nokia's n-gage handheld

[rxstress]

there's some pretty big news for nokia's n-gage today, they are going to buy sega.com and this mobile multiplayer software that sega developed called "SNAP". there's an article at gamespydaily.com here . i thought it was pretty surprising, but exciting... i've been following the n-gage for a while and demo'd it a little at e3, where i unfortunately was too overwhelmed by everything else to get much time with it! i've got one on preorder now so i can catch up.

so i know it's not mac-related, but if you mac users are anything like me, you like technology, period... so what are your thoughts?

 

[plinkoman]

man, you actually think this thing is gonna last?? c'mon, they are going up against gameboy

 

[Abstract]

Its like the Sony PSP coming out in 2004-2005. Sure, it has all the great graphics of the original Playstation, but the fact that it requires the use of small optical disks is sooooo flawed and expensive that they could never compete at Nintendo's pricepoint.

 

[Sol]

SEGA.net a good thing for Nokia

Well this is not the SEGA portable that I hoped for but suddenly the nGage is a lot more credible than before. We have yet to see what this portable can do that the GBA SP has not done already. Super Monkey Ball Jr. will surely be the game everyone uses for comparison of the two platforms. If games like Red Faction can be played online on the nGage then I am sure there will be a market for it but if the online component is limited to instant messages and high scores then good luck to Nokia. Personally I would not pay for it, especially when the GBA SP offers so much value and AAA software.

 

[plinkoman]

are you using sega to say this thing is credible?? seriously, sega is dead, they are just, for the lack of a better term, whoring themselves out to all other companies. you can find sonic games on both gba, and gamecube, as well as other sega titles, and on other platforms you can find the same thing. it is really a shame, sega used to be great back in the day, but they are nothing now.

really, this thing wont last

 

[Sol]

Call yourself a gamer?! Hang your head in shame.

Originally posted by plinkoman
are you using sega to say this thing is credible?? seriously, sega is dead, they are just, for the lack of a better term, whoring themselves out to all other companies.

Maybe SEGA spread its jam too thin with all those crappy consoles and add-ons to consoles but when it came to software they were right up there with Nintendo, Capcom, Namco, etc. Thanks to SEGA (and Namco) the arcade business introduced us all to real-time 3D graphics with titles like Virtua Racing, Virtua Fighter and Daytona USA.

SEGA's last console, the DreamCast may have failed to sell the units the PS2 has sold so far but this was not due to the lack of good software. In fact I would go so far as to say that the DC had more AAA quality titles than any of the next-gen consoles that followed. The problem was from the start the crappy marketing that SEGA continues to indulge in to this day.

As for SEGA "whoring themselves", this has only benefited all the major formats because for the first time gamers can experience all those great titles without investing in one particular console. For example, Super Monkey Ball Jr. is now available for both the GBA SP and the nGage. Now what is wrong with that?

 

[plinkoman]

Re: Call yourself a gamer?! Hang your head in shame.

Originally posted by Sol
Maybe SEGA spread its jam too thin with all those crappy consoles and add-ons to consoles but when it came to software they were right up there with Nintendo, Capcom, Namco, etc. Thanks to SEGA (and Namco) the arcade business introduced us all to real-time 3D graphics with titles like Virtua Racing, Virtua Fighter and Daytona USA.

SEGA's last console, the DreamCast may have failed to sell the units the PS2 has sold so far but this was not due to the lack of good software. In fact I would go so far as to say that the DC had more AAA quality titles than any of the next-gen consoles that followed. The problem was from the start the crappy marketing that SEGA continues to indulge in to this day.

As for SEGA "whoring themselves", this has only benefited all the major formats because for the first time gamers can experience all those great titles without investing in one particular console. For example, Super Monkey Ball Jr. is now available for both the GBA SP and the nGage. Now what is wrong with that?

if dreamcast had so many good games, gamers would have bought them regardless of bad marketing

have you ever played the new sonic games for it? they are in my opinion insulting to the originals. and what the heck is this super monkey ball thing you keep reffering too? and if all these great sega titles are on gba too, then how do sega games on the ngage make the ngage worth anything?

 

[4409723]

Re: Re: Call yourself a gamer?! Hang your head in shame.

Originally posted by plinkoman
if dreamcast had so many good games, gamers would have bought them regardless of bad marketing

By that theory Apple would be bigger than Microsoft, superior product with less marketing. Marketing has more of an effect than you think.

 

[sawaguchishinji]

Re: SEGA.net a good thing for Nokia

Originally posted by Sol
... If games like Red Faction can be played online on the nGage then I am sure there will be a market for it ...

