Iwata interview...

http://www.gamespy.com/articles/505/505234p1.html?fromint=1

5 pages, nice read. (read it!)

http://media.gamespy.com/columns/image/03_1081464692.jpg
Nintendo HQ sure is a exciting building!

I see where they got the design of the GameCube from now. If that building was only purple (indigo) it would be the spitting image of the system.

No handle. :D

Dammit DMiller! You beat me to it! :D

I bet they have lots of cool stuff inside that building...

In that building, on someone's hard drive... is Zelda hentai.

Miyamoto's, I imagine. :D

What I would do to visit that building. Man oh man...

i have one pornographic zelda image. it's funny.

What I would do to visit that building. Man oh man...


Come on, OB1! Let's go to Japan and break into Nintendo's headquarters!!

Alright!!!


*is too poor and lazy*

... come on someone read the article, it's interesting...

... come on someone read the article, it's interesting...

I'm too tired from all the AP History work I've been doing.

...

...

James K. Polk!!

...

Knights of Labor!!

...

Battle of Bull Run!!

...

...

...

THEY SHOT JAMES A. GARFIELD!!!! *head explodes ala Scanners*

They? But it was only one man! :)

I'll read it tomorrow.

Ok I'm reading the article, and as per usual Iwata says some crazy things.


"When it comes to the philosophy of making hardware, our philosophy is completely different than the direction Microsoft is taking," says Iwata. "I think they are simply looking toward beefed up technology for the next-generation console. And from the developers' and programmers' point of view, that kind of machine will be very difficult to work with. In the end, there will not be a sufficient reward in exchange for the hardships they will need to endure.
"That should create an opportunity for Nintendo because we are trying to make unique hardware -- not just a beefed-up version of GameCube, but something that will be easy to program. In the long run, that will make game development on our new system more profitable."
Since when is MS going to make their new system difficult to develop for? The X-Box is more powerful than the GC yet developers haven't expressed any problems developing for the X-Box. And with MS's very cool XNA plan, developing for the X-Box 2 should be a cinch.

Again this is just Nintendo's excuse to not make their next system as powerful as the competition's, which is a huge mistake.
According to Iwata, the technological jump from the current generation of consoles to the next will be so incremental that most consumers will hardly notice the difference. Perhaps he is correct, but he is hedging his bets.
I seriously hope he's joking. The new Unreal 3 tech demo is just a glimpse of what the next generation of gaming will be like, and it's already several times more graphically impressive than any game of 2004. If Nintendo is making their N5 technology with the hope that the next generation of systems won't look much better than the current generation, they are screwed.
"I think that its biggest shortcoming was that we were late in launching it," says Iwata. "Because of that delay, our competitors were able to create a large install base for their consoles. Even though it was easier for software developers to create games for GameCube, because of the delay, the developers had a chance to learn more about our competitors' machines. In the end, we could not match that advantage."


While that is part of the reason, it doesn't explain how MS has taken second place in North America and Europe.

They? But it was only one man!

Obviously you don't know anything about the "shot from the grassy knowl!!!111"!

...

Wait, that was JFK...

I thought that was Old Man Tarnerson.

Yeah, it was him too.

While that is part of the reason, it doesn't explain how MS has taken second place in North America and Europe.

They have to say that because they can't admit that there are other factors involved...


I seriously hope he's joking. The new Unreal 3 tech demo is just a glimpse of what the next generation of gaming will be like, and it's already several times more graphically impressive than any game of 2004. If Nintendo is making their N5 technology with the hope that the next generation of systems won't look much better than the current generation, they are screwed.[/QUOTE]

Still, I'm sure that whatever hardware they end up with will be competitive. He doesn't say that they'd have it be far behind, just that they'd want it to things that are different as well...

Since when is MS going to make their new system difficult to develop for? The X-Box is more powerful than the GC yet developers haven't expressed any problems developing for the X-Box. And with MS's very cool XNA plan, developing for the X-Box 2 should be a cinch.

Again this is just Nintendo's excuse to not make their next system as powerful as the competition's, which is a huge mistake.

... Microsoft? Easy to program for? Uh, those are in the same sentence? :)

The X-Box is reportedly very easy to develop for, and MS's XNA idea has many developers extremely excited.

Very easy for people who are used to developing for PCs, I'm sure...

And that's a bad thing because...

It doesn't mean it's easy, just that they're used to it. :)

So the comments that the PS2 had a lead they couldn't match did have truth to them, the developers had time to get used to the complexity of the PS2...

It's still easy.

Because the XBN will be running, supposedly, more Mac-like hardware? :D

XBN?

X-Box Next!

It's not going to be like a mac.

Then what is it?

:erm:

As in haven't we heard that it'll change the hardware platform, etc, dramatically? To something more Maclike (or Gamecubelike?)?

I have no idea what you're trying to say...

Macs use CPUs manufactured by IBM, and so does the Gamecube and so will the X-Box Next. The current X-Boxes use Pentiums.

