Breaking Wii News Price $250 and Nov 19 launch*Update9/18/06

teraflop122 · Post by **teraflop122** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 11:52 am

don't forget Europe people!

Here you go, making up fairytale lands

The idea that a fast CPU = good graphics is something of a misconception, just as is the idea that a 256MB video card MUST be better than a 128MB video card.

The CPU is responsible for creating the geometry of a 3D level, but the GPU applies the textures, applies lighting effects, and performs tasks like anti-alaising and anostropic filtering to pretty up the onscreen image.

That blur effect of getting hit in Oblivion/ driving fast in that 360 racing title, and the neat waves left by bullets in games like FEAR- thats all the GPU, not the CPU.

jones · Post by **jones** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 1:10 pm

So how do people feel about this overlooked nugget of information from yesterday's announcement?

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6157685.ht ... ws;title;3

Now this may not be a big deal, since most people have DVD players already, but I find it interesting that originally this was supposed to be in the system and then eventually got yanked.

They even say in the article that part of the reason for not including it is that DVD players have become cheap and commonplace. Well by the same line of reasoning one would think that it would be a low cost enhancement to a system as well. Just an extra feature that has been in the rival vendors last-gen systems, but still nowhere to be found in the offerings from Nintendo.

Now, for me personally, this would not have an affect on buying the system. I already have more DVD players than one would deem necessary even in the most irrational of circumstances. I, however, could see where this would be an issue for mom and dad buying a game system for their kids. Maybe they want to put it in their kids' room where there is no DVD player and they see the 360 sitting there for a mere $50 more and it has DVD playback built in. I can see where people might look that way.

Not trying to make it in to a Wii vs. 360 argument as I'm sure I will be accused of. Just trying to offer another perspective on the issue where I think Nintendo may have slightly missed the mark.

Post by **bicostp** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 1:29 pm

From the sound of that article, the Wii's discs are simply encrypted DVDs, so not having DVD functionality seems to be more of a limitation in the firmware.

If that's the case, it's silly not to include a few more megs of code in the firmware (Less if the Wii has MPEG decoder hardware for videos...) to limit the functionality. To me this just sounds like they're just trying to keep their lineup as pure video game systems.

I know it has Gamecube controller and memory card ports, but what abuot reading the discs? Traditionally slot-loading drives don't like non-standard size discs...

Post by **CronoTriggerfan** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 1:45 pm

jones wrote:So how do people feel about this overlooked nugget of information from yesterday's announcement?

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6157685.ht ... ws;title;3

Now this may not be a big deal, since most people have DVD players already, but I find it interesting that originally this was supposed to be in the system and then eventually got yanked.

They even say in the article that part of the reason for not including it is that DVD players have become cheap and commonplace. Well by the same line of reasoning one would think that it would be a low cost enhancement to a system as well. Just an extra feature that has been in the rival vendors last-gen systems, but still nowhere to be found in the offerings from Nintendo.

Now, for me personally, this would not have an affect on buying the system. I already have more DVD players than one would deem necessary even in the most irrational of circumstances. I, however, could see where this would be an issue for mom and dad buying a game system for their kids. Maybe they want to put it in their kids' room where there is no DVD player and they see the 360 sitting there for a mere $50 more and it has DVD playback built in. I can see where people might look that way.

Not trying to make it in to a Wii vs. 360 argument as I'm sure I will be accused of. Just trying to offer another perspective on the issue where I think Nintendo may have slightly missed the mark.

Now THAT'S just stupid!

DVD players are the standard; how could Nintendo be so dumb to not include DVD support? This is quite disheartening.....

CTFan

jones · Post by **jones** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 1:46 pm

bicostp wrote:I know it has Gamecube controller and memory card ports, but what abuot reading the discs? Traditionally slot-loading drives don't like non-standard size discs...

Ben and I were questioning this as well. I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens.

atari2600a · Post by **atari2600a** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 1:47 pm

Wasn't data stored on the GC discs outward-in? They could've done the same thing on the Wii...

EvilnessNMyVeins · Post by **EvilnessNMyVeins** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 1:48 pm

I know I haven't been here in a long long time but I had to put my two cents in. Strictly my opinion but hey maybe some will agree

I think a lot of People are worried about the processing power not only in a graphical veiw but a expansive on as well. To clarify I mean the size or amount of things to do or interact with in the game. I think the Wii could most certainly handle games of immense magnitude and graphical prowess. Take some examples from the Playstation two the weakest of the current gen systems. Dragonquest 8 and Final Fantasy 12, both beautiful games and having vast (enourmous) lands and plenty of interaction, both possible, very possible to run on the Wii.

