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Warp Pipe Group May Bring Online Gaming to DS

dolphin558 writes "Warp Pipe may be in partnership with Nintendo to bring online gaming to the Nintendo DS! What's more, the project is supposed to add a "social aspect" to online gaming that hasn't been seen before. A press conference is scheduled for October 7th. I cannot wait!" This would seem to partially confirm earlier speculations, and partially explain Warp Pipe's decision earlier this year.

127 comments

  1. added "social element" to online gaming, eh? by RLiegh · · Score: 5, Funny

    Can we say SHITCOCK?!?!!

    1. Re:added "social element" to online gaming, eh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think the point is that you're gonna have to be within a certain radius to connect with eachother.

      The "social aspect" is that the guy acting like said anonymous idiot will be sitting on the bench 20 feet from you, and you can punch him in the face if he starts being a retard.

    2. Re:added "social element" to online gaming, eh? by Indras · · Score: 1

      I prefer exuberance. I hear it's quite insubstantial.

      --
      The speed of time is one second per second.
    3. Re:added "social element" to online gaming, eh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Can we say ... not fucking funny or original?

  2. Social Aspect by NitsujTPU · · Score: 4, Funny

    What's more, the project is supposed to add a "social aspect" to online gaming that hasn't been seen before

    Ohhh, a "social aspect" to online gaming. I've never heard anybody pitch that before.

    1. Re:Social Aspect by AndroidCat · · Score: 1

      I wonder which "social aspect". Real life fights, stabbing and shootings?

      --
      One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
    2. Re:Social Aspect by Doesn't_Comment_Code · · Score: 4, Funny

      the project is supposed to add a "social aspect" to online gaming

      Yes, and perhaps the most egregious error was not looking at the lifestyles of video game fanatics. If they've chosen not to have social lives by now, why would they want to start one in a video game?

      --

      Slashdot Syndrome: the sudden, extreme urge to correct someone in order to validate one's self.
    3. Re:Social Aspect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Maybe nintendo isnt marketing to gaming fanatics. Maybe there is a large population of people who enjoy games, but dont make them a cental part of their lives. Just guessing here.

    4. Re:Social Aspect by HawkingMattress · · Score: 2, Interesting

      So true, that's what drove me away from all online games. I don't know, lots of people say they are shy and don't like to socialize in real life, but very communicative behind their screens because they're "hidden".
      It just doesn't work with me, i'm at least as shy in a chat than in rl, maybe even more. And when i'm playing other players generally disturb me more than anything else. In fact i prefer to socialize in real life, when i'm in front on my computer I generally want to be left alone. Those times when everyone wants to be linked permanently to say nothing aren't nearly as fun as those when you sat alone in front of your 8 bit computer and just tried to make cool things with it, if you ask me...

    5. Re:Social Aspect by cowscows · · Score: 1

      A lot of people are very vocal online, and that actually makes it harder for the more hesitant people, because the loud ones tend to be such jackasses. Especially within a competitive game environment. I'm very comfortable chatting over AIM or IRC, to anyone, it's no big deal. But in an online game, I rarely say anything, because I don't want to inadvertantly get caught in some stupid and unamusing conversation.

      Although there are some slower paced games where the communication really is essential to long term success in the game, and that as a result tends to spawn friendships and worthwhile conversations. Without that, the games aren't really social as much as they're multiplayer, which usually means somewhat smarter opponents, until they open their mouths.

      --

      One time I threw a brick at a duck.

    6. Re:Social Aspect by Deliveranc3 · · Score: 1

      egregious

      "You know you keep using that word. I do not think it means, what you think it means." - Inego Montoya

    7. Re:Social Aspect by GamingEngineer · · Score: 1

      Great, just what I need.. more "social aspects." As if I don't hear enough teenagers on Socom 2 telling everyone how high they are, or how much they hate something or other.

    8. Re:Social Aspect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      the majority of console gamers are sports fanatics, and they do play in large groups ... its not safe to say that gamers are nerdy geeks like yourself.

    9. Re:Social Aspect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The Japanese don't get it because in Japan gaming IS a social activity. Look at the massive success of the online games that failed here. Most of them are "social" in nature, not confrontational (shooters). It is a different culture.

    10. Re:Social Aspect by halowolf · · Score: 1
      The key to good online gaming is to find a good group of people to play games with. Sometimes it takes a bit of work, but I've found that the reward exceeds the effort. I find it most enjoyable having a friendly "rival" to play with/against.

      I have left various online games permenantly in disgust over truly dispicable actions by other people or the communities that these games have. Every now and then I have a break from online gaming to recharge my batteries or I switch between XBOX Live and PC Online gaming.

      But with the impending release of Halo 2 for XBOX nothing is going to be stopping from enjoying its online multiplayer to its full extent. :)

  3. Sweet by lateralus_1024 · · Score: 3, Funny

    I knew there was a good reason for me to keep my dial up ISP.

    --
    If you think /. comments are bad, check out Digg.
  4. Wait one second... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    One second, wasn't warp pipe a small team of like 3 people that developed a little tunneling app to get Gamecube online? This is the whole team responsible for Nintendo's future online plans?

