Still don't understand why the N64 wasn't the #1 console of that gen?

[Staude]

warioswoods said:

Shadow)OS said:

shams said:
Lots of reasons:
- at the time, carts were seriously inferior. They were too small, and too expensive.
- the N64 was underpowered. The PSX/PS1 has significantly better polygon throughput - and even though the N64 has "prettier" polygons, with extra work PS1 games were a lot better.
- because of the cart cost, 3rd-parties shied away from the N64. It was too hard to make a profit.

In the end, PSX had more better games. Technically it was easier to make something cool, with the space on a CD a big part of the reason (unlimited content basically).

...

I really, really hope we see a new console without disc based media soon (web is taking over really). Carts are so big now, and there are significantly technical advantages of carts vrs disc media.

 

N64 strength>PS1 strength.

There are a lot of points to argue against the N64 'failure' (a lot of which I could debate about if I cared enough), but power is not one of them.

 

Agreed, to argue that the PS1's 3D graphics were even in the same league as the N64 is absolute nonsense.  Take any big flagship N64 game and you can be certain it simply couldn't be reproduced on PS1 hardware, not even close.  Sure, the texture detail on the N64 was low, but overall the 3D rendering was far more advanced.

Also, the N64 wasn't some sort of mistake by Nintendo due to arrogance or however it was badly argued by someone above -- they decided to throw all their weight behind true 3D gaming with zero load times and analog control, so, while the system couldn't do a lot of things that the PS1 could in terms of cutscenes or 2D work, it pretty well ushered in the 3D era with its transformation of classic games like Mario and Zelda into the first fully realized 3D platformers and action-adventure titles.  What PS1 was producing in this area isn't even close; their 3D platforming games were either horribly rendered and awkward or actually only 2.5D like Bandicoot.

So sure, they lost the RPG genre and they started to lose the attention of the adolescent gamers who want more of what they often mistakenly deem 'mature' games, but it was a remarkable achievement in terms of reinventing classic 2D gameplay elements for the new 3D era, and we wouldn't have a hell of a lot of what we have now in gaming if not for this system. Let's not forget other important moves like the i nclusion of 4 controller ports standard -- I remember how much that meant to social gaming all those years ago.

 

They didn't invent 3d gaming. Infact they probably only went 3d because sony promoted their console to do the same. I'm not claiming it was better at rendering 3d but if you notice, most ps1 games are 3d. Simply because sony promoted this to the developers.. and they did this even prior to ps1's release.