The Nintendo DS

[Dark Samurai]

Source: IGN Cube:
January 20, 2004 - For months Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has been offering Japanese newspapers vague comments about a new mystery hardware that the company would launch in 2004. Nintendo of America today pulled back the curtains on the top-secret device and it looks to be good news for Nintendo fans worldwide.

The company's mystery machine is in fact a dual-screened portable game device that is entirely separate from both the GameCube and the Game Boy Advance. It will be marketed completely free of its sister hardware. It's called Nintendo DS for Nintendo Dual-Screen.

Nintendo DS features two connected 3-inch backlit TFT LCD display panels -- one on top of the other, according to a Reuters report -- and two separate processors. The device features an Arm9 main processor and an Arm7 sub processor.

The portable will not use GameCube optical disc or Game Boy Advance cartridge based media. Instead, it will play software on semiconductor memory of up to 1 Gigabit, according to the manufacturer.

Nintendo explains the importance of the dual-screen setup: "Players can look forward to being able to manage their game progress from two different perspectives, enhancing both the speed and strategy of the challenge. For example in a soccer game, users can view the whole game on one screen while simultaneously focusing on an individual soccer player's tackle or goal on the other screen.

"Players will no longer be forced to interrupt game play to shift perspective, such as moving from a wide shot to a close up, or alternating between a character's ongoing battle and a map of the environment. Nintendo DS makes it possible to perform the tasks in real time by simply glancing from one screen to the other."

Today's revelation is just the beginning, according to the company. The bulk of information on the machine will be unveiled at May's Electronics Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles.

"We have developed Nintendo DS based upon a completely different concept from existing game devices in order to provide players with a unique entertainment experience for the 21st century," explained Satoru Iwata, Nintendo president.

"We're not trying to take on PSP, because this machine will be completely different than anything that exists right now," said Nintendo spokesman Yasuhiro Minagawa.

The announcement, seemingly out of nowhere, likely comes in preparation for Nintendo's upcoming financial report. Also, developers have indicated that they will soon receive development hardware for the new system and with that Nintendo wouldn't be able to keep it a secret for very much longer.
There are no photographs of the device available. However, IGN's own Matt Casamassina has created a conceptual drawing of what the Nintendo DS may look like. Very intriguing, for sure. We know one person who will enjoy the dual screens!

The Nintendo DS will be on-hand at E3 2004 in fully playable form, according to the company. It will ship in the last half of 2004.

w000t!!!! cant wait for it. i wonder how it will look feel and taste!! (not the tasting part)

well? speculate

[Dyne]

No.. we've already started speculating. :)

http://www.gametavern.net/forums/showthread.php?t=7448

[Dark Samurai]

well this is the real one

[GameMaster]

This has been denounced as rumor gone bad. Everyone please return to your cubicle and continue your work.

[thatmariolover]

I swear to God, if this is real, then Nintendo has just handed the portable market to Sony and signed its own death warrent.

I Hate Nintendo. I Hate their Japanese business strategies. I Hate Nintendo.

This was the last straw.

[Jason1]

How is this a rumor gone bad? IGN clearly labels any information that is a rumor to be just that. I dont see RUMOR anywhere in that article. And its way too early to be an april fools joke. Sounds like the real deal to me.

Thatmariolover: Stop your whining. They havent said a thing about specs, the overall design, or anything really. I for one think it could be great. Of course I have no clue how the thing will play, look, feel, or anything. Therefore I will not say much about how much I like/dislike this thing. The rest of you should feel the same way.

[Rndm_Perfection]

Two screens? Hopefully this thing will have two-player games instead of just multiple views.

[Jason1]

Some people brought up some good ideas on the PGC forums. Imagine playing a friend who has the same system (via link cable) and seeing his screen and your screen at the same time, and vice versa. It's a very neat concept in my book. If it's marketed correctly, and has some decent processing power, it could be a hit. Maybe. At the very least, Nintendo pulled another one out of it's ass, reminding us that they do what they want, and that even with all that speculation and guessing games that we play, we have no clue. Our guesses were a sick joke. Nobody even came close. I applaud them for surprising us once again.

