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Forums - Nintendo Discussion - Iwata Is Aware That People Believe That WiiU Is Underpowered And Says This Is A Misunderstanding

g911turbo said:
chris_wing said:
The Wii U is clearly underpowered for the next generation. It literally doesn't have enough power to run full next generation engines = an underpowered next generation system. If they doubled the RAM (4GB), quadrupled the RAM's transfer rate, & doubled the CPU Core count it would be flying off the shelves since it would be clearly better then last generation & it would show in the games.
The gamepad is a huge mistake in my opinion, they would have been smart to offer a bundle with the Wiimote+ & a Pro Controller & put the money saved on the pad into making the Wii U's specs next generation ready like engine makers Epic and others pleaded for them to do.


Its obvious the PS4 is going to be more powerfull than the Wii U.  However, to say it could not run next gen engines is incorrect.  Developers are refusing to PORT their next gen engines is the more correct statement.  Right now, due to the lower than expected installed base and history of poor 3rd party sales on a nintendo console, it doesn't make financial sense for them to do so. 

I could use UE4 to render 10 polygons on screen.  It's scalable.  Engine revs are usually dependent on built in hardblocks/functions that come with chip architecture revs.  That being said, the Wii U is a newer architecture that has many of those built in mechanisms, just less of them and not as fast as Sony and MS.

I didn't say it couldn't run next generation engines, I siad "It literally doesn't have enough power to run full next generation engines" which is true.  Sure they can port the moble version of UE4 to Wii U, but that's hardly a "full" version.

EPIC was in talks with Nintendo prior to the Wii U being finalized & consulted with them to lend guidance to meet the requirments for full/real UE4 support which shows that EPIC had interest & plans for Wii U regardless of install base.  Nintendo refused to bulk up the system & EPIC didn't make UE4 for the Wii U, end of story.



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chris_wing said:
g911turbo said:
chris_wing said:
The Wii U is clearly underpowered for the next generation. It literally doesn't have enough power to run full next generation engines = an underpowered next generation system. If they doubled the RAM (4GB), quadrupled the RAM's transfer rate, & doubled the CPU Core count it would be flying off the shelves since it would be clearly better then last generation & it would show in the games.
The gamepad is a huge mistake in my opinion, they would have been smart to offer a bundle with the Wiimote+ & a Pro Controller & put the money saved on the pad into making the Wii U's specs next generation ready like engine makers Epic and others pleaded for them to do.


Its obvious the PS4 is going to be more powerfull than the Wii U.  However, to say it could not run next gen engines is incorrect.  Developers are refusing to PORT their next gen engines is the more correct statement.  Right now, due to the lower than expected installed base and history of poor 3rd party sales on a nintendo console, it doesn't make financial sense for them to do so. 

I could use UE4 to render 10 polygons on screen.  It's scalable.  Engine revs are usually dependent on built in hardblocks/functions that come with chip architecture revs.  That being said, the Wii U is a newer architecture that has many of those built in mechanisms, just less of them and not as fast as Sony and MS.

I didn't say it couldn't run next generation engines, I siad "It literally doesn't have enough power to run full next generation engines" which is true.  Sure they can port the moble version of UE4 to Wii U, but that's hardly a "full" version.

EPIC was in talks with Nintendo prior to the Wii U being finalized & consulted with them to lend guidance to meet the requirments for full/real UE4 support which shows that EPIC had interest & plans for Wii U regardless of install base.  Nintendo refused to bulk up the system & EPIC didn't make UE4 for the Wii U, end of story.

"Full".  Fair enough.  Misread.



mutantclown said:
Well it has "power". Current gen power..


Exactly, and devs have been begging Sony and Microsoft to end the gen and move on to newer tech. Nintendo can act like they didnt hear anyone all they want but I dont buy it.



"It's not underpowered, it gets plenty of electricity!"



All of this, of course, is just my opinion.

Skyrim 100%'d. Dark Souls 100%'d. 
Dark Souls > Skyrim.
Halo 4 is the best damn FPS since Halo 3.
Proud pre-orderer of 2 PS4's and an Xbox One. 

