Miyamoto Talks Revolution and Zelda

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Miyamoto Talks Revolution and Zelda

Posted by ryuzaki0 on Wednesday March 15, 2006 @08:24AM from the wave-that-sword-boy dept.

1up reports that Shigeru Miyamoto has, almost offhandedly, confirmed that the upcoming Zelda title will utilize the Revolution's wand functionality. From the article: "When asked about Twilight Princess' progress, Miyamoto said everything coming along well, and that 'because Revolution can run GameCube software, when you play Twilight Princess on Revolution you can take advantage of the Revolution controller.' Whoa, whoa, whoa. Stop the train. We already knew Twilight Princess would be playable on GameCube, but it's mighty odd for Miyamoto to simply announce such a feature on a whim - but apparently he has. Not only that, but Miyamoto made sure to underscore that 'almost everything' about Revolution will be revealed at E3 in May."

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Old news? by Sappharad · 2006-03-15 08:33 · Score: 3, Informative

It's been known since late last year.
Although I could've sworn it was mentioned here on slashdot, I can't find it.
But a quick search turned up this article from December:
http://www.4colorrebellion.com/archives/2005/12/22 /play-twlight-princess-with-revolution-controller/
1. Re:Old news? by blork101 · 2006-03-15 08:38 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  AFAIK those were just rumours, and the site you linked to quotes NGC Magazine as their source: when they published it, Nintendo denied the whole thing. This is the first *actual* public announcement from someone other than an "anonymous source".
Who cares about the details? I'll buy it anyway! by Hitto · 2006-03-15 08:34 · Score: 1

There's a lot of speculation on whether the last secrets for the Revo will be.

Some people say it's a microphone port, although that would be retarded as microphones already work on a GCN with mario party and whatnot.
Others predict a projector system, to display your games on a wall. Hmm. The fanboi in me says if one company can pull this off without looking like crap, it would be them, but I'm not convinced.
Yet another few think we will see the VR helmet do its appearance.

I say all of these speculations are off. I'm betting on a blu-ray drive.

By the way, I'm pretty shocked by the fact that /. hasn't reported that Shigeru Miyamoto is now a FRENCH KNIGHT.
"Almost everything"? by RyoShin · 2006-03-15 08:36 · Score: 5, Insightful

Not only that, but Miyamoto made sure to underscore that 'almost everything' about Revolution will be revealed at E3 in May.

I think this makes me more curious than anything else. Considering that the Revolution is supposed to be released this year (and, since TP has a fall release, and we are now certain that it will use the Revolution controls, we can be fairly sure that the Revolution also has a fall release date), I'm not quite sure what would be so important that they'd keep it under wraps until near release time.

E3 is such a large event in the gaming world that it's used as a "step up" in creating pre-release hype as a release approaches. Keeping back details could hinder this, unless they're planning a super huge revealing a month or two before the Rev hits streets. So what would they keep back? We already know there's "one major surprise" still in store (as if the controller itself wasn't enough), so what else lurks behind the shadows?

Or are they going to keep the actual hardware specs to themselves? We already know that it will only be between three and five times as powerful as the Gamecube, while the 360 and PS3 are supposedly much more than that from their own predecessors. Perhaps Nintendo is worried that having gaming reporters compare hard static numbers might dwindle the hype? But that doesn't seem like Nintendo.

So what else could there be? (Hopefully, not the return of the Virtual Boy.)

Also, on TP having Rev capabilities: YES!
1. Re:"Almost everything"? by Anonymous Coward · 2006-03-15 08:56 · Score: 1, Insightful
  
  I think this makes me more curious than anything else. Considering that the Revolution is supposed to be released this year (and, since TP has a fall release, and we are now certain that it will use the Revolution controls, we can be fairly sure that the Revolution also has a fall release date), I'm not quite sure what would be so important that they'd keep it under wraps until near release time.
  
  You're forgetting: E3 is an American event, Nintendo is a Japanese company.
  
