Nintendo actively assisting 3rd party devs. w/controller implementation

[Li Mu Bai]

These quotes are coming from the latest Edge magazine which conducted an interview with both Iwata & Miyamoto-san: (I have read the issue but must give some credit to Merlin from GAF as I couldn't recall the most relevant quotes)

The Revolution is compatible with the GameCube controllers, and Nintendo is also promising a dedicated 'classic' controller, which the Revolution handset will slot into, giving the best of both worlds. So, if your game idea does need two sticks and a dozen buttons, there's no reason why it can't have them. Or, if you want to dive into the new possibilities, Nintendo is willing to put in the work to revolutionize your ideas.

"At Nintendo what we are doing is developing the knowledge and technology and know how to use the new controller, and then we can share this information with third-parties - we're willing to help them port their product," Iwata pledges. "In fact, we have already started discussing internally many different approaches, for example, to making great first-person shooters and we are reviewing each kind of sports game to make best use of the controller, and we'll share that know how with third-party developers or publishers."

So much for the remote/nunchuck (yes they will be shipping together) input being utilized by primarily Nintendo first-parties. Now, instead of 3rd-parties simply opting to use the shell, Nintendo is doing the legwork necessary so as not to marginalize the controller's usage & appeal. So that the controller's features & functionality can become fully realized more quickly. Volunteering to assist in correctly porting software control mapping must be seen as definitely an attractive move by potential 3rd parties.

 

[jvd]

Yea that be good .

I can see them actually giving the metroid 2 control code away if need be , its most likely a solid fps control code layout for the nunchuck controler .

Perhaps they will set up a middle ware solution for control sorta like the phyiscs and graphics middle ware we see today

 

[Shifty Geezer]

What are they sharing though? Presumably there's libraries to poll the remote and get it's variables, no different to reading a game pad. 'What's button X's pressure, Left-stick's angle and R1's state?'. 'What's the controller's tilt, yaw and Button 1's state?' The question is how to use these variables. From the sounds of it Nintendo are just trying out different ways to use the controller and seeing which works best, then providing this info for devs as ideas how to use the controller rather than resort to the conventional adaptation. 'If you're making a FPS, try using this control scheme. If you're making a Football game try this one.'

I'd hope developers were suitably creative to find for themselves the ways that work best for their games, rather than shying away from the Remote because they can't imagine how to use it successfully.

 

[Squeak]

About the Shell. Seing as the it is an optional peripheral, Nintendo really needs to make that as cheap and accesible as possible, maybe even be willing to take a hit on it (at most half the price of a normal controller), and bundle it with a game or two at no extra cost.
Otherwise games made with the shell in mind, will tank and and developers confidence in revolution will go into a bad downward spiral.

 

[jvd]

About the Shell. Seing as the it is an optional peripheral, Nintendo really needs to make that as cheap and accesible as possible, maybe even be willing to take a hit on it (at most half the price of a normal controller), and bundle it with a game or two at no extra cost.
Otherwise games made with the shell in mind, will tank and and developers confidence in revolution will go into a bad downward spiral.

well i can't see the rev controller itself being expensive esp not if we are supposed to buy attachments. I'm thinking the main controller will be like 30$ and then an add on or shell would be 15$

Perhaps we will see some bundles where u get a gamecube shell and 2 gamecube games for 30$ or something like that and u get a supernes shell and 4 superness games for 30$

Stuff like that could make them sell

 

[Blade]

Another important thing is that games built around the shell idea should also have full compatibility with GCN controllers if possible.

 

[Squeak]

The shell will have to include all the buttons and sticks of the previous Nintendo consoles and have a layout, that's a nice and useable middle of road. And of course should also be useable in modern games.
A sixbutton layout (Saturn/MD style) would probably do the trick. Different coloured letters and arrows could signify what buttons were A, B, Z etc. with the currently emulated console.

 

[Powderkeg]

About the Shell. Seing as the it is an optional peripheral, Nintendo really needs to make that as cheap and accesible as possible, maybe even be willing to take a hit on it (at most half the price of a normal controller), and bundle it with a game or two at no extra cost.
Otherwise games made with the shell in mind, will tank and and developers confidence in revolution will go into a bad downward spiral.

If the shell isn't included with the console developers won't make games with it in mind. It will be viewed as an optional add-on that Revolution owners might not have, which means the developers can't count on Revolution owners having one.

