[PioRow]

I had read comments from nintendo big wigs that the Revolution wasnt going to be hi def? Any opinions on this? It has to be 720p right? The way the 360 handles it is ideal, 720p if you support it and scaled down to scart resolution for standard TV's.
Not having all games at 720p would be a huge mistake for me, I want the revolution to be hidef, otherwise I would avoid buying one.

[Miyazaki]

Apparently it won't be high definition. But seeing as the revolution is hardly even vapourware at this stage I would take that with a pinch of salt. A console released in 2006 or 2007 that isn't high definition is commiting financial hari kari.

[astonbilla]

it will not be high def - this has been talked about at some great length.

Nintendo are going back to basics with the revolution - sheer gameplay - and to back this up they are introducing much of their back catalogue for download.

Also many companies such as sega are hanging in the wings waiting to see how things go and may use the platform to relaunch old titles.

How much better can old games look at the end of the day? If you aren't happy playing gamecube, revo and numerous retro games on one home console then don't buy it. There will be 2 muscle consoles doing the rounds which you could buy.

Personally i cannot wait for the revolution, and the fact that there will be simple connections please me - it means i can connect it to any of my older tvs and know i'm not missing out on any higher res.

If they release the component cable that was available for the gamecube and allow prog scan, then even better! i'll stick it on my lcd.

[PioRow]

So you would be quite happy to run your brand new revo through a scart connection? Are you mad. After a few months with my 360 on vga and my xbox on component I cant go back to scart. I tried to play resident evil on my GC the other day and it look so awfull it wasnt funny. Also my PS2 through scart looks terrible. I have a GC and PS2 component lead on order so hopefully that will improve things.

I think the Revo not being 720p is a huge mistake. Theres nothing wrong with going back to basics, but dont mistake that for the Revo being under powered graphically. The Revo#s graphics will still be amazing, they will be just be produced on a cheaper chipset than the 360 and the PS3. Doesnt mean the clever programmers at nintendo wont be able to make the games look gorgeous. And those gorgeous games will be limited by a scart connection.
I'm still betting that the console will have a component and vga cable available at launch and games will be able to output 720p. A lack of hidef support is a huge mistake in my opinion.

[t-force]

Nintendo have said on several occasions that the Revo will not support resolutions higher than 480P. If you've played Resi4 in prog scan on Cube, then you'll know it can look the badger's nadgers - for my money, I haven't seen anything from the GCN,XBX,PS2 generation of consoles to beat it. Not having 720P is a pain in the backside, I know, but Twilight Princess, from the screenshots, looks better than a lot of 360 games I've seen.

It has emerged recently that the Rev will support displacement mapping, which should allow developers to produce gorgeous looking graphics, without having to use HD.

[Soundwave]

I'm still very much of the opinion that HD gaming is a massive gimick

Sure it makes a game look VERY nice I'm not disputing that but it doesnt add anything to the gameplay other than a little bit of wow factor when your mates come round the first time they see it running.

So to me the fact that the Rev isnt HD makes no differnece to my opinion of the machine & this will be the ONLY machine I'll bother buying on release day...havent got a 360 yet as other than Madden '06 there isnt anything I want on it & as I have (By all accounts) a better version of Madden '06 on my current X-box I wont be bothering to buy one anytime soon either.

The PS3 is still too far off & has nothing of interest for me either.

Nintendo's option to not support HD gaming is fine by me.
Like T-force said in the right hands the Gamecube produced some stunning titles & I'm sure it will be the case again with the Rev.
480p will suit me fine if all the games look & play like Res 4 or the forthcoming Zelda

Neil

[Slimchandi]

Originally Posted by PioRow

So you would be quite happy to run your brand new revo through a scart connection? Are you mad. After a few months with my 360 on vga and my xbox on component I cant go back to scart. I tried to play resident evil on my GC the other day and it look so awfull it wasnt funny. Also my PS2 through scart looks terrible. I have a GC and PS2 component lead on order so hopefully that will improve things.

