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Does the Wii Provide A "Watered-Down" Game Experience?

CNet is running a story inspired by comments from Ubisoft's Ben Mattes about how the Wii affects game development. When asked why there was no Wii version of Prince of Persia, Mattes said, "The reality is that from a technical standpoint, the Wii cannot do what we wanted the game to do. The AI of Elika was highly advanced and required a lot of processing power; the world size and dynamic loading, the draw distance, the number of polygons in the characters... If we had done a Wii version, it would have been toned down, probably linear; it wouldn't have been an open-world game, and so it would have been a very different experience." The article goes on to look at a number of Wii games that are stripped-down versions of their Xbox 360 or PS3 counterparts. Of course, part of the Wii's drawing power is that it's much simpler than the other systems, and has brought casual gaming to millions more people than it would have otherwise. The question remains, as Kotaku points out, whether the Wii's audience will persist after the other systems match its casual-gaming capabilities.

10 of 582 comments (clear)

  1. Wii Aqua by NickyGotz22 · · Score: 2, Funny

    In other news, Wii has now announced the release of 'Wii Aqua' in order to help its MANY over weight users make the most of their useless WiiFits (most likely being used as a foot rest) and drowned themselves to insure the ultimate 'Watered-Down' gaming experience

    --
    Test me and I will chronicle your pain - The Archivist (Diablo 3)
  2. Re:does an iphone.... by Yvan256 · · Score: 4, Funny

    That's why more people use computers to play cards with each other than the latest flashy crap to come down the pipe.

    I thought we all agreed to call them "tubes".

  3. Re:Give me a break by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    so, how good are those games selling these days?

  4. Re:Give me a break by Rogerborg · · Score: 5, Funny

    Indeed, when I read "complicated AI", my games dev Spider Sense translates it as "Uses more clock cycles to produces unpredictable emergent behaviour that defeats the level designers' attempts to stop the AI killing itself or humping the scenery in new retarded ways each time you play."

    "AI" is for research projects. If you want an enjoyable game, simple finite state machines FTW every time. It's all about the testability.

    --
    If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
  5. Re:News at 11 by Mister+Whirly · · Score: 2, Funny

    there's nothing Wii can do that 360 or PS3 can't

    Except allowing me to bowl, while heavily intoxicated, and still score well.

    --
    "But this one goes to 11!"
  6. Re:Matching casual-gaming capabilities? by feepness · · Score: 2, Funny

    have you even seen Project Natal for teh 360 yet. It makes the Wii look like playing with paper dolls.

    No, I haven't! Which retailer can I pick it up at?!!!

  7. Re:does an iphone.... by Late+Adopter · · Score: 2, Funny

    The problem is a gigantic lack of first or second party games

    You want me to make games? Really?

  8. Re:does an iphone.... by elcid73 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Walking is something my 11 month old boy is very good at, but I still enjoy it from time to time as well.

    What about Go and Chess?

  9. Re:does an iphone.... by Sj0 · · Score: 4, Funny

    HOLD IT!

    You're a troll!

    (Which statement proves parent post is a troll?)

    "The Genesis and Super Nintendo had much different specs!"

    I wasn't talking about whether the Super Nintendo or Genesis was better, I was saying they had far different specs -- which your post proves by showing the much different processor used by the Genesis!

    (Slams hand on table, dramatic music starts playing)

    Nobody gives a crap about your stupid wars over 15 year old consoles! Both were outrageously popular and each spawned popular titles whose legacies endure to today!

    --
    It's been a long time.
  10. Re:News Flash. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    > There is no reason that the Wii can't do 360 games. ...the same way there's no reason why you couldn't lift a schoolbus with your bare hands.