  Could it be that they're waiting for this fall's Tokyo Game Show before they make the real blockbuster announcements? (But that's September, so it would mean quite a late release if it's the case.)
2. Re:"Almost everything"? by sehryan · 2006-03-15 09:24 · Score: 1
  
  Price? I am not sure if E3 is the place where price comes out, but to me, that seems like the logical detail to be omitted. I would think that price would come closer to launch.
  
  --
  The world moves for love. It kneels before it in awe.
3. Re:"Almost everything"? by Anonymous Coward · 2006-03-15 10:13 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  You don't remember the E3 prior to the release of the Gamecube do you?
  
  Essentially Microsoft went to the event with a large portion of the details about the XBox known (including details about Halo and several other launch games), Sony went with tons of information about upcomming games on their (already relased) platform, and Nintendo went with nothing known about their system except that it was named Gamecube and had some cool tech demos at Spaceworld (nearly a year before E3). What happed was, because everyone already knew about every other product, Nintendo got most of the press at the event for games like Luigi's Mansion, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and Lucas Arts' Star Wars: Rogue Squadren 2 : Rogue Leader.
  
  People forget that E3 is (primarily) a Press event and that the gaming media is (only) interested in new details. If Nintendo releases enough information they will be able to gain a massive ammount of free "advertizing" within 4 months of the system launching; but at the same time they have to keep enough unknown so that over the next few months they can maintain a presence in all of the gaming media.
  
  Essentially E3 is a big enough soap box to get the attention of people not typically interested in gaming, but you have to keep a person's attention after you have it.
All Games? by blork101 · 2006-03-15 08:45 · Score: 1

'because Revolution can run GameCube software, when you play Twilight Princess on Revolution you can take advantage of the Revolution controller.'

Is it just the way I'm reading this, or does Miyamoto-san's statement here sort-of imply that *all* GCN games will be able to use the new controller in some way? He seems to be saying it in an "of course it will" kind of way. Perhaps it will be similar to the XBOX 360s backward compatibility stuff, where you have to download the files to be able to play the old games: maybe you download a special configuration file to allow use of the controller. This might not really be that hard to implement, but doing it with any degree of success and maintaining accurate conrol might be difficult - and I can only really imagine Nintendo-published games taking advantage of this.
1. Re:All Games? by Anonymous Coward · 2006-03-15 08:57 · Score: 0
  
  My understanding is that the Revolution is based on the Gamecube architecture, and as such, all Gamecube games are playable on the Revolution. End of story. Couple that with the 20 year library reported to be available (at some point, for some price, details have not been hammered out to the public) and you've got yourself one heck of an installed base of games. Effectively, you can go buy a Revolution if you never bought a Gamecube and play all of the Gamecube games. There are even ports on the Revolution for Gamecube controllers and memory cards. Sounds like the smart way to do things, really. And Nintendo has been doing it for a while now with their portables, allowing the previous handheld's games to be played on the new system. If anything, they've got the whole duel-system hardware thing down cold by now.
  
  -Nis
2. Re:All Games? by Chris+Burke · 2006-03-15 09:01 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Is it just the way I'm reading this, or does Miyamoto-san's statement here sort-of imply that *all* GCN games will be able to use the new controller in some way?
  
  Well, with little more than speculation to go on, I'd say it's quite possible that they designed the Revolution controller such that it could easily work in place of the Gamecube controller, at least for Gamecube games. With the motion-sensor and analog-stick nunchuck setup, this may not be unreasonable if they just calibrate the motion sensor correctly.
  
  Now, since apparently you will be able to use a Gamecube controller with the Revolution, it isn't completely clear that he really meant that all GC games would be useable with the Rev controller. It may just be Twilight Princess -- which if my first paragraph is incorrect would make sense to further tie together sales of TP and the Rev console. Since I can't get at the actual interview without signing up for the "VIP lounge" of Nintendo Europe, I don't know what the wider context was or whether the original statement was even made in English.
  