    Well then, looks like Nintendo's finally decided on a competitive online plan, one that will most surely rival the best offerings of Microsoft and Sony... hats off to them.

    1. Re:Wait one second... by jollyhockysticks · · Score: 0

      yeah warppipe lets you play all 3 LAN enabled gamecube games over the internet by fooling the gamecube into thinking your computer is another gamecube and forwarding traffic from computer to gamecube over the internet iirc you can achieve the same thing using ssh tunnels anyway but warppipe is a nice easy app to use and it does help find other willing gamers.

    2. Re:Wait one second... by nomadic · · Score: 1, Funny

      One second, wasn't warp pipe a small team of like 3 people that developed a little tunneling app to get Gamecube online? This is the whole team responsible for Nintendo's future online plans?

      They're desperate for talent, I guess. I sent them a product registration postcard and they just named me CFO.

    3. Re:Wait one second... by mahdi13 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      They developed a way to get the GameCube online...something the device was never meant to do.

      I think Nintindo is making a good call by going with these guys, if they can make hardware go online this was never suppose to, imagine what they can do with hardware this is designed to go online

      --
      "Some things have to be believed to be seen." - Ralph Hodgson
    4. Re:Wait one second... by kid-noodle · · Score: 5, Insightful

      So hang on, Nintendo are taking note of the interesting work done by the community, and instead of just copying that work, actually hiring the people who did it.. and this is bad?

      Also not a first - they did the same with the backlight technology for the SP.

      --
      fortune -o
    5. Re:Wait one second... by gl4ss · · Score: 1

      ...but in essence didn't they just clone the functionality of the lan bridge thingy for xbox?

      routing some ethernet packets and crap through the internet is hardly revolutionary.

      --
      world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
    6. Re:Wait one second... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The SP is frontlit, not backlit.

    7. Re:Wait one second... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      Ummm, no. There is a modem accessory available for the Gamecube.

    8. Re:Wait one second... by AltaMannen · · Score: 2, Informative

      "They developed a way to get the GameCube online...something the device was never meant to do."

      So the correct title for the game that came to mind when I read that sentence should be "Phantasy Star OFFline" then?

    9. Re:Wait one second... by BigJimSlade · · Score: 1

      Does that mean they can make it go to 11?

    10. Re:Wait one second... by Zangief · · Score: 1

      What's next? A free OS made by hippies on their free time?

      It would never achieve the stability and security of one made by microsoft!

  5. Social aspect that's never been seen? by MyDixieWrecked · · Score: 3, Informative

    There's been a online gaming services with a social aspect. The only way this would make sense is if they meant "Never been seen in online console gaming"

    Sheesh, I remember The Sierra Network (then ImaginNation) which had chatrooms that you could invite people to play card games, checkers, chess, then later, red baron, boogers, and other more graphical games. There was even a dungeons and dragons-type world to play in and trade items, like everquest. ;)

    Man, I remember when I first got that service, I only had a 2400bps modem and couldn't play red baron since it required a 9600, but my dad got a 14.4, and man, that was SWEET.

    That service was my first contact with online-ness... chat, gaming and email. and that was in like 1990 or so.

    --



    ...spike
    Ewwwwww, coconut...
    1. Re:Social aspect that's never been seen? by AndroidCat · · Score: 1

      There's been "social aspects" from the begining on online gaming. Later, Compuserve with Megawars and chatrooms, message boards, etc. Unless they've got some new kind of teledildonics hardware, it's been done before.

      --
      One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
    2. Re:Social aspect that's never been seen? by RasputinAXP · · Score: 1

      You're probably thinking of Shadow of Yserbius (1993).

      http://www.kanga.nu/archives/MUD-Dev-L/2000Q1/ms g0 0525.php

    3. Re:Social aspect that's never been seen? by leland242 · · Score: 1

      Wow, TSN!!! That network was amazing. I think my progress in online living was - TSN (which was bought out by AT&T??), regular local BBS's, and then the good underground sites which had all the pr0n and warez my childlike, innocent mind could handle, and finally irc, newsgroups, fidonet, and then the web. I sort of remember doing the whole, text based web thing, but thought it kind of sucked. And like you said, this was the early 90's when "going online" was, at best, a vague concept for the average Joe. The take home message - I wish that someone would host that rpg game. Sure, I can find places to play LORD - but eh, so what!

  6. You can forget about meeting girls... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...when the name of your social club is "Warp Pipe."

  7. If I were at Sony... by goMac2500 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I'd be quaking in my boots about now... Seriously, the opinion has really shifted. At first everyone thought the PSP would smackdown the DS. But Nintendo bit by bit is slowly showing us that there is far more to the DS than meets the eye. While Sony seems to have shown all their cards for the PSP, it looks like Nintendo has a whole lot up their sleeve.

    1. Re:If I were at Sony... by ZSmitty · · Score: 1

      While Sony seems to have shown all their cards for the PSP, it looks like Nintendo has a whole lot up their sleeve.