Currently Playing: Dark Souls II, South Park
Playstation 4: MGS V GZ, Killzone: Shadow Fall, NBA 2k14.

It is powerful enough. PC games can scale between much more powerful hardware than a PS4 has to slower than Wii U's hardware.



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S.T.A.G.E. said:
DaRev said:
tontus said:
DaRev said:
pezus said:
He fails to mention the consoles that most people WiiU is underpowered compared to. WiiU being underpowered compared to PS4 and most likely Nextbox isn't a misunderstanding, it's fact.

Iwata doesn't fail to do anything, because what he's saying is that you can develop games on the WiiU (yeah it's that simple). He is not comparing the WiiU to any other console - you might want or expect him to to that, but he is not. For example, NBA 2K 14 will come out eventually for all consooles, including the WiiU, so the console is not underpowered. Similarly, the next Modern Warfare and other 3rd party games (Watch Dogs) should be on the WiiU as well, so the console is not underpowered.

What I think Iwata is saying as well is that there is this a seed of crazy thinking being cultivated by people like Epic and Sony and MS, that games have to look a certain way to be a game - this is the misunderstanding Iwata is talking about. I assume the way he plans to change this misundertsnading to make sucessful games on the WiiU (from the second half 2013), and once developers see that their games can sell well on WiiU, regardless of how they look, they will understand that the WiiU is not underpowered.

The only reason games like the next CoD, NBA & Watch Dogs are coming to the Wii U is because they're coming to the PS360, if they were made for the PS4/Xbox Infinite then you can be sure that they wouldn't come to the Wii U, why would developers sacrifice quality/increase budgets just to release on the Wii U when the sales won't justifiy those efforts? In a few years when multiplatform games aren't being made for the PS360 then they'll also stop coming for the Wii U too.

And expecting and wanting significantly more advanced graphics from next generation consoles is not crazy thinking, it's exactly what the vast majority of people expect and want from new consoles. Also more power can help make the gameplay, load-times, & AI etc, better too. Iwata making a successful Nintendo game isn't going to encourage developers to make games for the Wii U anymore than successful Nintendo games encouraged developers to make their games for the Wii. There is no misunderstanding, developers know that they will make more money developing for PS4, Xbox Infinite & PC without having to sacrifice quality for the underpowered Wii U which wouldn't be worth it anyway as only Nintendo exclusives sell well on Nintendo consoles.

Your 1st para: But that’s exactly the point Iwata is making, i.e. that you can keep making your CoD, NBA, Watch Dogs, AC, Destiny, Bayonetta, etc, etc games on the WiiU. Therefore, no need for increased budgets and there will be no loss quality, in fact, developing on the WiiU will improve on game quality. If first parties want to go spending millions just to develop a game then fine, because they got Sony and MS’s money to back them up, but 3rrd parties, most of them can’t take that risk.  I’m sure you notice how many 3rd parties are closing shop because of high development cost and low returns. This is the idea of the WiiU not being underpowered that Nintendo is selling.

Your 2nd para: People might want better graphics, but not everyone can afford better graphics. Gamers are a bunch of greedy bastards that always want the news and best games and tech for absolutely nothing and they then want to trade-in their games at a significant lots to developers. The whole system of gaming is broken and rising development cost on new expensive hardware is not helping. Making successful 3rd parties games on the WiiU will encourage more 3rd parties that they don’t have to venture into spending shit loads on new graphic engines when the ones they are using right now work just fine and can now be optimize because of the console hardware. It is just a different and more economical and efficient way of thinking. The Epic, Cryteck, Sony, MS, etc way of thinking is toxic and beneficial to only a small few. This is what Nintendo and Iwata is trying to get 3rd parties to understand. This not the PC market, this is the console market, and developers need to understand that.

