Nintendo Wii

[jpwong]

Originally Posted by Radd

To my knowledge, Nintendo has been producing the Wii in greater numbers than many previous console launches have seen, and they've kept supplies coming. (I would be interested to see hard numbers on that, though.)

Well, I don't know about hard numbers, but the gaming sites back in January had been reporting 4 million units shipped and that approximatly 1 million new units were being shipped per month worldwide.

It would seem that Nintendo's maximum rate of production at this time is close to a million units a month.

I can see the Wii lasting a while in the marketplace, though I imagine the PS3 will pick up sales later as it starts to release more of it's exclusives and more people get onboard with HDTVs.

[Theclow]

Originally Posted by jpwong

It would seem that Nintendo's maximum rate of production at this time is close to a million units a month.

You have a source on that? That seems pretty unrealistic. (For me at least)

I can see the Wii lasting a while in the marketplace, though I imagine the PS3 will pick up sales later as it starts to release more of it's exclusives and more people get onboard with HDTVs.

Smack me across the head if I'm wrong but, unless the wii can get some good exclusives won't the wii trade places with the PS3?(the only one I've see that seems worthwhile would be MP3 but I don't really check out gaming sites that much.)
(^This may seem like a "Devil's Advocate" post but I'm skeptical about the exclusives for the wii right now.)

[Vexx]

I'm having trouble with the value/pricepoint of PS3s.... The Wii was a pretty bargain and "beer'n'pretzels" console. I look at the PS3 and respond "Why?"

But that just means I'm not their target audience.. I guess. Personally, I find the views on the PS3 from Penny-Arcade hilarious
http://www.penny-arcade.com/

[Benoit]

More HDTVs does NOT mean more PS3 (or XBox 360) adoption.

[GHDpro]

Originally Posted by Benoit

More HDTVs does NOT mean more PS3 (or XBox 360) adoption.

Really? But what else are you going to do with a HDTV set. Where I live there hardly is any HD content being broadcast as far as I know, unless I get satellite or something.

That leaves only a few more ways to get the max out of a HDTV... one of them being HD gaming using PS3/360.

Of course, I fully agree that every HDTV sold does not mean a PS3 customer.

[Radd]

Even standard DVDs look better on an HD set. Also using a computer as a media centre and hooking it up to an HDTV is fantastic. Since most people use their televisions for viewing entertainment more than gaming, I'd say most people would find these options appealing regardless of whether or not local stations are broadcasting HD content.

[GHDpro]

Hmm, sorry, I seem to have not quite worded my post the way I wanted.

Basically what I wanted to say is that with the lack of HD broadcast content, people might look for other ways to make use of the HDTV. I use it as a media center myself, which works great, but I look forward to the point when there are enough good games for the PS3 that make it worth buying.

By contrast the Wii appears to have a somewhat similar problem with not quite enough good games to choose from, but I had no qualms about buying that "in advance". Though Zelda could be considered the same kind of system-seller as FFXIII probably will be for PS3, yet the latter game isn't out yet of course.

[Papaya]

The 360 and PS3 probably sell more HDTV's than the other way around, the it's pretty feasible on both sides.

The PS3 especially, since it has a built-in Blu-Ray player (totally worthless if you're still on that old 480).

[jpwong]

Originally Posted by Theclow

You have a source on that? That seems pretty unrealistic. (For me at least)

I guess it's over a million, but it seems it stems from some Associated Press thing that is no longer available on CNN.

http://www.gamepro.com/news.cfm?article_id=94412

CNN does still list the article if you go look under the Business Technology page for 1/25/07, but you get a page not found if you try to follow the link to the actual article (at least that's what I'm getting).

But it seems to indicate that Nintendo made it's 4 million shipped by 12/31/06 and intends to have 7 million shipped by the end of march (according to Nintendo at least).

While I tend to agree that just because more HDTVs get sold, it won't translate into higher nextgen sales, but I'm thinking that at least some people would be more influenced to get a console that can display HD for their HDTV. The Wii only supports 480p at best with a default of 480i. While I suppose that's not terrible, I've seen people lamenting over the fact that Nintendo didn't make the highest resolution 720p so that they could "HD" their gameplay.

I have no doubt that the PS3 will probably overtake the Wii at some point, if only because the PS3 looks like it's intended to have a longer product lifetime than the Wii. When it's going to happen, I don't know, I'm sure the PS3 has it's line of 2007 exclusives that people are waitting on much in the same way people are waitting for some of the 1st party Wii games due out later this year.

[Onizuka-GTO]

Originally Posted by jpwong

I guess it's over a million, but it seems it stems from some Associated Press thing that is no longer available on CNN.

http://www.gamepro.com/news.cfm?article_id=94412

CNN does still list the article if you go look under the Business Technology page for 1/25/07, but you get a page not found if you try to follow the link to the actual article (at least that's what I'm getting).

