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Nintendo files patent application for stationary game console without optical disk
The storage medium isn't really the main factor in the difficulty of piracy any more. It's about finding exploits in the system's OS and firmware to make it boot a game without going through the normal procedure.
Cheeseman Battitude
Member
Considering Nintendo has historically been quite miserly with their internal storage offerings, what would be a good size of internal HDD for a Christmas 2016 console? Gotta be 1TB IMO.
ArchedThunder
Banned
Basically the game would be able to tell which piece of hardware it's on and boot with the proper graphics settings for that device.
The problem with this is that, judging by Nintendo ditching the optical disc drive, they want to rid the NX Console of any moving parts. A HDD would ruin the point of that, & I'm not sure if 1TB is easy to get on the cheap as a solid state drive (definitely not as flash memory, though).
Lupin the Third
Member
Patent literally says Internal HDD though. Would be curious to see if they go that route or a wad of NAND gain like Wii/U.
It's interesting, because it's telling us we don't see Wii U disc based game support, which means:
- Wii U download only revision possible, but unlikely
- Probably cart based new console
- No disc-based backward compatibility to the Wii U
So yeah, that is telling us quite a few things, which I find interesting. Regarding crossplattforming between handheld and console: We need to see how and if third party will support this. Handheld might get a lot of love, but if the NX games look like Wii games on TV, I'm not so hot about that.
The patent speaks of an attachable/potential disc device. For all we know, you can hook a WiiU to the thing.
Wii U is looking out for sure but there still could be some native backwards compatibility. The controller screen plus card slot plus a probable move from PPC to ARM makes me suspect we might see DS/3DS playback in the console itself.
After skimming the patent, this sounds like a refreshed Wii U. Controller still has a display, but can now be charged by the console instead of at the wall. Hard drive and digital download replace the optical drive, resulting in a smaller, cheaper console. I'm not seeing anything about game cards. The SD card slot is described as an optional way to update the OS and GUI.
Combine this with the Nikkei Android rumors* (and Nintendo's collaborations related to mobile gaming) and maybe it's the Nintendo/AMD version of the Nvidia Shield. Controller seems like it will have Wii U Gamepad's functionality, but factor in the Sharp free-form display rumors and maybe it won't look like a Fisher Price tablet.
I'm not sure what to make of the bit about compatibility with a disc based console. Having a DD-only NX and a disc-based NX would be kind of weird. It makes more sense to me that this part refers to Wii U, but even that raises questions since it's assumed that NX will ditch Power PC for ARM or x86.
* I think Iwata denied the Android rumors, but I trust Nikkei. I would expect Nintendo to deny pretty much anything about NX right now, even if it were true.
Combine this with the Nikkei Android rumors* (and Nintendo's collaborations related to mobile gaming) and maybe it's the Nintendo/AMD version of the Nvidia Shield. Controller seems like it will have Wii U Gamepad's functionality, but factor in the Sharp free-form display rumors and maybe it won't look like a Fisher Price tablet.
I'm not sure what to make of the bit about compatibility with a disc based console. Having a DD-only NX and a disc-based NX would be kind of weird. It makes more sense to me that this part refers to Wii U, but even that raises questions since it's assumed that NX will ditch Power PC for ARM or x86.
* I think Iwata denied the Android rumors, but I trust Nikkei. I would expect Nintendo to deny pretty much anything about NX right now, even if it were true.
R
Rösti
Unconfirmed Member
I wanted to link to sinxtanx's post in the OP, but I've run out of characters.
You might be right. I just wonder how informed normal consumers actually are, Nintendo has struggled with messaging a lot the last few years.
ArchedThunder
Banned
Which is why it is super important to announce both together and make the message about their relationship clear from the get go.
I think that is a guarantee. If they are truly going to push the unified system then the next CEO needs to pull two devices from their suit jacket at the same time.
Cheeseman Battitude
Member
That was the most casual yet super effective reveal ever.
ArchedThunder
Banned
Depending on the size of the console, they may need to get a suit jacket custom made
But yeah, after the confusion with the 3DS and then the Wii U they can not afford confusion for NX, they need the announcement itself to make it clear what these pieces of hardware are.
I agree but I'm not sure how much the average consumers pay attention to the initial announcements. If one SKU is launched after the other you might risk confusion about what software is functional on what. Especially if not all games are cross-compatible.
I might not be giving people enough credit though!
ArchedThunder
Banned
I'm sure the packaging will make it clear what games are compatible with what hardware.
