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[AceBandage]

It should be more than your Mii, though.
Like... maybe it should contain your Status Log info, and you can transfer it between systems to compare data.

I mean, with the built in camera and QR codes and all, trading Miis through controller transfers is just so inefficient.

 

[BlackNMild2k1]

Ok. That was another type of genre that could benefit from that type of control. I wonder if anyone would trying a single-player game with dual Upads?

DJ Hero 3?

2 turn tables, 2 uMotes, 1 TV.

Advanced mode where you pick your track listing on each uMote and mix them together with the turn tables. Audience and the note track is up on the TV screen.

or each uMote is the turntable... but I'm not sure that would work.

 

[bgassassin]

Here is that mention about the controller memory.

"Okay, so that I can elaborate on. The Wii U is not a portable handheld device you're going to take with you in transit or into a proximity away from the Wii U console, but you can take content from your console, put it on your Wii U controller, take it with you somewhere else, and be able to upload it. That technology is possible."

I likened it to the Wii Remote, which has a small amount of memory for storing Miis and the like, and he noted it is "similar, but that's kind of basic, what you can do with the Wii Remote. Taking a Mii with you is cool and fun, but this has the possibility to do more... not on the go, but once you get somewhere else where you take your stuff to someone else's environment, it's definitely possible."

As an example, I put forth the possibility of loading up your team and plays in Madden and taking it to a friend's house (who also has a Wii U, of course), and both being able to play from their own controller.

"It's hard for us to commit to anything concrete, but yes, it's a possibility because the controllers are compatible. It's possible to have that kind of experience."

DJ Hero 3?

2 turn tables, 2 uMotes, 1 TV.

Advanced mode where you pick your track listing on each uMote and mix them together with the turn tables. Audience and the note track is up on the TV screen.

or each uMote is the turntable... but I'm not sure that would work.

That's pretty awesome thinking about it.

 

[Deguello]

Can the controllers communicate with one another?

You wouldn't happen to be thinking of...

Playing Battleship on the Wii U controller in completely different rooms, would you?

 

[abstract alien]

You wouldn't happen to be thinking of...

Playing Battleship on the Wii U controller in completely different rooms, would you?

Shit...I am now

 

[AzaK]

It should be more than your Mii, though.
Like... maybe it should contain your Status Log info, and you can transfer it between systems to compare data.

I mean, with the built in camera and QR codes and all, trading Miis through controller transfers is just so inefficient.

Ahh but what about the controller displaying the QR codes for your Mii's so someone else can take a photo of them with their controller.

 

[Gianni Merryman]

Something I wanted to see for years was a single-player dual Wiimote puzzle game. Were there any single-player games on Wii that used two Wiimotes?

Boom blox: bash party
Not sure about the first Boom blox

 

[abstract alien]

Ahh but what about the controller displaying the QR codes for your Mii's so someone else can take a photo of them with their controller.

We should just be able to "bump" the controllers together as well.

 

[BlackNMild2k1]

Ahh but what about the controller displaying the QR codes for your Mii's so someone else can take a photo of them with their controller.

But then you'd have to hold the controllers facing each other since it only has inward facing cameras.

 

[onilink88]

New guy here... Uh, that's all I got as far intros go.

Anyways, there's something that's been on my mind ever since I've been made aware of the Wii U's existence: I thoroughly enjoyed the Trauma Team/Center series on the Wii, and I see a lot of potential with the new Upad (whether it's used by itself, and even more so if it's used in conjunction with the Wii remote plus).

Like, they could have you use the Upad as some kind of movable x-ray screen to find the anomalies in patients' bodies, or, in Naomi's investigation mode, the Upad could be used to search for evidence in a crime scene, and, if anything's found, one could use the Wii remote + nunchuk to manipulate the evidence further in order to find more clues. Y'know, stuff like that.

