New Nintendo Product

anyways, you know that one product that Nintendo is going to unveil in spring? the one that's completely new, and isn't a successor to GameCube or GBA. right well, there's been a little bit of rumors about the thing going around lately.

one of the ones that i've been hearing is that it's gonna be able to do stuff that the EyeToy can do.

but anyways, check out this patent.

http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-...RS=AN/nintendo

Quote:

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A compact image element encoding format selectively allocates a bit field within the format to alternately encode either multi-bit alpha resolution or increased color resolution. This encoding technique may be advantageously used to allocate encoding bits to model semi-transparency while using those same bits for other purposes (e.g., higher color resolution) in instances where semi-transparency is not required (e.g., for opaque image elements). In one advantageous embodiment, the same encoding format can provide either RGB5 or RGB4A3, on an image-element-by-image-element basis. Applications include but are not limited to texture mapping in a 3D computer graphics system such as a home video game system or a personal computer.

What is claimed is:

1. A texture map including: a first texel encoded with a semi-transparency value and having first color resolution; and a second texel encoded without any semi-transparency value and having second color resolution greater than said first color resolution.

2. A texture map as in claim 1 wherein said first and second texels each further include a flag indicating whether said texel is encoded with a multi-bit semi-transparency value.

3. A method of generating a cutout image within a 3D graphics system having a 3D graphics pipeline that generates images based on polygons, said graphics pipeline including a texture mapping unit storing a texture map including a first set of semi-transparent colored texels, and a second set of opaque, colored texels, said method comprising: encoding each of said texels in a variable bit encoding format wherein a predetermined bit field within said format is allocated to encode semi-transparency of said first set of texels, and said predetermined bit field is allocated to encode coloration of said second set of texels; applying said texel encoding as a matte to a polygon using at least one alpha operation, to generate a set of image elements; and anti-aliasing said image elements.

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anyways, guys think this might be those holographic glasses things or something that Penny Arcade was talking about right before E3 2003? they seems to be positive that they were being made down at Nintendo.

anyways, what do you guys think it could be from what that patent said?

Two things are probably certain:

It won't be online compatible and it'll feature GBA connectivity. That seems to be all Nintendo cares about.

If it's like the Eye toy, I hope it's a Wario Ware-type game. I would play the shit out of that.

i have no interest in anything eye toy like

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shin Johnpv

i have no interest in anything eye toy like

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Ditto. Not even if it was with Wario.

Well, maybe.

i doubt it'll be anything eye toy like. seems like it's gonna have more to do with holograms and stuff.

I'd say "teh Megaton !!!!!11" but that's played out.

I like the patent's overuse of the word "said."

I saw some dude wearing a Virtual Boy in a movie on TV tonight (Runaway Bride, perhaps?). He had it strapped to his head. In a movie. It was cool.

I have nothing useful to contribute here.

Sounds like a new texturing technique to me.

It does seem like something holigraphic, 3-D rendering..

VBA!!

But it wont have a backlight, just a hole that lets light it from the side and does a poor job of it.

Then The VBA-SB will come out a year later and have the backlight.

Sounds cool in a completely vague I-have-no-clue-what-the-hell-it-could-be kind of way. Maybe Nintendo's developing thermoptics.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Wildkat

Then The VBA-SB will come out a year later and have the backlight.

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...And remove the headphone jack.

- The Mainichi newspaper reported that Nintendo president Saturo Iwata intends to launch a new console system by the end of 2004, which is neither the successor of GameCube nor GameBoy Advance, the new system will have a new direction, and it will coexist with the successor of GameCube and GameBoy Advance in future. The new machine is said to have wireless data communication via radio.

Iwata has commented that the product, “will enable fun and movement not seen before... I expect it to become the third pillar, next to GameCube and Game Boy.”