Wii Virtual Console vs. Emulators

corronchilejano · Post by **corronchilejano** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 3:33 am

Deathlike2 wrote:
franpa wrote:
kode54 wrote:
franpa wrote:im only after the virtual console for N64 games, gamecube games and wii games
Does not compute.
why not? i have the Virtual Console for n64 games and as a neat side effect i also incidentally have a Nintendo Wii as well which plays game cube and wii games as well.

Why the hell would you emulate Wii Games on the Wii?

Also, it is very very difficult (even for Nintendo) is emulate Gamecube games on the Wii, just simply due to resources. Remember, the resources required to emulate an older systems increases as the complexity of the system to be emulated increases.

I don't think the Gamecube will be emulated.

Joe Camacho · Post by **Joe Camacho** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 4:41 am

Corronchilejano wrote:
Deathlike2 wrote:
franpa wrote:
kode54 wrote:
franpa wrote:im only after the virtual console for N64 games, gamecube games and wii games
Does not compute.
why not? i have the Virtual Console for n64 games and as a neat side effect i also incidentally have a Nintendo Wii as well which plays game cube and wii games as well.

Why the hell would you emulate Wii Games on the Wii?

Also, it is very very difficult (even for Nintendo) is emulate Gamecube games on the Wii, just simply due to resources. Remember, the resources required to emulate an older systems increases as the complexity of the system to be emulated increases.
I don't think the Gamecube will be emulated.

Indeed, it will be GC backwards compatible.

But still, it's not very good idea to get a Wii on the VC alone. The VC is a characteristic of the Wii, not the other way around.

corronchilejano · Post by **corronchilejano** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 3:24 pm

I'm getting the Wii both for the machine and the compatibility with the GC. I think there are pretty good emus for almost all machines (except the N64, and I've already played all games I wanted to play on THAT machine).

I heard there was going to be online gaming supported on the VC. How'd that work?

whicker · Post by **whicker** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 6:48 pm

Corronchilejano wrote:I'm getting the Wii both for the machine and the compatibility with the GC. I think there are pretty good emus for almost all machines (except the N64, and I've already played all games I wanted to play on THAT machine).

I heard there was going to be online gaming supported on the VC. How'd that work?

Quite well, actually.

-Ludwig von Drake

corronchilejano · Post by **corronchilejano** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 10:30 pm

whicker wrote:
Corronchilejano wrote:I'm getting the Wii both for the machine and the compatibility with the GC. I think there are pretty good emus for almost all machines (except the N64, and I've already played all games I wanted to play on THAT machine).

I heard there was going to be online gaming supported on the VC. How'd that work?
Quite well, actually.

-Ludwig von Drake

I inmediately want this guy to win a prize, RIGHT NOW

snkcube · Post by **snkcube** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 6:12 am

whicker wrote:
Corronchilejano wrote:I'm getting the Wii both for the machine and the compatibility with the GC. I think there are pretty good emus for almost all machines (except the N64, and I've already played all games I wanted to play on THAT machine).

I heard there was going to be online gaming supported on the VC. How'd that work?
Quite well, actually.

-Ludwig von Drake

http://www.planetgamecube.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=12380

Actually, there won't be any online multiplayer support on the VC.

Jipcy · Post by **Jipcy** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 7:11 am

I really, really hope some of my favorite SNES games come out for the VC. Namely Secret of Mana and Chrono Trigger. It would be nice to retire my SNES and not have to worry about the battery back-ups dying.

I've never owned an N64, so it will be nice to play some of those games too.

SquareHead · Post by **SquareHead** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 7:43 am

Jipcy wrote:I really, really hope some of my favorite SNES games come out for the VC. Namely Secret of Mana and Chrono Trigger. It would be nice to retire my SNES and not have to worry about the battery back-ups dying.

I've never owned an N64, so it will be nice to play some of those games too.

