EGM Rumors: Wii dev instead of PS3; Ninja Gaiden PS3; Lightsaber Wii

[Kamalot]

1Up is reporting (http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3151506) some rumors from Electronic Gaming Monthly’s “Q” rumormonger. They highlight 3 rumors of import:

Developers are moving from expensive PS3 development to less expensive Wii development.

Ninja Gaiden Black is coming to PS3.

LucasArts is in development of a Lightsaber game for the Nintendo Wii.
With the recent reports of PS3 ports being difficult, why is it getting a port of an old, original Xbox game?

Can anyone vouch for the "Q"? Are his rumors true more often than not?

[Goronmon]

LucasArts is in development of a Lightsaber game for the Nintendo Wii.Oh Fuck Yeah!

[The Iron Weasel]

I thought Itagaki said that he will not work with the PS3 because its architecture is far too complex. I'm pretty sure I remember him saying that. I don't believe it for a second thats why they are developing for 360, after the financial and critical sucess of Ninja Gaiden and Ninja Gaiden Black, I'm willing to bet that microsoft paid them a very large sum of money to keep on keep'n on...on the 360.

[Murtaug]

Could that head line be any harder to read?

[Johan]

Developers are moving from expensive PS3 development to less expensive Wii development? I wouldn't be surprised at the first point, though only time will tell.

Ninja Gaiden Black is coming to PS3? I don't think NGB will be on PS3, but it's opinon...Itagaki and MS are pretty friendly at the moment.

LucasArts is in development of a Lightsaber game for the Nintendo Wii? Wii lightsaber game? Sounds good...but isn't anyone else concerned that a motion sensitive controller could be exhausting in terms of times when you need to keep still and you get sore/cramped? Seriously...the sensitivity of the thing better be pretty refined, or it'll be a bit*^ to use...

[bone_matrix]

The Q man is actually pretty good about his rumors. Sure, he prints ones that don't come true, but if I was a betting man, I'd take his rumors more often than not.

[Borys]

Did you ever submitted NEUTRAL or POSITIVE Sony news Nintenlot?

[Kamalot]

Did you ever submitted NEUTRAL or POSITIVE Sony news Nintenlot?I submitted one today about the upgradability of the PS3.

This one also has a PS3 game in development. Why would that be bad news?

News is in the eyes of the beholder, that's what allows us to have such interesting conversations here on Evil Avatar.

[noxa]

Could that head line be any harder to read?

Yeah I was trying to put together some permutations that worked...
'wtf is PS3-Lightsaber?! cool!'

I'm not a big fan of the SW universe, but I'd check out a Wii lightsaber game - if there was some 2 player action (somehow) I think it'd be a fun alternative to more traditional fighters.

The proper title should have been:
EGM Rumors: Wii dev instead of PS3; Ninja Gaiden PS3; Lightsaber Wii

/wannabe grammar nazi

[Wyrm]

Did you ever submitted NEUTRAL or POSITIVE Sony news Nintenlot?

Who gives a shit?

[Heretic Machine]

The Wii thing wouldn't surprise me. I don't think anyone is too jazzed about the prospect of making games on the PS3 at this point, not if the 360 and Wii can offer them profitable alternatives.

Ninja Gaiden Black on the PS3? Why should I care about this? I currently own two consoles that can play this game.

Wii lightsaber game? Hopefully yes, and hopefully the controls can mimic actually holding a lightsaber. I think most people would kill for that. Yes, it could get physically tireing, but I need the exercise anyway. Anything less than this would be just another Star Wars game, and I would be severely disapointed.

[Kamalot]

Who gives a shit?
When will Sony start to give me some positive news to post?

[jacktion]

News is in the eyes of the beholder, that's what allows us to have such interesting conversations here on Evil Avatar.


"I've got news in my eyes!! It burns!!"


The lightsaber wii thing is all but confirmed. It is a no-brainer and the lucasarts guys have winked and nodded knowingly in too many interviews for it not to happen.

[Goronmon]

LucasArts is in development of a Lightsaber game for the Nintendo Wii? Wii lightsaber game? Sounds good...but isn't anyone else concerned that a motion sensitive controller could be exhausting in terms of times when you need to keep still and you get sore/cramped? Seriously...the sensitivity of the thing better be pretty refined, or it'll be a bit*^ to use...Yeah, heaven forbid gamers actually get some exercise when playing some games. ;)

[Reanimated]

EGM doesn't exactly have a great track record on PS3 rumors.

