Kaji
23/03/2006, 19h33
10:18 AM PDT- GameDaily arrives. People are filing into the auditorium for the keynote, with plenty of Nintendo DS systems in hand and the line going all the way around the corner. PACKED. A fanboy is walking around wearing a sign "Iwata dropped the bomb!", and on the back it said "Revolution is the only solution!". Inside, three screens are on hand for the presentation, one big one in the middle and two on each side, all with the Nintendo logo. There are four tables present, each with Nintendo DS development kits on them.
http://blog.wired.com/games/Photo_032306_001.jpg
10:31 AM PDT- A slide is shown by accident showing the Nintendo DS, a Doritos logo, a Pepsi logo, and Brain Training.
10:44 AM PDT- Keynote has started. Video presentation.
10:46 AM PDT- Iwata has come out. Applause.
18.48 AM PDT- Iwata takes to the stage. At this point he's talking a little about history - "Company A" usurping "Company B" in the 1990s - apparently it was a comment on Coke and Pepsi and bottled water, but obviously also a comment on Nintendo using the handheld market to regroup and reconsider its strategy while Sony got going with PlayStation. Apparently the "story about Pepsi demonstrates how thinking differently and holding strongly to your strategy can disrupt an entire industry in a good way".
->6 million copies of nintendogs sold world wide in a year
->Iwata takes a stab at Sony, describing how the PS2 took 21 months to reach the 6 million mark while the GBA took only 20 and the DS an astonishing 14.
->Brain training (English versions) shown.
10:48: Talks about Nintendo's positioning in the market. Mentions how Pepsi is #1 in soft drinks worldwide by executing a disruptive strategy. Every developer understands that the three basic foodgroups are Cheetos, Dorritos and Fritos. (laughter)
10:50: The game industry is ready for disruption.
10:51 AM PDT- Iwata talks system sales, makes comparisons
10:55: Talks about Brain Training. Introduces the concept of the title: using software to stimulate brain activity.
10:58: Tells story about how the prototype was demoed, they were measure the impact with a brain scanning device.
10:59: Retailers and sales people questioned title -- "it's not even a game."
11:01: Introduces Bill Trinen (NOA).
11:02: Showing a DS playing Brain Age. Not really a game -- more an interactive training program. He shows off "Quick Play." DS is turned sideways (as IGN readers know from our coverage of the game). Bill shows off the main mode, including the different mental exercises which appear in random sequence. Exercises include counting, math, ability to read text out loud, etc. The content of the exercises is randomly generated so that users can't remember sequences and have to adjust on the fly. Shows off graphs tracking improvement. Stresses importance of the DS's unique features, such as recognition of hand writing and voice recognition.
11:06: Bill invites people up on stage: the director of the GDC, Geoff Keighley (G4's Attack of the Show host), and developer Will Wright. The three try out Brain Age and compete in an arithmetic challenge. Bill beat everyone, of course. Another competition
11:12: Iwata takes back the mic and talks about the simple but addictive appeal of Brain Age. Calls the title one of the biggest successes. The development came from the idea that people wanted something new. The only real way to demonstrate the appeal of these games is to let people try them -- found that consumers without interest in games were soon hooked. Encourages gamers to share the title with their non-gamer friends and even parents.
11:16: Nintendo is taking a different approach to technology, but also find a way to make it attractive to everyone. Says network gaming has been around since 1998, but Nintendo Wi-Fi evolves it in a unique way that opens it up to a new audience. Elaborates on challenges and successes of the Wi-Fi project. Connection process needs to be simple. Some may find it more fun to play strangers, others like to challenge friends. One million unique players in only 18 weeks. It took competitors more than a year to reach that number.
11:22: We've added a new title to use the service: Metroid Prime Hunters. Invites Bill back on stage to demo the game. Another competition: Bill against the creators of the game. Introduces the different ways to battle, including the morph ball.
11:29: Iwata takes the stage. There's one more new adventure for you today: Zelda DS. Cel-shaded-style graphics. Top screen: mostly maps. Action is on the lower screen. Use touch screen to draw things -- transitioning the bottom screen input to the top. Launches later this year -- from Aonuma and team (makers of Wind Waker).
11:31: Iwata is asked all the time: How did you get the idea for the Revolution controller. Elaborates on how some people are afraid to touch regular game controllers.
11:34: Reiterates backwards compatibility to all previous Nintendo titles and the need for the controller to function with it. Said after back and forth and taking in all the needs, they arrived (back) at the remote control concept.
11:37: Games specifically developed for the SEGA Genesis and for the TurboGrafx console will also be playable on Nintendo Revolution. Not all of them -- but the best of them will be.
11:38: Most important story is still to be told: how developers will work with the new consoles. Huge amounts of money are needed to market games, to create the elaborate graphics, etc. Elaborates on Nintendo's desire to do something different -- provide solutions for people with great ideas. Nintendo understands importance of graphics. Games like Mario, Zelda, Metroid will all look better than ever. But those will not be the only types of games. Stresses innovation. Essential to reach new audience: younger people, older people. Nintendo is commited to creating a development environment that lets developers and publishers expand and express themselves. In a few weeks, you will play and see and understand our philosophy.
11:44: Thanks everyone for inviting him.
