The official website if finally open.... there is a lot of information and details there.
» http://n-gage.com
There are no screenshots yet... but I want Sonic N! :)
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The official website if finally open.... there is a lot of information and details there.
» http://n-gage.com
There are no screenshots yet... but I want Sonic N! :)
so its a phone and a gaming platform
im never comfortable when things are mixed that IMHO dont go together
what i want from a phone is much different from what i want from a portable game platform
i dont know i think id be more excited if it was JUST a portable gaming platform
as opposed to this cell phone and game system
it looks like it would be weird as hell to talk on and it looks like it would be weird to hold to play games on
but thats me
Some interesting info:
» Has build in vibration for gaming.
» Claims to have 3D graphics.
» Bluetooth technology for wireless multiplayer gaming.
» The games will be sold on actual game cards sold in mobile stores and game stores.
» 5 way directional controller / 8 way with games
» Will play mp3s and has 64mb memory
Hmm... some of this sounds pretty ghetto. Look at the KArt Racer. I wonder how they're targeting this thing.
I sorta agree... I can actually care less about the phone features. I don't have a mobile and I don't really need one. But if I bought this.. voilà, it would be nice to have one.Quote:
Originally posted by Shin Johnpv
so its a phone and a gaming platform
im never comfortable when things are mixed that IMHO dont go together
what i want from a phone is much different from what i want from a portable game platform
i dont know i think id be more excited if it was JUST a portable gaming platform
as opposed to this cell phone and game system
it looks like it would be weird as hell to talk on and it looks like it would be weird to hold to play games on
but thats me
In this respect it is sorta like consoles with DVD functions. I would never buy a DVD player myself, but the fact that they play DVDs comes in handy sometimes.
Plus, it looks specifically like it is a game system first and that the other features, the phone/music features seem to come secondary. So it's not like the existing 3G phones we have with gaming capability. This seems the opposite.... As a gaming system it seems to have potential. I'd really like to see some screenshots and feel how comfortable it is... but there is potential here. I am happily surprised from what I am seeing. :)
I also hope that Red Jade comes out too because I like that one even more.
They have some nice third party power.
I might be interested in this.. we'll see when the first screen shots come out.
yes but this goes back to what i saidQuote:
Originally posted by sggg
In this respect it is sorta like consoles with DVD functions. I would never buy a DVD player myself, but the fact that they play DVDs comes in handy sometimes.
DVD and Games have something in common
DVD is the format the games are on
therefore it makes sense to add dvd playback to a console
combining a gaming platform and a cell phone just doesnt make sense to me but thats me
they dont fit together to me
How many people have you met play Snakebyte on their phone all the damned time, but would never touch a gameboy.Quote:
Originally posted by Shin Johnpv
combining a gaming platform and a cell phone just doesnt make sense to me but thats me
they dont fit together to me
Games for non-gamers is what it's all about.
Puzzle Bobble VS with 4 players?! if this is like Puzzle Bobble Online it would be sweet! i need more info to see if i want it or not though
It looks interesting. If it sells for $100 at launch, then I'll pick it up.
noneQuote:
Originally posted by Frogacuda
How many people have you met play Snakebyte on their phone all the damned time, but would never touch a gameboy.
Looks like another Game.com I bet it does just as well as that did too....... SHITTY!
I've been watching this thing for a number of weeks now. It's been rumored to have somewhere near a $300 price tag. Now go back and read those emphasized words again before continuining... thank you.
Probably a bit too high for some people, but I think it's a decent enough price for something so fully-featured. Hell, I've seen $500+ price tags for cellular phones with some pda-type features.
It's like a portable entertainment station that can - hopefully - fit in my pocket. I can't wait to see the screenshots...
$300 for a half-portable system/half phone with 3-6 hours battery life for gaming? Yeah, that'll go over REAL well.
Scoff if you will, but the way things are going, it seems to me that portable gaming is heading to the cellular domain.
Doesn't mean the N-Gage is going to rule the world or anything, it's just that eventually even Nintendo will have some sort of cell features integrated into the GameBoy.. like those Pokemon GBC games a couple years back.
Then again, I could be totally wrong. :)
Hmm... at the Radio Shack at which I am currently employed, there is a Sanyo phone with a built in camera and color screen that goes for $500. If that's the cost for something that simple (compared to this thing) the price on the N-Gage looks to be rediculous...
I like it. Sounds badass, and unlike pv, I would definitly want a cellphone with some badass games (Sega has games for it) and I don't want to pay 250 dollars for it. I think I'll be getting an N-Gage, especially if I can still use it with Sprint. If not, then I'll wait till my term is done with Sprint and go with whomever supports it.Quote:
Originally posted by sggg
Some interesting info:
» Has build in vibration for gaming.
» Claims to have 3D graphics.
» Bluetooth technology for wireless multiplayer gaming.
» The games will be sold on actual game cards sold in mobile stores and game stores.
» 5 way directional controller / 8 way with games
» Will play mp3s and has 64mb memory
Ex Ramza, I agree with you about portable gaming heading in a cellular direction. Nintendo will be forced to adapt, or the N-Gage will be able to garner a nice share of their market. That's only if cell phone gaming really takes off in the U.S.
Tracer, the only carrier so far that's announced they'll definitely have it is T-Mobile.
But I'm sure many more will come on, since it won't be out till 4Q 2003. Both Sprint and Verizon might be questionable, since they're pushing their own cell games.
Jeremy--my feeling is that it'll catch on pretty well. That's just a guess, juding from how many people play games nowadays, and also the growing popularity of online gaming. It's hip to be connected, I guess. But at any rate, we'll see what happens.
My main concern with the N-Gage is if it'll have games with the depth and complexity of Golden Sun and Castlevania. If it does, everybody wins.. but if it doesn't, most of us will look the other way--even if it happens to catch on with the casual types.