I don't see, however, how that would make it very different to develop for. The only real difference would be the compiler they use for the code. And I'm sure Microsoft will provide that to developers along with any other neccessary tools.

Holy screwed up double posting!

With MS's XNA program or plan (whatever you want to call it), developing new games for the X-Box 2 should be even easier than developing for the N5. XNA was basically created to make development much easier and faster and to make the transition from old hardware to new hardware seemless.

Do you think the consoles will launch at the same time?

Yes, the IBM CPU. And the many rumors of no backwards compatibility. The fact that it's leaving NVidia for ATI also says that there are big changes in the X-Box 2... 'More Maclike' doesn't sound like a bad characterization to me. Whether it's good or bad, I don't know, but it seems to be what's happening.

So because it will use an IBM CPU and an ATI card it's mac-like? :erm:

Not so much the ATI thing, but IBM... well, IBM makes Mac-like CPUs. Like, oh, the one in the Gamecube? :)

That doesn't make it Mac-like.

I wish I was Mac-like.

You are, bubba. You are.

Huh. I always thought I was more of a Von Neumann.

Only in Truffles.

And why not?

Why not truffles?

And why doesn't a IBM CPU and that other stuff make it closer to a mac (hardware-wise, obviously...)?

IBM also makes hardware for PCs. And what "other stuff" are you referring to? That's all you've got.

...incompatibility with X-Box games?

Look, of course it'll run some variant of an MS OS, but that doesn't mean the hardware won't be quite different.

So... because the hardware won't be the exact same and it won't be able to run X-Box games, it's Mac-like? :erm:

Well we will see in a few weeks. But can you think of a better characterization, based on what we know?

They should base the XBox Next on Amiga hardware.

Well we will see in a few weeks. But can you think of a better characterization, based on what we know?

Yes. It's still going to be a very PC-like console.

Just with an IBM CPU... does IBM even still MAKE Intel-style CPUs?

Who cares? Is a Mac like a GC because the same company makes its CPUs? That's retarded. ATI also makes video cards for Macs, so I guess that means that my PC is very Mac-like, right? :whatever:

A GC IS like a Mac, you know... hardware-wise...

It's as much like a PC as it is like a Mac.

And how so?

Let's see...

It has a CPU, a video card, and RAM. Three things both PCs and Macs have! Amazing, huh?

... that is the stupidest arguement of all time! When you say something is more like a Mac in hardware or a PC you're obviously just talking about the differences, not the similarities...

Yes this so-called argument is very stupid. Your whole argument is based off of the fact that the XB2 and GC use IBM CPUs. That's incredibly dumb.

And rumors. :)

Not the strongest arguement I'll admit, but you can't completely dismiss it...

There's no argument there!

arguement, as in point, as in issue, etc... not as in 'we are arguing over it'...

Yes that's what I meant. There's no point to what you're saying.

Then there is no point to what you are saying either...

My point is that you have no point!

And thus continuing what is by your own arguement a pointless discussion?

Precisely!

The point here is that you both have points that the other doesn't have a point and that the other's point is not a point, rather a non-point. Point. Point. Point. *points*

*dodges point*

:D

*Points at Vulture*

*party battles Vulture*

*Great Rumbler casts "No Pants"* *Vulture flees*

*big guy comes running*

did someone just cast "no pants?"

*charges 100 gil to cast protect on passers by far from town for a few hours*

*buys a house*

*Great Rumbler casts "Forclose" on DJ's house*

*DJ doesn't know what a forclosure is, though DJ is aware of it's existance*

*Great Rumbler casts "Enlightenemt" on DJ* *DJ gains 3 intelligence*

DJ: So that's what it means!!

*lazyfatbum casts "Pick nose" and does so very well*

*lazyfatbum gains +2 to Repulsiveness (R Ability)*

*lazyfatbum loses -3 to Dignity (S Ability)*

Dammit

*Great Rumbler casts "Destroy Thread"* *Spell fizzles*

*Casts Disco Dance* *Suddenly everyone is wearing polyester and doing the hustle*

Do the hustle! Woo!! *casts "Disco Lights*

Spells only fail if you get interrupted while casting them!

...

*shoots GR with arrow so that spell fails*

...

*casts Silence, 15' Radius, to stop the music*

...

*is still playing BG2 with most of his free time*

*Casts "Resurrect" on self* *Casts "Dance Fever" on ABF*

You can't resurrect yourself when you're DEAD! :)

... Someone else has to do it.

...

Unless your health is below -10, that is; at that point you hit permanant death... but don't worry, you can't be attacked when at impermanant death, so as long as the hit didn't go that low you're safe for the time being.

Look, I can do things like that, alright? I don't need your permission to resurrect myself, okay?! *Casts "Platform Shoes" on ABF*

And besides all the RPG rules EVER MADE apply to this thread! So long as SOME RPG has done it before, do it here!

*automatic "makes no sense" schizophrenic class ability continues it's effects*

*equips one of those guitars that are like... double guitars... ya know? For +40 to attack power and +20% to accuracy, and +a smajillion to funk*

I have a +3/+3 Afro of Funk you can borrow.