But what I don't know is whether the games in the series have sold enough that Atlus would consider bringing it over to the Wii U. I think it'd be a damn shame if it remained a relic of this generation. So, my question is, does anyone have any idea if we might see a new iteration in the series on the upcoming Wii U?

Also, on an unrelated note, holy shit, that Zelda tech demo looks absolutely gorgeous! It's like Twilight Princess' art style perfected. What I've been told been told by other Zelda fans, however, is that Aonuma or Miyamoto (sorry, memory's fuzzy) had said that they didn't find that TP's art style fit Zelda very well, thought it was too restrictive, or something to that effect. Is that true? Don't get me wrong, I very much like the art direction of both WW and SS', but TP's happens to be my favorite. Worst case scenario, I'd have to replay TP ad infinitum, and pray an HD texture pack gets released somewhere down the line, but I'd love nothing more than to see TP's art style being attempted at least once more now that it can be done true justice.

And, finally, on a completely irrelevant note, AceBandage... I vaguely recall someone under the username of "AceBandageJr" that occasionally posted on the 3DS harware board on GameFAQs. Would you, by any chance, be him?

Well, there it is. Not much first post, I admit.

 

[Instro]

Like, they could have you use the Upad as some kind of movable x-ray screen to find the anomalies in patients' bodies, or, in Naomi's investigation mode, the Upad could be used to search for evidence in a crime scene, and, if anything's found, one could use the Wii remote + nunchuk to manipulate the evidence further in order to find more clues. Y'know, stuff like that.

While switching back and forth between controllers would be too much of a hassle to implement, those are some cool ideas for the Upad. Using the small screen as an overlay for your TV could have so many cool applications, I think Nintendo was definitely on the right track when the showed off that function at E3.

 

[fabricated backlash]

I don't know why they'd even bother to do that again.
Who honestly ever used their WiiMote to transfer Miis?

I'd imagine that they would use some storage again in the tablets to save calibrations (for touchscreen) and maybe user profiles to take them with you (miis, profiles whatever)

All that little stuff would make sense to save on the tablet. Game presets so you can easily bring your presets with you to another console.

But that's about it.

Games and every other content is streaming only, which keeps costs down and makes the most sense as the Tablet is designed to be a household item, not a portable anyway.

 

[Sardello]

I don't know why they'd even bother to do that again.
Who honestly ever used their WiiMote to transfer Miis?

I think that this feature will be usefull in the "Wii -> WiiU" transition.

Since Nintendo Consoles don't have a decent online support, this is the only way to transfer Mii... I'm I correct or for Mii also can be an SD Memory be used?

 

[mrklaw]

It's eerie as hell. It's like the dude is reading my damn mind. I love it, really. And it blows me away that someone has to explain how much potential awesome could be had with this system based only on what we know already.

It's unreal how few people actually seem to get it.

I love the potential, but I just want a little bit of balance so not all games try and force the controller mechanism into the game. Sometimes straightforward games are good too. The risk with seeing what you can do with the WiiU controller is that you bias towards that at the possible expense of core gameplay mechanics.

 

[mclem]

I could have sworn they said there'd be some memory in the WiiPads like the Wiimotes for Mii storage etc.

The patent revealed a small amount of memory, like the Wii Remote.

I assume it'll need some for a framebuffer anyhow.

I wonder what lag's going to be like on the pad-as-standalone, that's something I've not really thought about. Given an interaction with the pad is going to have to send the input to the WiiU, the WiiU would take the input, generate the first frame with the response to that input, and then send the frame back - that's two wireless transfers between input and response - one of which may be quite high-bandwidth.

If there's little lag, their wireless technology would have to be phenomenal, surely?

 

[troushers]

Something I wanted to see for years was a single-player dual Wiimote puzzle game. Were there any single-player games on Wii that used two Wiimotes?

There was that Wiiware puzzle game Maboshi's arcade with up to 3 simultaneous players (on different controllers) side by side. You had to score 1,000,000 points with 3 minigames denoted by square, circle or cross and as you played side by side you could tangentially help others out with their games as falling enemies would kill their enemies.

