Nintendo Online at E3?...

[Miggy-AMN]

http://membres.lycos.fr/guildecow/no/No1.jpg

http://membres.lycos.fr/guildecow/no/No1.jpg <---- Scan from French Magazine.

===================

Discuss.

[Boardin' Dan]

Lol, it's in French.

It could say anything, Gamecube going online?
It could say - Hell no, Gamecube will never go online. :p

[Agustin]

Hehe... It just looks like a wireless LAN device...

[Miggy-AMN]

http://www.nintendojofr.com/images/nouvelles/2004/03/gamingmag2.jpg

More proof.

http://membres.lycos.fr/guildecow/no/Nintendonline.jpg <---- And what may be clever usage of photoshop.

Rough Translation of the Article (Thanks to G-A forums):


Everyone wants Gamecube to support online gaming, but the Japanese company firmly refused to appease players and only allowed local area network gaming. Analysts thus predicted a death sentece, but with the success of Playstation Online, could you really blame them for predicting this? However, perhaps in part to spur sales of the GC, Nintendo is ready to show off their new plans at E3... ahead of the presentation of their new portable.

Nintendo of America is creating an online service to use with the broadband adapter. Not having any real experience in the networking field, they made an agreement with Gamespy which has many years experience in centralized servers used to join players for games on the Internet. Logitech, an unexpected 3rd player in this venture, will supplement the accessories used for communication. The result of this surprising triple alliance has been seen before with Xbox Live!...and it will have some things similar to Xbox Live.

The headset is like the Wavebird in that it is free from wires. The options are very close to Microsoft's service...it will be possible to have a list of friends, take part in vocal chats, or look up player's records. Some things are different from Microsoft's service. A large asset to Nintendo's online servce (which doesn't have an official name yet) will be the ability to play current LAN anabled games via <Tunneling> (well known to do-it-yourself'ers). This will give developers a way to offer an online mode for a lower cost and it would seem that Ubi Soft will be the first to use this online mode with the next Rainbow 6 and Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow. There is a slight possibility that you could use the GBA Player with this service as well. It would be then possible to simulate a GBA-link and play on the internet...practical for Pokemon games.

It's odd that Nintendo seems to have changed their opinion suddenly, especially since the Gamecube is near the end of its life and the N5 being around the corner. Perhaps this service will play a larger role for future generations? In any case, people will greet the effort of this new service. We will, however, need to wait until E3 to see the definitive version on Nintendo online....to know the pricing policy and especially if there are Killer Apps for the service on the way (Pokemon Online has been a rumor that keeps popping up, and Mario 128 could be a candidate).

As always in this kind of situation, I will quote my friend Clara Morgane: "Wet and Sex."

-ZePOULPE

Caption Text:


At the time of DICE, Nintendo has led us to think that online is not in their agenda, but we announce a change pre-E3. Is it still time for a revolution?

A simple interface, but functional.

Will Zelda Four Swords be playable online? A mystery.

The Logitech headset is ergonomic and it's undeniable that it will be wireless

Mario Kart Double Dash!! will finally leave the ghetto(?) that are LAN parties!



Ubi Soft doesn't seem to be the only company ready to support Nintendo online. A young company called Level of Detail will have an 4-player adventure game in the same vein as FF:CC but with real-time combat. Watch out Zelda-4 Swords!

[Agustin]

WOW!!! It's a headset then, eh? If this all leads to MK:DD!! online, I'm all up for it! I want to see Nintendo Online, and I cannot wait any longer for E3!!! Why must it be so far away!? RE4, DS, WW2, MP2, and now ONLINE!!!??? This will definitely be Nintendo's best E3 showing in years! So many unexpected things, and so many that we've been eager to know more about! COME TO US, E3!!!!!

[prime_timer]

wow, if this all comes out to be true *licks chops*, it could be the biggest thing since portable yogurt. This may also be part of Nintendo's plan to continue to establish a larger userbase. And if all LAN titles can be played online..... HOOOOORRRRRAAAAAYYYYY! This means Star Fox Armada will be playable online..... if this turns out to be true,

[Sean-AMN]

This is all from an aim talk I had with one of our readers and i figured I'd thorw it out there,... what do you all think?


