"I think maybe if I could do anything, I would make it so you don't have to sit in front of a TV and play. If you could have a machine that you just plugged in and played inside a virtual world that - would be just great."
"It's convenient to make games that are played on TVs," Miyamoto is quoted as saying. "But I always wanted to have a custom-sized screen that wasn't the typical four-cornered cathode-ray-tube TV. I've always thought that games would eventually break free of the confines of a TV screen to fill an entire room. But I would rather not say anything more about that."
Those Dells look hideous. Cheap and plasticky and the seams don't even match up. The red looks terrible. Hard to believe this is the best they can come up with but then their forte has always been low cost not design. Now they buy Alienware with their lame childish cases that have stayed the same for years with overpriced hardware and terrible service. It's been a long time since Alienware was cool but I gues aobut anything is cooler than a Dell.
I just put up a couple of videos Haider uploaded to me in a torrent file. The link is on the bottom of page 2 of his article. If someone can download that file and open it up in a BitTorrent client to make sure it works properly, I'd appreciate it. I *think* my system is configured properly, but I host torrents so rarely that I never know.
FYI, the videos were made with a digital camera (Canon SD400, possibly?), and I used ATI's Avivo Converter tool to turn them into MPEG-4 (DivX compatible) format. That cuts the size to 49.2 MB from 239 MB without damaging quality, but 50MB is still a bit large for our normal server demands (depending on how many people want the files).
Loving the new XPS design. Finally Dell's got something badass on their hands. Wonder how much input AW had into this design? Also wondering if this line finally means builing your own is actually going to be cheaper than buying an equally specced Dell. (not including "special editions" and frivolous features like paint jobs)
Infrared line-of-sight controls aren't that great in the first place (think of your buddy getting up and walking past you to get a drink while you're in the middle of a fight).
But that + motion control?? It's going to be dropping connectivity everytime someone takes a swing within a tennis game, etc.
I'm having a hard time understanding this, I'm surprised that nintendo went this route (there's a good reason why everyone else is going the RF wireless way).
After seeing the sensor bar the other day, I had to find out how exactly the wireless remote worked, so I spoke to a developer:
Plain and simply, the sensor bar actually emits an infrared "wall" or field directly in front of the TV (it creates this in front of the TV because that is where it's placed, either on top of or below the TV is recommended). As the remote is pointed towards the TV, it will reflect off of the infrared "wall," created by the sensor bar, and this tells the remote how far the remote is from the TV and where it is. The remote then communicates with the console via Bluetooth, sending this information to it, and the action is completed successfully.
The sensor bar doesn't receive any type of signal from the wireless remote. If one actually gets too close to the TV, within about three feet or under, it will not work precisely.
The remote has a gyrometer and accelerometer to allow it, for instance in the tennis game, know when you swung the "racket" with a back hand or regular swing.
I knew some dumbass would bring that up as soon as I hit post.
If someone's walking past you to hit up the fridge while you're in the middle of a game, they'll normally try and duck (if they have any sense) so that you can still see over them and play on. But with an infra-red controller you would have to raise your hands up too, or the line-of-sight between your hands and the system would be severed.
And that was just one example, there are so many different ways in which the signal could be blocked: you could have a book or a bowl of chips on the coffee table in front of you, which you'd have to point around... I could go on and on...
If you had actually "thought about it" yourself, you would have realized what I was talking about.
But, from the above two replies it appears commmunication is still done by RF. In which case I'd like to know more about what the infra-red bar is for.
My guess is that it is only partially based on IR, it would be crazy for nintendo to drop the RF method after all the work with the wavebird. Perhaps there is something more to it. Heck maybe the console uses the IR link to establish an RF connection with the controllers, after all things might get crazy if you just power on 3 or 4 consoles in the same room and expect the various controllers to communicate with the proper consoles. But that is just a guess though.
On the front page it says "We spent some quality time with Nintendo's Wii"...
Well?
Is it any good then?
