Nintendo announce: Nintendo NX

[Deleted member 13524]

What happens to the corners - is the GPU rendering pixels in a rectangular framebuffer which are then thrown away?

Oh my god whatever can they do to a rectangular framebuffer where only part of the pixels are being used?
If only somebody had put some thought into the issue already...

Here's the other picture:

Next to the Wii U controller it seems really tiny. The Wii U controller is 26*13.5 cm. This seems to be about ~18 cm wide and ~6cm tall.
Longer than a phablet and about as straight as a regular 5" smartphone. But then it seems like it's thick, between 1.5cm and 2cm.

The volume seems to be comparable to a Vita.
There goes our hope for a decently performing SoC of tablet power levels.

Unless this really is just the controller for a home console.

 

[BRiT]

The volume seems to be comparable to a Vita.
There goes our hope for a decently performing SoC of tablet power levels.

That went out the window long ago with the company name of Nintendo.

 

[function]

That pad looks like a robot's face with malformed erect nipples for eyes.

I'm not sure I want to twiddle those for fun.

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

No physical buttons... can't fail much more than that...

I don't care about specs. I think in large its not that relevant for a handheld console. Price and good games are much more important. Mariokart on the original DS is still a million times more fun than anything you can get on a phone.

Even though technically not impressive I think a lot of old handheld games are still nice to look at because they have good art direction. Obviously certain genres do suffer from a lack of power but alas you cannot please everyone and looking on the streets around here, every kid has a (3)DS. I doubt that'd be the case if prices would be 2x ~ 3x times as high because of a high end soc & screen.

 

[Shortbread]

That pad looks like a robot's face with malformed erect nipples for eyes.

I'm not sure I want to twiddle those for fun.

WiiStewieGriffin system...

 

[rabidrabbit]

WiiU already has like at least three officially supported controllers. The Game Pad, Pro Contoller, Wiimotes and Nunchuks, plus the Game Cube controller with adapter for Super Smash Bros. I have them all but can't help thinking maybe if Nintendo had one good controller, I wouldn't need so many.
The rumoured NX contoller isn't such. I would still need at least a NX pro controller with proper buttons.

I'm not too keen learning hundreds of different input layouts either. With just the analog nipples being fixed (and shoulder buttons?) that gives too much freedom for various layouts. I want to be able to play without constantly thinking where's that chrouch button again.

 

[Rangers]

Worth noting there's still plenty of people and shadowy supposed inside sources calling this fake. So, one can chose to easily not believe it.

I dunno though, it matching the patent is kinda big IMO.

It also totally fits the whole home console+handheld thing that's been thrown around.

I wonder if the entire chipset is supposed to be in the controller (could still have decent power given the state of mobile) or the base station has a higher powered chipset and the handheld/controller a less powerful one (which of course would mean games not compatible between them)?

 

[cheapchips]

I'm quite happy to hold out judgement until I actually use the thing. Virtual sticks are a much bigger issue than buttons to my mind. So long as the tweaky nipples are pleasurable I think it'll be fine.

 

[Rodéric]

Looks true, Wiimote size it seems, I'm curious now... Why would you want to have a screen around the sticks, except to provide additionnal information (remember in many Zelda games you have a copy of pad on screen to show you which function is linked to which button ? http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net...f_Time).png/revision/latest?cb=20091005154846 http://www.cinemablend.com/images/gallery/s58093/Legend_of_Zelda__Wind_Waker_HD_13757578468364.jpg )

If this a new device like the DS, which was supposed to be the third pillar of Nintendo but quickly replaced the GBA instead, Nintendo is making a small move.

All in all it looks good, not sure about controls, but since Nintendo pretty much invented modern pads I don't really fear anything, hell whatever people say I love my Wii U padlet !

TL;DR
Screen estate around sticks to provide information that was elsewhere on screen before, screen resolution unknown, screen seems a little too shiny, no way to know if that takes cartridges or is digital only (in which case you'd buy unlock codes in shops and need an internet connection ?)
Colour me curious ! I'd love to use one to see how well it works/feels !

 

[Rodéric]

I can see stereo speakers, but is that a mic or a front camera like the Wii U gamepad (which has both) ?

 

[rabidrabbit]

...
I dunno though, it matching the patent is kinda big IMO.
...

That's what makes me suspect it's fake because it is a bit too close to the patent.
That patent illustration looked more like a very simplified idea of the controller, as often the patent drawings are just to illustrate the idea, not the final design.

 

[Deleted member 13524]

If that's fake, then someone went through a lot of work to build both white and black versions of the console/controller that match the figure in that patent.

 

[McHuj]

I'm kind of warming up to this controller (preferably portable). A lot of WiiU games can be played with the WiiMote and effectively it only has 2 usable buttons, A and B, when used as a traditional contoller (I don't find hitting Z is particularly ergonomic.)

So this thing, it's that far off from that and may actually be better. You have two thumb sticks and two scroll wheels/shoulder button plus whatever is put on the screen. It has both precise controls and touch screen.

The fact that the touch screen is around the thumb stick makes it more usable. On the WiiU you have to lift your hand off the controller to use the touch screen (plus it's not capacitive either). Here you just have to move a thumb.

I think this will be suitable for Nintendo games and they could provide plenty of fun and unique games. However, I think we can forget major third party support in terms of big multiplatform games. I don't think you can translate traditional controllers to this effectively so if third parties come aboard it will be with unique games.

 

[Exophase]

I just can't think of a justification for this design other than that it initially looks kind of neat. I really think that's all Nintendo is going with here. Or maybe they've started paying attention to phones and took all the wrong lessons, forgetting that they're not actually making a phone here. Zero-bezel would be a hot item on a phone but this isn't a phone.

Even ignoring the nature of the touch controls it's not going to be very comfortable to access much of the screen with your thumbs anyway. And a lot of the screen above, below and to the side of the controls will be nearly useless.

IMO they should have had a somewhat more rectangular shape, a full assortment of standard physical controls near the edges (maybe ~1.5 inches on each side). Then keep a ~4 inch wide touchscreen in the middle. Make it go all the way up the slightly curved top/bottom edges still if you really must.

That's what makes me suspect it's fake because it is a bit too close to the patent.
That patent illustration looked more like a very simplified idea of the controller, as often the patent drawings are just to illustrate the idea, not the final design.

What would you expect a design based off this patent to look like? It's just a very simple visual concept.

 

[orangpelupa]

But not all part of the touchscreen need to be touch able. In the patent, virtual buttons can be conveniently placed at accessible spots

 

[Exophase]

Guess it was fake after all.

Well played.

(although it'd be pretty funny if this video was itself a very well done hoax... nah)

 

[Globalisateur]

I am so relieved that gimmick was a fake. Phew! A screen located on a controller, while you have to look elsewhere (like on a TV) to play DOESN'T work for most people.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Is the second image from someone else?

 

[McHuj]

Second was a fake too.

Too bad, I was starting to like it.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

It's a good way to test public perception. Also shows how easy engineering folk can create mockups, which means we can't believe anything 'leaked' any more.