 

[radioheadrule83]

I assume it'll need some for a framebuffer anyhow.

I wonder what lag's going to be like on the pad-as-standalone, that's something I've not really thought about. Given an interaction with the pad is going to have to send the input to the WiiU, the WiiU would take the input, generate the first frame with the response to that input, and then send the frame back - that's two wireless transfers between input and response - one of which may be quite high-bandwidth.

If there's little lag, their wireless technology would have to be phenomenal, surely?

OnLive, on a good connection, can process inputs and deliver 720p video with milliseconds of latency across vast distances, and there is tech like WLLV and iStream, and super low latency wireless HDMI recievers being worked on that encode and decode in H.264. Newer WiFi radio standards exist like WiMax, UWB, WiHD etc for higher bandwidth communication -- as the Wii-U controllers aren't HD, I would have thought it wouldn't need anything like that, but with support for two controllers (or maybe more) - maybe it would... it'd be interesting to learn more about this aspect. On the GPU side, I believe its probably similar to using an Eyefinity setup, albeit wirelessly.

 

[fabricated backlash]

Anyways, there's something that's been on my mind ever since I've been made aware of the Wii U's existence: I thoroughly enjoyed the Trauma Team/Center series on the Wii, and I see a lot of potential with the new Upad (whether it's used by itself, and even more so if it's used in conjunction with the Wii remote plus).

Like, they could have you use the Upad as some kind of movable x-ray screen to find the anomalies in patients' bodies, or, in Naomi's investigation mode, the Upad could be used to search for evidence in a crime scene, and, if anything's found, one could use the Wii remote + nunchuk to manipulate the evidence further in order to find more clues. Y'know, stuff like that.

The trauma Center games, while not my cup of tea, were allways great examples of intuitive implementation of new control schemes. Simple idea, flawless execution and innovative in design.

I'd expect the series to resurface on Wii U as well. Your ideas are probably pretty spot on for how a new Trauma Center could play like.

I'd say instead of the Wiimote, the touchscreen and stylus itself are going to be the main input devices. Scan the patient with the gyroscop sensors, then use the stylus/scalpel to perform the operation. Analog sliders could be used to finetune the visors (switching between xray, normal view, instruments and such.

The possibilities are definetly there, and with the creative capabilities of the Trauma Center Team I'm sure they're going to be some of the first 3rd parties to really take advantage of the WiiU gameplay possibilities (something I really don't expect from most 3rd parties as they've shown with Wii and Kinect that in terms of UI they're mostly incompetent to innovate)

 

[FreeMufasa]

I don't know why they'd even bother to do that again.
Who honestly ever used their WiiMote to transfer Miis?

Wow. This is the first time i've heard of this feature since 2006. Completely forgot about it.

 

[AceBandage]

Sadly, I think the Trauma Games might be done for.
They weren't exactly big sellers.
Really would put the tablet to good use, though.

 

[DCKing]

Considering what MegaTextures are most useful for, it seems to me that Retro is developing the technology for a large open world game. Doesn't sound Metroidy to me. Also MegaTextures are demanding for a console - they take up quite a bit of memory and memory bandwidth. Retro seems confident they can use it in their engine on that despite not being id Software, so that's cool.

 

[Cosmonaut X]

Sadly, I think the Trauma Games might be done for.
They weren't exactly big sellers.
Really would put the tablet to good use, though.

If Nintendo are actually able to get some kind of solid DD service up and running with reasonably expansive size limits, I don't see why the "Trauma" series couldn't resurface as a premium DD title. I'd expect a lot of second/third-tier series like that to go that way as retail dries up for all but the biggest titles.

 

[Gaborn]

I'd become a Neogaf Gold member, thus paying a subscription fee, if it included more people like you on the forum. I don't even have to talk much on here anymore. Every time I give the board a glimpse you're saying what I would have.

