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WiiU

Wii U's Online Service May Be Left Up to the Publisher

by James Dawson - July 5, 2011, 11:21 pm EDT
Total comments: 24 Source: (Forbes), http://blogs.forbes.com/davidewalt/2011/07/05/nint...

Reggie Fils-Aime talks about the Wii U's online service.

Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime acknowledged Nintendo's online shortcomings and need to do better with Wii U in an interview with Forbes.

Fils-Aime also gave some rather uncertain details regarding their plans for the service. Telling Forbes that “what we’re doing is creating a much more flexible system that will allow the best approaches by independent publishers to come to bear.”

This and other comments seem to suggest that Nintendo is more interested in allowing for the publishers to handle the online services for their games, which may mean that we will not being seeing a robust online system like Xbox Live or PSN coming from Nintendo.

Reggie even went so far as to point to third party publishers for information on the service, saying that “from our perspective, we think it’s much more compelling for that information to come from the publishers than to come from us.”

The full interview with Reggie can be read at Forbes’ website.

Talkback

TJ SpykeJuly 06, 2011

Isn't that what Sony did for the PlayStation 2? Xbox Live is pretty much universally loved, and it's rumored that Sony is about to overhaul PlayStation Network to be more like it. Why not have something structured more like that? Hopefully the speculation is wrong and that there will be a structured system (and that publishers will just have flexibility with it).

broodwarsJuly 06, 2011

*just shakes his head.*

Xbox LIVE is the standard and PSN works pretty well for the constraints it has.  For once, Nintendo needs to just swallow its pride and model its online structure after these systems we already know work, and then they can build from there with their own ideas.  If they go with (as the rumor insinuates) putting this system in the hands of individual publishers, what...does that mean I'll have to have a half-dozen different logins and passwords for every game I play (like when you login to an EA game on PSN/360)?  That doesn't sound very user-friendly.

StogiJuly 06, 2011

I just want to be able to jump into online with very little problems, no lag, and rarely any drops. I don't care if it's tedious to add my friends or family. I can deal with that. Just let me be able to play with at least 16 people. Hopefully Nintendo can handle that.

PlugabugzJuly 06, 2011

Why can't they have a dual system?

The friend codes for satisfying Nintendo's paranoid EVERYONE ON THE INTERNETS IS TURRIBLE nature, and a username alongside (that's not centrally managed, maybe?) it for a more traditionally-accepted experience.

But that seems too easy.

EnnerJuly 06, 2011

It would be nice if Nintendo hired out their online structure if they don't know what to do themselves. Steam on Wii U! That'll most likely make the digital shop experience better too.

CericJuly 06, 2011

This sounds almost exactly like what they said on the GameCube and we all know how that turned out.  Its another hurdle to jump for a developer and they won't do it unless they have to.  Not very developer friendly.  Not very Community Friendly.  Having people play on an Island is a terrible idea.  Nintendo just can't seem to move with the times with their systems.

SundoulosJuly 06, 2011

If Nintendo doesn't establish an effective online system for the Wii U, it will definitely be a deal breaker for me...at least for the foreseeable future.

KITT 10KJuly 06, 2011

If Nintendo doesn't wake the hell up that they NEED to step up on ALL aspects of their stuff they'll end up like Sega did. I don’t EVER wanna see that happen to them.

KnowsNothingJuly 06, 2011

Quote from: broodwars

*just shakes his head.*

Xbox LIVE is the standard and PSN works pretty well for the constraints it has.  For once, Nintendo needs to just swallow its pride and model its online structure after these systems we already know work, and then they can build from there with their own ideas.  If they go with (as the rumor insinuates) putting this system in the hands of individual publishers, what...does that mean I'll have to have a half-dozen different logins and passwords for every game I play (like when you login to an EA game on PSN/360)?  That doesn't sound very user-friendly.

Isnt that how the rest of the Internet works? You don't use the same account information to sign into both gmail and NWR, for example. Every site uses a different system, and every online PC game does the same thing (save for steam). I'm not saying it's the best method for nintendo, but most of us deal with this issue of multiple accounts every day and don't think twice about it.

famicomplicatedJames Charlton, Associate Editor (Japan)July 06, 2011

Nintendo never 'force' publishers to do anything, to their detriment.


*They didn't force PAL optimisation for N64 games, leading to so many terrible conversions.
*They didn't force 60hz for GameCube games, resulting in many a poor conversion to PAL.
*They have never forced widescreen use (heck they don't even do it themselves sometimes)
*They don't force NWFC compatibility for Wii/DS/3DS games (despite many games that would have benefited)


Now with Wii U I'm guessing they will that continue that trend so expect:
*No unified login/password.
*No forced online play or leaderboards .
*No forced 720/1080.
*No unified achievement system.
"We'll leave those options up to the developers"


That's at least what I'm preparing for now, if they prove me wrong at least I can be pleasantly surprised as apposed to crushingly disappointed!
Prove me wrong Nintendo, please!

