Predict: The Next Generation Console Tech

[patsu]

I watched my son play on iPad. Most games can be played with just one finger or motion control. DS games are played with one stylus. The WiiU controller has real buttons and dual sticks for traditional SP games that need 2 or more fingers.

The only exceptions are games that require 2 or more people to touch the screen at the same time, or perhaps a sophisticated musical instrument games. You can kill several zombies with multiple fingers in Plants vs Zombies but it's not game breaking.

OTOH, WiiU has Wiimote controllers for family games.

They can always add a WiiU+ controller later.

 

[pc999]

I watched my son play on iPad. Most games can be played with just one finger or motion control. DS games are played with one stylus. The WiiU controller has real buttons and dual sticks for traditional SP games that need 2 or more fingers.

The only exceptions are games that require 2 or more people to touch the screen at the same time, or perhaps a sophisticated musical instrument games. You can kill several zombies with multiple fingers in Plants vs Zombies but it's not game breaking.

OTOH, WiiU has Wiimote controllers for family games.

They can always add a WiiU+ controller later.

Examples

1- deploy/command several soldier/aliens in a commander style game like Killer Freaks or in a strategy games;
2- use two fingers to rotate camera, or even a whole world;
3- mac like gestures for zoom like actions, where you can make stuff bigger or smaller;
4- control multiple object with a gravity gun/jedi powers;
5- skill tests;
6- puzzles here you need to activate several things in the same time;
7- music/rhythm games;
8- increased use for no gaming stuff;
9- ...

They are incremental additions that can bring new stuff to gameplay.

 

[patsu]

Examples

1- deploy/command several soldier/aliens in a commander style game like Killer Freaks or in a strategy games;

You can deploy them one by one though. Also group multiple soldiers together for easier management like all RTS today.

2- use two fingers to rotate camera, or even a whole world;

Yeah, "Slice it" allows you to slice shapes with either 1 or 2 fingers. In general, it's possible to do it with just one finger to rotate the camera. You just need 2 taps: one to specify the center, the other to turn, instead of using 2 fingers at once. On WiiU, you can use the stylus for more precise placement and control. You can also use the gyro.

3- mac like gestures for zoom like actions, where you can make stuff bigger or smaller;
4- control multiple object with a gravity gun/jedi powers;
5- skill tests;
6- puzzles here you need to activate several things in the same time;
7- music/rhythm games;
8- increased use for no gaming stuff;
9- ...

They are incremental additions that can bring new stuff to gameplay.

I reckon the designer should be able to create a one finger UI to mimic the 2 finger experience. Many times, like the "control multiple objects" example, it can be awkward to use in real-life. Your hands will be blocking the screen.

 

[MDX]

Are you joking?

No, no joke.

http://www.psxextreme.com/ps3-news/9316.html

"It's hard to say right now. I do not think we'll have a console with a lot better graphics than the PS3 currently offered. I believe the future will be to offer consumers better and more accessible experience. The aim will be to make more people enter the world of video games and try to design titles for women."

- SCEE vice president of Spain/Portugal James Armstrong

 

[Brimstone]

I don't think you'll see the same visual leap that you have in previous generations.
I'm sure to tech savvy people looking for it it'll be there, but to the average game buyer who doesn't go around A/Bing everything I'm not so sure.
To my mind the big leap in this generation was HD resolutions. I don't think that 3D is mature enough to have the same effect, and I do think it add significantly to games when it's well done.

I think it's likely that MS and Sony will try and replicate Wii's success, in so far as they will try and have a hook that isn't just "10x" faster, and try and pull in some of the casual crowd that spent $300 on a Wii. I'm not sure they will be successful doing it, and not sure those people would buy another Wii.

I think to the average consummer a XB720 kiosk will look mindblowing. The way I see it panning out is Microsoft partners with Samsung again for a display, but this time around it'll be a 23 inch 1080p OLED display (Samsung is currenlty spending multi-billions of dollars on OLED production lines). A modern GPU combined with a OLED display will be a stunning leap in image quality.

In the US have a demo of Madden Football running at 1080p/60fps with a control pad that has improved rumble.
In Europe have a demo of Fifa.

 

[KKRT]

No, no joke.

http://www.psxextreme.com/ps3-news/9316.html

"It's hard to say right now. I do not think we'll have a console with a lot better graphics than the PS3 currently offered. I believe the future will be to offer consumers better and more accessible experience. The aim will be to make more people enter the world of video games and try to design titles for women."

- SCEE vice president of Spain/Portugal James Armstrong

So, You're quoting PR guy on tech oriented board to prove Your point?

Go and watch some tech demos from Epic, Crytek, Nvidia or AMD and then check current generation console games, You will see the difference.

