[joker454]

Originally Posted by eastmen

Come on guys if the wii droped to $150 or $100 it would start selling like gang busters again . If i were nintendo i'd shrink the system a bit and relaunch at $150

...and/or throw in a new Mario game as a pack in. Nintendo still have many options, they have no need to worry.

[Squilliam]

Originally Posted by Shifty Geezer

No. View this thread.

Well last time I read as far as your question about focusing on whether it would be good for peoples eyes if they focused on something close in, technically it's your fault!

The real advantage of course is that it'd make Arun a console convert and force him to spend his days on B3D examining Nintendo architectures out of respect for their new VR glasses.

Originally Posted by MfA

Focal distance is a question of optics and comfort a question of weight and it's distribution.

If you can manage it with flat optics and keep the electronics at the side of the head neither is an issue IMO. Now the technology is bleeding edge, but it's not inherently expensive to produce if you get it production ready (holograms and microdisplays are both cheap). Nothing a console development budget can't handle.

Originally Posted by AmFreak

You shall be forgiven

Forgiveness is next to godliness.

Let's say they announce a launch date this E3 to launch in the end of 2012. Im sure the other 2 will at least announce their next console before the wii will launch and will try to launch their consoles around the same time. By doing this there would be no reason to buy a NES 6 cause of it's graphical abilities.

It truly depends on what Nintendo announces as their big announcement whether they will be successful. We've had a dry run of this already with Nintendo announcing the 3DS early last year and Sony attempting to scramble an announcement to come just before the launch of the 3DS. Judging from the 3DS I would say that Nintendo would always need something outside of pure graphics capability regardless and it is quite likely that the other console makers probably couldn't quickly respond to most major new features pre-launch, just as Sony couldn't shoe-horn in 3D on the NGP. Improved graphics are a plus and not the be-all for any console anymore.

In general: Joker, I believe they did some Mario bundles last Christmas already if you were wondering.

Yes I know theres a general feeling of cynicism prevailing here as we've beaten around this bush so many times the poor thing has fallen over and died. However for your amusement I bought a well grown shrub from the local garden centre and planted a new one.

Overall with much of the games industry having given up on the Nintendo Wii they have the potential to gain access to a lot of core games on top of any new opportunities they may get with their new console, they do indeed have the most to potentially gain from a new console with a new architecture. The core market is something that they missed with the Wii and seemed to attempt to go after with the 3DS, so it follows that they will attempt the same with the NES 6. If anything losing the core market lost them the middle ground between multi-million sellers and abysmal sellers and the third parties suffered for it the most and made the Wii seem like a big hit or big miss affair.

They just need something powerful enough to best the current generation and with enough RAM and the right architecture to be compatible enough for 720p ports of the next generation. 2012 is a good time in one way, there are so many new architectures for ARM and X86 coming out that year and thats the year that 28nm becomes available from at least two foundries albeit with a different technique. The technology curve does support a new console coming out on bulk silicon in 2012.

[MarkoIt]

Playstation, Xbox, Wii

http://www.google.com/trends?q=plays...ctab=0&geo=all

Ps3, Xbox, Wii

http://www.google.com/trends?q=ps3%2...ate=all&sort=0

Move vs Kinect
http://www.google.com/trends?q=kinec...ate=all&sort=0

The Playstation brand is losing strength

[TheChefO]

Originally Posted by MarkoIt

Playstation, Xbox, Wii

http://www.google.com/trends?q=plays...ctab=0&geo=all

Ps3, Xbox, Wii

http://www.google.com/trends?q=ps3%2...ate=all&sort=0

Move vs Kinect
http://www.google.com/trends?q=kinec...ate=all&sort=0

The Playstation brand is losing strength

Wow, what an eye opener!

Thanks for the link.

[hoho]

Originally Posted by MarkoIt

The Playstation brand is losing strength

From the second link I read that ps3 has been growing (slowly) since around 2006 while wii has steadily (and again slowly) lowered while xb remained roughly same.

Searching for xbox vs playstation and claiming one brand is loosing strength doesn't quite make sense in my opinion because I don't think many people search for specific brands instead of consoles themselves.

[-tkf-]

"Google Trends"

I think you need to explain these?

[Shifty Geezer]

Originally Posted by -tkf-

I think you need to explain these?

