As I did with the first game, I'll be taking the day off of work for the release of Super Mario Galaxy 2.

_________________

@ErikBauer

Quote:

ErikBauer wrote: @Lou In fact seems that the big N packed two E3 into one. My poor wallet!

Yeah, their show was light on the traditional stats and graphs of their prior shows and heavy on games, games, games.

I can almost see the lie detector game sure to come out in the future to make use of the Vitality Sensor...

@Thread

Just saw the IGN Sony Conference video


Sony Conference Video

Very cool introduction to Sony Motion Controls at 1:18!! A price cut and backwards compatibility might clinch the sale. Guess I'll have to wait for the unannounced 'slim' PS3 for both these however

In the meantime I'm a PS2 user and not necessarily a future PS3 user, see 8 minutes in the Sony spokesman implies we're all drawn to Playstation logo like moths to a flame! The only thing linking me to the 'next gen' Playstation brand is my PS2 game library. If the back compatibility is not reinstated then I'll just as likely buy the XBox 360 when they finally solve the RRoD problems (still not convinced they have yet)! Sony are valiantly trying to regain the trust of their fans and gamers in general, but they've got a long way to go and I figure the Games Division will continue to make a loss for a time yet!

Last edited by BigD on 03-Jun-2009 at 06:24 PM.

_________________
"Art challenges technology. Technology inspires the art."
John Lasseter, Co-Founder of Pixar Animation Studios

@ErikBauer
I too think Nintendo has locked up this Gen. #2 last gen is now #1. The only 'fight' is for #2. Well and #3 looks to be #2 while #1 looks to take #3. There is still a couple years left and Sony might pull to #2 before the next gen ships. (If I predict it enough it's eventually bound to be right. Right?)


@fairlanefastback
Quote:

Anyone here know how long Microsoft expects before Natal goes to market BTW?

I don't recall any offical release date. IMO, sometime in 2010. If released games won't work they'll want to wait until enough working games are on tap. No sense to have camera and no real use for it, they already have that.

@all

Sony Sticks by PS3 Price as Sales Lag Behind Rivals

Quote:

“We’re very happy with the price point that we have,” Kazuo Hirai said in an interview yesterday at the industry’s Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles. “We will move when we think it’s appropriate at some point in time.”

Quote:

“I was disappointed not to see any sort of aggressive price cutting,” Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard, whose company makes “Guitar Hero,” said today in an interview. “Of all the things that the hardware companies need to be doing right now, it’s recognizing the difficulties of the economy and pricing their hardware appropriately.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601204&sid=ai.eyTaTU7jg&refer=technology

_________________
Pegasos2 G3 running AOS 4.1 and MorphOS 2.0
Amikit user, tinkering with Icaros VM (AROS)
EFIKA owner
Amiga 1200

Black Wii to release along side Monster Hunter 3:Tri in Japan on Aug 1.



Buy Nintendo stock now!

Further analysis of Wii Motion Plus via Iwata Asks interview with WM+ developers:
Quote:

Takamoto further explains that the concept was originally suggested because "the original Wii remote could only detect movements along straight lines". Asked by Iwata why a gyro sensor was not included originally Takamoto answered: "We actually looked into the idea of including a gyro sensor at the very start of the Wii remote's development. But the idea was rejected due to issues of both space and cost which attaching a gyro sensor would entail." Describing the technology as "awkward" to implement, Ito explains how the accuracy of a standard gyroscope was increased fivefold, to measure 1600 degrees of movement per second. The device had to be further customised to work in two separate modes: one for slow movement and one for fast. The Nintendo designers also found that changes in temperature, humidity and sudden impacts could radically change the device's reliability. These difficulties appear to have been the reason for the delay of the MotionPlus and bundled software Wii Sports Resort until June/July this year. In summing up, Iwata himself states: "With Wii MotionPlus, people might think that we've just tacked on a gyro sensor, but in fact it was a product that necessitated a huge amount of trial and error, whether it was collecting Pokemotion shop displays, making steel hooks and breaking the Wii remote or simmering the components in a pressure cooker."

The PS3 "wand" looks to be a glowing ball that the EyeToy "sees" mated with the motion sensor in the current PS3 controller. The kinds of software that Sony fans think they are going to get from this combination will not be possible as it will tax the system's processing power. This is why you saw simple demos. No software has been announced yet here we have Nintendo with WiiSports Resort due in July.

Johnny Lee seems to be partially responsible for Project Natal
http://kotaku.com/5279512/wii-remote-wizard-working-on-project-natal
Project Natal will probably cost $200. Also remains to be seen how much processing is required of the host console. We know the EyeToy + Wand will require PS3 processing time. It's natural to assume Natal will do the same to the 360.
What you will see is games that incorporate theses things lacking the production values and complexities of current titles. One weakness of Natal is that it's not good with small movents such as using your fingers to pull a trigger. So now for those games you will still need some type of controller.

