The Nintendo 3DS

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32624

Beex friend codes in this post -- viewtopic.php?p=765264#p765264

http://kotaku.com/5499697/nintendo-anno ... um=twitter

Quote:

At E3, Nintendo will be announcing new hardware, the Nintendo 3DS.

Nintendo describes the portable as allowing games to be "enjoyed with 3D effects without the need for any special glasses". According to Nintendo, the product will go on sale between April 2010 and March 2011.

The Nintendo 3DS will succeeded the Nintendo DS series and will have backward compatibility for Nintendo DS and DSi games.

In early January, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata gave an interview with Japan's second largest newspaper The Asahi Shimbun in which he apparently said the Nintendo DS successor will have "highly detailed graphics, and it will be necessary to have a sensor with the ability to read the movements of people playing".

Nintendo of America later told Kotaku that the Asahi Shimbun had "misinterpreted" Iwata's remarks. "Mr. Iwata did not make any comments regarding the functions of Nintendo's future hardware systems," Charlie Scibetta, Nintendo of America's senior director of corporate communications told Kotaku. "The answer to the reporter's question was misinterpreted."

The Asahi Shimbun stands by its reporting and issued a statement to Kotaku Japan that read: "The article quoted Nintendo President Satoru Iwata's comment accurately." The actual quote in the article is a fragment of a longer sentence.

At a Nintendo quarterly Q&A, the exec addressed the issue with the Asahi Shimbun, asserting that the reporter stated, "The graphics for the next DS will be highly detailed and it will contain a motion sensor, right?" Iwata claims he then replied, "Those things are naturally being required. But do you think it would sell with just that?" Iwata emphasized that this last part was left completely out.

It appears that the extra element Nintendo believed was necessary to really sell the DS successor is 3D.

Regarding 3D, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has previously stated that Nintendo would need to look into the "possible health effects" of playing video games in 3D for prolonged periods of time.

I did not see that coming.

The actual PDF is here http://j.mp/91E4IS

Derek The Halls · **Joined:** 31st Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 3742

Sounds a ridiculous and pointless idea to me.

Bobbyaro · **Joined:** 18th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 11899

I can't even think how this is going to work. If it does though, it could be awesome!

kalmar · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 10:57

Perhaps it's got a display with that parallax barrier thingy.

Not convinced a "sensor for reading the user's movements" is a winner though, on a handheld device. Something has been lost in translation there presumably.

Anonymous X · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 2046

I'm excited. Then again, I remember the face-palming and shrugging of shoulders and derisory remarks made universally by the gaming fraternity about the DS when it was first unveiled, almost six years ago.

throughsilver · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 6197

Anonymous X wrote:

I'm excited. Then again, I remember the face-palming and shrugging of shoulders and derisory remarks made universally by the gaming fraternity about the DS when it was first unveiled, almost six years ago.

And the Wii.

Grim... · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 11:22

throughsilver wrote:

Anonymous X wrote:

I'm excited. Then again, I remember the face-palming and shrugging of shoulders and derisory remarks made universally by the gaming fraternity about the DS when it was first unveiled, almost six years ago.

And the Wii.

I'm one of the people that slated the Wii. Still not convinced I was wrong.

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49244

Depends what you slated it for, I reckon. If you slated it as a bad move by Nintendo that wouldn't make them any money, you'd have been wrong. If you slated it as something that has little to recommend it to someone who likes playing computer games a lot, you'd have been right.

throughsilver · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 6197

I'm not sure anybody will have dissed the Wii because they thought it would be a massive success that ignored the 'hardcores', with respect to Grim...

If that was his diss, then well played. Generally, people just guffawed at its silly name and how Nintendo were circling the bowl, market share-wise.

Zardoz · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 11:43

Will they be packaging them in my stolen Star Points?

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32624

I agree with Throughsilver. If your criticism of the Wii was "it'll never work", "it has a silly name" or "euwww look at that controller" then you were wrong. If your criticism in 2005 was "it'll sell well but struggle to capture the hearts of the gaming faithful due to a lack of involving games" then I'd like your opinion on next week's lottery numbers.

Wullie · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 6183

Doctor Glyndwr wrote:

If your criticism of the Wii was "it'll never work", "it has a silly name" or "euwww look at that controller" then you were wrong.

No I wasn't. It still has a crap name & controller

Grim... · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 12:03

It was along those lines - I did point out that it didn't have the grunt it needed for realistic stuff, so it'd probably have more fluffly games. However, my main criticism was "eww, the controller", and I was right on launch day, and one revision of the controller (sort of) on I'm still right.

andyb · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 489

It looks pretty good in the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5QSclrIdlE

I imagine it works in a similar way to Natal, in using the camera to read where your eyes are in relation to the ds?

myp · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 12:13

I'm still tempted to pick up a Wii at some point (if only for SMG and Excite Truck), but it's going to have to be sub-£100. I've always had fun playing it at a friend's house, but never enough to make me go out and buy one, so far.

