Tendo City

http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/20/heres-...#continued

Wow this system's graphics are amazing, even just in 2D. Those demos are awesome. Too bad all the pics of "Nintendogs + Cats" (I've been waiting for cats to be added) are simply of the dogs. Another thought occurs...

The UMD format that Sony is using in it's PSP can store, at max, 1.8 GB of data (and then only in duel layer). Nintendo has announced that the minimum data size of the 3DS carts is 2 GB. Wow, the UMD is looking stupider and stupider as a design choice. Sony's tried to get rid of it, but of course if it's just in a new model of PSP the problem is alienating everyone with UMDs, and they've been all too slow converting all their games into digital download form anyway. It's an albatross, but it's their own fault. It gave them an edge, but it's clearly only a fleeting one. Looking to the N64/Playstation era fails us completely here, as cartridge tech has drastically improved way more than could have been anticipated. About the only thing we can say is the carts are still more expensive to produce, but so far Nintendo's kept the games competitively priced so it's not as though we've been getting hurt by it. As of now, the 3DS is, in every possible way, able to completely outclass the PSP. Further, Sony's got nothing to counter it with. Unless they're saving something up for the Tokyo Game Show, it seems they're completely unprepared for the 3DS.

All I can add now is it'll be nice when someone hacks the system. By that, I don't mean special carts. By now with it's alterable firmware and ability to read from SD cards, someone should have come up with a purely software hack for the DSi. They haven't yet, but it's a matter of time. I don't think doing it via buying special adapters is going to be sustainable. People like something that they don't have to keep paying to update every few months.

http://kotaku.com/5568456/meet-the-3ds-graphics-chip

The chip's been announced, making it pretty easy to check out the specs of the graphics on it.

...In a lot of ways it's actually more powerful than the Wii.

Hmm... I think I figured out why Nintendo didn't announce a "Wii 2". This may just end up "phasing out" the Wii all by itself. Here's a question. Is there a "multi-input/output" on there that could be designed to output video and audio to a TV? The PSP (second model and later) all have this capability, negating the need for any sort of "Super Gameboy" style accessory. The games may not be 3D, but there'd be potential for games to have "TV modes" that make full use of that resolution. Further, if the 3DS uses blutooth, there's the ability to connect Wii remotes to it. There's some interesting potential here.

That was my original theory of a all-in-one device that you 'dock' to the TV to play it console style with Wiimotes instead of using the internal gyros of the 3DS. Also allowing you, for example, to place the 3-D cameras towards you so that you can have eye-toy/Kinect-like features.

The odd choice of camera placement tells a different story though, since in order to use the double cams, the screens have to face away from you. This would destroy any interesting gameplay mechanics where the 3DS would display your map, weapons selection screen or what not while you play the game on the TV. The single cam can point at you to pick up movements, but it would never offer the abilities that could be done with actual 3-D capturing.

The microphone on the 3DS i'm sure is not a conical 'room mic' as seen as the Wiispeak's design, so that would also be a head scratcher. More than likely, we may see some connectivity but this is not the generation for the portable console just yet. A simple touch up on the 3DS would allow it but I dont see it happening.

Imagine the headlines 'Nintendo bows out of the console race and goes portable-only" and things like that. So its a major step that has to be done right from the start, not shown off as a new portable but as a new concept all together.

A lot of good points there, except I'd argue the 3D camera still has a lot of good gameplay potential, only it'd all be around aiming the camera at things in front of you instead of just you.

PICTURE LAMP! *snap* IMAGE GET! *cheer*

http://gizmodo.com/5569175/nintendo-3ds-...-not-final

March of 2011! Sounds good to me. The design "could change". That makes sense. This one is very stylish, but I can see them working out a better position for both the d-pad and the power button.

Dark Jaguar Wrote:http://kotaku.com/5568456/meet-the-3ds-graphics-chip

The chip's been announced, making it pretty easy to check out the specs of the graphics on it.

...In a lot of ways it's actually more powerful than the Wii.

... The video in that link is really cool, a Futuremark tech demo for a console? I didn't know they made any... and it looks fantastic, as expected from the PC techdemo leaders. Better than the 3DS graphics we've seen probably... we'll see if the system can do that. :)

Quote:Hmm... I think I figured out why Nintendo didn't announce a "Wii 2". This may just end up "phasing out" the Wii all by itself. Here's a question. Is there a "multi-input/output" on there that could be designed to output video and audio to a TV? The PSP (second model and later) all have this capability, negating the need for any sort of "Super Gameboy" style accessory. The games may not be 3D, but there'd be potential for games to have "TV modes" that make full use of that resolution. Further, if the 3DS uses blutooth, there's the ability to connect Wii remotes to it. There's some interesting potential here.