[11:58 PM]: http://www.nintendojofr.com/images/nouvelles/2004/03/gamingmag2.jpg [11:58 PM]: http://membres.lycos.fr/guildecow/no/No4.jpg [11:59 PM]: http://membres.lycos.fr/guildecow/no/No1.jpg [11:59 PM]: http://membres.lycos.fr/guildecow/no/No2.jpg [11:59 PM]: http://membres.lycos.fr/guildecow/no/No3.jpg [11:59 PM]: http://www.lodsoft.com/images_jeu/25.jpg [11:59 PM]: http://www.lodsoft.com/images_jeu/24.jpg [11:59 PM]: http://reviews.zdnet.co.uk/i/z/rv/2003/12/bt-logitech-i1.jpg [11:59 PM]: http://membres.lycos.fr/guildecow/no/Nintendonline.jpg [11:59 PM]: http://www.pixtudio.com/portfolio/43/nintendo_gamecube.jpg NCUBEXTREME [12:02 AM]: hmm
[12:03 AM]: Apparently, a French gaming magazine has a scoop regarding a partnership between Nintendo, Gamespy, Ubisoft, French developer Level of Detail (www.lodsoft.com) and Logitech. Apparently, Ubi and LOD are developing an online 4-player RPG similar to Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles, but with realtime combat. Logitech is developing a wireless headset for communication. Ubi will bring Rainbow 6 3 and Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow to the GameCube online. Gamespy is providing the online backbone.

[12:03 AM]: all this was taken from the ign boards so i don't know

[Boardin' Dan]

That would be cool if Gamecube went online but the older games probably wouldn't be able to go online, just the ones made after the online hardware.

[Robert-AMN]

Damn...now if I only knew french!! If all of this (or just the online part) is true, it will be a big *WAACK*to the back of a lot of people's heads.

The interface look very clean, and yet it is kinda funny how the different sites have the same images on them.

Could this be part of the add-ons Iwata and friends were talking about releasing? Maybe we will be in for a bigger E3 than we thought?

[prime_timer]

theres another thread that miguel made, with all of the translations and such.

[Sean-AMN]

im skeptical, but it makes a lot of sence, also its funny that both tom cl's ubi soft games hit the cube the same day

[blablamax]

I am too, pretty skeptical...It would be amazing .. great thing to have.

[nichtkiffer]

Thats so fake! Look at the pic, with the guy sitting in front of the TV. Now look at the right bottom of that darker bar.
Is anyone seeing the mouse cursor?

[prime_timer]

could be the controller. if youve ever played Phantasty Star, you know that a mouse curser will come up that will let you click different things... at least when you first start playing it, a mouse will come up and let you click things like 'Nintendo Gamecube Modem or Broadband adapter not detected.' and it'll have a 'Ok and 'Cancel' under it (this is just an example).

Then again, i may just be talking out of my ***. im overly hopeful

[Freak of Kane]

I doubt it. Nice if it happens, though.

[Freak of Kane]

Speaking of which, at around the time of E3 last year, GCA had an interview with GameSpy that said they would be providing the software for GC online...anyone remember? Seems like nothing came out of it till now. Or it was just another rumor.

[Sean-AMN]

let me find that

[Ninty-cent]

why would the frnch know about this first...???

maybe it could be due to the fact that Ubisoft is based in France, so I suppose they would know about this before since Ubisoft's releasing 2! online titles...

[Freak of Kane]

Which is not confirmed BTW. I've read somewhere Ubi denying making the GC version of SC2 online.

[Professor Go]

I admit I pooped in my pants reading this this morning on N-Philes, but it's
probably an April Fool's joke - Nintendo isn't THAT savvy about anything.

[Freak of Kane]

Oh yeah, the professor has a point! April is right round the corner. I remember last year a few sites pulling the jokes in a little early. Anyone remember getting hyped for the Mario Kart character list? God, didn't they have every member of the Kong family in there?

[MAX]

do the french celebrate april fools? are they smart enough to come up with something like this?

[Freak of Kane]

Well, if they're smart enough for fries...I don't see why not.

[Cooolcorey]

Anyone remember Nintendo's April Fools joke about getting the Triforce in OoT?

[MAX]

Originally posted by Freak of Kane
Well, if they're smart enough for fries...I don't see why not.

the creation of fries was an accident....

online would be fun... .so let's hope those frogs aren't playing with our emotional hearstrings..

[Miggy-AMN]

France celebrates April Fool's on November 28th. It's called "Innocent Day". Just for the record.

[prime_timer]

maybe they're doing it to mess with our stupid american ( and non-American) heads.

[Brandon-GCA]

Chunsoft said that Homeland would be online for Gamecube, that was posted in a recent news article wasn't it?

