23rd January 2003, 5:42 PM
Nintendo could just pull an MS and sell a playback kit seperatly, thus keeping the price of the DVD consortium group away from the next system itself. CD playback would require an extra laser (in the same lense of course, which I'd prefer for a following reason), as opposed to DVD playback's mere requirement of software, thus it likely won't be added, UNLESS Nintendo (and then, Sony) follow MS's example and set up the ability to rip and insert music CD songs into games that support it (likely not, most XBox games don't support that feature, and the ones that do suck, though I do believe Rare's games are likely to support it because Rare always taps a system out completely). I would actually like CD playback if only so I can use my CD laser lense cleaner on it (since it's an audio CD, it works on EVERY single optical thing I have, since they ALL support audio CDs, except the GCN).
DC doing worse than GCN is an understatement. Mainly because the GCN is actually doing very well (sheesh, just because they aren't in first place doesn't mean they aren't making lots and lots of money), and secondly because Sega is now out of consoles for good.
Oh, I know Nintendo SAYS they will never make games again if a console ever fails, but I bet that was just lip service to the die hards. Just you wait and see. If a Nintendo console ever actually bombs, first they will still have the GBA, which I highly doubt they are giving up on. Second, there is money to be made in being a 3rd party. If they are still making games for the portable, they are still making games, and it's only a matter of time before the developers start wanting to make 3D games using the latest power again. Trust me, that comment will only be true if Nintendo forgets that they like money.
Anyway, Nintendo needs to design their next system the same way MS has set a precedent for. I do believe the XBox's addition of a hard drive (and the DC's addition of some sort of online adapter) straight from the start IS the move they need to be making from now on. Sony will likely do the same. The difference is that they should certainly do one important step in the form of making hte hard drive removable and replaceble. The other difference is that the online adapters should PROBABLY best be done with the PS2's style of both broad and narrow band support. If during that time broadband is doing better than narrow (possible if it's made cheaper then), they should just go broadband exclusivly. Anyway, XBox Live is doing VERY well, right now. If MS keeps up the current pricing plan of $50 for a year, and if most games keep their content free aside from that, then I suspect it will remain the best possible plan. However, one thing I do think MS should consider, if they keep that pricing plan, is to just stop asking for a credit card number. It should only be required for content that needs to be bought online seperatly from the XBox live fee (which was paid for when I bought the kit). Instead, renewal should be in the form of buying new code numbers at stores, printed on calling card style cards. That removes all the "hey I have to pay for this like water or something" feel.
Um, DC's apocalypse ad is bad based purely on the results. Nintendo's ad team doesn't really make bad ads...per say... so much as they don't AIR the ads they make. Some ads were indeed bad, but most are fine. It's just that NO ONE SEES THEM. Nintendo needs to learn to pay for more advertising time. Remember when the Kingdom Hearts ads played like EVERY OTHER COMMERCIAL in all the good time slots? All the kids around here know the words to Simple and Clean (the ones they played in the ad) thanks to that ad's persistance. They need to do THAT when the new Zelda comes out.
Here's the thing I realized about the GCN controller. It's actually only original in the size and shape of the buttons. I have realized something you will too when you think about it. The placement is EXACTLY the same as a 6 button layout, if you take away the upper left and upper right buttons. Look at it, picture those buttos there (the upper right one kinda hovering in mid air off the side of the controller :D), and you will see what I mean. Keep the sizing and shaping Nintendo, because that DOES help me recognize buttons, but add in the two buttons you subtracted from the six button layout to make it seem totally unique :D. Also, take that abomination of a Z button and place it on the back of the controller. There, my middle finger will be placed just right to press it. Hey, go ahead and mirror it on the left while you are at it.
Add a select button! It's obvious that you want to emulate a lot of NES games, so let us play it using NES button placement! The select button does lots of boring utilitarian stuff anyway, so it's good for some stuff. Set it up so that during emulation of GCN games, it can be programmed as a quick action button for any of the other GCN original buttons (hey, do that for the rest while you are up).