Considering that they have no way of doing the 3D effect, or dual screens, on a television at the moment, I think the likelihood of that happening are near zero. You've been reading too many of lazy's older posts about that stuff I think... :)

Actually I haven't. Anyway, it doesn't matter if the TV can display 3D or not, because ALL 3DS games can be displayed in 2D (remember that slider?). Further, the resolution's high enough on modern displays that they can display both screens simultaneously. Look at Crystal Chronicles Echoes of Time Wii version, which does exactly that (the Wii remote replaces the touch capabilities very cleanly). They can do a prettier job of course. Anyway, games specifically designed with a TV display would work even better.

Quote:Anyway, games specifically designed with a TV display would work even better.

Yes, like Wii games.

Seriously, handhelds and TV consoles have different needs and goals. Making one system for both categories would be pretty stupid, you'd end up with a pretty weak console all-around... the 3DS is great because of its handheld nature. As a major console the low resolution, mediocre if it was being displayed on a TV graphics chip that isn't better than the Wii's in most respects, controls, etc, etc are insurmountable hurdles. I have no idea why someone would actually want one system that does both... you end up with something not good enough at either. Nintendo knows that, I think we have seen.

There's no reason it couldn't do both though. The 3DS chip DOES do more than the Wii chip in many respects. Anything you say it wouldn't do "as well" could easily be overcome in software.

The DS is just slightly lower resolution than standard television, designing the game at standard resolutions but displayed on a lower resolution screen is pretty normal fair.

The 3DS is more powerful than the Wii by a hair, so the ability to play it on a television screen only makes sense. The PSP had the same logic.

Yep. The second model of the PSP redesigned a port to output video and audio to a TV. Nothing too advanced, at max it supported progressive scan. However it did the job very well. It's fun to play certain games like that.

It's basically the same line that is slowly shifting everyone to laptops instead of desktop/laptop setup. Once a certain open standard for selling "cases" and letting people basically build whatever laptop they want is in place, the last big barrier will go down. Everything else is already in place (most laptops have a monitor-out port and input devices are all USB now). No one bothers getting exclusively "home" based audio now (except for speaker systems), so that transition's already complete. People basically just stick an iPod or other portable device into a speaker input line.

Quote:There's no reason it couldn't do both though. The 3DS chip DOES do more than the Wii chip in many respects. Anything you say it wouldn't do "as well" could easily be overcome in software.

It has more hardware features, but a lower resolution output, lower polygon counts, and more. So sure it does a few things the Wii can't, but it's definitely not as powerful a chip in raw output, and I think that matters more.

3DS output is 400x240! That's a lot lower resolution than the Wii's 640x480, and you'd lose the 3d effect and small screen size that are the main reasons why that resolution is acceptable.

TV consoles need more power and higher resolution outputs; handhelds need to maximize battery life. Those two goals are impossible to reconcile. The 3DS would not be a very good major console. Limited game space (2GB cards? Sure that's the minimum, if they actually do mean 2GB and not 2Gb, but it'd still be a big problem.), low resolution, very low end tech specs compared to Sony or MS's consoles and not great compared to the Wii either (the 3DS has been compared to maybe PS2 levels of graphics... definitely not Wii.), no 3d effects on a TV when that's one of the system's main selling points (and Nintendo is NOT going to make you use glasses!), etc, etc, etc... honestly I cannot understand why you people want one system to do both things. The goals of the two kinds of systems are far too different for it to work!

Quote:It's basically the same line that is slowly shifting everyone to laptops instead of desktop/laptop setup.

That is only because PC gaming is dead. No decent PC gamer would have only a laptop.

Quote:Once a certain open standard for selling "cases" and letting people basically build whatever laptop they want is in place, the last big barrier will go down.

Laptops are inferior for basic technical reasons that nothing like that can change, though. Smaller parts, space limitations, proprietary formats (seriously, if there was going to be a standard, we'd probably have seen it by now...), companies like Apple that can't stand the idea of using anything other than proprietary setups, very limited graphics in comparison to desktops because you can't have a real video card in a laptop, much more expensive prices, etc, etc... no, those things are not changing anytime soon. Anyone who wants to seriously play PC games should have a desktop, and most do.

Seriously, the fact that many people now only have laptops is a HUGE, HUGE problem, and one of the worst things to happen to PC games... pretty much ever. :bummed:

Quote:No one bothers getting exclusively "home" based audio now (except for speaker systems), so that transition's already complete. People basically just stick an iPod or other portable device into a speaker input line.

Record sales are increasing every year, and that's mostly with younger people, while CD sales keep falling off... :p

I mean, you're somewhat right for sure, but you overstate your case a bit.