(all you got is one paragraph :'-( )
oh, and:
"[...] the Classic style controller is designed to be used for NES, SNES and N64 games."
The Wiimote seems perfectly capable of playing NES games (unless of course it's completely IR based), so that should probably have read "[...] to be used for SNES and N64 games."
and with the mention of "indy" developers being able to make stuff for the system I wounder how hard homebrew is going to be on this thing. if its easy and this thing is cheap this thing could defenatly hot item
The more I know about Wii, the more I think Nintendo has got a winner on their hands. It's rumoured to be way cheaper than XBOX360 and PS3, and it seems to feel way more "next gen" in terms of gameplay. The graphics may be a little bit on the downside considering the specs, but still, if it is as fun as it seems to be, the price/fun ratio can make it a real winner...
Only a 4-position Directional Pad? I'm sorry, but I hated the old Nintendo D-pads. They need a 8-position pad that is made circular, like the old Microsoft PC Gamepads or the XBOX360. Those 4-position pads are hard to use and hurt your fingers.
Call me crazy, but I kind of like the ideas behind the XPS' case design. Aesthetically, it's hideous (those grills just look cheap). However, the forwarding canting and sides that swing down are pretty cool.
quote: While this desktop will be shipped with plain aluminum side panels, Dell has gone ahead and created a special edition, called the XPS X-Men: The Last Stand Collector's Edition. Beginning May 10th, 2006 through June 18th, 2006, consumers can enter to win this one of a kind desktop which is valued at about $10,000.
Didn't see this contest listed on Dell's site...nor a link on Anandtech mentioning how to find out more.
Is it not obvious yet that the PS3 is a forgotten product? Seriously, how fucking good do the graphics really need to be? It's just gonna throw down the same ol' shit that the 360 has been doing for a few months now. Coughed up sequels that look amazing and play like crap. Forget the PS3. Wii is where its at.
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36 Comments
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tonjohn - Saturday, May 13, 2006 - link
So does anybody know what is behind that flap on the front of the Wii?It's rumoured that the tray on the front of the console is a stereoscopic digital projection system.
I'm quite surprised if real, why didn't they demo it.
http://dennispatterson.blogspot.com/2006/04/why-wi...">http://dennispatterson.blogspot.com/2006/04/why-wi...
http://www.gamespot.com/pages/forums/show_msgs.php...">http://www.gamespot.com/pages/forums/show_msgs.php...
http://www.playbomb.com/2005/11/01/18/nintendo-for...">http://www.playbomb.com/2005/11/01/18/nintendo-for...
....
Miyamoto,
"I think maybe if I could do anything, I would make it so you don't have to sit in front of a TV and play. If you could have a machine that you just plugged in and played inside a virtual world that - would be just great."
"It's convenient to make games that are played on TVs," Miyamoto is quoted as saying. "But I always wanted to have a custom-sized screen that wasn't the typical four-cornered cathode-ray-tube TV. I've always thought that games would eventually break free of the confines of a TV screen to fill an entire room. But I would rather not say anything more about that."
http://www.xgaming.com/newsletter/Revolutionary-Te...">http://www.xgaming.com/newsletter/Revolutionary-Te...
tthiel - Friday, May 12, 2006 - link
Those Dells look hideous. Cheap and plasticky and the seams don't even match up. The red looks terrible. Hard to believe this is the best they can come up with but then their forte has always been low cost not design. Now they buy Alienware with their lame childish cases that have stayed the same for years with overpriced hardware and terrible service. It's been a long time since Alienware was cool but I gues aobut anything is cooler than a Dell.dali71 - Friday, May 12, 2006 - link
Agreed, i thought that they had released an air purifier.JarredWalton - Thursday, May 11, 2006 - link
Hey everyone,I just put up a couple of videos Haider uploaded to me in a torrent file. The link is on the bottom of page 2 of his article. If someone can download that file and open it up in a BitTorrent client to make sure it works properly, I'd appreciate it. I *think* my system is configured properly, but I host torrents so rarely that I never know.