Probably over the last 12 months or so the iPhone has taken over from the DS as my mobile gaming platform of choice. Mainly because I have it on me all the time, rather than being demonstrably better, though. Having a standalone device for gaming just seems a bit old-fashioned to me, now.

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49244

I'll have a word with the wife, If she doesn't mind I'll happily part with mine for a nominal fee.

Grim... · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 12:18

Excite truck is awesome. Surely Wii's on eBay go for < £100?

JohnCoffey · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 12:21

Miyamoto says glasses are not good -

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/ar ... ?id=240053

How it might look

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWAg1s7x ... r_embedded

Mr Dom · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 12:22

kalmar wrote:

Not convinced a "sensor for reading the user's movements" is a winner though, on a handheld device. Something has been lost in translation there presumably.

There is a sneaky way of getting pretty awesome 3D by adjusting the view based on the users head position, so I guess that is what they are using (very small movements generate small parallaxes - i.e. the world still looks pretty nice & 3D if you close one eye)

There is a demo showing the technique using a Wii controller strapped to someone's head, and it works if you leave the wii controller by the telly and put the controller bar on your head too. It only works for one person at a time tho - but for a 1-player handheld it fits quite neatly.

Parallax is nice. if they can shrink the pixel size enough to get a working parallax screen system, then it would make it look even better, but this is technically much harder to pull off than eye tracking single viewer stuff.

So - they just mount a small camera in the front with face-finding stuff like you find in many digi cameras would do the trick quite nicely, and would be cheap enough to bung in a handset in a couple of years. Small cheap digi cameras are being churned out for mobile phones, probably get one for $5 manufacturing cost, so its the way I would go

Zardoz · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 12:24

I use my Wii for innerneds... a lot less so though now I have an iPod Touch. I don't want to flog it as it wasa gift and I imagine Baba Z will be getting some use from it sooner or later.

I don't miss my DS at all, which surprises me.

Nintendo can GTFF for all I care about them these days. Sad really.

DBSnappa · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 12:25

I've had this conversation with DoccyG on numerous occasions, "I can't remember the last time I switched my Wii on"
I also can't remember the last time I switched my DS on. In fact, I don't even know where the bloody thing is.

JohnCoffey · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 12:32

Well I'm getting a Wii soon with SMG. I played it at a friends' house when it was released and it was incredible, so I need to get it myself. I hear they're releasing a second one this year too.

kalmar · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 12:34

"...."

myp · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 12:35

Grim... wrote:

Excite truck is awesome. Surely Wii's on eBay go for < £100?

Heh, I meant sub-sub-£100 really. Like £75. Including motion+ controllers and extra nunchucks and and all that shit.

So basically when the Puu comes out.

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49244

Craster wrote:

I'll have a word with the wife, If she doesn't mind I'll happily part with mine for a nominal fee.

myp · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 12:37

Craster wrote:

I'll have a word with the wife, If she doesn't mind I'll happily part with mine for a nominal fee.

I barely have time to play my 360 at the moment, so I don't think it'd be a wise investment. Thanks, though.

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49244

FFS, dick.

DBSnappa · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 12:39

When was the last time a decent game was released on the Wii?

Was it Dead Space Extraction (which I hear was excellent but I've not played it)

And before that?

myp · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 12:46

Craster wrote:

FFS, dick.

All my spare money is going on a new boiler, home improvements and musical equipment at the moment. Aside from a couple of XBLA titles, I've not even bought any new games in three months!

MaliA · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 12:50

I think the Wii's excellent fun with beer and mates that aren't really into having to learn FPS controls. MarioKart is awesome and I quite liked Wii sports resort when I had a go on it at Mummy and Old Man Afterthought's place. However, given that Mummy Afterthought really likes it, and Old Man Afterthought seriously enjoys things like Fallout, and Oblivion and Eve on the PC, he tend to use that more, so, yeah, amybe "less for the hardcore". I'm pleased wii've (Yes, I know) got one, but wouldn't have paid full whack for it (it was a Christmas present when BiL was buying 5 at a time, splitting out the games and then Ebaying the console for much profit when they were in demand a few years back, joys of working nights i suppose and working out when the stock updates on certain websites).

Sir Taxalot · **Joined:** 5th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 4842

DBSnappa wrote:

I've had this conversation with DoccyG on numerous occasions, "I can't remember the last time I switched my Wii on"
I also can't remember the last time I switched my DS on. In fact, I don't even know where the bloody thing is.

Last time I switched my wii on was messing about with 'homebrew' just after Christmas time. Even with a lot of games available to 'try' for free I couldn't really be bothered with it.

Similar for the DS. It's in my bedside drawer. Last thing I bothered with on that was Castlevania Order of Ecclesia, which was a long time ago.

