Rayman creator praises Wii U and tons of memory, talks Rayman Legends, more
In an interview with French website Gameblog.fr, Rayman and Beyond Good & Evil creator Michel Ancel opened up on all things Wii U. Ancel talked about the console overall and its tech, and managed to offer some tidbits on Rayman Legends.
Fortunately, someone was kind enough to translate a large portion of the interview. We’ve posted a number of points from the discussion, including Ancel’s high praise for the Wii U’s memory.
Read on below for the summary.
Wii U in general
- Ancel believes Nintendo has a tough job explaining Wii U
- He feels the console is like having a whole new cooking recipe, and you can’t put words on it
- People have to “taste it” to understand what it means
- Ancel sees Wii U as a core gamer concept since it brings new tools to gamers and games while not removing what they already had
- Nintendo’s director was difficult for devs to understand at first, but it will ultimately lead to value
Rayman Legends
- In a way, the game is like a level editor that allows for playfield changes in realtime
- GamePad player will be able to literally dig into the scenario like Dig Dug
- Ancel appreciates the idea of asymmetric gameplay
Wii U tech
- Wii U has enormous memory
- Almost no limitations with memory
- Lots of memory helps with 2D games since they use memory for textures, drawings, etc.
- Ancel says the Wii U is a surprising machine
- It can display full HD (1080p) on the TV while streaming a different image at 800X480p on the GamePad
- Keeps 60 FPS framerate at the same time
- Ancel also likes how Wii U opens LAN possibilities
- Even though it’s rather powerful, the Wii U isn’t a traditional next-gen console with huge graphic improvements
- Nintendo made different next-gen choices
- Ancel isn’t sure if Wii U can handle his vision for Beyond Good & Evil 2 since he only has 2D experience with the console thus far
Iga_Bobovic said:Grab your calculator.
Combine all the sales of the Prime games.
Done?! Ok step 2.
Compare that combined number to the sales of Donkey Kong Country Returns.
Iga_Bobovic said:Grab your calculator.
Combine all the sales of the Prime games.
Done?! Ok step 2.
Compare that combined number to the sales of Donkey Kong Country Returns.
Nintendo could throw any of their teams on a Donkey Kong game and it would sell like mad. But they don't all have the special skills that Retro has to create something with a deeper, more mature edge to it which is why I would hope Nintendo would use that to their advantage in getting some 1st party software variety on their system.
A supposed insider said this on the beyond3D forums:Originally Posted by Li Mu Bai:
The first two visual showcases from Nintendo's internal studios will be Retro & Monolith Soft's titles. Both running on proprietary engines that will demonstrate the Wii U's technical presentation properly.
Remember when Monolithsoft said this:
The staff behindDisaster: Day of Crisis, and Xenoblade are working on a Wii U title. This will be Monolith Soft’s first HD game, but the Nintendo owned studio has been doing research on HD games and are excited to show fans the results of their work.
Toshiaki Yajima, one of Monolith Soft’s programmers on the Xenosaga series, says since they have been doing technical research the transition shouldn’t be a problem. As a programmer, he thinks this is an opportunity to use techniques like shaders and refine physics for their game. Fellow Xenosaga alum Michihiko Inaba is particularly interested in the Wii U’s controller. He says its interesting to play with the TV and a second screen, a technique he hopes to try soon.
Inaba says he hopes to surprise everyone with Monolith Soft’s first HD title. He wants to show the world that Japanese technology won’t be beaten by America. Inaba hopes to match Bethesda Softworks and the Fallout series (Fallout 3 pictured), but he said, in a joking way, that target may be a little bit too much.
The real reason why Monolith Soft did this Iwata Asks style interview was to recruit programmers for their Wii U project. To make games realistic, it is absolutely necessary to use external libraries. Katsunori Itai who worked on Disaster and Xenoblade hopes to add staff who are familiar with this style of programming to the team. Yajima specifically mentioned young staff with experience with Havok and Shaders are a good fit.
