Miyamoto and Iwata Talk Revolution
Also, a few details on Mario 128 and DS/ Revolution connectivity.
by Juan Castro
July 25, 2005 - In a recent interview with EGM, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata and legendary game designer Shigeru Miyamoto commented on the upcoming successor to the GameCube, codenamed Revolution, and offered a few details on Mario 128 and the future of Nintendo in general.
To start though, Iwata faced a series of questions focused on Nintendo's philosophy on game design, which sometimes places innovation above technological pizzazz. With the next-generation of videogame consoles on the horizon, longtime Nintendo fans worry the Nintendo Revolution simply won't compete with Microsoft's Xbox 360 or Sony's PS3 on a graphical level.
"I don't think the Revolution's [graphics] will be inferior in any fashion to Xbox 360 or PS3," said Iwata. "Even if you look at Zelda on GameCube, I don't think that looks inferior to what the competition is touting as 'next generation' visuals. But we think there are more important things for now than making the system work with a high-definition television."
Iwata went on to say that most people who will be playing the Nintendo Revolution won't be doing so on high-definition compatible television sets anyway, and that 480p (progressive-scan) will remain the standard. Bottom line, according to Iwata, is Nintendo's desire to create a system capable of attracting as many people as possible. On the same note, Iwata said Nintendo had no desire to make people pay extra out of the box for the Revolution's DVD functionality, since most people already own one or more DVD players. He also reiterated that the DVD player will be built-in and not an external attachment. At E3 2005, the company confirmed that an additionally purchased dongle would activate the built-in DVD functionality.
As far as the Revolution's Internet connectivity is concerned, the system will be Wi-Fi compatible out of the box but won't come with an Ethernet port. Instead, Nintendo will sell an Ethernet adaptor for the Revolution's USB port. Iwata said it would be difficult, given where the Revolution will be in a household [probably the living room] for players to connect the Revolution to a traditional Ethernet line.
Moving from hardware to software, Miyamoto said Nintendo is considering a DS version of the classic brawler Super Smash Bros. He also said that he'd like to make another Luigi's Mansion game and that a Pikmin game on Revolution would be a "good match" given the Revolution's unique and totally mysterious controller. But he said nothing about Pikmin Revolution was set in stone. Miyamoto also said that if it's technically possible on Revolution, then tweaking older games such as Mario Party for online play was a definite possibility.
Finally, Iwata spoke on the Revolution's unique interface and if it would alienate third-party developers.
"Well, of course, the idea is that the Revolution will sell and sell and sell so it becomes the standard in the industry," Iwata mused. "However, at least for the launch period, we designed the controller so it can play any of the different conventional styles. After all, we are talking about it playing games from our past machines (i.e. the virtual console). So don't worry."
------------------------------
1.) The graphics will be on par with the PS3 and XBox360.
2.) The Revolution will support 480 Pro scan... which is HD. Though "the Revolution will not support HD." (?????????)
3.) The dongle will activate the internal DVD functionality. That means the system can play DVD's out of the box but will require a 'key' to operate it just like high end computers and workstations. So, by including the ability to play DVD's out of the box but selling the key seperately thy're able to keep costs down. This makes sense because if they included it out-right (no dongle) they would have to pay royaltees.
4.) We have to pay a seperate ethernet adapter. Not a biggie, i'm thinking it will be in the 15 to 20 range.
5.) SSB for DS? Luigi's Mansion? Pikmin for Revolution? Oh yes, my cups fill with drool.
6.) Older games for the virtual console will indeed be updated to include net-play. This means everything from Earthbound to Zelda could have net-play functionality but at the very least, Nintendo's 2 to 4 player games will most likely recieve a net-play update. You should all thank me for this one, we're getting this because of all the praying I did.
7.) The controller can play every game. Does this include light gun games? What's the point of the GC controller ports then? Just there on the mock-up and not in the final version (said to be smaller)? A controller so well made that it will change the industry and create a standard. If any other company said this it would be a joke. But Nintendo's changed and invented standards like nobody's business.
Quote:3.) The dongle will activate the internal DVD functionality. That means the system can play DVD's out of the box but will require a 'key' to operate it just like high end computers and workstations. So, by including the ability to play DVD's out of the box but selling the key seperately thy're able to keep costs down. This makes sense because if they included it out-right (no dongle) they would have to pay royaltees.
Same as the Xbox.
Everything else sounds pretty good.
Quote:1.) The graphics will be on par with the PS3 and XBox360.
