Ok, we all know by now that a Metroid WiiWare channel has been released - for US Wii owners anyway.

But I haven't seen much debate over the true meaning of this. Channels are obviously something that Ninty will love to promote, as it falls into line with the software architecture of the Wii. WiiFit will have a channel, etc. It also gives something a "visual spot" on your TV, when your Wii is booted up.

...

The whole point of using a channel is providing a location to collect and display networked information that is collected over time (weather, news, Mii, shopping and other channels). (other channels just provide an interface to run DLC).

It may be Ninty are doing this as a convenient way to promote the upcoming Metroid game - with the channel being thrown away once the game is released.

But I don't believe this is so. (It would have made much more sense to release a "Game Previews" channel, with some Metroid vids if this was the case).

We all know very little has been shown or talked about the game so far - I still suspect there is a major secret being hidden somewhere within the design of the game (the extensive delay and more). Something along the lines of the downloadable content rumours (that spread a while back).

Other options could include some form of community aspect to the title  - possibly a high scores/best time ladder. But something like this could be addressed purely from within the game itself.

The advantage of having a channel, is that you know something has happened relating to a game - even when you haven't been playing it.

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Part of this may well be wishful thinking, but I think a lot of this makes perfect sense as well. Either way, I'm a little annoyed having to wait another couple of months to find out (as Metroid is not being released in Europe/Australia for a couple more months at least).

They already said that they'll use the WiiConnect24. I also thought along the same lines as you did. This could be some sort of portal for Retro to give us downloadable content through that channel.

Hope it's not just trailers...

EDIT: Maybe that's why Nintendo said it's free for now. Because later the channel will have all the extra content! Maybe it's just wishful thinking but it's already giving me the chills! The possibilites!!

Two more weeks!
It sucks that on the same day the game is released I have to go back to school. XD
That means less playtime....noooooooooo!

well, to me, it shows that the wii channel design is both limited and flexible. limited in the sense that every new thing you download has to be self-contained and presented as a channel, flexible in the sense that anything can be done on your wii as long as you present it as a channel.

it's a convenient design, but not particularly clever. i'm guessing that all future wiiware downloads will be presented in separate channels, resulting in dozens and dozens of channels.

i guess in a future firmware update they can update the interface so that things can look a little more organized, so it's not really a major thing. but for the time being, it's not very clean--it just gets the job done adequately.

EDIT: as to implication to metroid the game itself... i won't read much into it, and i think you are being optimistic.  certainly a possibility, but i'd be surprised if the things you mentioned becomes reality.

I like this thread. I hope your right shams. Stuff like that would be amazing! But I have to say this tho.

A High Quality 3D model, with animations, textures, sounds, effects, a few extra menu options, and some other assorted fun things. (a few new characters, and other nice stuff) Could easily reach 100-200 megs. 10-20x bigger than those videos. The video's were streamed off a Nintendo server. You never download the videos.

 EDIT: A good example. Look at a MMO when they add a new 'dungeon' They usually range anywhere from 70-400 megs. And I'm not talking one of the 'beautiful' ones either, their more like 300+ for their 'added content'.

Point here is, a new level with Prime3 style graphics. (Say it took you 15 minutes to run through it) Would be I'd say at least 100-200 megs. Or almost a quarter of the entire wii's storage.)

Just pointing out the problem with this. (If they find a way to fix that tho, without me paying for it... That'd be great. :D 

If they design for it, its actually quite easy.

A Wii disc can store almost 5 gigs of data - more space than Ninty has ever had access to in the past. So you cram heaps of extra textures, sound (etc) - anything that takes space up on the disc, and make the accessibility through the game.

The portal could be used to manage this extra content. Maybe you can only have one "piece" of content at anytime - with each mapping to a particular star location in the Metroid galaxy. With one being released / month, you play the hell out of each - then grab the next when it comes out. Just an idea.

I think you could design a level that takes no more than 10MB of data - compressed - for the entire level.

Its a bit painful - by then much of what happens on the Wii is. The point is it could work.

Lets not forget that the ENTIRE of GoldenEye on the N64 - fits within what, 16MB (just checked that figure). Take out most/all textures, sounds, player models, weapon models  (etc) - and you don't need a lot of space - for a lot of gameplay.

It would be smarter for them to make this part of the WiiConnect24 features, instead of having me go and download these channels manually.

Example...

I turn on my Wii.... WTF METROID CHANNEL!1!!!!!!?! OMFG!.... I am buying this game. Then after a few day it goes a way. And I am sad, but now I have to buy the game... Then I turn it on another day and OMFG Battalion Wars Channe!!!

You get the point. What is the point of always on if they are using it.

(Oh, and I though Wii could read upto DVD9?  9 gigs right, not 5?  I don't know though)

I think Metroid will be a special case. Most games will never have a dedicated channel.

Hence my reasoning that if its purely for advertising, they should release a "Games Coming" (or similar) channel.

It will be interesting to see if they go down the "advertising" route re: games on the system. Will this be open to other companies? What about DS games? Its not like you can purchase/play the game directly from the Wii - you still need to head to a store and purchase it...

re: DVD9 - not sure, but I thought it was a 4.5GB version of the same discs that the GC used (physically larger). I don't think they are actually DVD-9 discs (I doubt you can read them in a PC or other players). 

But this is exactly the way it is working now. Every VC title takes its own channel, and there is space for 100(?) channels in total - I have about 2 screens full.

Like you say they may refine it, but they will want to keep it very simple. There has to be some simple way of accessing any digital content present on the system. The lovely thing about the channel system, is that it is similar to how a TV works.

(just had a bizarre thought - the Wii probably couldn't handle it, but imagine "Digital TV channels" appearing in channel slots...)

@Shams: The VC and even the individual preview channels is supposed to make it easy for "everyone". By "everyone" they don't mean tech savvy or even tech literate, they mean the person who bought their Wii at Wal-Mart, and hooks it up next to his 360 (which he doesn't know has HD) never mind knowing to look for the game trailers...

Which is why I reccomend them making them automatically installed with WiiConnect24 or when you buy a new game have an ad for another. That is what I was really suggesting... Making it automatic, so that the ads will reach more consumers (who don't know the differnce between a 360 and Wii other than Waggle and Miis)

People who buy over 100 VC games most likely would be able to figure out how to move them into a subchannel on the other hand thinking that they are probably tech savvy (read:Nerd, like me). I think Nintendo could, but won't, do things like subchannels, a preview channel, a hard-drive, or direct from SD play (more likely than HDD) for the more tech savvy consumer.

However, it is more important for them, as a business, to make sure more people find are giving them their money. A small group of tech savvy or ultra-hardcore gamers are very costly to please all the time. It doesn't matter if we get it; we are going to keep handing them our money anyway, because the games are good (read: better).