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Wii Businesses Nintendo

Wii Games Go Online, Lose Happy Clouds 148

Posted by Zonk from the but-the-happy-clouds dept.
Ars Technica has the news of some comments made by Reggie Fils-Aime on the SpikeTV show GameHead about Wii's online multiplayer future. Essentially, there aren't any games in the near future to look forward to, online. The Japanese launch saw the inclusion of Pokemon Battle Revolution, a with a solid online mode. The first batch of online games is slated for sometime around March or April. From the article: "Many games still in development for the Wii are designed around playing with people who are physically present: a recent preview of a new anime-themed golf game for the Wii on Electric Playground revealed that the developers had not included online multiplayer modes. Fils-Aime also indicated that new multiplayer channels were on their way for the Wii's online service, but declined to give any details about what new features might be enabled on them." In somewhat related news, it seems that the Bob Ross game may not end up happening after all. The loss of happy little clouds will be felt by every Wii owner.
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Wii Games Go Online, Lose Happy Clouds More

Wii Games Go Online, Lose Happy Clouds

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  • Online Wii killer app... (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Pojut ( 1027544 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:01PM (#17137474) Homepage
    You heard me say it here and now folks. If the new Smash Brothers is online-capable, and they do it right...holy shit.

    • Re:Online Wii killer app... (Score:3, Insightful)

      by Thansal ( 999464 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:12PM (#17137630)
      Yup, way back when they actualy said that SB:B would be out, online, onrelease. I don't mind the delay, I just want them to get it right.

    • Re:Online Wii killer app... (Score:3, Informative)

      by Hott of the World ( 537284 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:13PM (#17137658) Homepage Journal
      Just the implication of what it will mean for Nintendo, will guarantee that they won't "do it right".

      I'm hoping and wishing as much as the next guy, but the smart money is on being let down with the multiplayer aspects. I don't blame them, much. Multiplayer is damn hard to do right. Especially on a console.

      and It's damned impossible to do it for free.

    • Re:Online Wii killer app... (Score:4, Insightful)

      by seebs ( 15766 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:27PM (#17137874) Homepage
      I can't imagine a playable online version of Smash Brothers; I don't have good enough latency to play it from anywhere to anywhere else. Way too much immediate response involved.

      • Re:Online Wii killer app... (Score:2)

        by John Courtland ( 585609 ) on Thursday December 07, 2006 @11:13AM (#17145972)
        I'd be more upset that I can't see the face of the guy that I edge-cheap @ 15% damage. That's the best part of the game.

    • Re:Online Wii killer app... (Score:1)

      by Hubbell ( 850646 ) <brianhubbellii@Nospam.live.com> on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:33PM (#17137972)
      If Ness isn't nerfed to shit like he was in SSB:M, and the online is done right, I may need a new pair of pants every time I play.
      On that note, they raped Ness in SSB:M compared to SSB for the 64. He was the most underrated character, yet one of if not the most powerful in the hands of someone who knew how to play him correctly. Psychic Bubble body slam = impossible to block, and extremely hard to dodge :)

    • Re:Online Wii killer app... (Score:1)

      by erbbysam ( 964606 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:47PM (#17138194) Homepage
      I'd be seriously concerned about SSB online. Being a fairly serious player I know a lot about how much timing plays a role in a match. Even if one player was lagging a little bit then the game would be almost unplayable for both players, but it they can pull it off... as you put it holy shit.

    • Re:Online Wii killer app... (Score:2, Interesting)

      by gorbachev ( 512743 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:49PM (#17138230) Homepage
      Nintendo Wii won't have an online killer app unless they develop voice chatting capabilities first.

      Without that feature it'll always play second fiddle to the XBox 360 in the online multiplayer gaming arena.

      That being said, Wii Sports Bowling with voice chat and online multiplay tournaments would totally take names and kick ass.

      • Re:Online Wii killer app... (Score:5, Insightful)

        by AuMatar ( 183847 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:59PM (#17138396)
        THe complete opposite- voice is ok when with your guild, but with random players? Totally ruins the experience. I really don't want to hear random 13 year olds whining when I kick their ass, or dragging when they kick mine. Or random chatter about their lives that I quite honestly don't give a damn about.