Or close enough for Nintendo to not care. But really, shouldn't we have known this already? People are just unhappy because Nintendo understates things, not because they have any actual proof that the Revolution will look a lot worse than the competition...
Quote:2.) The Revolution will support 480 Pro scan... which is HD. Though "the Revolution will not support HD." (?????????)
As in 720p or 1080i or whatever, like PS3 and X360 will have.
Quote:Same as the Xbox.
Neither MS or Nintendo wants to be paying Sony royalties with every console they sell... :)
Quote:4.) We have to pay a seperate ethernet adapter. Not a biggie, i'm thinking it will be in the 15 to 20 range.
Annoying you'll have to pay extra, but at least there will be one...
Quote:6.) Older games for the virtual console will indeed be updated to include net-play. This means everything from Earthbound to Zelda could have net-play functionality but at the very least, Nintendo's 2 to 4 player games will most likely recieve a net-play update. You should all thank me for this one, we're getting this because of all the praying I did.
Are you still hoping for massive remakes and multiplayer in single player games and stuff? Don't. I did think that they could do simple stuff like emulating the multiplayer over the internet (even some emulators can do THAT...), but that doesn't require modifying the games themselves, as I said, just the hardware emulation, so it's simpler to do since they have to do hardware emulation anyway... maybe they will do redos of some titles, but I expect the vast majority will have few to no changes.
Quote:7.) The controller can play every game. Does this include light gun games? What's the point of the GC controller ports then? Just there on the mock-up and not in the final version (said to be smaller)? A controller so well made that it will change the industry and create a standard. If any other company said this it would be a joke. But Nintendo's changed and invented standards like nobody's business.
That's a good question, will it also emulate R.O.B.? ... no, I think they just mean the normal controllers, ie NES, SNES, N64. Sorry. :) With something new and different that we hopefully won't expect, but also with standard controller things... I think that people thinking that ports will be really hard (and thus that Nintendo will die, etc, etc) will be dissapointed. :) Though it well might fall short of the standards we expect for button (and perhaps even analog sticks)... we'll see. But as the GC shows, you CAN modify games for a simpler controller... it breaks some games, but it can be done.
480p is not HD. It's ED, enhanced definition. 720i and above is HD.
Say whatever you want, there is a difference, and as the lifespan of the new machines goes on, and as better HD sets become available, the visual gap will be visible and will widen between the Rev and PS3/XB360. The thought of PS3 spitting out 1080p makes me ejaculate uncontrollably.
I hope the PS3 offers DVI or HDMI outs. I'm pretty sure it will.
As always, Nintendo misses the picture: third party support. All the cool games that videogamers like, i.e. the big-selling killer games, will be mysteriously lacking. Getting rid of Rare was the faux pas of the century says I.
I don't think so. I still think Rare is extraordinarily overrated. They haven't done shit in all the years they've been an X-box exclusive developer.
What exactly has Rare done since they've been sold? Nothing! At least nothing of much mention.
Hey, that's not true! They have published three or four pretty good GBA games... :)
Ryan Wrote:480p is not HD. It's ED, enhanced definition. 720i and above is HD.
Say whatever you want, there is a difference, and as the lifespan of the new machines goes on, and as better HD sets become available, the visual gap will be visible and will widen between the Rev and PS3/XB360. The thought of PS3 spitting out 1080p makes me ejaculate uncontrollably.
I hope the PS3 offers DVI or HDMI outs. I'm pretty sure it will.
The Revolution offers DVI outputs, this is already confirmed. 480i and p is the lowest resolution of HD. 1080p (which isn't really available yet) is the highest and the difference is minimal; There is no such thing as "ED" this is a term created by companies to throw buzz words at you.
Just so everyone knows, the "p" means progressive scan, the "i" means interlaced. Pro scan means it's not drawing lines and you get a sharper picture though it looks like shit with certain film grains but looks fantastic with video games. Interlaced, in video games, will always give you 'ghost lines' no matter what the resolution is set at but usually looks nicer with true film content. No static drops like in DVD's where as soon as the pixels stop moving they become frozen. But who owns a film projector in their house. :D
ABF Wrote:Are you still hoping for massive remakes and multiplayer in single player games and stuff? Don't. I did think that they could do simple stuff like emulating the multiplayer over the internet (even some emulators can do THAT...), but that doesn't require modifying the games themselves, as I said, just the hardware emulation, so it's simpler to do since they have to do hardware emulation anyway... maybe they will do redos of some titles, but I expect the vast majority will have few to no changes.
