I certain can. As do most of the people on the AV forums.
Right, and there is a reason why I upgraded to an HDTV Plasma to begin with myself, but there are some people who have hit the point already in either Audio or Video that that they either can't see or hear a difference.
DVDs are good enough? I'm glad you're satisfied with "good enough". Cassette tapes sound good enough too, I remember when VHS looked good enough. Composite cables on my SNES were good enough too.
There actually is a point of diminishing returns. For example, my Father can't tell the difference between an HD movie going into my Plasma TV, or an Upsampled DVD (with a good DVD transfer). Really. No perceivable difference. So why buy the more expensive option?
Even if Nintendo changed their mind and decided to make the browser permanently free
Ok, just to be clear, Nintendo Pays Opera for the browser. It is not Nintendo Charging for it. They are the publisher and get a cut, but Opera sells their product through Nintendo, just like Sega sells Sonic through Nintendo. Nintendo is paying for these upfront as a promotion to encourage early adoption.
Seriously, I have a Wii, but unless you leave it on all the time, I can't see how its faster than using a computer.
Example:
Computer: Squeeze side mouse buttons. Dashboard pops up with weather applet. Total time: 1-2 sec.
Wii: Wake Wii up. Figure out where to aim Wiimote to have it appear on screen. Point at weather, and push A. Time: 30 sec (?)
If you are adding in the Wii boot time into the speed it takes to Check Weather, then you need to include the time it takes you to boot your computer into the equation. Either that or assume they are both on. Not everyone keeps their PCs on 24/7.
Agreed. I travel alot, and I find the Globe interface (and 5 day forcast cached for my country) to be Quick, intuitive, and Hella Useful. Hopefully the News Channel will help me track stuff like Flight delays...
Can the Wii do multitasking so that I could use the browser to look up a walkthrough while the game is running/paused in the background? Or do I have to quit the whole game to launch the browser as on the PSP?
Currently for any Wii, or Gamecube games you need to save, and Exit out to the home interface to launch the browser. The Virtual Console however, every game I have (9 so far) except Mario64 supports a Suspend function. I pause my game, hit the home menu then punch up the browser. I am still exiting out, but the fact that I can suspend the game in progress and go right back where I was after I punched up GameFAQs does accomplish what I think you're looking for...
Although New colors and a price drop are going to happen (and perhaps before Holiday 2007), I would hope for a more reliable source. Thanks for the link though. Personally I would like new colors starting with the remotes, it just makes them more personal.
Also I support the VC for the same reason I support iTunes, they try for something legal instead of just suing. There really is no excuse for piracy when it is offered cheap, easy, and legally.
Warner Bros realized the same thing with their DVD's. They have the largest catalog of DVD's for $10 or less, and thus the lost levels of piracy. The trick to beating piracy is to make your products:
1) Inexpensive / Reasonally priced.
2) Readily available.
Now the VC isn't 'impulse buy cheap' as many people wanted, but I have no problem paying $10 for Mario64, $5 for a Zelda, or $8 for Gunstar Heroes. They are worth it.
January we'll see Warioware, which to me is a KILLER APP for the Wii. Also Expect to see some more announcements after Christmas as to what is coming out when. I expect, Metroid Prime 3 Q2, Smash Bros in Q3 and Mario Galaxy in Q4. I have no inside info, but I expect them to give their 'headliners' some room to not compete with each other. Also Ubisoft has stated they will have 8 more titles out before the end of March 07. I'm hoping we get more titles as well put together as Rayman RR, and less like Farcry (was rushed out the door).
The bottom line is, though, that Nintendo has a plan, but I can't, for the life of me, figure out what the hell they're doing.
I'm sure you have been noticing a pattern, but it looks like you don't understand the "why". The batch of VC games have been VERY heavy in the direction on using the Wiimote only. The NES, Turbo16, and Genesis games can be played with the Wiimote sideways perfectly fine (or even better, as I don't hit the "nuke all opponenets" in Golden Axe accidentially anymore). What they did was offer a selection of Small (quick to download) titles that don't require any additional purchases in hardware. They put 2 SNES games out, and 1 N64 game (the obvious choice), so they can show it all works. I also think Nintendo held back some of their catalog to not over-shadow their business partners (Sega, and NEC) from the get go. They want a steady stream of titles for the next several years.