Revo will have a component output like the GC.

[Miyazaki]

So the revolution won't even support PAL (576i) then?

As for the twilight princess looking better than xbox360 games It barely looks as good as GUN on the standard xbox, and certainly doesn't look as good as many xbox 1 games such as Ninja Gaiden, Forza, Splinter Cell, Halo 2 etc etc.

[t-force]

Originally Posted by Games Guru

So the revolution won't even support PAL (576i) then?

We've had no indication on that either way. I would expect it would support 576P when it emerges. When the Cube first came out, PAL prog scan was only just in the process of being ratified, and finding a display to actually accept it was tough. Hopefully Nintendo will recognise that Europe has come on a bit since then.

[hpoom]

Originally Posted by Slimchandi

Revo will have a component output like the GC.

I was just about to ask that. Although I shelled out on a nice HD LCD 6 months ago, I too could live without HD as long as I can get 480p over component. I run my current gamecube this way and would expect that at least from the Revolution.

P.S. I can't stand all this waiting I want a Revo now! It will be the first console I buy on Lunch day (and I have had a lot of consoles)

[replicashooter]

Originally Posted by hpoom

P.S. I can't stand all this waiting I want a Revo now! It will be the first console I buy on Lunch day (and I have had a lot of consoles)

Me too, until the Rev was announced I wasn't really bothered about the next "woo its the same as last time but with a 1 added to the title and slightly better graphics" gen consoles.

Can't wait for it to be released, as it will be the first console I've picked up on release date since the SNES...

[PioRow]

Why the rush to get it on release day? Have I missed a bit of news about what the release titles will be? Also do you mean japanese launch on import or are you talking UK launch. If your talking UK launch then I agree, I would get it on launch day but unless they have a new 3d mario game on Japanese launch then I am waiting for the USA version and a small drop in the import price, maybe a 6 week wait.

[hpoom]

I was refering to UK launch. I won't be importing a Revo unless the launch in the US is a long time before UK launch. Does anybody know what are Nintendo's region restriction on games for the Revo? Will it be the same as the GC, and is my freeloader going to work?

[t-force]

I've got to say, I'd be very surprised if Freeloader works for Cube games on the Revo - although pleasantly so, nonetheless - and totally gobsmacked if it worked with Revo games. Main reason I'd be surprised is because of the disc mechanism - it's probably like the PS2 mark 1, where ejecting the game causes the console to reset, except in rare circumstances. Somehow the boot software would need to be able to override that process, and that's something that existing Freeloader software can't do, because it's never been told to. I imagine Datel will get working on an equivalent as soon as they get hold of a console (which won't be until launch date, becuase Nintendo don't get on well with them at all), but we'll probably be in for quite a wait - IIRC the UK Cube launched in May 2002, and Freeloader didn't surface until February 2003, after many, many delays.

[The_Censor]

Originally Posted by replicashooter

Me too, until the Rev was announced I wasn't really bothered about the next "woo its the same as last time but with a 1 added to the title and slightly better graphics" gen consoles.

Can't wait for it to be released, as it will be the first console I've picked up on release date since the SNES...

I've got a 360, the wow factor of HD doesn't last long, and adds very little to the gameplay and overall gaming experience - I find myself far more enchanted by my ds and the new experience that the dual screen and touch screen brings!

[CrispyXUK]

I've been playing PC games in HD resolutions for years, the revolution not being HD doesn't bother me at all, I'm sure it will at least support 480p if not who cares?

/plays more lo-res games

[Tejstar]

It'd be nice if it at least supported 480p though. Not too bothered about HD (720p, 1080i/p) but progressive scan would be nice as then it'd look half decent on my plasma.

[Michaelknell]

So what connection would give the best PQ? I imagine it would be component then RGB Scart.

[Tejstar]

That's right.