*blush* Thanks man, I really appreciate it!

The funny thing is, I don't remember Gaborn being so proactive in gaming side threads prior to Wii U. I feel like there isn't much more I can add to these conversations when he's around.

Naw, I've been around, I've even created a handful of topics on gaming side in the past, such as asking if Wii Sports was the most influential game since the Pong era though in fairness I've mostly spent my time in sales age threads.

It's eerie as hell. It's like the dude is reading my damn mind. I love it, really. And it blows me away that someone has to explain how much potential awesome could be had with this system based only on what we know already.

It's unreal how few people actually seem to get it.

I think some people just don't WANT to get it. People don't like change. I have a strong suspicion that if Sony changed their controller substantially with each iteration and didn't keep pimping the Dual Shock it wouldn't have as many sales even if the new controllers substantially added to the functionality and playability of games simply because it wasn't quite as familiar to them. Nintendo is a company that has always taken risks and sometimes the risks pay off big (like with Wii) and sometimes they completely flop (Virtual Boy) but no matter what they're always a company that is worth watching for going full bore in a new direction.

 

[Indyana]

It's beyond that now. It's been months. There are enough Wii U positive folks spreading the news about the Chase Mii / Battle Mii, Killer Freaks, and Ghost Recon videos... If people haven't seen those and are spreading nonsense, there's a reason; if people have seen those and aren't swayed, I don't know... I mean, damn, some of that stuff was put together in a very short period of time. It's amazing how big of a shift this could bring to how people play games - not only in general, but with each other.

I blame the gaming media. There's been a lot of talk about the tablet being an accessory to the Wii or how late to the HD Nintendo is, but the talk about the options it opens is very scarce. It seems everyone is waiting for Sony or Microsoft to announce another tablet to declare its triumph. It's really weird.

 

[TunaLover]

Killer Freaks looks ok, but I wanna see what Crytek UK can do with WiiU, multiplayer and Timesplitters

I really wanted Red Steel 3, Red Steel 2 execution was awesome, pretty tight gameplay. But I guess the serie is done =/

 

[Vinci]

I love the potential, but I just want a little bit of balance so not all games try and force the controller mechanism into the game. Sometimes straightforward games are good too. The risk with seeing what you can do with the WiiU controller is that you bias towards that at the possible expense of core gameplay mechanics.

I don't think games from good developers are going to force it, honestly, though you'll obviously see some titles from devs who are simply trying to take advantage of the consumer interest in the functionality. That said, I do fully expect devs to use the controller as an excuse not to develop for the system - nevermind that they could treat it like a normal controller. No, that would be too simple.

 

[TunaLover]

I think the main reason why western devs don't support Nintendo consoles, is that they have an industry view and approach completely different from Nintendo. Western devs are focused in deliver high production games, fancy effects, and graphic intense games, those same points are shared for both MS/Sony, is not that hard to think why gaming media and development comunity are not so "friends" with Nintendo, their philosophy are quite opposed about what direction the industry should take.

 

[Vinci]

I think the main reason why western devs don't support Nintendo consoles is they have an industry view and approach completely different from Nintendo. Western devs are focused in deliver high production games, fancy effects, and graphic intense games, those same points are shared for both MS/Sony, is not that hard to think why gaming media and development comunity are not so "friends" with Nintendo, their philosophy are quite opposed about what direction the industry should take.

Yeah, but I mean, come on... it was reasonable to skip the Wii. It required a lot of extra effort to put games developed for HD systems on it. The Wii U, well, won't. So anyone outright skipping a release on the system - especially for some of the nonsensical reasons people have already started spitting out - is a moron granted the system sells even decently.