  --
  
  The enemies of Democracy are
3. Re:All Games? by shoptroll · 2006-03-15 09:02 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  I think he's saying that Twilight Princess is being developed with the ability to use the Rev. controller. Which is interesting because this is the second time a rumor on the internet was repeatedly denied and then later confirmed (DS Redesign/Lite anyone?) in recent months.
  
  I'm not surprised by this. Nintendo is notorious for having games near the end of the life cycle of one system having some extra functionality coded in for the newer systems. A lot of early Game Boy Color games did this, the two Zelda Ages games for GBA had an extra store that only appeared if you were using a GBA, and let's not forget the Super Game Boy peripheral for the SNES that enhanced the sound on some games (Kirby's Dream Land 2, Donkey Kong) or unlocked extra stuff (Space Invaders for true Arcade rendition, or Wario Blast for up to 4 players on one cart).
  
  I think it would be cool if they had little patches you could download to play GCN games with the Revolution controller, although I don't know how well that will work with some since you are going to end up sacrificing many of the buttons on the GCN controller in the switchover. However, certain games could and should definitely have the option to convert. Since Metroid Prime 2 was adapted to use the controller as part of their e3 tech demos, I have no doubts that and the first game would be high on the list of conversions.
  
  --
  Insert Sig Here
4. Re:All Games? by MindStalker · 2006-03-15 09:07 · Score: 1
  
  Exactly, didn't you see the video with the girl playing classic mario brothers with the wand. At the time they just said it was staged hype, and it was, but its definatly possible. Not that I'd really want to play Mario Brothers like that.. ouch..
5. Re:All Games? by Chris+Burke · 2006-03-15 09:09 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  all Gamecube games are playable on the Revolution. End of story.
  
  The question is whether you will be able to use the Rev's unique controller with all GC games. Miyamoto's quote implies that at least the new Zelda will, but possibly all games. That's the question. We know the Rev will be able to play GC games and can use the GC controller.
  
  --
  
  The enemies of Democracy are
6. Re:All Games? by Headcase88 · 2006-03-15 09:34 · Score: 1
  
  You're right about the wording, but my guess is that there was a little something lost (or inappropriately gained) in the translation. Making a config file for every GC game, or even just every Nintendo GC game to work with the wand is certainly a little too much to expect.
  
  Hopefully there will be a way to configure the Revo controller so you can use it for GC (and N64, SNES) games in a limited way. We know you can turn it sideways to make it just like a NES controller. But it would be cool if they allowed you to make a motion and tell it "every time I do that for this game, it's like I pressed X". In other words, you wouldn't be able to point at the screen to direct the character, but you could simulate button presses with user-defined motions, to make up for the lack of buttons.
  
  Certainly not practical for all games, but could be cooler than using a GC controller (or shell) for some games (particularily for the SNES, in games that rarely use the X, Y, L, and R buttons). Example: Super Mario World. I could do a small 360 degree twistingg throw to the controller and tell it "when I do that, press X", and that would let me use the rarely used (at least by me) spinning jump.
  
  Maybe this is being done. Remember the Revo ad where Mario jumps whenever the controller is flicked up? Though I'd rather just press the button in that case ;)
  
  BTW, there are a couple games that I do expect to use the Revo controller in a "cool" way, specifically, Duck Hunt, Yoshi's Safari, and other games that used light guns.
  
  --
  "When the atomic bomb goes off there's devastation...but when the atomic bong goes off there's celebraaaaation!"
7. Re:All Games? by Jace+of+Fuse! · 2006-03-15 15:57 · Score: 1
  
  It has been stated before that the Wand slips down into some Wavebird like controller. Because of this, it's safe to assume that the Wavebird like control (via the wand) retains some of the motion sensor capabilities.
  
  Thinking along those lines, it's possible that the Twilight Princess uses a regular GC controller, but when played on a Revolution with the controller/wavebird configuration the control reacts to players motions.
  
