[Eugene]

Originally Posted by alcimedes Apparently there was a six hour long line to play the Wii today. Good lord. I think Nintendo may have gambled right this time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGlvLQzvJNA

I don't know if you could call selling a $200 console a gamble. Selling a console for $600...that's a gamble.

[alcimedes]

Yeah, I saw that.

Considering there was no xbox360 line (granted it's already out) and the PS3 one was 30 min. long, that bodes well for Nintendo's sales. Although it might have slightly slower launch numbers, I expect it to have a lot better sustained sales.

Gamers will buy every PS3 that hits the shelves initially. The Wii might not sell out instantly, but I bet it will sell well for a long time as more people are exposed to the gameplay.

Nintendo gambled that people would be more interested in gameplay than in graphics. I think that's a big gamble. With the 360 and PS3 prices topping $500, they could have come up with a graphically improved Nintendo console for $450 dollars, still been the cheapest on the market and hoped to make sales that way.

Instead they moved away from the entire idea that graphics=gameplay and went with a weird ass motion sensitive controller. I'd call that a big gamble.

[BarracksSi]

Originally Posted by Eugene http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGlvLQzvJNA I don't know if you could call selling a $200 console a gamble. Selling a console for $600...that's a gamble.

I'd say that Nintendo's gamble is that it doesn't output HD or Dolby Digital (as far as I've heard), handle as many polygons as the 360 or PS3, etc etc.

Microsoft's gamble, IMO, was in making a next-gen system whose main improvement is in graphics. Prettier, but still the same games.

[Eugene]

Originally Posted by BarracksSi I'd say that Nintendo's gamble is that it doesn't output HD or Dolby Digital (as far as I've heard), handle as many polygons as the 360 or PS3, etc etc. Microsoft's gamble, IMO, was in making a next-gen system whose main improvement is in graphics. Prettier, but still the same games.

Again, omitting specs isn't really a gamble. As long as there's widescreen support, most people won't even notice the resolution difference...and sound is even less noticeable.

Microsoft doesn't gamble, It's their modus operandi. That's why they didn't wait for HD-DVD. That's why they were first to market with a system positioned squarely in the middle. As for the games, in the TIME article, the author echoes my initial reaction...the game that is most fun is WiiSports. I just don't feel a vibe for Zelda, Metroid, SSB, etc.

[BarracksSi]

I can hear the voices of the gaming nerds now, though -- "The Wii doesn't even have HD support... weeeeak".

Higher specs have driven the PC market for years, and us Mac users have kept chanting "Numbers don't mean everything" the whole time, especially during the PPC era. I can see the same thing happening with the Wii.

Thank goodness it has the new controller to keep it from getting lost on the specs page.

[Robo]

Originally Posted by BarracksSi Microsoft's gamble, IMO, was in making a next-gen system whose main improvement is in graphics. Prettier, but still the same games.

I'd actually say that the biggest improvement of the Xbox 360 was is the new Xbox Live. I'm not a huge multiplayer gamer, but the new XBL is hot.

For me, the biggest improvements in Microsoft's second console is that A) it isn't ugly as sin and B) it might get some Japanese support this time.

Maybe.

(I am not a Halo/Splinter Cell/[Insert WWII Game Here] type of gamer.)

[Partial]

who do you guys think won e3? nintendo stole the show in my opinion. All these hardcore psx and ps2 guys on my floor at school want a wii

[ironlung]

Originally Posted by tensdanny38 who do you guys think won e3? nintendo stole the show in my opinion. All these hardcore psx and ps2 guys on my floor at school want a wii

I agree. Im pbbly only going to end up getting a wii. Maybe a 360. Definitely no ps3.

[BarracksSi]

More bad press about the PS3, specifically its Cell processor:

"Charlie Demerijian at the Inquirer got a look at some insider specs on the PS3, and says, 'Sony screwed up big time with the Cell processor; the memory read speed on the current Devkits is something like 3 orders of magnitude slower than the write speed; and is unlikely to improve much before the ship date.'"

/.'ed -- http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl...33239&from=rss

[AWR]

As Sargent Schultz exhorted, I Know Nothing, but I thought I would send along this interesting piece on Nintendo in this week's New Yorker, which I read at lunch today.