Overall, I feel Nintendo created the most effective solution. The Wii Remote is a pda that simply transmits it's resultant spacial data to the Wii, hence interacting with the Wii remote isn't any more complicated than a normal controller.

Now let's look at costs:
PS3: console ($399) + wand ($?) + EyeToy ($40)
360: console (varies) + Natal($200?) + (possible gimmick controller such as a gun)
Wii: console ($250)

Now let's look at software:
PS3: none on display only simple demos
360: see above but demos were more robust
Wii: lots since Nov 2006

In the case of Natal, atleast the Rockband/Guitar Hero guitars can be re-used for those games and Natal can then recreate your motions on the stage performers in-game. Luckily Rockband and Guitar Hero are "simpler" games...

For the PS3, like the Wii's guitar, a dedicated one may have to be made or a way to attach the wand will have to be provided...

With WM+, the same movement sensing can be recreated for the Wii as PS3.

Personally, I think we'll see a 720 and WiiHD (not holding my breadth for a PS4) before we see anything significant regarding Natal or the phalic Wand...(where was Sony's famous brand style on that one?)

Edit:
Perhaps Sony can add a really stong rumble tech and recreate a ... oh wait, they've had those around for years ... but think of the new gameplay possibilities!

Re-Edit:
Further indept analysis from Engadget:
http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/05/motion-control-wars-xbox-360-and-ps3-are-playing-catch-up-with/#continued

Last edited by Lou on 05-Jun-2009 at 04:25 PM.
Last edited by Lou on 05-Jun-2009 at 03:09 PM.

@Lou

Quote:

The PS3 "wand" looks to be a glowing ball that the EyeToy "sees" mated with the motion sensor in the current PS3 controller

There's probably a good reason the Wii didn't come with a something you held in your hand with a rounded red tip....

On a more serious note.... I know what you are saying about needing processing power. Each console likely has some to spare for this. I hope the Natal is less than $200 projected. It's an add-on it won't get used until next gen when it would be included. Perhaps this is why we see some people projected a Xbox3 release. One guess from me.. Maybe it is $200 because most of the processing logic is in the camera itself and it only communicates to the 360 on a more limited number of inputs? Maybe it's got a small toshiba cell in there.

Last edited by BrianK on 06-Jun-2009 at 12:27 PM.

@BrianK

Quote:

BrianK wrote: @Lou Quote: The PS3 "wand" looks to be a glowing ball that the EyeToy "sees" mated with the motion sensor in the current PS3 controller There's probably a good reason the Wii didn't come with a something you held in your hand with a rounded red tip.... On a more serious note.... I know what you are saying about needing processing power. Each console likely has some to spare for this. I hope the Natal is less than $200 projected. It's an add-on it won't get used until next gen when it would be included. Perhaps this is why we see some people projected a Xbox3 release. One guess from me.. Maybe it is $200 because most of the processing logic is in the camera itself and it only communicates to the 360 on a more limited number of inputs? Maybe it's got a small toshiba cell in there.

Well, it has 2 cameras and multiple microphones to detect where sound is coming from. The Wii has WiiSpeak room microphone as an inexpensive accessory since the release of Animal Crossing for the Wii.

Sony is farther behind on the software front but the integration is simpler than Microsoft's.

You can rule out any meaningful motion controls for the 360/PS3 this year and even most of next year for Sony and probably not at all for MS. Next year, Nintendo will probably be showing a WiiHD (be it a Wii 1.5 or a full Wii2). The DSi has more processing power than the DS, so I don't doubt a Wii 1.5 to semi-extend this hardware generation much like the DSi is extending the DS line...

Since no price cuts were announced by Sony & MS, Nintendo had no need to follow suit and won't until they are ready to release the WiiHD.

@Lou

In my opinion the WiiHD will be out in no less than 2/2.5 years.
I think it's too early for a new Wii as Nintendo is still literally making money with the actual one.

_________________
God created Paula so that Allister Brimble and Dave Whittaker could do music

Check my Amiga gameplays (ITA)!

@ErikBauer

I don't think we'll see a successor to the Wii until then like you state, however I think we'll see a Wii 1.5 (WiiHD) like the DSi is to the DS next year. This will allow Nintendo to keep a price point of $250 for the WiiHD and lower the price of the current Wii to compete with price cuts sure to come by next year.

Simply bump up the cpu+gpu speed, add registers to define the framebuffer to enable HD resolutions, enlarge the internal framebuffer+texture cache RAM, add more internal flash or use SSD, upgrade the wireless module to 802.11n and you have a WiiHD that is fully backwards compatible with the Wii but can handle WiiHD specific games. Games could also be written to work on either hardware but render higher on the WiiHD.

They have followed this hardware model with the Gameboy line, then the DS line and even the transition for GC->Wii..why not->WiiHD...

PSP Go is a rip-off at $249 and I agree!