I'm not sure. It's a little expensive to be online with your cellphone.

 

[sawaguchishinji]

Originally posted by plinkoman
... seriously, sega is dead

Sega's core business is Arcade. In Japan they made a lot of money on this.

 

[pellucidity]

Also, PS2 beat Dreamcast with the help of customers being convinced that backwards compatibility with an obsolete platform should be a factor in the buying decision.

Disclaimer: I am not saying the PS2 doesn't have good games. Gamers have to own one, because there is so much. But it didn't have to be that way, and EA/Square have to take the blame in part for that.

 

[Rezet]

Originally posted by plinkoman
man, you actually think this thing is gonna last?? c'mon, they are going up against gameboy

Game boy is a piece of trash. They sell that garbage for like 100 bucks (new ones) and inside you get technology from the 80's!
Freaking PDAs for like 140 bucks have like minnimum 200 MHZ processor. And what processor is in gameboy? Or I guess 32Kbs of memory make it cost so much. Nnintendo sells overpriced junk knowing it's currently a monopolist in that business of handheld gaming systems.
And 4 buttons? I mean cmon any games that I'd want to play on it like Mortal Kombat, need atleast 6 buttons.
Why couldn't they make ABCD buttons and 2 shoulder ones?

Gameboy is dead once PSP or even NGage comes out. Unless Nintendo stops being retarded and comes out with something good.
HERE ARE GBA stats:

Unit Specifications

CPU: 32-Bit ARM with embedded memory
Memory: 32 KB with 96 KB VRAM (in CPU), 256 KB WRAM (external of CPU)
Screen: 2.9-inch reflective TFT color LCD
Display Size: 1.6 by 2.4 inches (40.8 by 61.2 mm)
Resolution: 240 x 160 pixels in a wide-screen aspect ratio
Colors: 511 simultaneous colors from a palette of 32,768
Software: Fully compatible with Game Boy and Game Boy Color game paks
Light Source: Front light integrated with LCD
Size (closed): 3.3 by 3.23 by .96 inch
Weight: Approximately 5 ounces
Power Supply: Rechargeable lithium-ion battery
Battery Life: 10 hours continuous play with light on; 18 hours with light off; 3 hours recharging



P.S And as for Ngage, i think not many people will like to use it as a cell phone... they shouldn't have included that and lowered the price by like 60 bucks...

 

[plinkoman]

Originally posted by Rezet
Game boy is a piece of trash. They sell that garbage for like 100 bucks (new ones) and inside you get technology from the 80's!
Freaking PDAs for like 140 bucks have like minnimum 200 MHZ processor. And what processor is in gameboy? Or I guess 32Kbs of memory make it cost so much. Nnintendo sells overpriced junk knowing it's currently a monopolist in that business of handheld gaming systems.
And 4 buttons? I mean cmon any games that I'd want to play on it like Mortal Kombat, need atleast 6 buttons.
Why couldn't they make ABCD buttons and 2 shoulder ones?

Gameboy is dead once PSP or even NGage comes out. Unless Nintendo stops being retarded and comes out with something good.
HERE ARE GBA stats:

Unit Specifications

CPU: 32-Bit ARM with embedded memory
Memory: 32 KB with 96 KB VRAM (in CPU), 256 KB WRAM (external of CPU)
Screen: 2.9-inch reflective TFT color LCD
Display Size: 1.6 by 2.4 inches (40.8 by 61.2 mm)
Resolution: 240 x 160 pixels in a wide-screen aspect ratio
Colors: 511 simultaneous colors from a palette of 32,768
Software: Fully compatible with Game Boy and Game Boy Color game paks
Light Source: Front light integrated with LCD
Size (closed): 3.3 by 3.23 by .96 inch
Weight: Approximately 5 ounces
Power Supply: Rechargeable lithium-ion battery
Battery Life: 10 hours continuous play with light on; 18 hours with light off; 3 hours recharging



P.S And as for Ngage, i think not many people will like to use it as a cell phone... they shouldn't have included that and lowered the price by like 60 bucks...

man, even a gamecube only has a 400MHz cpu in, you don't need any more then that because it is exclusivly for gaming, no other crap is ran except the game itself. you act as if this is pc gaming where you need wicked good specs because your running other crap at the same time.

even the sega gamegear didn't beat gameboy when it had color and a backlight, when gameboy didn't, why?? because quality of games, and all those old games are compatable with gba, and alot of great nes and snes games are being ported to it too. gba simply has way too many really good games on it, thats why no other company has ever been able to compete, and will continue to not be able to compete. seriously, specs mean nothing, its the games that make or break the system

and a new gba is only $50, its $100 for the sp which has a bigger screen, a light, a rechargable battery...