Yeah! Mix those stat systems!

My guitar thingy randomly casts "rock" though.

*casts Summon Kidney Stone on Beakman, from the show Beakman's world... with the giant rat...*

Have you ever played an RPG where a dead character can cast 'Resurrect' on themself? :)

... and my +3 Talking Sword... I'll make it a gift! How long until its stupid comments make you go insane...

Oh, and GR, you were right. Spells can fail, if your Intelligence is low enough...

Yes I have :D. In Final Fantasy 7, there is a "final move" enhancement materia that lets you use whatever materia is linked to it as an automatic counter upon that character's death. While a final attack is nice enough, just attach the life materia and you automatically bring yourself back to life when you die. For that matter, attach Phoenix and you bring the whole party back and deal fire damage upon death :D. It only works as many times as it's level is at though (I think it's highest level is 4).

Also, you've played WC3, so you should know the Tauren hero has an auto ressurect ability. Not really an RPG though, but it's an RTS with RPG elements.

Ha! Take that, ABF!

The solution however is to just kill him a few more times so the number of ressurects run out.

What about Auto Life and the Angel Ring!? It's all you need! GO GO FF TIT-TACS!

Oh and,

*casts 'Abnormally Stupid Replies for a Person his Age' on ABF*

Hmm... it had no effect... I wonder why... hmm....

Lemme try another one,

*casts 'Ignorant backtalk and slow thought process' on ABF*

No effect from that one either... hmm.....

Also, the VERY last boss of FFX is ridiculously lacking in anything close to challenge, because all your characters infinitly auto revive.

Yes I have . In Final Fantasy 7, there is a "final move" enhancement materia that lets you use whatever materia is linked to it as an automatic counter upon that character's death. While a final attack is nice enough, just attach the life materia and you automatically bring yourself back to life when you die. For that matter, attach Phoenix and you bring the whole party back and deal fire damage upon death . It only works as many times as it's level is at though (I think it's highest level is 4).

Also, you've played WC3, so you should know the Tauren hero has an auto ressurect ability. Not really an RPG though, but it's an RTS with RPG elements.

WC3 is an RTS. That doesn't count. :) ... okay, so there is some games with auto-ressurect items. But I said spells, not items... :D Sure, it's a minor difference, but... I think I'm right in some respect. Auto-things might kick in but you can't cast spells after death. :)

I beat BG2. :( 2 1/2 weeks of 4-6 hours probably 6 days a week will do that, though... yeah, I got kind of addicted...

Look, ABF, you're wrong, okay? Stop whining about it just because I know what I'm doing and you're just a little newbie who still uses low-level weapons and armor and gets killed by the imps on the first level even though you spent all your money on healing items which didn't work in the first place because you were stupid enough to buy them from the village drunk who actually sold you some grass that he believed was a curative.

*Attempts to cast Prophecy from Skies of Arcadia* *Remembers you need 4 people for that* *Swears loudly* *Casts 8675309 on Lazyfatbum*

*Casts "Summon Spam"* *Spam appears* Yay!

ABF, regarding FF7, I was TALKING about magic. FF7's magic system, like all FF games, is somewhat unique. Rather than JUST spells, or maybe scrolls to learn them from, there is materia. The only way to cast magic is to channel it from said materia, using MP to do so. The final attack ressurection thing is certainly magic. BAM!

ABF, regarding FF7, I was TALKING about magic. FF7's magic system, like all FF games, is somewhat unique. Rather than JUST spells, or maybe scrolls to learn them from, there is materia. The only way to cast magic is to channel it from said materia, using MP to do so. The final attack ressurection thing is certainly magic. BAM!

Okay... but I still don't get how a dead character would use it on themselves... it kicks in automatically?

Yes, ABF! Have you not been listening?!

Fine, so there is one exception... oh joy, you sure showed me...

Hs eurs did!

Ws eurs did!

Ysah...

Ws ars ueing a escrst cods!!

Hs'll nsvsr bs able to figurs it out!!

...

...

...

...

What?

It's working too good!

Actually, I did understand you. I just acted like I didn't because it would be funny.

GAEP!!!!

OOH!

Shazbot!

Insane, Water And Nipple Testicle, Anus Necrophiliac Yellow Octopus Nose Ethiopia, Transformer Orifice, Frankenstien Igloo Giraffe Urine Rancid Elvis, Tits Helicopter Isotope Shit, Orange Unicorn Transvestite.

?

Well...I thought it made sense.

I was just wondering if I could hide a secret message really well.

I think it worked.

I got the secret message.

Like the brick PETA put in San Diego's new Petco Park! "Break Open Your Cold Ones! Toast The Padres! Enjoy This Championship Organization!" :)

This is true, BTW.

PETA is dumb.

Kids, PETA is great. Did you see their ads with those hot naked chicks? Hell yeah, boy! Bo would like to see lots more of that!