      This sort of reminds me of what happened a few years ago with PS2 and XBox. The PS2 came out first and got all the initial hype, but in the end people realized that the XBox was the more powerful, feature-rich system. I will not be suprised when the DS ends up being more popular than the PSP

    2. Re:If I were at Sony... by tuffy · · Score: 3, Insightful
      Seriously, the opinion has really shifted. At first everyone thought the PSP would smackdown the DS. But Nintendo bit by bit is slowly showing us that there is far more to the DS than meets the eye.

      That's largely because the PSP looks more and more like the next Game Gear. It's more powerful than the DS, but it's also likely to be far more expensive. Now with the battery life problem being shifted to the developers, it's almost certain the DS' card media and low-power ARM chips will beat the PSP in that vital category.

      Add in the backwards compatibility and wireless networking and the DS looks like a portable juggernaut. The PSP might do well with Sony's muscle, but unless some new portable market has emerged I have a hard time believing it'll do better than second place.

      --

      Ita erat quando hic adveni.

    3. Re:If I were at Sony... by Dragoon412 · · Score: 1

      I think the key here, though, despite all the DS and PSP features, will ultimately be games.

      Even if they're mostly ports, the PSP will more than likely have a solid library.

      Will the DS fare better than the GBA? I've got my fingers crossed that it does, but the GBA's absolutely awful game lineup left a bad taste in my mouth.

      I've got my fingers crossed that Square comes to their senses and does some sort of old-school Final Fantasy compilation for the DS. I'd love to see an update on FF1-6...

    4. Re:If I were at Sony... by News+for+nerds · · Score: 1

      For me, rather, it looks like it's pathetic writhe of Nintendo to team up with some shady tool developers, if this story is not a daydream of fanboys. Sony owns PS2, music, movie, TV and VAIO PC. Microsoft owns Windows, Office and Xbox Live. But Nintendo has only GBA. Nintendo is the most vulnerable among console makers, maybe tomorrow's SEGA.

      When it was the king of console, Nintendo wouldn't do things like that. Have things got been better, or am I just nostalgic about stubborn and relentless Big N?

    5. Re:If I were at Sony... by StevenHenderson · · Score: 3, Interesting
      For me, rather, it looks like it's pathetic writhe of Nintendo to team up with some shady tool developers, if this story is not a daydream of fanboys

      Keep in mind that Nintendo knows what they are doing. There was a time when people thought "Who the F*CK is Retro Studios?" Then, WHAM, all of a sudden Metroid Prime comes out and everyone praises the decision by Nintendo to partner with them. If the WP devs have caught the eye of the big N then they are surely capable (and likely cheap enough to be a smart business decision).

    6. Re:If I were at Sony... by Rallion · · Score: 1

      What, all of a sudden being a monopoly is a good thing? (Kidding, kidding, I get it.)

      I do think it's true that Nintendo would never have done this five years ago. But the difference between now and then is that it's really a different company. A lot of new people in management, including a much more open-minded president. Yamauchi would never team up with these guys. Iwata would.

    7. Re:If I were at Sony... by gid-goo · · Score: 1

      Ummmm there are over 50 million ps2s out there in the world at large. People may have realized that the xbox was the more powerful, feature-rich system but they bought a ps2. I have one of each (including game cube) so I don't really give a shit about anything but the games. Just finished fable on xbox, now I'm playing sly2 on ps2.

    8. Re:If I were at Sony... by Ondo · · Score: 1

      Will the DS fare better than the GBA? I've got my fingers crossed that it does, but the GBA's absolutely awful game lineup left a bad taste in my mouth.

      I've got my fingers crossed that Square comes to their senses and does some sort of old-school Final Fantasy compilation for the DS. I'd love to see an update on FF1-6...


      A Final Fantasy I & II compilation (with some new extras) is being released the week after the DS comes out.

      Of course, since they're not stupid it's for the GBA, not the DS. Unless they lose their senses any ports of 3-6 would be the same, since the GBA has enough power for them and will always have a larger installed base.

    9. Re:If I were at Sony... by aussie_a · · Score: 1

      but in the end people realized that the XBox was the more powerful, feature-rich system.

      And yet most people I know still play a PS2. That's because no matter how "feature rich" a system is, it's only as good as it's games. And for me the PS2 shits all over the Xbox in terms of games (I pretty much like RPGs exclusively). PSP and DS will only be as successful as their games. DS has the potential to make GREAT games, but they need people to actually make the games.

  8. finally! by to_kallon · · Score: 5, Funny

    What's more, the project is supposed to add a "social aspect" to online gaming
    finally a way for me to play games and satisfy my social needs at the same time! i see no real reason for me to ever leave my room again. thankyou nintendo!

    --


    The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it.
    -Oscar Wilde
    1. Re:finally! by solive1 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      But it's portable, so you can leave your room if you choose.

    2. Re:finally! by aussie_a · · Score: 2, Funny

      I do like a change of scenery. When my bed gets tiring I go to the lounge. Woot for portability!