At least I hope...
R
Rösti
Unconfirmed Member
I believe the novelty is with the Speed Control Processing. I've searched for similar things but haven't found anything (in the game console space anyway).
lol my first time getting mentioned in a video
never thought about how other people would pronounce my username
it's "sinecks tanecks" like a math function
Rösti;176214546 said:
I'm pretty sure all that means is that the cpu will have a variable clock rate for heat and power efficiency. Max speed at load, lower speeds at idle. Nothing new.
To me this looks like a patent for a revised Wii U, where they are dropping the optical drive in order to cut costs. Finally a $199 retail wii u.
Could be cartridge based Nx too I guess.
Agent Gibbs
Member
obviously you can download the games or buy an external disk drive peripheral
hype is growing
Just throwing my two cents. I think there's a 0% chance it'll be digital-only. They will allow you to buy physical games if that's what you prefer. They can't ignore the retail space where a large majority of their sales come from. Especially now that they've realized how many Nintendo collectors there are. People value tangible stuff and they know it.
Carts are probably the easiest solution if they want the same SKU to be played on multiple pieces of hardware. I don't think third-parties are going to like it though since it's probably more expensive for them.
Carts are probably the easiest solution if they want the same SKU to be played on multiple pieces of hardware. I don't think third-parties are going to like it though since it's probably more expensive for them.
entremet
Member
Nintendo is pretty tight with its retail partners too. Look at the Best Buy stuff.
ArchedThunder
Banned
The bit about "computer programs" using the processor to figure out what version of said program to boot up would make zero sense if this was Wii U.
Theanine3D
Member
I don't think this is a Wii U Mini, because it mentioned the ability to run different code depending on the hardware. That detail falls in line directly with how Iwata described the NX "family of systems."
Unless they really did send out an update for Wii U that integrated into the NX platform. That would be a really great way to win over any Nintendo fans that may have otherwise been bitter about Wii U being killed off.
Unless they really did send out an update for Wii U that integrated into the NX platform. That would be a really great way to win over any Nintendo fans that may have otherwise been bitter about Wii U being killed off.
Remembrance
Member
"Speed Control Processing" is explicitly described as controlling hard drive read/write speeds.
The game program can be stored either on an internal or external hard drive. The console can switch between fast read/write for the internal HD or slow read/write for the external HD. The game does not have to coded with speed-switching in mind. The console can also emulate external HD read/write speeds for the internal HD.
DownGrader
Member
Why is it useful, though?
Remembrance
Member
The patent application seems to be hinting that developers will be able to code games with different modes for both high and low speed storage. The speed switching will provide workarounds in case there is a bug in one mode that's not in the other.
I would guess that the goal is to make more optimal use of high speed storage media than current-gen consoles?
James Scott
Banned
If the new rewards system was like the DDP then I'd be down. At least to play Nintendo games since I usually don't sell/trade those in
Trevelyan9999
Banned
Agreed. Also Nintendo is barely supporting Wii U in 2016, no reason to waste money on a revision no one will buy.
Now NX might likely just use cart-based media as people are saying but going all digital wouldn't be surprising either. When Nintendo's next game system comes out, people likely will come around to an all digital system unlike just a few years ago with the first info on the Xbone.
True of course, but hitting multiple platforms with a single release is pretty appealing. Potentially Nintendo could lower their cut on the 3rd party titles as well, if there is that big of an issue. I don't know that they can win back the 3rf parties that have ditched then anyway.
I was just listening to this, he mirrors some of my thoughts on this patent.
If this is executed properly, this could really shake up Holiday 2016...IF executed properly.
I need to read up on cartridge-based technology in 2015.
The OP really needs a "cartriges not yet confirmed" or something
For those who don't know, the reason why all the cartridge talk started is not necessarily the patent itself. The patent says nothing about the console reading the "game program" from any type of card (although you could say that it doesn't deny it either). What happened was that GAF has already been talking about the possibility of nintendo going with only cartriges for many months now. We've had many NX threads, so there's a decent number of people that are on the same page. One of the threads that we had (a relatively recent one) basically asked people to give their vision on how the NX ecosystem would work, and you could clearly see that there was already an "accepted" idea of how the NX platform could work. Many of the people that posted there had been following everything that iwata had said on the different investors meatings and so. Also, some had also read/participated in the different NX discussions that had happened in all kind of nintendo related threads. This NX vision that a part of GAF has included cartriges. Long story short, seeing a patent about a console without a disc drive is closer to the only cartridges idea than a console with a disk drive xD so cartriges were quickly mentioned even thought the patent never mentions the classic use of cartriges.
