With great power comes great depth? Immersive storylines, etc. Spin-off discussion

[DuckThor Evil]

Mod: OK, guys, this is a spin-off discussion that originated from the power consumption thread. Keep it civil!

A more relevant question might be if it provides only 1/10 the fun. These devices are toys, "efficiency" should relate to their intended use. The question is of course impossible to answer quantitatively. (Judging by customer reports, the degree of fun provided by the Wii is typically regarded to be higher than provided by the alternatives, making it the fastest selling console right now. Be that as it may, I think we can safely say that there is no apparent correlation between power draw and ability to provide entertainment, and the environmental/ergonomic advantages of low power draw are obvious.)

I think Wii is a bit more toy than the others. I'm looking for total audiovisual experiences and large budget games with compelling storylines that moves me emotionally. I'm not looking for a party console as much. In my opinion there is very strong correlation between total system power and ability provide entertaiment. Wii can provide me something else that the others can't, but it could never replace them.

 

[crystall]

I think Wii is a bit more toy than the others. I'm looking for total audiovisual experiences and large budget games with compelling storylines that moves me emotionally.

In my experience large budgets != good games or compelling storylines. And as far as moving me emotionally, well games stopped doing that after '93 or '94, and not just because I'm getting older. Most of the stuff I've seen lately is boring and so predictable that you don't even need to get to 10% in the game to know what will show up later. Just my 2 eurocents anyway.

 

[Skrying]

I think Wii is a bit more toy than the others. I'm looking for total audiovisual experiences and large budget games with compelling storylines that moves me emotionally. I'm not looking for a party console as much. In my opinion there is very strong correlation between total system power and ability provide entertaiment. Wii can provide me something else that the others can't, but it could never replace them.

Last generation didn't do that for you? The generation before that? I get the feeling that many think of the Wii as even less "powerful" than the generation before it, or something like that. The console is not limited to just party games, it can do others. There's no chip inside that blocks out non-party games. Nintendo for instance released the latest Zelda on it. Huge game world, great gameplay, traditional Zelda story, etc. In my experience power means nothing at all, with each growing generation (console and PC) I've noticed a huge lack of compelling stories in games and instead over the top production that leaves an empty game.

 

[assen]

Until their catalogue proudly consists of ...things... like this:

it might produce electricity, it's still not getting anywhere near my TV.

 

[DuckThor Evil]

Last generation didn't do that for you? The generation before that? I get the feeling that many think of the Wii as even less "powerful" than the generation before it, or something like that. The console is not limited to just party games, it can do others. There's no chip inside that blocks out non-party games. Nintendo for instance released the latest Zelda on it. Huge game world, great gameplay, traditional Zelda story, etc. In my experience power means nothing at all, with each growing generation (console and PC) I've noticed a huge lack of compelling stories in games and instead over the top production that leaves an empty game.

Last generations did it for me, but it's clear that Wii is taking different direction altogether, even though it will still have games like Zelda, I think it's clear that Nintendos' focus is shifting to other type of entertaiment and other type of games, that makes good use of the Wii-mote. And in anycase the number of traditional games will surely be smaller on Wii despite the success it will have. I personally wasn't tired of traditional gaming and I wasn't yearning for change, I'm happy with the same old with prettier dressing, and new gameplay innovations are bound to come anyway on all platforms.

Half of the problem for me is that last gen power is something I have already seen. I was ready for next-gen right after I finished Halo 2, back in 04, and half of the problem is that I like normal pad over K/B and over Wii-mote. I can basically live with just one problem, but two is pushing it. e.g. right now I can't wait to get my hands on PS2 game God of War 2 and I woulnd't like to play it with Wii-mote instead of DS2.

Still I'm almost as much exited by the fact that some day I will be able to play God of War 3 on PS3 with even better audiovisual presentation despite the fact that that's far into the future. I still have few other PS2 games waiting for me, so I'm not just a graphics whore, I just think great presentation is big part of the overall experience, and Nintendo going with last gen tech is leaving that ideology behind, and thus targeting other people than me. I can still see me buying Wii if the lineup becomes interesting enough and the price comes down.

 

[Skrying]

.................

However, just because the Wii is not as "powerful" as the Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 does not mean it can not produce emotional games, nor games that rely on audio or visual presentation. Not at all, often times the presentation has much more to do with art direction than "power". As you said you are interested in other areas, in my opinion there is no way at all a relationship between power and entertainment.

 

[DuckThor Evil]

However, just because the Wii is not as "powerful" as the Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 does not mean it can not produce emotional games, nor games that rely on audio or visual presentation. Not at all, often times the presentation has much more to do with art direction than "power". As you said you are interested in other areas, in my opinion there is no way at all a relationship between power and entertainment.

