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Holy crap!! Decent 3D on GBA?

J

jarrod

Banned
IGN's got some movies of Atari/Velez & Dubail's new GBA 3D platformer Asterix & Obelix XXL. Unfortuntaely it seems Atari won't be bringing to the US (despite the crappy PS2/GC game coming over) but the game looks amazing for GBA. Check 'em out...

Video 1

Video 2

...I wonder what these guys could do on DS? Too bad Atari's not doing anymore Sega ports, I wouldn't mind seeing them take a crack at Sega Rally. :)
 
D

dark10x

Digital Foundry pixel pusher
Wow, that is impressive for GBA. Looks like a really low-end PSX or Saturn game...

However, you have to wonder why they even bothered with it. The game itself doesn't look fun, especially in light of current day 3D platformers. The 3D looks impressive, but is still quite limited.
 
B

Baron Aloha

A Shining Example
*imagines a port of NiGHTS for DS where you draw how you want Nights to fly on the lower screen and watch the action on the top screen.
 
S

SolidSnakex

Member
JC10001 said:
*imagines a port of NiGHTS for DS where you draw how you want Nights to fly on the lower screen and watch the action on the top screen.
Click to expand...

All you have to do is play the NiGHTS mini game on the GBA to realise that the game just doesn't work on a system that doesn't have an analog stick.
 
B

brandonnn

BEAUTY&SEXY
Just going off the thread title, I was going to chime in and ask if any Euros had tried the Asterix game yet -- the screenshots did look quite nice, and it's running better than I would have imagined.

Still have yet to find any solid reviews to see if it's worth an import; http://www.portablereview.com/v3/imports/2.html is as close as I could find.
 
B

Baron Aloha

A Shining Example
SolidSnakex said:
All you have to do is play the NiGHTS mini game on the GBA to realise that the game just doesn't work on a system that doesn't have an analog stick.
Click to expand...

Painful to Read and all-round Party Pooper
 
G

ge-man

Member
The graphics don't surprise me. I've seen a lot crazy things being done with 3D on the GBA. I think a lot of the crowing over the DS's 3D ability will end up being over exaggerated once devs really start to get their hands dirty with the system. Talented teams will be able to do a lot on it just as they can with the GBA right now.
 
J

jarrod

Banned
Just watched the V-Rally 3 video IGN had too, looked pretty good as well especially for a two year old game (also a Velez & Dubail production). Too bad there's no Stuntman videos, the shots look great.
 
J

jarrod

Banned
SolidSnakex said:
All you have to do is play the NiGHTS mini game on the GBA to realise that the game just doesn't work on a system that doesn't have an analog stick.
Click to expand...
Er, wouldn't drawing NiGHTS path negate the need for directional analog imput?
 
G

GaimeGuy

Volunteer Deputy Campaign Director, Obama for America '16
Yes, jarrod. Which is why I don't tihnk he fully read the post. :|
 
B

Baron Aloha

A Shining Example
jarrod said:
Er, wouldn't drawing NiGHTS path negate the need for directional analog imput?
Click to expand...

That's what I'm saying. SSX just doesn't have an imagination. All you would need is the picture of a target drawn in the lower screen.

Placing the stylus in the bullseye would mean neutral or no movement. And then the further away from the center you get the faster NiGHTS would go in that direction.
 
H

human5892

Queen of Denmark
Looks incredible for the GBA's hardware, but also boring as hell to play. The first video was 1:40 of fighting the same bad guy cloned a few dozen times, all to the tune of a 10 second music loop.
 
F

Fularu

Banned
jarrod said:
IGN's got some movies of Atari/Velez & Dubail's new GBA 3D platformer Asterix & Obelix XXL. Unfortuntaely it seems Atari won't be bringing to the US (despite the crappy PS2/GC game coming over) but the game looks amazing for GBA. Check 'em out...

Video 1

Video 2

...I wonder what these guys could do on DS? Too bad Atari's not doing anymore Sega ports, I wouldn't mind seeing them take a crack at Sega Rally. :)
Click to expand...

Mileading topic! I thought Decent had been ported to the gba! :(
 
J

jarrod

Banned
JC10001 said:
That's what I'm saying. SSX just doesn't have an imagination. All you would need is the picture of a target drawn in the lower screen.

Placing the stylus in the bullseye would mean neutral or no movement. And then the further away from the center you get the faster NiGHTS would go in that direction.
Click to expand...
Why bother simulating an analog stick though, how about actually drawing the flight path as NiGHTS moves? I think Pac-Pix really hit on an interesting mechanic for gaming in using drawing, I'd like to see that expanded to others...
 
B

Baron Aloha

A Shining Example
jarrod said:
Why bother simulating an analog stick though, how about actually drawing the flight path as NiGHTS moves? I think Pac-Pix really hit on an interesting mechanic for gaming in using drawing, I'd like to see that expanded to others...
Click to expand...

