Official: Gamecube's Successor Discussion

[GameKinG]

I didn't really make this topic to guestimate the specs and what-not. This topic's sucbject shall be about sacrafice. Games that is.

There is no doubt that with each console supposedly releasing somewhat next to each other they will have to have a pretty spectacular launch (more-so for consoles not made by sony). And I feel these three companies will likely pull out some big stops to get their launch look more appealing.

So, what games already, or at least somewhat, announced are you willing to sacrafice for the good of cube 2? Of course its just a matter of would you be un happy should *this* game be delayed till late 2005. Also, try not to pick games that have a set release or rough release date.

And feel free to speculate what franchises or how many games Nintendo will release or how many games will they have in the first 2 months... stuff like that. Will they launch with online games?

[Yoda9864]

I do not think that NIntendo will launch with online games. I do think that they will have a more solid online plan though. Only Wavebird-type controllers (probably not)?

I'd guess that they would have between 10-15 games at launch. I believe that Nintendo will move up to a regular sized dvd because of the advantage of space.

I think they will smarten up and get a Mario game out for launch, with perhaps a Zelda game following shortly after launch. I would expect nothing less from them after seeing GC's (not-the-best) launch.

EDIT: Also, I believe Nintendo will continue to stray away from their "quality over quantity" policy (in referance to 3rd party games). They are seeing this already during GC's lifetime, I think they are finally seeing that you need a wide database of games (even if half of them are crappy).

I also think Nintendo will stay true to it's statement that it is not a home entertainment console (no dvd playback, no extra stuff) and be a pure videogame console.

Ok, I'm done, what do you guys think?

[Dyne]

I don't know... but one thing that was sorely lacking this generation was a damn good Mario Game at release. Most of the time it's been the console seller for the first few months of it's life. I guess releasing a Super Smash Brothers Online Tournament or something to that effect, as while as a solid Mario titles, would definitely pick it up right off the ground quickly.

As for the franchises I'd like to see more. More more more. I don't care who they hire as a designer, but I just want more Nintendo games.. well... don't we all? As long as the quality factor doesn't suffer the quantity factor can go through the roof for all I care. Plus, with these last years with the GCN, it's time to start making up to 3rd parties like Konami that don't like them for jack. They better build up their reputation for good games. We know what their capable of. Now it's time to show it again so they'll see more sales.

For some more ideas, I'd want a Donkey Kong game if we don't get one this gen. I loved Donkey Kong Country but I hated Donkey Kong 64 for some reason. Also, a Fox game would be nice. And I think I speak for everyone when I say I want a long, hard, realistic, beautiful, master-piece Zelda. Console seller right there if you ask me.

[Jonbo298]

I think Nintendo will stick with the mini-DVD format. By 2005, it will be more than capable of handling 3 gigs of data. Unless Nintendo or any other company will make it larger, witht he Blu-Ray disc things coming out soon. But for games, I would like another Metroid to hold off until the next gen. Also, put Luigi into his own game that isnt as bad as his first try.

[Blix]

Well, I think Nintendo will move up to DVDs this time or any new media they (Panasonic) has come up by the time. By that time Loading problems shouldn't be a problem really. Or maybe they'll (Panasonic) come up with a new bigger format that still uses Constant Angular Velocity (CAV ). About the games for launch. ONe Mario game should be secure this time IMO. And of course, we know that each of Nintendo's franchises will most likely make it to the system eventually. On launch I think they'll have like around 12 titles or so (lucky guess here).

[TheGame]

Hmm... I dunno how to exactly post in this topic, so I will list things I want them to change about Gamecube.

1) THE MEMORY CARD!-They shouldn't even release a 500kb card to begin with. It should be at very least 8MB-16MB and price is no object.

2) Change the disk format- I think having a DVD player could at least help them a little... yeah, it can raise the price of the console, or force big losses at launch, but the fact is Nintendo has to make some sacrifices to succeed. Sony was in first place, and they were willing to, and MS started in last place, also willing to.

