that's an interesting concept. However, if you were Sony or Microsoft
would you allow Nintendo to create a 'special' controller for your
console?
The very idea of anyone 'rebranding' the hardware would be anathema for
these companies.
Nintendo has managed so far to succeed as both a hardware and software
from the 8bit days till now. You're suggesting they go the way of Sega,
and leave the market dominated by PS2, Xbox, and perhaps leave niche
corners open for Phantom and DISCover etc. If they wish to innovate as
much as they say they do, then to a certain extent they are going to
have to be in control of their hardware development. What I'd like to
see next is a VR helmet for consoles. (followed by a decent Combat
Flight Simulator lol). Sure you may be able to create such a peripheral
for the Xbox...but you would have a much better chance at creating
something revolutionary if you built your console from the ground up to
allow for it. Another example is the 2 Screen idea that Nintendo has
introduced with the Nintendo DS. For the company, the hardware is almost
as important as the software from their perspective of 'innovating' and
meeting 'what gamers want'.
I don't think Nintendo will pack up shop where hardware is concerned,
but I also don't think they are as far along in their plans for their
'next gen' hardware as Sony and Microsoft are. Nintendo seems to have
its head up in the clouds, approaching the gaming business from an
idealistic very philosophical view. That's good if a few developers in
your company are approaching their next game designs from that angle,
but I don't think it's good if the entire company is being run from that
perspective. You need to have strong hardware to match the visuals of
your competition even if you don't surpass them, but instead then beat
them with gameplay.
Perhaps Nintendo will be forced out of the hardware market, but I
certainly don't think they will do so on their own.
I also don't think that any other console maker will allow voluntary
'rebranding' of their console either.
With regards Final Fantasy. I've never gotten deep into these games,only
now getting my hands on a PS2, but my impression of them is that the
stories are needlessly tragic, and the character dialogue more than a
little childish. I could be wrong and I'll find out first hand as I
start playing. It's definitely the case so far for every Gameboy Advance
RPG that I have played, and for me that's a turnoff.
-Gel
-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Davis [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
I do think that Nintendo, at the very least, tends to generalize. They
love
to say "players this" and "gamers that" while completely ignoring the
wider
marker. Yes, many players want simpler, shorted games. But many (I
think
more) want more depth and longer gameplay - there's a reason that GTA
and
Final Fantasy sell so damn well.
Personally I applaud FF:Crystal Chronicle. Never played it myself, but
from
everything I've heard when you do get those four friends together the
experience is transcendent. Yes it's heavy and needy but (from what
I've
heard) well worth it.
Still I think its huge mistake for Nintendo to release another console.
The
simple fact is that companies are, definitely, producing faster, more
feature rich hardware. Hardware capable of doing anything Nintendo
wants in
fact.
I think that Nintendo should focus completely on the user interface and
games. OKay - the PS3 or XBox 2 hits the shelves. They're lunch meat in
a
can and everybody buys them up.
Now Nintendo comes along and releases, for say $80 US, a gamecube-style
controller (preferably wireless) and the next "Mario" game packaged
together
for those systems. I would also include a "sticker pack" - soft gels
that
could be stuck on your PS3 or XBox 2 that give the machine a more
"Nintendo"
feel to it. Future Nintendo games would require that controller and,
perhaps, come with new gels for your rebranding amusement.
In other words Nintendo wouldn't take the time and effort (and fiscal
gamble) of producing a game machine - they've stated outright that the
hardware has passed the point of making the game better. They would,
instead, re-brand competitors machines franchise: focusing only on the
interface (the controller and display). Yes you're sitting in front of
a
PS3, but you're using a Nintendo game pad and playing Nintendo games and
(if
you're the sort the play with stickers) your machine even looks like a
Nintendo console.
If executed correctly (in other words "better than Sega") I think this
could
pay off big. Controller and game kits could be made for either machine
(perhaps even using all that extra, unneeded hardware to fully emulate a
Nintendo processor design) or any machine on the horizon.
This follows Nintendo's public philosophy: the key is what you feel and
see,
not what box you put your disc into.
Jim Davis
---
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