Bleh... I like Sprint more or less, but T-Mobile anit so bad. I like the sounds of it so far. Puyo, Sonic, Puzzle Bobble and TR sound like winners to me so that on top of a music player and cell-phone is damned nice. I don't want to carry a cell-phone, GBA and MP3 player on me all at once. The I've got my wallet, check book, pen and maybe soon a PDA... bleh... I need something that consolidates these items. Cell, Games and Music in one is ideal... unless they somehow add a PDA to it :) It sounds like it'll play games well enough, and it certianly should be a fine phone (Nokia makes some sturdy phones) and the music player should be adequate. With an UNINTRUSIVE headset device I will be receptive to the N-Gage. Games alone aren't selling me on it.
Well, that's true. I was really surprised to find out it even had an FM radio on top of all that other stuff.Quote:
Originally posted by Tracer
Games alone aren't selling me on it.
I will use the example of a person that is the opposite of me then. I said that I don't have or need a mobile but that it would be nice to have one. I think this may be true for many others.... But how about the person who always wants/needs to have a mobile with them? That person may not have the time or room for a GBA. But if you combine these two portable handheld electronoic devices, which is pretty logical since they both have screens and buttons and whatnot, it may be easier for them to get into handheld gaming.Quote:
Originally posted by Shin Johnpv
yes but this goes back to what i said
DVD and Games have something in common
DVD is the format the games are on
therefore it makes sense to add dvd playback to a console
combining a gaming platform and a cell phone just doesnt make sense to me but thats me
they dont fit together to me
Maybe it does not make sense for you personally, which is understandable.. it may not make sense for me either since I don't really want a phone.... but I think the concept definitely makes sense considering the big picture and that this convergence of portable electronics is going to be a trend we'll see more of in the future.
I think it's good for gaming too... because left to Nintendo handheld gaming will continue to stagnate because of Nintendo's cheapness and greedyness (I guess you can't blame them for making gobs of money though). Nokia is already bringing some great ideas to the table.... so it's my hope that N-Gage forces future handheld machines to adopt things like decent D-pads and Bluetooth multiplayer gaming. :)
On the main Nokia website it says that they have not officially announced it for the US yet because they're waiting to receive FCC clearance or something. When they finally announce I'd assume they'll have more options...Quote:
Originally posted by Ex Ranza
Tracer, the only carrier so far that's announced they'll definitely have it is T-Mobile.
But I'm sure many more will come on, since it won't be out till 4Q 2003. Both Sprint and Verizon might be questionable, since they're pushing their own cell games.
I support it because it has the distinct possibility of breaking into the handheld market, and forcing Nintendo to put out something other than complete garbage and 16-bit games.
And John, go do some research into i-mode and Japan's wireless internet cell phone infrastructure. Its fantastic. The games that they play on their cell phones against each other and stuff is great. A more advanced version of that is possible with the wireless internet access.And if wireless gaming is a platform, then making cell phone capabilities makes sense.
You're looking at this thing from the monopolistic bare-bones viewpoint that Nintendo looks at it from, when in reality the handheld gaming market can be far ahead of the 16-bit world its in now.
And I didnt even look at the website.
id rather see a REAL handheld come out to comepete with nintendoQuote:
Originally posted by sggg
I think it's good for gaming too... because left to Nintendo handheld gaming will continue to stagnate because of Nintendo's cheapness and greedyness (I guess you can't blame them for making gobs of money though). Nokia is already bringing some great ideas to the table.... so it's my hope that N-Gage forces future handheld machines to adopt things like decent D-pads and Bluetooth multiplayer gaming. :)
than this thing
like some one else said a cell phone with a simple camera and a simple small LCD screen retails at a couple hundred bucks i some how do not think this is going to be in the competitive pricing with a GBA
you figure you can get a GBA for 70 bucks or the SP for 100
this thing better be in the 150 - 200 range TOPS or IMHO I dont see it taking much market share away from Nintendo
I'll agree on the price. If it costs $300 I would not even think about it personally (tho I will still hope it does well!).
I think it depends on how they plan on selling it. If it is marketed and sold like a mobile phone then even a high price tag may not be so bad. It's quite common to get $200-300 phones for free for signing up for certain plans and whatnot. My g/f got a $200 phone for free with no long term commitment or contract, for example.
Something creative like that could take the sting out of a high price point.
Plus, you will be getting a lot more than just a game machine for the price. You're getting an mp3 player and a phone. So, it stands to reason that it should cost more than a GBA. It's worth a lot more.
I like their site. 3D cult model to rotate and scale. Too bad there are no screenshots. I also like their approach to developers, download the Free SDK and if you want to become an official developer, register with them by showing them a demo of your game. This is much better than the Nintendo policy of "suck my dick and I'll let you in".
My one complaint is that the screen is an odd square aspect ratio and we're very accustomed to looking in rectanglular ones.
Here's (Low Bandw.) a video of Series 60 games and developers talking about them.
Relevant Specs (from this page):
Platform: Series 60 Platform Smartphone
Processor: 104 MHz ARM processor
Dimensions: 133h x 69.7w x 19.7d(mm)
Weight: 135 g
Display: 176 x 208 pixels, pixel ratio: HxV 1:1(see weird)
Active Area: 35 x 41.5 mm
Color Depth: 4096 colors, 12-bit (Neo Geoish)
Memory(built-in flash): 4mb (up to 128mb externally)
Sound: 1 loud speaker
Connections: WAP OTA, Bluetooth, USB PC Suite, e-mail attachment, MMS(memory flash cards)
More powerful than the Playstation... yummy.
seen
hey i saw. on some site.. that nintendo has a cellphone version of the GBA sp.. let me look for the pic..
im not saying the games that would come for it would be bad or that the games they play now on it are badQuote:
Originally posted by diffusionx
And John, go do some research into i-mode and Japan's wireless internet cell phone infrastructure. Its fantastic. The games that they play on their cell phones against each other and stuff is great. A more advanced version of that is possible with the wireless internet access.And if wireless gaming is a platform, then making cell phone capabilities makes sense.