#teamcartriges haha
For those who don't know, the reason why all the cartridge talk started is not necessarily the patent itself. The patent says nothing about the console reading the "game program" from any type of card (although you could say that it doesn't deny it either
). What happened was that GAF has already been talking about the possibility of nintendo going with only cartriges for many months now. We've had many NX threads, so there's a decent number of people that are on the same page. One of the threads that we had (a relatively recent one) basically asked people to give their vision on how the NX ecosystem would work, and you could clearly see that there was already an "accepted" idea of how the NX platform could work. Many of the people that posted there had been following everything that iwata had said on the different investors meatings and so. Also, some had also read/participated in the different NX discussions that had happened in all kind of nintendo related threads. This NX vision that a part of GAF has included cartriges. Long story short, seeing a patent about a console without a disc drive is closer to the only cartridges idea than a console with a disk drive xD so cartriges were quickly mentioned even thought the patent never mentions the classic use of cartriges.#teamcartriges haha
GabeTheGrouch76
Member
Count me in the crowd that thinks the patent hints as a console that's cart / cartridge-based for games, rather than be digital-only. Which really excites me because concerning the history of Nintendo's desired goals they've described to reach with the NX, has a fair amount of things way up way too well for their own good; especially the bit of being able to make one game for both platforms and having both the console and handheld "like brothers"-presumably the cartridge would be used in both a hypothetical "NX" console and a "NX" handheld. One for the home, one for the go, but both use the same format to play the same games. That and I think carts / cartridges are pretty cool in their own right.
...speculation is fun.
I thought the idea would more be that the higher-res textures/modules would be stored on cartridge itself if the cartridge had enough storage; i.e. low-res textures/models are used when the game is on the handheld, while high-res textures/models would be used for the console (presumably unpacked onto the console's storage, if not actually running from the cartridge itself-though I'm not sure if the latter is even possible).
...speculation is fun.
I thought the idea would more be that the higher-res textures/modules would be stored on cartridge itself if the cartridge had enough storage; i.e. low-res textures/models are used when the game is on the handheld, while high-res textures/models would be used for the console (presumably unpacked onto the console's storage, if not actually running from the cartridge itself-though I'm not sure if the latter is even possible).
I think that is the general idea, which would line up with there possibly being 32 & 64GB versions of the cartridges (going by the SD Card standard), leaving some extra space for those HD textures & models. While the Xenoblade X solution would make sense, it'd require an internet connection.
If it means 50-60 to download most first party games then no.
Discs are easy to reproduce but getting the legit hardware to play them is difficult. Unless we're talking Dreamcast.
One of the last cartridge consoles, the N64, still has yet to be properly emulated or tricked into playing all games. Ironically enough there is a super mega turbo rare disc attachment called to Dr64 that lets developers play development builds (or an entire ROM dump) of games.
If they returned to cartridge memory it might be more secure, I bet there's lots of neat security tricks that have been developed since the end of the cartridge era.
Well, cartridges of yesteryear are MUCH different than carts/memory cards of today.
So if the system does go to carts, people are assuming these carts will be playable on both systems? Which would also imply that any downloaded games are playable on both systems.
I have always wanted to play my handheld games on my tv without any extra hassle. I guess the only thing I don't like about it is the idea that there won't be any games made specifically for one system, since those are the games that can better make use of unique features, which again implies that there won't even be any unique features. Not sure if I like that very much though.
I have always wanted to play my handheld games on my tv without any extra hassle. I guess the only thing I don't like about it is the idea that there won't be any games made specifically for one system, since those are the games that can better make use of unique features, which again implies that there won't even be any unique features. Not sure if I like that very much though.
Mithos
Member
Not with €50-60 game prices, Nintendo would have to clone Steam 100% with summer/winter sales, and weekend sales etc etc, before I'd even think of digital.
UltimaKilo
Gold Member
There was a thread back in 2006 talking about the inevitability of consoles going to back cartridges. Hopefully the days of long load times are coming to an end.
FUNKNOWN iXi
Member
And their other toy products. Nintendo's going to make bank if they play their cards right.
If it means lowering load times then I'm all for it. Some of the games these past tow generations have been horrible for load time.
Its a good thing I will finish my bachelor's next spring because I'm going to need a better job.