3) Please, no more stupid decisions- Selling Rare had to be the biggest screw any company has done to it's fans. Nintendo should be more like MS, never sell, only buy.
-Also, don't go around changing your best selling series... when games have too many changes the sales usually only go down.

4) Bring back the Aki/THQ connection- I guess Nintendo didn't realize that WWF games were thier best selling third party games in the N64 generation.. or they didn't realize why. Nintendo needs to step in and make sure this connection is brought back.

5) You don't have to ditch the kiddy image but...- Give third parties and more genres of games a chance for marketing. Nintendo needs to help with Marketing thier sports games, which they did this generation, but not nearly enough. If fans think the next Nintendo system is the best place to buy the sports games I'm sure that would help sales a hell of a lot.
-Not to mention RPGs and Fighting games, oh, and racing games. Nintendo needs to have at least 3 top notch games in every genre.

6) Nintendo should look at the list of..- Best sellers for the Gamecube and the GBA, and make full fledged sequals to these games on the console format. Nintendo acts as if they don't know what thier fans like, the sales charts should say it all.

7) Sequals first, origanal content second- If they are so worried about profit they should pay attention to sequals. Think about the best selling games for most formats... either they are break-through origanal content or sequals that didn't stray far from it's original game.

I have more I'll post them later.

[GameKinG]

Yes, Nintendo should make a big memory card. By that time they could probably make at least a 1 gig memory card affordable.

[Perfect Stu]

Originally posted by GameKinG
Yes, Nintendo should make a big memory card. By that time they could probably make at least a 1 gig memory card affordable.

add a built-in hard-drive and make memory cards optional (for trading data with friends, for example) would be a better idea IMO

[GameKinG]

But Nintendo seems to utilize the memory cards somewhat. And Id rather have less moving things in my system such as a harddrive.

[gekko]

Originally posted by TheGame
1) THE MEMORY CARD!-They shouldn't even release a 500kb card to begin with. It should be at very least 8MB-16MB and price is no object.Do you expect memory cards still?

2) Change the disk format- I think having a DVD player could at least help them a little... yeah, it can raise the price of the console, or force big losses at launch, but the fact is Nintendo has to make some sacrifices to succeed. Sony was in first place, and they were willing to, and MS started in last place, also willing to.It would be a risk. DVD burning will be much more common when these things come out, look at the problem PSX and DC suffered with by having common formats. You would be tempting fate releasing a DVD based console. Assuming they can make a disc that is proprietary, and don't have space limitations (hint hint), they should go for it. They won't benefit by including a DVD player, that was this generation.

3) Please, no more stupid decisions- Selling Rare had to be the biggest screw any company has done to it's fans. Nintendo should be more like MS, never sell, only buy.
-Also, don't go around changing your best selling series... when games have too many changes the sales usually only go down.I agree, no more stupid decisions. They should've sold Rare before they spent all that money on SFA. Rare has sucked recently, plain and simple. If they finally remember how to create a good game, Nintendo will probably regret it. But right now, Silicon Knights, Retro Studios, and NST have been making much better titles than Rare, and Rare cost Nintendo a lot.

5) You don't have to ditch the kiddy image but...- Give third parties and more genres of games a chance for marketing. Nintendo needs to help with Marketing thier sports games, which they did this generation, but not nearly enough. If fans think the next Nintendo system is the best place to buy the sports games I'm sure that would help sales a hell of a lot.
-Not to mention RPGs and Fighting games, oh, and racing games. Nintendo needs to have at least 3 top notch games in every genre.Agreed. Nintendo needs to push 3rd parties into making great games for the system, because Nintendo fans need something to play between Shiggy titles ;)

[gekko]

Originally posted by GameKinG
But Nintendo seems to utilize the memory cards somewhat. And Id rather have less moving things in my system such as a harddrive.

They could go with a different form of mass storage. But the fact is that HDs have successfully been used in laptops and MP3 players, which take quite a beating. Just make sure they get a good HD, not an IBM Deskstar.