 

[Triton55]

Also, on an unrelated note, holy shit, that Zelda tech demo looks absolutely gorgeous! It's like Twilight Princess' art style perfected. What I've been told been told by other Zelda fans, however, is that Aonuma or Miyamoto (sorry, memory's fuzzy) had said that they didn't find that TP's art style fit Zelda very well, thought it was too restrictive, or something to that effect. Is that true? Don't get me wrong, I very much like the art direction of both WW and SS', but TP's happens to be my favorite. Worst case scenario, I'd have to replay TP ad infinitum, and pray an HD texture pack gets released somewhere down the line, but I'd love nothing more than to see TP's art style being attempted at least once more now that it can be done true justice.

Naw, Aonuma/Miyamoto have no problem with a realistic/dark-ish art style if it fits what they're trying to go for with the game's feel. In fact, in the Iwata Asks from back when TP was released, Miyamoto said he thought TP Link was the best Link design yet.
Nice post, btw.

 

[Deguello]

I love the potential, but I just want a little bit of balance so not all games try and force the controller mechanism into the game. Sometimes straightforward games are good too. The risk with seeing what you can do with the WiiU controller is that you bias towards that at the possible expense of core gameplay mechanics.

I think the Wii U's controller can really only expand on core gameplay at this point. Here's an idea.

How to cut the play time of Metal Gear in half - have the codec conversations take place on the controller. Adds immersion because the audio is for you only, also no implausible crouching for hours listening to somebody talk about nuclear treaties from the early 90s. Also imagine new spy gadgets like a launchable sticky camera that gives you an added viewpoint while you're sneaking around (like determining when a guy behind a one-way mirror isn't looking)

Here's another. Ever seen that movie They Live? Imagine a shooter or an open world game where you have to eliminate adversaries without hurting the rest of the populace, and using the Wii U controller to determine who's who.

Here's one that'll never happen unless Silicon Knights stops sucking or Retro makes it. Eternal Darkness 2 that thinks of entire new ways to screw with players with sanity effects. Like a puzzle that forces gamer's eyes to the tablet only to replace the screen with a scary face when they look up.

Games can have their entire HUDs and menus on the tablet the cut down on time fishing through menus. Games can have as many more buttons as they want using the tablet.

The Wii U controller isn't just about new game ideas. It's also about supplying the grease to get more traditional and complex ideas to go down smoothly.

 

[TunaLover]

Yeah, but I mean, come on... it was reasonable to skip the Wii. It required a lot of extra effort to put games developed for HD systems on it. The Wii U, well, won't. So anyone outright skipping a release on the system - especially for some of the nonsensical reasons people have already started spitting out - is a moron granted the system sells even decently.

Gamecube was on par with PS2/Xbox, even many multiplatform titles never were released on Cube.
Now some devs have stated that they will release their titles in Wii U if there is a market for that kind of titles... But, there will be not that kind of market if they don't realese that content on Wii U, vicious circle.
Nintendo needs make its own Halo, Uncharted like game, to make a market for those titles, since third parties are not willing to test waters first.

 

[Deguello]

Gamecube was on par with PS2/Xbox, even many multiplatform titles never were released on Cube.
Now some devs have stated that they will release their titles in Wii U if there is a market for that kind of titles... But, there will be not that kind of market if they don't realese that content on Wii U, vicious circle.
Nintendo needs make its own Halo, Uncharted like game, to make a market for those titles, since third parties are not willing to test waters first.

I hate to be like this, but do you remember the OTHER excuse as to why third parties didn't support the Wii? Because they complained that Nintendo's own titles were eating up all the sales and attention. Even worse, fi Nintendo does make a game in one of these genres and it doesn't do great, well Nintendo just went a proved that there wasn't a market, didn't they?

And if this were the case... how come Wii didn't get, say, a port of Resident Evil 5 or Dead Space, even a bad port? Resident Evil 4 wii Edition sold pretty damn well for a 2nd re-release. There obviously was a market for those kinds of games, yet it didn't get them and only got rather insulting Rail Lightgun games instead (there apparently WAS a market for hastily thrown together side games though. Funny that.) Where is the Wii version of Marvel vs. Capcom 3? Don't tell me there's no market for crossover fighters on Wii.