i just dont see the purpose of combining the 2 technologies in this way, I dont know from my PERSONAL experience
when ever you take and combine 2 things into 1, one of two things happen either
a. it does both things shitty
b. it excells at one and the other is kinda meh
but like i said its my personal opinion
its like those fax copiers printers in one, every one of those things ive had to use for different reasons has always sucked at something
id rather buy a seperate copier, printer and fax cause one of those combined units will never do everything i want that a stand alone one will
look at the PS2 and Xbox sure for MOST people they do fine as DVD players and game systems for me i dont like the playback on either one of them and one could get a dvd player for 75 bucks with more dvd features than either of those 2
Id rather see nokia release a portable gaming system that used their Cell phone technology to make it a online portable multiplayer system
instead of a handheld/cell phone in one
but thats me
I happen to like the GBA screen ratio... but the NGPC screen was almost square and it did a damn fine job. :)Quote:
Originally posted by seen
My one complaint is that the screen is an odd square aspect ratio and we're very accustomed to looking in rectanglular ones.
Maybe it'll be nice for vertical shmups.... how about they port that Japanese ESP Ra.De mobile game to N-Gage?! Pleeease...:sweat:
i'll pick it up when it hits the bargain bin two months after its release...
ok if your marketing it as a phone then its not going to make nintendo stand up and do anythingQuote:
Originally posted by sggg
I'll agree on the price. If it costs $300 I would not even think about it personally (tho I will still hope it does well!).
I think it depends on how they plan on selling it. If it is marketed and sold like a mobile phone then even a high price tag may not be so bad. It's quite common to get $200-300 phones for free for signing up for certain plans and whatnot. My g/f got a $200 phone for free with no long term commitment or contract, for example.
Something creative like that could take the sting out of a high price point.
Plus, you will be getting a lot more than just a game machine for the price. You're getting an mp3 player and a phone. So, it stands to reason that it should cost more than a GBA. It's worth a lot more.
because its not going to effect the GBA market at all
people keep talking about some real competion for the GB well this isnt going to be any competition for the GB at all
if its marketed like your thinking then nintendo isnt even going to see this on their radar and nor will most gamers who would spend the money on the software that would make it successful for 3rd parties to publish titles on it
The difference is you only have so many pockets so convergence of portable electronics is a really attractive thing for many people.Quote:
Originally posted by Shin Johnpv
im not saying the games that would come for it would be bad or that the games they play now on it are bad
i just dont see the purpose of combining the 2 technologies in this way, I dont know from my PERSONAL experience
when ever you take and combine 2 things into 1, one of two things happen either
a. it does both things shitty
b. it excells at one and the other is kinda meh
but like i said its my personal opinion
its like those fax copiers printers in one, every one of those things ive had to use for different reasons has always sucked at something
id rather buy a seperate copier, printer and fax cause one of those combined units will never do everything i want that a stand alone one will
look at the PS2 and Xbox sure for MOST people they do fine as DVD players and game systems for me i dont like the playback on either one of them and one could get a dvd player for 75 bucks with more dvd features than either of those 2
Id rather see nokia release a portable gaming system that used their Cell phone technology to make it a online portable multiplayer system
instead of a handheld/cell phone in one
but thats me
Unless you are carrying a giant purse..... I think a lot of people would rather carry an N-Gage with them than carry a mobile, an mp3 player, and a GBA... (to say nothing of other things like PDAs and wallets) even if you could potentially get a better phone or mp3 player.
Besides, the games might be higher quality than GBA anyway. Seen just said something about it being more than PSX?! It has other videogaming advantages over GBA already: D-pad, screen, ergonomics, wireless multiplayer...
HA!Quote:
Originally posted by Shinobi128
i'll pick it up when it hits the bargain bin two months after its release...
Ok, this isn't a toy that's going to plumment in price if it doesn't sell. It's a phone - phones don't drop in price so quickly. It's also an MP3 player/Radio AND it plays games. The fact that it might not sell well on games is beside the point I think. There is no bargin bin for this kind of a SERVICE based item.
It certainly is more powerful than the PSX and the GBA and has more Ram than both. There are links to videos running some 3D games and puzzle bobble in my previous post, no SonicN though. The frame-rates are pretty smooth. That's probably going to bait a lot of the PC game developers... yuck.Quote:
Originally posted by sggg
Besides, the games might be higher quality than GBA anyway. Seen just said something about it being more than PSX?! It has other videogaming advantages over GBA already: D-pad, screen, ergonomics, wireless multiplayer...
seen
Weirdo.Quote:
Originally posted by sggg
I would never buy a DVD player myself...
Sggg, you can get a good DVD player for $50. I've got a fantastic KLH DVD player that only cost $50. It's got MP3 playback, MPEG playback, JPEG viewing, and all sorts of other fancy shit.
Here are my opinions..
#1. This item wont be cheap. I just paid $300 for my Nokia 7210. This item will not go lower than $250. This N-Gage can probably hit the $500 mark. Its half cell, half handheld.
#2. Its Tri-Band, so even if it doesnt get released here, you can still bring it over, just like my Nokia 7210.
#3. The Puzzle Bobble VS sounds great, but if the price of the cell/system, is too pricey, who are you going to VS with?
#4. What mobile service will have the N-Gage for sale with their service? My Nokia 7210 is UNLOCKED, so I can insert ANY mobile service SIM card into my phone. Getting a UNLOCKED phone is pricey, so imagine the N-Gage.
#5. I dont know how good it would look with me walking down the street and holding it to my head. Maybe I should go out right now, and walk around in public with my GBA and see what kind of reactions I get. Im already getting heads turned when I got the FM radio on my phone on the speaker, or me talking to friends on the speaker as if i have a Nextel 2-way.
http://gamespot.com/gamespot/stories...910373,00.html
Looks like Tomb Raider is running better on the N-Gage than the PlayStation version. GS also said the control and comfortability is very good, and Nokia said the system and games will be competetively priced with GBA, and that it is a games system first, and a cel phone second. Eat it, PV :D
I have no interest whatsoever in buying a DVD player. I would not buy one for $20. I don't own any DVDs and I don't plan on buying any.. but if I do pick up a few or rent something once a year I am quite content to play them in my PS2.Quote:
Originally posted by Jeremy
Sggg, you can get a good DVD player for $50. I've got a fantastic KLH DVD player that only cost $50. It's got MP3 playback, MPEG playback, JPEG viewing, and all sorts of other fancy shit.