FYI, the videos were made with a digital camera (Canon SD400, possibly?), and I used ATI's Avivo Converter tool to turn them into MPEG-4 (DivX compatible) format. That cuts the size to 49.2 MB from 239 MB without damaging quality, but 50MB is still a bit large for our normal server demands (depending on how many people want the files).
Take care,
Jarred Walton
Editor
AnandTech.com
rrcn - Friday, May 12, 2006 - link
Thanks for converting the files, Jarred.Cannon S2 IS. =P
JarredWalton - Friday, May 12, 2006 - link
Okay, judging by the 8+ downloads already started, it's working. Again, let me know if you have problems.--Jarred
Cullinaire - Thursday, May 11, 2006 - link
Loving the new XPS design. Finally Dell's got something badass on their hands. Wonder how much input AW had into this design? Also wondering if this line finally means builing your own is actually going to be cheaper than buying an equally specced Dell. (not including "special editions" and frivolous features like paint jobs)ninjit - Thursday, May 11, 2006 - link
Infrared line-of-sight controls aren't that great in the first place (think of your buddy getting up and walking past you to get a drink while you're in the middle of a fight).But that + motion control?? It's going to be dropping connectivity everytime someone takes a swing within a tennis game, etc.
I'm having a hard time understanding this, I'm surprised that nintendo went this route (there's a good reason why everyone else is going the RF wireless way).
Am I missing something?
rrcn - Saturday, May 13, 2006 - link
After seeing the sensor bar the other day, I had to find out how exactly the wireless remote worked, so I spoke to a developer:Plain and simply, the sensor bar actually emits an infrared "wall" or field directly in front of the TV (it creates this in front of the TV because that is where it's placed, either on top of or below the TV is recommended). As the remote is pointed towards the TV, it will reflect off of the infrared "wall," created by the sensor bar, and this tells the remote how far the remote is from the TV and where it is. The remote then communicates with the console via Bluetooth, sending this information to it, and the action is completed successfully.
The sensor bar doesn't receive any type of signal from the wireless remote. If one actually gets too close to the TV, within about three feet or under, it will not work precisely.
The remote has a gyrometer and accelerometer to allow it, for instance in the tennis game, know when you swung the "racket" with a back hand or regular swing.
Hope this clarifies everything.
Haider Farhan
bigboxes - Thursday, May 11, 2006 - link
If your "buddy" walks in front of you during your "fight" then you won't be able to see the screen. Think about it.ninjit - Thursday, May 11, 2006 - link
I knew some dumbass would bring that up as soon as I hit post.If someone's walking past you to hit up the fridge while you're in the middle of a game, they'll normally try and duck (if they have any sense) so that you can still see over them and play on. But with an infra-red controller you would have to raise your hands up too, or the line-of-sight between your hands and the system would be severed.
And that was just one example, there are so many different ways in which the signal could be blocked: you could have a book or a bowl of chips on the coffee table in front of you, which you'd have to point around... I could go on and on...
If you had actually "thought about it" yourself, you would have realized what I was talking about.
But, from the above two replies it appears commmunication is still done by RF. In which case I'd like to know more about what the infra-red bar is for.
Sea Shadow - Thursday, May 11, 2006 - link
My guess is that it is only partially based on IR, it would be crazy for nintendo to drop the RF method after all the work with the wavebird. Perhaps there is something more to it. Heck maybe the console uses the IR link to establish an RF connection with the controllers, after all things might get crazy if you just power on 3 or 4 consoles in the same room and expect the various controllers to communicate with the proper consoles. But that is just a guess though.ColdFusion101 - Thursday, May 11, 2006 - link
Actually the IR is only part of the Wiimote's motion sensing combined with an accelerometer. The controller talks to the Wii through BLuetooth.yonzie - Thursday, May 11, 2006 - link
On the front page it says "We spent some quality time with Nintendo's Wii"...Well?
Is it any good then?
(all you got is one paragraph :'-( )
oh, and:
"[...] the Classic style controller is designed to be used for NES, SNES and N64 games."