IN this instance third parties would be unreasonable because they want and more-than-ideal situation of an intensely popular genre on a Nintendo Platform that Nintendo has set the stage for yet doesn't dominate, and that's essentially demanding the impossible. Nintendo is showing that they're willing to meet third parties halfway, but this DOES require that the third parties go the other half.

 

[lunchwithyuzo]

Gamecube was on par with PS2/Xbox, even many multiplatform titles never were released on Cube.

Gamecube had less RAM, a smaller media format and a teeny tiny userbase. That's why it missed ports, though it still got quite a lot from Ubisoft, EA, Namco, THQ, etc, anyway. And this before the age of near universal HD multiplatform development, the market today is a lot different from when PS2 ruled the roost.

 

[Father_Brain]

Gamecube had less RAM, a smaller media format and a teeny tiny userbase. That's why it missed ports, though it still got quite a lot from Ubisoft, EA, Namco, THQ, etc, anyway.

That doesn't really explain why same-day PS2/Xbox/GC multiplatform releases, with rare exceptions, consistently sold disproportionately worst on GC. In fact, there were a number of third-party franchises like Burnout that got GC ports earlier on, but ended up becoming PS2/Xbox only due to the generally abysmal sales of multiplatform titles on the system.

Having technically competitive hardware makes multiplatform titles possible, which they mostly weren't on GC. But it won't be nearly enough to make Wii U commercially viable for those titles, I suspect.

 

[Deguello]

That doesn't really explain why same-day PS2/Xbox/GC multiplatform releases, with rare exceptions, consistently sold disproportionately worst on GC.

Which games would those be? Burnout wasn't one of them, unless "same-day" means "almost half a year later"

 

[ozfunghi]

Gamecube had less RAM, a smaller media format and a teeny tiny userbase. That's why it missed ports, though it still got quite a lot from Ubisoft, EA, Namco, THQ, etc, anyway. And this before the age of near universal HD multiplatform development, the market today is a lot different from when PS2 ruled the roost.

Is that so? GCN had more RAM than PS2, GCN sold about as many units as the Xbox and the amount of double disc games were minimal. In fact quite some epic games made it on that 1.8 GB disc. If it can fit games like Zelda TP, Metroid Prime, Resident Evil 4 (see edit below), Soul Calibur... please don't bring that as an excuse why they didn't get multiplat games. The bigger problem was that the TEV was too complicated to work with for sloppy 3rd party devs, that the +20 million gamer userbase were largely perceived as Nintendo fanboys that wouldn't buy 3rd party titles (of which confirmation came every time they "tested the water" with D-grade material) and Nintendo was suffering enormous backlash from the previous decade (concerning 3rd party support).

I agree in principle... but wasn't RE4 two-disc?

My memory must be failing me... just checked and yes, it was a double disc game. I think the only 2 disc game together with Tales of Symphonia in my 50+ GCN game collection.

 

[mclem]

Is that so? GCN had more RAM than PS2, GCN sold about as many units as the Xbox and the amount of double disc games were minimal. In fact quite some epic games made it on that 1.8 GB disc. If you can fit games like Zelda TP, Metroid Prime, Resident Evil 4, Soul Calibur... please don't bring that as an excuse why they didn't get multiplat games.

I agree in principle... but wasn't RE4 two-disc?

 

[Deguello]

I agree in principle... but wasn't RE4 two-disc?

It is.

 

[TunaLover]

I think I have every two disc based game (except Baten Kaitos):
-Baten Kaitos Origins
-RE4
-RECV
-ToS
-MGS:TTS
-Killer7


And I only have 23 GCN titles in my collection =P

 

[Vinci]

That doesn't really explain why same-day PS2/Xbox/GC multiplatform releases, with rare exceptions, consistently sold disproportionately worst on GC. In fact, there were a number of third-party franchises like Burnout that got GC ports earlier on, but ended up becoming PS2/Xbox only due to the generally abysmal sales of multiplatform titles on the system.