But it seems to indicate that Nintendo made it's 4 million shipped by 12/31/06 and intends to have 7 million shipped by the end of march (according to Nintendo at least).

While I tend to agree that just because more HDTVs get sold, it won't translate into higher nextgen sales, but I'm thinking that at least some people would be more influenced to get a console that can display HD for their HDTV. The Wii only supports 480p at best with a default of 480i. While I suppose that's not terrible, I've seen people lamenting over the fact that Nintendo didn't make the highest resolution 720p so that they could "HD" their gameplay.

I have no doubt that the PS3 will probably overtake the Wii at some point, if only because the PS3 looks like it's intended to have a longer product lifetime than the Wii. When it's going to happen, I don't know, I'm sure the PS3 has it's line of 2007 exclusives that people are waitting on much in the same way people are waitting for some of the 1st party Wii games due out later this year.

I have a feeling that when the PS3 starts to be profitable, Nintendo will bring out a 2nd Generation Wii, probably with "High Vision"

Its commonly known the Wii can do 720p but the frame rate is inconsistent, since they are going to make a DVD player version, the hardware need for that could in theory be augmented so that 720p could in theory, allow an acceptable framerate. But im not holding my breath for it.

[gummybear]

they don't really need a 2nd gen Wii, THEY NEED TO OUT PUT MORE GAMES, SPEICALLY FOR WII OUTSIDE OF JAPAN!

Nintendo is just a master at the art of disappointment, they seems to aim to shoot down my reasons to get my Wii in the first place, one after another
First was the Scud Hammer, now they said only 30 games will be releast by the end of this year and non of the games that I want is going to make it outside of Japan?!?! I am this close to say "f*** **u Nintendo" and trade it in for store credit. The thin line is at smash bro; if it suck then that's the end of my believe in Nintendo... for console.

[Onizuka-GTO]

awww....i feel for you Gummybear....

But to be honest, I don't have much free time these days, so to be honest I don't really feel the "drought" i suppose if i got days upon days without something to do, then i suppose i might be in your situation, but im also one who never got a Gamecube, and I got a nice selection of A+ games i have yet to try, no to mention the VC titles....

I guess if those things cannot keep you going until the next big release...maybe you should trade in your Wii and get a 360 or PS3?

no wait. just get a 360.

[Vexx]

I'd rather see a few well-produced games than a slew of poorly ported crap myself. 30 games seems like quite a lot if they're all well made.

How many hours a day are people playing on a console? Between work, classes, homework, house maintenance, PC games, tabletop games, other hobbies.... an hour or two on the Wii each day seems to be luxurious.

I'm figuring like Oni.... if the Wii Phase 1 does reasonably well and given their fairly low cost experiment with it - I'd expect to see a Wii Phase 2 with much improved graphics (or an extension module to the Wii 1). Maybe they'll improve their Net wi-fi connector module (ours seems determined not to successfully connect even to a naked unencrypted "simplest" access point ... it can see it and its a great signal, it just won't pass the connect test).

A Wii 2 could probably do with more processing power or memory as well --- its kind of interesting watching the Wii strain to compute the AI solution for particularly difficult golf shots in Swing Golf.

[Onizuka-GTO]

Originally Posted by Vexx

Maybe they'll improve their Net wi-fi connector module (ours seems determined not to successfully connect even to a naked unencrypted "simplest" access point ... it can see it and its a great signal, it just won't pass the connect test).

A Wii 2 could probably do with more processing power or memory as well --- its kind of interesting watching the Wii strain to compute the AI solution for particularly difficult golf shots in Swing Golf.

huh. My Wi-fi does fine, unencrypted, WEP and even WPA (but I hate WPA, its so slow on laptops)

I think it's either your Wii or your wi-fi router the problem, I think the Wi-fi they have is doing okay.

but, a Wii 2 might also give us a chance to get more then four wiimotes, i mean hey, it has no physical link what so ever, so why limit it to four? I mean my mate who has a wii bring his wiimotes and usually we have at leased 6+ wiimotes when we have a chill out, it'll be great if we can all play. True the one wiimote-for-all was good, but give us the option.

[evil|plushie]

Originally Posted by gummybear

they don't really need a 2nd gen Wii, THEY NEED TO OUT PUT MORE GAMES, SPEICALLY FOR WII OUTSIDE OF JAPAN!

Nintendo is just a master at the art of disappointment, they seems to aim to shoot down my reasons to get my Wii in the first place, one after another
First was the Scud Hammer, now they said only 30 games will be releast by the end of this year and non of the games that I want is going to make it outside of Japan?!?! I am this close to say "f*** **u Nintendo" and trade it in for store credit. The thin line is at smash bro; if it suck then that's the end of my believe in Nintendo... for console.

