| QUOTE (prophecy girl @ May 2 2006, 05:15 PM) |
| Wii .... oui .... ouioui ............. oh dear :rolleyes: likethat |
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| Nintendo shows new games console BBC News The Wii controller contains a motion sensor Nintendo has shown off its new Wii games console with its unorthodox motion-sensing controller, arguing it will help draw more people to gaming. But it shied away from setting a launch price or date at a US news conference, ahead of this week's E3 games expo. "Our goal is expanding the number of people playing games," said Satoru Iwata, president of the Japanese firm. Sony's PlayStation 3 is due out in November, while Microsoft released its Xbox 360 last year. Swing a sword At its news conference in Los Angeles, Nintendo was at pains to stress its different approach to games. "What we are unveiling is the next leap in games, where gaming is not about looks but about feel, when gaming is not about the few but about everyone," said senior Nintendo executive Reggie Fils-Aime. Rivals Sony and Microsoft have been pushing computing power and high-definition graphics. By comparison, the Wii seems under-powered. Nintendo's focus is on how the controller for the Wii could attract new people to games. Instead of offering a bewildering array of buttons, the controller looks like a TV remote and contains a motion sensor Nintendo showed how it could be used to play tennis, steer a car, aim a gun or swing a sword. New Mario Among the w**king games demonstrated was a new instalment of the Legend of Zelda series, called Twilight Princess. Reggie Fils-Aime promised gamers "more fun for less money" "This is by far the best Zelda game we've ever made and the most beautiful Zelda game we've made and it will be there on launch day alongside Nintendo system," said Mr Fils-Aime to whoops of approval from the audience. Two versions of the game will be available, one for the GameCube and another for the Wii which takes advantage of the motion-sensing technology. Nintendo also showed trailers for other Wii games, including a new Metroid Prime title and a new Mario game. E3 attendees will be able to play a total of 27 Wii game demos to try out the new controller for themselves. Nintendo is hoping the experience of playing the games will win over sceptics who may have doubts about the new controller. End of the year Key questions about the Wii were left unanswered. Unlike rival Sony, Nintendo do not reveal how much its console would cost or when it would be available. "We believe it's in our best interests to keep the details private for just a while longer," said Nintendo executive Reggie Fils-Aime. "We will give you more fun for less money and you will be playing Wii in the fourth quarter of 2006," he added. Nintendo did provide a few more nuggets of information about the Wii. A low-power mode will let the console remain online to receive alerts and downloads. And the main controller will contain a small speaker to play sounds happening close to a player in a game. |
| QUOTE (prophecy girl @ May 10 2006, 02:33 AM) |
| Two versions of the [Zelda] game will be available, one for the GameCube and another for the Wii which takes advantage of the motion-sensing technology. |
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| Nintendo steals the show at E3 If success was judged by the size of the queues at this week's E3 games expo, then Nintendo would win hands down. Fans waited in line for hours to have a go at the new Wii console and its unorthodox motion-sensing controller. Nintendo's Wii (pronounced "we") stole the show in Los Angeles, which is one of the key events of the games industry. It managed to overshadow Sony's much vaunted PlayStation 3 (PS3), even though this was the first time buffs were able to play games on the new system. As E3 entered its final hours on Friday afternoon, the queues to play the PS3 had vanished. The PS3 and the Wii are due out by the end of the year. They are part of a new wave of gaming that was kicked off by Microsoft last November with the debut of its Xbox 360. Fun and games The three console makers have their eyes on a games industry worth billions which is currently dominated by Sony due to the phenomenal success of its PlayStation 2. As the current leader, Sony has the most to lose as gamers take up the new machines. "Microsoft and Nintendo are building towards something bigger," said Margaret Robertson, editor of the games magazine Edge. "Sony is feeding the market they have built." The systems from Microsoft and Sony boast powerful computer processors and high definition graphics. The Wii cannot compare to the raw power of its rivals. Instead Nintendo is aspiring to change the way people play video games. It has abandoned the traditional controller loaded with buttons in favour of one shaped like a TV remote. The wand-like controller has a motion sensor, so people can play by wielding it like a sword or swinging it like a tennis racket. "It's not high-definition gaming, but it is fun," said Ankarino Lara, vice president of games website Gamespot. "The Wii is going to change the way we perceive gaming. We're going to see games that are accessible at low cost, games that are fun for family and friends." Great expectations Nintendo kept quiet on the price of the Wii but most