Having technically competitive hardware makes multiplatform titles possible, which they mostly weren't on GC. But it won't be nearly enough to make Wii U commercially viable for those titles, I suspect.

People should really stop making comparisons to the PS2 era. We don't live in that era anymore. Game publishers have been struggling financially this entire generation with scant exception. We are in the multi-platform era in a way that the PS2 era never even came close to reaching. Publishers should put every game on every system that can run it. If they can toss in a bit more money and optimize it for each system's controls, great; otherwise, just do it the dirty way and make it available.

The PS2 era is over. It's never coming back.

 

[lunchwithyuzo]

That doesn't really explain why same-day PS2/Xbox/GC multiplatform releases, with rare exceptions, consistently sold disproportionately worst on GC. In fact, there were a number of third-party franchises like Burnout that got GC ports earlier on, but ended up becoming PS2/Xbox only due to the generally abysmal sales of multiplatform titles on the system.

Having technically competitive hardware makes multiplatform titles possible, which they mostly weren't on GC. But it won't be nearly enough to make Wii U commercially viable for those titles, I suspect.

Burnout 3 skipped Gamecube for another technical limitation of the platform: online. It wasn't a sales based decision, in fact Burnout 1-2 sold better on Gamecube than they did on Xbox.

 

[Gianni Merryman]

I think I have every two disc based game (except Baten Kaitos):
-Baten Kaitos Origins
-RE4
-RECV
-ToS
-MGS:TTS
-Killer7

Also Tiger Woods 200*(was it 3 or 4?) was on two minidiscs, and it was particularly annoying, as it prompted you to swap discs whithin the same course, as some holes were on disc one and others on disc 2, quite a pain in the neck

Ah, by the way another one missing from your list is Resident evil rebirth.

 

[Father_Brain]

Which games would those be? Burnout wasn't one of them, unless "same-day" means "almost half a year later"

I don't have numbers handy, but I was on GAF in the 2003-2006 period when the complete NPD numbers were posted here, and that's what I remember.

People should really stop making comparisons to the PS2 era. We don't live in that era anymore. Game publishers have been struggling financially this entire generation with scant exception. We are in the multi-platform era in a way that the PS2 era never even came close to reaching. Publishers should put every game on every system that can run it. If they can toss in a bit more money and optimize it for each system's controls, great; otherwise, just do it the dirty way and make it available.

The PS2 era is over. It's never coming back.

We'll have to agree to disagree on that point for a while. You're obviously correct in that HD budgets have made exclusives a thing of the past, but I suspect that most publishers still have minimum sales thresholds to justify porting, and that if early Wii U multiplatform releases fail to meet that threshold - which I think is quite possible, at least in the absence of any kind of exclusive-content strategy on Nintendo's part aimed at getting current PS3 and 360 owners to switch systems - they won't be particularly hesitant to abandon the platform for many multiplatform titles released after the first 12-18 months.

Burnout 3 skipped Gamecube for another technical limitation of the platform: online. It wasn't a sales based decision, in fact Burnout 1-2 sold better on Gamecube than they did on Xbox.

I don't remember that, but if you're right, it would be more exception than rule for last gen.

 

[StevieP]

People should really stop making comparisons to the PS2 era. We don't live in that era anymore. Game publishers have been struggling financially this entire generation with scant exception. We are in the multi-platform era in a way that the PS2 era never even came close to reaching. Publishers should put every game on every system that can run it. If they can toss in a bit more money and optimize it for each system's controls, great; otherwise, just do it the dirty way and make it available.

The PS2 era is over. It's never coming back.

Words of wisdom, Vinci.
I agree with every word in this post, and have been saying the exact same thing. With the cost of this generation and next generation development, developers could and should port their game to everything including Vita if it's feasible to.