CericJuly 06, 2011

Quote from: KnowsNothing

Quote from: broodwars

*just shakes his head.*

Xbox LIVE is the standard and PSN works pretty well for the constraints it has.  For once, Nintendo needs to just swallow its pride and model its online structure after these systems we already know work, and then they can build from there with their own ideas.  If they go with (as the rumor insinuates) putting this system in the hands of individual publishers, what...does that mean I'll have to have a half-dozen different logins and passwords for every game I play (like when you login to an EA game on PSN/360)?  That doesn't sound very user-friendly.

Isnt that how the rest of the Internet works? You don't use the same account information to sign into both gmail and NWR, for example. Every site uses a different system, and every online PC game does the same thing (save for steam). I'm not saying it's the best method for nintendo, but most of us deal with this issue of multiple accounts every day and don't think twice about it.

A lot of us strive for unified logins on the web.  How many people on this forum use a tool to combine their Twitter and Facebook to 1 easy viewable spot?  I know I personally do.  I also try to tie as much as I can to Facebook Connect and like.  I don't want to have a million logins.  I've even bought a personally certificate before to try to use that for universal login.

What I'm getting at is the Internet is a Wild Forest.  Why your game systems are an Orchard.  They are tended and approval is made for what goes in them.  XBox Live is so successful because it allows you to make an Identity and be that Identity.  Just because I go to the Bank and then the Mall doesn't mean I have a new Mom and Dad plus a clothes change.  Having a unified system also allows you to put hooks to allow for fast access to other content.  A common Look and Feel so, you don't have to know a dozen sets of terminology and controls.    Cross Game Interconnection to allow for a community to form.  Knowing that games will have Voice Chat etc.  If I where Nintendo I take the opposite approach.  Put in a bit of dedicated processing capability for these features.

The Social Processor would be responsible for everything to do with you.  Wouldn't have to be powerful just dedicated.  It would be your Voice Chat, Chat, Friend Notification, Social UI Rendering, etc.  Games would be able to skin it but it would just be a show-able bit of UI that would super-impose on any game.  Giving a consistent Look and Feel to the social component and not effect game performance, beyond bandwidth requirements, because it would have its own dedicated bit of hardware.  At that point Nintendo could provide their Unified Nintendo Credential(UNiC) to the Developers custom network if they so choice which would use API hooks and interfaces to get to the Social Processor and feed into these UI elements.  The only thing they be rolling is the backbone.  No separate login for user just a UNiC registration.

Also a way to show to the world your achievements is part of a community.  I want people to know that I attempted to say beat Call of Duty only using Melee where possible.  People need to differentiate themselves and have ways to differentiate themselves.  Something to brag about.  Achievements do this.

That's part of what I like to see.

MorariJuly 06, 2011

Quote from: Plugabugz

Why can't they have a dual system?

The friend codes for satisfying Nintendo's paranoid EVERYONE ON THE INTERNETS IS TURRIBLE nature, and a username alongside (that's not centrally managed, maybe?) it for a more traditionally-accepted experience.

That would be the ideal way of doing it. Have a unique ID number, but then give the user the option to associate it with a generic username. You could have a thousand people called Z3R0C001 because the system would be going by the UIN instead of the changeable alias. It still works just fine on ICQ. ;)

Quote from: Ceric

A lot of us strive for unified logins on the web.

Speak for yourself. The conglomeration of the internet in the last decade is largely ruining what used to be a trying innovative space. Now it's becoming more and more a meeting of corporate portals and tween marketing.

CericJuly 06, 2011

Quote from: Morari

Quote from: Ceric

A lot of us strive for unified logins on the web.

Speak for yourself. The conglomeration of the internet in the last decade is largely ruining what used to be a trying innovative space. Now it's becoming more and more a meeting of corporate portals and tween marketing.

How do unified logins bring that about?  Thats like saying XBox Live is making all XBox games similar.  When their not.

StrawHousePigJuly 06, 2011

Playing an assload of video games is not an achievement. And I really don't care who does what in a game how many times. Anyone really care how many times I've used the attack helicopter in Black Ops? Anyone? Bueller?

A user based login system would be great. One not based on, controlled, or secured (or not) by a third party that is.

CericJuly 06, 2011

Quote from: StrawHousePig

Playing an assload of video games is not an achievement. And I really don't care who does what in a game how many times. Anyone really care how many times I've used the attack helicopter in Black Ops? Anyone? Bueller?

A user based login system would be great. One not based on, controlled, or secured (or not) by a third party that is.

