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f13.net General Forums => E3 '06 => Topic started by: Trippy on May 09, 2006, 01:42:55 PM



Title: Wii details
Post by: Trippy on May 09, 2006, 01:42:55 PM
E3 News: Wii details (http://www.f13.net/index.php)

Still making some edits so excuse any glitches you might see. Will try to do a quick DS summary before I need to go out for a bit. Then there's the Microsoft presentation that's going on right now...


Title: Re: Wii details
Post by: Margalis on May 09, 2006, 04:02:03 PM
Best news: A controller with a decent d-pad.

There hasn't been one since the Dreamcast. Sad huh? By "decent" I mean "able to hit all 8 directions precisely." The PS2 controller is an abomination for things like fighting games where you need to be able to hit diagonals.


Title: Re: Wii details
Post by: Rodent on May 09, 2006, 04:12:23 PM
Best news: A controller with a decent d-pad.

There hasn't been one since the Dreamcast. Sad huh? By "decent" I mean "able to hit all 8 directions precisely." The PS2 controller is an abomination for things like fighting games where you need to be able to hit diagonals.

I'm thinking the best part of the controller besides the gimmicky stuff ( and thoose have me grinning like a madman)  is the chance to finally get some decent control schemes for RTS and FPS games for a console.


Title: Re: Wii details
Post by: Samwise on May 09, 2006, 04:17:48 PM
Quote
The Wii's Internet connection stays active even when the unit is in standby mode.


OH NOES!


Title: Re: Wii details
Post by: stray on May 09, 2006, 04:46:53 PM
Their product is not attracting me on any level. The hardware, the games, the name, even the website.

* I'm not a Nintendo hater either! It's just that this doesn't even feel like Nintendo, or a game console for that matter. I don't know who the hell these people are or what they're trying to do.


Title: Re: Wii details
Post by: WindupAtheist on May 09, 2006, 05:32:26 PM
The other day my twelve-year old brother joked "They should make a portable version, then you can play with your wii while you're taking a dump."  I don't know why, but I almost laughed myself to death.  Then today I read a comment on the PS3 that said "Well at least they didn't name it the Pii."  I chuckled.

I don't know why, but I find all these cheap Wii jokes way more amusing than I should.


Title: Re: Wii details
Post by: Tale on May 09, 2006, 05:40:22 PM
Hands-on Wii report from NYT (hope he washed them, boom tish, etc).

http://e3.blogs.nytimes.com/?p=20

I like the sound of the tennis thing because it appears to work. After the success of DDR, I'd like to see more games where a physical action is involved. Not all games, just those where it can take gaming in a new direction. DDR was good PR for videogames.


Title: Re: Wii details
Post by: Strazos on May 09, 2006, 09:22:23 PM
Some of those games look promising.

Also, nice price point.

Any more details on the back catalog of game downloads, such as Which games will be available, and a price?


Title: Re: Wii details
Post by: Trippy on May 09, 2006, 09:35:21 PM
Any more details on the back catalog of game downloads, such as Which games will be available, and a price?
Not that I've seen yet. Here's the blurb from their press release today:
Quote
In addition to a healthy selection of new games, Wii will enjoy one of the largest launch libraries in video game history thanks to its built-in Virtual Console and backward compatibility with Nintendo GameCube™. The Virtual Console provides downloadable access to Nintendo games from the NES®, Super NES® and Nintendo® 64. The Virtual Console also will feature a “best of” selection from Sega Genesis titles and games from the TurboGrafx console (a system jointly developed by NEC and Hudson).


Title: Re: Wii details
Post by: Strazos on May 09, 2006, 09:38:05 PM
The things they decide to include in the Genesis "Best of" could be a real boon for the system.

Also, it would be nice to know which Nintendo-system games are being made available. I somehow doubt the entire library of every game made for all of their systems is going to be put up.


Title: Re: Wii details
Post by: Samwise on May 09, 2006, 09:45:38 PM
I somehow doubt the entire library of every game made for all of their systems is going to be put up.

If they cooked up an emulator for each old system (no reason they couldn't) and still have the original binaries for all their old games stored somewhere (no reason they wouldn't), then making the entire library available is easily within their grasp.


Title: Re: Wii details
Post by: Strazos on May 09, 2006, 09:58:33 PM
Wouldn't they have to deal with all the Devs of those old games?


Title: Re: Wii details
Post by: Samwise on May 09, 2006, 11:58:39 PM
Not if they already bought all the rights to the software, which I'd think they would have for most games.  Especially for the older systems, before porting to other platforms was a common thing.


Title: Re: Wii details
Post by: WindupAtheist on May 12, 2006, 12:03:28 AM
Much as I've enjoyed bagging on the Wii controller, I just read a post on my other forum from an attendee who played Madden with it and said it was absolutely great.


Title: Re: Wii details
Post by: Trippy on May 12, 2006, 02:42:33 AM
Wouldn't they have to deal with all the Devs of those old games?
Yes they do (with the publishers/owners of the IP that is). Here's some info about the Virtual Console from the show:
Quote
Licensing Bad Dreams:
Licensing third-party older titles has been a complete nightmare. They’ve come into trouble securing some of the more basic concepts because of intellectual property and licensing laws, along with deals that have occured since the game was release for the original systems. Think: Tetris came out years ago for the NES, but has since had its license sold off to numerous companies, with the latest being mobile gaming developer Jamdat for some ridiculous figure in excess of $100 million dollars. These hurdles are being worked out, but some titles (Goldeneye) just won’t be available.

Virtual Console:
The back-catalog will be released loosely along a quarterly schedule, like they do with their regular game releases. They believe it’s in everyone’s best interest not to let loose a deluge of Virtual Console titles at the onset, though they didn’t know how many would be available. They’ll let them trickle on down over time, to increase player retention and interest.

Oh, and the Virtual Console interface was not at all completed. They had a working mockup that let us jump from Super Mario Bros. to Super Mario 64 to Sonic the Hedgehog, and it was just amazing how each game looked as true to form as the original, except on the gorgeous displays they were running on. Fun to see the classics coming back like that.

From: Live From E3: Fun Wii Facts Confirmed (http://www.coveringe3.com/index.php/e3/article/live-from-e3-fun-wii-facts-confirmed-0511060329/)

Still haven't seen anything about pricing or launch titles.

Edit: pricing and launch titles for the Virtual Console part, that is


Title: Re: Wii details
Post by: HaemishM on May 12, 2006, 12:19:49 PM
Much as I've enjoyed bagging on the Wii controller, I just read a post on my other forum from an attendee who played Madden with it and said it was absolutely great.

Check the link in this thread (http://www.gameangst.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=58). It links to Gamespot's hands-on preview of Madden on the Wii and makes me want the game a lot. And I HATE the Madden franchise.


Title: Re: Wii details
Post by: WindupAtheist on May 12, 2006, 05:33:22 PM
Yeah, the guy I heard from wasn't a Madden fan either, but he loved what he played.

Maybe I was wrong to bag on the Wii controller.  And I certainly wouldn't mind seeing Nintendo make a comeback, maybe teach Sony some humility.  We'll see.


Title: Re: Wii details
Post by: Righ on May 12, 2006, 05:41:31 PM
How do you pronounce Wii? I'm thinking http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/weeee.php