I don't have a VCR either. :p
Thanks tho'. ;)
If they say that is gonna be competitively priced with the GBA, than imma get it. But to me, i think it would only be worth it, if you can find someone to play against, especially Puzzle Bobble VS. I need some competition. Its no fun when I keep winning in PB types of game.Quote:
Originally posted by Andy
http://gamespot.com/gamespot/stories...910373,00.html
Looks like Tomb Raider is running better on the N-Gage than the PlayStation version. GS also said the control and comfortability is very good, and Nokia said the system and games will be competetively priced with GBA, and that it is a games system first, and a cel phone second. Eat it, PV :D
If anyone knows anything about this Bluetooth stuff, mind giving some details? I have no idea how that's going to work, is it free? How fast/good is it?
OK, stupid question, but I just realized something.. where the hell do you talk into this thing?
edit-Bluetooth is a free wireless technology using RF signals. Most bluetooth devices have a range of 30 ft or so. I don't know about speed, but it shouldn't be an issue.
I believe the bluetooth is just a wireless activity. No wires. Its free..all it does is let you play against people without cables and use a headset without wires dangling.
Well dont forget..Gaming is #1, Phone is #2.Quote:
Originally posted by Ex Ranza
OK, stupid question, but I just realized something.. where the hell do you talk into this thing?
edit-Bluetooth is a free wireless technology using RF signals. Most bluetooth devices have a range of 30 ft or so. I don't know about speed, but it shouldn't be an issue.
From the looks of it..the number buttons would go to your ear and the directional buttons is where you mouth is. Why, I think that? the ON/OFF button is on the side of the number buttons, and the headphone jacks? is at the bottom of the gadget
Wow.... if this thing is competitively priced with GBA than an owner is me! :sweat:Quote:
Originally posted by Andy
http://gamespot.com/gamespot/stories...910373,00.html
Looks like Tomb Raider is running better on the N-Gage than the PlayStation version. GS also said the control and comfortability is very good, and Nokia said the system and games will be competetively priced with GBA, and that it is a games system first, and a cel phone second. Eat it, PV :D
I think that anything under $150u would make me a potential owner. I don't need a mobile.. but it would be nice to have. I don't need an mp3 player since I have an mp3/CD3 player.. but for that price I would buy it as a game machine alone! The games sound pretty decent already too. Sonic N, Puyo Puyo, and Puzzle Bobble... those are the same reasons I bought a NGPC so why not. :)
Also, Nokia can just phase out the handset talking and ONLY use the bluetooth headset as the ONLY way of communication on the phone/handheld.
The headset has a Answer/Hangup button on it, instead of pressing it on the N-Gage. I want one of these bluetooth headsets for my Nokia 7210, but my new phone doesnt have Bluetooth...pisses me off. I want to walk around talking without any wires.
I am no expert on Bluetooth... but from the little I know about it I can say that it is for communicating of devices wirelessly within a relatively close proximity. It's a very popular and well respected technology and I am almost positive that it's speed for multiplayer gaming will not be an issue.Quote:
Originally posted by Andy
If anyone knows anything about this Bluetooth stuff, mind giving some details? I have no idea how that's going to work, is it free? How fast/good is it?
Here is some more info:
» http://bluetooth.com/tech/works.asp
I love the idea of wireless multiplayer. The GBA link cable is just too damn short... so any time you play multiplayer it's inconvenient. Especially since you have people trying to catch the light from different angles.. and it's a pain in the neck to play multiplayer on the go since you have to carry the cable with you....
Wireless multiplayer will it easy to play multiplayer anywhere. Now I just need to convince my girfriend she needs one too.. but I got her to buy a GBA and a Dreamcast so why not... the lure of Puyo should make it easy. ;)
Yep, Bluetooth was in development for a long time, but now that it's finally out, stuff like you're talking about will hopefully happen. It's exactly what Bluetooth was meant for.Quote:
Originally posted by bandit
Also, Nokia can just phase out the handset talking and ONLY use the bluetooth headset as the ONLY way of communication on the phone/handheld.
The headset has a Answer/Hangup button on it, instead of pressing it on the N-Gage. I want one of these bluetooth headsets for my Nokia 7210, but my new phone doesnt have Bluetooth...pisses me off. I want to walk around talking without any wires.
I dream of a wireless future. :)
I'm all about some N-Gage.
Sounds fucking wonderfull. I WILL buy it.Quote:
Originally posted by bandit
Also, Nokia can just phase out the handset talking and ONLY use the bluetooth headset as the ONLY way of communication on the phone/handheld.
The headset has a Answer/Hangup button on it, instead of pressing it on the N-Gage. I want one of these bluetooth headsets for my Nokia 7210, but my new phone doesnt have Bluetooth...pisses me off. I want to walk around talking without any wires.
I feel like most people: Get rid of the fucking phone and go pure gaming. The design of the face is clustered, while the engineering of the unit itself looks like a sharp GBA rip.
They have Sonic N? I don't know what that is but it's something, atleast. I just don't see it being functional with all of those buttons. It does have so many good features (blue tooth) but the phone business should be cut. (Digital music is a welcome addition)
No way! That's handy, I'm all for convergence and to hell with the nay-sayers. if they can make it work then more power to them.
do you think they will change the name of the N-Gage.. to stop confuseison... i mean it sounds like some kind of releated nintendo perherial, or new gadget...
eat whatQuote:
Originally posted by Andy
Nokia said the system and games will be competetively priced with GBA, and that it is a games system first, and a cel phone second. Eat it, PV :D
MS there would be no fees on Xbox live and we know how that turned out
lets see it when it comes out
i still think combining things is ass
I have no problems getting more for my money. They can pack in all the bells and whistles they want as long as they deliver some quality gaming content to it. I'm excited about the N-Gage. If it's $150 or less, I'll definitely pick it up at launch.