Donc, en clair, pour le moment : SEGA annonce qu'un catalogue de 1000 de ses vieux titres sera disponible sur le Live de la Révolution, Zelda DS a été dévoilé et sera en cell-shading. Des images arriveront dans les heures qui suivent.
Pas bien intéressante cette conférence que tout le monde annonçait comme un pré-E3. :-/
http://blog.wired.com/games/Photo_032306_001.jpg
10:31 AM PDT- A slide is shown by accident showing the Nintendo DS, a Doritos logo, a Pepsi logo, and Brain Training.
10:44 AM PDT- Keynote has started. Video presentation.
10:46 AM PDT- Iwata has come out. Applause.
18.48 AM PDT- Iwata takes to the stage. At this point he's talking a little about history - "Company A" usurping "Company B" in the 1990s - apparently it was a comment on Coke and Pepsi and bottled water, but obviously also a comment on Nintendo using the handheld market to regroup and reconsider its strategy while Sony got going with PlayStation. Apparently the "story about Pepsi demonstrates how thinking differently and holding strongly to your strategy can disrupt an entire industry in a good way".
->6 million copies of nintendogs sold world wide in a year
->Iwata takes a stab at Sony, describing how the PS2 took 21 months to reach the 6 million mark while the GBA took only 20 and the DS an astonishing 14.
->Brain training (English versions) shown.
10:48: Talks about Nintendo's positioning in the market. Mentions how Pepsi is #1 in soft drinks worldwide by executing a disruptive strategy. Every developer understands that the three basic foodgroups are Cheetos, Dorritos and Fritos. (laughter)
10:50: The game industry is ready for disruption.
10:51 AM PDT- Iwata talks system sales, makes comparisons
10:55: Talks about Brain Training. Introduces the concept of the title: using software to stimulate brain activity.
10:58: Tells story about how the prototype was demoed, they were measure the impact with a brain scanning device.
10:59: Retailers and sales people questioned title -- "it's not even a game."
11:01: Introduces Bill Trinen (NOA).
11:02: Showing a DS playing Brain Age. Not really a game -- more an interactive training program. He shows off "Quick Play." DS is turned sideways (as IGN readers know from our coverage of the game). Bill shows off the main mode, including the different mental exercises which appear in random sequence. Exercises include counting, math, ability to read text out loud, etc. The content of the exercises is randomly generated so that users can't remember sequences and have to adjust on the fly. Shows off graphs tracking improvement. Stresses importance of the DS's unique features, such as recognition of hand writing and voice recognition.
11:06: Bill invites people up on stage: the director of the GDC, Geoff Keighley (G4's Attack of the Show host), and developer Will Wright. The three try out Brain Age and compete in an arithmetic challenge. Bill beat everyone, of course. Another competition
11:12: Iwata takes back the mic and talks about the simple but addictive appeal of Brain Age. Calls the title one of the biggest successes. The development came from the idea that people wanted something new. The only real way to demonstrate the appeal of these games is to let people try them -- found that consumers without interest in games were soon hooked. Encourages gamers to share the title with their non-gamer friends and even parents.
11:16: Nintendo is taking a different approach to technology, but also find a way to make it attractive to everyone. Says network gaming has been around since 1998, but Nintendo Wi-Fi evolves it in a unique way that opens it up to a new audience. Elaborates on challenges and successes of the Wi-Fi project. Connection process needs to be simple. Some may find it more fun to play strangers, others like to challenge friends. One million unique players in only 18 weeks. It took competitors more than a year to reach that number.
11:22: We've added a new title to use the service: Metroid Prime Hunters. Invites Bill back on stage to demo the game. Another competition: Bill against the creators of the game. Introduces the different ways to battle, including the morph ball.
11:29: Iwata takes the stage. There's one more new adventure for you today: Zelda DS. Cel-shaded-style graphics. Top screen: mostly maps. Action is on the lower screen. Use touch screen to draw things -- transitioning the bottom screen input to the top. Launches later this year -- from Aonuma and team (makers of Wind Waker).
11:31: Iwata is asked all the time: How did you get the idea for the Revolution controller. Elaborates on how some people are afraid to touch regular game controllers.
11:34: Reiterates backwards compatibility to all previous Nintendo titles and the need for the controller to function with it. Said after back and forth and taking in all the needs, they arrived (back) at the remote control concept.
11:37: Games specifically developed for the SEGA Genesis and for the TurboGrafx console will also be playable on Nintendo Revolution. Not all of them -- but the best of them will be.
11:38: Most important story is still to be told: how developers will work with the new consoles. Huge amounts of money are needed to market games, to create the elaborate graphics, etc. Elaborates on Nintendo's desire to do something different -- provide solutions for people with great ideas. Nintendo understands importance of graphics. Games like Mario, Zelda, Metroid will all look better than ever. But those will not be the only types of games. Stresses innovation. Essential to reach new audience: younger people, older people. Nintendo is commited to creating a development environment that lets developers and publishers expand and express themselves. In a few weeks, you will play and see and understand our philosophy.
11:44: Thanks everyone for inviting him.
Donc, en clair, pour le moment : SEGA annonce qu'un catalogue de 1000 de ses vieux titres sera disponible sur le Live de la Révolution, Zelda DS a été dévoilé et sera en cell-shading. Des images arriveront dans les heures qui suivent.
Pas bien intéressante cette conférence que tout le monde annonçait comme un pré-E3. :-/