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Forums - Nintendo Discussion - Nintendo Files Patent For Cloud Based Game Platforms (NX?)

$429.98, no thanks. Quite sure nobody wants a cheap variant.



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Random_Matt said:
$429.98, no thanks. Quite sure nobody wants a cheap variant.


That's kind of the point though, even people with the "cheap" variant can enjoy the higher end graphics via the Cloud. 

The "cheap" variant could still be quite close to the XB1 for example in power too, who knows. 1 TFLOP is something Nintendo could get for dirt cheap these days. 

The "supplemental" device could then take the system up in power far beyond the XB1 and even PS4 ... which would explain the report of the dev kits being extremely powerful. 

A lot of things kinda start to make sense. 



Soundwave said:
Random_Matt said:
$429.98, no thanks. Quite sure nobody wants a cheap variant.


That's kind of the point though, even people with the "cheap" variant can enjoy the higher end graphics via the Cloud. 

The "cheap" variant could still be quite close to the XB1 for example in power too, who knows. 1 TFLOP is something Nintendo could get for dirt cheap these days. 

The "supplemental" device could then take the system up in power far beyond the XB1 and even PS4 ... which would explain the report of the dev kits being extremely powerful. 

A lot of things kinda start to make sense. 

I just don't see that working out well for the developer.  They'd essentially have to create their games to run two different ways - one with simple graphics and another with enhanced graphics.  I think it would be pretty rare for a third party developer to put much effort into the extra graphics version of their game since it's not guaranteed that many people will be able to play that version.



mizzou_guy said:
Soundwave said:
Random_Matt said:
$429.98, no thanks. Quite sure nobody wants a cheap variant.


That's kind of the point though, even people with the "cheap" variant can enjoy the higher end graphics via the Cloud. 

The "cheap" variant could still be quite close to the XB1 for example in power too, who knows. 1 TFLOP is something Nintendo could get for dirt cheap these days. 

The "supplemental" device could then take the system up in power far beyond the XB1 and even PS4 ... which would explain the report of the dev kits being extremely powerful. 

A lot of things kinda start to make sense. 

I just don't see that working out well for the developer.  They'd essentially have to create their games to run two different ways - one with simple graphics and another with enhanced graphics.  I think it would be pretty rare for a third party developer to put much effort into the extra graphics version of their game since it's not guaranteed that many people will be able to play that version.


What is PC gaming

What is Xbox One vs PS4 development



mizzou_guy said:
Soundwave said:
Random_Matt said:
$429.98, no thanks. Quite sure nobody wants a cheap variant.


That's kind of the point though, even people with the "cheap" variant can enjoy the higher end graphics via the Cloud. 

The "cheap" variant could still be quite close to the XB1 for example in power too, who knows. 1 TFLOP is something Nintendo could get for dirt cheap these days. 

The "supplemental" device could then take the system up in power far beyond the XB1 and even PS4 ... which would explain the report of the dev kits being extremely powerful. 

A lot of things kinda start to make sense. 

I just don't see that working out well for the developer.  They'd essentially have to create their games to run two different ways - one with simple graphics and another with enhanced graphics.  I think it would be pretty rare for a third party developer to put much effort into the extra graphics version of their game since it's not guaranteed that many people will be able to play that version.

They don't really "have" to do anything. Lets say you're developer "Japanese Studio X" and you just want to make low-budget Japanese adventure game. 

OK. Just make it for the lower spec (presumably handheld). This will run on all NX versions as is. 

*If* you want you have the option of beefing up the graphics or quickly up-ressing the game to say 1080P (or maybe even 2K/4K) with anti-aliasing if you want for the higher end models. 

If you're "Big American Studio With Epic Game" odds are this is a PS4/XB1/PC title and you can simply just port that to the higher spec NX and get a few extra sales if it tickles your fancy. This is bonus for Nintendo since they're not getting any of these games today anyway. 

There shouldn't be any gun to the head of developers to have to make a game work to the strengths of every SKU (PC devs certainly don't do that). Make one base version. If you *want* you can have the option of upscaling or downscaling the game if you think it makes economic sense to do so. 



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The difference in your examples is that each of the examples you laid out offers more sales opportunities for the developers in return for the extra work they put in.  In this example, the extra work doesn't offer any more opportunities for new sales since it can already be played on the system whether they up the graphics or not.



Nintendo can't make the console that Nintendo "fans" here think they should make ... basically that would be a Nintendo PS4 released in 2017 (four years late) ... that system will get *slaughtered*. They need to think outside the box and be more flexible with their hardware offering. One size fits all doesn't work for Nintendo because there's too many conflicting demographics they're trying to please simulatenously. 