Also games on the original X-box like halo and KOTOR and Elderscrolls morrowind also could run very smoothly on the Wii. I don't think anyone is upset with the graphics of those games, especially Halo 2's bump mapping. So frankly the graphics won't be that bad.

And I feel with less emphasis on graphics more time will be put into game interaction not only with the wii-mote but also in just general gameplay. Maybe a lot of games for the wii will be less graphically capable but be more like those games you love to play over and over cause there is so much to do. And just because they are gonna be fun.

Not to mention free internet and freaking Duck Hunt.
YOu cant go wrong with Duck hunt.

But I do believe there should be DVD standard especially when I only have two av ports one already hooked up to a full system select.

Post by **Triton** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 2:33 pm

about the lack of dvd the reason is probably to not pay for licnesing of the mpeg2 codec, think about it, would you rather pay 275 and have it play dvds or 250 and no dvd but mebe a dvd addon later? plus how many people do you know without at least one dvd player, we have three!

teraflop122 · Post by **teraflop122** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 2:45 pm

"But because the price of DVD players has dropped so much and they have become so commonplace, Nintendo saw no need to create extra hardware options that would drive up the cost for consumers."

What a bunch of nonsense. "Drive up the cost for consumers!?" I can say with some certainty that consumers would see virtually no increase in cost, and Nintendo is once again showing its business autism.

Metroid fan · Post by **Metroid fan** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 2:51 pm

atari2600a wrote:Wasn't data stored on the GC discs outward-in? They could've done the same thing on the Wii...

Ok seriously everyone listen to this it was not stored outward in it's the same as a regular disk but the disk is a strange exotic disk format! Urrg that one makes me mad.

jones · Post by **jones** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 3:04 pm

Triton wrote:about the lack of dvd the reason is probably to not pay for licnesing of the mpeg2 codec, think about it, would you rather pay 275 and have it play dvds or 250 and no dvd but mebe a dvd addon later? plus how many people do you know without at least one dvd player, we have three!

According to the Nintendo rep there will be no DVD add-on. Plus, I doubt it would have added $25 to the cost and even if it would have, at $275 it would have still been cheaper than the 360 with DVD playback capability. I doubt they would have had to raise the price at all though. Just Nintendo holding to an ideal no matter how out of touch it may be. The quote is below.

"They were originally considering an external [DVD] attachment," a rep for the company said of the Wii's designers. "But because the price of DVD players has dropped so much and they have become so commonplace, Nintendo saw no need to create extra hardware options that would drive up the cost for consumers."

Post by **bicostp** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 3:16 pm

Triton wrote:about the lack of dvd the reason is probably to not pay for licnesing of the mpeg2 codec, think about it, would you rather pay 275 and have it play dvds or 250 and no dvd but mebe a dvd addon later? plus how many people do you know without at least one dvd player, we have three!

How does adding the proper software to the Wii cost as much as a cheap standalone DVD player? I guess it would only bump up the price $5 or $10, depending on the licensing fees for the MPEG decoders. (Honestly I'd rather pay $275 and get DVD playback. It's almost an expectation now, like audio CD playback was back in the day.)

Metroid fan · Post by **Metroid fan** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 3:21 pm

Well as I see it they wouldn't have to change the price at all if it was just programming they are already making money on it so they wouldn't lose much... But it doesn't matter to me i've got dvd players on all of my tvs.

totokan · Post by **totokan** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 3:22 pm

Eh, I don't need it. Really, the only people who would buy a game console in this gen and not have a DVD player already, probably can't even hook up the console to their coax mono-sound tv

.

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 3:27 pm

bicostp wrote:From the sound of that article, the Wii's discs are simply encrypted DVDs, so not having DVD functionality seems to be more of a limitation in the firmware.

If that's the case, it's silly not to include a few more megs of code in the firmware (Less if the Wii has MPEG decoder hardware for videos...) to limit the functionality. To me this just sounds like they're just trying to keep their lineup as pure video game systems.

So if the problem is just in the firmware, couldn't it be hacked? Or Nintendo could offer a firmware upgrade download that would provide DVD support.