Revolution Rumors - namlas@ign

Rumor	Who said?
GYROSCOPIC CONTROL	Brooke, Aries
TOUCHSCREEN INTEGRATION	Brooke
WIRELESS	Brooke, Aries
3D Projection	Brooke

Brooke and Aries agree that the controller will have...:

GYROSCOPIC CONTROL: Several sources have suggested that the new control scheme will SUPPORT positional shifts a la Kirbys Tilt n Tumble.
This means that not EVERY game will require you to pull a Pisa, but that Nintendo is championing the integration of this feature into at least one of their launch games.
Talking with several developers, we agreed that this could work well for navigation games and maybe some sports experiencesbut its nothing theyd be eager to program for.

Brooke states that the controller will have...:

TOUCHSCREEN INTEGRATION: Ive heard from more than one reputable source that either a DS style touchscreen or an actual proprietary PDA device with be part of the new controller.
As you discussed yesterday in COMMENTS, this makes sense with Nintendos technology partners, the creation of the DS, and Nintendos push towards tactile experiences.
Not a hard thing to program for and most likely a smart move, as Microsoft and PS3 will almost assuredly support some sort of integrated screen/handheld configuration.

Brooke and Aries agree that the revolution will utilize...:

WIRELESS: I popped up some clues yesterday regarding what Ive heard about their wireless plans, and can most assuredly state that the unit will ship with wireless controllers like X-Box 2.
But as IGN and others have pointed out, Nintendos pushing hard with their wireless technology and partnerships, and my sources support that it will go well beyond mere controller connection and into the realm of some serious data transfer: touchscreen/pda and machine, player-to-player, Rev to DS, Rev to PC, and Rev to Rev (both in-home and with locally based wireless tribes).

Brooke believes that the Revolution will have 3D projection capabilities...:

Okay. No major revelations there, but I bet its got you thinking about future game design and interactive potential, yes? Yesbut for me, the first twinge of excitement regarding this machine didnt come until the final pieces of the long-rumoured DISPLAY puzzle fell into place: - the IGN boys posted this regarding a patent for Nintendos upcoming display technology, which I linked to a few days ago.
It doesnt take a rocket scientist to glean that this conceptually portrays a form of 3D image projection.

- at a major film conference called ShoWest just last month, a panel featuring George Lucus, Robert Zemekis, James Cameron, Robert Rodriguez, and a satellite feed from Peter Jackson has studio reps, journalists, and theatre owners seriously jazzed about their plans to integrate cheap digital stereoscopic 3D (like recent IMAX features or the oldschool Captain EO experience at Epcot) into ALL major chains by 2007.
Lucas even showed several minutes of the original STAR WARS with remapped visuals that popped off the screen and hovered in front of audience members.
When an agent friend of mine was chatting with Rodriguez (there to pump Sin City and discuss his experiences with Spy Kids 3D), he mentioned how they were aware of a game machine beating them to the mainstream 3D market.

the next day, I contacted another strangely influential industry pal/pundit and shared my thesis purely for funs sake (and perhaps some extremely lame bragging rights).
The final shiny block of tetrisy knowledge slid into place when he excitedly shared the following - that the Big N had shown a real-time 3D add-on for Gamecube behind closed doorsAT LAST YEARS E3. It has since gone MIA. This is the sound of four rows dropping.

Aries says:

You guys are still talking about the 3D angle of that article? Check the date of the patent in question.
This has already been used in a game thats out right now. I would suggest you pay attention to IGN or N-Sider more.

Like I said, Im going to give out some details on the next gen hardware, especially the Nintendo Revolution.
You guys already know a lot of information on the Xbox 360; you guys have already seen the specs of the system. Gamespy released them around GDC.
I was at GDC, and Ill fill you in on some stuff that IGN cant talk about.
Specs and details on the Nintendo Revolution were given out to developers during the conference.
I can verify that my company as well as EA and Midway received them at GDC. Im positive other publishers received them as well.

From what Ive heard, Capcom and Namco are sold on the Revolution and are currently playing around with the development kits.
I dont know whether they are actually making games for it though.
I was suprised to hear that Square Soft has a game in development for the Revolution. It will be at E3 as well as some other next gen titles for the PS3.