        • Re:Online Wii killer app... (Score:2)

          by SuperRob ( 31516 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @07:22PM (#17138688) Homepage
          Agreed. Voice Chat, while a killer feature, is what keeps me off Xbox Live unless I'm playing solely with friends.

          That being said, Nintendo's system enforces a friends-only online rule, so in theory, this should completely alleviate that problem. So could the port at the bottom of the Wiimote accommodate a headset? Not sure what the throughput is like on that port, but the Bluetooth implementation of the Wiimote shouldn't have a problem. Hell, theoretically you could use the Wiimote speaker like a walkie-talkie, but that would get tedious, not to mention that shoddy quality.

        • Re:Online Wii killer app... (Score:2)

          by Proud like a god ( 656928 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @07:25PM (#17138748) Homepage
          Can't you turn the damned voice off if you don't want to listen to random people, but on when you know it's a friend?

        • Re:Online Wii killer app... (Score:2)

          by gorbachev ( 512743 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @08:34PM (#17139708) Homepage
          That's why you don't play with random people. I haven't played matchmaking ranked or unranked games on XBL for ages.

          I belong to a large adult online gaming community. We play custom games amongst each other. There's nothing like it.

          Without voice chat, however, it'd just be like playing against a CPU with AI that actually works.

          • Re:Online Wii killer app... (Score:2)

            by AuMatar ( 183847 ) on Thursday December 07, 2006 @03:35AM (#17142796)
            And the problem with that is? If I want to play socially, I'll join a guild. 99% of the time I'm playing online, its only for increased challenge- an AI that works. Having it be a silent one (except for a gg or the like) is an improvement.

            • Re:Online Wii killer app... (Score:2)

              by gorbachev ( 512743 ) on Thursday December 07, 2006 @09:44AM (#17144852) Homepage
              No problem at all.

              That is if your idea of playing socially is doing so in an environment where everyone is deaf and mute. That's kinda like going for drinks with your buddies and communicate by passing notes. Wicked awesome!

              If you are satisfied by communicating through text only, good for you. I'm not, and neither are the people I play online multiplayer video games with. That's why the ones who play WoW in the online gaming community I belong to use TeamSpeak.

              All this is moot anyway, because on the Nintendo Wii, due to the design of the controller, voice chatting would be the only reasonable way to communicate with other players anyway. I'd like to see you type 'gg' while holding the controller and the nunchuk, nevermind something more complicated like discussing tactics during a multiplayer match of a squad-based FPS.

      • Re:Online Wii killer app... (Score:2)

        by Dark Paladin ( 116525 ) <jhummel.johnhummel@net> on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @07:25PM (#17138746) Homepage
        I'm afraid I must agree. First as a person, who is tired of hearing "Motherf---ing f-ing f-er! I'm going to rape you and your f-ing mother" when I play.

        Secondly, as a father, I don't want my children interacting with people like that.

        I rather like the Friends Code system - I know who's on my Wii, and who it communicates with, and I control the level of jerkitude I have to deal with.

        • Re:Online Wii killer app... (Score:2)

          by loraksus ( 171574 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @10:19PM (#17140652) Homepage
          Although I despise the "voice trolls" and think that voice chat has become pretty much useless because of them, I'm really confused by people who sit their 8 year old kids in front of a screen and let them play counterstrike or other violent games and then complain about vulgar language.

          I really don't see how you can feel that it is OK to have little Timmy splatter someone's brains all over a wall with a gun but it is patently offensive if he hears (or sees in text chat) the word "goddamnit".

          Don't even get me started on parents who play CS with their 3 year old kids sitting in their lap.

          Am I missing something here?

      • Re:Online Wii killer app... (Score:2)

        by loraksus ( 171574 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @10:07PM (#17140568) Homepage
        I used to think that voice chat was a really cool thing, until they introduced it in counterstrike a few years back.

        People carrying on conversations totally not related to the game, morons piping dreadfully low quality music in, children yelling racial slurs and giggling and other really stupid, inane and annoying stuff was a constant problem.

        The vast majority of people are just too immature.
        After a while I stopped blocking people and just turned voice off completely.

  • That's a shame... (Score:5, Funny)

    by EmDot ( 653116 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:03PM (#17137506)
    Don't they know all the world needs is a little Prussian Blue?