[CAS FAN]

It seems to me that Ninty is almost bowing out of the mainstream console market and trying to build a niche entertainment field of it's own. With a vastly different control system, lower resolution, a much less reliance on technology and a much greater reliance on original gaming I can't see many cross platform titles ever coming out on the Revo.

Whether or not Ninty can create the must have social, party gaming device and really bring gaming to the masses is still to be seen. The Revo is the bravest (or most stupid depending on your viewpoint) development in the gaming world for a long, long time and they must at least be congratulated for trying in my opinion.

We have all got caught up in the technology trap where we must have higher resolutions, better graphics, more realistic sound etc. and gaming has become very predictable and often dull. That said, HD displays are going to become mainstream very soon and it does make clear sense to have the option to output in HD.

I do like the way that Ninty are going with the Revo, but I do feel that a lack of HD output would be a huge mistake.

[The_Censor]

Originally Posted by CAS FAN

It seems to me that Ninty is almost bowing out of the mainstream console market and trying to build a niche entertainment field of it's own. With a vastly different control system, lower resolution, a much less reliance on technology and a much greater reliance on original gaming I can't see many cross platform titles ever coming out on the Revo.

Whether or not Ninty can create the must have social, party gaming device and really bring gaming to the masses is still to be seen. The Revo is the bravest (or most stupid depending on your viewpoint) development in the gaming world for a long, long time and they must at least be congratulated for trying in my opinion.

We have all got caught up in the technology trap where we must have higher resolutions, better graphics, more realistic sound etc. and gaming has become very predictable and often dull. That said, HD displays are going to become mainstream very soon and it does make clear sense to have the option to output in HD.

I do like the way that Ninty are going with the Revo, but I do feel that a lack of HD output would be a huge mistake.

I've been underwhelmed by the wondrous HD output of my X-Box 360, and even quite disillusioned by the slickness of it all, with games that ultimately lack any magic or genuine individual character - Then I switch on my DS, go back into my wee Animal Crossing world, talk to quirky animals, and I'm enchanted and feel just a little like a kid/geek who gets quite delighted by conversations with sprites - Nintendo get some things wrong, but they are still exactly what they have always been, a company with the same aspirations, the same ethos, HD is something, but it's not even remotely special or essential, it's driven by marketing and it's driven by economics. Most importantly, it drives up development costs hugely. Titty Boo!

[CAS FAN]

Originally Posted by The_Censor

I've been underwhelmed by the wondrous HD output of my X-Box 360, and even quite disillusioned by the slickness of it all, with games that ultimately lack any magic or genuine individual character - Then I switch on my DS, go back into my wee Animal Crossing world, talk to quirky animals, and I'm enchanted and feel just a little like a kid/geek who gets quite delighted by conversations with sprites - Nintendo get some things wrong, but they are still exactly what they have always been, a company with the same aspirations, the same ethos, HD is something, but it's not even remotely special or essential, it's driven by marketing and it's driven by economics. Most importantly, it drives up development costs hugely. Titty Boo!

I do agree with large parts of that, but I never see this situation as black and white to be honest. There is this temptation to package Nintendo up in the "amazing and original gameplay" catagory and Sony & MS in the "it's all about the graphics and sequels" catagory and that isn't really correct at all.

Nintendo have generally been great innovators in games, consoles and controllers but with the Gamecube we saw a backward step IMO. It was a competent console which had a pad that looked similar to the rest (kind of like they had tried to hide it's blandness with some strange button and stick positionings) and was full of sequels from it's list of franchises. We saw Mario, Mario Kart, Metroid, Luigi, Joshi etc. and it seemed that they had become more like the competition. On the other hand the PS2 was home to some wonderful and fairly original games, expecially in Japan.

Nintendo realise that if they are to survive they can't go head to head with the big guys and must play to their strengths as industry innovators. Whilst Nintendo will never be as big as the other 2, I feel that the industry needs them to keep it fresh and I hope the Revo has a good deal of success.