[GameKinG]

I think an SD card would do...

[Perfect Stu]

Originally posted by GameKinG
I think an SD card would do...

more and more games will be made utilizing the hard drive, both online and offline. having no HDD could restrict game developers big time next gen.

[Yoda9864]

Originally posted by GameKinG
I think an SD card would do...
Speaking of which, is that even out yet?? I haven't seen/heard anything about it in awhile.

Yeah, I would like a built in harddrive, definately.

[GameKinG]

No, its not out, and by all means, likely never will for cube.

All we need is the little adapter in which to place the card, but I think Nintendo finds it may cause for piracy somehow. I dont know how the cards work really, but I think you can put them in your computer and if there are game files on it then I suppose you might be able to do stuff...

[BreakABone]

1)A DVD player, you really don't know how many people I saw make a decision based on that.

2)A more techno look like the GBA SP.

3)A free GBA/GCN 2 link cable, I mean from the looks of the n64/transfer pak/GBC and the GCN/GBA it looks like Nintendo really wants to push the handheld/console connection, but I don't think they will include a free GBA or a GBA player as it may cut too much into the GBA market.

4)I wish there was a way for them to keep the small disc and still get a whole lot of room on th disc, who knows really.

5)A hardrive, I see this beoming a vital part of console gaming sooner or later so might as well include.

6)A slim console, I mean we don't need another giant like the Xbox on the market.

7)If they do include a hard drive, maybe feature a SNEs/NES emulator sort of like Animal Crossing, I mean in dry periods they could allow gamers to download NES/SNEs games onto their system.

8)Include a pack-in title with the system from launch, I don't think it would be wise to release a game that would sell on the console on it's own so maybe something like Super Mario All-Stars 2 which would feature Super Mario Bros 1-3, Super Mario Land 1-3, Super Mario World 1 and 2, Super Mario 64 and Yoshi's Story. i mean it may be all Mario games but Nintendo couldadvertise it big time and it may work for them.

9)Advertise and get a friggin slogan.

[Joeiss]

Originally posted by BreakABone
6)A slim console, I mean we don't need another giant like the Xbox on the market.



LOL. Xbox is not that big. I do not know what all the major fuss is about.

[tarakan69]

Originally posted by GameKinG
Yes, Nintendo should make a big memory card. By that time they could probably make at least a 1 gig memory card affordable.

Let's think of terms of a decrease in prices for SD cards. Teir price drops 5% a year... so what are the chance that a memory card will be able to surpass 128 Megabytes at a reasonable price?

[BlueFire]

I hope Nintendo does better with their next system..

DVD Drive, Big memory card space, built in modem (it's easier than going out and buying a modem later on). I want them to put their games on DVD format like XBox and PS2, with their large amounts of space on discs. A built in hard drive would be nice too :D

[tarakan69]

Originally posted by BLueFire

DVD Drive, Big memory card space, built in modem (it's easier than going out and buying a modem later on). I want them to put their games on DVD format like XBox and PS2, with their large amounts of space on discs. A built in hard drive would be nice too :D

That would be terrible for the next Nintendo console.

The PS3 will use Blue Ray disks which can hold 27 Gigabytes, and are only half as fast as the Hard-Drive found in the X-Box.

So I wouldn't be suprised if the PS3 had no HD, but big but rather expensive memory cards.

[Joeiss]

Ps3 will most likely be using the Sony Memory Sticks as their memory cards.

[tarakan69]

Just out of pure intrest can somebdy find some info on Sony's Memory sticks opposed to the current memory card. I've search and can't find anything.

I', speaking transfer rate, cost for a certain amount of capacity.

[gekko]

Ok, I've been thinking.

DVD is a thing of the past. It won't sell a console in 2005. It would be like someone choosing to buy Xbox over GC because it has a CD player. However... in 2005, DVD won't be as popular as it is now.