Unfortunately, you still have some developers (look back a few pages at Kev Levigne, etc) that are saying "hey, we got nuttin". There is no technical reason why the Wii U can't get games from this gen and next gen, simply for the fact that it's using what we know to be modern architecture. And yet, the cycle of "testing waters" and "we like the possibilities of the controller but have not started working on anything just yet" has already begun.

And that I don't get. Nintendo even regressed back to a dual-analog pad to facilitate easier porting. A userbase has to be built - it doesn't come out of nowhere.

 

[TunaLover]

Also Tiger Woods 200*(was it 3 or 4?) was on two minidiscs, and it was particularly annoying, as it prompted you to swap discs whithin the same course, as some holes were on disc one and others on disc 2, quite a pain in the neck

Ah, by the way another one missing from your list is Resident evil rebirth.

Yeah I sold REmake and RE0 to bought Wii versions, I didn't know that about Tiger Woods.

 

[lunchwithyuzo]

List of multi-disc GCN games:

Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean (Namco)
Baten Kaitos Origins (Nintendo)
Conan: The Dark Axe (TDK)
Enter The Matrix (Atari)
Freaky Flyers (Midway)
Goldeneye: Rogue Agent (Electronic Arts)
Homeland (Sega)
Killer7 (Capcom)
Lord of the Rings: The Third Age (Electronic Arts)
Medal of Honor: Rising Sun (Electronic Arts)
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes (Konami)
Resident Evil (Capcom)
Resident Evil 4 (Capcom)
Resident Evil Code: Veronica X (Capcom)
Resident Evil Zero (Capcom)
Ribbit King (Bandai)
Tales of Symphonia (Namco)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus (Konami)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Mutant Nightmare (Konami)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004 (Electronic Arts)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005 (Electronic Arts)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory (Ubisoft)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent (Ubisoft)

 

[lunchwithyuzo]

I don't remember that, but if you're right, it would be more exception than rule for last gen.

Fair enough, but how about listing other examples then? Most devs skipping Gamecube for multiplatform games seemed to usually hinge on system capability (memory, online) or dveloper background (ie: PC devs moving to consoles) moreso than low sales of 3rd party games on the system. In fact GC & Xbox were usually comparable for software sales, though each definitely had some strengths (shooters/sports on Xbox,adventure/platformers on GC).

 

[LegendofJoe]

Anecdotally, I didn't buy a Wii until last year. The reason for this had nothing to do with motion controls, but more to do with realizing that 3rd party software releases that appealed to me were going to be few and far between. This could of course continue with the WiiU, but the tablet controller has so much appeal to me that I have already made up my mind that I am going to buy the console within the first year of its release. Motion control and IR pointing were good selling points for the Wii, but they weren't enough to convince me to buy the system. I feel differently about the streaming tablet, it makes the WiiU a must purchase in my opinion. I feel so strongly about it in fact that I think other people once they see what the U-tab can bring to the table will begin to feel the same way as me. That said software across many different genres that takes advantage of its possibilities will need to be released for that to happen. It didn't happen with the Wii, but I think with the WiiU it will.

 

[Father_Brain]

In fact GC & Xbox were usually comparable for software sales

I wish I could say "you're wrong on that point, and here are some examples to prove it," but I'll just have to say that that's not my memory of the public-NPD era and leave it at that, and that I'm extremely skeptical about Wii U's viability for multiplatform titles for the reasons I mentioned above.

 

[lunchwithyuzo]

I wish I could say "you're wrong on that point, and here are some examples to prove it," but I'll just have to say that that's not my memory of the public-NPD era and leave it at that, and that I'm extremely skeptical about Wii U's viability for multiplatform titles for the reasons I mentioned above.

Well, all those old NPD leaks are easily found with simple googling and if you do so you'll find what I said to usually be the case. There were exceptions sure, especially later in the generation (like notably when EA Sports went online with XBL), but multiplatform sales were usually pretty close between GC/Xbox and far behind PS2.

In the US specifically, GC/Xbox sales were usually closer than 360/PS3 are even.