  9. Re:All in one by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Don't make me break out the wookie defense.

  10. This is great news! by MysticalMatt517 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    If you've been following Nintendo at all then you know that this is great news! The big N has been doing a lot lately to clean up their act (anyone watch their E3 breifing? Reggie rocks!). I fully expect Nintendo to be the dominant player duking it out with Microsoft in the next couple generations.

    Nintendo recognizes talent when they see it. The Warp Pipe folks created a thriving online community on the Nintendo Gamecube with little to no first party support. The DS has a lot of unique online potential due to its portability. I'm anxious to see what they come up with.

    1. Re:This is great news! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      "Reggie rocks!!!" Oh, please.

      I'm an unknown nobody too. Does this mean that if I blurt out something about "kicking ass", then millions of Internet forum goers will worship the ground I walk on?

      I never knew it was so easy. As The Brain said:

      "Years of trying to take over the world, and all I had to do was say 'Moo'."

    2. Re:This is great news! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He was Nintendo's frontman during a very impressive exposition of their focus, achievements, and goals. Their E32K4 showing has become a modern-day legend of Braveheart proportions, thanks especially to the revelations of the DS form and feature set and GameCube Zelda 2K5.

      All the Reggielution hype is really just about praising the messenger for his delivery of joyous news. People like to feel good, and his presentation got a lot of people seriously pumped up about Nintendo's upcoming hardware and software releases.

  11. so let me get this straight... by Bin_jammin · · Score: 2, Funny

    Nintendo has come out with a portable gaming machine. Nothing new there, but now, while out living my real life, I can play a video game where I live out my real life? I want a game modeled after reality, where in my game, I can see myself playing my game, while looking at myself playing my game. I think I get it now, I'm not real, I'm stuck in an infinite page fault.

    1. Re:so let me get this straight... by slashrogue · · Score: 1

      It's called the Sims.

  12. with all those things cramped into the ds... by Savves · · Score: 4, Insightful

    i still can't help but worry about battery life.

    1. Re:with all those things cramped into the ds... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      6-10 hrs according to the official specs released from Nintendo...

    2. Re:with all those things cramped into the ds... by aussie_a · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      Well that sucks! A set of batteries a day! What the fucks up with that?

    3. Re:with all those things cramped into the ds... by aussie_a · · Score: 1

      In comparison with the GBA this is an honest surprise and shock to me. This wasn't meant as a flamebait. Then again anyone who disagrees with the slashdot popular list has to either be a troll or off-topic.

  13. Inside joke from penny-arcade forums by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Warp Pipe is gonna pull a chad paulson

    1. Re:Inside joke from penny-arcade forums by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I have syphillis.

  14. Duh by Mr+Guy · · Score: 5, Funny

    If they've chosen not to have social lives by now, why would they want to start one in a video game

    Because their guild demands it.

  15. Social Aspect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Social Aspect for online games. Its been around for ages, they are called MUDS.

    Talahaski
    www.dartmud.com

  16. Slashdotted by CrazyJim1 · · Score: 5, Funny

    They bring it online, we take it offline.

    God spoke to me:
    www.geocities.com/James_Sager_PA

  17. Hard time believing this by GweeDo · · Score: 1

    I have a hard time believing this based on what we have seen from the Warp Pipe team. They produced an application that barely works (not fully their fault though). Why would Nintendo team up with some group that hasn't ever proven themself in the market?

    1. Re:Hard time believing this by DJayC · · Score: 1

      Simple.. because they've proven themselves more than anyone else in the "market".. including Nintendo. These guys made something from really nothing at all. I'm sure these guys aren't the ONLY people involved, but who better to help out Nintendo with something than the ones who did it FIRST.

    2. Re:Hard time believing this by gl4ss · · Score: 1

      but still, isn't their 'product' they created from "nothing at all" just a lan bridge?

      (and more than that, wasn't there a totally similar application for use with xbox before them..)

      i wouldn't find it that strange if they hacked in some support for the ds though.

      --
      world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
    3. Re:Hard time believing this by GweeDo · · Score: 1

      Problem, they only created a tunneling app. This has nothing to do with actually creating a large multiplayer network system. I could have used any other network tunneling system to get the same affect. Also, they weren't the "first". The Kai version of X-link was the first to offer Gamecube tunneling.

  18. Respect by ianmalcm · · Score: 3, Insightful
    Whats next? Microsoft hiring bunnie?

    I'm so glad to see respect from the institutional gaming companies shown toward the homebrew exploiters. People wanted Online gaming, Warp Pipe gave it, and Nintendo applauded with alleged business relations. We've come a long way from Bleem!

    1. Re:Respect by Cryect · · Score: 1
      Heh, except Infinium has apparently already hired him for the Phantom :P

      http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/43664

    2. Re:Respect by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What morons, flashing around their cash to get gaming "celebrities". No wonder they're set to crash and burn.

  19. Nintendo already had something like this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    I remember before warp-pipe that NOJ had released a similar tool, possibly made in-house. Can anybody remember that?

    Another thing, when a project becomes closed source, what implication does it have on people who have source code from when it was open?