I think the XBox 360 suffers from a "what it's not" identity crisis. It's just the XBox...only prettier. There's no easy way to market that...
The 360 at least has LIVE to differentiate itself, which IMHO is better than what the PS3 has. Quite honestly Blue-Ray is the only defining characteristic of the PS3, and that might be more of a selling point if the system was $200 cheaper for each version.
It has a 'Me-Too' motion sensing controler (that isn't as good or acurate as the Wii),
a 'Me-Too' Online Service that they tout as better than Live (it isn't.)
'Me-Too' retro game downloads that aren't as good as either Live arcade, or the VC. (Great! I can download PS1 games on the PS3! You can't actually play them on a PS3, you need a PSP. What!? )
the PS3 Is NOT friendly to casual gamers - That freakie baby ad was just disturbing and actually turned off a number of parents. I suppose they weren't 1337 enough.
PS3 Runs Linux... with 256 megs of system RAM... You can get a Sub $100 PC to do that...
"Please be advised that all video game consoles only carry a 90 day warranty."
This was news to me, since my Wii states quite clearly in the manual that it has a one year warranty. Deceptive advertising? Naaaaaah!
In North America the Wii has a 90 day warranty extention if you register it with Nintendo. So if you look through the pile of papers, one tells you where to go to make it a 15 month warranty.
I plan on buying Super Castlevania and SF2, but where are the N64 games?
I honestly thought this batch would be 'Wiimote controller centric'. If you notice there are a disproportionate amount of games (Including genesis, and Turbo16) that work fine with the Wiimote sideways. More SNES games are a good sign. Hopefully we'll get at least 1 new 64 game a month going forward.
Last I checked, the only one available so far is SM64, which I can still buy in stores for the DS.
Yes, you can buy Mario 64 for the DS, but the Wii version has 3 big things going for it. 1) I can play it on my TV in progressive scan. 2) It costs less (but also DRM'ed and machine locked) 3) the Analog stick of the Gamecube controler. In fact I just sold my Mario64 DS and bout it on the VC, simply because the above reasons (That and the mini-games are on NewSuperMarioBros). It is still playable (and portable) on the DS, but the Analog stick is how it should be played.
There are games that just aren't any fun if you're not playing a local multiplayer game. I doubt every wii game would be like that, but I'd have to say I couldn't see myself playing Wii Sports by myself.
I can. It's the only way I ever win at Boxing! It does get exponentially better with each person / controller added in, but even single player WiiSports is fun.
I was in Circutcity (Inserty funny name parody here), looking for a game for the nieces. The ps2 game shelf was gutted. But in there infinite wisdom the managment decided to stack xbox360 consolse on the floor in front of the games (maybe to tempt someone?).
Price is still a big factor in games, and there are still good games cheap for the last generation consoles.
Don't forget the DS. I've seen PS3's on the shelf more often than I've seen DS Lites in Stock (both are rare, but I haven't seen a DS Lite available since black friday)
I think the real problem for the Games market is that there were no really 'big' must-have games this year. I'd have bought a Wii if the Mario Game was out, a PS3 if it and GT5 was out, and a Xbox360 if hell froze over. My spend on games this Christmas is zero, and I'm not the only one.
Is it safe to assume you're playing Twilight Princess on the GameCube?
I love my wii too, problem might be that it'll be *late* 2007 before anything good comes of it. (Metroid, Mario, etc.)
Though I don't agree that all the Heavy hitters will be pushed to Q4 2007, I'm curious about what you said. If there isn't anything good out for the Wii, and won't be until (as you speculate) late 2007, then why do you love it?
If you deliver excellent quality you can compete with Nintendo also on Nintendo systems. Classic example is Rayman Raving rabbits, probably the only non Nintendo must have title for the Wii. And just because the game really is designed for the wii (it would not work on other consoles that way, due to the control scheme)
Ok, I beat Rayman RR on the Wii and I simply don't understand how they ported it to the PS2, but they did. It is also on the GBA. The bunnies are hilarious, and I understand Ubi wanting a larger install base to sell too, but despite this game (clearly) was made for the Wii, it was ported. So now simply be content that Wii owners got the 'better version' (like how GC owners still got the better RE4)...
If EA just recycles its games, why is it everybody and thier mother is Raving about Madden 07 on the wii? I'm Just saying.