More than that, what exactly was the point of those Google metrics in relation to the thread? Without a relevant link to what they mean, I'm inclined to interpret random system comparisons as trolling.

[Squilliam]

The law around heres pimp hand is way strong!

In general terms what is the point in the consoles product lifecycle where a console maker could look to release a new product? Im not talking about where or when they would definately look to release a new product but when the idea starts to get tabled and plans start to be finalised for the replacement. For instance Sony seems to have let the PSP die down considerably in America especially before they thought to table a new product, Microsoft seems to have waited until around 2003 before starting on their next generation officially and Nintendo replaced the DS at a much stronger position in the market than the PSP was when the NGP was announced.

Given the fact that a new console takes a couple of years to develop, could we be looking at a point just after the consoles peak before plans start in earnest for a new generation? Perhaps in that case Nintendo would look to really begin work on the NES 6 sometime between the middle of 2009 and the middle of 2010? The 3DS for all intents would have probably been finalised as a design sometime between the middle of 2009 and the end of 2009 for announcement in March of 2010 for E3 in June with finished designs and release at the beginning of 2011. So from the middle of 2009 to the middle of 2011 thats two years worth of work they could have potentially been doing on the NES 6, so potentially we could have an announcement this year. Am I right? Or is there something im missing?

[wco81]

Originally Posted by Squilliam

They just need something powerful enough to best the current generation and with enough RAM and the right architecture to be compatible enough for 720p ports of the next generation. 2012 is a good time in one way, there are so many new architectures for ARM and X86 coming out that year and thats the year that 28nm becomes available from at least two foundries albeit with a different technique. The technology curve does support a new console coming out on bulk silicon in 2012.

If all they do is shoot for 720p, that's not going to get too many PS3 and X360 gamers to upgrade since that's pretty much what they have already.

Actually the console makers better watch out for tablets encroaching on their territory. If you can hook those things up to HDTVs and get 1080p rendered games, it will entice a lot of people.

Graphics still won't be as good in the next year or two but they will improve every year while consoles remain static for 5-10 years.

If people start connecting their mobile devices to their TVs regularly, someone will produce an API to pair games controllers by Bluetooth or Wifi.

[AlphaWolf]

Originally Posted by wco81

If people start connecting their mobile devices to their TVs regularly, someone will produce an API to pair games controllers by Bluetooth or Wifi.

There's already a couple of bluetooth game pad things for phones, I imagine porting them to other devices would be trivial.

[Squilliam]

Originally Posted by wco81

If all they do is shoot for 720p, that's not going to get too many PS3 and X360 gamers to upgrade since that's pretty much what they have already.

Actually the console makers better watch out for tablets encroaching on their territory. If you can hook those things up to HDTVs and get 1080p rendered games, it will entice a lot of people.
Graphics still won't be as good in the next year or two but they will improve every year while consoles remain static for 5-10 years.

If people start connecting their mobile devices to their TVs regularly, someone will produce an API to pair games controllers by Bluetooth or Wifi.

You seem to contradict yourself here? A $600 tablet far into the future isn't exactly direct competion for a home console even if it sets itself up with low power draw, nor is it as practical as a console which is designed to be left plugged into the TV in comparison to a device which isn't and would require additional accessories to make it work as a console which may not be supported by enough game titles to make a difference.

[-tkf-]

Originally Posted by wco81

If all they do is shoot for 720p, that's not going to get too many PS3 and X360 gamers to upgrade since that's pretty much what they have already.

Actually the console makers better watch out for tablets encroaching on their territory. If you can hook those things up to HDTVs and get 1080p rendered games, it will entice a lot of people.

Graphics still won't be as good in the next year or two but they will improve every year while consoles remain static for 5-10 years.

If people start connecting their mobile devices to their TVs regularly, someone will produce an API to pair games controllers by Bluetooth or Wifi.

I don´t see Tablets or Phones being any threat to the next generation consoles, unless they found a way to cram 500GB harddrives and 7GB games into them.

[AlphaWolf]

Originally Posted by -tkf-

I don´t see Tablets or Phones being any threat to the next generation consoles, unless they found a way to cram 500GB harddrives and 7GB games into them.

Why would they need 500GB hard drives (or any HDD for that matter)? As for 7GB games I don't really see any reason they couldn't, most tablets have more than enough storage to do that and even if they didn't a flash drive could work.