Know whats really sad? I was hoping to see those two titles given the GBA treatment.

franpa · Post by **franpa** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 10:11 am

you people simply misinterpreted what i wrote... no need to have a big spazzy party.

prettzv · Post by **prettzv** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 3:59 am

I own a Wii, and I have to say that all the virtual console purchases thus far have been GREAT investments. I love ahving access to all of my library in one place, and am not above giving the big N 5 bones for a nes, or 8 for an SNES title. I love the company and really want to see them succeed. As an added ben efit I really like the classic controller. Great peice of hardware.

clessoulis · Post by **clessoulis** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 7:56 am

To put GC games on the VC all they'd have to do is a mounted iso off or your memory stick.

PHoNyMiKe · Post by **PHoNyMiKe** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 8:27 am

I bought "toejam & earl" for the VC for $8. it is pretty slick using the GC controller for this game at 480p, it seems to be a 100% perfect rendition of the game. plus if you exit to the wii menu, it saves a snapshot or some other term which will load when you open the game again. very handy cause this game has no sram.

I still have mixed feelings about the $8 though. you could pry buy it used for $4, but then you gotta hook up your genesis (whoops I don't have one) and shit. then I couldn't use the wireless GC controller either. I can guarantee though that I would have bought 2 games for $5 a piece, rather than just 1 game at $8 a piece. but that's business I guess.

and yeah where's zelda 3, chrono trigger, SoM, SoE, final fantasy and them shits? they gonna release like 1 awesome title per year or smth?

Panzer88 · Post by **Panzer88** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 8:43 am

Wii VC is a great asset. But I prefer using Emus for countless reasons. Features, all games available now, not spoonfed. also translations, hacks, accuracy, enhanced sound, picture, etc. VC is good but such a sad and sorry thing, Nintendo could hire people like you guys who make the emus, I really DON'T GET why they don't they could have some kickass emulation, it wouldn't cost em anything in relation to what they have.

Nightcrawler · Post by **Nightcrawler** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 4:14 pm

I agree. Virtual Console is a huge flop in my book. It had so much potential. I don't know why they couldn't write a capable emulator(At least for some of the systems offered) and offer the entire library(or as many games as practically possible as far as legal rights and licenses)

Instead.. there's hardly any available and they are overpriced. It also seems there is no hope of ever running home brew, imports, or your own backups or any other cool side options that could be possible with a virtual console.

Nintendo has entered the gimmick age. They can create the flash and the buzz, but they can't deliver anymore in my opinion. I realize that opinion contrasts the many owners of a DS or Wii, but they are still failures to me. I also haven't forgotten about their DS ouright lies when they claimed

Nintendo also had the option to approach some NES emu authors and purchase a decent emulator since they are incapable of writing their own. They didn't do that either. Boo Nintendo.

blackmyst · Post by **blackmyst** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 5:57 pm

I think you're looking at it a bit too much from the programmer/hardcore user angle. Average Joe isn't going to see the difference between this and Zsnes.

About making all games available from the start: I think it's been said before, but don't you imagine it would be kind of silly if they blew their wad in its entirety right from the beginning, and then have nothing new left for the rest of the VC's lifespan? Would that really make any sense, business-wise?

Jipcy · Post by **Jipcy** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 6:29 pm

Nightcrawler wrote:I also haven't forgotten about their DS ouright lies when they claimed

Were you going to finish saying something there? I'm interested in knowing what it was.

sweener2001 · Post by **sweener2001** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 10:16 pm

trauma center is one of the best games i've played recently

Panzer88 · Post by **Panzer88** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 1:19 am

I was going to mention that as well, that the VC WILL eventually have lots of games, and they are just slowly delivering them. What bugs me is this.

We are not getting near as many VC games as Japan
We did not get the region free system that we were told it was going to be

and because of the lack of region swapping they should localize these games so we can have them, but do they do that? no, there are plenty of games that will be japan exclusive.

