The Wii U Speculation Thread

[Secret Fawful]

Originally Posted by Rather Dashing

Nobody "actually owns" their games. All video games are software licenses, not products. I see no real benefit in "ownership".

Control over what happens to your games. You can sell them, trade them, throw them, break them, shit on them, or burn them with a flamethrower if you want when you own them physically. I know you don't have a collector mentality, though. As someone whose parents were crafts salesmen, and whose grandparents were antiques dealers, I was raised with the mindset of a collector/trader/seller. Digital ownership/collecting goes against my grain. Everything physical has a value.

When I say enjoy not actually owning your games, I forget that you actually will enjoy not actually owning your games.

[Rather Dashing]

Originally Posted by Secret Fawful

When I say enjoy not actually owning your games, I forget that you actually will enjoy not actually owning your games.

Generally speaking, yes. I can use them just as well, if not better, than if I did "own" them. Ownership doesn't give me automatic patching, booting up a game without putting in a disc, or the knowledge that the game media won't be physically destroyed. "Real" ownership requires a physical storefront, physical storefronts require physical shelves, physical shelves have limited space. Prioritizing shelf space means only new and major titles show up on store shelves, unlimited store space means I can buy any game in the catalog whenever I want and not wait for shipping. I guarantee that the vast majority of my favorite games since 2005 would not be able to get physical store space. Those that did would not have found themselves there without their success in the digital space. 210 games on a physical shelf would take up a lot of room and take forever to sort through, 210 in a Steam library can be automatically sorted by a number of criteria and instantly booted right up by clicking a picture.

I have no real desire to take a flamethrower to a piece of hardware that happens to contain a digital game. If I did, I could do so to my hard drive, or to a thumb drive, or to a DVD that had the files burned to it. I don't see "unlike the other option, this one is destructible" as a benefit.

[Shadowknight1]

I'll be damned if that isn't the BEST idea I've seen for the asymmetrical gameplay experience that Nintendo's trying to push with the Wii U. It needs to happen.

[Chyron8472]

Originally Posted by Secret Fawful

Enjoy not ever actually owning your games ever. Oh, I'm using Steam too, but I REGRET IT. However, it's what I can afford. Then again, from a non-limited viewpoint, actually owning your video games doesn't matter when you're 90 and nearly dead.

For a long time now, whenever I was to get a PC game on disc, I would always rip the disc to an image because I abhore disc-based DRM and disc images are easier to manage. However, (1) it doesn't always fool the game; (2) using No-CD cracks often breaks online multiplayer; and (3) my hard drive gets rather full with all the disc images.

It turns out that Steam and GOG are a godsend in overcoming these problems.

...and anyway, you and I both know that if Steam shut down and the games were no longer available you would feel compelled to obtain them by...other means...since you had already paid for them.


Oh, and I know it's not a problem anymore really, but I remember buying games like Phantasmagoria that need upwards of 7 CDs to fit all the game data on (heck, COMI was on 2 discs). Putting the install files on the cloud solves such issues.

[EDIT:] Don't tell me you still buy audio CDs for all your music instead of using iTunes or Amazon. No one but audiophiles buys audio CDs much anymore.[/EDIT]




ON TOPIC: Nintendo it seems have 2 primary goals in mind: 1) keep the console very small; and 2) keep the price down/competitive. As such, they seem all the more willing to sacrifice storage space to reach these goals. I do wish they'd have included an internal slot for a 2.5" HDD (a la PS3) but I wonder how much bigger the console would have been if they did. Not that I care about physical size, but apparently the Japanese care quite a lot.

[Johro]

Originally Posted by Chyron8472

...and anyway, you and I both know that if Steam shut down and the games were no longer available you would feel compelled to obtain them by...other means...since you had already paid for them.


[EDIT:] Don't tell me you still buy audio CDs for all your music instead of using iTunes or Amazon. No one but audiophiles buys audio CDs much anymore.[/EDIT]

Okay. /DeepBreath

If Steam were to shut down, we would get a chance to download all our owned games and Steam authentication would be removed in one way or another. Gabe has answered this question many times.