I don't thinkQuote:
Originally posted by Andrew
I feel like most people: Get rid of the fucking phone and go pure gaming. The design of the face is clustered, while the engineering of the unit itself looks like a sharp GBA rip.
"most people" will feel that way at all... but time will tell... It's supposed to be a gaming system first and a phone second. The phone functionality is secondary but a really important and nice add-on. I don't personally need a phone either..... but having the phone functionality is going to be a major selling point for many users.
And the original GBA was a much more direct (and cheap) rip-off of the NGPC in the first place... Since GBA is going with the new horribly wonky SP design, one can possibly look at the N-Gage as the NGPC's spiritual successor. It has a screen with similar dimensions and it has Sonic, Puyo, and Puzzle Bobble. ;)
It's funny how people compain to no end about the lack of buttons on GBA... and now others will complain about having too many on N-Gage. With N-Gage, though, there are the two primary raised buttons. "5" and "7" are basically "A" and "B".Quote:
They have Sonic N? I don't know what that is but it's something, atleast. I just don't see it being functional with all of those buttons.
[thumbnail]http://image.com.com/gamespot/images//2003/news/02/05/ngage/ngage_screen005.jpg[/thumbnail]
If a game requires some extra buttons.. then I am sure many people will be glad to have them. Having a good control scheme will come down to the developer and the game. It's nice to have the options though, I think.
I have no problem with all the buttons, as long as they are at least USED, unlike the many buttons on the Jag controller, I have no problem with it.
I think needing something like a purse to carry around a GBA, a mobile phone, and an mp3 player is ass. :pQuote:
Originally posted by Shin Johnpv
i still think combining things is ass
I'd rather have one convenient device. This one has the right priority for me too.. since it's designed for gaming first and foremost. If N-Gage turns out bad (even though it seems great so far) then I hope someone else picks up the idea. :)
This is looking very interesting. I do have some concerns, though:
1. Price. I'm in agreement with several people here who said that this should be released at under $150 to go over well, especially if the N-Gage is supposed to be a game system first and a mobile phone second (as GameSpot's article indicated).
2. The screen. I'm bothered by the fact that the screen is not only smaller than the GBA screen, but is also lower resolution than the GBA screen. They should've gone for a 320x240, horizontally-oriented screen, with the possibility of rotating the unit 90 degrees in the event that a vertically-oriented screen is needed (like the Atari Lynx did over 13 years ago). Yes, this would've jacked the price up a bit, but I'd be all for it because then conversions of most games from the 1977-1994 period could be done without sacrificing any graphic detail due to resolution limitations. If 320x240 would be too costly, then my next preference would be 240x180 (still higher res than GBA, and maintaining a 4:3 aspect ratio).
3. The game library. I'm a little iffy on the selection of games they have right now. It's an impressive list of names, that's for sure, but I'm not sure how well many of those particular games would translate to a handheld platform. I'd rather see something fun that takes good advantage of multiplayer capabilities, rather than yet another Sonic or Tomb Raider game. The Tiger Game.Com went this route (emphasizing big-name licenses over gameplay) and it tanked hard. Again, look to the Atari Lynx for inspiration--games like California Games, Slime World, Warbirds, Checkered Flag, and BattleWheels were great multiplayer fun, and it also had a good mix of contemporary arcade conversions to round out the library.
I do like the inclusion of Bluetooth networking (hopefully with a way to play with more than two players, also), and MP3 playback. I hope that it isn't required to use the device as a mobile phone, just in case my service provider doesn't support it.
I'm looking forward to seeing how the final product turns out.
Jeremy, I have a feeling all those number buttons will quite important when making phone calls! :pQuote:
Originally posted by Jeremy
I have no problem with all the buttons, as long as they are at least USED, unlike the many buttons on the Jag controller, I have no problem with it.
...and sending SMS messages. :p
:p
Not enough means something like 1 or 2 more, not 50 (of course, exaggerated). I never complained about the GBA buttons though, I thought it was simple and to the point.Quote:
Originally posted by sggg
I don't think
"most people" will feel that way at all... but time will tell... It's supposed to be a gaming system first and a phone second. The phone functionality is secondary but a really important and nice add-on. I don't personally need a phone either..... but having the phone functionality is going to be a major selling point for many users.
And the original GBA was a much more direct (and cheap) rip-off of the NGPC in the first place... Since GBA is going with the new horribly wonky SP design, one can possibly look at the N-Gage as the NGPC's spiritual successor. It has a screen with similar dimensions and it has Sonic, Puyo, and Puzzle Bobble. ;)
It's funny how people compain to no end about the lack of buttons on GBA... and now others will complain about having too many on N-Gage. With N-Gage, though, there are the two primary raised buttons. "5" and "7" are basically "A" and "B".
[thumbnail]http://image.com.com/gamespot/images//2003/news/02/05/ngage/ngage_screen005.jpg[/thumbnail]
If a game requires some extra buttons.. then I am sure many people will be glad to have them. Having a good control scheme will come down to the developer and the game. It's nice to have the options
though, I think.
Press 9 to access the menu and navigate using the intercome connection module. BAH! I don't want to pay for minutes. So if it is a phone last while the gaming comes through I could see Nintendo losing alot of their market share they have sat on for so long, content to do nothing.
SP should have some of these features (such as blue tooth) in them.
They'll also make entering your name in RPG games a heck of a lot easier for sure. :)
I think this little babby has some great potential. Anything that breaks up Nintendo's monopoly would be great though, even if this doesn't become a big success. Because I personally think the GBA and the 'new' SP suffer from laziness in design. (still no backlit... still only two face buttons...)
