WiiHD's WaWii Hands On
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1226473474|%e %b %Y, %H:%M %Z|agohover WiiHD's WaWii Hands On WiiHD's hands are all over Call of Duty: World at War for the Wii. There's a lot to like, but sadly there are some things to HATE passionately as well. The Really, Really Bad
The Bad
The Good
The Neutral
Expect a few updates tomorrow, and feel free to flame my list in the comments. 2 Wii Screens (yes, only two):
2 DS Screens
Nintendo Wii DS videogame video games play strategy fps rpg shooter console gaming Conduit Call of Duty Activision EA ubisoft racing action adventure halo gta arcade mario zelda metroid pacman Similar Posts |
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Great Job man. Keep it updated.
Don't see why friend codes are under the 'really really bad' heading, they really fall on the 'meh' side. they'll never be a plus, but if devs aren't lazy they won't be that detrimental to the experience. the 'really really bad' comes in when you have bare bones friends/random with no ability to add opponents you meet online. and using the address book for a universal roster should be(and should have been) standard from the start if nintendo really believes FC's are necessary.
Friend Codes are Friend Codes. Maybe, maybe I should put NWC instead of FCs there. But really, the NWC was designed around FCs. None of it really makes sense. And FCs don't actually protect kids.
I believe FCs are the heart of the problem, and are the reason we don't have a decent lobby system. As such, I'm going to continue to rail against them.
If someday, FCs still "technically" exist but are never really experienced by the end user, (that is if they've been eliminated in reality if not in name), I'll refocus my criticism. Until then, I think I'm on the right track.
I'm a developer on an unannounced Wii title. I can assure you that NO dev outside of Nintendo wants friend codes anywhere near their game, but they don't have a choice. If/how to use friend codes is not a developer decision, it's not a publisher decision, it's a Nintendo decision. Your game does not get released without Nintendo's stamp of approval on it, and they will not approve an online game that doesn't use friend codes. This is a hard rule. Somehow EA got a free pass last year, but Nintendo has made it very clear that this was a one-time thing. And these guys think that friend codes are just about the greatest thing they ever came out with - they're not going anywhere.
I'm not sure how you can fault the game for not having voice chat when the Wii voice chat peripheral doesn't even exist yet. But don't get your hopes up for it - Nintendo is only going to allow voice chat with people on your friends list. They are huge on privacy, and free communication with "strangers" is not allowed under any circumstances.
For what it's worth, I got a chance to play COD:WW on the Wii, and it rocks.
"developer on an unannounced wii game"
That's completely believable. not at all vague and possibly bs.
Riddle me this mr. dev: if every single ea game on wii is allowed to bypass NWC, then why not non ea games? If nintendo keeps making this exception for electronic arts then surely doing the same for other companies shouldn't be a problem.
@david: The first step towards what you're describing has been done in mkwii already; if you find an opponent you like over wi-fi and decide to add them the codes are added for you.
the invites system sees the biggest problem solved, allowing wii friends to automatically add each other in the game.
and finally, wii speak(animal crossing, the conduit) will at least enable friends to communicate.
of course, even with all that implemented there would still be a few problems, but they can be addressed with or without FCs in the mix.
I'm not saying you're definitely a liar, but anyone can claim to be 'a developer on a unannounced title' and not show proof because they then can say 'oh, I signed a non-disclosure agreement'
as of now, I don't know your name or what company you supposedly work for(can't verify your employment) or which upcoming game you work on(to be fair, ndas would definitely prevent you from talking about this)
I also notice you merely parrot the 'one time exception' line despite all online ea titles getting a 'free pass' (my own ea sports collection is a testament to that)
Until such time as you're able to provide proof only ea is allowed to bypass friend codes, I'm going to assume someone is lying.(if not you, your publisher/high voltage)
as for the vast majority of developers perferring a FC-less online environment, I do not doubt that, if only because the end user hates dealing with them.
I don't care if you think I'm lying or not. But do you REALLY think that games that use friend codes use them because the developer or the publisher thought it was a good idea? You must really think we are all idiots. We're all gamers like any of you, we've all played xbox live and know how gimped Nintendo's online service is, and we recognize shitty ideas like friend codes.