I still buy CDs of great albums because the format quality is way better than MP3. In fact, MP3 is the worst wide released format to exist yet. Even cassettes sounded better over the hiss. I'd go vinyl, but they arent really portable. I may classify as an audiophile though. You've seen my DVDs, yeah, I have more CDs than that.

On topic: I'm liking the WiiU less and less as this goes on. I don't think I'm going to be on board this time(although, I said the same about the Wii and cracked after a couple years).

[Chyron8472]

Originally Posted by Johro

If Steam were to shut down, we would get a chance to download all our owned games and Steam authentication would be removed in one way or another. Gabe has answered this question many times.

I'm aware of this. I was really referring to the far future in which one may need to redownload a game but Steam's files are no longer available.

MP3 is the worst wide released format to exist yet. Even cassettes sounded better over the hiss.

One has to prioritize between file size and quality (file size is still an issue regarding portable device storage capacity), though I also don't particularly think that 256k bitrates sound bad. Further, MP3s don't skip, don't scratch, and don't degrade over time.

Plus, MP3 = DRM-free = win. Sure, FLAC is also DRM free and sounds better but it's not widely supported and the file sizes are significantly larger.

On topic: I'm liking the WiiU less and less as this goes on. I don't think I'm going to be on board this time(although, I said the same about the Wii and cracked after a couple years).

same.

[Shadowknight1]

How are you guys liking it less and less? I'm liking it more and more, especially considering that the specs kick the crap out of the monolithic monstrosity dwarfing my Wii. Not to mention that one of the biggest things with storage space on the PS3, for example, is the PS3's apparent necessity to install about two to three gigs of data from the disk. The PS3 is a data hog. I can't say much about the 360 since I don't have one, but I'm sure it's not too much better off. And considering the prices of flash drives and external hard drives keep going down, I hardly see that memory is much of an issue.

Platinum Games revealed that pretty much the only reason there's going to BE a Bayonetta 2 is because Nintendo helped pick up the franchise while Sega was trying to fix itself. So who knows. Maybe Nintendo will actually be able to KEEP an exclusive for once.

...I still doubt it.

[Rather Dashing]

Originally Posted by Shadowknight1

How are you guys liking it less and less? I'm liking it more and more, especially considering that the specs kick the crap out of the monolithic monstrosity dwarfing my Wii.

Being better than hardware released six and seven years ago is not impressive. What is going to matter is that this console is already worse at digital distribution than standard PS3/360 models and most PCs. It's set to lag behind Sony and Microsoft's next machines hardware-wise.

In 2005, Microsoft's 360 had a 20GB model. The PS3 launched in 2006 with 20 and 60 GB models. In 2005, you might have gotten away with calling a 32GB machine "premium". Not seven years later. Not in 2012. In 2005, 8GB might have seemed more than reasonable for a core model. In 2012, 8GB seems tiny for a mobile device, let alone a box unit that costs three hundred dollars. In 2005 we had yet to hear about the first iPhone, in 2012 the lowest storage tier that device offers is 16GB, double the WiiU's lowest offering, and scales up to 64 GB, TWICE the WiiU's most premium offering.

Not to mention that one of the biggest things with storage space on the PS3, for example, is the PS3's apparent necessity to install about two to three gigs of data from the disk. The PS3 is a data hog. I can't say much about the 360 since I don't have one, but I'm sure it's not too much better off.

360 *is* better off. Installing software to the hard drive is completely optional. You still have to deal with forced patching upon putting the game in the drive, but overall these are software/firmware issues, NOT inherent problems that come with having large amounts of storage. Actually having storage is a good thing. It's a downright necessary thing in this day and age.

And considering the prices of flash drives and external hard drives keep going down, I hardly see that memory is much of an issue.

That doesn't matter.

If all you can count on is 8GB of space, then as a developer you are not going to support that ecosystem. Most people won't have a 3TB drive attached to the thing. Built-in storage isn't optional, it's not a minor thing, it is a necessity to create the conditions under which a digital distribution system can thrive. It's not about YOU or YOUR storage, it's about what amount of storage is common in the install base.

