Wii uses lack of processing power to push developers

[GThwaite]

Nintendo has always in my opinion lacked graphics power especially in comparison to even the original playstation.

-however-

they have been second to none in the innovation department, and with the exception of the Gamecube (which other than signaling the final death of the cartridge in non-handheld gaming had no real innovation IMO) has always set the bar higher than anyone else in terms of creating new and more exciting ways to interface the player with the game.

who first used an analog stick? Nintendo. Who first introduced vibration? Nintendo.

Who first introduced motion-sensing technology? Nintendo (and not even with the Wii, mind you)

everyone else has always had to play catch-up in that regard, and not always to quite the level they could...Sony quickly debuted their Sixaxis controller soon after the Wii-mote was introduced, but in their haste, there is no rumble feature on Sixaxis.

so keeping all that in mind, Microsoft and Sony have to have -something- that makes their system better than the others. X360 boasts probably the best processor, graphics, and overall power, Sony while having slightly less power has their online features available for no charge, and Nintendo has the worst graphics but easily the most interactive interface scheme, broadest demographics (pure speculation there), and other features that the others just don't have, or can't have as good as wii.

long story short, they each have their pros and cons...graphics is just one of many variables to consider when choosing which console is the one you want...it's up to you to weigh them -all- out and pick which ones are important to you...and choose accordingly.

Cheers!

much agreed, I use my 360 and ps3 for awe inspiring graphics and my wii when i just want to kick back and play minigames. That is by far my favorite thing about the Wii is it's minigame collections. Sometimes I don't always have time to watch a movie and get deep into characters, I just want to turn it on and have some fun for 15 minutes before work. Not to mention the DS is by far the best handheld.

 

[Kil4Thril]

I understand your a fanboy, but speak for yourself. I played Metroid.. I beat metroid.. Yeah, it was fun. However where halo 3 beats it (in my opinion, no one elses) would have to be the multiplayer. Sorry if that offends you, but I can only play single player so many times. The multiplayer on halo 3 (while it is just a upscaled version of halo 2's) is addicting and I haven't been able to put it down since.

Also can you provide a link to show where Bungie called gamers "idiots".

Fanboy? Not hardly. Actually, I have many more complaints regarding the Wii than I do the X360, and neither come close to the PS3 (I own all 3). Halo 3 was advertised as being the "end all" of FPS's, and it didn't even manage to get close. If a game can't even eke out a mediocre single-player campaign, what good is multiplayer? What would make you think I may be offended by you having an opinion? I'll find that link...
http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=12821

But it seems their response is more tongue-in-cheek than what was reported by a "supposed" Bungie rep at Beyond3D.

 

[Skippy]

who first used an analog stick? Nintendo.

That Atari 5200 in 1982 had an analog joystick. So did the Vectrex from the same year.

 

[Clish]

Speak for yourself. The Gamecube was the weakest game console of last gen, and the Wii isn't better graphically than itself. That=paradox

And about the topic, whether or not the Wii has an amazing graphics card or not, games created by Nintendo will always be distinguished in a good way. But most games created by third party companies don't always try to be artsy despite the graphics for the Wii; they just want to make a quick buck. The Wii isn't for graphics, it's for creativity and innovation, not just for "fun".

actually PS2 was the weakest system in terms of hardware.

 

[Clish]

That Atari 5200 in 1982 had an analog joystick. So did the Vectrex from the same year.

i think what he meant was that nintendo used a thumb joystick and not a full blown joystick. which if you tink about it, give two different experences of gameplay

 

[lloyd_yayo]

i agree with the 1st post, developers dont need to spend as much time on polygons with wii, more so artwork, background, detail, etc. i have a ps3 so im not gonna act like 1080p dosent look amazing, but from developing stand point would u rather make a shirt and spend time getting the best fabric and such or spend time putting designs on it.

 

[JT.]

One negative thing about the Wii, is that developers took the "graphics aren't that important" thing too seriously, and now you can nearly compare several Wii games with N64 games (exagerated, but you get the point). The Wii can have visually appealing graphics, as retro studios have proven, but we are yet to see 3rd party graphics which you can look at and say "wow". Developers haven't noticed, we need good graphics, but they don't need to be 360 or PS3 level graphics.

 

[GThwaite]

Fanboy? Not hardly. Actually, I have many more complaints regarding the Wii than I do the X360, and neither come close to the PS3 (I own all 3). Halo 3 was advertised as being the "end all" of FPS's, and it didn't even manage to get close. If a game can't even eke out a mediocre single-player campaign, what good is multiplayer? What would make you think I may be offended by you having an opinion? I'll find that link...
http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=12821

But it seems their response is more tongue-in-cheek than what was reported by a "supposed" Bungie rep at Beyond3D.

You keep saying things that don't have any backing. Where was it advertised by Bungie to be the end of all FPS's? I know people outside of Bungie and Microsoft such as G4 and Spike may have said things like that but I'm pretty sure the commercials just said "believe" mostly. So please stop saying things that you can't prove. I went to that link, press "ctrl+f" and typed in idiot.. you guessed it, it never came up. If you mean it gave an explanation why it was in 640p, then yes, they did provide that, but I see no forward comments about it.

I'm also bewildered by you saying the single-player was less than mediocre. What? I don't think so. If you mean it wasn't a "revolution in gaming" like you expected then yes, call it what you'd like. But tons of people would argue otherwise. I work at a store that sells video games and when people come in and talk to me about games, they talk about Halo. I've only heard a couple of complaints about the graphics needing to be better, but as far as the single player is concerned, everyone agrees. A good end to a good game. I've heard that comment over and over again. However what halo is really best at is the multiplayer. I don't know how you call down the multiplayer. I don't know how you can really bash a game at all until you release a game that makes 170million in the first day. Break that record and come back and lay down some smack talk. Metroid and Halo are good in their own ways and to simply bash one or the other just shows ignorance.