Sggg- damn you....:)
I knew I should have clarified that "USED in games." Ah well.
GameSpot said Tomb Raider used almost all of the buttons, intuitively.
Check out Gear.IGN's report:
» http://gear.ign.com/articles/385/385023p1.html
Tidbits:
« The N-Gage itself is oriented "horizontally," as the current Game Boy Advance is oriented. On the left you'll find a genuine D-pad and on the right a keyboard with a couple of hotkeys for gaming. Sitting in the middle is a somewhat large, backlit LCD capable of displaying, colors. »
« The best news is that Nokia seems to have nailed the controls and interface in general. Unlike most third parties, they actually did a solid job with the D-pad. Granted, I only got to play with it for a few minutes, but the pad felt fast, responsive, and very natural. Nokia announced that there were two "action" buttons, but in fact many of the other number keys function as game controls. I played a bit of the company's (first party) snowboarding game and most of the numbers performed specific air tricks. Having the spread of number keys under your thumb actually makes control very fast. »
Wow, handheld gaming with a nice D-pad again? NGPC-esque indeed. ;)
There is a video too
» http://gearmovies.ign.com/gear/video/ngage_020503.mpeg (22mb file)
:)
i suppose if you carry all those with you every time you leave the houseQuote:
Originally posted by sggg
I think needing something like a purse to carry around a GBA, a mobile phone, and an mp3 player is ass. :p
the only thing i take with me is the cell phone but thats me
w00t! Sounds excellent! I'm looking forward to this and the other Scandinavian system.
IGN:
A-hah!Quote:
you turn the unit on its side to make calls
http://gearmedia.ign.com/gear/image/ngagerocker1.jpg
I think that's the whole point.Quote:
Originally posted by Shin Johnpv
i suppose if you carry all those with you every time you leave the house
the only thing i take with me is the cell phone but thats me
If you had an N-Gage you would be able to play videogames and listen to mp3s without changing your existing lifestyle or carrying more things that you normally do.
:)
Has anyone seen the mobile shooters? More impressive than 90% of the stuff on the GBA.
That IGN preview thing of it got me really excited. Here's to hoping it's worth the hype. Oh, and the d-pad for it looks kick-ass.
I already mentioned that the screen may be really nice for shmups....like that portable version of ESP Ra.De! Imagine playing that on this system and it's nice looking D-pad?! :sweat:Quote:
Originally posted by xS
Has anyone seen the mobile shooters? More impressive than 90% of the stuff on the GBA.
*drool*
Also, the IGN movie just finished downloading for me.. and I am amazed.. that is some incredibly impressive handheld graphics. Also someone was wondering about multiplayer gaming? Well in the video they illustrate 3 N-Gages hooking up via Bluetooth, so worry not about being limited to 2 player games. :)
i'll just have to "wait and see" on this thing.
i just dont have a desire to do that *shrug*Quote:
Originally posted by sggg
I think that's the whole point.
If you had an N-Gage you would be able to play videogames and listen to mp3s without changing your existing lifestyle or carrying more things that you normally do.
:)
and seeing those up close shots that D-pad looks horrible
just liek the original Xboxs d-pad very very very bad
Wow! This looks really cool ... I am definitely interested, more so after looking at all the screenshots. *impressed*
One thing though ... is it just me or are there two different coloured models? I can't tell if they really are different or if it's just the lighting or something.
[thumbnail]http://image.com.com/gamespot/images//2003/news/02/05/ngage/ngage_screen009.jpg[/thumbnail]
[thumbnail]http://image.com.com/gamespot/images//2003/news/02/05/ngage/ngage_screen004.jpg[/thumbnail]
John, would you rather have this d-pad, or the one that's on the GBA?
I need a new phone, i'm all over this shit.
If the N-Gage does nothing for someone, I don't see what merit there is spending an inordiant amount of time talking about it.
I think N-Gage = Rad so far. We all still need to see exactly what it can do. So far all of the features are very impressive and I think this product will do extremely well in the Cellphone market because the games are more advanced, and Bluetooth. If Nokia's line of accessories are available to it that will be all the better (digital camera!). It is much larger than the average cell-phone and will need a pocket or pouch instead of a clip but as it stands it looks like a great product.
I'm going to be on this too. I would like a phone that doesn't have lame games and the MP3 player is just gravy. Any other wonderfull life-enriching (ok, I'm streching) feature that this Phone (that's how I'm looking at it) offers is just going to make it more and more appealing. I guess I'm sold :)
ºTracer
I'm just a little wary at the lack of specifics in the specs on the page. They claim it can do "3D" but there's nothing about how much RAM or what kind of FPU it has or even what the resolution is.
The GameBoy Advance will be Bluetooth enabled soon as well.Quote:
Originally posted by sggg
I am no expert on Bluetooth... but from the little I know about it I can say that it is for communicating of devices wirelessly within a relatively close proximity. It's a very popular and well respected technology and I am almost positive that it's speed for multiplayer gaming will not be an issue.
Here is some more info:
» http://bluetooth.com/tech/works.asp
I love the idea of wireless multiplayer. The GBA link cable is just too damn short... so any time you play multiplayer it's inconvenient. Especially since you have people trying to catch the light from different angles.. and it's a pain in the neck to play multiplayer on the go since you have to carry the cable with you....
Wireless multiplayer will it easy to play multiplayer anywhere. Now I just need to convince my girfriend she needs one too.. but I got her to buy a GBA and a Dreamcast so why not... the lure of Puyo should make it easy. ;)
http://news.com.com/2110-1040-277413.html?legacy=cnet
A few notes about Bluetooth: The range is not an issue. Close proximity isn't a need because this is RF signals being used, think Wavebird on steroids. In fact, on that note a couple of months ago Nintendo announced they were bumping up the power of the Wavebird:
http://cube.ign.com/articles/379/379722p1.html
I've tested my existing Wavebird and it can send signals from about 75 feet. 2.4GHz is the industry standard for Bluetooth, I believe. At 2.4GHz, range wouldn't matter, just select the right channel and get started.