 

[Rodéric]

I wonder how much better graphics you need to be happy people.
I'm rather happy with BF3 quality, I'm not sure I care much past that point.
(I'd rather go for something else than photorealistic, it's boring, I see that all the time in real )

 

[rekator]

I wonder how much better graphics you need to be happy people.
I'm rather happy with BF3 quality, I'm not sure I care much past that point.
(I'd rather go for something else than photorealistic, it's boring, I see that all the time in real )

I'm more thinking that to blow people, it's not the graphical part alone to improved but the visual physical part, smoke, dust, explosion, destruction, etc… like in Hollywood…

 

[KKRT]

I wonder how much better graphics you need to be happy people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slN_kOnzDyY&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l5dCkWd4Wo&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwoJ-upjeKo&feature=player_embedded

Merge those three + Heavy Rain's quality character models and I'll be happy

 

[V3]

I wonder how much better graphics you need to be happy people.
I'm rather happy with BF3 quality, I'm not sure I care much past that point.
(I'd rather go for something else than photorealistic, it's boring, I see that all the time in real )

BF3 graphics is really nice. What I want next gen is a working lightweight and wireless Head mounted display, with 180 degree field of view, proper head (maybe retina) tracking, 3D with 4k by 4k res curved OLED for each eye to play BF3 and other impressive looking games. If they ever conceived such a thing, they'll need a really beefy hardware to run the game at 120 or 240 Hz.

Currently Sony is my only hope since they show that prototype 3D HMD a while back. Maybe not next gen, but man do I want to see something like that in my lifetime.

 

[ultragpu]

If Sony goes Nintendo's route I just can't imagine MS would simply sit on their butts without unleashing a beast of a Box and utterly shatter PS4 in its entire life cycle. Or vice versa. What worries me the most is if everyone decides to chicken out, without pushing the envelope and stay in the comfort zone. I wanna see tessellation in my Killzone and Uncharted games damn it!
Oh and I think I'd rather believe John Carmack's 10x more powerful theory than some random SCEE VP.

 

[hoho]

I wonder what are the chances of some of the console creators coming up with a new controller that would work better for RTS and FPS games. Not specifically KB+mouse but something remotely similar that would at least provide an accurate pointing device. Wiimote/move/kinect and analog sticks are relatively bad for that kind of things but perhaps some kind of trackball could work good enough? That would definitely interest quite a few "hardcore" players. I know I'd definitely be very interested in it.

 

[MDX]

So, You're quoting PR guy on tech oriented board to prove Your point?

Go and watch some tech demos from Epic, Crytek, Nvidia or AMD and then check current generation console games, You will see the difference.

Tech demos don't sell consoles. Maybe to early adopters, but they are not considered the mainstream market. I mean, I dont get why this is so hard to understand. We see this every generation.

Third Party:
All Nintendo has to provide is a system powerful enough to get third party ports from the current generation and the follow up generation. So far, based on the specs, this will not be a problem. If speculations are true, WiiU will have two year head start over any new console that MS or Sony might put on sale. WiiU will potentially have the best console launch in the history of launches based on the number of high profile games it will attract. And if WiiU's 'command and control' pad takes off, Sony and MS will be looking to launch against a console with a 10 to 15 million unit head start.

Price:
Nintendo will probably sell the WiiU at 350 based on earlier statements they made when Wii launched. They can afford to do this because they will have a two year head start. And they will know loyal fans will probably adopt early for the first HD Nintendo console.
By the time a new Sony or MS machine launches, Nintendo can bring the price of the WiiU to a more mainstream price of 250 if needed.

So, imagine launching against a console priced at 250 with a 15 million unit head start, and a good share of third party games being developed for it. Please explain exactly what graphical feat will be available for consoles in 2014 that will wow the mainstream audiences to choose a new Sony or MS console over the WiiU? Because for all the tech that is inside the PS3, its still last place in the console war even with its recognizable name.

 

[pc999]

So, You're quoting PR guy on tech oriented board to prove Your point?

Go and watch some tech demos from Epic, Crytek, Nvidia or AMD and then check current generation console games, You will see the difference.

I have seen those, they are in the middle ground in between boring and not impressive...

The dx11 physics/tessellation demos are still cool, depending on the cost (HW and development time).

Crysis did a hell of a job...nothing ever really impressed me anymore.

Anyway if Wii U does have something akin to a 4800 (like rumors say) this should be possible

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YjXCae4Gu0&feature=related

That is more than enough for me.

 

[mrcorbo]

I'm more thinking that to blow people, it's not the graphical part alone to improved but the visual physical part, smoke, dust, explosion, destruction, etc… like in Hollywood…

I'd really like to see a giant leap forward in ability for next-gen consoles to do more accurate physics modelling coupled with better procedural animation. In effect, much-improved versions of Natural Motion's "Euphoria" used pervasively across next-gen titles.