And I realize the "average joe" won't notice the details, but they have a powerful enough machine and they have all the documents that they could have a "PERFECT" hardware emulator for their systems with little effort or resources expended. These people are FULL BLOWN PROFFESSIONALS, they should be able to do better than fans who don't get paid.

If they want me to pay for it they are going to have to do better than the people offering it for free.

Nightcrawler · Post by **Nightcrawler** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 2:56 pm

blackmyst:

You misunderstand the situation. They can NEVER release all the games in the VC's lifespan with their current setup. Nintendo packages each ROM with it's own hacked emulator. They waste their time having to pay individual attention to each game for it to work on Virtual Console rather than spending the money or time to make ONE accurate hardware emulator that will run all the games.

They're lackluster release list is NOT due to any business strategy. It's because they can't get them out any faster technically.

On a side note, I really don't think it would make a difference if all games were available today or piece mealed through 5 years. Having more games available now would boost Wii sales because VC would have a real library. And the individual game sales probably wouldn't change in my opinion.

Jipcy

Yes, I meant to finish that statement. I got interrupted during that post too many times. I was going to bring up their lies about the DS *NOT* being the GBA's successor. They kept trying to reassure people they weren't killing off the DS so soon by replacing it. Lies. GBA was nothing but a holdover product. I would throw some quotes out for supporting evidence, but I don't think I could dig up those press releases now.

Panzer88:

See my response to blackmyst. They will never have all the games. They are not capable of releasing the games in bulk. They're lucky to have say 200 games by the end of 5 years.

My point was not that the average Joe would notice the emulation difference. It's that they'd have an emulator that runs everything rather than the hack and play deal they are using now for each individual game.

Panzer88 · Post by **Panzer88** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 9:37 pm

it seems like it would be less work to make an emulator for the entire system, than one for each game.

And while they would like to stretch out releases to make them last, that's great. But why can't they release the VC games here that they are in Japan. And I know you'll say because they are in japanese, well for some of them you are right. But there are also games that have american localized versions of that game, and it was popular here, but for some reason we aren't getting it, either that or we are getting it months later. is NOA and NOJ in sync at all? What happened to "Wii are one international company"

Joe Camacho · Post by **Joe Camacho** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 10:01 pm

Panzer88 wrote:it seems like it would be less work to make an emulator for the entire system, than one for each game.

I hope you aren't comparing Zsnes and other emulators to get your assumtions, it has taken YEARS of research and work to get Super Nintendo Emulators to where they are now.

Firon · Post by **Firon** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 10:13 pm

It's a lot easier to do when you know about the internals of the system, especially if you have the people who designed the thing.

Deathlike2 · Post by **Deathlike2** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 10:37 pm

Firon wrote:It's a lot easier to do when you know about the internals of the system, especially if you have the people who designed the thing.

Very likely by this time, there may a few or none of the original team that had build the original SNES working @ Nintendo now. They could have all the docs, but you still have to reverse engineer your own work...

sweener2001 · Post by **sweener2001** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 11:46 pm

and i'm pretty sure each game doesn't need it's very own emulator. if the core emulator is decent enough to get game A working, odds are that there's a game B and C that also works now.

why do you think games like barbie horse adventure made it onto the xbox 360 compatibility list, while splinter cell was left out?

snkcube · Post by **snkcube** » Wed Feb 07, 2007 1:42 am

Nightcrawler wrote: Jipcy

Yes, I meant to finish that statement. I got interrupted during that post too many times. I was going to bring up their lies about the DS *NOT* being the GBA's successor. They kept trying to reassure people they weren't killing off the DS so soon by replacing it. Lies. GBA was nothing but a holdover product. I would throw some quotes out for supporting evidence, but I don't think I could dig up those press releases now.

Well, the DS was just a product they were experimenting on. Hence the statement about the DS not replacing the GBA. If the had DS failed, then they would've just killed it off and release something like a GBA2. However, now that it's a huge success, the GBA was eventually replaced by the DS.