By using the method I described you essentially would be drawing NiGHTS' path. If you didn't mimic analog controls and you had to move in one direction for an extended period of time you would have to keep repositioning the stylus after you reached the end of the touch screen.

Are you saying you would make it so that you would only draw on the screen when you wanted NiGHTS direction to change? Thats how Pac Pix does it.
 
G

GDGF

Soothsayer
I'd imagine that drawing a path could give you faster manipulation and better precision than an analog pad, once you got used to the mechanic. It would be like a keyboard and mouse (touchscreen) vs. an analog stick in a FPS.
 
D

dark10x

Digital Foundry pixel pusher
Yeah, but if they were actually going to create a sequel to NiGHTS, I would hate to see it end up on something like DS...

Those concepts posted sound kinda neat, but after all this time, that would be seriously disappointing. The game wouldn't be able to look much different/better and the sound would be damaged as well.

Cool ideas, but not what I'd want in a NiGHTS sequel.
 
J

jarrod

Banned
I'm not sure if we'll ever get a full fledged NiGHTS 2... but I think an enhanced port of part 1 (+ X-mas bonus content) with a novel touch interface control scheme would be nice. I wouldn't mind a visually overhauled PSP remake either though...
 
N

Ninja Scooter

Member
heh, it'd be funny if the game was called "DECENT 3D". THe back of the box could have a quote from a magazine that read "EH, ITS OK..."
 
G

Greekboy

Banned
It's shows you how truly underpowered the GBA really is when people have to say:

"Wow. That's impressive for the GBA!"
 
D

dark10x

Digital Foundry pixel pusher
jarrod said:
Get the hell out of my thread.
Click to expand...

...but when it comes to 3D, GBA really IS under-powered. Developers should not be attempting such things as it ends up looking ugly, running poorly, and offering poor gameplay. How many 3D GBA games have actually be really good thus far? Some are so bad that you have to ask how it was released released...

GBA is a 2D system and it should remain that way. It is neat to see things like this being done, though, but somewhat useless...
 
B

belgurdo

Banned
Lisa Lashes said:
It's shows you how truly underpowered the GBA really is when people have to say:

"Wow. That's impressive for the GBA!"
Click to expand...


Actually, I think the GBA can consistently do PS1 visuals; it's just that most companies don't utilize it because making SNES-quality stuff is cheaper and faster to make
 
G

Greekboy

Banned
All I'm saying is if the GB or GBA had viable competition as we see in the home console market then the GBA as we know it today would be much more powerful.

Is this Nintendo's fault? Nope. Would I do likewise if I was Nintendo and sell underpowered hardware because I know people would still buy it? Yup.
 
D

dark10x

Digital Foundry pixel pusher
belgurdo said:
Actually, I think the GBA can consistently do PS1 visuals; it's just that most companies don't utilize it because making SNES-quality stuff is cheaper and faster to make
Click to expand...

Whoa whoa whoa, hold the phone. That's not true at all. Name me one GBA game that can even stand up to mid-range PSOne visuals. This game certainly does not...

The system was not designed for 3D graphics...
 
J

Jacobi

Banned
jarrod said:
Woah, Wing Commander looks great.

What other good looking 3D games are on GBA? I remember Top Gear Rally looked pretty nice as does Super Monkey Ball Jr...
Click to expand...
Crazy Taxi looked okay, but had problems with its framerate
9566.jpg
 
D

Deg

Banned
Lisa Lashes said:
All I'm saying is if the GB or GBA had viable competition as we see in the home console market then the GBA as we know it today would be much more powerful.
Click to expand...

Not at all. If it did it would cost more.
 
G

Greekboy

Banned
Deg said:
Not at all. If it did it would cost more.
Click to expand...

Yes. I forgot how cheap it still is today when compared to the GCN. I'm sure it would be better priced if it had some viable competition.
 
D

Deg

Banned
Lisa Lashes said:
Yes. I forgot how cheap it still is today when compared to the GCN.
Click to expand...

You are very very clever :p Remind me of that next time when my mobile phone doesnt run Far Cry :p

I'm sure it would be better priced if it had some viable competition.
Click to expand...

Sure. Sure. Why not check the margins yourself? ;)
 
D

Deg

Banned
Lisa Lashes said:
So then why does a GBA SP sell for more than a GCN does?
Click to expand...

Let me see. Why does my mobile phone cost half of my pc yet doesnt give me half of the power? Hmmm. ;)
 
G

Greekboy

Banned
Well I've seen GCN selling for cheaper than the GBA SP in many stores here. So, how can an underpowered unit like the GBA SP be similarly priced to something like say the GCN? What factors allow for such a price similarity?
 
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