[Jonbo298]

I had a reply for this. Then when i hit Post, f ucking gametavern went down. So I wasn't able to go back and at least copy what I wanted to say. So oh well. I can't remember what I had typed.

But short and simple. I want to see it.

[Crash]

i dont get it...


BUT IT IS TRUE:


http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=4172978

[Crash]

here is my real quick mockup.

[Jason1]

here is my real quick mockup.


Good effort, it looks really slick, but there's a glaring problem. There's no way you could hold that thing without your hand covering part of the bottom screen. And Im pretty sure I read in one of the articles that one screen will be directly on top of the other.

[Dyne]

A guy at another forum thinks the smaller one is going to be a touch-screen for controls. I think that would be about right.

[Crash]

i thought about that idea, but i'd be too hard to find the buttons, so i dont think that'd be how it works.

so how is this not going to replace the gameboy again?

[thatmariolover]

The rest of you should feel the same way.

So nice of you to tell us how we should all feel.

I'll whine if I want to whine, and you are welcome to disagree with me. But if they're not planning on upgrading the Gameboy sometime soon, I personally think that Nintendo is in deep.

It's been one blunder after another from Nintendo lately in terms of how to run their company and what they think we should want. And personally, I'm tired of it. If they want me to continue buying their products, they can start asking me what I want in a system. Like Microsoft did with the XBox.

I've been a Nintendo fan through and through for a long time. But I'm not a fanboy, and I have a limit to how much I can take before I say 'cut the crap'. And I'm not saying that any of you are fanboys. I'm just saying that I've hit my limit of the number of stupid decisions I can take without snapping. And maybe you've all just got a little more faith than me. Nintendo's not going where I am, and pretty soon I'm gonna have to say goodbye.

I've got a lot of old Nintendo games I will play and cherish forever, but if this keeps going the way it is, I won't have many new ones.

[Ace195]

I personally don't like it at all because I mean why put two screens just enchance one and make it semi bigger and then add more power to it so it can play better games.

[Canyarion]

Well, they say it doesn't have anything to do with the GameBoy, so hopefully we'll get a new gameboy in 2005 anyway. And IF the Nintendo DS is a succes, they can implement features into the next GB.

BTW this isn't the only 'innovative' feature. The rest is gonna be revealed on E3 I guess.. Perhaps they have some more tricks up their sleeve...

[DeathsHand]

BTW this isn't the only 'innovative' feature.

Did they say that or are you just being psychic?

it was something about the bulk of the information being revealed later, but that could be complete specs, game announcements, price etc yada blam...

I still say it sounds silly... If it's good, well then yay for them, and if it's bad then it'll be good for a laugh...

This time, however, you can't blame any problems on Nintendo's senile ex-president :sneaky:

[Crash]

here's one for ya.

[Dark Samurai]

even with crash's renditions of the NDS i cant imagine it but the way that Fran/Matt (dont know which one) made it.

i think that we'll just have to see for it

i hope that they can get a picture of the NDS before they show it at E3

[Crash]

http://mysite.verizon.net/res7wbe4/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/dsboy.jpg
jokes on us, there are no buttons!!!!!!

[GameMaster]

here's one for ya.

Does the cool blue/purple computer generated atmosphere featured in the background come included?

[viruscool]

Im sorry 'TheMarioLover' but i dont think you understand what this system is. One its not a sequel to the GBA nor the GC :P . Its a standalone machine, nintendo are using this piece of hardware to test out a new and inovative way of gaming which they said may point to the way the N5 and GBA2 will go!!
BTW where did you get that picture from? > Crash

[Dyne]

http://mysite.verizon.net/res7wbe4/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/dsboy.jpg
jokes on us, there are no buttons!!!!!!

Touch-screen for buttons!

[Dark Samurai]

that looks kinda ehhh...

[Crash]

here is my animation of the DS

[GameMaster]

here is my animation of the DS

Moves too fast for me to really see but the CGI looks good.

[thatmariolover]

Im sorry 'TheMarioLover' but i dont think you understand what this system is. One its not a sequel to the GBA nor the GC :P . Its a standalone machine, nintendo are using this piece of hardware to test out a new and inovative way of gaming which they said may point to the way the N5 and GBA2 will go!!
BTW where did you get that picture from? > Crash

I understand that it's not supposed to be a sequel to either, but your missing my point (I apologize for not being more precise).