In Praise of Third Place

http://www.newyorker.com/talk/conten...alk_surowiecki

[The link will probably go dark after a week or so, as they don't necessarily keep content available forevah.]

[autodata]

So, does anyone have any advice on how to go about getting a Wii now that the crazy black friday rush is over? Any tips or tricks other than calling stores repeatedly?

[alcimedes]

Sunday Target stores should be getting more stock in. They got some this morning as well, but when I stopped by at noon they were all sold out.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by World Leader Pretend No one could match my skillz with a lightgun, I still haven't figured out how it works. Duck Hunter was always on the Super Mario cartridge, so I'd play it when I got bored.

IIRC, when you pulled the trigger, the screen flashed a certain pattern, and the CCD in the light gun used that to determine where you were aiming.

[atomicbartbeans]

Originally Posted by Dave IIRC, when you pulled the trigger, the screen flashed a certain pattern, and the CCD in the light gun used that to determine where you were aiming.

Actually, the screen turned completely dark, except for the target, which remained bright. In the gun was a simple light sensor; if it saw brightness when the trigger was pulled, it would register as a hit.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by atomicbartbeans Actually, the screen turned completely dark, except for the target, which remained bright. In the gun was a simple light sensor; if it saw brightness when the trigger was pulled, it would register as a hit.

Ah, simpler than I thought then. Cleverer, too.

[kieran]

If anyone is still interested, Target is holding some stock for a sale on Sunday.

I called my local store and he said they were holding them in the back until Sun. because they are being put in their ad for the next week.

[Robo]

Wal-Mart is having a similar "second launch" on the 6th, as well.

[Jerman]

Well tonight was a lot of fun. Had a couple of friends over to play. My friend Matt was really getting into baseball. So he steps up to hit, swings, and we hear *crash!*. The strap on the controller stinkin' snapped! Fortunately it did not hit my monitor. I have my Wii set up in my office, so unfortunately my Powerbook was hit. It hit just to the left of the latch button and is permanently dented. I will post pictures when I get the chance to take some. But I really can't believe how weak the strap is. It appears that it broke where the string is woven into the material. Wonder what Nintendo will tell mwe when I call them on Monday.

[Brad]

How many baseball players actually (unintentionally) throw their bat at the pitcher when making a swing?

Is it really that hard to just not let go of the controller? Everyone I've talked to thinks the whole "controller hit my screen!" debacle is an overblown load of nonsense. If this is really happening with folks like your friend Matt, then I fear they are same people responsible for grocery stores having to label plastic bags as a suffocation/choking hazards and "do not drink" on bleach. I sure hope he doesn't have a driver's license or access to any heavy machinery!

[Eugene]

I think most of the reports are legitimate. My palms don't sweat at all, I am conscious of the problem, yet on certain games like Madden 07 the controller does feel like it's going to slip out at times.

[scratt]

Originally Posted by Jerman Wonder what Nintendo will tell mwe when I call them on Monday.

From what I heard they'll send you a new strap..

I am with Brad on this one.. If you hold this thing properly and arn't sweating like a rapist then I don't see any reason for them to fly out of your hands.. Also if I am playing around in my sitting room, or have friends over for a drink, it seems common sense to me to close laptop screens, and so on... Just my 2c.

[Jerman]

He told me his hands were very sweaty, so I am sure that contributed to it. And of course I will be keeping the lid closed now. Most of the time he was playing he wasn't necessarily as "in to it", it was just when he got to baseball, so it just did not occurr to me to close the lid. Definitely not making that oversight again.

[thegelding]

i do see nintendo making a better strap with version 2...would likely cost a nickle to make the strap twice as strong

g

[BarracksSi]

Might as well replace the strap with some shoelace or something. If that's too bulky, get some kite line -- you can get stuff rated for 500 lbs that's lighter than any shoelace.

[alcimedes]

There are a lot of things out there stronger than whatever Nintendo seems to use for their straps. I say give it a week or so before some third party releases a strap for $5 that is significantly stronger than what's on their now.

It's obviously meant as a "just in case" type thing, but I think people are getting more into the gameplay than anticipated.