Wii U - Zelda HD, Shield Pose, Battle Mii, Chase Mii Hands On Vids - Post #1

[MidWalian]

The ad actually puts me off getting one. At least for now. If that is the way their campaign is going to go then I can't see it selling well to the general public. I recall the Wii launch ads being quite good.

Won't cancel my pre-orders yet though, the new shiny day one factor excitement may come back. My wallet hopes not though.

[Chosty]

Removing the voice over would instantly make it 100% less annoying. Still a bit naff, though.

[b00dles]

Nintendo almost always make shit ads, I can't believe the Wii and DS ones didn't result in protests outside their HQ so I'm not surprised that one isn't great either. I still think it will sell well though.

[JPickford]

No idea what makes a good ad. That was cringey but covered the basics. I think the switching over to playing on the controller is a killer feature which a lot of families will appreciate.

[McCoy]

No idea what makes a good ad. That was cringey but covered the basics. I think the switching over to playing on the controller is a killer feature which a lot of families will appreciate.

It's a good feature but it means that developers will have to choose between using the controller screen in a really interesting way during gameplay or using the screen in such a way that it won't matter if the player chooses to transfer the main TV action to the screen.

Of course developers can, apparently choose not to let the player transfer the main screen action to the controller but this just makes the whole notion that bit more fiddly and complicated for the end player.

I'm definitely not feeling any excitement for the Wii U and this is from a person who was day 1 for the N64, GC and Wii. I just don't think that the controller screen is really going to be used in an interesting way, the games shown so far have looked pretty average and I can't really shake the feeling that in 12 months time a succesor to the 360 will launch and will become the new gold standard for multi platform games and the Wii U will be treated like the Wii and get very watered down multi platform releases.

Plus, there are lots of other annoyances. No one really knows that the online system will be like and when even finding out how voice chat will work is a challenged it doesn't inspire confidence. The 3DS has shown that Nintendo still don't really get how to run an online shop or service and the potential interesting prospect of playing VC games on the controller's screen seems to have been ruled out.

I am predicting a bit of a failure for the Wii U but we shall see. And this is coming from a person who gave the original DS a decent chance against the PSP and thought that the Wii concept was genius and would sell like hot cakes. This time around though I'm slightly worried for Nintendo...

[El Spatula]

No idea what makes a good ad. That was cringey but covered the basics. I think the switching over to playing on the controller is a killer feature which a lot of families will appreciate.

Despite the fact it cripples the main gimmick of the console?

[Smitty]

"I've got a bad feeling about this drop"

[Orbital2060]

I thought the reason the GamePad is so prominently placed in front of the Wii in all ads and pictures so far is to indicate that this generation of the Wii is about the U in the name - the You - as opposed to the Wiis previous focus on multiplayer - the We. Which this ad in question - low budget and with a VO that doesnt exactly speak to RLLMUK sensibilities - shows pretty well. Thats the only message it seems to communicate.

[Padlocked]

"play these games how you've never played them before"

Which I took from the ad to mean:

- a sniper scope or zoomed Link bow

- the exact same image as what's on the screen

- the same games I've already played on other systems

- a menu screen

- NSMB as I've already played on the Wii and the 3DS

I've still no idea why I should buy this system tbh.

[rgraves]

I love people on here. One slightly ropey TV ad, that will probably play well with the well-adjusted normal folks out there anyway, and all of a sudden it's 'pre-order cancel' button time and 'Nintendo are doomed' time.

If history has taught us anything, it's that the opinions of the often mentalist minority on here are generally about as much use as a chocolate fucking teapot when it comes to Nintendo hardware sales performance.

[rubberducker]

Lets face it this is going to be a Mario and Zelda machine - 3rd party stuff will be the same as always.. I would love to be wrong, but I can't see it doing Wii like numbers this time either. The whole thing feels misjudged in a way other nintendo consoles haven't been (Virtual Boy aside) and has no strong USP.

Maybe i'm underestimating what most people want - but repeating the underpowered console thing is only going to work if you are offering something else that is radically new (i.e control).

of coarse, I'll still buy one.

[SMD]

Well I'm glad we're all taking a mature approach to our hobby.