HD-DVD will be the big thing. I completely forgot about that. In that case, it might be a smart idea for Nintendo to include a DVD player, assuming it's an HD-DVD player. Also, that would allow for customizable soundtracks (hopefully in MPEG-4 :) ) like the Xbox features. Pretty useless I think, but some people love them.

So if Nintendo made a console that supported 1080p, and included HD-DVD, I would be for it. Also, Nintendo should use a slot or tray loading format, because it's harder to pirate (no swap tricks).

[tarakan69]

Hello people!!!

Sony will be using Blue Ray Discs that hold 27 gigabytes and have a data transfer rate that's only half the speed of the X-Box Hard-Drive!!

SO THERE IS NO WAY NINTENDO CAN USE DVDS... that is if they want to fail badly of course.

[gekko]

Blue-Ray discs transfer data at a rae of 36Mbps. A 16x DVD player transfers at 21Mbps, and there will be faster DVD players in the next few years. Now, settle down.

The problem Sony will have with Blue-Ray is that it's not compatiable with anything else, CDs, and DVDs for example. Sony was always one who spoke of backwards compatability and DVD player, this would be a risky move. But Sony was involved with Blue-ray, so I couldsee them using it. So are about 80 billion other companies, including Panasonic.

However, Toshiba and NEC are not. They have their own blue-laser format coming, which allows backwards compatability with today's red laser discs, which allows people who have a large DVD library to be able to watch their DVD movies on the same player with their HD-DVD movies. If Nintendo went with this route, they could allow HD-DVD playback, DVD playback, and CD playback. And a single-sided, dual-layered disc can hold 30GB.

[Cyrax9]

1. DVD Playback, ona Dual-Laser format.

2. Games for the "GCN I" on thier current "8 cm" format, and games for the "GCN II" on a "larger' DVD-Sized format, using the Micro-DVD Compression Technology to Allow 9GB for Multiple games on oe disc (Let's say Mario, Zelda, and Metroid all on one DVD), done in an abnormal format so it can't easily be copied.

3. Backwards Compatibilty with the GCN I.

4. Two Memnroy Card Sized in addtion to the Memory Card 59, and Memroy Card 251, a 1GB Card and a 5GB "flash" card. For moving data

5. A "Hard Drive" for Stuff you want on a Memory Card, but also want in the System, such as settings and whatnot.

6. A Broadband-Only Internet Connection hardwired into the system.

7. GBA SP/GBA II (The next GBA) Playback built in, without the need of a "GB Player" system.

8. Digital Video Cables (We have them on the GCN I), and 6.1 Dolby Digital Sound Capabilites.

9. A "Cover" for unused Cable Ports.

10. Small Size.

11. An "NES Player" celebrating the 20th Anmniversary of the NES, with a "Boot Disk" and Peripheral that allows you to play NES games via the GCN II as well as "Classic Updates" on NES cartridges, the "NES Player" Would go either into the spto where the "GB Player" on the GGCN goes, or into the "GB PLayer II" which would ahve a spot for the "NES Player", the system that started it all came out in 1985, 2005 is it's anniversary, it shoud get some regonition.

12. USB Capability for Peripherals such as Keyboards, and other "Online Equipment" in future expansions.

13. A "Larger' Controller, with a "Softer" D-Pad that's slightly larger, basically the size fo the PS2 Controller.

14. Two "L" and "R" buttons like the PS2.

15. Multiple Colors at launch, including Indigo(Purple) , Black (Jet), and Silver (Platinum), as well as a "Translucent Blue" GCN and a "White" GCN, maybe make the last two TRU Exclusives or something.