 


Nintendo will be the reason for a lack of quality in third party titles. If you've been reading about what third parties have been saying since last year from Ubisoft, Epic and most of the companies who make the larger budget core titles is that next gen needs to have a leap in power, not stay stagnant. Out of respect for Nintendos limited efforts they have graciously supported the Wii U with the multiplats that are no better than current gen games, which has set the pace that the Wii U's tech really is limited and by the time next comes fully their tech will be spent if they try to measure up. Its just not worth it for third parties to do that with Nintendo until they drop development for last gen U3 dominated games.

(1) Its not just about better graphics, its about better animations CG like lighting, draw distances, smarter ai, larger landscapes, faster loading, true emotion being able to be shown on peoples faces, better particle effects and assets being able to be on the screen at one time. (2) Console gaming has held back PC gaming because at lot of the high budget games depend on console profit. The noticable drought in higher budget games is more noticable on PC and they dont get console exclusives so it really hurts them. PC gaming has also been held back by consoles that cannot push tech. (3) Nintendo is in that same wheelhouse with the last gen consoles and you will see that because of Nintendos lack of communication with third parties on a user friendly console. Nintendo only makes consoles for Nintendo and no one else but they demand that third parties support them, well they have and current gen is the best they'll do and they'll be so happy with next gen tech that the Wii U wont even be an option. (4) Why downgrade a game just for one console? (5) Sony hasn't been doing anything thats toxic for the industry, they've adapted to the western way of doing things and Microsoft is at home with the Americanized way of doing things.

Nintendos relationship with third parties is toxic for Nintendo. That is the proper perspective, because they dont get the profits off of licensed games like Sony and Microsoft do. That was one of their biggest issues during the Wii generation despite winning. Cheap casual games ruled the day and third parties jumped on it like a cheap hooker.

Most devs said industry develpment costs will not majorly rise for now but as the gen winds down its going to get a little higher. Game prices will remain at $60.

The problem is Nintendo.

I disagree with a lot of what you said, so I will just deal with the point points from your second paragraph as I've numbered therein and below:

1)      (1) Exactly – so you trying to say tat the WiiU doesn’t offer all those things?

2)      (2) Rubbish – If underpowered console, as compared to PCs, are a problem, then go tell Sony and MS that they keep making crappy ass underpowered consoles and need to build consoles that are inline with current PC specs. Nintendo on the other will continue to cater for the CONSOLE MARKET.

3)      (3) Nintendo consulted with lots of third parties, including Epic, when they were developed the WiiU. The fact that Nintendo didn’t make a console that will put money directly into Epic’s pockets does not mean that the WiiU is underpowered or that 3rd parties can’t put more advanced games on it.

4)      (4) 3rd parties will have to upgrade before they even think about downgrading. You seem to think that every 3rd party will pay Epic for their engine or have the resource to develop their own like Square or Capcom. If anything, I expect that 90% of 3rd parties will transition, not jump, into UE4 type of graphics and tech over a period of about 3 years. By then the WiiU will have a much larger installed user base and thus would make even more sense to make SCALEABLE UE 4 type games at the end of the transition period can also be put on the WiiU and make the 3rd party even more money. MOROVER, because of the large installed use based for the PS360, it will be at least two years before 3rd parties transition into UE 4 type technology.

5)      (5) Sony and MS are very toxic to the industry. I agree that they do bring some advantages in driving the tech forward, but at the very same time they could be very destructive. For example, PS3 costing about $600.00 at launch. I’m sure if Sony had their way such console prices would have been the norm.  MS tries to throw money at everything which I’m sure hurts and alienates a lot of smaller developers. However, I admit Nintendo could be a bit toxic as well J



Nintendo Network ID: DaRevren

I love My Wii U, and the potential it brings to gaming.

DaRev said:
S.T.A.G.E. said:
DaRev said:
tontus said:
DaRev said:
pezus said:
He fails to mention the consoles that most people WiiU is underpowered compared to. WiiU being underpowered compared to PS4 and most likely Nextbox isn't a misunderstanding, it's fact.