    • Re:That's a shame... (Score:5, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:09PM (#17137592)
      "All right, we are going to use a fan brush here and uh why don't you take some hunter green and we are going to put a happy little bush right down over here in the corner there and that'll just be our little secret and if you tell anyone that that bush is there I will come to your house and I will cut you." -- Bob Ross on The Family Guy

  • No Bob Ross game... (Score:2, Funny)

    by Elsan ( 914644 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:08PM (#17137572)
    This means I'll have to paint BY HAND!? ZOMG NO!

  • Friend codes (Score:4, Informative)

    by interiot ( 50685 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:11PM (#17137626) Homepage
    Honestly, even if there were multiplayer games, they'd still be hampered by friend codes. I understand Nintendo's motivations for using friend codes, but still, they're a pretty big drag on online multiplayer, especially for adults want to play by some other schedule than when their handful of friends are on.

    • Re:Friend codes (Score:3, Interesting)

      by UbuntuDupe ( 970646 ) * on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:15PM (#17137680) Journal
      Two questions:

      1) If they trust the adult to set up the system, and thereby determine if parental controls for games will be used, why not trust that adult to determine if friend codes are necessary?

      2) Why won't they allow an online mode where you can hook up with anyone, but not talk (or are confined to standardized questions/comments)?

      • Re:Friend codes (Score:5, Informative)

        by Defiant00 ( 786745 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:26PM (#17137858) Homepage
        Based off of the DS' implementation of friend codes, you can play with random people (and in the case of Clubhouse Games it removes the drawing/chat and instead just lets you pick standard questions/comments as well). The only thing friend codes are for is for playing with your friends, not making it so you cannot play with anyone else.

        Of course, you can select to play with only those who you are friends with, but that does not prohibit you from being randomly matched up with an opponent who you have not exchanged codes with.

        The only game that I know of that you had to have a friend code for was Animal Crossing, and that merely because the average person wouldn't want random visitors trashing their towns.

        Games that allow random play:
        Mario Kart
        Tetris
        Clubhouse Games
        Metroid Prime Hunters

        I'm sure I'm forgetting a few more, but those are the ones I have.

        • Re:Friend codes (Score:2)

          by MonkeyCookie ( 657433 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @08:06PM (#17139334)
          It's true. I was playing Mario Kart on my son's Nintento DS about 6 months ago and I discovered that I could race with other people who were looking to play at the same time. There weren't any people waiting to play in my region, but when I selected the option to look for players worldwide, I ended up racing several people with names comprised of Japanese characters.

          I lost to the Japanese players, but it sure was fun being able to play Mario Kart with some random people on the other side of the world. I hope the inevitable Wii version offers the same thing.

        • Re:Friend codes (Score:3, Informative)

          by mjhacker ( 922395 ) <mjhacker@nOsPAM.gmail.com> on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @08:28PM (#17139630) Journal
          Star Fox: Command
          LostMagic

          I don't see why everyone freaks out about Friend Codes... maybe they're just misinformed.

      • Re:Friend codes (Score:1)

        by npaufler ( 32275 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:31PM (#17137936)
        2) Why won't they allow an online mode where you can hook up with anyone, but not talk (or are confined to standardized questions/comments)?

        I'm assuming it will be similar to how they've done wifi DS titles. You can either choose to be matched up randomly with people, probably based on either some ranking or geographical area, or play directly with people on your friends list. It's also conceivable that, depending on the game, it might be like how Club House Games for the DS works. In that case, you can select certain predefined messages to send to people ('Good Game', 'Thanks', etc) if they are random people, but if you are playing with your friends, you get access to the Pictochat interface where you can draw pictures, and otherwise put in whatever you want.

        This should work well enough in facilitating gameplay with people you know, but also mitigating the trash talking 12 year old syndrome that seems to plague XBox live.

      • Re:Friend codes (Score:1)

        by Johnny_Law ( 701208 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:45PM (#17138164)
        Two questions:

        1) If they trust the adult to set up the system, and thereby determine if parental controls for games will be used, why not trust that adult to determine if friend codes are necessary?

        2) Why won't they allow an online mode where you can hook up with anyone, but not talk (or are confined to standardized questions/comments)?