Hirohide Sugiura, Monolith Soft’s CEO, says with his company’s first HD game he doesn’t want to be defeated by titles developed overseas. He looks forward to applications from developers who have experience and are ready to put effort into Monolith Soft’s upcoming Wii U title.
Imagine if they could do this on U?
edgecrusher said:Iga_Bobovic said:Grab your calculator.
Combine all the sales of the Prime games.
Done?! Ok step 2.
Compare that combined number to the sales of Donkey Kong Country Returns.
Nintendo could throw any of their teams on a Donkey Kong game and it would sell like mad. But they don't all have the special skills that Retro has to create something with a deeper, more mature edge to it which is why I would hope Nintendo would use that to their advantage in getting some 1st party software variety on their system.
Just because something is 'Mature' does not make it deeper. Retro did a good job with DK, let them do a sequel. There is room for improvement.
Is Retro big enough to make two games simultaneously?
This gives a little more insight into Wii U development.
Mass Effect 3 Wii U developer Straight Right has an unenviable task. The Australian studio is BioWare's go-to team for relaunching the critically-acclaimed Mass Effect 3 on new hardware, with all-new controls and all for an as-yet untested market.
So what was the mood within the developer, as the team embark on Mass Effect 3 Wii U's home stretch?
"We're very conscious of not wanting to mess up," Straight Right boss Tom Crago explained to Eurogamer, "given the level of expectation and the fact that we're taking something which, on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and PC, was exceptionally good."
Straight Right has no bad words for the hardware - something which isn't too surprising when Crago mentions the company is already at work on two other Wii U projects.
"We've made a number of bets on the Wii U, so we're certainly hoping that the platform comes strongly out of the gate. We've got two other titles in development.
"One of them is original, our own IP, and another is based on another big franchise that will come out in 2013. It's a big title and you will have heard of it," he teased.More at the link
Interesting:
- It's a new, different and sophisticated piece of hardware
- Work began months before Mass Effect 3 ever saw light of day on other platforms.
- It's far from a rushed project
- They are working on 2 other Wii U games, 1 is a new IP
- Another is based on another big franchise that will come out in 2013. It's a big title and you will have heard of it
- Straight Right has had over a year to get used to the Wii U's hardware
Game Informer info:
New Super Mario Bros U
- dozens of levels across one world map, like Super Mario World - map can be panned around and explored at any time - game features an auto-scrolling, Boost Rush mode for more of a challenge - multiple branching paths that let you pick which way to go - this is much more than the tradition level choosing, which usually gives you only two paths to choose from - mid-world fortresses guarded by Boom-Boom - end-level castles guarded by Koopalings |
Game Informer spotted 7 worlds: Acorn Plains, Sparkling Waters (tropical), Frosted Glacier, Layer Cake Desert (complete with melting desserts), areas similar to Forest of Illusion and Sky World and a world surround by a tornado |
NintendoLand
Metroid Blast:
Metroid Blast up to 5 players. Wii Game Pad is Samus ship (might feature other types of machines), and 4 players can play in free-for-all or team deathmatch. Pointer and analog controls supported. Several maps! Classic Metroid music. You will smile. |
Metroid Blast.. also seems to have a horde type mode? Go through waves of enemies as a group. |
- ride a small train to and from attractions - spend coins in the hub that you've earned by playing attractions - winning pachinko games populates the park with Nintendo memorabilia - this includes Miis in Zelda costumes - Metroid Blast has everyone dress up in Samus' armor - one player flies Samus' ship using the GamePad and screen - 4 Wii MotionPlus players (plus Nunchuk) try to shoot down the ship - no radar available - includes a lava-filled Norfair map - this map features a mechanical Kraid that players can grapple up - Metroid Blaster requires Wii MotionPlus |
Balloon Trip Breeze:
Similar to Balloon Fight Players guide floating Miss through side-scrolling levels filled with obstacles like electric spikes, crazy birds, and hungry fish. Use stylus to draw gusts of wind to direct the Mii Goal is to fly as far as you can. TV shows complete view of the field, GamePad shows zoomed in for precise dodging. Nintendo hopes the game breeds competition through Miiverse |
Can Nintendoland be good? Nintendoland has online play right?
travo said:Well, well, well. NSMB U actually sounds pretty cool.
