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Forums - Nintendo Discussion - Interview: Satoru Iwata Talks Wii MotionPlus, Supply/Demand & More

celine on 22 July 2008
cwbys21 said:
Iwata: Whenever I receive that kind of question, I always respond, "Why don't you think our Mii or our intention behind making the Mii is something like our endeavor to come up with a new character?" Let me tell you, new characters is actually the result... in other words, we are not trying to create some new character. More specifically, what we are always trying to do is create some new [kind of] play and new entertainment. As a result, if that new play is appreciated by the consumers, the main characters are going to become the new characters. For example, when Mr. Miyamoto was making the Super Mario character, he was not intending to make the so called Mario character itself, but he just wanted to make some interesting gameplay, and for that interesting gameplay he needed to create some middle-aged guy with overalls and a mustache.
Does anyone else think he is trying to give a non answer to whether Nintendo is making a new IP?

No, traditionally Nintendo is a gameplay-driven software house, not one character-driver.

Iwata noted how Mario is only an empty shell used to live interactive entertainment. Miis are the perfect empty shell in Nintendo vision.

 



 “In the entertainment business, there are only heaven and hell, and nothing in between and as soon as our customers bore of our products, we will crash.”  Hiroshi Yamauchi

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celine on 22 July 2008
brute said:
Zucas said:
His point on friend codes is understandable and at least he recognizes it isn't perfect. Nintendo not as stubborn anymore it seems haha.

But there are other ways to protect the kids than limiting the core gamer as well. Parents need to take more responsibility and set parental controls thus the rest of us won't have to suffer with a limited online setup.

 

 i have to agree with this

The problem isn't related only to kids but to everyone that want live an online experience but are put off by stupid teen agers.

The principle obstacle in online experience diffusion is the behaviour of users themselves ...

I think tht a unified friend code system would be a great improvment.

 



 “In the entertainment business, there are only heaven and hell, and nothing in between and as soon as our customers bore of our products, we will crash.”  Hiroshi Yamauchi

TAG:  Like a Yamauchi pimp slap delivered by Il Maelstrom; serving it up with style.

alpha_dk on 22 July 2008
Teoulas said:
famousringo said:
Friend codes wouldn't bother me at all if I only needed to enter in one of them. It's the individual codes for every single game which take the system out of the realm of security and into absurdity. Why the hell would I trust somebody enough to play SSBB with them (not that I can actually get online to work with SSBB) but not Mario Kart?

A framework where the Wii system stores a list of approved consoles which is accessible by any game would make so much sense. Inputting one code per friend would be easy enough that I would be bothered to do it instead of just playing matches with random folk.

I fully agree. As for the friend code framework, it's already there. The Wii address book is accessible from within games. I mean Metroid Prime 3 and Boom Blox can actually send stuff to your friends in your address book, without needing any game-specific codes. I don't understand why playing games is different and therefore requires different friend codes.

Slightly off-topic: what's the meaning of the console name in the settings? I thought it was tied to your friend code and used as your online nickname, but haven't seen it used anywhere. Instead, I only see friend codes and a name I have entered (at least in the address book).

It's the Wii's name on your network, IIRC.



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ion-storm on 22 July 2008
celine said:
cwbys21 said:
Iwata: Whenever I receive that kind of question, I always respond, "Why don't you think our Mii or our intention behind making the Mii is something like our endeavor to come up with a new character?" Let me tell you, new characters is actually the result... in other words, we are not trying to create some new character. More specifically, what we are always trying to do is create some new [kind of] play and new entertainment. As a result, if that new play is appreciated by the consumers, the main characters are going to become the new characters. For example, when Mr. Miyamoto was making the Super Mario character, he was not intending to make the so called Mario character itself, but he just wanted to make some interesting gameplay, and for that interesting gameplay he needed to create some middle-aged guy with overalls and a mustache.
Does anyone else think he is trying to give a non answer to whether Nintendo is making a new IP?

No, traditionally Nintendo is a gameplay-driven software house, not one character-driver.

Iwata noted how Mario is only an empty shell used to live interactive entertainment. Miis are the perfect empty shell in Nintendo vision.

 

Sounds more to me like expect Mario to pop up in even more spin offs because they couldn't be bothered making new characters anymore.

 



Yes

Jaos on 22 July 2008
ion-storm said:
... 

Sounds more to me like expect Mario to pop up in even more spin offs because they couldn't be bothered making new characters anymore.

 

 

 No, actually Miyamoto explained very well how Mario came to be what he looks like, it was the limitations of the first arcade machine and the dictations of the gameplay. I do like this approach, cause it's centered around the gameplay and brought us the great Nintendo IPs.

When Nintendo feels existing characters don't fit with the gameplay, we get new ones. It's that easy.



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KruzeS on 22 July 2008
famousringo said:
Friend codes wouldn't bother me at all if I only needed to enter in one of them. It's the individual codes for every single game which take the system out of the realm of security and into absurdity. Why the hell would I trust somebody enough to play SSBB with them (not that I can actually get online to work with SSBB) but not Mario Kart?

Because you may very well want to play "future online shooter X" with your "30-year-old swearing friend Y" and not want your "5-year-old daughter" playing "Animal Crossing" with him by mistake.

I'm not saying I agree with this, but that's the theory behind it.

 



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