Im currently working on a game for the Revolution as well.
I cant guarantee that it will be at E3 though. I think people are going to be very suprised.
When I worked with Nintendo, I was able to see the earliest builds of the system.
It has come a long way, to say the least. There are a lot of graphics whores out there who feel the Revolution will be a weak system. They will be very suprised come E3.

Microsoft is banking on stealing the show, but I think they will be upstaged by Nintendo as well as Sony.
Its going to be very funny to see them trying to get people excited about Perfect Dark 0 when both Nintendo and Sony will be showing off Halo killers. am a liar? Im a gamer just like you, Dood.
Now, I get to be a gamer and work on them as well. Its a great thing.

Im not going to share specs with you because they arent really that important.

I think Iwata said something like that when asked the same question. All three consoles are going to be very powerful, trust me.
Ill give you some information though: it will be more powerful than the Xbox 360. Much more powerful. Many gamers seem to think it will be as powerful as the GBA or something.
That isnt the case at all. From what I saw during my time their as well as our game, it will be very capible.
But having the most powerful console doesnt guarantee that gamers are going to buy it. Software sells the games. And if that statement holds true next generation, the Nintendo Revolution will be very popular.

In my next post I will spill the beans on everything I know about the Revolution.

Ill give you some hints though. All the rumors out there are not mere rumors.
Some are planted by people who are working on the consoles. In fact, Nintendo is doing this right now with the information theyve released on the Revolution.

You are going to see why Nintendo hasnt just come out and said confirmed that the Revolution is going to be very powerful.
Youre going to be punkd by them in a couple weeks. Pay attention to the boards, especially Nintendos board. Its much better than OurColony.

Here you go:

Brooke got some things right, but much of it is flawed.
I dont know whether he just made up a lot of that stuff, because many of the points have been disproven before. For instance, Game Informer wrote an article on the next generation consoles in which it claims the Revolutions controller will have one giant touch screen.
Im thinking this is where Brooke got that idea.
The Revolution will not have a touch screen. Iwata has stated this before. The controller will be quite normal in the sense that it will have a d-pad and buttons.

Like I said, Im not going to tell you the revolutionary aspect of the system. Nintendo has some cool pre E3 plans for that.

First off, the 3D visuals he mentioned have nothing to do with the system. Nintendo isnt crazy.
It will also have gyroscopic controls, but like Brooke said, not all the games will use it.
For instance, earlier I mentioned Nintendo has a Halo killer in development for the Revolution. This game will use the gyroscopic controls for aiming as wel as other things.
Our game isnt using this function.

The controller will be wireless; hes right about that.
As you also know, the Xbox 360s controllers will be wireless as well.

Where do you think they got this idea? Thats why Nintendo is still trying to determine what to show at E3.
From what Ive heard, they will show the design of the system as well as games. Ill tell you about the software later though.

The controller will also be pressure sensitive.

The pressure you put into it will determine certain things, such as movement.
This is another optional capibility.
Someone on Nintendos board mentioned this months ago. They said that touching is good, but feeling is better.

This may sound strange, but it provides great controls. Racing games will really be helped by this control setting.

The Nintendo Revolution will also include voice control more advanced than anything seen so far. Nintendogs is just the beginning.

To achieve this, Nintendo sent us headsets (similar to ones you can use for Xbox Live) that are wirelessless communicating with the console.

Imagine being able to merely call for an airstrike or reload your gun by giving out commands orally.
So far, we have put this feature to the test the most; as you can see, Im excited over this feature. From a graphical perspective, the Nintendo Revolution is very powerful.

Many people seem to think this wont be the case, but rest assured. The games I saw while working at Nintendo were very beautiful. Ill tell you about those later.

