Wii U Scanner?

[Koopaul]

With this whole Rayman Legends thing going on, it reminded me of the first trailer.

Remember how they could stick little figurines on the screen and it could scan them?

Whatever happened to that? Could the Wii U really do that? I must have missed something.

[Leon]

Yeah, you're referring to Near Field Communication, which is built into the Gamepad. It's a similar but more advanced version of the RFID used in the Skylanders games.

[Koopaul]

Yeah you're right:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2h0rbWJPs8s

I thought that was something different, since they show it as a small box on the left side.

It's especially confusing since the Skylanders game for the WIi U doesn't use that correct?

[Leon]

Well Skylanders uses the older RFID, so imagine that to make the figures compatible with all versions of the game, they have to use their own device.

Now, if Nintendo were to make their own Skylanders type game, It would be a safe bet to have it use NFC like the Gamepad,

[Da Robot]

A few things . . .


- That RL trailer was a "leaked" internal trailer for disturbution inside Ubisoft only, it even had copyright music in it (which they got sued for apprantly) and the NFC features from RL have been removed. (It's not known if the delay will allow it back in?)


And here's some new info that appeared this week from Joystiq

Speaking to investors, CEO Satoru Iwata discussed potential plans for the tech, none of which have been finalized. Nintendo's ideas for NFC uses split in two directions: Skylanders-style toys and credit card reading.

"For example, we can create cards and figurines with NFC and design our video games to work in conjunction with them," Iwata said of the first possibility. "Also, an increasing number of arcade games are utilizing IC cards which can read and write data in order to record users' scores and it is possible for Wii U games to connect with them." Nintendo is working with "several" developers on ideas like this, "and, by the end of this year, we will probably be able to show you some output, tell you about some more concrete examples of the possibilities or even let you try out some tangible examples."

The other potential use of NFC, as discussed by Nintendo before, is for payment cards. "Technically, it is possible to settle an account by waving an e-money card over the Wii U GamePad," Iwata said. "We are conducting research into this right now as one of this technology's future possibilities." While NFC payments are more prevalent in Japan than elsewhere, there are lots of credit cards in America that can be used by tapping on the card reader. Setting your card down on the GamePad would certainly be more convenient than entering a number.

Whatever Nintendo does with the technology, Iwata is adamant that it had better do something. "Since we have made a certain investment in order to install NFC," he said, "we will make efforts to at least receive a return on our investment."

[Koopaul]

I hope so too. Nintendo is known for inevnting new features but then never really using them. Like whatever happened to that dumb finger thing that measures your pulse?

[Da Robot]

Feb 9, 2013 3:11:32 GMT -5 Koopaul said:

I hope so too. Nintendo is known for inevnting new features but then never really using them. Like whatever happened to that dumb finger thing that measures your pulse?

The Vitality Sensor was never even released, so it's kind of unfair to compare.


From Wikipedia

"However, at E3 2011, Nintendo announced more about the Wii Vitality Sensor. Shigeru Miyamoto said that the Wii Vitality Sensor has a difficult time performing consistently across a variety of situations but still may be released"


And this article from Joystiq, again (May 2011)

In the recent investor Q&A, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealed that no, the insane Vitality Sensor peripheral hasn't been cancelled. Nintendo just ran into a small problem -- human bodies are weird and unpredictable.

"This is a totally new type of entertainment," Iwata told investors, "and there are large individual differences in the biological information of humans. For example, if it was acceptable that only 80% of the users thought the result was natural, then we could propose this to consumers right now. However, we are aiming for a level of quality in which 99% percent of consumers feel comfortable, and that is why this project is taking time to complete." We suppose that the Vitality Sensor would be even less fun than most of us imagine if it didn't even sense properly.

The variation in feedback is apparently a major hurdle. While Nintendo's not giving up, Iwata warned investors that "now I cannot clearly say when we will be ready to put this on the market." And though he didn't mention it, Nintendo will likely face another hurdle thanks to the delay -- having to adapt the Vitality Sensor to work with a new console.

[Leon]

It begins!

Pokemon minis being sold for Pokemon Rumble U.

[Da Robot]

Mar 13, 2013 0:22:30 GMT -5 Leon said:

It begins!

Should have added this!



But WOW! The rumors of a Pokemon game using NFC were true . . .

But still the Pikachu figure looks . . . polygonal, yeah I understand the "super deformed" style of Pokemon Rumble, but the in game models a rounded with very little edges, but this . . . they look really cheap, unless that was the point, to hopefully sell them for a cheap price compared to Skylanders larger/detailed figures (and the upcoming Disney Infinty figures which are more expensive than the Skylander figures but have even less visual detail than them).

Well the only bright side is not having to buy another "figure portal" because of the Gamepads built in NFC.