Ok, with the exception of a few Minigames added, the Version of Madden for the Wii is pretty much identical to Madden on the X-box in terms of graphics, modes, and general features. The Game mechanics however are a world apart, and the Wii version is actually closer to a backyard game of "2 hand touch" than it is to any of the console versions. My only issue is with Kicking, to be fair, I felt the broke kicking in the Xbox version too, so on 4th and 23rd I'm going for it.
Publishers hold back games for the holidays all the time - almost as often as they rush buggy and incomplete games to make the holiday rush.
True, but there are games that will sell year round with no problem. As an Example was Zelda:WW, which came out in March, and Mario in August. Hopefully We'll get Metroid Q2, Smash Bros Brawl Q3, and Mario Galaxy for the Q4 push. Granted, Mario will sell any time of year, but Q4 2007 Nintendo has to compete with Halo 3, and Either FFXIII or MGS4 (I suspect one will slip to a 2008 release).
Slashdot Mirror
Right, and there is a reason why I upgraded to an HDTV Plasma to begin with myself, but there are some people who have hit the point already in either Audio or Video that that they either can't see or hear a difference.
That's all I'm saying.
There actually is a point of diminishing returns. For example, my Father can't tell the difference between an HD movie going into my Plasma TV, or an Upsampled DVD (with a good DVD transfer). Really. No perceivable difference. So why buy the more expensive option?
Strongbad E-mail!
Ok, just to be clear, Nintendo Pays Opera for the browser. It is not Nintendo Charging for it. They are the publisher and get a cut, but Opera sells their product through Nintendo, just like Sega sells Sonic through Nintendo. Nintendo is paying for these upfront as a promotion to encourage early adoption.
Example: Computer: Squeeze side mouse buttons. Dashboard pops up with weather applet. Total time: 1-2 sec. Wii: Wake Wii up. Figure out where to aim Wiimote to have it appear on screen. Point at weather, and push A. Time: 30 sec (?)
If you are adding in the Wii boot time into the speed it takes to Check Weather, then you need to include the time it takes you to boot your computer into the equation. Either that or assume they are both on. Not everyone keeps their PCs on 24/7.
Agreed. I travel alot, and I find the Globe interface (and 5 day forcast cached for my country) to be Quick, intuitive, and Hella Useful. Hopefully the News Channel will help me track stuff like Flight delays...
Currently for any Wii, or Gamecube games you need to save, and Exit out to the home interface to launch the browser. The Virtual Console however, every game I have (9 so far) except Mario64 supports a Suspend function. I pause my game, hit the home menu then punch up the browser. I am still exiting out, but the fact that I can suspend the game in progress and go right back where I was after I punched up GameFAQs does accomplish what I think you're looking for...
It's all one big missunderstanding. The US was on a HUMANITARIAN mission in Iraq... someone didn't realize it was only a mod....
Although New colors and a price drop are going to happen (and perhaps before Holiday 2007), I would hope for a more reliable source. Thanks for the link though. Personally I would like new colors starting with the remotes, it just makes them more personal.
Strongly rumored price drop for the Wii for January 2007? Though I highly doubt it, do you have any sources? This is the first I've heard of it.
Warner Bros realized the same thing with their DVD's. They have the largest catalog of DVD's for $10 or less, and thus the lost levels of piracy. The trick to beating piracy is to make your products:
1) Inexpensive / Reasonally priced.
2) Readily available.
Now the VC isn't 'impulse buy cheap' as many people wanted, but I have no problem paying $10 for Mario64, $5 for a Zelda, or $8 for Gunstar Heroes. They are worth it.
Make sure your TV supports Progressive scan (not all with component cables do). Otherwise I don't know. The official Nintendo ones work great.
January we'll see Warioware, which to me is a KILLER APP for the Wii. Also Expect to see some more announcements after Christmas as to what is coming out when. I expect, Metroid Prime 3 Q2, Smash Bros in Q3 and Mario Galaxy in Q4. I have no inside info, but I expect them to give their 'headliners' some room to not compete with each other. Also Ubisoft has stated they will have 8 more titles out before the end of March 07. I'm hoping we get more titles as well put together as Rayman RR, and less like Farcry (was rushed out the door).