[Kamalot]

I can see it now...

The Lightsaber game will include a floating lightsaber in the screen. Around the screen edges, you;ll have icons for each type of attack. Using the Wiimote, you'll point the cursor at an icon, and click the button to initiate the attack.

It'll be just like you are living Star Wars! ;)

[Wyrm]

When will Sony start to give me some positive news to post?

QFT.

I'm typing the words that go here because the post is too short.

[Citizen Philip]

Who gives a shit?

Those who care about the integrity of the website, in general, Twerp.

[bardockkun]

I can see it now...

The Lightsaber game will include a floating lightsaber in the screen. Around the screen edges, you;ll have icons for each type of attack. Using the Wiimote, you'll point the cursor at an icon, and click the button to initiate the attack.

It'll be just like you are living Star Wars! ;)
As long as i can cut off hands, arms, or better yet hit people with my lightsaber and make them vanish within their clothes, then i'll be happy.

[Kelegacy]

Yeah, heaven forbid gamers actually get some exercise when playing some games. ;)
Fatties for the win. Soooooey!

Ow, swinging the controller makes me sweat. Sweating hurts...

[Zanzibar]

I can see it now...

The Lightsaber game will include a floating lightsaber in the screen. Around the screen edges, you;ll have icons for each type of attack. Using the Wiimote, you'll point the cursor at an icon, and click the button to initiate the attack.

It'll be just like you are living Star Wars! ;)

I really, really can't tell if you're being sarcastic. So forgive me if you are.

The wiimote doesn't have to be pointed at the screen to generate input data. If you hold a TV remote control in your hands like a lightsaber handle, and you move that remote in any way (up, down, forward, back, left, right, twist in any direction), that movement can be measured by the Wii's controller. So, if you literally held the controller and swung it like you would a lightsaber, the sword onscreen would dance exactly the same way. Also, if you jumped backward or forward or whatever, the movement would be noticed by the Wii.

I think this game would be fucking fantastic. Now, we just have to figure out how to govern movement.

[Kamalot]

As long as i can cut off hands, arms, or better yet hit people with my lightsaber and make them vanish within their clothes, then i'll be happy.
I think the whole vanishing clothes thing only works if your opponent GIVES THE FUCK UP! :eek:

*run Luke, run!*

[Kamalot]

I really, really can't tell if you're being sarcastic. So forgive me if you are.

The wiimote doesn't have to be pointed at the screen to generate input data. If you hold a TV remote control in your hands like a lightsaber handle, and you move that remote in any way (up, down, forward, back, left, right, twist in any direction), that movement can be measured by the Wii's controller. So, if you literally held the controller and swung it like you would a lightsaber, the sword onscreen would dance exactly the same way. Also, if you jumped backward or forward or whatever, the movement would be noticed by the Wii.

I think this game would be fucking fantastic. Now, we just have to figure out how to govern movement.I was being sarcastic. Sorry if it didn't come through. I thought the whole idea of a lightsaber game where you DON'T swing the lightsaber around sounded so preposterous that it had to be irony. Just me I guess.

[TDub301]

I think the light saber game is a good idea, for the first time, we can exercise with video games without leaving the comfort of our chairs (I know about DDR, but you have to stand to do that, now we can stay sitting). Can anyone say physical therapy? Man, this could open up whole new avenues for games that were never even thought of. Yes, we'll be tired, but if we're having fun, isn't that good? Same as sports, I play basketball for hours. Yes, I get tired, but that's part of what makes it fun cuz I'm getting into it and getting good exercise in the process. Maybe this is even more what video game players need. Now all we need to do is get them to stop being lazy, don't know if Nintendo will be successful, but they're definitely up for the challenge.

[Citizen Philip]

So, if you literally held the controller and swung it like you would a lightsaber, the sword onscreen would dance exactly the same way. Also, if you jumped backward or forward or whatever, the movement would be noticed by the Wii.


Believed when seen. I've heard pipedreams like this since the original Nintendo "Robot" would play with you.. or the Power Glove.

It would be really nice, if for example, it could do a quarter of what is claimed.