  20. NOT CONFIRMED AT ALL by News+for+nerds · · Score: 1

    Zonk is at it again! He did it on PSP price story that turned out as a hoax shortly after!

    Why automatically "external source" = Nintendo? I posted a reply above without RTFA, am now very regretful that I didn't check it by myself first.

    1. Re:NOT CONFIRMED AT ALL by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Mr Chad Paulson doesn't take kindly to unsubstantiated rumors.

      I know Chad Paulson.

      Chad Paulson you are nOT.

  21. social aspect? by atkinsd · · Score: 1

    how much more of a social aspect do you need than to be ridiculed by 12 year olds screaming OMG NOOB WTF??!!

  22. Other unofficial project under way by Jonny_eh · · Score: 2, Informative

    The folks over at http://www.teamxlink.co.uk/ are gonna attempt to create an online tunnel similar to their xbox/PS2 tunnels. It'll be interesting to see how the system compares to the one stated in the article. I'm assuming the Xlink system will be free (since it is for the xbox and PS2).

  23. Guesses from a wifi background by CaptCanuk · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Judging from some of the stuff at game cubicle forums, I have some guesses what they could do.

    They could use 802.11 and multiple DS's as repeaters. I bet the protocols for DS games won't take up much bandwidth so repeating 20 other packets won't be too bad. You could probably play against people X hops away.

    The other thing (something I've already done) is WiFi tracking. It would be relatively easy to do wifi tracking of people based on relative positioning and varying signal strengths. You could create a wifi based compass pointing you to anybody with a DS nearby (given 3 people with DS nearby). This could make for some interesting discovery ideas.

    There was some cellphone game that was big in Japan that was on Slashdot awhile back that used real places (based on cell tower "gps") to affect game play. This could be another application of a similar principle.

    This could be real fun if dealt with properly. I'd be impressed if they get this down right.

    --
    ---- The geek shall inherit the Earth.
    1. Re:Guesses from a wifi background by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'd be impressed if they get this down right.

      They haven't already? I mean seriously the repeater hub feature on it's own won over the psp in my books. I don't understand why Sony tried, (imo) the handheld Gaming industry is Nintendo's. It's like trying to make a better The Sims, when Maxis/EA Games is still around.

    2. Re:Guesses from a wifi background by mrgreen4242 · · Score: 1
      There was some cellphone game that was big in Japan that was on Slashdot awhile back that used real places (based on cell tower "gps") to affect game play. This could be another application of a similar principle.

      I remember reading about that... Now, playing a game on a cellphone doesn't seem like tons of fun to me, but these new phones are getting pretty powerful.

      Now, a MMORPG for the DS with some sort of feature like this could be tits, if it was done well. You'd have a much more capable system, and a lot of potential palyers. The only trouble I can see is that the US is so large, and most people don't travel from home much,so you would be stuck in the same basic area of the game most of the time. Plus, part of the fun of the MMO games is the ability to play with people from all over at the same time. Maybe I am not familiar with how that cell phone game works.

  24. Re:Makes sense by System.out.println() · · Score: 1

    It's hard to get *more* market share in a market where you already have 100% (or so-close-it-doesn't-matter) (that would be handhelds, not the game indstry as a whole). All the DS is for is to keep the market share they already have.

  25. Re:Makes sense by antoy · · Score: 1

    Gamecube made most their profits off of Nintendo's own games. Nintendo is just looking for some more market share.

    *gasp* Conspiracy! Capitalism!

    Seriously, I don't see what does had to do with the subject. Care to enlighten me?

  26. Warp Pipe is going to integrate Orkut with DS... by cabra771 · · Score: 4, Funny

    so you all better brush up on your Portuguese.

    --

    -my other sig is your mom
  27. Sony has nothing to worry about by Augusto · · Score: 1

    "The opinion has really shifted?". Opinion among who? The general public?

    The only company that should be worried here is Nintendo. They came out dead last in the next gen console wars, and their prospects don't look great on the future console versions. They only market they dominate is the portable gaming one, and now the company that beat them before is joining in.

    Sony should do well, but there's nothing from the DS that should really worry the PSP team. Just from the get go, people who already do portable gaming should buy these DS units. New people, that don't do portable gaming, will very likely go get a PSP because of the Playstation brand. When we see what the game libraries look like for both systems, we'll know who's going to win. As of now, I can see A LOT of games for the PSP, where's the lineup for the DS?

    I find it interesting that a lot of gameboy fans on the internet are wishing for the PSP to fail. I'll never understand this mentality. A monopoly in any market is NEVER good, you can bet that the DS owes it's low price to the arrival of the PSP, and right there if you are a DS fan you should be happy for the new competition.

    --

    - sigs are for wimps.
    1. Re:Sony has nothing to worry about by tuffy · · Score: 1
      The only company that should be worried here is Nintendo. They came out dead last in the next gen console wars, and their prospects don't look great on the future console versions. They only market they dominate is the portable gaming one, and now the company that beat them before is joining in.