Presumably the New Super Mario Bros 2 Penelope Cruz ad made you all rush out to get it.

[JPickford]

Despite the fact it cripples the main gimmick of the console?

It's just one of many uses for the screen. I think it's a killer feature because it's something that will appeal to the non-gamers in the family. They will actually, personally benefit from that feature (they get to watch Corrie or whatever). Obviously the gamer benefits at the same time and a potential argument is avoided.

Yeah it won't work with every game and nullifies the idea that the second screen is essential. But I imagine many games can be played in both modes and will be better with two screens but still playable on the one.

[Transient Curse]

That Ad's just a bit underwhelming, I can't help but think they'd have been better off telling the world about one really good use of the tech and doing it well rather than this unsatisfying kitchen sink effect.

'FIFA 13 on Wii U uses the GamePad in a number of interesting ways, including a new mechanic that lets you shake the Wii U pad to shoot.'

Jesus H. Christ.

Ha!

[JPickford]

Has there been any indication of how well pre-orders are selling? If the thing is sold-out there's no point Nintendo going all out with a massive campaign till next year.

[Not Thread Owner]

The ZombiU bundle is sold out in lots of places. I don't have figures though, just you can't order it.

[scottcr]

The changing screens thing is enough - it's a concept that's pretty easy to communicate. Where the ad goes wrong is by complicating things... having him play the game on a wiiremote and then switching to the gamepad. That'll confuse the fuck out of people.

Just have him sitting with the controller and then pressing a button and having the mans appear on the gamepad screen. Make a single advert out of that. Job done.

Have a seperate advert for ZombiU.

[Roboplegic Wrongcock]

Is the Wii U screen swtiching that much of a killer feature? Surely most homes have more than 1 TV in?

Plus personally for me playing on a HDTV and then having to switch to a smaller screen would just be annoying.

[JPickford]

Is the Wii U screen swtiching that much of a killer feature? Surely most homes have more than 1 TV in?

I think most homes have a best/biggest TV which is in the living room. This feature means the gamer is less likely to be annexed to a bedroom or whatever. I don't think it's a feature that'll matter massively to us hobbyists who probably banish ourselves to our gaming room anyway.

It'll appeal to the main stream audience. It means more time on the big telly and less arguments. It's a feature that non-gaming parents and partners will appreciate. It increases the chances of them approving the purchase and permitting another box under the telly. I think it will sell a lot of consoles.

[Venice Cull]

It'll appeal to the main stream audience. It means more time on the big telly and less arguments. It's a feature that non-gaming parents and partners will appreciate. It increases the chances of them approving the purchase and permitting another box under the telly. I think it will sell a lot of consoles.

I think this is where Nintendo rip themselves completely apart in the marketing of the WiiU though - if they pimp the 'transfer the game to handheld screen' feature (as you suggest this will sell them a lot of consoles) - then they completely undermine the main USP of augmenting the main display - and if they pimp that feature then they can't sell it on its 'free up your tv' feature.

[Padlocked]

I love people on here. One slightly ropey TV ad, that will probably play well with the well-adjusted normal folks out there anyway, and all of a sudden it's 'pre-order cancel' button time and 'Nintendo are doomed' time.

If history has taught us anything, it's that the opinions of the often mentalist minority on here are generally about as much use as a chocolate fucking teapot when it comes to Nintendo hardware sales performance.

Who gives a shit about "hardware sales performance"? I'd just like a console that knows what the fuck it's trying to be with more than one competent developer outing out more than 2 good games a year on it.

[Orbital2060]

"I've got a bad feeling about this drop"

"Squad evac and relocate to space marine thread"

[Ketchup]

60 seconds isn't a long time to get across key points but the way they did it was terrible and many of the points are rather stupid. The see things you never could before, whilst demoing batman in detective mode, i can already do that in a normal game with one screen.

