BBC source: [url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13689609[/url]
Nintendo's Wii U The controller is a cross between a handheld and a tablet device
Gaming giant Nintendo has been showing off its next-generation Wii game console, at the E3 games show in Los Angeles.
The much-anticipated console, dubbed Wii U, comes with a controller that features a touchscreen and camera.
The original Wii console was hugely popular but Nintendo has faced pressure from rivals with similar devices.
Nintendo hopes the new console will create a new genre of gaming.
Wii U will feature a set-top box similar to the first generation console.
But the 6.2-inch touchscreen controller comes with a front-facing camera as well as the more traditional buttons of a Wii remote and a motion detector.
It will broadcast high-definition video and can be used to make video calls and browse the web.
Privacy
In demos, the Japanese gaming giant showed off some of the things the controller will allow - including offering users a private screen to view gameplay information that is not shared on the big screen.
It will also allow users of games such as Wii Fit to weigh themselves and get a read-out via the controller rather than the TV.
Users can also swap game play between the big screen and the controller, for instance if someone else wants to watch TV.
Wii U is "an interesting new concept" thinks Dan Pearson, a staff writer at Gamesindustry.biz.
"It is a hybrid between a handheld with elements of tablet design but also has all the traditional controller elements," he said.
"Initially people may be confused by the controller but so were they when the first Wii was unveiled," he said.
Nintendo was also keen to show off the processing power of the new console.
"Nintendo has been under fire for chasing casual gamers and it is good to see them trying to win back core gamers," said Mr Pearson.
Wii U will work with older games and controllers and will be available from spring 2012.
There was no indication of the price of the new console.
The idea of Battlefield 3 going to the Wii U is pretty crazy, but a step in the right direction. A multi-core IBM processor is all we know about the specs, meaning it would be pretty easy to port from the 360, which I'd prefer didn't happen. I think Nintendo won E3 with it.
EDIT:
My only concerns are the online improvements, battery life and cost of the controllers. If they charge lots they lose a lot of the casual market, where more money can be gained than just hardcore players. Balancing both isn't easy.
It looks brilliant besides the controller and the name.
They really could of changed the controller design, even two Wiimotes and a piece of glass inbetween would of looked better.
ebay
john madden
aeiou
[i]wiiu[/i]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JElywbkSbY&feature=feedbul[/media]
First thing I thought of when I heard the name
Isn't the name of the console kind of the sound you make when you smell something really terrible
[QUOTE=Instant Mix;30316008]ebay
john madden
aeiou
[i]wiiu[/i][/QUOTE]
what
[QUOTE=Instant Mix;30316008]ebay
john madden
aeiou
[i]wiiu[/i][/QUOTE]
moonbase alpha for wii u, make it happen nintendo
This will be awesome
[QUOTE=ggbaddies;30316952]what[/QUOTE]
A joke from moonbase alpha.
also obligatory
[img]http://cdn1.knowyourmeme.com/i/000/038/337/original/gif.gif?1265060192[/img]
[QUOTE=Zeke129;30316375]Isn't the name of the console kind of the sound you make when you smell something really terrible[/QUOTE]
To me it sounds like a noise you would make while pretending to drive a police car.
different
The Console is great in all. but i REALLY dislike the controllers its like...
trying to use a fucking iPad as a Video Game controller.
[QUOTE=uchiha2727;30324860]The Console is great in all. but i REALLY dislike the controllers its like...
trying to use a fucking iPad as a Video Game controller.[/QUOTE]
It's apparently very thin and light.
[url]http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/hub8f/alright_wii_u_haters_ive_played_the_shit_out_of/[/url]
[quote]Alright Wii U haters... I've played the shit out of it already, and it's actually pretty good.
I'm not gonna go into enormous detail just yet (have a ton to type up by the end of the night, and lots of footage to process) but here's the sparknotes version:
Wii U is great. It's exactly what fans have been wanting for two years now, which is a Wii HD. First and foremost, the controller is nothing spectacular, but it's completely functional, and absolutely adds to the experience. The screen itself it vibrant, with a pretty high pixel density. (If I had to guess, I'd say around 200dpi... (Somewhere above a PSP, but well below an iPhone 4.) I'd say that the screen resolution is a "faux" HD screen, but technically 480p. More on that later.
[b]It's light as hell. About as light as an original DS, or PSP. But it's sturdy. I was really concerned that a huge screen would make it more delicate... I would have no issues with tossing this controller across the room onto a bed or something. It's standard Nintendo-quality hardware.[/b]
The demos playable at E3 were pretty much shit, though. Granted, they were all attempting to showcase some "unique feature" or another. That being said, what people have to remember is this controller is far from being a "gimmicky" controller, like the Wiimote. Developers will not have to develop with motion in mind... The most standard thing devs will add will likely be a few virtual buttons, and maybe an off-screen HUD. Think about it this way: Every Wii U game will be designed to be played entirely via the controller, so there's really nothing that will absolutely require a second screen. In fact, if I had to make a blunt assumption, I'd say that every Wii U game might be playable with a Classic Controller, alone.
That brings me to the visuals. They're absolutely out of this world. Without question, the "bird" demo is on par with current PC software. The blurring and lighting were stunning, but the water effects were unreal. (Which is to say, they were absolutely realistic.) The "bird" HD Experience demo was, by and large, the most visually impressive thing I've seen at E3 so far. Furthermore, there were two camera views available simultaneously, one on the TV, one on the controller. Both looked fantastic, albeit the controller had just a BIT of compression artifacting, if you were specifically looking for it. Also, it seemed like the TV was at 60 fps while the controller was at 30 fps. Regardless, it was outstanding on both.