On another note about the gba and bluetooth, the first link up there is about an nReach product for gba. I don't know if they are producing if for Nintendo or if Nintendo plans to produce their own, but I do know that Motorola has a contract with Nintendo to provide the bluetooth products for gba. Whether this means for the nReach device that Nintendo will sell or a first party developed device, I don't know. But Bluetooth is coming to gba for wireless gaming.
--Scourge .
4 megs of internal memory. I don't think it has an FPU. FPU's are a recent thing, and not common in embedded devices like N-Gage. Programmers can use fixed point math to solve their fractions. It's when you use integers to represent real numbers. It loses precision but its fast and is a life saver on systems without an FPU like old Macs.Quote:
Originally posted by Frogacuda
I'm just a little wary at the lack of specifics in the specs on the page. They claim it can do "3D" but there's nothing about how much RAM or what kind of FPU it has or even what the resolution is.
seen
That article's a bit dated, and the product hasn't arrive since... are you sure it's still coming?Quote:
Originally posted by Scourge
The GameBoy Advance will be Bluetooth enabled soon as well.
http://news.com.com/2110-1040-277413.html?legacy=cnet
Not-so-favorable impressions here...
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content...e=new&aid=1204
And a few choice quotes from there...
Quote:
This is a bad start. The games industry works on the basis of a "razors and razorblades" business model, where companies sell consoles at a loss on the basis that they'll make the cash back from sales of first-party software and licensing fees on third-party software. Nokia seems to want to ignore this model by charging the consumer full price for the console - which will make N-Gage attractive to publishers by removing the license fee, but will equally make it hugely unattractive to consumers because the basic cost of the thing may be as over twice the price of a full-power home console like the Xbox or PS2.
...
Equally, however, it's painfully apparent that this is a unit designed by a company with precisely zero experience of building game systems. For a start, the number of buttons on the front of the unit is ludicrous, and it's extremely easy to brush the wrong button while playing a game and find that you've inadvertently managed to quit out or bring up a pause menu; but despite the millions of fascia buttons, Nokia hasn't seen fit to include any shoulder buttons. Doh!
...
It gets worse, too; games are distributed on postage-stamp sized MMC memory cards, which is a bad choice in itself as MMC memory is flimsy and expensive (expect to have to store your games in plastic cases for protection outside the unit, a far cry from the near-indestructible robustness of GBA cartridges), but worse again than this is the fact that the act of slipping in a new game involves removing the back of the unit, taking out the battery and sliding the game home into a SIM card style slot. This, needless to say, is a stunningly bad piece of design and the need to juggle about five separate bits of kit in order to play a new game isn't going to win the unit any fans.
Sorry, yeah that was a shitty example of a news story to link to, eh?:DQuote:
Originally posted by Chakan
That article's a bit dated, and the product hasn't arrive since... are you sure it's still coming?
But yeah, I'm 100% positive it is still coming, seeing as how it was brought up in our sector meeting for December (2002 this time ;) ) here at Motorola where it was reported to be going into production and due to be on shelves around May. And I might add, I was the Motorola liaison for Bluetooth when we kicked off this technology back in what, '99? I was the guy coordinating logistics between Moto, the Finnish, and the Japanese.
I don't have any details on the product itself, other that what I've stated, but I expect it to be something similar to the Wavebird antenna you plug in to your Gamecube. Oh, and it was described as being for wireless gaming between gba's, so I'm not expecting it to just be for communication between the gb player for gamecube and a gba, tho that functionality could be built in as well I suppose.
--Scourge .
Spiffy.
To be honest, though, I've never really had many opportunities to play multiplayer Game Boy games, so I can't see myself buying the adapter.
I think I've played Tetris once with some girl in elementary school (we played a single game, she stopped because I kicked her ass), and I also remember playing F1-Race with my step-brother long ago...
It sounds like a great idea and I hope the games are better quality than GBA games. I've seeen a lot of people buy the latest generation of cells with the color screen, and they retail for $300. Plus the games genereally suck for it. I can see the N-gage go for $200 and sell well.
But that little bit about changing games sounds like a horrible design flaw.
Where the hell is my Red Jade? The thing that had a big internally lit screen, dual analog, 3D graphics, and a $99 price tag. AND looked comfy as hell and was obviously a game system. That's what I want.
Quote:
Originally posted by dorikyasu
the fact that the act of slipping in a new game involves removing the back of the unit, taking out the battery and sliding the game home into a SIM card style slot.
Yeeeeeeeee..... :confused: :(
I'm really, really hoping this hardware goes through another revision before it launches, a few more hours of battery time and change that game loading shit, and I'll be sooo much happier :(
They don't just claim it can do 3D.. watch the movie and you can see it do 3D. ;)Quote:
Originally posted by Frogacuda
I'm just a little wary at the lack of specifics in the specs on the page. They claim it can do "3D" but there's nothing about how much RAM or what kind of FPU it has or even what the resolution is.
The snowboarding game looks pretty neat to me. :)
The buttons being easy to brush against is a bit discomforting, but that's something that will effect different people in different ways, so I'll wait until I can play the thing before harping on that. As for slipping in a new game, that is just a TAD excessive. The hardware definitely needs some fine-tuning before launch.
Ignore the fact that the footage is blatantly fake... At least the Tomb Raider one it.Quote:
Originally posted by sggg
They don't just claim it can do 3D.. watch the movie and you can see it do 3D. ;)
The snowboarding game looks pretty neat to me. :)
It probably doesn't have any 3D rendering hardware and instead renders everything using software, which is not a bad thing if you've got a 100mHz CPU.
Quote:
Originally posted by sggg
They don't just claim it can do 3D.. watch the movie and you can see it do 3D. ;)
The snowboarding game looks pretty neat to me. :)
The snowboarding game was real game footage.Quote:
Originally posted by Frogacuda
Ignore the fact that the footage is blatantly fake... At least the Tomb Raider one it.