 

[Squeak]

I don't think that's necessarily true, there has been some successful, not included ad-ons, in the history of videogames.
They all shared one common trait though; they were inexpensive.
If Nintendo can keep the price down to 10 - 15$ that means that 90% of revolution owners will be likely or willing to buy it, if the right games are available that supports it.

 

[PC-Engine]

Exactly...people don't have problems shelling out extra for a memory card or a second controller.

 

[Li Mu Bai]

What are they sharing though? Presumably there's libraries to poll the remote and get it's variables, no different to reading a game pad. 'What's button X's pressure, Left-stick's angle and R1's state?'. 'What's the controller's tilt, yaw and Button 1's state?' The question is how to use these variables. From the sounds of it Nintendo are just trying out different ways to use the controller and seeing which works best, then providing this info for devs as ideas how to use the controller rather than resort to the conventional adaptation. 'If you're making a FPS, try using this control scheme. If you're making a Football game try this one.'

I'd hope developers were suitably creative to find for themselves the ways that work best for their games, rather than shying away from the Remote because they can't imagine how to use it successfully.

Simply giving out the best variables for a given genre, & actually receiving Nintendo's help in converting a complex control scheme implementable on their platform are two completely different things Shifty, both are mentioned above. You're giving developers far too much creative license, sometime after the controller was revealed my buddy overheard devs. still wondering how could their schemes possibly work with this controller type. Hence the lack of creative thought, enter Nintendo.

 

[Fox5]

Just wondering, will the rev controller even work on all TVs? I believe it has an IR port to function like a light gun right? What if you have an HD or LCD TV?

 

[winstonsmith1978]

Just wondering, will the rev controller even work on all TVs? I believe it has an IR port to function like a light gun right? What if you have an HD or LCD TV?

It works with all tv's because the tv has nothing to do with it. the system uses two sensors, one sensor is placed on the left side of the tv(top or bottom) and the other on the right side. with the two sensor and the remote acting as the 3rd point of reference, the rev can triangulate the remotes location in 3 dimensional space.

I would imagine that the rev, remote and sensors all communicate via the same technology used in the wavebird controller ---- so not IR.

 

[dukmahsik]

wow i wonder if ninty will give sony a run for its money come late 2006

 

[<nu>faust]

"In fact, we have already started discussing internally many different approaches, for example, to making great first-person shooters and we are reviewing each kind of sports game to make best use of the controller..."

arent they little bit behind the schedule if they are relasing rev on q4(especially considering the fact that that wont have 3rd party support as much sony and ms will have)?

 

[Powderkeg]

arent they little bit behind the schedule if they are relasing rev on q4(especially considering the fact that that wont have 3rd party support as much sony and ms will have)?

I'm beginning to suspect an N64 type launch.

Only a couple of games at launch, all 1st party.

 

[winstonsmith1978]

I'm beginning to suspect an N64 type launch.

Only a couple of games at launch, all 1st party.

I would love a N64 type launch. If the rev has a launch game as good as Mario64 then ill buy.

Actually, my 2 favorite system launches are the xbox and n64 because of Halo and Mario. I think having one explosive game at launch is a more powerful marketing tool then a whole group of last gen games with semi better graphics. This is my only problem with the 360 launch: all their explosive games will be out 2006 and beyond.

 

[PARANOiA]

I'm beginning to suspect an N64 type launch.

Only a couple of games at launch, all 1st party.

Pilotwings, Wave Rave and Mario64 were three of the best games that gen. N64 launch was one of the best ever, actually. Pity on the follow-through

 

[jvd]

I'm beginning to suspect an N64 type launch.

Only a couple of games at launch, all 1st party.

we will most likely really only see nintendo games use the new controller but we can stil lsee ports of other games using a shell or new games using the shell

 

[Squeak]

It works with all tv's because the tv has nothing to do with it. the system uses two sensors, one sensor is placed on the left side of the tv(top or bottom) and the other on the right side. with the two sensor and the remote acting as the 3rd point of reference, the rev can triangulate the remotes location in 3 dimensional space.

I would imagine that the rev, remote and sensors all communicate via the same technology used in the wavebird controller ---- so not IR.

Actually I suspect the "sensorbar" is "only" two IR diodes.
The controller has a IR filter and a low res IR CCD.
In 2D (X,Y) it would work like an optical mouse detecting the "movement" of the two diodes, but for Z it also detects the explosion and implosion of the two lightdots.
The readings are then sendt to the console with Bluetooth.