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[perfectnight]

Hey guys, I hope I can get your attention on this.

The french website 01.net has posted perhaps what is the most complete story so far on the successor of the Wii. Link to the story (in french).

They have a very reliable source that previously told them about the specs of the Sony NGP.
Here are the bullet points. Most of them have already been reported by other sites, but here goes :

• the console is codenamed "Project Café"
• will be introduced at E3 2011
• architecture is very similar to the Xbox 360; the Café is a bit more powerful than the 360
• porting current xbox 360 titles to the Café should be very easy
• should be retro-compatible with GameCube and Wii games, and support all Wii peripherals
• Specs : CPU is custom IBM PowerPC with three cores, GPU should be an ATI from the R700 family, with a shader unit at version 4.1. Ram should be at least 512 Mb.
• the controller is a touch tablet, with moderate graphic output (appears to be sub-HD, so nothing comparable to an Ipad, for example.)
• controller specs : 6-inch screen, single touch (so no multitouch, it seems), front camera, acts as a wii sensor bar, has a d-pad, two bumpers, two triggers, possibly more.
• should be released in June of 2012 (for Japan ?), and holiday season (in the West ?)
• there is another big surprise they can't talk about just yet

I can do a full translation if you guys want, tell me what you think.

No buttons? they can gtfo. If the specs are true then nintendo is going to be, once again, a generation behind whenever Sony/MS release their new consoles.

 

[Bentendo]

This is basically what I'm picturing. There is no way this thing will lose the remote shape or the face buttons.

>.< Don't say that.

 

[gofreak]

I don't believe the story about it being a tablet or having a 6 inch screen.

If there is a screen I think it'll be something simple like this-

I suppose a nice extra would be if you could turn it on it's side to play NES games.

If you stretch the screen to cover the whole face, that's your 6" screen right there (AFAIK?).

No reason d-pads or other buttons can't punctuate that screen.

It doesn't have to be a 'big' tablet just by virtue of being 6" diagonal. Maybe it is, but we'd need more than the diagonal screen size to know that.

 

[DimmuBurgerKing]

fixed.

That's what he said.

 

[HisshouBuraiKen]

I can't believe the amount of people predicting/HOPING for a touchscreen-only controller. It would be an unmitigated disaster trying to play games with no physical buttons and no tactile feedback. You would realize very quickly how much you rely on touch to hit the right button at the right time.

It's not like a tablet or phone where the screen and controller are the same hardware. I can see a built-in screen being used like a laptop trackpad or simple "pause" gameplay mechanics like a lock keypad to add to immersion. But there's no way it's touchscreen only.

Oh and we'd lose the POINTER! I will not go back to dual analog shooters, nor will I make any more attempts to play them with a trackpad (I could only play CoD easy mode on my laptop).

 

[Cosmonaut X]

No buttons? they can gtfo. If the specs are true then nintendo is going to be, once again, a generation behind whenever Sony/MS release their new consoles.

 

[birdchili]

agree that there's got to be a pointer-capable one-handed controller in the box. it's by-far the best interface for your basic ui, as well as all of the other non-game stuff (netflix, etc...) bailing on that design seems foolhardy.

edit: no-button controller from the company that's constantly talking about how they playtest their buttons extensively for the right "feel"? not happening either.

 

[onQ123]

NGP is the Wii 2's controller

 

[thehillissilent]

NGP is the Wii 2's controller

*mind blown*

 

[Zeliard]

N64 says hi.

Hah, you may think that, but the N64 was actually a dark grey!

 

[totowhoa]

I don't believe the story about it being a tablet or having a 6 inch screen.

If there is a screen I think it'll be something simple like this-

I suppose a nice extra would be if you could turn it on it's side to play NES games.

This is possible, but Nintendo also had no problems ditching the crazy Gamecube controller setup for something totally new and even more out there. There will probably still be motion controls, but that doesn't mean it won't allow a Wii remote to play Wii games on the console (or possibly require it in some cases, for the sake of ease).

 

[aronnov reborn]

Give Me Zelda.. give me a JRPG or a Kingdom hearts III / Dark Cloud 3 shocker...

and you'll have my wallet, my heart, my life... my soul!

 

[Bentendo]

If there aren't any buttons then there is no way I'm buying this. Playing FPS and Adventure games on the iPhone is an absolute travesty, and if Nintendo were to stoop that low then I'm bailing out.

Am I the only one that has a hard time with iPhone games with a digital d-pad and buttons? Zenonia, for example, is a great game hampered by the fact that there are no physical buttons. NOVA? Another great example of a quality title that becomes unplayable because there are NO BUTTONS.

EDIT: I wouldn't mind holographic buttons though.

 

[Jarmel]

Hah, you may think that, but the N64 was actually a dark grey!

It's close enough.

 

[Seda]

didn't 01.net release correct NGP info way before it was unvealed?

