Romero : N-Gage 2 coming

[Deadmeat]

Doom developer 'confirms' N-Gage 2
By Tony Smith
Posted: 05/03/2004 at 13:28 GMT
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Nokia is working on a follow-up to the N-Gage that will address all of the key failings of the original phone-cum-console hardware.

So says none other than shoot-'em-up pioneer John Romero. Having co-coded Doom and Quake for Id Software and wasted Eidos' money at Ion Storm, Romero now writes mobile games for his own company, Monkeystone Games.

So it's no surprise that he might have a nose around the N-Gage as a possible platform to support. And it would be equally unsurprising if Nokia would want to tempt one of the world's most famous games developers to work with their console, possibly by providing a sneak peak at the next-generation machine.

Well, he certainly claims to have seen one, at least that's what he told Russian games site Compulenta during an interview at the Moscow Games Developers Conference on 21 February.

It's smaller and thinner than its predecessor, and the game cartridge slot is just under the back cover - and not the battery too. The design of the case more easily allows users to hold the console up to their ear to make phone calls.

Now, Romero's no stranger to tall tales - long-time Reg readers and games fans will no doubt recall his increasingly ebullient pronouncements during his stint at Ion Storm, not to mention his attempt to fake his own death.

However, we doubt the N-Gage 2 tale is such a fabrication, largely because he's giving nothing away. Nokia was always going to have to address the N-Gage's phone usage and cartridge insertion unfriendliness in a future version of the console. Nokia has already said it will offer new versions of the console at some future date. ®

 

[Natoma]

Oh lord John "Daikatana is the greatest game ever!" Romero is endorsing N-Gage? Jeebus that's the kiss of death.

 

[cthellis42]

He seems to be the patron saint of "Jumping the Shark" for the video gaming industry.

...but who knows, maybe a redesigned N-Gage will be twice as popular! That'll mean at least 30k sales!

 

[Paul]

...but who knows, maybe a redesigned N-Gage will be twice as popular! That'll mean at least 30k sales!

I heard 7K?

 

[akira888]

John Romero + NGage = ultimate loser news item

One thing that crossed my mind was that there was no mention of any enhanced processing abilities. I guess it's still the same Symbian Series 60 as NGage or my 3620. That's all well enough though, just fixing the idiotic design flaws would be a big help for Nokia.

 

[Blade]

I guess since John Romero knows that N-Gage 2 is coming, it means that he's still in the industry and not blowing whatever money he has left on designing ultra-intricate Squaresoft costumes to show off at anime conventions..

 

[Guden Oden]

Could we have like, more console talk, and less Romero-flaming? I know sniping at people who can't defend themselves is VERY funny, but that's not the topic for this forum. Nor the thread btw.

And Blade, last time I checked, a grown-up person can use his money any way he chooses. Besides, he was married to that whatshername Killcreek chick, until you manage to snag a babe like that yourself, shuddap, okay?

 

[Blade]

Yeah, you're right Guden. Romero bashing is so 1999..

 

[cthellis42]

Besides, he was married to that whatshername Killcreek chick, until you manage to snag a babe like that yourself, shuddap, okay?

Yeah, but now he's married to a woman who looks disturbingly like John Carmack!

 

[Guden Oden]

Haha, yeah, I saw that pic, but I don't agree they're even remotely similar.

Carmack looks a lot more like a woman than she does, hehe.

 

[Ty]

Besides, he was married to that whatshername Killcreek chick, until you manage to snag a babe like that yourself, shuddap, okay?

Hmm, I guess "beauty" really is in the eye of the beholder because she sure wasn't good looking to me (assuming you value that).

 

[cthellis42]

Carmack looks a lot more like a woman than she does, hehe.

<laughs> Ouch. NO ONE is pulling punches in this thread!