      Worldwide, the Gamecube has outsold the X-Box. Naturally, both trail the Playstation 2 by a wide margin. A lot of that success is because the Playstation 1 was such a smash hit and people wanted to bring their existing library investment to a new console. So, in spite of the technical superiority of the competition, the PS2 is a huge hit.

      Considering the GBA has far outsold the PS2, and lots of people have GBA software, the prospects of the DS look quite good. The PSP, starting from scratch, has more of an uphill climb ahead of it.

      --

      Ita erat quando hic adveni.

    2. Re:Sony has nothing to worry about by j0nb0y · · Score: 5, Informative

      They came out dead last in the next gen console wars

      If by dead last, you mean outselling the xbox, then yeah, you're right. But I believe most people reserver the term "dead last" to mean "sold the least consoles of any major game console," in which case, the xbox is in dead last. Worldwide, more gamecubes have been sold than xboxes. And keep in mind that the gamecube has been very profitable for Nintendo. They don't need to be in first place to keep making consoles and games.

      --
      If you had super powers, would you use them for good, or for awesome?
    3. Re:Sony has nothing to worry about by theREALMcCoy · · Score: 1

      First off, its not like a monopoly in the handheld market is some great sin that is perpetuated on the massess by evil corporations. I mean come on. And besides,just because you root for a certain team doesn't mean your pro-monopoly. Also, whats this about no games for the DS? Nintendo has announced 40+ in their own dev houses and over 100 third party games in development.

    4. Re:Sony has nothing to worry about by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      Actually, SEGA came dead last in the next gen console wars...

    5. Re:Sony has nothing to worry about by Augusto · · Score: 1

      A monopoly in any market is bad for consumers, if one company dominates a market, they have no incentive to lower prices. Economics 101.

      That there's Sony in there now, it's great news for everybody, except stockholders (either Sony's or Nintendo's). Again, you think the DS wasn't launched and priced like this as a response to the PSP? c'mon.

      --

      - sigs are for wimps.
    6. Re:Sony has nothing to worry about by clontzman · · Score: 1

      Sorry... not true. Recent financial statements from both companies show the Xbox leading the Gamecube. Not by a great deal, but definitely leading worldwide.

      Nintendo's making more money, sure, but they're losing third-parties and multiplatform games sell like crap on that platform.

    7. Re:Sony has nothing to worry about by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The Xbox is killing the Gamecube in the US at least 2:1 but they are neck and neck worldwide due to Japs not accepting an American machine. I could care less how the system does overseas as long as my US experience is flawless.

      Nintendo's third parties are dropping like flies. How is that successful?

    8. Re:Sony has nothing to worry about by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It is nowhere near 2:1 you troll. Let me guess, you define success by the amount of money you lose?

    9. Re:Sony has nothing to worry about by theREALMcCoy · · Score: 1

      Look, Nintendo does not have or ever had a monopoly. The GBA was repeatedly challenged, and those challengers failed. Nintendo was able to dominate the market by providing a better product. That's economics 101.

    10. Re:Sony has nothing to worry about by Augusto · · Score: 1

      You mean Microsoft is not a monopoly because it has competition (Linux & Apple)?

      You must have a new definition of the word.

      --

      - sigs are for wimps.
  28. Times change, dude by BinaryOpty · · Score: 2, Insightful

    All Nintendo does is gaming. Their entire life is based off of how well their gaming consoles do. You point out that Microsoft and Sony both have other departments that handle their guaranteed company profit, so both can do whatever they want and if it ends up bombing they can patch that wound up with wads of cash from their other divisions. Nintendo can't do that, so they need to make sure the DS is consumer friendly. Nintendo can't afford to pull a Virtual Boy now when they're in a tug of awar with Microsoft while trying to catch up to Sony. Nintendo could afford to pull a Virtual Boy when they actually did it because it was at the console turn before the N64 when they were still the kings of gaming. When their only competition was Sega, a gaming only company as you imply, they could ignore the end user and not care about how crappy their commercials were. Word of mouth and the idea that all of gaming could be termed as "playing Nintendo" took care of that for them.

    Now, when more and more people term gaming as "playing Playstation," the Big N's in a tight spot. And you wonder why, even after pointing out how much of a tight spot they're in in your very own post, Nintendo doesn't act like the stuck up, my-way-or-the-highway jackasses they did in the pre-N64 era? They've evolved into a new company and they know now they need to market better, and if by collaborating with people who essentially are saying "Nintendo, your Gamecube internet connectability is abysmal, and we've done something about it" means they're "teaming up with shady tool developers" then Valve buying up the Counterstrike guys could be termed as "hiring some shady mod programmers" even though the decision is the number one reason why Valve is so filthy rich today.

  29. Re:Wither GameCube? by Paladine97 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Hi, how is Bizarro-World these days?

    I think you'll find that the Gameboy IS Nintendo's bread and butter these days. Please see this article for a review of the numbers. Please note that these numbers are 6 months old. You'll clearly see that the Gameboy outsells the Cube 3 to 1.

    Just because you don't see people roaming the streets playing the GBA frantically doesn't mean they're not out there. Most people play them at home for convenience.

