hmm, I think I remember they were going to do some connectivity thing between the DS and Wii? I guess they never did a game like that in the end?

When I heard that I thought they would make a game where the DS would be some sort of futuristic gadget, a PDA that can hack and scan. I'm hoping we'll finally see a game with those functions with the Wii U.

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So I guess this monstrosity is coming out November 18 and costs either $300 or $350 with a minigame collection and 16 extra gigs of storage.

I dunno. I've been a Nintendo fanboy for a long time but I'm having a real hard time coming up with a reason I'd want to buy this.

Also, it was a pain in the ass to find this topic because the forum search excluded both "wii" and "u" from my query.

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I'll buy it whenever a new Zelda or Mario comes out and hopefully a price drop at that point. But $350 for a console more or less on par to what I have with a small library doesn't interest me in the least.

Also, I'm really surprised at the milage they are getting out of that "New Super Mario bros." game. I thought from an aesthetic stand point it was garbage and the gameplay was b.s compared to most previous Mario games, especially the side scrolling heritage it tries to invoke.

***

I think the hardware specs are really odd. It's essentially them playing catchup for the core gamer segment at the end of the generation life cycle.

As a developer this is what was needed a year or two ago, but now? It's really pointless and games will be equally divided within a year or two.

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I thought the release date was December 8th?

I think Nintendo came out fine from this. The console's hardware is more powerful than most people were assuming (not drastically so, but still), so they've bumped up the bar or shortened the distance for what MS and Sony might produce. The launch line-up isn't smashing, but it's more substantial than we'd think. Yeah it's current gen ports, but whatever, they can pull it off. I'm not a guy who gets into a console manufacturer's corner inquestioningly, so this whole thing excited me from the angle that it ups the ante for the next console gen entirely.

Also, how weird is that Bayonetta 2 news? Hot damn.

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Also, I'm really surprised at the milage they are getting out of that "New Super Mario bros." game. I thought from an aesthetic stand point it was garbage and the gameplay was b.s compared to most previous Mario games, especially the side scrolling heritage it tries to invoke.

I agree with all of that, but actually I'm more worried about the fact that it is the "Wii Sports" of this console: it is meant to show you everything that you can do, which to me doesn't seem to be all that much.

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Holy shit guys, Nintendo is publishing Bayonetta 2 and it's going to be Wii U exclusive.

What the fuck.

I had been hearing rumors for months that Sega, in their financial woes, had stealth cancelled Bayonetta 2, and i guess Nintendo has moved in to rescue it.

Maybe they'll "rescue" Anarchy Reigns from Sega too. (Which is DONE, it came out in Japan, but its western release has been delayed indefinitely.)

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I camped out overnight to get a Wii on launch day (I was in highschool and it was with a bunch of friends), but that was because there was a Zelda game and the Wii as a whole was a new thing at the time. This, I feel less compelled to buy. I'll probably buy a 3ds around Christmas, then maybe next year get a Wii U when there's more compelling games out.

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I'm having a hard time trying to figure out what I think of the Wii U. On the one hand, I skipped the Wii and felt like I missed out on some great games, and I could remedy that with a Wii U. On the other hand, its a bit more expensive than I was hoping, and I haven't seen anything that's really sold me on the whole tablet-as-controller idea. Also, as my tastes in gaming change, I feel like I might be better off spending my money on a small PC to hook up to my TV to run Steam through. Hopefully there will be some more news coming out of Tokyo in the coming week that will help sway me one way or the other.

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Oooh, that is smart.

Although I'm hesitant to believe Nintendo will let even most of the good ones get through whatever arbitrary gates they have up.

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