[Wh|tE gUy]

*MERGE*

[Matt]

Originally posted by Brandon-GCA
Chunsoft said that Homeland would be online for Gamecube, that was posted in a recent news article wasn't it?

Yes.


BTW - it isn't the French screwing around with us. They've already been boycotted and are now trying to be friendly to Americans.

We'll have to look into this some more.

[johnnyb853]

somethings are best to be left for later. if we find out all of nintendo's possible secrets what will their be left to look forward to. if e3 comes around and we know all about the new stuff we can say no big supprise been knowing about it for months. if it is true it is true and nuf said

[Professor Go]

Our French "boycott" was hardly anything for the French to give a flying **** about.

[Cooolcorey]

Originally posted by Brandon-GCA
Chunsoft said that Homeland would be online for Gamecube, that was posted in a recent news article wasn't it?

Yes, but that's different. Homeland is connected directly between two gamecubes (over the internet), this is (supposedly) gonna have a main server that every gamecube connects to.

[Robert-AMN]

I hope that this is true, but that nothing more comes of it till E3. As johnnyb853 said, they need to keep some things tied down to make surprises at E3. Last year there were no surprises except for Geist and Pac-Man, both rather ho-hum then.

[Messiah]

Even if this is true why the hell did Nintendo wait so damn long to introduce it. It would have been more logical to have released a year ago or so. I still hope its true but why oh why the wait?

[Professor Go]

Maybe they are finally saying "Hey we were stupid, here's your dang online stuff!" - but really, when has Nintendo been known to admit when they were wrong?

[Matt]

Nintendo already failed for GCN online. If N5 isn't online properly, it'll fai..

[Messiah]

Faint?
hmmm i cant make out what you mean by fai....

[johnnyb853]

maybe they wanted us to get the impression that they were not interested in online play (which i think they did a good job at) for it to be a really big suprise, one that no one would expect. suprise :)

[Messiah]

Yeah but what would the point of doing that be, i mean what would it accomplish

[OutlawAdidas]

Ok, they are gonna make the GC online, and then transition it over to the N5

[Killer212]

Originally posted by Freak of Kane
I doubt it. Nice if it happens, though.



Oh hell yea if this **** happens then we extreme gamers will have more time to spend instead sitting on our asses saying
"what the hell am I to do now. Ive beaten this game 7 times."

[Brandon-GCA]

I'm all about some GCN online, i hope they have a full blown online plan just waiting to be revealed at E3.

[OutlawAdidas]

Well I guess I will see you guys Online playing mario kart DD or maybe Splinter cell.

[blablamax]

Dont forget that Nintendo stated that they will announce a few new Hardwares on this E3, that will be add-on to the cube .. Maybe all the talks were about it.

[OutlawAdidas]

Probably a harddrive, I dunno, I hope its all good.

[crosshair]

Harddrive? A harddrive would seen logical for memory sucking games like Animal Crossing... So with just a few games to support, doubt it...
Unless for online use, like what Square has done with PS2 harddrive and FF bundle....

[Kirbimirsha]

Well............
http://www.nintendojo.com/infocus/view_item.php?1080454413

I honestly can t see ninty goin online....... no wonder so many people are joking about them.....
Whats the point when it doesnt work from day one???

Wake up nintendo and find a plan that will benifit every1 !!!!!!

[BigBroMario]

Yup, it's been revealed as a Hoax, http://www.nintendojo.com/infocus/view_item.php?1080454413

Turns out the headset is already being sold on Logitech's web site for $99.

[Freak of Kane]

Originally posted by Killer212
Oh hell yea if this **** happens then we extreme gamers will have more time to spend instead sitting on our asses saying
"what the hell am I to do now. Ive beaten this game 7 times."

Or you could play with some friends...

[johnnyb853]

hey it could still happen. we will just have to wait and see

[Just Gabriel]

Originally posted by BigBroMario
Yup, it's been revealed as a Hoax, http://www.nintendojo.com/infocus/view_item.php?1080454413

Turns out the headset is already being sold on Logitech's web site for $99.

It could just have the same design, but not be a bluetooth device.

Either way, I don't want to rule this out too early. Nintendo HAS made plans with other companies so far, and they have to have some other reason for the little chunk of LAN-enabled games as of late.

[Sean-AMN]

that log in screen cube theme killed it id say

[Freak of Kane]

Did you manage to dig up that interview that GCA did with GameSpy last year?