  30. Free Publicity, Bad Article. by Dryth · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The article is good publicity for Warp Pipe. Which, as it clearly identifies, is now a business.

    However, the article basically takes some random actions on the part of the Warp Pipe team (i.e. posting images with a DS badly photoshopped into them), combines them with some random allusions and common assumptions (i.e. Marionette, online play), and then pulls a patent applying to the Gameboy Color out of nowhere.

    Out of that we get:
    1. Warp Pipe is now a business.
    2. A bunch of people know big things but aren't telling us, and won't even confirm that they know big things that they won't tell us.
    3. GBC Patent.
    4. This somehow correlates into the DS being online.

    So what do we get? Questionable rumors and what's probably hype over Warp Pipe's next project. I mean, is anyone else getting anything out of this beyond Warp Pipe publicity?

    Nothing against Warp Pipe, mind you, as they've done great things on the Gamecube. I find myself wondering if they're just using all this mysterious BS to simply hedge their bets (and bets that are theirs alone) should the DS not fit into their online schemes.

    1. Re:Free Publicity, Bad Article. by Modus+Pwnens · · Score: 1

      I found one comment particularly interesting -- still vague, but interesting:

      --
      ND: And what is the significance of the images that have been littered about the web since Monday? Is there any significance beyond the ambiguity?

      Chad: Yes. There is more than meets the eye. I think you would understand more if you knew my background. To put it bluntly, tunneling GameCubes is, by far, not my greatest achievement.
      --

      The only other project of Chad Paulson's I could track down was a large pro-file sharing movement called "Students Against University Censorship," which received national press attention. Now, he may have had other projects, but this seems to be another hint in favor of a large peer-to-peer based network.

    2. Re:Free Publicity, Bad Article. by mrgreen4242 · · Score: 1
      Well, also mentioned and I think important is the bit about 'buying games with your favorite little green symbol' or whatever. Basically, this seems like game developers will be participating in some sort of collective online play system.

      Based on the 'hints', what we know about the DS, Nintendo, and the Warp Pipe group, this is my theory. First, we know Nintendo has never really shown any strong support for internet gaming. They've never seemed to care if it was done (Phantasy Star Online, Warp Pipe project), but never supported it by themselves. To me this was confirmed by the DS's inclusion of 802.11 standard hardware, but Nintendo's use of a 'proprietary protocal' for games. Next, we see Warp Pipe, a group that made a system to let people play LAN games over the internet.

      We know that the DS CAN connect to an AP, so could in theory get online, but it isn't specifically set up to do so. Add in a service, something like Battle.net from Blizzard or Xbox Live from MS, where a DS with a "Battle.net/Live" or, in this case, "WarpPipe" enabled game, and you can play either locally on your WLAN, or connect through an AP or adhoc wireless network w/ internet connection sharing, and your LAN become a WAN.

      Pretty basic stuff, it's just like Battle.net, only supported by several developers and hence could include more games. However, if it is supported, it would be a killer feature for the DS, since it would standardize online play interface, features, connection, accounts, etc, etc, for ALL games on the system.

      It woudl also make sense for the developers, as it would lower the cost of releasing a multiplayer game, perhaps paying a nominal fee per game supported to WarpPipe, who in turn deals with all the servers, bandwidth, etc, associated with something like this.

      Anyways, that's my long winded theory about what this 'big feature' is going to be. Nothing revolutionary, but also something very cool at the same time. Although, it would be cool if the DS could create some sort of P2P network with packet forwarding, etc, etc.

      On that topic, does anyone know if DS games will use both the ARM9 and ARM7 cpus, or will the ARM9 be available to DS games, while the ARM7 is used for either GBA games or for system proccess while DS games are being played? Seems like it would be within the realm of possibility for the ARM7 to handle all the network functions, including packet forwarding for a P2P network, and other 'extra' features while the ARM9 was employed with polygons and game logic... Ah well, Oct. 7th is only a week away, so I guess we will find out then.

  31. Re:Makes sense by theREALMcCoy · · Score: 1

    So thats the scam Nintendo's running! Its not about making games, and encouraging fun! Its all about market share... That Miyamoto and his Mario are bastards...

  32. So many whiners by TheBot · · Score: 3, Insightful

    There are so many of you that just put everything down, anyhting new that comes in, you have to put it down. Don't you guys know anything? Why are you so negative about these great things coming to our consoles, PCs, and handheld peripherals? Geez, I better not see any of you enjoying the PSP or DS or any console if you're going to be so negative about anything great that happens to it. Jesus, you'd think this was a 2Yr old Baby convention. Some get them their warm bottle of "shut the fuck up"

  33. Girls and Pipe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Are you sure?? I know plenty of girls that have a facination with guys' "pipes."

  34. Oy. by stonecypher · · Score: 1

    It's worth pointing out that the "patent" listed at the end of the article is fairly obviously bogus. Not only is it a patent for a technology which has existed for more than 20 years, and which already exists in three portable pure-gaming handhelds (the N-Gage, the GP32 with expansion pack, and the WonderSwan Advance,) but it doesn't even look remotely like a real US patent application.