[jacktion]

This brings up an interesting point. Is the Wii going to be able to handle realtime physics of a sword/lightsaber interacting with objects with inertia, weight, and anything else? As you swing a sword around the console will have to calculate what surfaces it is hitting, if they are moving, if they can be cut, and a million other little things. Is this going to be very hard or easy? I don't know.
We have seen how Red Steel's swordplay will work. It is not free-hand swordplay. You slash out "commands" with your wiimote and the onscreen sword will do a couple pre-animated moves. Blocking is with a button. It is very disappointing. I was hoping that it would just be the AI's sword versus your sword. If your sword is in it's path, then you block it.
The other thing that the Wii probably can't do is dynamic damage to enemy models. For exampe, if you cut off a guy's arm, will it accurately reflect where you cut it? Or will it have a pre-determined spot on each arm where the break will occur? Probably the latter, if anything. I am looking forward to seeing how much the Wii can do.

[Zanzibar]

Believed when seen. I've heard pipedreams like this since the original Nintendo "Robot" would play with you.. or the Power Glove.

It would be really nice, if for example, it could do a quarter of what is claimed.

Yeah, lemme put it this way: Nintendo did everything necessary to make an input device that measured everything I described; whether the developers use everything available to them is another question. We've played with the Wii controller and tested it, and goddamn if it doesn't do everything I've described.

[Citizen Philip]

Yeah, lemme put it this way: Nintendo did everything necessary to make an input device that measured everything I described; whether the developers use everything available to them is another question. We've played with the Wii controller and tested it, and goddamn if it doesn't do everything I've described.

As above, believed when seen. I've seen snake oil (proverbial) before; snake oil that really worked would be neat-o.

[dena miscreant]

I was being sarcastic. Sorry if it didn't come through. I thought the whole idea of a lightsaber game where you DON'T swing the lightsaber around sounded so preposterous that it had to be irony. Just me I guess.

Haha... I think it was just unexpected.

[Zanzibar]

This brings up an interesting point. Is the Wii going to be able to handle realtime physics of a sword/lightsaber interacting with objects with inertia, weight, and anything else? As you swing a sword around the console will have to calculate what surfaces it is hitting, if they are moving, if they can be cut, and a million other little things. Is this going to be very hard or easy? I don't know.
We have seen how Red Steel's swordplay will work. It is not free-hand swordplay. You slash out "commands" with your wiimote and the onscreen sword will do a couple pre-animated moves. Blocking is with a button. It is very disappointing. I was hoping that it would just be the AI's sword versus your sword. If your sword is in it's path, then you block it.
The other thing that the Wii probably can't do is dynamic damage to enemy models. For exampe, if you cut off a guy's arm, will it accurately reflect where you cut it? Or will it have a pre-determined spot on each arm where the break will occur? Probably the latter, if anything. I am looking forward to seeing how much the Wii can do.
Honestly, the Wii system is more powerful than the Xbox, so think of the best physics you've seen on any Xbox game and you can pretty much guarantee that the Wii can at least match it.

I think the Red Steel issues we saw had to do more with programming than anything hardware-specific. As with most decisions in gaming, the likelihood of something happening rests squarely in the hands of those designing the game, and rarely on the hardware limitations. "True" dynamic damage is difficult but not impossible, but the problem lies in calculating out all the permutations of such dynamic effects on the environment.

For example, if you lop off a guy's arm, he's got to react a particular way, which requires a whole new set of animations, which means his AI has to take all that into account. If you THEN lop off his LEG, that means that you have to have ANOTHER set of anims and AI responses. Continue ad nauseum. What if it's just his hand? How about a pinky finger? How about his left hand, right forearm, and left foot? See how difficult the problem becomes? You can DO the dynamic damage to a character, but having that character then react realistically becomes an INCREDIBLE headache in terms of programming and manpower. Believe me, we've done similar stuff, there are no 'catch-all' solutions to this kind of craziness. It just looks stupid when a guy with one arm and one leg isn't using specific animations and behaviors.

[ArkMan]

I have a Wii lightsaber.....

[Tohoya]

I'd like this to be true, but Q usually talks out of his ass. It woluldn't surprise me if he just made this shit up without having any "sources," as often as he's wrong.

[Tyrant]

I remember Q rumours being false far more often then they were true back when I read EGM.

The lightsaber game rumour came out of the Lucasarts tech demos at E3 if I'm not mistaken, but it only seems logical at this point to release such a game. Finally, we can all be Star Wars Kid(s)!