When did Nintendo say only 30 games will be out??

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by Onizuka-GTO

huh. My Wi-fi does fine, unencrypted, WEP and even WPA (but I hate WPA, its so slow on laptops)

I think it's either your Wii or your wi-fi router the problem, I think the Wi-fi they have is doing okay.

but, a Wii 2 might also give us a chance to get more then four wiimotes, i mean hey, it has no physical link what so ever, so why limit it to four? I mean my mate who has a wii bring his wiimotes and usually we have at leased 6+ wiimotes when we have a chill out, it'll be great if we can all play. True the one wiimote-for-all was good, but give us the option.

I'm more suspicious of the Wii because my accesspoint routers works fine with every single other wifi device we have (laptops, various wifi cards, PDAs, etc) regardless of signal type, encrypted or not, bitsize, etc.
My house is big enough I have one for each floor (USR Robotics downstairs, Linksys upstairs) and the Wii can see both from where it is.
I've got one more trick to try (moving it next to the router and see if the metal in the entertainment center was an issue) but otherwise I'll probably run a cat5 to it and spring for a connector module (grrr).

I agree on the irritation of the 4 Wii wand limit (we have a 5 member household so someone is always left out) ... but that problem extends to the software games as well as the OS (no technical reason 5 people can't bowl but the player screen only allows for 4).
"Visualizes an 8 player Wii that permits games like volleyball ---- thinks of the destruction to furniture and walls"

[gummybear]

I'd rather see a few well-produced games than a slew of poorly ported crap myself. 30 games seems like quite a lot if they're all well made.

just because it's well made, that doesn't mean it's good. There are tons of well made games out there, but not all of them are good games. Also, it's really "in the of the beholder" to determent if a game is good; just because a game got a high rating on Gamespy or Gamepro, that doesn't mean it's "important" to me. Like those pet games on DS, they got very high rating and it is very well made, but you know what I said after 5 minutes of it?

Spoiler:

MEH.

In my other opinion, I feel that Nintendo is really a communist company; they output very little choices for their people and they always claim "it's good".

[Vexx]

We seem to have a very different definition on what "well made games" means (especially if you think there are "tons of well made games"). Memory management and modularity is only one small part. Some other aspects include keeping the player interested, well-constructed UIs, interesting graphics, and not being 95% exactly like game X, Y, and Z.

"ratings" and "good" are subjective - one at the aggregate level, the other at the personal level.

Nintendo always appears to be "happy in their niche" and consider it a win if they don't screw up like Sony.

Caveat: I'm not really a console fan at all.... they lack the upgradeability of a PC and the games are rarely/never given expansions or bug fixes. I'm waiting to see if Nintendo Wiis provide such features in their equipment or their game vendors provide expansions (like new golf courses for Swing Golf, for example). The fact it has an Internet connection is a plus for possible fixes/upgrades and the expansion modules may provide for some hardware updates.

[Radd]

It was pretty obvious that by "well made" Vexx meant "good" as far as games go, though I will agree that what is "good" is very subjective and when choices are limited it becomes very difficult to please everybody. If this "only 30 games this year" rumour pans out (and is there even a source on this? we shouldn't even be discussing it unless someone has a source), could be grim for Nintendo going into 2008.

In my other opinion, I feel that Nintendo is really a communist company; they output very little choices for their people and they always claim "it's good".

This is, hands down, the oddest statement I have ever read on this forum. It's also a very broken statement on several levels. Nintendo is communist? No, Nintendo is a business, a capitalist business. They offer very little choices? What are you basing that statement on? Their lack of 3rd party support last console generation, and a rumour of few games to be released this year? Nintendo claims all their products are good? Well, yes, like any capitalist company, they're trying to sell you something.

Now, on the topic of an HD Wii? Don't hold your breath. More than likely we won't see such a thing until the Wii's successor is announced in about 4-5 years. By then, the majority of the market will be HD.

Vexx, I won't get into PCs versus consoles, but you really need to approach the two markets with different expectations. Downloadable levels would be nice, but don't expect to see hardware upgrades. That defeats the point of owning a console, an inexpensive standard piece of hardware that will play anything made for it. Also, I hope we never see software patches for Wii games. It's too easy for developers to rely too heavily on them, and for publishers to pretty much require them.

[Vexx]

I don't really expect to see hardware upgrades (though more mem or gpu upgrades would extend the platform). And yes, we'd certainly like to avoid the launch at 99% that PC games increasingly suffer from. But downloadable levels and equipment would be kind of a sweet thing (even if you have to pay a bit for them).

The "odd" statement was ... well, I think you covered it.