However, if people wanted a device hooked up to their TV to game on... they can already do that with a home computer, they don't need an over priced tablet to accomplish the same thing. There's no question that some social/casual gaming will be lost to these portable devices, but MS and Sony are working on using that to their advantage by integrating the experience with their mobile platforms and trying to bring these people onto the consoles as well.

[-tkf-]

Originally Posted by AlphaWolf

Why would they need 500GB hard drives (or any HDD for that matter)? As for 7GB games I don't really see any reason they couldn't, most tablets have more than enough storage to do that and even if they didn't a flash drive could work.

However, if people wanted a device hooked up to their TV to game on... they can already do that with a home computer, they don't need an over priced tablet to accomplish the same thing. There's no question that some social/casual gaming will be lost to these portable devices, but MS and Sony are working on using that to their advantage by integrating the experience with their mobile platforms and trying to bring these people onto the consoles as well.

If tablets are to compete with consoles the games will have to be as great looking and fun to play.

That means big games and a need for storage for these games. Since the competing consoles most likely will have lots of harddrive space and games that take advantage of the next gens power then the Tablets would have to match this. If not it´s another discussion about casual gamers and games.

I don´t get the PC hookup to the TV comment?

[hoho]

Originally Posted by wco81

If people start connecting their mobile devices to their TVs regularly, someone will produce an API to pair games controllers by Bluetooth or Wifi.

I don't think it takes a special api to do that. It's mostly on the game's side to handle the extra input methods.

As for cellphones-tablets being a competitor, they probably won't compete for the high-end stuff but will definitely take a piece from the arcade/PSN market games that aren't as taxing on hardware.

[AlphaWolf]

Originally Posted by -tkf-

If tablets are to compete with consoles the games will have to be as great looking and fun to play.

That means big games and a need for storage for these games. Since the competing consoles most likely will have lots of harddrive space and games that take advantage of the next gens power then the Tablets would have to match this. If not it´s another discussion about casual gamers and games.

I don´t get the PC hookup to the TV comment?

wco81 suggested people would be hooking their tablets to the TV. Computers have been able to do that for years and people have been not doing it in droves.

[MfA]

Using a cable to plug a mobile device into your TV is never going to take off if it has to be done frequently, too awkward. WHDI, now that's a different matter. Put your laptop on the charger, pick up your wireless controller and hit the start button on it (which would launch Steam Big Picture mode). I could see that taking off.

[hoho]

Originally Posted by MfA

Using a cable to plug a mobile device into your TV is never going to take off if it has to be done frequently, too awkward

How is plugging in a cable and getting instant mirrored picture to tv awkward?

[ninelven]

Well it certainly isn't any more awkward than having to change out the optical discs in one's game console anytime one desires to switch games or having to press the power button before wireless controllers...

[MfA]

Originally Posted by hoho

How is plugging in a cable and getting instant mirrored picture to tv awkward?

People don't want visible cables near their TV, so they'd have to keep hiding and retrieving it. I think you'd at least need a cradle for it to take off.

PS. tablets don't need the grunt to run real games to begin with ... only laptops have that kind of power.

[hoho]

Originally Posted by MfA

PS. tablets don't need the grunt to run real games to begin with ... only laptops have that kind of power.

Depends how you define "real game". I bet even my 1.5y old cellphone could run majority of xb and ps3 arcade titles without too much problems.

[ninelven]

Maybe something like this. Pretty genius, why sell just a cable when you profit 2x by selling the cable and the dock...

[AlphaWolf]

Originally Posted by ninelven

Maybe something like this. Pretty genius, why sell just a cable when you profit 2x by selling the cable and the dock...

the cables for apple products aren't any cheaper

the break out to TV cable for iphones is $50.

[ninelven]

Lol, ouch.... doesn't really surprise me though. Most of my family is on the Apple train; I've managed to resist for now. A 6ft mini hdmi to hdmi cable is $3.37 at monoprice .

[borowki]

Originally Posted by wco81

Actually the console makers better watch out for tablets encroaching on their territory. If you can hook those things up to HDTVs and get 1080p rendered games, it will entice a lot of people.

I doubt that manufacturers of tablets really want to target the children's market. I can definitely see Nintendo betting on convergence between mobile and home gaming. Basically, no console at all. A next generation portable will just beam the image to a television when it's available. For party games and such maybe you can put the device atop the TV set and control it with gestures and voice commands.