[Rook34]

This brings up an interesting point. Is the Wii going to be able to handle realtime physics of a sword/lightsaber interacting with objects with inertia, weight, and anything else? As you swing a sword around the console will have to calculate what surfaces it is hitting, if they are moving, if they can be cut, and a million other little things. Is this going to be very hard or easy? I don't know.
We have seen how Red Steel's swordplay will work. It is not free-hand swordplay. You slash out "commands" with your wiimote and the onscreen sword will do a couple pre-animated moves.

Don't forget though that Red Steel is just a first gen game, and Lucasarts has some very talented devs. Usually Lucas is a stickler for detail too so...it can only get better! :) I'm just wondering how they'll do force powers along WITH all the swordplay commands.
I think we all knew a lightsaber game was coming, especially after viewing the little Youtube.com farce between Sony, Nintendo, and MS.

As far as the rest of this newspost goes, nyeh..another day another anti Sony post. It doesn't phase me anymore except that I'm glad Sony is taken down a few pegs. Maybe they'll respect their consumers for a change in the future. I know they have a business to run and a product to sell, but they act like the gods of gaming.

[Wyrm]

Those who care about the integrity of the website, in general, Twerp.

It really isnt my fault that out of every 10 news posts on Sony, 1 has a positive notion. You can't say that someone goes out of their way to post bad Sony news when there really isn't anything else.

I'm just sick of the Sony fanboys that keep swooping in to suggest that this is somehow the fault of EA. This is a news site. It reports the news. Just get over it already.

I'm super psyched about the Lightsaber game! (Needed to be on topic for a change. Hey, I'm trying folks.)

[Mr.Condescension]

EGM doesn't exactly have a great track record on PS3 rumors.

OMG, Reanimated not bagging on the PS3 when given opportunity. Now this is news. ;)

[Eran Hawke]

I'd like this to be true, but Q usually talks out of his ass. It woluldn't surprise me if he just made this shit up without having any "sources," as often as he's wrong.
Who is wrong more often?

The Q making up stories

or Sony, telling the public about the PS3?

:) jest curious. I wonder if any one has a % that could be associated with them.

For example-any Q story you hear has a 45% chance of coming true.

Any Ken kataurgi story has a 15% chance of coming true.

[Citizen Philip]

It really isnt my fault that out of every 10 news posts on Sony, 1 has a positive notion. You can't say that someone goes out of their way to post bad Sony news when there really isn't anything else.

I'm just sick of the Sony fanboys that keep swooping in to suggest that this is somehow the fault of EA. This is a news site. It reports the news. Just get over it already.

I'm super psyched about the Lightsaber game! (Needed to be on topic for a change. Hey, I'm trying folks.)

Let's assume you have 100 gaming fans: 20 handheld, 20 PS, 20 Xbox, 20 PC and 20 Nintendo fans, let's assume for sake of argument, none of the 100 fans have any interest in the other platforms.

Now, if said website starts having lots of topics about Xbox, people not interested have less to read, which attracts more Xbox fans and decreases the number of other gaming enthusiasts. People who are indifferent, but interested in gaming may continue to read at the same level, because their interest is gaming, in general.

Nothing wrong so far, maybe there is no news, so it's sparse reporting: The same people who left the site won't find much news elsewhere, it's a dry spell. No biggy. They'll come back.

Now. If PC haters start posting every negative scrap of information they find on handhelds: every single scrap, quote out of context, negative rumour, etc. It's something else. First: you encourge more posts like it, you annoy fans of the handhelds because they feel they are being attacked, and those who are indifferent feel uncomfortable. Essentially, you alienate 20% of your readership by default, and potentially make 60% uncomfortable: at the same time, you have nothing new to say about the PC.

So.. let's say you do this for awhile: You've now got 50 PC fans either from the original base or those attracted to the posts, 5 die-hard handheld fans holdouts, 15 Xbox, PS and Nintendo fans. Now to continue supporting your readership you keep posting what you post.

The end result: Another fanboy site.

Now, case-in-point: The Litmus test. Go find yourself 5 other websites that claim to report about general gaming, and not a specific platform and read what they've been posting.

Obviously my example is exaggeration.

[Mr.Condescension]

The end result: Another fanboy site.


Based on the "what console do you own" poll there are more gamecube owners and more xbox owners on this site than PS2 owners. That's remarkably different than the world as a whole, where PS2 owners more than double Xbox and GC owners combined. Taking that into consideration I'm not particularly surprised at the news that is posted here in general.

