Support NeoGAF

[Chad Paulson]

As Warp Pipe Technologies moves in new directions in order to bring a new level of interactivity in the games you play, we are also continuing to bring gamers the opportunity to voice their concerns over lack of support for the Nintendo GameCube Broadband Adapter.

According a report filed by IGNCube late last week, "Namco's forthcoming space and land-based shooter for GameCube, tentatively titled Star Fox, will not ship this year. The title was formerly scheduled for a late November 2004 ship date, but has instead been quietly repositioned for a 2005 release, allege insiders."

This development comes two weeks after Warp Pipe Technologies decided to play the role of consumer advocate and started a letter drive to rally for LAN support, which was said to be a feature specified in the early design documents. We decided to take this stance after seeing what happened to F-Zero GX, which had a LAN mode, but was taken out prior to release because Nintendo claimed it wanted to put the emphasis on the one-player story mode. Ironically, the basis of Warp Pipe was founded on the heels of initial F-Zero GX LAN report, but was ultimately put into action shortly after the news broke that Kirby Air Ride would contain a LAN mode and the rest is history.

With the supposed delay in effect, Warp Pipe Technologies would like to use this time to reaffirm our push for a LAN mode in Star Fox 2. We urge those with a desire to experience a whole new layer of interactivity that LAN can bring to the game to email, snail mail, and call Namco (the developer) and Nintendo (the publisher / distributor). Remember, we highly advocate, especially if you mention your allegiance to Warp Pipe, that you express yourself with the respect Warp Pipe bestows onto its community as well as Nintendo as an organization. The only way to show Nintendo that online connectivity is worthwhile is to show that we are a group of average gamers, not the privileged few who know what an IP address is. If possible, explain your experience with 0.4, which is currently in public testing on our forums, and your prior knowledge of computers and networking before using Warp Pipe.

Feel free to utilize your creativity and distribute this message in any other form you wish. Remember, no spamming please and never break the rules of another forum or mailing list when doing so.

If you wish to do more, Warp Pipe Technologies invites you to contact your favorite gaming magazines (online or offline). Let them know you are interested in further support for the Nintendo GameCube Broadband Adapter and invite them to put pressure on the companies that refuse to do so even though they support the PS2 and Xbox network capabilities. It is the well-informed gamers responsibility to make sure that video game journalism lives up to its name, rather than glorified marketing and advertisement, It is the media's responsibility to hold companies accountable when corporations fail to live up to consumer expectations and, in many cases, they will fail to do so unless the consumer takes action.


Namco of America
Namco Hometek, Inc.
2055 Junction Ave.
San Jose, CA 95131

Phone: 1-408-383-3900
Email: support@namco.com

Namco of Europe
Namco House
Acton Park Estate
The Vale
London W3 7QE
England

Phone: +44 (0) 20 8324 6000
Fax: +44 (0) 20 8324 6010
Email: enquiries@namco.uk.net

Namco of Japan
2-1-21, Yaguchi, Ota-ku, Tokyo 146-8655, Japan

Phone: 81-3-3756-2311


Nintendo Of America
PO Box 957
Redmond, WA
98073

Email: nintendo@noa.nintendo.com
Phone: 1-800-255-3700

Nintendo Of Europe
Nintendo Service Centre
Codestorm House
Walton Road
Farlington
Hampshire
PO6 1TR

Email: NintendoServiceCenter@codestorm.co.uk
Phone: 0870 6060 247 (Calls are charged at the National Rate to the caller)

Nintendo Of Canada
#110-13480 Crestwood Place
Richmond BC
V6V 2J9

Email: nintendo@noa.nintendo.com
Phone: 1.800.255.3700

Below are three official images you can feel free to use and redistribute for the Star Fox Demand LAN Campaign. Use these as your sig, put the banners on your webiste, etc. Anything to get the word out. Perhaps you can also send a letter to your favorite Nintendo site, asking them to carry the banner as well.

Below are the three various kinds of images you can use, just remember to link back to the following URL.

 

[Deg]

Why not just demand online?

 

[TekunoRobby]

I approve of this campaign.

HOWEVER I WANT EARTHBOUND GBA MORE THAN STARFOX ONLINE.

 

[ToyMachine228]

Why not just demand online?

Because you know Nintendo won't do online. And if we get LAN out of them, Warp Pipe will put it online for us.

 

[Mama Smurf]

Hang on...surely Nintendo don't like Warp Pipe. Is putting your name on it really going to entice them (as if these campaigns ever work without that going against them)?

 

[Deg]

Because you know Nintendo won't do online. And if we get LAN out of them, Warp Pipe will put it online for us.

but you know the time will come anyway. Nintendo seemed to have dumped LAN from the looks of things sadly and MKDD lan has failed looking at the amount of people here who play it (0). Isnt Xlink better?