 

[Rezet]

Originally posted by plinkoman
man, even a gamecube only has a 400MHz cpu in, you don't need any more then that because it is exclusivly for gaming, no other crap is ran except the game itself. you act as if this is pc gaming where you need wicked good specs because your running other crap at the same time.

even the sega gamegear didn't beat gameboy when it had color and a backlight, when gameboy didn't, why?? because quality of games, and all those old games are compatable with gba, and alot of great nes and snes games are being ported to it too. gba simply has way too many really good games on it, thats why no other company has ever been able to compete, and will continue to not be able to compete. seriously, specs mean nothing, its the games that make or break the system

and a new gba is only $50, its $100 for the sp which has a bigger screen, a light, a rechargable battery...

Ahh cut the crap. New older version GBA is $69.99.
Second if everything doesn't matter, why do all games look like crap on GBA? they look like freaking NES or SNES.
What I'm saying that technology that nintendo is using is old. NOthing more nothing less. Unless you enjoy 80s arcade games or 2d crappy sponge bob shooters that use 2 buttons (1 to shoot, 2 to jump), GBA is garbage.
And I wouldn't call your 450Mhz gamecube a powerhouse either. It runs on 450Mhz and plays games that pretty much any 450Mhz pc can play. When you get half-life 2 or doom 3 on your gamecube, we'lll talk. Until then, hardware specs matter.

 

[plinkoman]

Originally posted by Rezet
Ahh cut the crap. New older version GBA is $69.99.
Second if everything doesn't matter, why do all games look like crap on GBA? they look like freaking NES or SNES.
What I'm saying that technology that nintendo is using is old. NOthing more nothing less. Unless you enjoy 80s arcade games or 2d crappy sponge bob shooters that use 2 buttons (1 to shoot, 2 to jump), GBA is garbage.
And I wouldn't call your 450Mhz gamecube a powerhouse either. It runs on 450Mhz and plays games that pretty much any 450Mhz pc can play. When you get half-life 2 or doom 3 on your gamecube, we'lll talk. Until then, hardware specs matter.

you cut the crap, first, $20 dollars doesn't make a difference on the old gba, second, what the hell do you expect on a tiny little portable gba, graphics that look as good as a gamecube or xbox? you expect the graphics on the $300 ngage to be better? good god man, what the hell is that 300 for? a phone that can instant message, and a gaming system with **** for games. a gba sp is 100 and has tons of great games, and you can get a phone that can instant message for less then 100, ngage is completely worthless

 

[Keith Purfield]

Originally posted by Rezet
Ahh cut the crap. New older version GBA is $69.99.
Second if everything doesn't matter, why do all games look like crap on GBA? they look like freaking NES or SNES.
What I'm saying that technology that nintendo is using is old. NOthing more nothing less. Unless you enjoy 80s arcade games or 2d crappy sponge bob shooters that use 2 buttons (1 to shoot, 2 to jump), GBA is garbage.
And I wouldn't call your 450Mhz gamecube a powerhouse either. It runs on 450Mhz and plays games that pretty much any 450Mhz pc can play. When you get half-life 2 or doom 3 on your gamecube, we'lll talk. Until then, hardware specs matter.

Nintendo purposely uses "old" technology for the GameBoy (and before N64, the consoles, too). When the NES came out, they used old technology for even THAT time, so that it would be cheap enough for people to actually buy it, and they make a profit. Then they rely on what video games are about: fun games.

The GameCube has a 450MHz processor, yes. It's an IBM PowerPC processor, though, so it's better than if it were an Intel processor (the Xbox has a 733MHz Pentium 3 processor).

As for the N-Gage. I hope it burns in Hell.

My feelings exactly.

 

[Rezet]

Originally posted by plinkoman
you cut the crap, first, $20 dollars doesn't make a difference on the old gba, second, what the hell do you expect on a tiny little portable gba, graphics that look as good as a gamecube or xbox? you expect the graphics on the $300 ngage to be better? good god man, what the hell is that 300 for? a phone that can instant message, and a gaming system with **** for games. a gba sp is 100 and has tons of great games, and you can get a phone that can instant message for less then 100, ngage is completely worthless

What are you swinging away from the topic for? Did I say that Ngage is a great buy? Go back and read my first reply where I actually say that that phone feature is useless and they need to lower the price.
Ngage however has many more features built in like organizers and mp3 player where you don't have buy a boat load of accessories to use. And games that i've seen for ngage probably look closer to PS1, while Gameboy is more like NES - SNES.
And 20 bucks make a differnce. Why don't you say it costs 20 bucks and then say "like 50 bucks make the difference"
Ngage will go down in price... I'm sure they will drop it down to 199.99 quite quickly...