The Zelda HD Experience demo (which is not indicative of any future Zelda title, at all) was also extremely pretty. The player could control the lighting effects (changing it from day to night) and also change camera angles. If I recall correctly, you could shift around the analog slider to shake the camera around a bit. The Zelda demo (like all of the other demos, besides the "bird" one) had noticeable aliasing, and could very well have been running at 720p. (They wouldn't tell me.) It's not a stretch to assume that most of the demos were running at 720p, perhaps with the exception of the "bird" one. However, the sheer amount of geometry, soft shadows, and blurring effects really showed off what the console is capable of doing.
It is, without question, more powerful than the 360 and PS3. Noticeably.
[b]Finally, let's talk about the controller, itself. The analog sliders are not traditional analog sticks. They're more like the 3DS slider, only with a wider range of motion, and a much more solid feel. I was really iffy about these at first, but after about an hour of playing around with them, I've got no more worries. I could easily play an FPS with those things. The buttons and d-pad are in marginally awkward places, but like any new controller, you'll get used to it. L1/L2 and R1/R2 were positioned properly, and the whole thing was very ergonomic. Overall, a pretty solid design.[/b]
But it is pretty fucking big. Almost as big as an iPad. (But, again, not nearly as heavy.)
Without question, this is what a vocal majority has been asking for. It's a Nintendo console that's not solely focused on motion-y gimmicks. Sure, that's what they showcased here, but the thing to take away from all of this is that the core controller functions just like the 360 and PS3 controllers, only it has a big fucking screen. In my opinion, that's kind of a plus. It'll make pooping far more enjoyable.
Ask me anything else you might want to know.
Edit: Here's a preview of the camera footage I took of the Zelda HD demo. removed, check below
Edit 2: Here's the full preview video. (Please ignore our silly commentary. NOS was giving out free energy drinks all day.) [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTkCIJGTe_U[/url][/quote]
Eh, I'd still like a choice on what controller to use in a fps, however you could probably make a good RTS on this with the controller.
I'm still confused at the 'controller' aspect. Right first off it has better specs than the Wii console. But we can play games on the Wii then switch to the Wii U screen. I take it for games like BF3 we can only play that on the Wii U?
Also, when the first announced it I facepalmed, but as the started explaining it more, and of course shown Battlefield 3, it sounded quite good. I'm still unsure about the layout of the controls and such though.
[QUOTE=Rage.;30325986]I'm still confused at the 'controller' aspect. Right first off it has better specs than the Wii console. But we can play games on the Wii then switch to the Wii U screen. I take it for games like BF3 we can only play that on the Wii U?
Also, when the first announced it I facepalmed, but as the started explaining it more, and of course shown Battlefield 3, it sounded quite good. I'm still unsure about the layout of the controls and such though.[/QUOTE]
The Wii U is a completely new console.
[img]http://www.geek.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/WiiU-ConsoleBody-580x326.jpg[/img]
Nintendo haven't said that though?
They did, it's just that the presentation had a focus on the controller.
They certainly did focus a lot on that controller. Not to say that said controller wasn't neato, just wanted to see the console since people keep tossing "controller" and "console" back and forth, leaving me confused. :frown:
Yeah they should have been more clear.
Oh so if it's an actual console that makes me want it a whole lot more.
From the presentation I thought it was a Wii add-on/handheld.
Be careful not to break this thing. Replacing it will most likely cost a fuckton.
I always prefer thinking of Mario as a friendly cartoon rather than a dirty great fat guy in a red suit with a tash but they just keep trying :frown:
I'm imagining a retail price of around £249.99 (with the controller) with cost per additional controller being around £69.99. The concept behind the controller is really intriguing and it'll be interesting to see if Nintendo pull it off. I mean, if the picture is laggy and blocky due to the connection to the console, then I don't want to know.
[QUOTE=Elgar;30326744]I'm imagining a retail price of around £249.99 (with the controller) with cost per additional controller being around £69.99. The concept behind the controller is really intriguing and it'll be interesting to see if Nintendo pull it off. I mean, if the picture is laggy and blocky due to the connection to the console, then I don't want to know.[/QUOTE]
One site reported that one controller is bundled with the console and you can't buy them separately. Not sure how true this is, but I'd imagine you'd only be able to use one of these controllers at a time anyway. Think about it: multiple screens would mean the console would have to output multiple high quality video and audio streams, each having to be rendered differently at the same time as well. I'm not sure if modern hardware could handle this while keeping a decent framerate.
What Nintendo seem to be going for is local play using Wii controllers (or whatever new controllers come out - I'm sure we'll be seeing new "standard" screenless controllers for this) and a better online system (thank god).
[QUOTE=AlphaNoob4;30316072]First thing I thought of when I heard the name[/QUOTE]
For me.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwemr3IpmM[/media]
[QUOTE=Zeke129;30316375]Isn't the name of the console kind of the sound you make when you smell something really terrible[/QUOTE]
No, it's the sound an ambulance makes.
I hope its made out of a purer batch of Nintendium.
You know what I immediately thought of?
You know that AC-130 cooperative mission in Modern Warfare 2? Give the screen controller player the gunship controls and the ground player uses the big screen.
That would be, as far as I'm concerned, the best possible use of this
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