What I'm willing to sacrifice for all this:

The Second Zelda game after "Windwaker' That is in the works (It'd make a GREAT Launch title), A "Lower" price tag than the GCN I, the GCN II could start out at $175.00 and Drop form there. I'd also sacrifice onlien games and any games that might not have a wide fanbase, as well as certain 3rd Party Exclusives, maybe we could get some "Updates" on old games and DSS and Digital Cable Users could Downlaod "GCN II" content to a GCN II HDD or Memroy Card through Digital Cable without having to use an ISP to go online, in adddition, the GCN II would be ableto playback DVD-r's liek the Panasonic "Q", but would NOT be able to record to DVD in any way shape, or form. Finally if you pay $25.00 extra you could get a regeion-free system to play all games on (Not all DVD Movies, just games), without the need for a Mod-Chip, or antyhing resebling one, this would curb the excuse of priates that they "Want to play out of regeion games" and Your GCN II would eb "Verified' by a Code on it's OS to let you in or lock you out, encrypted in a new Nintendo-Only programming Language, or an EXTREME Variation of Linux which wouldn't be totalluy open-source (Think oS X for the Mac).

I also want the GCN II to remain in the shape of a "Cube" and not be "flat".

[tarakan69]

Ok I got this from another guys... but I completely agree with his points.

"The $300 System

1.) Nintendo Next-Gen will be the first Nintendo machine to launch at $300. This will allow for a faster chipset. Early adopters have proven they'll pay this price as long as there's extra features, and the kids/entry gamers aren't interested until you hit $99 or $130 usually.

NEC Supercomputer Designs

2.) NEC might possibly design the entire chipset. It might be based around NEC's supercomputer designs (the CRAY supercomputers). Like the N64 had a scaled down SGI chipset, so might the case be with Nintendo Next-Gen. It will be manufactured of course in the new factories that NEC recently built primarily for GameCube production.

Panasonic

3.) Panasonic/Matsu****a will be more involved next time out. I expect the system to have DVD playback, GCN backwards compatibility, Dolby Digital/DTS sound, removable memory module, etc. No Blu-Ray format though. Too expensive (takes away $$$ that could've been spent on the chipset, RAM, etc.). Probably a propietary full-sized DVD format.

NEC has already designed a new kind of DVD format that stores much more information, but only requires minor modifications to the regular DVD drive manufacturing process. Nintendo will have to embrace networking next time around too, Panasonic has big plans in that area. A good partnership awaits.

Wireless with Rumble

4.) Completely wireless controllers with rumble. No batteries. Like the GBA SP they'll use the lithium-ion rechargable battery.

Another bonus in doing that ... each controller would come with a wire to hook up to the Nintendo Next-Gen machine for recharging purposes anyway. As a secondary function, if your battery power was getting too low and you don't have the time to recharge, simply take the recharge wire, plug it into the Nintendo Next-Gen machine and you can use power from the system to keep your controller going.

Just like how people plug their cell-phones into their power outlets in their cars to save their battery power while driving and using their phone.

We're hip... we're with it.... Yamauchi does the Macarena

5.) A hipper design. GBA SP is designed moreso for adults. Nintendo Next-Gen likely will be too. No purple lunchbox this time around.

Shigs needs more help

6.) Miyamoto states that Nintendo doesn't have the internal dev resources to pump out all the games they need (sequels, original content, etc.). Hence the partnerships with Capcom, Sega, and Namco.

Look for Nintendo to make an investment in one of these companies. It will be vital that they have enough content for their new machine for a late 2005 launch this time around, they can't afford to launch 1 1/2 years after PS3 again as Iwata stated ... especailly with Pikmin and Luigi's Mansion as their lead titles. You need a lot more to impress people these days."

[viruscool]

You dont ask for much do you cyrax9. Also i think that they would fail if they didnt have online gaming so i think that is a must for the next console.
:GC: :Nintendo: :link2:

[Cyrax9]

Originally posted by viruscool
You dont ask for much do you cyrax9. Also i think that they would fail if they didnt have online gaming so i think that is a must for the next console.
:GC: :Nintendo: :link2:

The GCN's biggest "Flaw" was a lack of extra stuph as they say. The PS2 had a DVD Player, and surprisingly some people in japan bught the PS2 JUST for DVD Playback, and NOT for games, that's something to consider. The Xbox was loaded with extras, and even if most of them were useless (Custom Soundtracks a s gekko pointed out), they made the people who want game systems to wipe their @$$es for them, VERY, VERY happy.