Finally, give us a digital click on the control sticks. Sony really came up with a winner when they innovated that. I know that the L and R digital click thing is an innovation, but it's really more comfort than function. There's nothing that digital click can do that fully depressing a normal DC style analog trigger can't be programmed to do. All the digital click does is allow you to know you are about to hit that bottom floor, which is helpful enough to be worthy of keeping it. However, the control stick click is something you can do without pressing the stick itself in any direction, thus it actually adds previously unavailable function. It's very helpful to be aiming with the right stick and then just click it to switch zoom levels in an FPS for instance.
DC doing worse than GCN is an understatement. Mainly because the GCN is actually doing very well (sheesh, just because they aren't in first place doesn't mean they aren't making lots and lots of money), and secondly because Sega is now out of consoles for good.
Oh, I know Nintendo SAYS they will never make games again if a console ever fails, but I bet that was just lip service to the die hards. Just you wait and see. If a Nintendo console ever actually bombs, first they will still have the GBA, which I highly doubt they are giving up on. Second, there is money to be made in being a 3rd party. If they are still making games for the portable, they are still making games, and it's only a matter of time before the developers start wanting to make 3D games using the latest power again. Trust me, that comment will only be true if Nintendo forgets that they like money.
Anyway, Nintendo needs to design their next system the same way MS has set a precedent for. I do believe the XBox's addition of a hard drive (and the DC's addition of some sort of online adapter) straight from the start IS the move they need to be making from now on. Sony will likely do the same. The difference is that they should certainly do one important step in the form of making hte hard drive removable and replaceble. The other difference is that the online adapters should PROBABLY best be done with the PS2's style of both broad and narrow band support. If during that time broadband is doing better than narrow (possible if it's made cheaper then), they should just go broadband exclusivly. Anyway, XBox Live is doing VERY well, right now. If MS keeps up the current pricing plan of $50 for a year, and if most games keep their content free aside from that, then I suspect it will remain the best possible plan. However, one thing I do think MS should consider, if they keep that pricing plan, is to just stop asking for a credit card number. It should only be required for content that needs to be bought online seperatly from the XBox live fee (which was paid for when I bought the kit). Instead, renewal should be in the form of buying new code numbers at stores, printed on calling card style cards. That removes all the "hey I have to pay for this like water or something" feel.
Um, DC's apocalypse ad is bad based purely on the results. Nintendo's ad team doesn't really make bad ads...per say... so much as they don't AIR the ads they make. Some ads were indeed bad, but most are fine. It's just that NO ONE SEES THEM. Nintendo needs to learn to pay for more advertising time. Remember when the Kingdom Hearts ads played like EVERY OTHER COMMERCIAL in all the good time slots? All the kids around here know the words to Simple and Clean (the ones they played in the ad) thanks to that ad's persistance. They need to do THAT when the new Zelda comes out.
Here's the thing I realized about the GCN controller. It's actually only original in the size and shape of the buttons. I have realized something you will too when you think about it. The placement is EXACTLY the same as a 6 button layout, if you take away the upper left and upper right buttons. Look at it, picture those buttos there (the upper right one kinda hovering in mid air off the side of the controller :D), and you will see what I mean. Keep the sizing and shaping Nintendo, because that DOES help me recognize buttons, but add in the two buttons you subtracted from the six button layout to make it seem totally unique :D. Also, take that abomination of a Z button and place it on the back of the controller. There, my middle finger will be placed just right to press it. Hey, go ahead and mirror it on the left while you are at it.
Add a select button! It's obvious that you want to emulate a lot of NES games, so let us play it using NES button placement! The select button does lots of boring utilitarian stuff anyway, so it's good for some stuff. Set it up so that during emulation of GCN games, it can be programmed as a quick action button for any of the other GCN original buttons (hey, do that for the rest while you are up).
Finally, give us a digital click on the control sticks. Sony really came up with a winner when they innovated that. I know that the L and R digital click thing is an innovation, but it's really more comfort than function. There's nothing that digital click can do that fully depressing a normal DC style analog trigger can't be programmed to do. All the digital click does is allow you to know you are about to hit that bottom floor, which is helpful enough to be worthy of keeping it. However, the control stick click is something you can do without pressing the stick itself in any direction, thus it actually adds previously unavailable function. It's very helpful to be aiming with the right stick and then just click it to switch zoom levels in an FPS for instance.
"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." ~ Charles Babbage (1791-1871)