I'm saying that if they don't release a new Gameboy to directly compete with the PSP, they're going to lose the handheld market (in my opinion). This is a handheld, whether or not this is the new Gameboy. And if Nintendo is delaying the next Gameboy during this device's lifetime, that's going to be a problem. However, if they're going to be running two handhelds at the same time, they're going to confuse people and possibly shoot themselves in the foot.

I don't know what to say. Everywhere I look I see problems. There are a dozen ways Nintendo could do this and each way I look I see a problem. Only time will tell how Nintendo will do this, but I'll remain skeptical until I see some results.

[Jonbo298]

It's funny how everyone is automatically saying Sony is gonna own the handheld market. I'm not saying that as a Ninty fan, but just as a regular non-biased gamer. I mean, yes, Sony is making all these great claims and people are just bouncing left and right saying basically the PSP will be the GOD of handheld. And its being seen by developers also. Hell, its better to have 2 handhelds competing, rather then just one dominating it all. Nintendo has already said that the DS is not the next gameboy, its a product that will have some kind of use which Ninty has yet to specify more directly. And who knows, nintendo will probably unveil their next handheld and console at E3. Then right after Nintendo announces the next handheld, everyone will say Nintendo is doomed no matter what Nintendo announces about the next handheld. everyone will say the PSP still owns and that nintendo has no chance. But meh, I just want to see how my prediction turns out:p
and yeah, im prepared for any bashing I'm about to receive for saying what I just said.

[Jason1]

Im curious as to where you got that screen from. Touchscreen buttons huh? Hmmmmm...Ive never really liked touch screens in the past...

EDIT: Why the hell is his pinky finger cutting off some of the handheld? FAKE

[Ace195]

Im curious as to where you got that screen from. Touchscreen buttons huh? Hmmmmm...Ive never really liked touch screens in the past...

EDIT: Why the hell is his pinky finger cutting off some of the handheld? FAKE
Think ergo dynamics, you know the wave for your comfort ?

[Crash]

i have a good rendering of that animation, i just need someone to host it for me. it will be rendering all night, so we'll see in the morning!

edit: here it is



http://genesiscustomhomes.com/erase/finalgif.gif

[Canyarion]

Nice render!! That's the best one yet, but I don't really see the use of rotating the screens. Unless it has a camera. :D

And DsH, I think IGN says that this is just one of the new features... :unsure:

[Jonbo298]

Not too bad Crash.

Last night I got a good idea for the GBA and the DS. They are something like the Palm and the Pocket PC. The Palm has been out longer, but technology isn't as advanced (no pun intended). But with the Pocket PC, its newer and has more flashy stuff. People usually should be able to distinguish between the 2 (unless a rep can help them). So people shouldn't always get confused between the GBA and the DS. The DS will probably be something like $100-$150 (but i might be a little conservative, who knows). So people should just look at it and know its not a GBA. Nintendo can't be stupid enough to make them so similar that the average idiot game buying consumer ie: Mom, grandma, grandpa, possibly Dad can't see the difference.

[Dark Samurai]

wow that IS a good rendition crash

but kinda wide dont you think??

[Shadow Fox]

Damn Crash- fix the movement on your camera, lol...

Anyways, I have a strong feeling that Nintendo will have MANY more PRIMARY uses for this thing that we've been let known about.

E3, indeed, seems further away by the minute.

-Official Ninja of EXP (finally!!)

[GiMpY-wAnNaBe]

wait....so is it definately touch screen or was that just a mock picture made with decent photoshop skills?

[Hero2]

I understand that it's not supposed to be a sequel to either, but your missing my point (I apologize for not being more precise).

I'm saying that if they don't release a new Gameboy to directly compete with the PSP, they're going to lose the handheld market (in my opinion). This is a handheld, whether or not this is the new Gameboy. And if Nintendo is delaying the next Gameboy during this device's lifetime, that's going to be a problem. However, if they're going to be running two handhelds at the same time, they're going to confuse people and possibly shoot themselves in the foot.