 

[dvolovets]

Although I am definitely not a fan of the "roughly same power as 360/PS3" rumor, it might make sense if Kinect and Move will last another 4-5 years. I highly doubt they will, of course, but in that case Nintendo may be able to match the tech specs of Sony/Microsoft machines in the generation after this next one.

Of course, I'm really hoping that the "way more powerful than PS3" rumor is the one that proves to be true. And the buttonless touch screen controller? Could be grounds for a pass on my part, actually. Would be a dumb move on Nintendo's part, IMO.

 

[poppabk]

There is no way there are no buttons unless they have some kind of advanced haptic screen which seems unlikely.

 

[Meohsix]

If there is a screen I think it'll be something simple like this-

Well i think its going to look like this

 

[awa64]

That's absolutely ridiculous. Nintendo would never release a black system as the first model out.

 

[Hero of Legend]

Where was it said that there would be no buttons? Just because there's a screen, doesn't mean there'd be no buttons.

 

[1-D_FTW]

If there aren't any buttons then there is no way I'm buying this. Playing FPS and Adventure games on the iPhone is an absolute travesty, and if Nintendo were to stoop that low then I'm bailing out.

Am I the only one that has a hard time with iPhone games with a digital d-pad and buttons? Zenonia, for example, is a great game hampered by the fact that there are no physical buttons. NOVA? Another great example of a quality title that becomes unplayable because there are NO BUTTONS.

EDIT: I wouldn't mind holographic buttons though.

No. It sucks. And it's not happening. Nintendo is not replacing buttons and sticks with an LCD screen. They may be crazy, but even they have their limits.

 

[FunnyBunny]

So, a slight to moderate power boost over the 360 and no tactile feedback on the controller? If true, then blah. But I don't think Nintendo is silly enough to dump controller buttons entirely.

 

[herod]

Where did 'buttonless' come from? I mean, isn't that just a silly assumption? Especially if the display isn't multitouch. I'm envisaging something laid out like this:

 

[Zeliard]

Well i think its going to look like this

Imagine gripping that Ipad while sitting down.

 

[polyh3dron]

First GCN was indigo.

 

[Taker666]

Nice idea at first glance, but wouldn't your hand get in the way of the touch screen?

Take a look at my idea a few posts above, and let me know what you think.

Your method would make sense in some ways..but I honestly think Nintendo would want to keep the screen central. Your hand would obscure it slightly in pointer mode....but the second you take your thumb of the A button the line of sight is completely clear.

 

[herod]

First GCN was indigo.

or black, at launch.

 

[plagiarize]

Nintendo are never going to give up on the idea of GBA-GC connectivity. the DS was arguably born from that idea. frankly, having played Four Swords Adventures as it was meant to be played, i love them for chasing this crazy idea.

but the thought of spending $100 per player seems like something that only crazy people like me would do.

Spoiler

i imported GBA SPs from Japan in order to get a purple and green SP, in order to match each SP to the colour of each Link's tunic in four swords. i already had a Red and Blue SP.

 

[Zeliard]

First Gamecube was purple'ish and the 3DS is not a "system." N64 was dark grey.

BRING IT ON JUNIAS

or black, at launch.

Pure lies!

 

[perfectnight]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQQpCd_vvGU
Thats why i want tesselation in the next gen.

What are the chances of something like this becoming commonplace for next gen?

 

[mysteriousmage09]

If those specs from the French site are true then wow.....

512MB in a console launching in 2012 would be a fucking laughing stock.

 

[ThatCrazyGuy]

Maybe the controller is set up like this:

The whole area where the face buttons (on a normal DS3 for instance) used to be is a large touch screen. And depending on the game, whatever amount of buttons that are needed appear on the screen to use. So it can dynamically change from game to game. Or even while in the same game, change button configs for different part of the game. so like this section only needs 2 buttons, but this next flying section needs 7.

But that french site saying no multi touch might muddle that.

Who knows!!

Me, I like me some tactile permanent buttons.

Or maybe the controller is like the old DC VMU system, little screen in the middle of the normal Wii mote.

Can't wait (Bart Scott style) for E3!

 

[The_Darkest_Red]

What are the chances of something like this becoming commonplace for next gen?

What are the chances of something like this becoming even remotely cost effective next gen?

 

[Bentendo]

http://www.geeksetconline.com/pdshoppro/images/cubeblack.jpg[img][img]http://www.nintendo3dsblack.net/nintendo-3ds-black-pic.jpg[img][/QUOTE]

Seriously, how did no one remember these two systems?

There was also the Game Boy Advance SP too.

Possibly the GB Micro as well. I vaguely remember each region having different launch colors so I'm sure one area had a black one.

 

[Zeliard]

If those specs from the French site are true then wow.....

512MB in a console launching in 2012 would be a fucking laughing stock.

They should really go with a gig and it wouldn't cost them that much more. That would put them in a decent enough spot at least as far as RAM.

 

[Taker666]

If you stretch the screen to cover the whole face, that's your 6" screen right there (AFAIK?).

