Any Wii owners out there disappointed?

The Running Man · 12 Dec 2006 at 10:02

VIRII said:
Why?

because perceptions, expectations shift over time. what is good today may be considered inferior tomorrow?

i am saying they could do. but you and vixen seem to be implying they wont. how can YOU be so sure?

Yes gameplay is king. i still play SNES games, GBA games, PS2 games (lol) despite their ropey gfx. but thats because im hardcore (lol) the majority of peeps have moved on and wouldnt go back.

these new gamers currently have no expectations of the gfx capability, as they are new users. as they play more, experience more, maybe even try a 360 (which they wouldnt have done previously) they will demand more.

as i stated for the sake of losing a touch of profitability over the first 6 months of a console to add potentially a year or two to the consoles lifespan just seems like a superflous, and short sighted move to me.

dirtydog · 12 Dec 2006 at 10:10

What are the Wii's hardware specs compared to the Gamecube? Do we know? ie. CPU speed (and type), graphics chip, RAM etc. Or have Nintendo not released this information?

VIRII · 12 Dec 2006 at 10:13

Nickg said:
because perceptions, expectations shift over time. what is good today may be considered inferior tomorrow?

i am saying they could do. but you and vixen seem to be implying they wont. how can YOU be so sure?

Yes gameplay is king. i still play SNES games, GBA games, PS2 games (lol) despite their ropey gfx. but thats because im hardcore (lol) the majority of peeps have moved on and wouldnt go back.

these new gamers currently have no expectations of the gfx capability, as they are new users. as they play more, experience more, maybe even try a 360 (which they wouldnt have done previously) they will demand more.

as i stated for the sake of losing a touch of profitability over the first 6 months of a console to add potentially a year or two to the consoles lifespan just seems like a superflous, and short sighted move to me.

I haven't intentionally implied anything at all.
I simply don't think that graphics are the number one factor in the decision to purchase a console for many people.
I would have thought it was specific games or playing style.
I bought a PS2 JUST for Guitar hero. It had sod all to do with graphics and everthing to do with the game and control method.
I bought a GC specifically for Donkey Konga. Again it had nothing to do with graphics and everything to do with the game itself and the control method.
I will buy Singstar and Buzz for the PS2 again graphics won't be a factor, they are good enough but the value is in the gameplay.

I have a 360 and from that I expect decent graphics AND quality gaming and IF I could get GH and Buzz and Donkey Konga and a wiimote controller for it then I would. I'd prefer to have just a 360 but it isn't possible to get the various types of games I enjoy for it yet.

Perhaps Nintendos plan is to create a low cost console that draws new people into gaming wiimote style and then in 18 months or more release a superwii at a higher cost with better gfx etc and better wiimotes. I'll bet a lot fo people would upgrade too.

VIRII · 12 Dec 2006 at 10:13

dirtydog said:
What are the Wii's hardware specs compared to the Gamecube? Do we know? ie. CPU speed (and type), graphics chip, RAM etc. Or have Nintendo not released this information?

The details are released, not seen them side by side though.

dirtydog · 12 Dec 2006 at 10:20

VIRII said:
The details are released, not seen them side by side though.

Do you have a link as I can't find anything definitive on google.

I found this about the Wii, I don't know if it is accurate...

# Nintendo Wii’s ‘Broadway’ CPU operates at 729MHZ with a maximum bandwith of 1.9gbyte/sec.
# Nintendo Wii’s ‘HollyWood’ GPU is clocked at 243MHZ, the internal memory of it includes 3mb of embedded graphics memory and 24megabytes of high speed main memory.
# 64megabytes of GDDR3 (MEM2) as the external main memory. Just like the internal memory, it can be accessed from the CPU and GPU with a maximum bandwidth of 4gbytes/sec and can also store programs in the MEM2.

http://www.nwiizone.com/nintendo-wii/nwii/nintendo-wii-specs-leaked-from-a-wii-developer/

Sounds remarkably similar to the Xbox's specs, with its 733 MHz CPU and 64MB of RAM.

Ben · 12 Dec 2006 at 11:22

dirtydog said:
Do you have a link as I can't find anything definitive on google.

I found this about the Wii, I don't know if it is accurate...

http://www.nwiizone.com/nintendo-wii/nwii/nintendo-wii-specs-leaked-from-a-wii-developer/

Sounds remarkably similar to the Xbox's specs, with its 733 MHz CPU and 64MB of RAM.

And considering Xbox = X86 and Wii = PowerPC, how does that comparison have any weight? Also remember AMD stopped using Clock Speed as a measure of performance years ago. Also based on clock speed the Xbox was faster than the PS2 (294Mhz) and GC (485Mhz), did it make it any more "Better"?

dirtydog · 12 Dec 2006 at 11:32

Ben said:
And considering Xbox = X86 and Wii = PowerPC, how does that comparison have any weight?

It shows how weak it is compared to 360/PS3 for a start.

Also based on clock speed the Xbox was faster than the PS2 (294Mhz) and GC (485Mhz), did it make it any more "Better"?

Yes actually

Seriously, how much quicker is a Wii than an Xbox? Based on its hardware specs, not much if at all.

wannabedamned · 12 Dec 2006 at 11:36

dirtydog said:
Yes actually

Seriously, how much quicker is a Wii than an Xbox? Based on its hardware specs, not much if at all.