 

[KKRT]

So, imagine launching against a console priced at 250 with a 15 million unit head start, and a good share of third party games being developed for it. Please explain exactly what graphical feat will be available for consoles in 2014 that will wow the mainstream audiences to choose a new Sony or MS console over the WiiU? Because for all the tech that is inside the PS3, its still last place in the console war even with its recognizable name.

First of all WiiU will be compete with PS3 and X0 in terms of power and second of all, new engines like Frostbite 2, UE 3.95/4, CryEngine 3 are future proof. 10-15m wont be a head-start, but catching up numbers.

PS3 was bad designed from the start and late a year. No new console will cost 1000$ to produce and will have 599$ price point at lunch. I think 400-450$ with 100$ loss is acceptable for MS/Sony, but seeing that Vita is almost profitable since launch and its going to be the most powerful mobile machine on the market, i'm starting to doubt that 10 times more powerful hardware will be sold at loss.

I have seen those, they are in the middle ground in between boring and not impressive...

I was impressed by many demos, mostly from the physics side [for example tessellated smoke or blood in UE demo].

Anyway if Wii U does have something akin to a 4800 (like rumors say) this should be possible

Ruby demo probably wasnt real-time thats why they didnt released it to the public and I really doubt at 4800 card when any WiiU game dont have AA on.

 

[Proelite]

Tech demos don't sell consoles. Maybe to early adopters, but they are not considered the mainstream market. I mean, I dont get why this is so hard to understand. We see this every generation.

Third Party:
All Nintendo has to provide is a system powerful enough to get third party ports from the current generation and the follow up generation. So far, based on the specs, this will not be a problem. If speculations are true, WiiU will have two year head start over any new console that MS or Sony might put on sale. WiiU will potentially have the best console launch in the history of launches based on the number of high profile games it will attract. And if WiiU's 'command and control' pad takes off, Sony and MS will be looking to launch against a console with a 10 to 15 million unit head start.

Price:
Nintendo will probably sell the WiiU at 350 based on earlier statements they made when Wii launched. They can afford to do this because they will have a two year head start. And they will know loyal fans will probably adopt early for the first HD Nintendo console.
By the time a new Sony or MS machine launches, Nintendo can bring the price of the WiiU to a more mainstream price of 250 if needed.

So, imagine launching against a console priced at 250 with a 15 million unit head start, and a good share of third party games being developed for it. Please explain exactly what graphical feat will be available for consoles in 2014 that will wow the mainstream audiences to choose a new Sony or MS console over the WiiU? Because for all the tech that is inside the PS3, its still last place in the console war even with its recognizable name.

For MS, they don't need to worry about early adoption for their consoles. They have a Facebook effect with XBL gold members, the majority of which will only move off XBL if given a online choice that is either free or is vastly superior. No matter when MS launches, they'll have 10-20 million users that are virtually guaranteed to move on to the system with the 360. It take a major fuck-up on MS's part for them to lose that user base.

 

[Blazkowicz]

I wonder what are the chances of some of the console creators coming up with a new controller that would work better for RTS and FPS games. Not specifically KB+mouse but something remotely similar that would at least provide an accurate pointing device. Wiimote/move/kinect and analog sticks are relatively bad for that kind of things but perhaps some kind of trackball could work good enough? That would definitely interest quite a few "hardcore" players. I know I'd definitely be very interested in it.

the N64 joystick was precise , too bad it was eroded by friction and you would feel and hear the little bits of plastic in the mechanism.
but really I think it worked better, and with no fatigue, due to controller design and the way you hold it. the left part of the controller was useless and mostly there to get a balanced weigh and shape.
lack of quality, and no games using the d-pad, but great design.

I wonder if you can manage to design a controller where the main joystick feels as good. just copy the stick-on-a-horn. have a more classical 2nd joystick on the right. balance the weight in some way by putting a battery or some metal on the left?

it was a controller with joystick meant as the primary input. unlike the dual shock for PSX and later designs, which are all SNES controllers with joystick tacked on.
the X360 one works well.. but it just puts a joystick where the D-pad was.

 

[hoho]

the N64 joystick was precise

I must admit I haven't actually used it but I don't think it would be all that easy to do e.g tiny fast adjustments on your weapon's aim when you have to fight deadzone and acceleration and to actually stop the aim from moving you have to reset the joystick to it's resting position again.

 

[pc999]

I was impressed by many demos, mostly from the physics side [for example tessellated smoke or blood in UE demo].

Those demos are cool indeed, but I wont care if they cast to much, wither in HW price, SW price, development implementation...

If they are "cheap" then it is cool , if not dont bother.

Ruby demo probably wasnt real-time thats why they didnt released it to the public and I really doubt at 4800 card when any WiiU game dont have AA on.

I think they say it is real time anyway, a 4800 would be much more than a PS360, I am already happy with those anyway.