Why? The difference between PS3/360 and Wii is more pronounced when it comes to development, as opposed to comparing development between PS3 and 360
That's just not true at all.
Take a look at how few cross platform titles have come and are coming to Wii. A developer can build an Oblivion or GTA4 and create similar graphics for both. Porting to the Wii requires a downgrade of the graphics or building to the Wii as the lowest common denominator. Some here might say that all it takes is a simple graphic filter to downgrade the graphics, but there is a little more to it than that (I've worked with graphics and done software development for 26 years and that has been my experience).
I have far less than 26 years of software development behind me, and I can already see your BS.
Since when is heavy parallel programming on the PS3 easier to do than downgrading graphics?
Since when is translating a game from Direct X to OpenGL + other API easier than just lowering the engine's output using the same OpenGL + other proprietary API?
And you dare say you worked in graphics and development since 26 years?
So many lies!
Sorry, but if PC developers can make games that go as low as 640x480 with no effects in these kind of games, up to 1920x1200 full of effects everywhere, and this with their engine, someone can do it on consoles.
There is also the issue of horsepower... can a game that has a lot of AI, etc. run as well on the Wii as on the 360/PS3 which have more powerful CPUs?
You're a disgrace to software developers. AI has nothing to do with powerful CPU, this is the last thing you should have talked about related to CPU power. To make the matter worse, AI (excuse me, heuristics) is often what is used to reduce the raw computer power needed in most CPU intensive tasks.
Some companies will be willing to go the extra mile, but for others they will decide not to port to Wii due to the extra cost or the need to reduce the experience. Other companies won't port but will decide that an entirely new game will need to be developed for Wii (The Force Unleashed is an example).
What? Isn't the Force Unleashed on Wii the same game with another engine? Which is the right thing to do, when your engine is so bad that it can't scale properly.
Anyway, it's sad to see you talking about port. Wii gamers are not asking for ports, they're asking for original games.
Ports to the Wii, of games whose only interest is them being HD, makes no sense at all: these games will lose any interest when ported. What's sad, is that you're basically saying that the only interest of Oblivion and GTAIV is the graphics.
And if a company ports to the Wii, they will need to make their port better in novel ways, such as excellent use of the Wiimote, to get multi-current-gen-console owners to buy the Wii version vs the PS3/360 version.
Let me get this straight: companies will need to actually work on their Wii ports to make them games and not graphics showcases? They will need to make good games on Wii and work hard on them to actually get money from Wii owners? I'm SHOCKED!
This post isn't meant as a slam to the Wii or Nintendo... I really like my Wii. I just don't see wide-spread, quality 3rd party support dramatically increasing on the Wii due to the situation I described above, specifically where multi-platform leaning publishers are concerned.
I understand what you're saying. You don't see 3rd parties making quality games on Wii, so of course it's not a slam to the Wii or Nintendo, who ARE putting hard work into their games. At worst, this would be a slam against 3rd parties, which don't put any work into their Wii games and expect them to sell. They got what they deserve.