I don't know what to say. Everywhere I look I see problems. There are a dozen ways Nintendo could do this and each way I look I see a problem. Only time will tell how Nintendo will do this, but I'll remain skeptical until I see some results.

brings back memories of the virtual boy.

if nintendo would directly compete with sony or microsoft they would crush them. but they dont care they just keep comming out with ideals instead of finished proudcts. thats why sony is outselling them.

[Yoda9864]

I'm scared that this might become another virtual boy. I really like the concept of it, and I"m sure once they unveil it at E3, It'll grow on me some more.

I don't like the idea of Nintendo having two handhelds on the market at the same time though. I'm afraid it'll split the market between GBA and the DS. That wouldn't be bad if they were from two different companies, but since they are both from Nintendo, it could create problems. Of course, this could be avoided if the DS could play GBA games.

But I guess we'll see at E3 where this goes.

[GameMaster]

Crash, what do you use to make those renderings? Can you tell me the software you use, I want to make renderings.

[Canyarion]

wait....so is it definately touch screen or was that just a mock picture made with decent photoshop skills?
It's fake of course! :rolleyes:
Nobody has seen it yet.

And a touch screen would be a nice addition, but it can never replace normal buttons/sticks.

[Jonbo298]

I've been reading that the 2 screen setup is gonna be used to show games in a "true" 3D look. Something about tricking the eye into thinking its 3D. People should be able to distinguish between a 2D GBA (next name here) and the DS. I want to wait for people's comments after E3 if this is true. I bet people will call it the biggest gimmick ever. Then Sony or MS will announce something similar and will be considered the best thing ever thought of:p But don't take anything personal. I'm just having a little fun there at the end.

[Canyarion]

Hehe, true 3D would be awesome! :D Virtual Boy 2 here I come!! :p

That could be how it can be used with the GB and GC... as a visualisor... :confused:

[GiMpY-wAnNaBe]

lol, i hope nintendo sticks true to its roots and makes it a pure gaming console, and not add music capabilities and such....nobody wants another ngage

[Crash]

heh, i also thought that it might be a 3d game, but you couldn't do it without glasses (think terminator 3d at universal)

according to cube-europe, the first game that miyamoto is working on for it is called buzz, and the system itself will cost about 149.99. (strange it being more than the cube, but eh...)

[GameMaster]

Crash, what do you use to make those renderings? Can you tell me the software you use, I want to make renderings.

Tell me Crash!

[Jonbo298]

according to cube-europe, the first game that miyamoto is working on for it is called buzz, and the system itself will cost about 149.99. (strange it being more than the cube, but eh...)

Well, that shouldn't be a surprise it costs more then the 'Cube. The technology is newer, better (to an extent). So don't think its strange:p

[Crash]

believe it or not, i use bryce II. it's pretty much the only 3d rendering program my computer can run, plus it's easy to ....eh...BUY on the internet... ..yeah...

[Yoda9864]

I would've liked for it to be only $100 as to keep with the tradition of Nintendo's handhelds being $100 or less. If it ends up being more than $100, so be it. But it better not be too much more.

[GameMaster]

believe it or not, i use bryce II. it's pretty much the only 3d rendering program my computer can run, plus it's easy to ....eh...BUY on the internet... ..yeah...

Ok, I 'purchased' it online. Now how do I go about creating things like you did, coloring them, and making them move?

[Crash]

Ok, I 'purchased' it online. Now how do I go about creating things like you did, coloring them, and making them move?

to make your own textures, you go to "edit 2d textures" and pick your own, if you go to different views, you'll see that there is a camera in there somewhere, it's shaped like a triangle, that is it. On the bottom of the view screen there is a slider bar, that is the time period, so each time you move the camera, move the bar too... play around with it and you'll learn eventually.

[MasterMind]

believe it or not, i use bryce II. it's pretty much the only 3d rendering program my computer can run, plus it's easy to ....eh...BUY on the internet... ..yeah...

Ok, I 'purchased' it online. Now how do I go about creating things like you did, coloring them, and making them move?


Hahahahaha...I just found that to be really funny! :D :D

[thatmariolover]

Indeed. But sometimes we should learn not to draw attention to other people when they decide to do something i113g4< ;)

[TheGame]

So um, what site did you download this software from?