I will say that for any stat in any "game"  Is hitting a ball somewhat consistently an Achievement?  By your account every sport is not worthy of mention.

Retro DeckadesJuly 06, 2011

They left the launch of the 3DS up to the third-party publishers. Look how that turned out. 'Nuff said.

AdrockJuly 06, 2011

I like having different log ins for different things, but not for parts of the same thing. For example, Facebook has nothing to do with student loans, I don't need the same log in for that and I actually prefer it. However, I have a checking and savings account with with the same bank. I wouldn't want to log in separately to view them.

That said, I'd prefer one log in for Wii U's online system. Wii U Steam would be ideal, but if Nintendo insists on a single friend code system like 3DS, it can work as long as they lighten up and allow it to be highly customizable by the user/parent. If I had to log in for each online game I play (and potentially pay to play), I probably wouldn't play online often, even if I could save the password because I'd still have to keep track of them all. I don't think Nintendo is going down that path. Their current cryptic comments don't concern me either. They'll reveal it in depth when they're ready and the comments are cryptic because they're not ready to talk about it yet. No surprises there. So far, it sounds like 3rd parties are optimistic and they probably know something. That doesn't enthrall me, but I'm given no real reason to be discouraged or anything. Not yet, anyway.

Ian SaneJuly 06, 2011

Quote:

This sounds almost exactly like what they said on the GameCube and we all know how that turned out.


Yeah, that scares me, too.  Though I would assume that THIS time Nintendo themselves will be online.  Them avoiding it entirely is largely what screwed things up on the Gamecube.  But still, will they provide any real assistance to third parties in this area or will things be too obtuse and require too much legwork from the the third parties themselves, in which case they'll just cut the feature.

Nintendo talks about trying to gain back core gamers but they are so far behind the technological curve that I can't imagine them ever achieving that.  They have been behind with online gaming since the Gamecube.  They can't just move forward at a steady rate, they have to JUMP ahead to catch up.  They're a generation back on, well, absolutely everything.  So they have to jump a generation ahead.

CericJuly 06, 2011

Quote from: Adrock

I like having different log ins for different things, but not for parts of the same thing. For example, Facebook has nothing to do with student loans, I don't need the same log in for that and I actually prefer it. However, I have a checking and savings account with with the same bank. I wouldn't want to log in separately to view them.
...

One login to Rule them all would be silly in a universal context but, I want all the outside doors of my house to be the same more than likely.  I view anything playing on a game console to be the same as everything being at the same bank.

TJ SpykeJuly 06, 2011

Quote from: famicomplicated

*No forced 720/1080.

To be fair, Sony and Microsoft don't require that anymore either (well, MS doesn't. I am not sure about Sony).

I'm pretty sure Sony lets publishers do their own thing separate from PSN if they want to. I wouldn't be surprised if that's what they mean by this.

Mop it upJuly 06, 2011

I'd rather they expend on what they have now. The nice thing about the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection is that it is universal across all games (except Monster Hunter Tri, where its servers are run by CapCom), which means that as long as the Nintendo WFC is operational, online games will always be playable. Then there are no worries about servers getting shut down early or companies charging fees or workarounds to prevent used sales.

StrawHousePigJuly 07, 2011

Quote from: Ceric

I will say that for any stat in any "game"  Is hitting a ball somewhat consistently an Achievement?  By your account every sport is not worthy of mention.

When that sport is played by rank amateurs in their own homes, absolutely.

So I take it you don't want to know what my headshot:accuracy:kill:death ratios are in Medal of Honor: Heroes II? Or how many self-destructs I have in SSB:B with young Link as opposed to even younger Link? Item knock offs with Pikachu? Metamatoes eaten with Luigi? Ad nauseam.

If you like that stuff, fine. So long as I have the option to not be forced to be subjected to it even finer. Also not having to pay a subscription for things that have been done free for years would be great.

CericJuly 07, 2011

Quote from: StrawHousePig

Quote from: Ceric

I will say that for any stat in any "game"  Is hitting a ball somewhat consistently an Achievement?  By your account every sport is not worthy of mention.

When that sport is played by rank amateurs in their own homes, absolutely.

So I take it you don't want to know what my headshot:accuracy:kill:death ratios are in Medal of Honor: Heroes II? Or how many self-destructs I have in SSB:B with young Link as opposed to even younger Link? Item knock offs with Pikachu? Metamatoes eaten with Luigi? Ad nauseam.

If you like that stuff, fine. So long as I have the option to not be forced to be subjected to it even finer. Also not having to pay a subscription for things that have been done free for years would be great.

Most achievements aren't that granular and for the record I would like those statistics available.  When done properly achievements are actually hard and something an amateur wouldn't be able to do but someone at the Olympic level could, using Olympics because they seem to want to stay a bit below professional.

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