Was going to say

(Takes out his can of worms)

Xbox is known to be a more powerful console than the PS2.. (Open's his can of worms)

Ben · 12 Dec 2006 at 11:53

dirtydog said:
Seriously, how much quicker is a Wii than an Xbox? Based on its hardware specs, not much if at all.

Q: Is Wii more powerful than GameCube?

A: Yes. It is roughly twice as powerful as GameCube. Developers working on Wii games are largely in agreement that the system is more capable from a horsepower standpoint than the original Xbox. However, it does not have the computing power of either Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3.

From: http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/733/733464p7.html

The last part we have known for a long time that Nintendo aren't competing with the PS3 or 360 on a technical Level.

BoomAM · 12 Dec 2006 at 11:56

dirtydog said:
It shows how weak it is compared to 360/PS3 for a start.

Actually no.
While im not arguing that the Wii is as powerful as the 360 or PS3, the fact that your saying that x86 is better than PPC is just ignorence im afraid.
Clock speeds and architecture are not an indicator of performance.

dirtydog · 12 Dec 2006 at 11:57

Only 'largely' in agreement?

That suggests that while it might be more powerful, there ain't much in it. So you're talking about a hundred and eighty quid for a console virtually identical in power to the 2001 Xbox. Nice.

dirtydog · 12 Dec 2006 at 12:00

BoomAM said:
Actually no.
While im not arguing that the Wii is as powerful as the 360 or PS3, the fact that your saying that x86 is better than PPC is just ignorence im afraid.
Clock speeds and architecture are not an indicator of performance.

Apple obviously think x86 is better than PPC...

The Running Man · 12 Dec 2006 at 12:05

VIRII said:
I have a 360 and from that I expect decent graphics AND quality gaming and IF I could get GH and Buzz and Donkey Konga and a wiimote controller for it then I would. I'd prefer to have just a 360 but it isn't possible to get the various types of games I enjoy for it yet.

Perhaps Nintendos plan is to create a low cost console that draws new people into gaming wiimote style and then in 18 months or more release a superwii at a higher cost with better gfx etc and better wiimotes. I'll bet a lot fo people would upgrade too.

this is my point. how would you feel having spent £180 on a console for it to be obsoleted in 18 months? almost GC all over again, for the sake of knocking in a bit of profit to make the console more future proof - it just doesnt make sense.

as stated the hardware is probably cheaper to produce than an xbox! and bearing in mind the lack of DVD functionality, it does make you wonder why ninty have chosen to plunder the market.

dirtydog · 12 Dec 2006 at 12:08

Nickg said:
this is my point. how would you feel having spent £180 on a console for it to be obsoleted in 18 months? almost GC all over again, for the sake of knocking in a bit of profit to make the console more future proof - it just doesnt make sense.

as stated the hardware is probably cheaper to produce than an xbox! and bearing in mind the lack of DVD functionality, it does make you wonder why ninty have chosen to plunder the market.

You've answered your own question

Greed for profit.

BoomAM · 12 Dec 2006 at 12:12

dirtydog said:
Apple obviously think x86 is better than PPC...

And that makes it right does it?
Tell me, how well versed are you in architectures?

Both architectures have their advantages. Apple went to x86 because Intel could guarantee them the performance increases over time that they wanted. IBM couldnt.
And its not because PPC isnt able to achieve the same performance as x86, its because Intel can churn out more and more variations, and more varyied clock speeds, than IBM ever could. Add to that the fact that more processors coming in for Apple means more sold for Intel, means bulk buying, means discounts for Apple, means cheaper Macs, ect;

dirtydog · 12 Dec 2006 at 12:20

BoomAM said:
And that makes it right does it?
Tell me, how well versed are you in architectures?

Not terribly. I look at the real world results as that is all that matters ultimately.

Wii developers can't even all agree that the Wii performs better than an old Xbox. I imagine they know about CPUs so I feel I can trust their opinion.

Wyrdo · 12 Dec 2006 at 12:22

Does it matter if it's only as powerful as an Xbox though? If it does what it says on the tin then it doesn't matter if it's as powerful as a potato as long as it does the job.

Or am I missing the point of the argument here?

BoomAM · 12 Dec 2006 at 12:23

dirtydog said:
Not terribly. I look at the real world results as that is all that matters ultimately.

Wii developers can't even all agree that the Wii performs better than an old Xbox. I imagine they know about CPUs so I feel I can trust their opinion.

Dont sidestep what you said.
You basically said that X86 is better than PPC. When its not better nor worse.
As for real world results. Please, tell me what results these would be, because i'd be interested to see where your getting this 'information' from.

BoomAM · 12 Dec 2006 at 12:24

wyrdo said:
Does it matter if it's only as powerful as an Xbox though? If it does what it says on the tin then it doesn't matter if it's as powerful as a potato as long as it does the job.

Or am I missing the point of the argument here?

No your right, it doesnt matter, however DirtyDog appears to think otherwise.

dirtydog · 12 Dec 2006 at 12:40

BoomAM said:
As for real world results. Please, tell me what results these would be, because i'd be interested to see where your getting this 'information' from.

I told you - the Wii developers in the link I posted. Also the Wii games which are out are no better than Xbox games, even Xbox release titles.