I should probably sell them, but I can't even be bothered to do that. I remember them being so exciting at first, but the novelty wore off quite quickly really.

Zardoz · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 13:23

myoptikakaka wrote:

All my spare money is going on a new boiler

Winter is nearly over.

myoptikakaka wrote:

home improvements

Decorate near your TV and don't glance around.

myoptikakaka wrote:

musical equipment at the moment.

Snaore

Buy Crasters Wii you dick. They're shit.

romanista · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 13:39

lended my ds to a friend who goes on holiday, all handheld gaming is on my iphone these days (in fac tover 80% of my total gaming)

just switched my wii on, to see messi's goals on youtube,,, that's why i use it these days, although i loved excitebike world tour.. big console gaming is often just fifa, nhl during the olympics, or at times a toy soldiers orsome new xbla thing..

spend last week a day playing donpachi on the psx upstairs though

myp · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 13:43

I'm still tempted to pick up a PS3 at some point (if only for Heavy Rain and Uncharted 2), but it's going to have to be sub-£200. I've always had fun playing it at a friend's house, but never enough to make me go out and buy one, so far.

Probably over the last 12 months or so the iPhone has taken over from the PSP as my mobile gaming platform of choice. Mainly because I have it on me all the time, rather than being demonstrably better, though. Having a standalone device for gaming just seems a bit old-fashioned to me, now.

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49244

myp · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 13:45

It was worth a try.

Bluecup · **Joined:** 31st Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 925

The wii is my only console so I play it all the time. Recently Punchout and Exitebike. Still haven't played a lot of games like New Super Mario Bros. I don't like the over the top swinging games, hope they die out. But the wii is great with the pointer, a little bit of tilt and the reduction in the number of buttons and that is what should be copied. And I'm surprised no one has ripped off the little speaker yet.

So what's been the point of the dsi now? I was for it as a nice way to extend the line for the next 5 years. But it just looks pointless now.

Zardoz · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 13:46

Fucking scrubber.

devilman · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 13:47

I rarely use my Wii and have got stuff like Mario Kart, Little King's Story and others currently unopened, but I wouldn't part with it.

As for the 3DS.. whatever happens, it'll be more successful than the Virtual Boy was...

Zardoz · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 13:48

I really enjoyed SMG and played it solidly until completion. Bloody hell, was that 2 Christmases ago when it was released?

Zardoz · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 13:49

I'll get a PS3 if ever they drop to around £100-150. I fancy a cheap BluRay, and The Last Guardian.

Grim... · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 14:14

Bluecup wrote:

I don't like the over the top swinging games, hope they die out.

They're better when a fit one gets your keys.

Zardoz · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 14:20

Malabelm · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 15:30

I loved the idea of the Wii when I first heard about it, then sat on Amazon's page refreshing wildly as soon as pre-orders became available, managing to secure a console at launch. I got bored rather quickly when I realised developers didn't have a clue how to take advantage of the hardware without shoe-horning unnecessary controls into their games. An interface like the Wii's controller only works if it adds something to the experience in a contextually relevant way; shaking the remote to open a door does not make sense or add any level of perceived interaction a simple button press wouldn't.

Years later, and I still haven't seen anything impressive from the Wii's lineup, beyond using the controller as a pointing device, which of course it's brilliantly suited for, with crammed in controls for other actions. I have no faith in developers being able to harness any potential for new 3D games.

WTB · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 14497

Am I allowed to be annoyed that the PDF crashed Firefox even though I knew it was a PDF before I clicked it?

myp · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2010 17:30

You're allowed a limited amount of pre-annoyance, which should have been used fully before clicking on it.

WTB · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 14497

Damn!

Doctor Glyndwr · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 32624

Turns out that 3d video up there isn't any sort of 3DS demo -- it's a DSi downloadable game. It generates the pseudo-3D effect by using the camera to do head tracking and doing perspective calculation to match your movements. Quite impressive the DSi can do that with its relatively weedy processor.

It sounds as if the 3DS could offer something similar. Rumours are it has nVidia's ION GPU too, which is basically a 9400M. So that's potentially a DS with more horsepower than a PSP.

WTB · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 14497

WHERE'S GAMEBOY 2? That's what I want to know. The original DS was supposed to be a bloody stop-gap. The most successful one in history.

Anonymous X · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 2046

JohnCoffey wrote:

Well I'm getting a Wii soon with SMG. I played it at a friends' house when it was released and it was incredible, so I need to get it myself. I hear they're releasing a second one this year too.

Best Videogame Ever, really. And there's a second one in May/June. Gaming event of the year for me, that will be (if the 3DS doesn't make it out until '11).

As for the Wii, it's everything the GameCube should've been, IMO.

Be Excellent To Each Other

The Nintendo 3DS

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