No reason d-pads or other buttons can't punctuate that screen.

It doesn't have to be a 'big' tablet just by virtue of being 6" diagonal. Maybe it is, but we'd need more than the diagonal screen size to know that.

Nice idea..the reason I doubt it is simply because I don't think nintendo would spend much on the screen. They'll go for something simple and cheap that does the job.

 

[herod]

The memory configuration line is entirely ambiguous

"CPU is custom IBM PowerPC with three cores, GPU should be an ATI from the R700 family, with a shader unit at version 4.1. Ram should be at least 512 Mb"

It could just be talking about the GPU memory, and additionally, the use of 'at least' doesn't really inspire confidence in this 'fact'.

 

[Dr. Kitty Muffins]

I hoping the controller is much closer to a Dreamcast controller with a larger screen than a Wii-mote with a screen attached.


Either which way, JRPG's are perfect with touch screen controls.

 

[entremet]

Mock ups are the worse things that come out of new hardware speculation. They are always horrible and amateurish.

 

[Dr.Palutena]

welp I think I'm just gonna believe the initial reports but not anything else now until the official pr.

 

[Wichu]

I suspect that 'no face buttons' is real. They could be using haptics in the screen (basically a more advanced rumble feature) to simulate the feeling of pressing a button; in fact, haptics can even simulate the tactile feeling of a bump in the surface of the screen. After the DS and Wii, I think it's totally realistic for them to do something like this.

 

[Suzzopher]

First GCN was indigo.

My launch day unit was black.

 

[Van Owen]

If they're releasing something on par with 360 in 2012 they should bother releasing anything at all.

 

[gofreak]

The memory configuration line is entirely ambiguous

"CPU is custom IBM PowerPC with three cores, GPU should be an ATI from the R700 family, with a shader unit at version 4.1. Ram should be at least 512 Mb"

It could just be talking about the GPU memory, and additionally, the use of 'at least' doesn't really inspire confidence in this 'fact'.

In their grid, they're clear the amount of memory is unknown. They just think it would be logical for it to be a single pool of at least that much. But they're not claiming to know anything there.

Nice idea..the reason I doubt it is simply because I don't think nintendo would spend much on the screen. They'll go for something simple and cheap that does the job.

Whilst it might be seen as a bit wasteful, it would allow the whole face of the controller to adopt a different look depending on the game around whatever d-pad and physical buttons are on it...which might be an attractive enough gimmick for Nintendo.

Who knows though.

 

[Bad_Boy]

Feels very 2006. This is like saying the Wii will be more powerful than a PS2 and reinvent the controller.

 

[Bentendo]

They should really go with a gig and it wouldn't cost them that much more. That would put them in a decent enough spot at least as far as RAM.

When it comes to the specs of systems I'm terrible, so don't laugh: what is the RAM of the 360 and PS3?

 

[Lonewolf_92]

hd screen in the controller sounds expensive.

Just so everyone is on the same page the "HD touch screen" most likely means it's a High-density touch screen (as in having a high number of pixel per inch, which is common in some types of cellphones), not High Definition (like you would find in HDTV).

Someone should add that to the OP.

 

[illadelph]

I definitely bought a black Gamecube on launch day..... I have no idea why Nintendo marketed the indigo system almost exclusively to the point that some people didn't even know there was black available

Spoiler

I was pissed that the US never got the orange "spice" color though

 

[Anth0ny]

Hey guys, I hope I can get your attention on this.

The french website 01.net has posted perhaps what is the most complete story so far on the successor of the Wii. Link to the story (in french).

They have a very reliable source that previously told them about the specs of the Sony NGP.
Here are the bullet points. Most of them have already been reported by other sites, but here goes :

• the console is codenamed "Project Café"
• will be introduced at E3 2011
• architecture is very similar to the Xbox 360; the Café is a bit more powerful than the 360
• porting current xbox 360 titles to the Café should be very easy
• should be retro-compatible with GameCube and Wii games, and support all Wii peripherals
• Specs : CPU is custom IBM PowerPC with three cores, GPU should be an ATI from the R700 family, with a shader unit at version 4.1. Ram should be at least 512 Mb.
• the controller is a touch tablet, with moderate graphic output (appears to be sub-HD, so nothing comparable to an Ipad, for example.)
• controller specs : 6-inch screen, single touch (so no multitouch, it seems), front camera, acts as a wii sensor bar, has a d-pad, two bumpers, two triggers, possibly more.
• should be released in June of 2012 (for Japan ?), and holiday season (in the West ?)
• there is another big surprise they can't talk about just yet

I can do a full translation if you guys want, tell me what you think.

Well that sounds fucking awful. I really don't want to play 360 games with a touch tablet controller. Fuck that shit. Even the Wii remote at least had actual buttons.

That shit better be optional, if it's true.

 

[TekkenMaster]

Fuck Nintendo if it's "slightly more powerful than a 360" or less in 2012. It will be the first Nintendo console I will ever skip.