        Two Answers

        1) No one ever said Nintendo can trust adults to setup the system. The Wii may be billed as an all generations system, but unless the Baby Boomers have changed in the past year it cannot be assumed that parents have any clue what the online parts of the Wii do and do not allow. As such Nintendo is wisely requiring everyone to follow the same steps that forces friends to already know each other before they can link up to share Mii's or eventually play games. If some kid were to randomly find and hook up with someone dangerous Nintendo would receive a slew of bad PR.

        Additionally, the Wii code looks to be a one time per console thing, so "friends" will only be inconvenienced once.

        2)They already do with most, if not all, compatible DS games. On the Wii, you will presumably be able to do the same thing.

      • Re:Friend codes (Score:2)

        by Paralizer ( 792155 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @07:12PM (#17138562) Homepage
        With firmware update support, it is possible for Nintendo to respond to such demand by including requested features in new patches. I just hope they don't abuse it and start adding/changing so much that it evolves into something entirely different (Valve likes to do this for some reason).

        I know next to nothing about Xbox360 and the PS3, maybe they do this too... I think it's a pretty cool feature. However, I don't like the fact that you do not have the option to deny firmware updates. Or can you (excluding removing your wireless access point so the Wii can't connect)?

        On a similar note, I would like to start playing around with developing my own games (or applications) on the Wii in the near future, but I fear the firmware update stuff may just counter anyones attempts to hack the system. I suppose from an antipiracy point of view (seriously, if you try to hack your console to play ROM's you're just a jackass ruining it for the rest of us) it's a good feature.

    • Re:Friend codes (Score:2)

      by HarvardFrankenstein ( 635329 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:19PM (#17137732) Homepage
      With any luck, the games will be able to just use the Wii system's friend code. It would make the most sense. I imagine the only reason they didn't do it like that for the DS is because NWC didn't launch until well after the DS launched.

    • Re:Friend codes (Score:1)

      by solidtransient ( 883338 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:23PM (#17137794) Homepage
      Well, on Mario Kart for the DS, you aren't forced to always play online with your friends. You can select random players from your area or world-wide. The friend code system is pretty useful IMO.

    • Re:Friend codes (Score:2)

      by jdubois79 ( 227349 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @08:08PM (#17139372)
      Everyone always harps on the Friend Codes, but I love em.
      I can play with my friends that I know in person, or that I chat with online, or even entire message board communities if I post my code somewhere.

      It also means I don't have to endure being team killed by a whiny little 12 year-old who just learned the word "cock-slut."

  • Bob Ross Would Be the Killer App on Wii (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Rude Turnip ( 49495 ) <.valuation. .at. .gmail.com.> on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:12PM (#17137634)
    Can anyone with a Wii (*snicker*) comment on how viable a Bob Ross game would be? In other words, does the Wiimote give you enough DPI (for lack of a better term) to give you precise motion for a painting program? I could zone out and relax for hours with something like that.

    • Re:Bob Ross Would Be the Killer App on Wii (Score:5, Informative)

      by hibiki_r ( 649814 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:30PM (#17137918)
      Since the wiimote doesn't try determine the size of your screen at all, just increasing the sensitivity would be enough to make a painting game as precise as they want. Almost every game menu uses the remote as a pointer anyway, so the resolution is definitely there.

      • Re:Bob Ross Would Be the Killer App on Wii (Score:2)

        by UbuntuDupe ( 970646 ) * on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @07:23PM (#17138698) Journal
        I've said this before, and I'll say it again:

        I don't understand why Nintendo didn't make it so you can better specify to the OS where your real screen boundaries are. I certainly understand why they wouldn't force you to do it on your first startup -- it might scare off too many new users. But to not even bury that kind of calibration deep within an "advanced options" menu?

        It certainly seems possible to me that a developer could have their own in-game calibration, and then it could regularly convert the OS's variables about what it thinks you're pointing at, to where you're really pointing via some mathematical transformation. Combine that with dead reckoning through the accelerometers, and they could make all kinds of great ideas work. (Maybe strap a wiimote to each limb for a dancing game?)