If the GCN II had a yachtload of extra "junk" added into it, more of the older demographic would buy it, the watercoolers, modders, and those guys.

Also the the Pruiple lunchbox idea has to go, it works, but only if you have other "Cool Colors" with it, this wasn't a bads idea, until it was a purple-only thing, weird colors sell, as long as their are a LOT of them, kinda like Green PC's.



Also I thought about what Gekko said with HD-DVDs and my guess, is that unlike DVD-R's and DVD Videos, HD-DVD's won't catch on, I always new DVD-ROM would catch on, even as a Video-Only standard for Mac/PC (Windows or Linux), and sure enough it did.

Now "Format variants" as I like to call them, are a problem.

Video CD (VCD) caught on in Eurpoe and Asia, but not in the USA. Super VCD (SVCD's) Never caught on in the USA and nottoo much in Eurpoe either, btu their HUGE in Asia.

SACD's (Super AUDIO CD's) Never Really Caought on in the USA, and neither did 8-Track Aduio Tapes, think about it, the 8-Track player was short-lived, betamax VCR's died out afdter about 7 years, (Stupid because they had a better picture than VHS, VHS had better sound) and SACD's, while sold in stores like "Best Buy", aren't very common, and aren't seen as playable on many CD Players.

I own't even mentioin Laserdisk Players, they died quicker than 8-Track Audio.

Now what do all these things have in common? They were all "variants" of a previous "idea" that never worked, nor did it have any SIGNIFIGANT Advantages over it's predecccesor's of the time, even VCDs and SACDs are virtually unheard of to the general US Public, and thus, they failed.

Now DVD Video took off because of the HUGE Advance in Quality and shelf-life over VHS as well as what you could stick on one disck. DVD-ROM Discs still haven't become very popular and HD-DVD's are probably dead before their birht for a reason.

DVD Audio is next. Since DVD Audio would do to the Audio CD, what a DVD Video Did to VHS Cassettes and Laserdiscs, it's safe to assume, that this will be the next "Big" DVD Advancement for Early Adoptors, 6.1 Sound and more Types of Music than you can shake a stick at for compression, I could see MPEG-4 DVD Audio catching on quickly, and even the current PCM soundsystems remaining in use.

Then there are recordable DVD's, since people have the biggest gripe of "I have 500 VHS Videos, I cna't get the d@mn things on DVD!!!" syndrome, and DVD/VCR Combo machines are bulky and annoying for many, the Solution will be DVD-R/W DVD+R/W and possibly DVD-RAM used like a Tape-Storage Drive.

Since DVD RECORDERS will come into play soon as well, HD-DVDs probably won't make it, at least not until 2010, when the next next-gen consoles appear.

Also, think about S-VHS VCRs and how popular they are? Most people don't even know they exist, that's probably how HD-DVDs will be.

HD-DVD isa good diea in theory, with HD Signals being Mandated, but I can see them being overlooked just like the 8-Track Audio Cassette, the SACD, ther VCD the SVCD, and even the Betamax and S-VHS VCRs.

Ask a normal guy on the street if he knows what an SACD is, and he'lll probably say he doesn't. That's the problem with HD-DVDsa, they'll be as short-lived as Minidisk's for most people and won't be worth the trouble, DVD succeeded, ebcause it was a completely new idea for Video, and was M<UCH better than VCD Quality, also most people won't wna to "upgrade" trhoier DVD players to play HD-DVDs.

My Idea, is to incorperate Panasonic's latest DVD Writer line (Namely the HS2) a $1000 Set-Top DVD Burner, with a 40GB HDD, which will probably drop in price soon, into the next Nintendo Console.

Japan had the Panasonic "Q", which could playback DVDs, but the USA Never saw this machine, and it hurt potential buyers for the DVD/Console Combo.