Be closer to your target, did that back in the Goldeneye days with a sniper rifle. The play in real time zombie bit was terribly done as the game footage didn't show any zomibes, instead a very dark grey wall for barely a second. In fact the whole way the advert was filmed badly, theres too much camera motion and the gamepad being off screen for a lot of it as they try to focus between the tv and the gamepad. The ending montage should have been a bigger deal, show off tekken on the pad, 5 player mario on the pad etc. Remember the Wii adverts talking about Wii Fit or or famous celebs playing mario cart? They showed off the wheel but don't talk about it yet instantly you could see its appeal because its shown on screen in a fixed position rather than being moved around off screen all the time.

I think a slower more thoughtful advert could have got the point across a lot better, they don't even mention the name of the new console whilst talking about this being a brand new console to buy, its thrown in afterwards as if we should already know its name well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6utt1hp6LM

This was one of the first Wii commericals in the UK, no voice overs and it does a perfect job of making you go wow and wanting to see more of it.

Of course they could have gone with this, a nicely filmed advert but pointless in what it was advertising, at least at launch.

[McCoy]

It'll appeal to the main stream audience. It means more time on the big telly and less arguments. It's a feature that non-gaming parents and partners will appreciate. It increases the chances of them approving the purchase and permitting another box under the telly. I think it will sell a lot of consoles.

I think the switching idea is a really good idea. I'm sure a lot of people are in a family situation or, in my situation, living with friends in a shared flat and have to choose between basically isolating yourself away from everyone to play a game or being social able but basically just watching whatever the house mates want to watch on TV. A console which would allow me to set it up on the big TV in the main room and then if the flatmates want to watch something else to immediately just stream it to the controller would be very convenient.

The problem is that for games to be able to do this then any other function of the controller has to be effectively optional, a bit like the waggle gimmick of the Wii controller was just used to replace normal button presses in third party games, otherwise you bork the whole idea of transferring the action to the controller screen. I find it difficult to think of interesting uses of the controller screen coupled with main TV screen which will also still be possible when just using the controller screen. It's a nice idea transferring the action to the controller screen but not if you end up borking the game experience. And if you don't end up borking the game experience then the added functionality of the controller probably wasn't adding much.

[NecroMorrius]

I saw loads of people whining about the advert being 'terrible' and such. I'm a bit perplexed, it seems like a nice straightforward no-bullshit advert which gets the point that it's a new console across quickly and then shows you a bunch of things the pad can do in quick succession. Refreshingly simple.

[Harsin]

I think the switching idea is a really good idea. I'm sure a lot of people are in a family situation or, in my situation, living with friends in a shared flat and have to choose between basically isolating yourself away from everyone to play a game or being social able but basically just watching whatever the house mates want to watch on TV.

I'm not sure how being sat in the same room with headphones on (as presumably you won't want to irritate the hell out of the other people in the room) is particularly more sociable than playing it on a bigger screen on your own in another room.

[JPickford]

It's a nice idea transferring the action to the controller screen but not if you end up borking the game experience. And if you don't end up borking the game experience then the added functionality of the controller probably wasn't adding much.

Well yeah, we're all aware of this and most of us have mentioned it. I think the fact is for many games it won't add much. It'll add something - a nice map, an easier to use inventory, some extra info. That's fine, the game is improved (a bit) but it's all positive and that little extra feature will melt away when play on the controller screen.

A smaller number of games will make more important use of the second screen. Those games won't be switchable. Not ideal but not the end of the world.

[JPickford]

This sociable argumen

I'm not sure how being sat in the same room with headphones on (as presumably you won't want to irritate the hell out of the other people in the room) is particularly more sociable than playing it on a bigger screen on your own in another room.

Sometimes it's nice to sit in the same room as your family. We do it all the time. I'll be playing a game and my wife will be watching something on the iPad. One of the kids might be on the PC or Laptop. We like it. I think it's better than sitting in different rooms.

[scottcr]

"you're always up in that room playing games" - and other such phrases I hear a lot.

[Smitty]

I love people on here. One slightly ropey TV ad, that will probably play well with the well-adjusted normal folks out there anyway, and all of a sudden it's 'pre-order cancel' button time and 'Nintendo are doomed' time.

If history has taught us anything, it's that the opinions of the often mentalist minority on here are generally about as much use as a chocolate fucking teapot when it comes to Nintendo hardware sales performance.

Nintendo zealot gets angry about criticism of Nintendo.