        The current method allows you to point -- but only if you can continuously *see* where it thinks you're pointing. What about shooting games where you're not supposed to have this luxury? It would have been so much easier to calibrate it all within the OS.

        • Re:Bob Ross Would Be the Killer App on Wii (Score:2)

          by Kredal ( 566494 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @08:06PM (#17139332) Homepage Journal
          I don't remember if it was in Zelda or in the main Wii menu, but somewhere during setup, I told the console how wide the sensor bar was on my TV (plus and minus buttons until the orange bar was just as wide as the sensor bar)... that would tell the console how big my TV is, and give it a more accurate spatial representation to work with.

          I guess that would have had to be in Zelda.

          • Re:Bob Ross Would Be the Killer App on Wii (Score:2)

            by UbuntuDupe ( 970646 ) * on Thursday December 07, 2006 @10:37AM (#17145462) Journal
            That must have been in Zelda. On my startup (and within the Wii options), all I could say was whether the bar is above or below. It allows you to adjust the graphical output's position relative to the screen, but this is just a standard monitor calibration feature.

            Well, it's reassuring that at least Zelda does that, but it's really something that should be done in the OS, since it's used across many games. If a game wants to use a different method, it's still free to do that. I mean, Trauma Center relies heavily on pointer accuracy, and it didn't have a calibration screen. Go fig.

    • Re:Bob Ross Would Be the Killer App on Wii (Score:3, Funny)

      by grammar fascist ( 239789 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @07:09PM (#17138526) Homepage
      Can anyone with a Wii (*snicker*) comment on how viable a Bob Ross game would be? In other words, does the Wiimote give you enough DPI (for lack of a better term) to give you precise motion for a painting program? I could zone out and relax for hours with something like that.

      I don't have a Wii (haha, *snicker*), but I do think the REAL Wii killer online multiplayer app would be Bob Ross. You could call it, like, Bob Ross and the Joy of Trashing Someone Else's Painting.

      The probabilities are truly boundless.

    • Re:Bob Ross Would Be the Killer App on Wii (Score:3, Insightful)

      by Total_Wimp ( 564548 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @07:20PM (#17138654)
      I got a chance to play with a friend's Wii. I was very impressed with the smoothness of the Wiimote, finding it much more precise and easy to use than my Gyrations mouse.

      That said, my guess would be that ergonomics would be an issue. The way you hold a Wiimote doesn't seem very similar to me to the way you'd hold a paint brush. Even the size of the thing would be an issue. It's not huge, but it's certainly no paint brush.

      Maybe I'm missing something here, but I'd be suprised if Wii painting ever caught on.

      TW

    • Re:Bob Ross Would Be the Killer App on Wii (Score:2)

      by Geoffreyerffoeg ( 729040 ) on Thursday December 07, 2006 @03:47AM (#17142878)
      Can anyone with a Wii (*snicker*) comment on how viable a Bob Ross game would be?

      It was in development. [ign.com] Unfortunately (I guess) it was later cancelled.

  • Well it's not online but... (Score:3, Funny)

    by kinglink ( 195330 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:17PM (#17137712)
    A couple games has some Wiiconnect24 support coming. Elebits will next week, and a couple other have plans for it.

    I'm tentative about claiming the Wii has any good online. Online is good and all but with out a solid online platform having to share friends codes is more than a little annoying. Especially if we are forced to both be on at the same time.

    I'm very hopeful for some good support, don't know how pokemon battle revolution does it but I know that won't be the breakaway hit for online..

  • Lame, I know... (Score:2)

    by IsoRashi ( 556454 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:21PM (#17137758)
    Online pokemon is going to be serious business.

    • Re:Lame, I know... (Score:2)

      by shoptroll ( 544006 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @11:19PM (#17141126)
      This has been the most obvious choice for Nintendo to launch into online with anyways. They already had some experience with Pokemon Crystal back on the GBC using a cell phone connector to communicate with other players for battles. It just makes a whole lot of sense. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if there's a Pokemon MMO in the works for the future. Aside from the fact that Pokemon is almost a psuedo alternate reality game anyways (the only thing an MMO could provide is not needing to seek out your friends in real life for trading). Mega Man Battle Network would've made an interesting MMO concept, if Capcom hadn't already beaten the dead horse in to the ground by the 4th installment....