Iwata doesn't fail to do anything, because what he's saying is that you can develop games on the WiiU (yeah it's that simple). He is not comparing the WiiU to any other console - you might want or expect him to to that, but he is not. For example, NBA 2K 14 will come out eventually for all consooles, including the WiiU, so the console is not underpowered. Similarly, the next Modern Warfare and other 3rd party games (Watch Dogs) should be on the WiiU as well, so the console is not underpowered.

What I think Iwata is saying as well is that there is this a seed of crazy thinking being cultivated by people like Epic and Sony and MS, that games have to look a certain way to be a game - this is the misunderstanding Iwata is talking about. I assume the way he plans to change this misundertsnading to make sucessful games on the WiiU (from the second half 2013), and once developers see that their games can sell well on WiiU, regardless of how they look, they will understand that the WiiU is not underpowered.

The only reason games like the next CoD, NBA & Watch Dogs are coming to the Wii U is because they're coming to the PS360, if they were made for the PS4/Xbox Infinite then you can be sure that they wouldn't come to the Wii U, why would developers sacrifice quality/increase budgets just to release on the Wii U when the sales won't justifiy those efforts? In a few years when multiplatform games aren't being made for the PS360 then they'll also stop coming for the Wii U too.

And expecting and wanting significantly more advanced graphics from next generation consoles is not crazy thinking, it's exactly what the vast majority of people expect and want from new consoles. Also more power can help make the gameplay, load-times, & AI etc, better too. Iwata making a successful Nintendo game isn't going to encourage developers to make games for the Wii U anymore than successful Nintendo games encouraged developers to make their games for the Wii. There is no misunderstanding, developers know that they will make more money developing for PS4, Xbox Infinite & PC without having to sacrifice quality for the underpowered Wii U which wouldn't be worth it anyway as only Nintendo exclusives sell well on Nintendo consoles.

Your 1st para: But that’s exactly the point Iwata is making, i.e. that you can keep making your CoD, NBA, Watch Dogs, AC, Destiny, Bayonetta, etc, etc games on the WiiU. Therefore, no need for increased budgets and there will be no loss quality, in fact, developing on the WiiU will improve on game quality. If first parties want to go spending millions just to develop a game then fine, because they got Sony and MS’s money to back them up, but 3rrd parties, most of them can’t take that risk.  I’m sure you notice how many 3rd parties are closing shop because of high development cost and low returns. This is the idea of the WiiU not being underpowered that Nintendo is selling.

Your 2nd para: People might want better graphics, but not everyone can afford better graphics. Gamers are a bunch of greedy bastards that always want the news and best games and tech for absolutely nothing and they then want to trade-in their games at a significant lots to developers. The whole system of gaming is broken and rising development cost on new expensive hardware is not helping. Making successful 3rd parties games on the WiiU will encourage more 3rd parties that they don’t have to venture into spending shit loads on new graphic engines when the ones they are using right now work just fine and can now be optimize because of the console hardware. It is just a different and more economical and efficient way of thinking. The Epic, Cryteck, Sony, MS, etc way of thinking is toxic and beneficial to only a small few. This is what Nintendo and Iwata is trying to get 3rd parties to understand. This not the PC market, this is the console market, and developers need to understand that.

 


Nintendo will be the reason for a lack of quality in third party titles. If you've been reading about what third parties have been saying since last year from Ubisoft, Epic and most of the companies who make the larger budget core titles is that next gen needs to have a leap in power, not stay stagnant. Out of respect for Nintendos limited efforts they have graciously supported the Wii U with the multiplats that are no better than current gen games, which has set the pace that the Wii U's tech really is limited and by the time next comes fully their tech will be spent if they try to measure up. Its just not worth it for third parties to do that with Nintendo until they drop development for last gen U3 dominated games.