As Nintendo has stated before, the system will be online.
In my eyes, the online system they have set up is the most revolutionary part of the system. While Sony and Microsoft are busy turning their systems into trojan horses for their other electronic devices, Nintendo is going to use the Revolution for direct communication with gamers.
The only way I can describe it is as an internet service. Imagine turning it on and checking your mail on the system. You see previews and demos of DS and Revolution games that you can download.
A magazine similar to Nintendo Power will be exclusive to the system, and you will be able to access it on the Revolutions homepage.
As you check you mail, you will also see various invitations from gamers on your buddy list who want to play you.
There are so many other ways this is going to be used.
Once the Revolution comes out, there will be no reason to hang out on message boards. Message boards as well as chat rooms will be available on the Revolution so that gamers can discuss and challenge each other all day.
And the best thing is that the entire thing is totally free and easy to use. Why play Madden on Xbox Live when youll be able to play it for free on the Revolution with much better services?

Thats all Im going to reveal for now.
There are some very interesting games in the horizon for the Revolution; Ill talk about them later.

Like Brooke said, console ideas are nothing without good games. Once you see the games, you will understand.
I would go as far to say that the Revolution isnt as revolutionary as Nintendo is saying.
It should be called the Nintendo Simplicity, because every aspect I mentioned greatly simplifies the gaming experience. For instance, the pressure sensitive grips on the controller make racing games much easier to control and play.
Wave Race (yes, it will be at E3) is going to be very impressive because it will use this function. It will be sort of like controlling a game with one of those stress balls.
You squeeze it and you go faster. Its hard to explain though. Dont expect to see too much if any of the controller at E3 though.
Nintendo is still trying to decide what to show and what not to show. The games will be revealed, as well as specs and the system design. But the controller is still being considered.

To Jesus: when you see the voice controls, you will be blown away.

Go back and watch some sci fi movies with voice controlled vehicles (such as AI or I am Robot).

Monkey C: Interesting questions. From what Im hearing, the Revolution will have some impressive 3rd party support around launch.
EA, Capcom, Namco, Konami, Majesto, Squaresoft (sorry, I still call them that), and my company are supporting it so far.
Im sure others are working on stuff.
For instance, I dont see why a game like Soul Caliber III wont be on the Revolution.

Squaresoft has a game ready for E3, as well as Zoonami.

So yes, it looks like it will get better 3rd party support.
But this could change if the system is unsuccessful.

Im currently working on one Revolution game. Right now, we are still in the early stages of development.
We have alot of concrete things down, but not enough to show I dont think. Of course this could change if our publisher wants us to show our hand at E3.
We are working on a 3rd person action game.
It is a recreation of a classic series that I felt could have been one of the most successful IPs of the 1990s. It will include the pressure sensitive controls I mentioned, but they will be optional.

We are also using the voice controls for weapon and vehicle customization as well as AI controls.

Since the game will be online, we are putting the online function to the test. Right now its going to provide 40 person multiplayer battles, but this could change (and increase) in time.
We are also excited about using the revolutionary aspect of the system to create new ways to experience the genre.
It will be like Halo and Ratchet and Clank 3 mixed.

Heck, heres a hint (if you get it, Ill tell you who I work for):
Master Chief wasnt the first galatic hero to don green.

Someone guesses that he's talking about Vectorman up-top....

Well, you guys are a smart bunch.
I dont work for Sega, but they are letting us work on the Vectorman IP. We are developing it for them.
So, I have given you our current publisher, but Im not giving out the developer stuudio.

To Jesus: No, I havent revealed the revolutionary aspect of it.
I just dont want to give it away. Like I said, Nintendo has a great idea for introducing it to the world.
Its going to be very cool, and Id hate to spoil that. It will be the ultamate prank.
Watch The Game with Michael Douglas. It will be that cool.
I think it is impressive, but not as revolutionary as they are saying.
For instance, there was no hype about the analog stick when it was revealed. It just made games easier to control.
This aspect of it id very easy to use like everything else in the Revolution. Everyone will be able to understand it.

Madrid asks about Aries' job conditions and how he's able to post on the blog since he must be very busy as a developer....

Madrid, you are correct in many ways. My job is very stressful.
But I am on break this week, so that allowed me to catch up on this blog.
We read IGN and the other sites all the time. Ive hung out with guys from Game Informer on many occasions.
Next week, I doubt you will hear from me too much, if at all.
So this week I will fill you all in on what I know.

Tommorrow Ill give you details on the Revolutions games. I want to wait and hear what Brooke has to say about this as well. He said hes going to reveal some software information. Lets see how accurate it is.