      I'm also wondering if MP3: Corruption is going to get any sort of online capabilities. I don't see how exactly they'd go about doing multiplayer with the wiimote (methinks the smaller real estate for everyone would be really hard to use with the wiimote, since you'd need much more precise aim) while people are physically present. It almost seems like online is the only way to go.

      I'm just crossing my fingers that they come through with WiiConnect24 content for Twilight Princess, and they had better do it for Smash Bros (new stages, new characters anyone?), Mario Galaxy, and Animal Crossing. The inevitable Mario Kart Wii and F-Zero Wii must get the WiiConnect24 treatment as well (I think the old PC arcade racer Pod spoiled me with downloadable tracks and cars). Actually, I think most of Nintendo's franchises could very easily get Connect24 features without a whole lot of thought on Nintendo's part.

      I can live with the friend codes, but I really do wish they'd consider doing a global friend code that maps to all your other friend codes. Hell, they have a patent on a software messaging system which provides you a buddy list and what that person is doing. Why they haven't put it to use yet is completely beyond me. Or sued XFire for that matter.

      http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PT O2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-b ool.html&r=30&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=Nintendo. ASNM.&OS=AN/Nintendo&RS=AN/Nintendo [uspto.gov]

  • Mii Parade (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Ark42 ( 522144 ) <slashdot@@@morpheussoftware...net> on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:27PM (#17137880) Homepage

    I'm really sad that my Mii Parade is always empty. None of my friends can afford a Wii, so I never get to interact with others online. Why the heck isn't there an option to do something like enter your zip code and obtain Mii's from people within a certain radius from you or something?

    • Re:Mii Parade (Score:1)

      by Bluskale ( 633754 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:38PM (#17138050)
      that's not a bad idea... they should take a clue from, say, facebook, or some other social networking sites.

    • Re:Mii Parade (Score:3, Interesting)

      by $1uck ( 710826 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @06:40PM (#17138086)
      It couldn't be that hard to set up a website to do just that could it? Share friend codes? make lists based on geographical regions. I don't own a wii so I don't know whats involved in the friend codes. But I should think you could trade them online.

      • Re:Mii Parade (Score:2)

        by Cyno01 ( 573917 ) <Cyno01@hotmail.com> on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @07:30PM (#17138822) Homepage
        Its still an extra step. I only have one friend with a wii, basically you have to go through a couple of menus to find your friend code, send it to them via some other means, and they have to send you theirs back, you have to know eachothers before you can communicate via the wii. Kind of a PITA, but its not too bad. Wish more of my friends had wiis though, theres only ever a few in my mii parade from the one guy...

        • Re:Mii Parade (Score:2)

          by $1uck ( 710826 ) on Thursday December 07, 2006 @09:55AM (#17144952)
          Give it some time... I'm not a huge console gamer, but I plan on getting a wii once its feasible with out much effort (the price will probably drop by that time too ). I have a feeling this system will appeal a lot more to the casual gamers, and the casual gamers aren't going to be fighting with people over the 4 in stock. I really hate the limited supply bs, and I think its just a ploy to build hype.

      • Sounds like a Web 2.0 app in the making! (Score:3, Interesting)

        by patio11 ( 857072 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @08:06PM (#17139320)
        1. Use Ruby on Rails to create a P2P friend code sharing site in 30 minutes.
        2. Add copious abouts of AJAX and call it Miir or something.
        3. ???
        4. Profit!

    • Re:Mii Parade (Score:2)

      by HappySqurriel ( 1010623 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @09:25PM (#17140194)
      Why you don't want Random people's Miis is because you'll have a parade full of 'HoBag', 'Slutty', 'RottenCrotch', and whatever other nasty names I ... um I mean random people will think up of ...

      • Re:Mii Parade (Score:2)

        by Ark42 ( 522144 ) <slashdot@@@morpheussoftware...net> on Thursday December 07, 2006 @12:04AM (#17141454) Homepage
        I don't want random people's Miis, I want a way to meet random other people with Wiis, say, a chatroom where you can find other people with Wii's nearby your zipcode, and exchange friend codes if you want. Of course, chatting with a wiimote and nunchuk is a whole separate challenge.
        I'd like to see a Wii Store download perhaps, which requires a bluetooth keyboard, and lets you chat with people. It would go along with the web browser feature they're supposed to have for download sometime in the future.