The Tomb Raider one was from the new PS2(?) game.
The Sonic still was from Sonic Advance.
But the point all along was the snowboarding game is real.... and it's quite 3D, so it's obviously no false claim.
I'll agree with that. When both systems were announced a while back I was way more interested in Red Jade, so I hope that it's still coming out.... :)Quote:
Originally posted by Frogacuda
Where the hell is my Red Jade? The thing that had a big internally lit screen, dual analog, 3D graphics, and a $99 price tag. AND looked comfy as hell and was obviously a game system. That's what I want.
But, from what I have seen of N-Gage just now I am incredibly impressed. When it was first announced I had a lot of questions about it... and so far they are all being answered as well as could be hoped. The only real negitive about it I can see is the weird way you add the game card. I am still impressed though. :)
the GBA one for sureQuote:
Originally posted by Jeremy
John, would you rather have this d-pad, or the one that's on the GBA?
i hate D-pads like that its like the first Xbox controllers D-pad and the first D-pad they pu ton the madcatz wireless controllers
garbage d-pads
They should formulate it so it can hold like 10 game cards at once so you can select from a whole bunch without having to unscrew it all the time.
Quote:
It gets worse, too; games are distributed on postage-stamp sized MMC memory cards, which is a bad choice in itself as MMC memory is flimsy and expensive (expect to have to store your games in plastic cases for protection outside the unit, a far cry from the near-indestructible robustness of GBA cartridges), but worse again than this is the fact that the act of slipping in a new game involves removing the back of the unit, taking out the battery and sliding the game home into a SIM card style slot. This, needless to say, is a stunningly bad piece of design and the need to juggle about five separate bits of kit in order to play a new game isn't going to win the unit any fans.
UGH
Polygonal 3D on handhelds is something I'm already meeting with disdain, yet on a system with a lower resolution than a GBA? I'm not exactly wild about that.
That interface certainly has the GBA beat in the number of buttons, but the phone-style placement certainly doesn't look user-friendly for a gaming system.
Like others, I'll wait and see, but I'm not expecting to be blown away by this thing.
Fun.Quote:
It gets worse, too; games are distributed on postage-stamp sized MMC memory cards, which is a bad choice in itself as MMC memory is flimsy and expensive (expect to have to store your games in plastic cases for protection outside the unit, a far cry from the near-indestructible robustness of GBA cartridges), but worse again than this is the fact that the act of slipping in a new game involves removing the back of the unit, taking out the battery and sliding the game home into a SIM card style slot. This, needless to say, is a stunningly bad piece of design and the need to juggle about five separate bits of kit in order to play a new game isn't going to win the unit any fans.
That snowboarding game does look pretty good. I'm disappointed on the Tomb Raider images, which are fakes.
Changing the games sounds like an awful lot of trouble. Open it up, take out the battery, then slide the MMC card based game into a SIM style slot? Whatever. :mad: Watch the games probably cost too much, and be too fragile. Why in hell didn't Nokia design some sort of cartridge format for it?
If it retails for "less than 500 euro" or the rumored $300... then forget it. I may bite at $100-150. $200 or more is not competitive with the GBA. The game prices are a concern; I don't want to see that MMC format result in $50+ price tags on portable titles.
It's too early to judge, but the N-Gage does have some glaring flaws that would justify Nokia delaying it and making changes. I don't think Nintendo has a whole lot to fear.
Two things...Quote:
Originally posted by gameoverDude
That snowboarding game does look pretty good. I'm disappointed on the Tomb Raider images, which are fakes.
Changing the games sounds like an awful lot of trouble. Open it up, take out the battery, then slide the MMC card based game into a SIM style slot? Whatever. :mad: Watch the games probably cost too much, and be too fragile. Why in hell didn't Nokia design some sort of cartridge format for it?
If it retails for "less than 500 euro" or the rumored $300... then forget it. I may bite at $100-150. $200 or more is not competitive with the GBA. The game prices are a concern; I don't want to see that MMC format result in $50+ price tags on portable titles.
It's too early to judge, but the N-Gage does have some glaring flaws that would justify Nokia delaying it and making changes. I don't think Nintendo has a whole lot to fear.
» First of all, one of the reports said the games would be less than $40.. so basically they'll probably cost the same as GBA games.
The system may cost more but Gamespot said it would be competitively priced. I agree with you.. if it's under $150 I'll get it. For $200 I'll consider it.... For any more than that I'll probably pass tho'. It's important to remember that it should cost more than GBA though, considering how much more it offers and how much better it is...
» Second of all.. Nintendo does not really have to fear N-Gage no matter what happens. Nintendo is not going anywhere for one simple reason. Software. As lousy as both models of GBA are (especially SP!).... and as absolutely terrible as all previous models of GB hardware have been... the quantity and quality of software has kept the systems going and that won't change any time soon.
The only thing Nintendo needs to worry about is losing their MONOPOLY. If N-Gage (or Red Jade or whatever) is successful it won't be a monopoly anymore and in the future Nintendo won't be able to get away with their supercrappyness. Competition will force Nintendo to do a better job... so I think everyone should be rooting for N-Gage and other alternative handhelds. :)
My guess is that this isnt final hardware. They probably just showed it off now to gauge how people, hardcore gamers will react. Remember all the little changes Nintendo made to the GameCube controller?
My guess is that they will fix the problem with the game cartridge switching.
Well, they have plenty of time before launch to work out any design problems... so here is to hoping they take the time to improve the card swapping situation... If they do it will set a good predecent for them taking feedback as well...
I am not that concerned about the excess buttons yet though. The IGN report said the control and buttons were excellent and easy to use... so at least there are differing reports on how it feels. That "gameindustry.biz" article seemed to be looking for problems to pick on anyway...
We'll see.... IMO the real test for this thing is going to be when more screens/movies start showing up and when we can see how it actually feels in the hands... The original GBA looked great at first - since it was reminiscent of NGPC - but in practice the thing is an ergonomic nightmare...