[Leon]

Well, they're only 200 yen, so they're really cheap compared to the Skylanders toys.

[Da Robot]

Speaking of Skylanders, I checked Wikipedia and if it's accurate, an important detail of note is that Skylanders has not been released in Japan yet so technically Nintendo can be first in Japan with this "toy/game NFC" feature

Also first 6 toys (secret 7th yet to be revealed).

Bulbasaur, Tochic, Pikachu, Lucario, Piplup, Victini



- first line of figurines includes Bulbasaur, Pikachu, Torchic, Piplup, Lucario and Victini
- Pokemon Centers will sell download codes for the game
- attack via the GamePad's touch screen
- various items that you can find within the game
- items will do things such as make you big or heal
- some levels have gimmicks that you can control
- others that will damage you
- each area has a boss at the end and has multiple levels
- timed battles also appear
- use the figures in the game and raise them using coins obtained within the game
- figures will be used in other games at a later date

www.gonintendo.com/?mode=viewstory&id=198124

[Da Robot]

Pokemon Rumble U will be released in Europe on August 15th and NA on August 29th via eShop ($17.99 US).

In NA, 18 figurines will be avalible at launch sold exclusivily from Gamestop and will be priced at $3.99 each and they are optional to play the game with.

www.destructoid.com/pokemon-rumble-u-set-for-eshop-release-in-na-and-europe-258264.phtml



In a slight irony, Disney Infinity (which uses also uses NFC figurines but not on the Wii U gamepad) is also released in August as well ( NA August 18, 2013, EU August 20 2013) This is going to be interesting . . .

[Da Robot]

BUMP!

Some info from last weeks Nintendo financial results briefing confirms that there will be a some sort of NFC Nintendo Figurine platform for the Wii U and the 3DS (3DS figurine platform will connect via infrared).

This will be revealed at E3

- Codenamed Nintendo Figurine Platform
- Figurines will work across multiple save titles
- Will launch for Wii U this year (and 3DS next year)
- Customize your NFP to raise or train your own Nintendo characters
- In development since last year.

"With the launch of this new product genre, NFP, which will be compatible with Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, is going to serve as the first example of actively utilizing our own character IP," Iwata said. "At the same time, there are not only going to be decorative boxes for video game hardware and packages for software, but also Nintendo character figurines displayed on store shelves. This will provide exposure for Nintendo, play a great role in raising our brand awareness and create more opportunities for consumers to play video games.'


Below images are examples


A possible figurine working with example games. (Game C is apparantly a colour inverted Octopus Dance from Nintendo Land, so don't look to much into the pictures).


3DS figurine scanner.


Sources.

www.polygon.com/2014/5/7/5693376/wii-u-nfc-mario-figurines-nintendo

tinycartridge.com/post/85080648222/nintendo-making-skylanders-style-figure-series-for



I'll admit the news of the 3DS figurine scanner was quite surprising, I would have thought that maybe Nintendo would try some sort cross-over connectivity in the form of a NFC Wii U card that could also function as a augmented reality card for 3DS first, considering that the latter is pretty much forgotten.

[Nester the Lark]

This seems so strange to me that Nintendo would do something like this. Unless I'm misunderstanding it, it's basically just a Nintendo version of Skylanders or Disney Infinity, except it's used with multiple games instead of just one. Bandwagoning just doesn't seem very Nintendo-like. Add to it the fact that Nintendo was originally offered to have Skylanders as an exclusive, and they turned it down only for it to end up being a massive success. This really feels like a "me too" move.

Personally, I'm not too excited about it. The problem with Skylanders and Disney Infinity is that, despite paying premium price for the game and the portal, you still have to pay hundreds of dollars more just to buy the figures so you can get access to the full game. (This is especially bad in Disney Infinity.) It's essentially just glorified DLC, and the worst kind of DLC. It would be even more un-Nintendo-like for Nintendo to be this spiteful towards its customers.

Then again, it's a formula that's proven successful, and that's what Nintendo needs right now. It's just that for me, personally, I don't get it.

[Da Robot]

May 13, 2014 15:34:53 GMT -5 Nester the Lark said:

This seems so strange to me that Nintendo would do something like this. Unless I'm misunderstanding it, it's basically just a Nintendo version of Skylanders or Disney Infinity, except it's used with multiple games instead of just one.

Well, we don't know what it is and our only frame of reference is those two series and also Pokemon Rumble's optional NFC figurines.

It could very well end up like the latter, with a cheaper downloadable game or cheaper physical release with optional purchasable figurines.

Even Skylanders at minimum requires a player to only buy 5 more figurines so all 8 elemental areas can be accessed and 3 are included in the base package. (but of course kids probably just want to buy em all)