I meant "buy"... really ;)

:sneaky:

Anyway... as far as the topic goes, there is no way on earth I wilkl buy that thing. Dumbest idea ever.

[GiMpY-wAnNaBe]

are you sure? portable 3D effect? sounds too good to be true.

[Jonbo298]

It's already being made or already has been done with laptops. So its possible for a handheld.

[GameMaster]

Crash, did you have to make the skins for your rendering in a separate application and then import them into Bryce and paste them onto the figure?

[Crash]

Crash, did you have to make the skins for your rendering in a separate application and then import them into Bryce and paste them onto the figure?

yeah, unfortunately, doesn't come with pre-installed gameboy textures, so i used photoshop. also easy to "buy" online.

[rottwylor]

Here's a titch more information...

http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/476/476328p1.html

[Dark Samurai]

Here's a titch more information...

http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/476/476328p1.html

i read that earlier

sounds like trouble maybe

[Blackmane]

It sounds like this should be the followup for the GBA, except Nintendo has dumbed-down and rushed out the product to make money sooner so it wouldn't be considered the 'Next Game Boy".

[GameMaster]

yeah, unfortunately, doesn't come with pre-installed gameboy textures, so i used photoshop. also easy to "buy" online.

Hehe, thanks, I already 'purchased' Photoshop earlier in the year. Anyway, now I'll try to actually make something. :)

[TheGame]

It sounds like this should be the followup for the GBA, except Nintendo has dumbed-down and rushed out the product to make money sooner so it wouldn't be considered the 'Next Game Boy".

yes, I have servere doubts about this product. Chances are it will sell because for some reason (like lack of worthy competition) Nintendo's handhelds sell a lot. :p

I know one thing for sure, it will out sell the other handheld that starts with an "N" even if it's the worst thing ever created.

[GiMpY-wAnNaBe]

are you sure? i doubt that if the virtual boy had been N-Virtual Boy it wouldn't sold much more....

[GameKinG]

Doesnt sound like trouble to me.

[Koopa]

1. no i'm not dead.

2. i like the lcd screen idea best...then noone could bitch about bad control schemes...devs could use half the bottom screen for buttons, and half for radar or whatever..

idunno, its better than some crazy 3d double-screen dealie

[Crash]

ign posted some article about the wireless capabilities and the kinda media it'll use (think smart media cards)...eh, i'm too lazy to post it.

[Canyarion]

BTW we were stupid. :rolleyes: Why do you need 2 screens for 'real' 3D????? It's really unpractical, focussing 1 eye on 1 screen... You need to have 1 screen with 2 frequencies or something... Not 2 screens, doesn't work :p

[Jonbo298]

Sharp has a 3D laptop out. It utilizes the left/right thing that can trick the eye into thinking its a 3D image. Maybe when Nintendo said it would be 2 screens, maybe its just 1 main screen that when "split up" displays in 3D. I mean, the Sharp 3D laptop has a 2D and 3D option, so it would make sense that if Nintendo was to go with what Sharp has out, a 2D/3D button would be possible.

Heres a link to what I was trying to explain
http://www.presencemultimedia.co.uk/weblog/entries/6

[TheGame]

are you sure? i doubt that if the virtual boy had been N-Virtual Boy it wouldn't sold much more....

Sounds like you are replying to me, but I don't understand what you are trying to say.

[Canyarion]

You said that the name 'Nintendo' sells everything. Then he asked if the Virtual Boy would have sold if it was called 'Nintendo Virtual Boy'...
Get it now? :)

[TheGame]

You said that the name 'Nintendo' sells everything. Then he asked if the Virtual Boy would have sold if it was called 'Nintendo Virtual Boy'...
Get it now? :)

"I know one thing for sure, it will out sell the other handheld that starts with an "N" even if it's the worst thing ever created."

I thought what he said had somthing to do with this comment (which was geared towards N-Gage, and when he said N-Virtual Boy, well, you see the confusion)

As for Virtual boy... well, it wasn't a handheld, or a console, it was a... Virtual boy, that's why it failed ;)

DS is supposed to be a handheld made by nintendo, thus having the ability to dig into the GBA's market. If they create games for both simultaniously that could be a huge mistake.