The Wiimote seems perfectly capable of playing NES games (unless of course it's completely IR based), so that should probably have read "[...] to be used for SNES and N64 games."
NegativeEntropy - Thursday, May 11, 2006 - link
Seconded! If they had final games, tell us about the graphics as that seems to be the only thing about the Wii people are concerned about.solgae1784 - Thursday, May 11, 2006 - link
......is quite similar to Apple G5 desktop.yonzie - Thursday, May 11, 2006 - link
... except hideously ugly.johnsonx - Thursday, May 11, 2006 - link
Can anyone say how I'm supposed to say "Wii"?Same as the english word "Why"?
Same as the english word "We"?
something else?
artifex - Friday, May 12, 2006 - link
like, omg wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!:)
mjh - Thursday, May 11, 2006 - link
The Nintendo Wii is pronounced as "We."jcmuse - Thursday, May 11, 2006 - link
who is the chick with the mic. i can only see the back of her head but she looks hot.anyway... pls just give me zelda and i will be happy.
dali71 - Friday, May 12, 2006 - link
It appears to be http://users.adelphia.net/~jcerulli/images/FHM/Mor...">Morgan Webb from G4, and yes, she is definitely a hottie.MercenaryForHire - Thursday, May 11, 2006 - link
Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiartifex - Friday, May 12, 2006 - link
Dude, you beat me to it! I posted something similar below.DerekWilson - Thursday, May 11, 2006 - link
hahahahahahaahahahahahahahaaahaaaahahahaAndrewChang - Thursday, May 11, 2006 - link
The Wii looks good. Yeah, I havn't been this excited about a console in years. It does look like it'll be all we could have wished for.Falloutboy - Thursday, May 11, 2006 - link
and with the mention of "indy" developers being able to make stuff for the system I wounder how hard homebrew is going to be on this thing. if its easy and this thing is cheap this thing could defenatly hot itemPatrese - Thursday, May 11, 2006 - link
The more I know about Wii, the more I think Nintendo has got a winner on their hands. It's rumoured to be way cheaper than XBOX360 and PS3, and it seems to feel way more "next gen" in terms of gameplay. The graphics may be a little bit on the downside considering the specs, but still, if it is as fun as it seems to be, the price/fun ratio can make it a real winner...MrCoyote - Thursday, May 11, 2006 - link
Only a 4-position Directional Pad? I'm sorry, but I hated the old Nintendo D-pads. They need a 8-position pad that is made circular, like the old Microsoft PC Gamepads or the XBOX360. Those 4-position pads are hard to use and hurt your fingers.oneils - Thursday, May 11, 2006 - link
Call me crazy, but I kind of like the ideas behind the XPS' case design. Aesthetically, it's hideous (those grills just look cheap). However, the forwarding canting and sides that swing down are pretty cool.oneils - Thursday, May 11, 2006 - link
Oops, that should probably read: the case being canted forward and sides that swing down...LoneWolf15 - Thursday, May 11, 2006 - link
Didn't see this contest listed on Dell's site...nor a link on Anandtech mentioning how to find out more.
rrcn - Thursday, May 11, 2006 - link
Sorry about that, not sure what happened to the link, but http://www.dell.com/e3">here it is.artifex - Friday, May 12, 2006 - link
I'm looking at the flash site, and I don't see anything that stands out as omg, contest here! Any clues?I wonder if they killed the contest, because dell.com/xmen, which is linked from that flash site, now gets a "not found" redirect.
LanceVance - Thursday, May 11, 2006 - link
I hope you're going to cover the PS3 and provide the same under-the-covers analysis that we saw with the 360 at E3 2005.hoppa - Thursday, May 11, 2006 - link
Is it not obvious yet that the PS3 is a forgotten product? Seriously, how fucking good do the graphics really need to be? It's just gonna throw down the same ol' shit that the 360 has been doing for a few months now. Coughed up sequels that look amazing and play like crap. Forget the PS3. Wii is where its at.