 

[hirokazu]

GC LAN is dead after what, 2, 3 games... i doubt they'd do anything with it for StarFox

 

[Dan]

How about we start with demanding a good game?

 

[FortNinety]

I approve of this campaign.

HOWEVER I WANT EARTHBOUND GBA MORE THAN STARFOX ONLINE.

Same here. I'm still kicking myself for selling my SNES plus Earthbound and many other awesome games.

How about Starfox 1 on the GBA while we're at it?

 

[cvxfreak]

Wait... I thought Star Fox 2 was a LAN game after hearing E3 2003 impressions?

 

[Oni Link 666]

StarFox was a LAN game when it was first shown at E3 2k3. I guess it wasn't on LAN at E3 2k4.

 

[Phoenix]

How about we start with demanding a good game?

IAWTP.

Just about everything I've heard of this game encourages me to be VERY cautious about purchasing it from a place that doesn't have a very liberal return policy (and at this point I think there is like 1 store remaining that does).

 

[Chad Paulson]

StarFox was a LAN game when it was first shown at E3 2k3. I guess it wasn't on LAN at E3 2k4.

That's exactly the case and pretty much the mission behind this campaign. Although I thought the multi player was really entertaining at this year's E3, it just wasn't working on the split screen, as multi player is a combination of land and air combat that would play so much better with 100% screen utilization.

 

[jedimike]

Didn't jarrod say Nintendo was dumping connectivity as well? And they already dumped pro-scan. If the feature isn't being used by the masses, Nintendo won't support it.

 

[snapty00]

Why couldn't they make it Internet-capable without servers of any type? In that situation, you'd just punch in the IP numbers of the people with whom you want to play.

I mean, that's basically what packages like Warp Pipe do, anyway, so why not save consumers the hassle by building it into the game by default and having the game automatically tolerate less-than-LAN-like ping times?

 

[Late Stage Marxist]

I approve of this campaign.

HOWEVER I WANT EARTHBOUND GBA MORE THAN STARFOX ONLINE.

Word.

 

[Chad Paulson]

Why couldn't they make it Internet-capable without servers of any type? In that situation, you'd just punch in the IP numbers of the people with whom you want to play.

I mean, that's basically what packages like Warp Pipe do, anyway, so why not save consumers the hassle by building it into the game by default and having the game automatically tolerate less-than-LAN-like ping times?

That's a very good question, p2p based online games would be ideal. The way they implement LAN functionality in their games make it very difficult to tunnel online unless you have a very good ping rate.

As for Warp Pipe, even though 0.3.5 is our current "stable" beta, we have been testing our 0.4 app for a few months now which allows you to register a screen name, maintaing a gaming list, and start games by the click of a button. We're currently finishing up that project and moving into a new direction which we hope will redefine how gamers interact with each other while gaming.

 

[jarrod]

Didn't jarrod say Nintendo was dumping connectivity as well? And they already dumped pro-scan. If the feature isn't being used by the masses, Nintendo won't support it.

Yes though Nintendo actually is still pretty good about putting better imaging options in their games (though they've dropped LAN and connectivity). The majority of GameCube's out there (almsot 16 million) are progressive compatible after all.

 

[radioheadrule83]

I support this campaign. They really should just start using P2P apis like GameSpy or SNAP to get basic P2P gaming set up for the minority hardcore thats clamouring for it. They get legitimate criticism for their online stance.

Warp Pipe is great, but the unoptimised packets make for a painful experience unless you're playing someone nearby. Thankfully, the new version lets you check pings, and talk to people (to assertain where they're from and other stuff) before games. I've been playing MKD and 1080 using it on and off all this month.. and the most basic set up doesnt' cost that much either.

 

[Deku Tree]

I would've bought a BBA for my GC if F-Zero GX had LAN.

I support this Campaign if it shows Nintendo that people want LAN.

 

[Chad Paulson]

I wouldn't bought a BBA for my GC if F-Zero GX had LAN.

I support this Campaign if it shows Nintendo that people want LAN.

Thanks for all of your support. I assume you mean, you would have?

 

[GDGF]

If you guys are going to start demanding LAN and all that, you best start before the game gets too close to it's release.

 

[Chad Paulson]

If you guys are going to start demanding LAN and all that, you best start before the game gets too close to it's release.

Again, the game had LAN in the initial design documents, as well as early builds (last publicly seen E3 2003). This is simply to ensure they do not dump LAN mode like they did with F-Zero GX.

 

[Deku Tree]

Thanks for all of your support. I assume you mean, you would have?

Your assuption is correct. FIXED.