NOw my Idea is this, DVD recorders shoudl drop in price to about $250 by the time our Next-Gen GCN arrives, the GCN coud comein two versions, one would be a "Standard" DVD Player/Game Console Combo, and the other, more expensive $300 GCN II could incorperate the functionality of a DVD Burner into it, based on the Panasonic DMR-HS2.

Since the only thing you'd need ot add in to a system that already has a 40GB HDD, a DV Input, and is basically a DVD Player/Recxorder is GAMING Capabilites, you could easily stick four controller porst on a "Varation" of the DVD Writer, and make it possible to play GCN games with an "Input switch" that would read "GameCube/DVD/HDD" on the remote control.

In addition, the unit wouldn't be like the Nuon desinged only for Games as a "Side Idea, the System would be branded with botht he Nintendo and Panasonic Logos, and would function as a multi-purpose device with Gaming in mind, the idea would be having a broadmband modem hardwired in the back for exclusive content from Nintendo delivered througha cable line and whatnot, as well as recording and Watching DVDs.

This would be good for College Studnets short on space, and would bring DVD Burners into more common use. In addition, Nintendo would be the first to have a System that recorded, and Played DVDs as well as games, and maybe it could allow people who want to play out of region games to get a "Regional Code" like the ones DVD's use.

In addition, the new GCN II should NOT have a Slot-system, because it restricts the format of discs to the point where you can't play 8Cm disc and "Standard' Dsics in the same machine, also I've heard Slot-loading DVD/CD Drives have a habbit of breaking more often.

I wouldn't mind a "Front-loading' Tray though, as long as the Disc doesn't require a "protective case" like some DVD-RAM Discs do, which again, is goodfor recording because Panasonic's DMR-HS2 DVD Writer allwos the use of BOTH Cartirdge and NOn-Cartirdge DVD-RAM Discs, I guess the idea could be that if you needed to play an 8Cm GCN I Disc, you could put it in a "cartirdge Tray" like a DVD-RAM and if you needed to play a GCN II Dsic, you could put it in a regular disc tray.

I don't think HD-DVD is the way to go, I think an integrated DVD Burner, or 6.1 Audio is a good idea though as is a new "Version" of the 8cm Discs and using "Standrad' DVD Sized Discs, but with a new fromat designed specificallyfor the GCN II.

To check against Piracy, the Disc could be Encrypted "DVD Style" with a Reghional Code, if you wanted a back-up, you'd have to pay Nintendo to mkae one and stamp it 'Archival", basically an idea that would mkae it so that you couldn't back-up your games legally (You can't now either, but tihs would reinforce the idea) and that it would be easier to tell a Pirated game from a genuine one.

In additon, maybe nintendo could "Etch" the Seal of Quality in the Bottom of "Liscened' games, so you'd know what was real, an what was priated, an idea being used in CD Burners now.

The differance owuld be that the Seal of Quality could have the look of those M$ CD's that say "Microsft" and then "Genuine" when titled, but for games.

My point in closing, avoid HD-DVDs they'll be a fad, nothing more until 2010, DVD Audio will catch on because it's essentially a "New" Format for Music, and HD-DVDs will last as long as SVCD and SACD's have lasted.

Also, I'd design three Systems as follows:

1. GCN II "Lite Version" -- Would be just a game Consoel by Nintendo.

2. GCN II "Standard Version" -- Would include DVD Playback capability from Panasonic and Nintendo.

3. GCN II "Deluxe Edition" -- Would be expensive, include a DVD Burner and would be produced in Limited Qauntitiues for places like Eb and Gamestop as well as Video stores, not sold in palces like Wal-mart and Target or other Chains.

If anyone sees where I'[m going with this speak up. I want to know how many people would thinkof this as a more "Customized' GCN, or a waste fo the Big "N's" Money. I could see the differetn "Verrsions' appealing to differnt Demographics. Obviously a 5 year old wouldn't get the Deluxe Version, and a Techie wouldn't get the "Lite" version.

[Dyne]

Holy crap Cyrax. Nice post.