Nintendo 3DS - Official Thread

[PapaStu]

I merged the two threads that were running along....

I'm all for this, particularly because my DS collection will be usable on this system and I have just a *few* DS games.

[Steve W]

The concept of "3D" in a portable is sound. All you'd have to do is put several layers of very clear LCDs in a stack and project images onto all to create a parallax style 3D depth image. It would take a lot of horsepower to run five or six LCDs, though. But it's still possible. The device would have to be a bit thick. Not as thick as a Game Gear or Lynx, of course, but thicker than a DS.

[jb143]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/1..._n_325732.html

I know the basic technology was developed at SPAWAR in San Diego which is a US Navy affiliated lab and Sony licensed some of their patents and then created some of their own. I don't know that even SPAWAR created a fully working prototype, but the technology does seem to be real, if prohibitively expensive.

Interesting stuff. I seriously doubt that it's a hologram though. They only say hologram in the headlines and reporters can rarely be trusted with things like this. My guess (going by layout and seeing similar other things) is that there's something spinning in there that is being projected onto at exactly the correct time by a synced computer.
[/derail]

Back on topic...For all the naysayers out there... a new 3D DS won't really be 3D at all, it will just create the illusion of 3D. If you close 1 eye, you'll have your old 2D DS back. I wouldn't be surprised if they let you adjust and turn off the feature.

The concept of "3D" in a portable is sound. All you'd have to do is put several layers of very clear LCDs in a stack and project images onto all to create a parallax style 3D depth image. It would take a lot of horsepower to run five or six LCDs, though. But it's still possible. The device would have to be a bit thick. Not as thick as a Game Gear or Lynx, of course, but thicker than a DS.

I don't think that's what's going on here (though I do think there was a line of LCD games that worked like that). What this will more than likely be, is a display that renders a right eye view that only the right eye can see and a left eye view that only the left eye can see, thus fooling your brain into seeing a 3D image.

[Ze_ro]

If this were to happen, I'd buy it:



--Zero

[swlovinist]

I am going to wait to show judgement until I see the new system in person, and see what games are being made for it.

When I first saw the DS, I hated it. The DS lite came out and I really enjoy the system. The DS eventually will need a successor, and it looks like this will be finally be it.

I am hopeful for this, as long as the price is right.

[lagartija_nick]

Lets face it this thing is going to be another monster for Nintendo.

OF course Nintendo is whoring out, but they do so because they can. The public loves whatever the company puts out. Why would they ever stop when the public sends them such postive feedback for 3 variations of the same hardware?

I already feel sorry for the PSP2. If Sony has improved graphics and no gimmick this time around I think Sony is going to be stomped on once again by Nintendo.

Nintendo oddly raised the price for each variation of the DS. You would think each varation would lower the price, but somehow Nintendo has managed to pull this off without a hitch. This did not work at all for the PSP Go however.

I am wondering since this is new hardware altogether if Nintendo is considering bringing this device out for a minimum of $250. If people really buy the DSI XL FOR $200 its not really that much of a stretch that Nintendo may ask for that amount of money for new hardware.

[Jehusephat]

This thread is overwhelmingly negative, and I'm actually kind of surprised. I was excited enough about this that I assumed a lot of other people would be, too. I guess 3D gaming is going to be one of those things that most people from the current gaming generation either don't get or absolutely hate, but then our kids will grow up viewing it as something completely natural and entertaining. In my opinion, this technology needed a helping hand from Nintendo if it was going to become mainstream, and I'm really glad they're taking the risk. It's something I think will be similar to the transition from black-and-white television to color television--sure, the shows are the same on both sets, and you're really not gaining much useful information by viewing them in color, but how many people watch black-and-white televisions now? If there isn't some kind of horrible drawback to the technology--like massive headaches or something--then I can only view it as a good thing. I can't wait to see what game developers choose to do with the system's additional features. I thought the DS was pretty useless for a year or two after it came out, but once game developers really figured out how to use the system's full potential there were a lot of good games for it that couldn't have been made for any other system.

[Therealqtip]

They already did this like 14 years ago, and I think they did an excellent job at it then.

[kedawa]

I hope it has one large screen with two layers for the 3D effect. The info released is so vague.
Nintendo probably wouldn't make the screens act as one without extending the touchscreen to the upper half, so it could end up very tablet-like.