I mentioned that for me things aren't black & white and games don't have to be cute, with quirky animals to be great. The package that MS has put together really shows a great deal of thought, care and attention towards the gamer. I also have greatly enjoyed some of the launch titles with Kameo, Madden 06 and Ridge Racer being the stand out titles to date for me. Ridge Racer is anything but original these days but it's just great fun to play and very addictive. The graphics are good (not brilliant) but everything moves very quickly and very smoothly to provide that edge of the seat Ridge Racer experience that made the arcade original such a great game. Now PGR3 is a good game but it just lacks that all important fun element for me. It's challenging and rewarding and is a different sort of game to Ridge Racer. There is a lot of satisfaction to be gained from PGR3 but I just constantly get the impression that the developers were much more concerned with the game looking & sounding right rather than it being a fun game to play. Madden again is far from original but it plays really well, is easy to pick up, but hard to master and is great fun playing online.

Then we come to GR:AW which is looking absolutely fantastic and will no doubt get loads of play. I think it's good to be able to enjoy various types of games and I myself have been guilty of dismissing games because I maybe thought "it's just a cash in" or "it's by EA so must be rubbish" etc. I guess it can be bad to make presumptions and I must say, when I saw the 360 launch line up, Kameo, Madden and Ridge Racer were no where near the top of my wanted list. 2 of those games (Kameo & Madden) were bought because of Marketplace demo's and I bought Ridge Racer because it was cheap and I needed something to tide me over until March. All 3 have impressed greatly.

I hope that the 3 console manufacturers will continue to all do what they do well as it provides a nice gaming variety, which as they say is the spice of life.

[Tejstar]

I think that it’s foolish to write off Ninty at any stage. I remember when the DS was first announced and many people laughed seeing it as a gimmick. However, now the situation is a lot different. The DS is holding its own in the West whilst dominating in Japan. I think the Revo has greater potential than the DS however, as always, execution will be critical.

[CAS FAN]

Originally Posted by Tejstar

I think that it’s foolish to write off Ninty at any stage. I remember when the DS was first announced and many people laughed seeing it as a gimmick. However, now the situation is a lot different. The DS is holding its own in the West whilst dominating in Japan. I think the Revo has greater potential than the DS however, as always, execution will be critical.

I don't think anyone is writing them off as such but when HDTV is quickly taking hold (and by the time the Revo is released many people will own a set) then it seems silly to release a machine that is only capable of low resolution output. HD isn't some magic wand that makes games better, but it allows for better detail and clarity in films and games and does add to the experience of both IMO. It's similar to the move from black & white to colour in that OK the stuff you see is still basically the same with one important change. Most TV was perfectly watchable on B&W (although snooker took a keen eye to decipher the various shades of grey) but a colour picture enhanced the experience. The same now goes for SDTV, but HD does enhance the experience. Console games have often lost the clarity of their PC counterparts and on screen detail has never really been able to compete. This, along with other factors (less memory, no Hard drive etc.) often made console games look like simpler, dumbed down versions of the PC game. The first wave of 360 games haven't really utilised the benefits of HD and many of the games are just graphically enhanced versions of the last gen games. Games like GR:AW look to really benefit HDTV users allowing you to see detail (i.e. the enemy) very far off and generally provied a more detailed and more immersive world.

HDTV isn't just some gimmick that MS have made up, it's the latest standard in video and will benefit most games - surely a sharper clearer picture is better than a lower resolution picture, whatever you are viewing. Many things excite me about the Revo, but I really wouldn't like to have to go back to viewing in low res after getting used to HDTV.

[The_Censor]

Ok, I admit to being flippant with regards to 'High Def', but I was basically referring to my own subjective experience when playing the 360, say playing FIFA 06 or a fast paced action game, the immersion should be such that High Def goes virtually unnoticed - it's great for the first few run-throughs and to impress your friends - Then again, I will readily admit that a game like Condemned is all about the atmosphere, and the same realism and immersion simply could not have been achieved on the old non-high definition consoles.