Pretty much, most people on forums don't understand this, NX being a family of devices was also indicated as early as February 2014 by the Late Iwata at an investor's meeting when he mentioned a unified platform like IOS governing different devices. The platform for NX imo is not the hardware but the unified ecosystem, multiple skus to suit what someone needs with the software platform linking everything, sales of the hardware won't be what determines success now it will be increasing the number of members on the software platform that does that as mobile will be catered to as well.

This is very out of the box and I can see why their President isn't giving away many clues as it could change the direction on consoles in the same manner the NES in the 80s did if executed correctly.



mizzou_guy said:

The difference in your examples is that each of the examples you laid out offers more sales opportunities for the developers in return for the extra work they put in.  In this example, the extra work doesn't offer any more opportunities for new sales since it can already be played on the system whether they up the graphics or not.


Sure there's incentive to take some advantage of higher end specs (or vice versa). 

The person who owns the Super Duper NX likely isn't going to want to spend their money on some low rent mobile game that runs at 540p (if they do, great, games should ultimately be about the end user enjoyment). 

Putting in just a little more effort and making that game run at 1080P w/AA could net you a bunch of extra sales though. 

As a developer this is better than the current setup Nintendo runs anyway ... if you make a 3DS game, you can't just put it on the Wii U easily, you basically have to remake the entire game. This way at least you could take your core "low end" NX engine and more easily upscale it if you want to appeal to the console crowd. 



Soundwave said:
freebs2 said:
Soundwave said:
freebs2 said:
I was reading this on Neogaf. It's intresting but at the moment it's just a concept. It could be intended in different ways. Maybe the game console is NX and the "supplemental computing device" is a PC or maybe the latter is NX and the game console is a WiiU or the 3DS successor. Or again, the game console could be a casual AppleTV-like device and the SCD another device made by Nintendo to give it Ps4/X1 league graphics. Only time will tell.


Or even beyond PS4/XB1 graphics. 

Yes, but you still have to consider most current X1/Ps4 users don't care that much about Nintendo. This hypotetical thing shouldn't cost more than a Ps4 overall when it launches.

A common PC as the SCD seems like the best soultion imo, but I don't know if it's feasible. Or even better, let the user choose between buying an SCD made by Nintendo or using his own computer as an SCD.


Perhaps AMD could release a line of "NX Approved" PC GPUs, that the user can then use to supplement their base NX. That could work too, assuming NX has a AMD GPU which can interface, but it looks like from the patent the interface requires a physical link up, which might be a bit of a pain in the ass with a PC. 

I agree, but it doesn't seem like a physical link up is necessary since they refer to mobile platforms in this quote from the patent: "[0024] FIG. 2 illustrates select example components of the game console 102 and the supplemental computing device 104 from FIG. 1. The game console 102 may take the form of any suitable type of computing device, e.g., mobile, semi-mobile, semi-stationary, or stationary."

The Super Device I think maybe should just be aimed at enthusiasts. It's not something the casual/normal player who doesn't care that much about graphics needs, but for the people that have the money and desire to have that ... hey great. 

Ok, it's reasonable.

Nintendo can't make the console that Nintendo "fans" here think they should make ... basically that would be a Nintendo PS4 released in 2017 (four years late) ... that system will get *slaughtered*. They need to think outside the box and be more flexible with their hardware offering. One size fits all doesn't work for Nintendo because there's too many conflicting demographics they're trying to please simulatenously. 

I agree.





Soundwave said:
mizzou_guy said:

The difference in your examples is that each of the examples you laid out offers more sales opportunities for the developers in return for the extra work they put in.  In this example, the extra work doesn't offer any more opportunities for new sales since it can already be played on the system whether they up the graphics or not.


Sure there's incentive to take some advantage of higher end specs (or vice versa). 

The person who owns the Super Duper NX likely isn't going to want to spend their money on some low rent mobile game that runs at 540p (if they do, great, games should ultimately be about the end user enjoyment). 

Putting in just a little more effort and making that game run at 1080P w/AA could net you a bunch of extra sales though. 

As a developer this is better than the current setup Nintendo runs anyway ... if you make a 3DS game, you can't just put it on the Wii U easily, you basically have to remake the entire game. This way at least you could take your core "low end" NX engine and more easily upscale it if you want to appeal to the console crowd. 

Yes, you're right, that does work for them.  The systems are likely to be easy to port between.  All I'm suggesting is that given the work to do so, I don't see developers making the higher-end versions of their games that outstanding graphics wise when compared to the lower end.  Sure, they'll up the resolutions easily with the porting process, but I don't think we'll see any texture mapping or lighting rendering that's going to really blow us away compared to games that are developed primarily for a system that only focuses on high-end graphics (like a PS4 of XB1).