1.) Nintendo has stated: Games available for the virtual console, such as Mario Party, can have wifi net-play capability.
2.) Nintendo has said: Games available for the virtual console will include updates, they will be the same game and will play and feel the same but with updates made with the Revolution's abilities in mind.
3.) I win.
lazyfatbum Wrote:The Revolution offers DVI outputs, this is already confirmed. 480i and p is the lowest resolution of HD. 1080p (which isn't really available yet) is the highest and the difference is minimal; There is no such thing as "ED" this is a term created by companies to throw buzz words at you.
1. Why even bother with DVI if you're going to run SD/ED resolution?
2. I beg to differ. I can definitely tell the difference between a high-res image and an standard.
3. ED is Enhanced definition... essentially SDTV without interlacing. It's nothing special, but it does exist. It's better than SD and worse than HD. [/QUOTE]
Quote:Hey, that's not true! They have published three or four pretty good GBA games...
They'd already just about finished them before they left Nintendo, it was merely a matter of releasing them.
Quote:1.) Nintendo has stated: Games available for the virtual console, such as Mario Party, can have wifi net-play capability.
2.) Nintendo has said: Games available for the virtual console will include updates, they will be the same game and will play and feel the same but with updates made with the Revolution's abilities in mind.
3.) I win.
Maybe about graphics (with original versions probably also available), but I highly doubt we'll suddenly see single player games grow multiplayer modes...
Quote:They'd already just about finished them before they left Nintendo, it was merely a matter of releasing them.
Well... they'd started on them, anyway. I don't think Sabre Wulf was finished before they left Nintendo... maybe Diddy Kong Pilot and Donkey Kong Coconut Crackers (It's Mr. Pants) were close to being finished, and of course DKC1 and DKC2 are just SNES ports, but they did have a bunch of work still to go on those games after they left. Especially since they had to redo two of them and remove DK...
Quote:1. Why even bother with DVI if you're going to run SD/ED resolution?
2. I beg to differ. I can definitely tell the difference between a high-res image and an standard.
3. ED is Enhanced definition... essentially SDTV without interlacing. It's nothing special, but it does exist. It's better than SD and worse than HD.
Nintendo's looking at the fact that only 10% of the US market has HDTV (and even fewer in most of Europe and Japan -- more in some places, but that's not the point) and doesn't see the point... they are indeed being shortsighted as this lack will be seen by videophiles (like Matt at IGN) as a major problem and that'll spill over and hurt Nintendo more than the size of the market with HDTVs would suggest... just like with internet play this generation, Nintendo isn't looking ahead well enough.
Ryan Wrote:1. Why even bother with DVI if you're going to run SD/ED resolution?
2. I beg to differ. I can definitely tell the difference between a high-res image and an standard.
3. ED is Enhanced definition... essentially SDTV without interlacing. It's nothing special, but it does exist. It's better than SD and worse than HD.
1.) It would look better on a computer monitor since you can change your display resolution and genrally computer monitors have the best color and contrast.
2.) Everyone can, but can you tell the difference between a 480p HD signal and a 720p? The difference between a 480p and a 720p source is barely noticeable to most consumers. The only time it becomes anything of notice is when you scale the image up like with a big screen rear projector, then higher res images tend to look noticeably sharper. Otherwise it's not anything to write home about. Once the source or signal is HD and your television can accept the HD source and going through composite or S-video it's going to look fantastic. Bumping it up to 1080i from that point will barely make any difference at all.
3.) 480i is a digital television format, 480p is only available through HD sources. It's hard to tell people that 480i is the same resolution of their TV (at its peak) but 480p is "High Definition ooOoOoO!" because people wont understand. You have to give them a larger number in order for them to make the leap in logic and all of a sudden 720p is "HD" but 480p isn't; Makes no sense at all. The fact remains that we're talking about source and signal and if you have a television capable of recieving HD then 480p will look on par with 720p. HD is HD, there's multiple resolutions and formats but it's still HD and once you're in it, adding a few more lines of info wont change much.
ABF Wrote:Maybe about graphics (with original versions probably also available), but I highly doubt we'll suddenly see single player games grow multiplayer modes...
Regardless of what game or system it was for the idea is that Nintendo will be updating the game to use current gen (Revolution) graphics be it 2-D or 3-D running off of high end cards. That kind of overhaul is huge, just adding an interface for players to connect on to Nintendo's wifi network is a task in itself and all the above takes time and R&D, meaning there would be plenty of time to include a multiplayer option where there was none.