All they had to say is that its like Super Mario World. They should have called it New Super Mario World, that would have caused mass hysteria.
We don’t have all of the information from Game Informer’s New Super Mario Bros. U cover story, but we do have a smattering of details and images. Screenshots can be found in the gallery above while the new information has been posted below.
- Dozens of levels scattered across one giant map
- Sometimes breaks from the large map to zoom in on areas such as the Cookie Dome or Forest of Illusion
- Map can be panned around in its entirety and seamlessly explored at any time
- You’ll sometimes be allowed to choose between several choices as to which world you want to explore next
- Boost Rush mode: offers more challenge, auto-scrolling
- 7 worlds confirmed by Game Informer: Acorn Plains, Sparkling Waters (tropical), Frosted Glacier, Layer Cake Desert (complete with melting desserts), areas similar to Forest of Illusion and Sky World and a world surround by a tornado
- Bowser has kidnapped Peach yet again
- Boom-Boom is at the end of the mid-world fortresses
- Koopalings are at each of the castles
Nintendoland
GameInformer basically confirms that normal Wiimotes work on Wii U and it's up to the developers if they wish to use Motion+ or not.
^^^^^^ YES
I would love to see Nintendo try to get Capcom to finally remake Resident Evil 2 & 3 (in the REmake old-school style, of course) on the Wii U. I think those would be really nice exclusives to have, provided they put the same effort into them that they did for REmake. No chance of getting a brand new RE game exclusive, so this would be a great thing IMO.
Obviously, they should also be getting the actual NEW RE games as well. Still baffled at no RE6 or RE5 announcement.
They could get an exclusive RE, they got 2 Wii ones and one 3DS game. Of course it would be some low budget spin off done by Cavia.
And probably just good as opposed to great.
NYT explains Wii U to regular folk:
The biggest sequel coming soon is the Wii U, Nintendo’s follow-up to the original Wii. The Wii U’s main selling point is a new touch screen controller that is something like an iPad with thumbsticks and buttons. In demonstrations for the news media Nintendo has shown off games that permit what it calls “asymmetrical” competition, in which the player using the Wii U game pad sees something different on the touch screen than the rest of the players, using traditional Wii controllers, see on the television.
In one such game, Luigi’s Ghost Mansion (part of the coming anthology Nintendo Land), the touch screen player controls a ghost that is invisible to the remaining players. In another title slated for a 2012 release, New Super Mario Bros. U, the player using the touch-screen controller can add new platforms into the game world, either to assist inexperienced players or to frustrate less-well-liked opponents. Nintendo has also been showing off games, like ZombieU, that are designed to appeal to people who dismiss the Wii as a family-friendly device for casual players. (And yes, that is exactly what so many other people liked about the Wii in the first place.)
If the Wii U delivers as advertised, Nintendo will have once again expanded the universe of the possible for video game players. So far there’s no release date, other than a pledge that the Wii U will arrive sometime this year.
I have zero interest in Mario Bros U, but it looks nice. Maybe once I get around to playing Mario Bros Wii, I will get more interested. Or, it could burn me out on it and give me less interest. 
Trine 2 Wii U screens
Scrotopus!
Wow the more I see NSMB U it looks more like Super Mario World U. 
Here is a new trailer for Balloon Trip from NintendoLand which is a one player touch screen game. Nice to see some touch screen exclusive gameplay on U.
Grab your calculator.
Combine all the sales of the Prime games.
Done?! Ok step 2.
Compare that combined number to the sales of Donkey Kong Country Returns.