  • Video chat (Score:2)

    by Midnight Thunder ( 17205 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @07:20PM (#17138642) Homepage Journal
    It would be nice to see the Wii support video chat and USB web cams. If done right, taking advantage of the 'always on' capability, it could become the best way for the video-phone to submarine itself into homes.

  • I don't think the Wii NEEDS online. At all. (Score:4, Insightful)

    by HeavenlyBankAcct ( 1024233 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @08:46PM (#17139834)
    The Wii seems to me like it's designed to be a social device, the type of system you play with your family and friends. Online gaming is only 'social' at its lowest common denominator. I, for one, don't give much of a shit whether the Wii EVER "gets online right." In my mind, they've already gotten multi-player right by focusing on solid, fun, and communal play when two people are in the same room.

    I play MMO's and I dig the pervasive online nature of the beast, but more than that, I love playing the Wii with my real life friends -- I, for one, have no desire to play Wii Tennis with STABZUFACE24 from Wisconsin. Am I alone here? I'm sure there's got to be more gamers than me out there who really don't care about online multi-player whatsoever, when half the fun of it is you and your buddies laughing at each other making asses out of yourselves.

    • Re:I don't think the Wii NEEDS online. At all. (Score:2, Interesting)

      by WCLPeter ( 202497 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @09:23PM (#17140164) Homepage
      It's nice to think that when you want to play a game, you can always turn to your friends to play.

      But what happens when, like me, none of your friends are into video games? It happens, there is no rule stating your friends have to have all of the *exact* same interests you do. Since none of my friends are into gaming, it's important to me the game has some decent multi-player. It's fun to play with someone after I've finished the single player campaign.

      While it's true I'm able to con my non-gaming friends or family into the odd game, it isn't often. So online multi-player really comes in handy.

      • Re:I don't think the Wii NEEDS online. At all. (Score:2, Interesting)

        by stastuffis ( 632932 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @09:59PM (#17140492)

        I'm sure there are a host of gamers who don't require online multiplayer in order to enjoy games. I'd prefer my real friends as well, but many of them have jobs and other responsibilities that don't always coincide with my schedule. Who cares if it's at the bottom of the social ladder? Unfortunately, it's not really about making friends for many people; it's about having a better experience.

        Plus, if the Xbox Live service is any indicator of general interest, I'd say that Nintendo has a lot to gain in terms of offering online services, especially if they're free.

        Personally, I would want a stronger online system. And if they want to appeal to the parents, they could have two separate systems; one that protects children and a more sophisticated solution for a mature (up for debate) audience. Upon initial setup, the parent could choose a password to limit the online functionality for their children.

    • Re:I don't think the Wii NEEDS online. At all. (Score:2)

      by DigitalCrackPipe ( 626884 ) on Wednesday December 06, 2006 @11:30PM (#17141198)
      I bought the Wii for the same reason, I enjoy gaming with friends in the same room. It brought me back to console gaming, and probably spending more money and time than I intended on gaming.

    • Re:I don't think the Wii NEEDS online. At all. (Score:2)

      by BenjyD ( 316700 ) on Thursday December 07, 2006 @08:31AM (#17144228)
      While playing games socially is always more fun, there are times when I just want to play a competitive game and no one else is around.

      Playing against even an anonymous human opponent is very different from playing against an AI. Take Mario Power Tennis, for example - against the computer all the human factors of reaction time, bluff and strategy are missing. Online multiplayer in the Mario Kart DS style provides the game with the equivalent of very good AI.

    • Re:I don't think the Wii NEEDS online. At all. (Score:2)

      by brkello ( 642429 ) on Thursday December 07, 2006 @12:24PM (#17147156)
      You do realize that people have "real life" friends that aren't in the same geograpic reason, right? I know families that play WoW together so that they can keep in touch and enjoy a game together. Sure, it's great to have friends over for a gaming session. But when they live hundreds or even thousands of miles away, you can't beat online multiplayer. Does the Wii need online? No. But Xbox Live proves that a lot of people want it and enjoy it. Just because you don't care, doesn't mean they should ignore it.

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