  --
  
  "Everything you know is wrong. (And stupid.)"
  
  Moderation Totals: Wrong=2, Stupid=3, Total=5.
8. Re:All Games? by Anonymous Coward · 2006-03-15 20:23 · Score: 0
  
  I imagine that other games will be playable with the Rev controller, but only if you use the "shell" attachment.
9. Re:All Games? by wickedj · 2006-03-17 05:31 · Score: 1
  
  Yes, if you look at current Nintendo released mock-ups of the Revolution, the top flips open to reveal 4 GameCube controller ports as well as memory slots. There are also rumors that the Rev. Controller will have a type of "shell" you can attach to have a standard controller. Most of this is posted on wikipedia at the moment. What I'm hoping for is the return of the fishing game from Ocarina of Time. I think that would be exceptionally fun to play with using the Revolution Controller.
Heh, told you so! by Daetrin · 2006-03-15 08:50 · Score: 1

Did i and several thousand other people call it or what? :)
And i doubt this was decided or announced "on a whim," i'm sure they've been planning to make Twilight Princess the pseudo-launch game for the Revolution for quite awhile now. And when was this interview? Sony just made a big announcement about the PS3, and now Miyamoto makes a bigish anouncement about Zelda/Revolution, coincidence?

--
This Space Intentionally Left Blank
Most Zelda fans are already wand-proficient? by xxxJonBoyxxx · 2006-03-15 08:51 · Score: 5, Funny

I think most Zelda fans are already quite proficient at wielding their wands, thank you very much.
1. Re:Most Zelda fans are already wand-proficient? by Anonymous Coward · 2006-03-15 08:55 · Score: 0
  
  Damn you, now I must wank!
  
  </K5>
2. Re:Most Zelda fans are already wand-proficient? by MobileTatsu-NJG · 2006-03-15 09:08 · Score: 1
  
  "I think most Zelda fans are already quite proficient at wielding their wands, thank you very much."
  
  Yeah but they're usually uncomfortable in a two-player environment.
  
  --
  
  "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Who cares about the details? I'll buy it anyway by scolby · 2006-03-15 09:12 · Score: 3, Funny

By the way, I'm pretty shocked by the fact that /. hasn't reported that Shigeru Miyamoto is now a FRENCH KNIGHT.

So does that mean the Rev controller's going to include a surrender button?
So what was that again? by Walkiry · 2006-03-15 09:13 · Score: 2, Funny

"No! Twilight Princess will be a Gamecube game! Honest! We're still developing for it, we're not doing anything for the Revolution with it! The delay is to make sure it's ready and nothing about releasing when the Revolution hits the shelves! Look at the monkey!! Look at the monkey dance!!"

Shocking news I tells ya.

--
---- Take the Space Quiz!
1. Re:So what was that again? by Anonymous Coward · 2006-03-15 09:30 · Score: 0
  
  If Wookies live on Endor, you must buy a Revolution!
  The defense rests, your honor.
  
  -Nis
2. Re:So what was that again? by Guppy06 · 2006-03-15 09:36 · Score: 1
  
  This wouldn't be the first time Nintendo put "forward compatable" features into a game. The Zelda: Oracle games for the GBC had content that could only be unlocked on a GBA. Then there are the GBA game carts that interact with DS games...
  
  Don't get your panties in a wad, Twilight Princess will be published for the GameCube, there will just be some bonus content if you put it into a Revolution.
Mod parent up by Anonymous Coward · 2006-03-15 09:37 · Score: 0

Mod grandparent wrong =P
Re:Who cares about the details? I'll buy it anyway by RabidMoose · 2006-03-15 09:45 · Score: 1

Won't be blu-ray, that'd just be too expensive. Plus the fact that Nintendo would have to license it from Sony (not going to happen) makes it even more unlikely. I'm not going to guess what the last secret is, but I'm sure it'll be something big.
Why just Twilight Princess... by warmgun · 2006-03-15 09:55 · Score: 1