[shnastybiznastic]

Let's assume you have 100 gaming fans: 20 handheld, 20 PS, 20 Xbox, 20 PC and 20 Nintendo fans,
<big ol' snip>
Obviously my example is exaggeration.
It's a noble cause to try and keep a good community from dropping into rampant fanboyism, but I think your model would be more accurate if everyone in the original group liked every form of gaming, and were willing to discuss is rationaly.

In my (admittedly few) years of lurking before I signed up, I noticed that the original group (with some notable exceptions) tend to respect all forms of gaming equaly, even if one form isn't thier favorate.

Part of the reason that this site gets a bad rap for being xbox oriented seems to be that it's more fair to all platforms as opposed to simply making fun of xbox owners for no reason (as per the vast majoraty of forums around the time that the xbox launched). Naturaly, masses of xbox owners/fans are going to migrate to an forums where they are not irrationally poked fun at, and one of those forums is EvilAvatar.

That these fans will turn to insulting other consoles is only natural, since it is the only treatment they have been shown. The real change I keep noticing recently is a push by oranges and reds (there are always exceptions, hell, Zeal is an orange) to bring someone posting unreasonable and irrational opinions to a more balanced point of view.

On the subject of news, a console whose focus is divided between gaming, movie playing and digital distribution (of the non-game type) is simply going to be more likeley to generate non-gaming centric news, and therefore elicit negitive responses from gamers. Couple that with the fact that the only current gen console out has constant updates (that are typically game oriented), and it makes for a much more positive buzz to the crowd that posts on gaming forums.

For the record, though, I am not an xbox fanboy, in fact, if anything, I probably qualify as a Nintendo fanboy.

[Feltoar]

Could that head line be any harder to read?

Before I had finished reading the heading I though Ninja Gaiden was going to be on Wii :o

[Kamalot]

Before I had finished reading the heading I though Ninja Gaiden was going to be on Wii :oWith a lightsaber!

[Darkbase]

Has anyone played the Star Wars Trilogy arcade game?! it had a giant screen and a big seat that could fit three people. With one joystick, you played the entire first (or last in the history?) three episodes (certain events of course). Well aside from piloting a ship in Hoth taking out ATATs and a speeder bike on that Ewok planet, there were a few boss levels where you has split seconds to wave the lightsaber in a given direction to reflect lasers from Boba Fett and slash Darth Vader to his tear-jerking bitter end. It was great (still around today, in fact, because I saw it in the local mall) and the lightsaber portions were real intense, and it shouldn't be too exhasting because it's already been explained that the controller can be used with great ease and little effort, so I can't wait.

[jeffool]

I think this game would be fucking fantastic. Now, we just have to figure out how to govern movement.I've seen that topic mentioned before and I have to ask, what's the big deal? Maybe it's just me, but I'd think it obviously intuitive to have tilting the nunchuck be strafing (ASDW) while the analog stick would be 'look'.

[RMan]

I've seen that topic mentioned before and I have to ask, what's the big deal? Maybe it's just me, but I'd think it obviously intuitive to have tilting the nunchuck be strafing (ASDW) while the analog stick would be 'look'.
I think the idea is that if looking was done with the controller then it'd be a problem also using it for sword swinging. The simplest solution, IMO, is to have a modifier button that's pressed to switch from move mode to sword fighting mode (sword fighting mode would auto lock to best/closest target, eliminating the need/ability to freely look around). This would allow you to do FPS gameplay with sword fighting and switch between them fairly seamlessly.

[jeffool]

I mean the attachment, the nunchuck, be used for movement. The Wiimote should only be used for swordfighting. (In my example, anyway.)

[RMan]

I mean the attachment, the nunchuck, be used for movement. The Wiimote should only be used for swordfighting. (In my example, anyway.)
Yea, I understood, but if the Wiimote is used only for swordfighting, then how do you look around? (note, I did screw up and said move once, when I meant look, so my post was confusing).

[codswallop]

Has anyone played the Star Wars Trilogy arcade game?
I used to play the green vector graphics Star Wars game at the arcade, which I think came out in around 1987/88. Edit: Nope, 1983 - http://www.klov.com/S/Star_Wars.html

I only ever got up to the third level a few times.

if the Wiimote is used only for swordfighting, then how do you look around?
The "nunchuck" attachment is also motion-sensitive, so that could theoretically be used. How well it'd work is another matter.