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/09/pachter-says-sony-is-ripping-off-consumers-with-psp-go/

@Lou

Quote:

PSP Go is a rip-off at $249 and I agree!

Perhaps they are. The question is will consumers see it that way? Since the PSP and DSi are both on the market and both less expensive I'd bet this handheld remains at the back of the pack (aka PS3) until Sony cuts the price.

Amazon offers $50 discount on PS3 today.
http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/11/amazon-offers-50-discount-on-playstation-3-today/

April NPD:

■Nintendo DS: 633,500 units (425,600 previously, +33 per cent)
■Nintendo Wii: 289,500 units (675,100 previously, -57 per cent)
■Xbox 360: 175,000 units (186,600 previously, -6 per cent)
■PlayStation 3: 131,000 units (208,700 previously, -37 per cent)
■PlayStation 2: 117,000 units (132,708 previously, -12 per cent)
■PlayStation Portable: 100,400 units (208,700 previously, -45 per cent)

software:
■01. UFC 2009 Undisputed (THQ, Xbox 360): 679,600 units sold
■02. Wii Fit (Nintendo, Wii): 352,800
■03. EA Sports Active (Electronic Arts, Wii): 345,800
■04. UFC 2009 Undisputed (THQ, PlayStation 3): 334,400
■05. inFamous (Sony, PlayStation 3): 175,900
■06. Pokémon Platinum Version (Nintendo, DS): 168,900
■07. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo, Wii) 158,300
■08. Punch-Out!! (Nintendo, Wii) 156,900
■09: X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Activision, Xbox 360): 120,700
■10: Wii Play (Nintendo, Wii): 109,800

Last Week in Japan:
■1. Nintendo DSi: 38,783
■2. PlayStation Portable: 29,070
■3. Nintendo Wii: 17,177
■4. PlayStation 3: 10,173
■5. Xbox 360: 6625
■6. Nintendo DS Lite: 5664
■7. PlayStation 2: 4096

New 360 debutting next year with Project Natal integration:
http://www.edge-online.com/news/new-xbox-coming-fall-2010

Rumors are of a more powerful cpu and actually the combined cpu/gpu chip to make a smaller package so that the whole system is no bigger than it is now.

@Lou

Quote:

Rumors are of a more powerful cpu and actually the combined cpu/gpu chip to make a smaller package so that the whole system is no bigger than it is now.

Seems heavy on the rumor side. Microsoft stated the NATAL would work on all 360s.

Microsoft stated they expect the console to have a 10 year life span. Vallhalla, is supposed to be the CPU/GPU at 45nm replacing Jasper. It seems that Falcon has gone a long way to reduce the heat related RRoD. Vallhalla wouldn't be needed this year. Perhaps fall 2010 giving the console 2 years. This would extend the 360 a couple of more years giving the 360 a 10 year lifespan. The 3rd Xbox would be around 2012... The Natal no-controller is predicted to be expensive, I've seen as much as $200, if this is the case perhaps the Vallahalla+Natal in the Elite pack would make sense. That's because the Vallahalla could reduce the 360 cost.

Doesn't seem a wise investment to bump the 360 for a couple of years? If possible roll the 3rd Xbox sooner. Though if they do bump the 360 they should name it JuneBug.

Last edited by BrianK on 15-Jun-2009 at 06:40 PM.

@BrianK

Quote:

BrianK wrote: @Lou Quote: Rumors are of a more powerful cpu and actually the combined cpu/gpu chip to make a smaller package so that the whole system is no bigger than it is now. Seems heavy on the rumor side. Microsoft stated the NATAL would work on all 360s. Microsoft stated they expect the console to have a 10 year life span. Vallhalla, is supposed to be the CPU/GPU at 45nm replacing Jasper. It seems that Falcon has gone a long way to reduce the heat related RRoD. Vallhalla wouldn't be needed this year. Perhaps fall 2010 giving the console 2 years. This would extend the 360 a couple of more years giving the 360 a 10 year lifespan. The 3rd Xbox would be around 2012... The Natal no-controller is predicted to be expensive, I've seen as much as $200, if this is the case perhaps the Vallahalla+Natal in the Elite pack would make sense. That's because the Vallahalla could reduce the 360 cost. Doesn't seem a wise investment to bump the 360 for a couple of years? If possible roll the 3rd Xbox sooner. Though if they do bump the 360 they should name it JuneBug.

I can buy a USB camera for my PC, but most laptop come with one built-in these days, the same will be true of Natal and a new Xbox 360 model.

@Lou

Quote:

I can buy a USB camera for my PC, but most laptop come with one built-in these days, the same will be true of Natal and a new Xbox 360 model.

Having the camera on a USB allows users to place it wherever it best suits them. Having to place a whole console in some AV setups would be impossible. I'm betting Natal can be had on a USB cord.

This should probably also be posted on an Amiga Inc thread since Factor 5 is being taken to court for "pulling an Amiga"....

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/17/factor-5-accused-of-fraud-in-new-lawsuit/