analysts expect it to cost between $200 and $300. Microsoft still doesn't have the breadth of software to be a real rival to Sony, or the devotion to be a rival to Nintendo Margaret Robertson, Edge This gives it a clear advantage over the PS3, which will cost $499 (499 euros) for a basic model with a 20GB hard drive. The version with key features such as a special output for top quality high definition video, wi-fi, memory card slots and a 60GB will cost $599 (599 euros). At that price, enthusiasts were expecting to be blown away by the games at E3 but left disappointed. "It is hard to be over-excited about what Sony has shown," said Ms Robertson. "They are saying the next generation begins when we say it begins, but at the moment what they are showing isn't bearing that out. "There isn't the dramatic difference between PS3 games and the 360 games that Sony is telling you to expect. Shooting spree Microsoft is trying to capitalise on the situation by gearing up new games for its Xbox 360 The software giant was first to market with the November debut of its new console. It has set itself the ambitious goal of selling 10 million Xbox 360s by the time the rival systems go on sale. While it had a solid line-up at E3, few titles failed to generate the excitement of a Halo or Grand Theft Auto. These best-selling games are coming to the 360, but not until 2007. At E3, most of the new games for the Xbox 360 were shooting, sports or racing titles, with the exception of the children's game, Viva Pinata. "Microsoft still doesn't have the breadth of software to be a real rival to Sony, or the devotion to be a rival to Nintendo," said Ms Robertson. Must-have games are vital to a console's success. E3 offered a glimpse of what was coming for the three consoles. In the end, the success of the systems is often determined by the quality and variety of games available, rather than processing power or crisp graphics. Story from BBC NEWS: |
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| Having a Wii good time The controller looks like a slim TV remote See Wii games Gamers are often stereotyped as couch potatoes, sitting in their bedrooms, staring intensely at a screen. But at the Nintendo stand at the E3 games expo, enthusiasts were eagerly queuing up to have a go at flicking their wrists or swinging their arms. The reason was Nintendo's new games console, the Wii, (pronounced we), and its unorthodox way of play. The Japanese games giant has turned its back on the typical gamepad with a myriad of buttons and opted for using motion sensors. The right-hand controller is shaped like a slim TV remote, while the left-hand one is rounded and curvy. Nintendo is giving people the chance to try out the controls for themselves at E3, with 27 games for the Wii available to play. After having tried out a handful of these games, the initial results are surprisingly promising. Fore! First off was tennis. In this you use the right-hand remote as a racket, swinging it to hit the ball across the net. It takes a couple of misses to connect your actions with the anime characters on the TV screen. But within a few minutes, it was fairly easy to smash the ball and win matches. The game also quickly revealed that it was not just a case of vague, random movements. A rapid swing would increase the power of the shot. And turning the controller at an angle would produce a top spin or slice. Another of the games on offer was golf. Here the device becomes the club and the force of a drive is determined by how far back you swing the controller. Again, the realism of the experience was impressive. In particular, putting involved controlled strokes, determined by how much you moved the device. Point and shoot Sports games like this lend themselves to physical controllers so the real test for the new controller would come with more conventional first-person shooters. Most fans of shooters prefer to play with a computer mouse and keyboard due to the degree of control this offers. On the Wii, the right-hand controller lets you point and shoot. The left-hand holds the so-called nunchuck, which has a joystick for movement. The unconventional set-up takes a while to get used to, especially as it is easy to wander off to one side of the screen by unwittingly moving the controller sideways. But the point and shoot mechanism works well and adds a degree of realism. Whereas in other games reloading involves pressing a particular button, here a flick of the wrist is enough. The swordplay was similarly intuitive - swing the right hand to strike and move the left hand to block. Positive impression The controls worked less well on another shooter, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. The principles were broadly the same, but some of the action also involved a number of button combinations. Over time, gamers will probably get used to this but it did not have the same pick and play appeal as the sports games. Of course, it is impossible to pass judgement on the Wii remote after just playing each game for 10 minutes or so. Initially, it does feel a little strange to wave your arms around. And the remote worked best with the sport titles. But on first impressions, Nintendo may have just produced a way of playing games that is fits the cliché - easy to play, hard to master. Story from BBC NEWS: |