We all played Mario 64 DS and Four Swords. We all know that Nintendo took a single player N64 or SNES game and added a multiplayer aspect to the game design (though 4 Swords was designed specifically for that purpose). Adding a multiplayer aspect to any game is not difficult, a few nails and some glue and you can add a multiplayer aspect to your start menu. All you're doing is taking the one player game and sanding it down to a minimal eg; little to no AI enemies, loss of detail, smaller levels, more straightforward game mechanics etc.
You say dont expect Nintendo to do it when they've already done it. They wouldn't even have to spend any more time on a game than they would if they're updating the graphics of it to include a multiplayer option. Take Super Metroid, create closed-off sections of the world, throw in 2 to 8 Samus Arans and some streamlined mechanics and poof multiplayer mode. They could even make a 4 Swords type of game with Metroid so you need to work together. It's all completely plausable and has been proven. Plus, Nintendo would get to charge full price for a 20 year old game... which, I can only assume, is definitely on their to-do list.
*wins... again* :D
Rare has done more for Nintendo under MS rule than they have for MS...
It wouldn't be much of a stretch to come to that conclusion.
Yup, Nintendo seems to have done the right thing in dropping them... only a string of big, N64 Rare- style hits would save MS's investment now, and it looks like that string of titles will take a long time to come out.
Conker for X-Box sounds like it was alright... an N64 port, but alright.
... what's next, Jet Force Jemini for X360? :)
And I don't mean a sequel.
It's amazing that for the entire life-span of the XBox they produced one original game and the remake of BFD.
Well, admittedly the entire life span of the XBox is going to be pretty short. The N64 was around for a few more years wasn't it? Well, the fact remains that Rare, while releasing games far apart, still did it more often Sure, they've been working on PD0 the entire time, but well you know... Does it count that they released a number of good GBA games? I suppose MS is making money from that anyway.
N64 - 1996 to 2001 [Approx]
Xbox - 2001-2005
So, 5 years versus 4, though Rare was only with MS for about 3 of those years.
Well okay then, and thanks for reminding me of that. So Rare was with Nintendo from the start, and from what I understand were actually working on N64 titles from before the N64 launched (like Goldeneye). That played a part. On the other hand Rare was working on GCN titles until it had to shift it's development a year after the XBox launched, so that would have an effect as well...
Well, the fact is that I still think Rare released more than 2 games every 3 years while under Nintendo. They were making some Gameboy games too during the N64 days, so that doesn't quite explain the holdup as well as I thought before...
Eh, so far it would seem that, at the very least, Rare was bought for 360... Maybe they'll pick up development speed to what it was before (and ya know, I really don't have any complaints about that :D) and the 360 may end up with Banjo KazooThree or something.
I'll wait until PD0 and Kameo are released before I pass final judgement.
*45 years later*
Rare: ...almost done! We added a feature to PDZ; it lets you kill actual people but we dont know how legal it is, we're looking in to it. Hold tight!
In all fairness, i'm very glad that Rare is taking it's time with PDZ. As far as i'm concerned they deserve all the time they want for it cuz if the first one is any idea in to how awesome Zero will be then we can expect the best FPS on the market... again
When Rare is finished they will have accidently invented the Matrix and everyone will willingly shirk off their mortal shells to live in all eternity in the digital world upon a computer that can self repair and is solar powered. That is, until someone remembers that the world is inevitably to be consumed in the crucible of the sun in red giant stage. At that point someone will be asking if we left any robots in the real world so we can work on some sort of.. um, escape.
Detainment Droid 776G-XY: Yeah.... no. No get in to the freezing chamber you funny little man I... oh krap I have to run protacol again... FISH.... SEA GREENS.... PLANKTON FROM THE SEA...... ALL HERE...... FROZEN........ FOR THE FUTURE.......... FOR SURVIVAL.......... FISH...... SEA GREENS........... PLANKTON FROM...... oh Gawd, dont you hate it when you start running protacol out of no where? haha... I guess you wouldn't understand....
Rare better shape up if it wants to prove Nintendo wrong for selling it, that's for sure.
And not just in quality and originality, obviously, but in quantity too. :) I mean, yes, they often delayed their N64 games. But they actually FINISHED them...
It's a robot joke. Also, you need the CUBE to get to the SKY FORTRESS.
Analyzing TIAMAT.... No known weaknesses...