I'm sure you have been noticing a pattern, but it looks like you don't understand the "why". The batch of VC games have been VERY heavy in the direction on using the Wiimote only. The NES, Turbo16, and Genesis games can be played with the Wiimote sideways perfectly fine (or even better, as I don't hit the "nuke all opponenets" in Golden Axe accidentially anymore). What they did was offer a selection of Small (quick to download) titles that don't require any additional purchases in hardware. They put 2 SNES games out, and 1 N64 game (the obvious choice), so they can show it all works. I also think Nintendo held back some of their catalog to not over-shadow their business partners (Sega, and NEC) from the get go. They want a steady stream of titles for the next several years.
The 360 at least has LIVE to differentiate itself, which IMHO is better than what the PS3 has. Quite honestly Blue-Ray is the only defining characteristic of the PS3, and that might be more of a selling point if the system was $200 cheaper for each version.
It has a 'Me-Too' motion sensing controler (that isn't as good or acurate as the Wii),
a 'Me-Too' Online Service that they tout as better than Live (it isn't.)
'Me-Too' retro game downloads that aren't as good as either Live arcade, or the VC. (Great! I can download PS1 games on the PS3! You can't actually play them on a PS3, you need a PSP. What!? )
the PS3 Is NOT friendly to casual gamers - That freakie baby ad was just disturbing and actually turned off a number of parents. I suppose they weren't 1337 enough.
PS3 Runs Linux... with 256 megs of system RAM... You can get a Sub $100 PC to do that...
This was news to me, since my Wii states quite clearly in the manual that it has a one year warranty. Deceptive advertising? Naaaaaah!
In North America the Wii has a 90 day warranty extention if you register it with Nintendo. So if you look through the pile of papers, one tells you where to go to make it a 15 month warranty.
I honestly thought this batch would be 'Wiimote controller centric'. If you notice there are a disproportionate amount of games (Including genesis, and Turbo16) that work fine with the Wiimote sideways. More SNES games are a good sign. Hopefully we'll get at least 1 new 64 game a month going forward.
Last I checked, the only one available so far is SM64, which I can still buy in stores for the DS.
Yes, you can buy Mario 64 for the DS, but the Wii version has 3 big things going for it. 1) I can play it on my TV in progressive scan. 2) It costs less (but also DRM'ed and machine locked) 3) the Analog stick of the Gamecube controler. In fact I just sold my Mario64 DS and bout it on the VC, simply because the above reasons (That and the mini-games are on NewSuperMarioBros). It is still playable (and portable) on the DS, but the Analog stick is how it should be played.
I can. It's the only way I ever win at Boxing! It does get exponentially better with each person / controller added in, but even single player WiiSports is fun.
Price is still a big factor in games, and there are still good games cheap for the last generation consoles.
Don't forget the DS. I've seen PS3's on the shelf more often than I've seen DS Lites in Stock (both are rare, but I haven't seen a DS Lite available since black friday)
Is it safe to assume you're playing Twilight Princess on the GameCube?
Though I don't agree that all the Heavy hitters will be pushed to Q4 2007, I'm curious about what you said. If there isn't anything good out for the Wii, and won't be until (as you speculate) late 2007, then why do you love it?
Ya Beat me to it, but you are correct sir.
Ok, I beat Rayman RR on the Wii and I simply don't understand how they ported it to the PS2, but they did. It is also on the GBA. The bunnies are hilarious, and I understand Ubi wanting a larger install base to sell too, but despite this game (clearly) was made for the Wii, it was ported. So now simply be content that Wii owners got the 'better version' (like how GC owners still got the better RE4)...
Ok, with the exception of a few Minigames added, the Version of Madden for the Wii is pretty much identical to Madden on the X-box in terms of graphics, modes, and general features. The Game mechanics however are a world apart, and the Wii version is actually closer to a backyard game of "2 hand touch" than it is to any of the console versions. My only issue is with Kicking, to be fair, I felt the broke kicking in the Xbox version too, so on 4th and 23rd I'm going for it.
True, but there are games that will sell year round with no problem. As an Example was Zelda:WW, which came out in March, and Mario in August. Hopefully We'll get Metroid Q2, Smash Bros Brawl Q3, and Mario Galaxy for the Q4 push. Granted, Mario will sell any time of year, but Q4 2007 Nintendo has to compete with Halo 3, and Either FFXIII or MGS4 (I suspect one will slip to a 2008 release).