So really, High Definition is ALWAYS a very good thing in principle, though anyone looking forward to seeing High-Def Movies/TV on their screens are no doubt getting a little baffled/worried/spooked by the apparent complexity of the HDCP situation. Happily, there are no such issues with the next gen consoles, so realistically the only justifiable reason for Nintendo not making the Rev High Def is the cost factor - It is the argument I have heard and one that I readily accept, High Def will greatly increase development costs for games. So I personally am not worried, if the Rev immerses me in games like never before, then I shouldn't be consciously thinking 'that textures not high def' while I'm playing away at it.

I have to be honest, I just want Nintendo's new console to be a huge success because I think they are a wonderful company, if not always in output then in vision and ethos.

[CAS FAN]

I know exactly what you mean but I guess the Nintendo of today is not the Nintendo or the past. Naturally they have always been a business and as such looked to make a profit but you feel that back in the 80's and 90's when the video gaming world was a much smaller place, that there was more of a passion for creating new games & gaming devices. Companies have become bigger and bigger and the video games industry is now run by the giants that are Sony and Microsoft. So far Nintendo had tried to change and keep up as a business and you feel that the content coming out of the company now is more driven from the board room and profits than anything else.

I think that Ninty have realised that they just can't fight on the same playing field as the two big boys so they do seem to be taking a risk and going back to their roots with the Revo. I do feel that the Revo is a very exciting prospect and screen resolution shouldn't really be a factor. Sadly Ninty have made it one by stating that it won't support HD resolutions. For me it's a backward step and takes the element of choice away from the gamer. I can't see it adding much to the cost - developers can still make simple games for the console if they so wish and I also feel that they made a mistake by making the Gamecube too cheap anyway. They need to get away from the unit being viewed as just a toy for kids and for it to be viewed as a toy for adults and kids alike. The design is definately a step in the right direction but if they make the unit too cheap then people will not respect it for what it is.

I guess we'll all just have to wait until E3 to see what Ninty are really offering as so much to do with teh Revo at the moment is vapourware.

[spocktra]

I am probably not alone in saying price for me is a major factor and if the revolution is approx £160 then i will buy it.That is why i bought a second hand cube and not a ps2.High def is certainly the future but i for one ,can wait to see what the future brings.

[Racquel Darrian]

Originally Posted by CAS FAN

........I also feel that they made a mistake by making the Gamecube too cheap anyway. They need to get away from the unit being viewed as just a toy for kids and for it to be viewed as a toy for adults and kids alike.........

I think they went wrong by making the games too expensive.

The discs were (at the time) un-copyable so why were the games sooooo expensive?

If the games were available at around £20 each Ninty would have swept the board.
Look at that Scooby Doo game that came out at a cheap price. It went straight in at the no.1 position.

Make the games cheaper and sell more games and consoles because of it makes much more sense to me.

[PioRow]

CAS FAN hit it on the head, not supporting hidef takes away the choice from the gamer.
Load up PGR3 on your 360 and you can play it on composit cables through a 14" portable TV, or you can run it through a 50" plasma at 1280X768, its your CHOICE.

Nintendo need to provide us with choice, 720p isnt that tough to support. I think people need to realise that the Revolution is going to be one hugely powerfull console, its going to be capable of pumping out some serious graphics, it will quite capable of supporting 720p.

[Tejstar]

Originally Posted by CAS FAN

HDTV isn't just some gimmick that MS have made up, it's the latest standard in video and will benefit most games - surely a sharper clearer picture is better than a lower resolution picture, whatever you are viewing. Many things excite me about the Revo, but I really wouldn't like to have to go back to viewing in low res after getting used to HDTV.

I do agree. I've recently had my PS2 hooked up to my plasma and the picture has disappointed after what I've been treated to with the 360. Whilst graphics are not everything, it'd just be nice for the games to have the same 'sheen' that they do on the 360.