    Also, whoever made that patent application isn't much of a researcher. In adding random information to the patent to try to make it look real, they stuck the screen's color depth onto the document (which wouldn't be there in a real patent application.) Amusingly, they claim 56 colors, which is true of the GBC, not the GBA.

    Nintendojo obviously isn't checking their materials very well.

    --
    StoneCypher is Full of BS
    1. Re:Oy. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      United States Patent Application 20040176170. "A video game machine is provided with wireless functionality. The wireless functionality may be built-into the video game machine or may be provided by a device that is removably attachable to the video game machine. The wireless functionality enables, among other things, enhanced multi-player capabilities, the ability to receive video game updates, new game levels and new games." It also mentions GPS in the application.

  35. Social aspect? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
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    Videogame Addiction and Violence and Underground Videogame Cultures

    Today videogame addiction is becoming an ever increasing problem, comparable now, even to alcohol and drug abuse. While videogame companies continue to market violence aimed at vulnerable children and young teens. And the newest absurdity, underground videogame cultures which takes gaming to another level, tainted with online "clans", singling out of people, hatred, racism, and sexism.


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  36. Dip shit... by gmezero · · Score: 3, Interesting

    While that may be true for most X-Box gamers, most middle/high school kids don't live in a dark closet.

    My kids for instance, are very social with their gaming. My children and their friends have set up group gaming battles in Pokemon Stadium where everyone brings over their carts and plays against each others characters. They arrange trades, etc...

    One of my children bugged me constantly to try and convince me to let him take his Animal Crossing memory card to school so that he can take turns trading towns with a friend so they can visit each other's towns to trade fruit, etc... So on, and so forth...

    I for one am very excited about the added social dynamics to be introduced here. Any thing that get's kids out and engaged with their peers has a lot of positive potential.

  37. Nintendo Offers Puzzles to what it's suppose to be by Starluck · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Hail /.'ers,
    The first I've heard about warp pipes involvement and the online aspects of the new DS was over at engadget. Once there i followed a few links to the gamecube forums and found a lot of really neat stuff and puzzles that Nintendo has released to the public on what the DS's online capabilities will be. The stuff is really cool, and I invite you all to check it out and let me know what you think.

    Link to puzzles and gamecube forum: http://www.gamecubicle.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=3035 /

    Im especially curious about the picture of the Marionette heheh (Mario Net) and the boy in the woods with the dog. Check it out and tell me what you think.

    Also after reading through all the information and speculation on what the DS online capabilities are going to be I read that the reason that Nintendo didnt want to go online with the cube was because the didnt want to charge their customers monthly fees like Sony and M$. However Nintendo has been wanting to go online for sometime and doing it witht the DS offers them a way to do it for free. Imagine if you will your DS as a repeater hub, then imagine being able to plug your gamecube or next gen Nintendo console into your DS and being connected global multiplayer areana. I honestely havent read anything cooler in a long time, and to repeat whaty someone said in the gamecube forum. "man Nintendo really knows how to sell a gaming system!!

    Link to engadget where my adventure started: http://engadget.com/entry/4182100443364188/

  38. Re:Warp Pipe is going to integrate Orkut with DS.. by Lord_Dweomer · · Score: 1
    And get ready to be greeted with a screen showing nothing but jail bars when you try to connect to the service.

    --
    Buy Steampunk Clothing Online!
  39. Re:Makes sense by Starluck · · Score: 1

    I disagree, from what I've heard is the DS will be a new medium to experience, hence opening up another market segment.

  40. Re:Makes sense by aussie_a · · Score: 1

    And if they make better games/different types of games that market will grow. The handheld market has plenty of room to grow.

  41. Re:Makes sense by Starluck · · Score: 1

    Let me translate. Gamecube jibba jabba, jibba jabba, jibba jabba, jibba jabba; Market Share.

  42. There's a social aspect to a handheld by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    An underhyped feature of the DS is that when it is in sleep mode it can detect other units within wireless range and alert the owner.

    This means that the people you're playing with "online" aren't just anonymous fucktards hiding behind their TVs or computer screens. They're real people, people sitting within 30 metres.

    30 metres is a lot where city anonymity is concerned.... they might be in a different store from you at the mall or another train-car. Still, you can chat with them on pictochat, and it would be no odder to actually walk over to them, should they choose to reveal their location, than it is to say "Hey, that's an interesting bag you have there. Where'd you get it?"

    It breaches the gap between the online world and the physical world. That's a serious step. There's precedent in Japan via cellphone, but this is based on free short-range wireless.

    Something you might do is have an RPG where you're collecting your items, working your way past monsters, but if you run into someone else with that RPG in real life, you have an opportunity to trade. Obviously Nintendo reads "trade" as "PokeBattle", but whatever.

    The Warp Pipe guys seem to be tying this further into the internet.... walk past an open WiFi access point and suddenly you have access to a whole world of goods and services. A kind of travelling fair.

    Anyway. Don't neglect the social impact of locality.