Yes, that is a developer concern. But developers make games. You want to buy games. Developer issues become consumer issues, and storage on the WiiU has made the thing

[Shadowknight1]

Okay, this does kinda count as Wii U news. Injustice: Gods Among Us, which is also releasing on PS3/360, will be released April 2013. They finally narrowed down a month!

[Chyron8472]

Originally Posted by Rather Dashing

If all you can count on is 8GB of space, then as a developer you are not going to support that ecosystem. Most people won't have a 3TB drive attached to the thing. Built-in storage isn't optional, it's not a minor thing, it is a necessity to create the conditions under which a digital distribution system can thrive. It's not about YOU or YOUR storage, it's about what amount of storage is common in the install base.

Yes, that is a developer concern. But developers make games. You want to buy games. Developer issues become consumer issues, and storage on the WiiU has made the thing

Dashing is right. Developers aren't going to make games which are multi-gig in size and just hope that their target market bought more storage space.

Nintendo places too high a priority on physical console size, and their software library is going to suffer for it. The dumb thing is that they should be able to take a page out of Sony's book and just release a slimmer version a few years later. Seriously, my PS2slim takes up less space than the packaging for a TV dinner.

[Chyron8472]

Okay, so now that the WiiU is out, someone who now has one please tell me why I should care.

[Chyron8472]

Originally Posted by Shadowknight1

I'll be damned if that isn't the BEST idea I've seen for the asymmetrical gameplay experience that Nintendo's trying to push with the Wii U. It needs to happen.

What person/company should one pitch this idea to?

[der_ketzer]

What ever company old Bioware is creating.

[Alcoremortis]

Originally Posted by Chyron8472

What person/company should one pitch this idea to?

Wizards of the Coast?

[Gman5852]

Originally Posted by Chyron8472

Okay, so now that the WiiU is out, someone who now has one please tell me why I should care.

It's got a really long update process if your internet sucks... that's been my day so far.

[Secret Fawful]

Originally Posted by Chyron8472

What person/company should one pitch this idea to?

Obsidian.

[LuigiHann]

Okay, so now that the WiiU is out, someone who now has one please tell me why I should care.

Nintendo Land is pretty fun, and gives a great cross-section of the sort of concepts that are possible with the pad. New Super Mario Bros is pretty entertaining too. I'm not running out to buy one yet, and I don't particularly think you should either, but hopefully somebody in your group of friends gets one so you can try it out in multiplayer. Maybe you'll have to take one for the team and be the person that buys it, I don't know.

I'm not going to buy it until a game that I need comes out, which tends to not happen until Zelda but it might end up being something else.

Originally Posted by Chyron8472

What person/company should one pitch this idea to?

I'm surprised they didn't just pitch it to Zeboyd.

[GaryCXJk]

So far haven't played with it a lot, mostly due to me not feeling well and trying to develop a game myself (mostly been working on the crafting engine though).

[Gman5852]

Didn't get to mess around with it too much, but my thoughts anyway

NSMBU:... It's Mario... nothing has changed beyond I can lay down in bed and play this game.

Nintendo Land: This is not that bad of a WiiU game, but I'd love to permanently mute that tour guide. Cool to see other miis walking around and see their stats

ZombiU: I played a bit today, going to need to restart though now that I've learned to play... and a zombie regrew its head and chomped me in one hit and I don't think that was part of the game...

Patching(Because I must mention this): I can actually do other stuff on the WiiU while a game patches! I can even take out the game and play a different one. Why doesn't the Xbox/PS3 have this feature? Seriously, that needs to be a standard now that it is proven I don't need to sit at that screen for a game to patch.

[Jennifer]

Originally Posted by Gman5852

Patching(Because I must mention this): I can actually do other stuff on the WiiU while a game patches! I can even take out the game and play a different one. Why doesn't the Xbox/PS3 have this feature? Seriously, that needs to be a standard now that it is proven I don't need to sit at that screen for a game to patch.

Nice. I'm surprised someone didn't do this last generation, considering the consoles have enough power for at least some basic multitasking.