I was wondering about this today. Why couldn't Nintendo add support for the Revolution controller to older games? Imagine playing Luigi's Mansion or Pikmin with the Revolution's controller. Assuming that they're not going to be able to sell downloadable versions of their Gamecube games, maybe they could sell downloadable upgrades to older Gamecube games. "For a small fee, download this patch and play Metal Gear Solid the way it was intended!" Perhaps these comments seem inconsequential to Miyamoto because ALL Gamecube games will be able to utilize the controller. Just a thought...
1. Re:Why just Twilight Princess... by Anonymous Coward · 2006-03-15 10:05 · Score: 0
  
  I heard that they're considering making real-time patches for their own games to make use of the wand controller, and possibly a few Capcom games. By "heard" I mean "made up".
2. Re:Why just Twilight Princess... by Anonymous Coward · 2006-03-15 11:27 · Score: 0
  
  They wont release patches for the controller to work with older games. How else will they get you to buy the new revolution versions?
3. Re:Why just Twilight Princess... by Goaway · 2006-03-15 12:17 · Score: 1
  
  I'm pretty sure neither you nor I can imagine that, what with never having seen or held one of them.
Re:Who cares about the details? I'll buy it anyway by Psiven · 2006-03-15 10:25 · Score: 0

Iwata has said directly that Nintendo is not going to support HD-DVD or Blueray. Nintendo typically develops their own format.
Re:Who cares about the details? I'll buy it anyway by Khuffie · 2006-03-15 10:29 · Score: 2, Informative

Nintendo would license it from the Blu-Ray Disc Association, not from Sony. For all intents and purposes, almost any company can get a license.
Last Secret? by cosmotron · 2006-03-15 10:29 · Score: 1

Would anyone be kind enough to tell me what the previous "secrets" were to make is so there is only one left? Thanks!

--
Ryan - http://www.thecosmotron.com/
1. Re:Last Secret? by ZombieRoboNinja · 2006-03-16 08:26 · Score: 1
  
  1. Duck down on the silver platform on level 3 of the first world for a few seconds, then sprint behind the level's end-screen.
  
  2. Fly above the door towards the end of the mid-level key castle in the first world.
  
  3. Use the first whistle to get to the Warp Zone, then use the second whistle while you're at the Warp Zone world map to get straight to the eighth world.
2. Re:Last Secret? by cosmotron · 2006-03-16 08:43 · Score: 1
  
  Haha; does this mean that there aren't any other secrets?
  
  --
  Ryan - http://www.thecosmotron.com/
3. Re:Last Secret? by PyroMosh · 2006-03-17 17:48 · Score: 1
  
  The controler was a closely gaurded secret for quite a while.
  
  I believe the back catalog of games was as well, and that's still something for which little is known about.
  
  --
  Touch everywhere, even when inappropriate.
Re:Who cares about the details? I'll buy it anyway by Kuukai · 2006-03-15 10:31 · Score: 1

The microphone has been around since N64 so it's not really "revolutionary". A projector would almost certainly not fit it into their target price range, and not really be the "simple Nintendo experience". Though, for one or two hundred bucks I'd buy the thing just for the hardware. Not very likely though. A 3d headset would be even more prohibitively expensive (would almost certainly make the thing cost more than PS3), although it would work well with the controllers. Didn't we used to have better theories, though? Like just plain 3d glasses? I mean, that right there is such a crazy idea it just might work...

--
Sendou Wave Kick!!
Re:Who cares about the details? I'll buy it anyway by scaryjohn · 2006-03-15 10:55 · Score: 1

My SWAG: Some sort of interface with the DS, ala the GCN / GBA system link.

--
One might ask the same about birds. What ARE birds? We just don't know.
WHOOOOSH! by Hitto · 2006-03-15 11:20 · Score: 0, Offtopic

Wow, that went well over your head, did it?