 

[Rezet]

Originally posted by Keith Purfield
Nintendo purposely uses "old" technology for the GameBoy (and before N64, the consoles, too). When the NES came out, they used old technology for even THAT time, so that it would be cheap enough for people to actually buy it, and they make a profit. Then they rely on what video games are about: fun games.

The GameCube has a 450MHz processor, yes. It's an IBM PowerPC processor, though, so it's better than if it were an Intel processor (the Xbox has a 733MHz Pentium 3 processor).

As for the N-Gage. I hope it burns in Hell.

HAHA. Well why don't you load me now how Gamecube is faster than XBOX... LOL cuz that will definately crack me up.

Just cuz IBM now "allied" with apple doesn't mean you have to praise it on every corner. I've seen many games that couldn't be ported to gc even if they wanted to because it's not as fast.
I think if you want to compare the power of xbox vs gamecube get 2 consoles and 2 copies of game "Spliner Cell" and see a differnce...
I've actually seen an interview where Team Ninja's leader said they are not releasing DOA3 or DOAX for other 2 platforms cuz they are not fast enough....
And my point is that Dell's axim pocket PC for example costs 199.99 and comes with 300Mhz processor, 64mbs ram and all other lil goodies like "screen light" or rechargeable battery found in GC advance for 99.99.
I'm saying that nintendo can come up with better hardware than what they are marketing now...

 

[plinkoman]

Originally posted by Rezet
What are you swinging away from the topic for? Did I say that Ngage is a great buy? Go back and read my first reply where I actually say that that phone feature is useless and they need to lower the price.
Ngage however has many more features built in like organizers and mp3 player where you don't have buy a boat load of accessories to use. And games that i've seen for ngage probably look closer to PS1, while Gameboy is more like NES - SNES.
And 20 bucks make a differnce. Why don't you say it costs 20 bucks and then say "like 50 bucks make the difference"
Ngage will go down in price... I'm sure they will drop it down to 199.99 quite quickly...

i'm swinging off topic?? the topic is the ngage, at least thats what im infering, seeing as the title says "nokia's n-gage handheld"

ngage is way overpriced, graphics are no better then gba, will never have the selection of great games gba has....

for only 70$ gba isn't a bad deal, and sp is an even better deal at 100 with a light, bigger screen, rechargable battery, folding design, and traditional upright design instead of the screen being inbetween the buttons, all for an extra measly $30. seriously, stop expecting graphics on par with a pc, xbox, or gamecube on something so small.

even if that isn't enough to convince you that gba isn't crap, most people who want a portable system are going to go for a gameboy, especially little kids because of games like pokemon, and that fact that it isn't $300. it would take quite alot to bring down gameboy, certainly alot more then nokia's pitiful excuse for competition.

 

[plinkoman]

Originally posted by Rezet
HAHA. Well why don't you load me now how Gamecube is faster than XBOX... LOL cuz that will definately crack me up.

Just cuz IBM now "allied" with apple doesn't mean you have to praise it on every corner. I've seen many games that couldn't be ported to gc even if they wanted to because it's not as fast.
I think if you want to compare the power of xbox vs gamecube get 2 consoles and 2 copies of game "Spliner Cell" and see a differnce...
I've actually seen an interview where Team Ninja's leader said they are not releasing DOA3 or DOAX for other 2 platforms cuz they are not fast enough....
And my point is that Dell's axim pocket PC for example costs 199.99 and comes with 300Mhz processor, 64mbs ram and all other lil goodies like "screen light" or rechargeable battery found in GC advance for 99.99.
I'm saying that nintendo can come up with better hardware than what they are marketing now...

keep in mind that both gamecube and xbox are several years old, back then a high end pc was only around 1GHz, and most games didn't need anywhere near that. and again, a dedicated game console doesn't need to be as fast as a pc to run the same game.

Keith Purfield: the gamecube has an ibm gecko processor, not a ppc. it is in no way related to apple

 

[Keith Purfield]

Originally posted by Rezet
HAHA. Well why don't you load me now how Gamecube is faster than XBOX... LOL cuz that will definately crack me up.