I don't know why EA gets a break, there is a lot of politics and shady deals behind this sometimes. But our publisher offered Nintendo a huge amount of money if we could just bypass the god damn friend codes, and Nintendo wouldn't take it. They are dead set on having everyone use these things. But you had better believe we f#$%ing tried.
It's not just the FC's either. Ask anyone who has worked on a Nintendo platform about Lotcheck, and they'll tell you just how many cool ideas Nintendo made them take out of their game because it wasn't "safe" and "simple."
Even if there was some 'shady deal' going on, then nintendo would have to realise that forcing friend codes for third party games loses any possible point if even one company is allowed to bypass them.
Also, doesn't Electronic Arts have to use their own servers to host ea nation? If so then it may just be that nintendo only forces friend codes/NWC for games using the NWC servers. you should look into that if you haven't already.
And I see you didn't read the part where I say that developer don't want friend codes in their games. (or the majority at least, some may feel the same as nintendo does them)
Even if there was some 'shady deal' going on, then nintendo would have to realise that forcing friend codes for third party games loses any possible point if even one company is allowed to bypass them.
Also, doesn't Electronic Arts have to use their own servers to host ea nation? If so then it may just be that nintendo only forces friend codes/NWC for games using the NWC servers. you should look into that if you haven't already.
And I see you didn't read the part where I say that developer don't want friend codes in their games. (or the majority at least, some may feel the same as nintendo does them)
I've been unable to find this option since it was last mentioned to me—possibly by you. I've asked other people who played it online more often, and they were clueless as well. Mind describing where the ability to add a recent MKWii opponent appears step-by-step?
If no one knows the option exists, and the other person doesn't get a Friend Request that that they can accept or reject, it doesn't really solve much.
For the purposes of WiiHD's coverage of WaWii, Activision is every bit the 800lb gorilla EA is.
Minor point here, but it has nothing to do with which servers are used. Most games don't even use Nintendo servers in the first place - run a packet sniffer on Guitar Hero, for example, and you'll see it's using Demonware's servers. Other games connect to gamespy servers, or whatever else, but still have to use the friend codes. It's not a technical issue, it's a Nintendo policy issue. We were told specifically by Nintendo that login/password systems like EA nation were "too confusing" and "intimidating" for users, and they insist that gamers love their friend codes. Mind-boggling.
Point is, if you don't like the friend codes (and who does?), direct your anger at Nintendo, and not at the developer who did their best to come out with a game that complies with Nintendo's idiotic rules. I think it's cool that this game exists at all, most other devs don't even bother trying to get their shooters to run on the Wii.
The only situation were I could understand nintendo restricting other developers in areas where ea has been given licence to go nuts(and continues to do so) would be if nintendo ran the servers for the majority of games.(meaning server limitations would be a significant factor when allowing third parties to implement rich online functionality)
but according to you this is not the case.
then there's the fact they didn't allow a login system because it's 'too confusing', yet again ea nation continues to use that very thing. and that's ignoring the username/screenname/password system nintendo's actual websites use.(the username you login with is required to be different from the displayed screenname. sure, that won't cause confusion at all. >_>)
the 'gamers love their friend codes' line is just plain odd considering that nintendo publicly admitted FC's are a pain.(did they really say that? seriously?)
Would your game technically be a nintendo wi-fi connection title, bearing the NWC logo? Or was the plan to have your own online service, with your own brand?
It is an NWC title. Nintendo will not allow you to use "your own online service" unless you are published by EA apparently. Your choices are NWC, or no online whatsoever. This means you have to follow a 80 page document full of restrictions on what your game can and cannot do online.
Do you have access to that document?
Was thinking it might be a brand recognition issue, then there would have been good reason to ensure one online game's basic functions are similar to the rest that carry the same logo.(for example, not allowing games to have a login system)
Though this could still be the case, if only ea can use their own brand then it doesn't explain why they get a free pass.