 

[Guitarsmasher108]

actually PS2 was the weakest system in terms of hardware.

So you're saying that the Gamecube could've put out better graphics compared to the PS2? :shocked:

 

[Magus]

i think what he meant was that nintendo used a thumb joystick and not a full blown joystick. which if you tink about it, give two different experences of gameplay

true true...correct me if I'm wrong, but while the Atari had a joystick I believe it was a in fact a digital 8-direction joystick, basically a d-pad with a stick...and I'm not familiar with Vectrex so I can't say one way or another...

to further add to the point, I also did not mention at all that the Intellivision's controller has a circular pad that reads input in any of its 360-degree area...but also consider that after the Intellivision's all-too-short lifespan, sure there were joysticks, but nothing like what was introduced with the N64 controller.

but no matter who or when any stick was in the industry prior to N64, it's tough to explain in hindsight the absence of such technology other than either it simply did not exist or that it was not financially feasible to make in such a mainstream fashion until Nintendo brought it back again (in the first place, if you will)...add to that the Rumble Pack, and then note Sony's all too quick response, the twin-stick DualShock controller...which even though Sony's was better, Nintendo's was -first-.

Cheers!
-C

 

[CantGetAWii]

The thing with the Wii is, it has not used its full potential.
It has the ability to do much more than what it is, and I guess thats what the original poster was saying. I came in quite late into here.

However, I think developers are waiting for the right game to use its full potential, because although it will never ever push out Ps3 or 360 stuff (DUH)
it has the power to do more than it is now.

Maybe the next Zelda we will see its true potential, or with the new character that is being made now.

Its a great time to be a Wii Owner, and I can not wait for the future.

 

[Kil4Thril]

You keep saying things that don't have any backing. Where was it advertised by Bungie to be the end of all FPS's? I know people outside of Bungie and Microsoft such as G4 and Spike may have said things like that but I'm pretty sure the commercials just said "believe" mostly. So please stop saying things that you can't prove. I went to that link, press "ctrl+f" and typed in idiot.. you guessed it, it never came up. If you mean it gave an explanation why it was in 640p, then yes, they did provide that, but I see no forward comments about it.

I'm also bewildered by you saying the single-player was less than mediocre. What? I don't think so. If you mean it wasn't a "revolution in gaming" like you expected then yes, call it what you'd like. But tons of people would argue otherwise. I work at a store that sells video games and when people come in and talk to me about games, they talk about Halo. I've only heard a couple of complaints about the graphics needing to be better, but as far as the single player is concerned, everyone agrees. A good end to a good game. I've heard that comment over and over again. However what halo is really best at is the multiplayer. I don't know how you call down the multiplayer. I don't know how you can really bash a game at all until you release a game that makes 170million in the first day. Break that record and come back and lay down some smack talk. Metroid and Halo are good in their own ways and to simply bash one or the other just shows ignorance.

Ya' know. You were quite quick to lay down the "fanboy" moniker when your favorite game was slammed by another, and you continue to attack me (as though you know me or something) as though I'm your enemy. Did you not see the """"'s around the word "idiot"? The link where gamers were "made out to be idiots" was from B3D. I'll link the thread as I don't have the time or desire to reread that novel. Have at it, I'm done with this.
http://forum.beyond3d.com/showthread.php?t=43330&page=11

 

[GThwaite]

Ya' know. You were quite quick to lay down the "fanboy" moniker when your favorite game was slammed by another, and you continue to attack me (as though you know me or something) as though I'm your enemy. Did you not see the """"'s around the word "idiot"? The link where gamers were "made out to be idiots" was from B3D. I'll link the thread as I don't have the time or desire to reread that novel. Have at it, I'm done with this.
http://forum.beyond3d.com/showthread.php?t=43330&page=11

Haha, Halo 3 is not my favorite game, that honor would goto Ocarina of Time.

 

[Skippy]

true true...correct me if I'm wrong, but while the Atari had a joystick I believe it was a in fact a digital 8-direction joystick, basically a d-pad with a stick...and I'm not familiar with Vectrex so I can't say one way or another...

The 2600 had an 8-way digital joystick, but the 5200 stick was analog, although I don't think much took advantage of that.

to further add to the point, I also did not mention at all that the Intellivision's controller has a circular pad that reads input in any of its 360-degree area...

Actually the Intellivision disc was digital too, it was essentially just a 16 way d-pad (as opposed to the more common 8 way controllers of the time).

 

[[DT]]

Howdy Folks!

I'd rephrase the title of this topic to something along the lines of:

"Developers emphasize art direction and gameplay to accommodate Wii's processing power"

I don't believe in some Nintendo master plan to build less capable (vs. 360/PS3) hardware in an attempt to force developers into building better games.

Along those same lines, there was another comment (not singling anyone out):

"nintendo scaled down on the graphics to make more room for other things like better gameplay"

Nintendo didn't have to "make room" for anything - they simply targeted a performance and price point for their platform and assumed that a combination of brand recognition/1st party titles, cost and UI tech would sell consoles, and they were correct!

That being said, developers targeting the Wii as a development platform will want to be as competitive as possible. As the software library for the Wii grows, if publishers don't want to get lost in the wash, they will need to make their products as standout as possible. I suspect that means we'll see more optimal use of the hardware and controllers, better, more interesting storylines, etc., and a 2nd generation of games that are much better than the current crop of titles!


~DT

Totally off topic sidenote:

Sea Battle for Intellivision? Wow, how great was that game