Just cuz IBM now "allied" with apple doesn't mean you have to praise it on every corner. I've seen many games that couldn't be ported to gc even if they wanted to because it's not as fast.
I think if you want to compare the power of xbox vs gamecube get 2 consoles and 2 copies of game "Spliner Cell" and see a differnce...
I've actually seen an interview where Team Ninja's leader said they are not releasing DOA3 or DOAX for other 2 platforms cuz they are not fast enough....
And my point is that Dell's axim pocket PC for example costs 199.99 and comes with 300Mhz processor, 64mbs ram and all other lil goodies like "screen light" or rechargeable battery found in GC advance for 99.99.
I'm saying that nintendo can come up with better hardware than what they are marketing now...

I didn't say GameCube is faster. Xbox has the best tech specs out of the four consoles. It's common knowledge.

And I'm not "praising" IBM because they "allied" with Apple. PowerPC processors are generally better than an x86 processor running at the same clock speeds.

I'm glad they're not porting over Dead or Alive Extreme Beach Volleyball. That game is horrible, and it's only for anime freaks who are turned on by anime girls.

Dell's Axim Pocket PC is just that. A pocket PC. The GameBoy is a console. Is it overpriced when looking at it's tech specs? Yes. But if it's the most popular console out there, why should Nintendo make a price cut? They're lowering the price of GameCube to $99 in September because they know it's not selling well.

Keith Purfield: the gamecube has an ibm gecko processor, not a ppc. it is in no way related to apple

PowerPC processors aren't trademarked by Apple. IBM makes PowerPC processors. The Gecko is one of them.

 

[Rezet]

Dude you don't address the issue correctly. nGage has tons of new things built in that gameboy doesnt have. Hardware is much superrior and games look much better (Red Faction).
Is it worth 300 bucks for me or like you said "little kids"? NO. But teenagers may find it cool...
The issue isn't as much about ngage itself... It's about gameboy advance using crappy cheap technology and nintendo sells it for bunch just cuz they are pretty much monopolists right now in that area.
And if Ngage doesn't kill GBA, PSP will....
And you know it... Like I said they could have released a system similar to DELL AXIM.... specs wise... Dont you think it would run much better games? CMON DUDE, GBA has its audience, but you know it has no competiotion against PSP for example...

Ngage... is too obscure right now to make a judgement whether it will dominate or fall into the darkness....
Don't forget though, it's backed up by a very powerful and rich Finnish company NOKIA... (XBOX DEJAVU anyone?)

 

[Rezet]

Originally posted by Keith Purfield

I'm glad they're not porting over Dead or Alive Extreme Beach Volleyball. That game is horrible, and it's only for anime freaks who are turned on by anime girls.

WOW-WOW-WOW... Don't judge the game and audience....
I think pokemon and lord of of the rings is for geeks but it's not a reason for game not to exist...
DOAX AND DOA3 have the best graphichs in the game that i've seen so far... If you want an example of really poor and bad game that is marketed on sex factor.. get BMX XXX for your GC

 

[burgerdog]

The NGage isn't going to top the GBA for the same reason that the Sega Saturn and TurboGragfx 16 died: it won't have good games (before you flame me--I own both the TG 16 and SS and love them for the few games they do have).

Sure sega is porting some of their sloppy seconds over to it, and there is a *cough* tomb raider game on it, but nothing to capture an audience the way a Super Mario or Zelda game does on GBA.

I have also read that the controls for NGage are weak, which will kill any system dead.

If the PSP delivers on half of the promises it made, then the GBA might have an issue. But Nokia's shot in the dark isn't going to affect them in the least.

 

[sawaguchishinji]

Originally posted by Rezet
... HERE ARE GBA stats:
Unit Specifications

CPU: 32-Bit ARM with embedded memory
Memory: 32 KB with 96 KB VRAM (in CPU), 256 KB WRAM (external of CPU)
Screen: 2.9-inch reflective TFT color LCD
Display Size: 1.6 by 2.4 inches (40.8 by 61.2 mm)
Resolution: 240 x 160 pixels in a wide-screen aspect ratio
Colors: 511 simultaneous colors from a palette of 32,768
Software: Fully compatible with Game Boy and Game Boy Color game paks
Light Source: Front light integrated with LCD
Size (closed): 3.3 by 3.23 by .96 inch
Weight: Approximately 5 ounces
Power Supply: Rechargeable lithium-ion battery
Battery Life: 10 hours continuous play with light on; 18 hours with light off; 3 hours recharging

P.S And as for Ngage, i think not many people will like to use it as a cell phone... they shouldn't have included that and lowered the price by like 60 bucks...

N-Gage is a cellphone and can receive subsidy from your operator (Stay with us for 2 years and it can be yours for free). My main concern isn't speed but how long the battery lasts.