^^;
Perhaps, but... by BayBlade · 2006-03-15 12:13 · Score: 1

More likely is that he farts in your genreal direction...
Now go away before he taunts you a second time!

--
The key difference between a Programmer and a Senior Programmer is that one of them is Mexican.
Re:Who cares about the details? I'll buy it anyway by Anonymous Coward · 2006-03-15 15:25 · Score: 0

A French Knight? Isn't it obvious why? I'll tell you why...

Vive La Revolution!!!

--Pseudonymous Coward
http://deltanin.blogspot.com/
Re:Who cares about the details? I'll buy it anyway by justchris · 2006-03-15 16:14 · Score: 1

Miyamoto:
You don't frighten us, Sony pig-dogs! Go and boil your bottom, sons of a silly person. I blow my nose at you, so-called Kutaragi Ken, you and all your silly Sony k-nnnnniggets. Thpppppt! Thppt! Thppt!

--
just some guy
Re:Who cares about the details? I'll buy it anyway by Taboam · 2006-03-15 18:27 · Score: 1

The Americans probably would have surrended to britan if it wasent for the french and by surrendering to hitler they saved a lot of lives and put up a better fight using guerilla warfare. I dont understand why Americans seem to have a problem them.
Re:Who cares about the details? I'll buy it anyway by Anonymous Coward · 2006-03-16 00:32 · Score: 0

Americans also think they single-handedly won the war.
Re:Who cares about the details? I'll buy it anyway by localman · 2006-03-16 12:38 · Score: 1

Yeah yeah, I understan it's just a joke. Ha ha. But I wonder how this misinformed joke got started considering the French's long history of being terrifically fierce warriors, including bailing out America more than once.

Anyone who has read All Quiet on the Western Front may have an idea why the French surrendered to Germany rather than stage a straight fight. The brutality of Fhe First World War would kill just about anyone's taste for war on their home soil.

Cheers.
Re:Who cares about the details? I'll buy it anyway by localman · 2006-03-16 12:40 · Score: 1

FYI we don't all of us have a problem. Many of us Americans are reasonable people with a respect for world history and culture. We just get drowned out by the louder idiots sometimes.

Cheers.
Re:Who cares about the details? I'll buy it anyway by PhoenixOne · 2006-03-16 17:56 · Score: 1

Why on earth do Nintendo fans think that Nintendo is going to go VR? The VR tech that is cheap enough for home use is lame, bad for your eyes, and tough to make games for. Nintendo already made that mistake with the VR-Gameboy.
A built in projector makes no sense either. I would add hundreds of dollars to the price of the product and wouldn't give the user anything they couldn't get from any number of 3rd party sources.
Blu-ray? No way. The cost is too high and the payoff right now is poor (how many Blu-ray movies do you think WalMart is going to sell this year?).
I don't know what the last secret is, but I'm betting it will not add much money to the cost of the product (maybe a built in memory card so you can bring your saved games over to your friend's house). If Nintendo can release a sub $200 unit this year, they'll win a big share of the market.

--
Spell cheek you've failed me four the last thyme!
Meh. by justchris · 2006-03-16 21:53 · Score: 1

I don't see how this really matters at all. There are two possibilities. Either they will make it so it requires the shell to play, and there are some mini-games or whatnot that use the Rev controller. This seems most likely, as it means that you don't have to go out and buy a gamecube controller to go with our Revolution just to play TP. The other method would be to have the game totaly restructured so that it takes full advantage of the Revmote, but then you've made two totally separate play experiences in the same game, thusly splitting your audience. The first way, it's hardly worth it, except to save some people a little money, which they'll still have to spend if they're interested in any other GC games. The second way makes releasing it as a GC game pretty much pointless (either that or requiring 2 play throughs the same game to get the full experience). This is hardly cause for excitement. Meh.

--
just some guy
Re:Who cares about the details? I'll buy it anyway by mr_jrt · 2006-03-17 07:46 · Score: 1

Actually, the original famicom had a microphone on one of the joypads too. :)

--
Boo.