[lagartija_nick]

This thing is backwards compatible right with the DS right?

Do you think its possible to have one large screen and still play your old DS games?

Actually that sounds really cool if possible.

I guess it could be done but then I assume that the unit will not be foldable.

[Letiumtide]

Considering it still carries the branding DS, I would assume it's still Dual Screen.

I'm not sure what to think, though I've never been an early adopter of any system. So I'll probably sit, wait, see what they come out with. However, I am reluctant to criticize it so readily, most people were really harsh with both the Wii and the DS when it came out. Seeing that, I'm willing to let Nintendo show it's stuff.

[jb143]

I'd think they'd still use dual screens as well. If both are 3D or not would be anyones guess, but to keep costs down, probally not.

And I'd almost be willing to put money on them using a lenticular display. Most of the problems those have are solved by being in a handheld format.

More info on how that technology works can be found here...
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/3d-tv5.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autostereoscopy

[TonyTheTiger]

I don't see anything wrong with the concept itself. It's Nintendo's saturation-minded business that gives me pause. They're killing the DSi XL before it gained any steam. That's bad. Not because the XL was going to be that amazing but because it shows that Nintendo is starting to suffer from the kind of hubris that people crucified Sony for back during the PS3 launch. This "we can afford to peddle new shit with incremental improvements at mach 3 with little regard for our other products since people will buy our shit anyway" style of marketting is risky in the long run.

[DuckTalesNES]

I was glad I hadn't bought a DSi when I heard they were coming out with a DSi XL. Now I'm glad I haven't bought a DSi XL.

It isn't as annoying for me since I have disposable income and can buy these things, but it has to completely suck for the little kid who saved up a bunch of birthday money to buy a DSi XL to hear news like this.

[lagartija_nick]

Buying a Nintendo handheld is the equivalent of buying something from Apple. Inevitable buyers remorse because you know the product will be updated soon enough. You have to live with that knowledge or you will never buy anything from Nintendo or Apple.

At least Nintendo is kind enough to offer some warning before the product ships. Apple makes an announcement and the product is in the store that day in most cases. Even the press is left in the dark.

[Leo_A]

I was glad I hadn't bought a DSi when I heard they were coming out with a DSi XL. Now I'm glad I haven't bought a DSi XL.

Not me

This sounds like it will be the best way to play DS titles. What I've read indicates that the screens on the 3d successor will be smaller and who knows if they will be as nice of quality for normal 2d DS titles due to the 3d technology incorporated into them.

The DSi XL should be the SP2 for the Nintendo DS.

[Hari Seldon]

Let's not forget this is supposed to cost under 200 bucks. So either nobody is using this technology right now or it's gonna be one of those technologies thats impressive only for the first 30 minutes.

[Letiumtide]

I've decided that I still want a DSiXL, primarily because I hate that i can play my PSP without wearing my glasses, but still have to wear them for playing my DS lite.

It's also going to be my birthday in a few weeks, so I'll pool a portion of my haul to pay for it. I did the same with my 60gb PS3 last year.

[Mimi Nakamura]

This could be really interesting, Nintendo are the kings of portable systems, I can't see them doing anything stupid.

I think people are confusing the 3D aspect with the stupid 3D TV phenomenon that seems to have gathered huge interest in some sections of American media. 3D TV is a gimmick as it doesn't enhance TV programming in any way, however a 3D element in portable games could change the way we play games.

I'm quite sure it will be perspective 3D using a sensor. The effects with perspective 3D are very impressive, far better than the unconvincing 3D glasses nonsense.

Like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd3-eiid-Uw

[jb143]

I doubt it would use head or eye tracking. It's a handheld so it wouldn't make as much sense as on a TV. It would also add too much cost/complexity. I guess it's possible they could add eye tracking but even that would be a stretch.

I also have some issues with the guy in that video making it sound soo easy to add this to games(Boom Blox was supposedly going to but they cut it). In his examples, everything is either vertical or horizontal to the screen. For more complex shapes, it would take a completely different rendering engine to render everything in the correct perspecive view. Also, with a handheld, the "3D" effect wouldn't be as good since your eye's would be too close(You would have to close 1 eye for it look right).

I'm still sticking with a lenticular lens (or parallax barrier) over an LCD since that's a technology currently in use to do the same exact thing Nintendo is suggesting.