(1) Its not just about better graphics, its about better animations CG like lighting, draw distances, smarter ai, larger landscapes, faster loading, true emotion being able to be shown on peoples faces, better particle effects and assets being able to be on the screen at one time. (2) Console gaming has held back PC gaming because at lot of the high budget games depend on console profit. The noticable drought in higher budget games is more noticable on PC and they dont get console exclusives so it really hurts them. PC gaming has also been held back by consoles that cannot push tech. (3) Nintendo is in that same wheelhouse with the last gen consoles and you will see that because of Nintendos lack of communication with third parties on a user friendly console. Nintendo only makes consoles for Nintendo and no one else but they demand that third parties support them, well they have and current gen is the best they'll do and they'll be so happy with next gen tech that the Wii U wont even be an option. (4) Why downgrade a game just for one console? (5) Sony hasn't been doing anything thats toxic for the industry, they've adapted to the western way of doing things and Microsoft is at home with the Americanized way of doing things.

Nintendos relationship with third parties is toxic for Nintendo. That is the proper perspective, because they dont get the profits off of licensed games like Sony and Microsoft do. That was one of their biggest issues during the Wii generation despite winning. Cheap casual games ruled the day and third parties jumped on it like a cheap hooker.

Most devs said industry develpment costs will not majorly rise for now but as the gen winds down its going to get a little higher. Game prices will remain at $60.

The problem is Nintendo.

 

I disagree with a lot of what you said, so I will just deal with the point points from your second paragraph as I've numbered therein and below:

1)      (1) Exactly – so you trying to say tat the WiiU doesn’t offer all those things?

2)      (2) Rubbish – If underpowered console, as compared to PCs, are a problem, then go tell Sony and MS that they keep making crappy ass underpowered consoles and need to build consoles that are inline with current PC specs. Nintendo on the other will continue to cater for the CONSOLE MARKET.

3)      (3) Nintendo consulted with lots of third parties, including Epic, when they were developed the WiiU. The fact that Nintendo didn’t make a console that will put money directly into Epic’s pockets does not mean that the WiiU is underpowered or that 3rd parties can’t put more advanced games on it.

4)      (4) 3rd parties will have to upgrade before they even think about downgrading. You seem to think that every 3rd party will pay Epic for their engine or have the resource to develop their own like Square or Capcom. If anything, I expect that 90% of 3rd parties will transition, not jump, into UE4 type of graphics and tech over a period of about 3 years. By then the WiiU will have a much larger installed user base and thus would make even more sense to make SCALEABLE UE 4 type games at the end of the transition period can also be put on the WiiU and make the 3rd party even more money. MOROVER, because of the large installed use based for the PS360, it will be at least two years before 3rd parties transition into UE 4 type technology.

5)      (5) Sony and MS are very toxic to the industry. I agree that they do bring some advantages in driving the tech forward, but at the very same time they could be very destructive. For example, PS3 costing about $600.00 at launch. I’m sure if Sony had their way such console prices would have been the norm.  MS tries to throw money at everything which I’m sure hurts and alienates a lot of smaller developers. However, I admit Nintendo could be a bit toxic as well J

 

The PS3 costing $600 wasnt called for at all. That was Kutaragi's fault and Sony appologized for it because the parts didnt go together well at all. The newest PS3 will affordable for all that they give. I am thinking mid 400's to 500. Sony always takes a hit on the console.

The only thing that was shown at the PS4 unveiling that the Wii U might be able to do is a dumbed down version of knack. Killzone 4? hell no. The graphics and emotion tech that David Cage showed off? The square, capcom and epic realtime videos are what would be equivalent of CG this current gen.



NightDragon83 said:
Nintendo's "Now You're Playing With Power" slogans over the years...

NES: Now You're Playing With Power!

GB: Now You're Playing With Power... PORTABLE Power!

SNES: Now You're Playing With Power... SUPER Power!



Wii / Wii U: Now You're Playing With Power... UNDER Power!!!

 



Nintendo Network ID: DaRevren

I love My Wii U, and the potential it brings to gaming.

Iwata is telling the truth. It's not underpowered compared to the Wii.



mutantclown said:
Well it has "power". Current gen power..

Really? You think the Wii U has the same amount of power as the PS4 and 720 could have? What a brave statement...