I know there is a reason for nintendo making an exception, and I fully intend to find out what circumstances were behind it, if only so I can sleep soundly at night.
Why would you edit out something as harmless as that? I guess power abuse is considered entertainment to you. >_>
You sent me a message, I received the message. How's that abuse?
Yes. It's not really that interesting, but I'll summarize:
- Most of it is random technical shit and things your engine has to do to keep from crashing the Wii.
- Safety guidelines and ridiculous rules you have to follow so Nintendo doesn't get sued by some dunce who got his finger caught in his zapper. (Nintendo, by the way, seems to think the zapper is some sort of lethal instrument of death. There is a separate 13 page doc on zapper safety. Ever wonder why zapper games don't have fire on the Z button? You can't, because Nintendo thinks that some daredevil might try to play one-handed, drop the thing, and hurt himself.)
- Nintendo terminology branding and guidelines (example: you have to capitalize the 'F' in "Friends", it's always "Wii" never "WII" etc.)
- How you have to comply with Nintendo's philosophy and market strategy (your game has to be "safe" and "simple" - notice how "fun" is nowhere to be found)
- Online protocol, streamlining matchmaking/connectivity for the user, what you can't let people do online, etc. This is where they make you use friend codes! And no free chat, under any circumstances - not even EA gets away with this one. Have fun with Wii Speak, they are only going to let you talk to people you have exchanged friend codes with.
Fun fact: why don't more Wii games have DLC? Because you can't distribute more than 24mb of data per month - not a technical constraint, a Nintendo rule. Not a problem if you are Guitar Hero and want to sell some 3mb song files. But 24mb isn't even enough for a single map for a modern FPS. Not that most Wii users have that much disk space lying around, anyways.
Thanks for the summary. Oh, and I love all things technical. If you want, use my contact form above to email me as I have some questions. If you wish to remain anonymous, just set up an extra email account for the exchange and use that in the contact form. I'll get back to you there.
Thanks
1,2,3
FYI, WiiHD now has a better post commenting system. You can punch in your name and website without any fuss, and not have to be "anonymous" all the time.
Sorry for the inconvenience of the old system and I hope you like the new one.
No. I've more than made my point, which is that it displays a serious lack of understanding of this industry to blame developers for complying with first party rules, no matter how ridiculous they may be. Seriously, how many different forums did you post on complaining about CODWW friend codes? Grow up.
This can be easily checked by rotating your sensor bar clockwise while the IR is pointing at it. If rotating the bar doesn't switch grenades for you, it is using accelerometer input, as I suspect that it is.
Hi David!
I understand now the anonymous comment a little but better!
Thanks for showing us this new comments!
And : I have to learn a lot about Wii !
And yet not all companies have complied with Nintendo's rules. Did Activision try as hard as EA did? Certainly Activision has as much muscle to throw around as EA does. WiiHD has always had a very reasonable approach for assigning blame, and no one gets a blank check out of blame SIMPLY because Nintendo is more to blame than anyone else.
Quote by me from The Internet dies laughing comments:
That comment of mine doesn't defend the post, since the post makes no assignment of blame. You however assumed that it did, for no apparent reason.
So, yes, you've made your point. But who do you think you're making it to? To suggest that a 3rd party publisher as BIG as Activision is has zero blame is so naive I don't believe that is actually what you're suggesting. Instead, I figure you just read what you wanted to read here and ignored the fact that I've made a pretty reasonable argument. I can't stop you from selectively reading and making bad assumptions, but it will all be much less embarrassing for you if you read what you're responding to BEFORE responding to it.
None. I posted on several forums pointing out the irony. I do my complaining here.
No. As a consumer, I make my voice heard in whatever way I can rather than expecting companies to read my mind. Being a grown up means not expecting things to change by magic. It also means appealing to ALL parties who have a roll in getting things to change. Not just the ones who are most responsible for the change needing to take place.
It's a pretty nice feature, but thanks for pointing out how limited the URL field is. I hope we can convince them to extend it some. There are plenty of sites with long urls out there, even long base urls. Throw on a couple of directories and a filename and this just isn't long enough.