Yeah I can see Wii doing good job on games like Okami for example and certainly Wiis' great sales will spun all sort of titles and in the end that might mean it will also get lot's of big budget games. I'm just looking at a situation where all three consoles are below my telly in that case, I can say with confidence that I would play many titles preferably on the more powerful consoles and probably would get more out of them, likewise there are titles I would rather play on Wii, but they would most likely be titles which lure would be tied with the strenghts of the Wii-mote.

 

[Crossbar]

It might be worth pointing out that gesture gaming will not be unique to the Wii.
Microsoft and Sony probably have a few games in the pipe to counter the Wii.

Sony already has a lot of experience from the EyeToy, so the new EyeToyHD camera and the processing power of the PS3 will probably provide a quantum leap beyond the present EyeToy games.
The light controller with motion sensing will probably help as well.

Of course the Wii got some features that will be hard to mimic with just a camera and motion sensing, but a lot of the Wii games could probably be mimicked pretty well.

 

[StefanS]

OK, guys, this is a spin-off discussion that originated from the power consumption thread. Keep it civil!

 

[Crossbar]

It might be worth pointing out that gesture gaming will not be unique to the Wii.
Microsoft and Sony probably have a few games in the pipe to counter the Wii.

Instant confirmation? :smile:
Web speculation around a 360 wagglewand grows

 

[DuckThor Evil]

The thread title is not entirely what my point was, but it's ok. I meant that power certainly adds value to certain games, but that happens more in a way of making total audiovisual experiences richer and "larger". The reason I felt that Wii might lack compelling titles with rich storylines compared to other platforms is the Wii-mote and it's suitability for different type of games/entertainment. I also added however that with great sales of the system, we can expect more titles to appear, but even then I feel that the democraphy and filosofy differences can easily be seen and those will affect the nature of titles on the store shelf.

 

[archangelmorph]

However, just because the Wii is not as "powerful" as the Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 does not mean it can not produce emotional games, nor games that rely on audio or visual presentation. Not at all, often times the presentation has much more to do with art direction than "power". As you said you are interested in other areas, in my opinion there is no way at all a relationship between power and entertainment.

I agree with Skrying guys..

If anyone is interested then they should try checking out a game called "Cloud" by the makers of the upcoming PS3 title named fl0w..

It's quite an emotional experience (in a "makes me feel relaxed, happy and like i wish i could sail through the sky" kind of way...) despite the simplicity of the graphics engine..

It also has a very distinct art direction with lends well to its emotional appeal..

I would have to seriously recommend checking it out to anyone who disagrees that hardware capability and the capacity to provide a rich and emotionally driven game don't correlate..

[NOTE - I do agree however that more power does "help" you provide an emotional experience as it gives you the tools to reach out to the players heart in much more "real" and elaborate ways, however this still can be done using the more abstract methodologies of a less "natural" look and feel of the game but pushing other buttons to cause the same emotional effect..]

 

[Nesh]

Last generation didn't do that for you? The generation before that? I get the feeling that many think of the Wii as even less "powerful" than the generation before it, or something like that. The console is not limited to just party games, it can do others. There's no chip inside that blocks out non-party games. Nintendo for instance released the latest Zelda on it. Huge game world, great gameplay, traditional Zelda story, etc. In my experience power means nothing at all, with each growing generation (console and PC) I've noticed a huge lack of compelling stories in games and instead over the top production that leaves an empty game.

Nothing limits deelopers from making non party games but reality is they are offering mostly party games. The majority of its most popular and good games are that way. I still fail to think of a game on it that fits to my "hardcore" gaming appetite, because most of the developers dont seem to want to spend the effort

 

[archangelmorph]

Nothing limits deelopers from making non party games but reality is they are offering mostly party games. The majority of its most popular and good games are that way. I still fail to think of a game on it that fits to my "hardcore" gaming appetite, because most of the developers dont seem to want to spend the effort

Red Steel?

 

[Nesh]

Red Steel?

Is it one of the most popular and best Wii games? It got very bad reviews and its definetely not the game that sells Wiis

 

[NERO]

I've been getting the feeling that as devs spend more time rendering eye-lash physics and shoe strings they might be missing on the more important factors in gaming, like gameplay. I can take a hit on a game's prettiness and less realism in physics if the game story is somehow made interesting and the controls are fun. I am a bit of a fetishist for a good looking game as everyone else on this site, but I step back when I see that a pretty fps game is only that. If I want a (photo)realistic fps experience I will buy a gun and....ok I'm sort of a pacifist