Any one like the idea of a streaming VC?

With all this talk of stream, the guys at nintendo voice chat at IGN were talking and thought that it would be cool if "strem" referred too a streaming VC. They were asked by a listener if they think we will be able to port VC games to wii2 (which is unlikely). The idea of Nintendo having an xbox live like services where if you are a member you can just play any game from n64 back without download, as much as you want whenever you want, sounds pretty sweet to me.

This isn't a rumor or any thing like that, just a cool what-if scenario.

It doesn't make sense for Nintendo to do that

They have a service to buy the games, streaming would cut into that considerably.

Bad idea

I'd rather NOT have to be online just to play my games..

It doesn't make sense for Nintendo to do that

They have a service to buy the games, streaming would cut into that considerably.

Bad idea

Jaysonguy

I'd rather NOT have to be online just to play my games..

WreckEm711

Don't you have to be online to download VC games to begin with?

[QUOTE="WreckEm711"]

I'd rather NOT have to be online just to play my games..

goblaa

Don't you have to be online to download VC games to begin with?

Yes, for a full twenty seconds to download it. You don't have to be online to play them which is ridiculous and would alienate a large portion of the usebase. Even on other consoles the % of users connected online is barely the majority, it's even smaller on the Wii. If my internet is acting up, I wouldn't get to play my games, there is no good reason to do that when it works awesome as is and I can play it whenever, even if I take it back home for the holiday where I have no internet ability.

It doesn't make sense for Nintendo to do that

They have a service to buy the games, streaming would cut into that considerably.

Bad idea

Jaysonguy

Yeah I heard them say that on the podcast. I don't want it either though. I'd hate to be in the middle of a game and my internet die. It does kind of sound like what Sega did with the Sega Channel back in the day if anyone remembers that.

there is no good reason to do that when it works awesome as isWreckEm711

[QUOTE="Jaysonguy"]

It doesn't make sense for Nintendo to do that

They have a service to buy the games, streaming would cut into that considerably.

Bad idea

BrunoBRS

[QUOTE="BrunoBRS"][QUOTE="Jaysonguy"]

It doesn't make sense for Nintendo to do that

They have a service to buy the games, streaming would cut into that considerably.

Bad idea

enrique_marrodz

You do realize the constant streaming of video would actually take up exponentially more bandwidth than actually downloading the game right? Those old VC games are tiny.

[QUOTE="WreckEm711"]

I'd rather NOT have to be online just to play my games..

goblaa

Don't you have to be online to download VC games to begin with?

Yes, but then once it's downloaded you play it locally, no internet connection required.

[QUOTE="BrunoBRS"][QUOTE="Jaysonguy"]

It doesn't make sense for Nintendo to do that

They have a service to buy the games, streaming would cut into that considerably.

Bad idea

enrique_marrodz

[QUOTE="enrique_marrodz"][QUOTE="BrunoBRS"] this. even if you had to pay to play... the idea of having to be online to play it is enough to bother me.BrunoBRS

Well, when you only have 6-8gb of space for a modern console (for wiiware, patches, new channels, updates, DLC) every bit of memory counts. You could always have the option for both. let people stream or download.

[QUOTE="BrunoBRS"][QUOTE="enrique_marrodz"] Why? is not like you are connecting and disconnecting each time you wanna play. Some games, like GH are online fulltime, in 3DS is the same with SFIV, for example You're asking for an online community so next console will need to be online all the time. I think the games could still be cached but,considering the rumor of the memory (8GB), streaming the games could be a great idea And it doesn't have a direct implication on the price/mkt model. You could still buy/rent individually. Having bought some DL games which proven to be "not so good", I'll rather would have the option to "rent" them too Again, as TC said, is a "what if" scenario.To me, is very appealing Regardsgoblaa

Well, when you only have 6-8gb of space for a modern console (for wiiware, patches, new channels, updates, DLC) every bit of memory counts. You could always have the option for both. let people stream or download.

[QUOTE="BrunoBRS"][QUOTE="enrique_marrodz"] Why? is not like you are connecting and disconnecting each time you wanna play. Some games, like GH are online fulltime, in 3DS is the same with SFIV, for example You're asking for an online community so next console will need to be online all the time. I think the games could still be cached but,considering the rumor of the memory (8GB), streaming the games could be a great idea And it doesn't have a direct implication on the price/mkt model. You could still buy/rent individually. Having bought some DL games which proven to be "not so good", I'll rather would have the option to "rent" them too Again, as TC said, is a "what if" scenario.To me, is very appealing Regardsgoblaa

Well, when you only have 6-8gb of space for a modern console (for wiiware, patches, new channels, updates, DLC) every bit of memory counts. You could always have the option for both. let people stream or download.

For that matter, how could you even stream a game? Streaming movies is easy because it's one linear progression from the start of the file to the end of the file. That's not exactly how a game works.

[QUOTE="goblaa"]

[QUOTE="BrunoBRS"] well, for example, my wii right now isn't connected to the internet. if i decide to bring it with me on, say, vacations to some random place, i wouldn't have access for them. there is no need to force an online connectivity when there isn't need for it. it's like shoving motion controls or RPG elements for the heck of it.GabuEx

Well, when you only have 6-8gb of space for a modern console (for wiiware, patches, new channels, updates, DLC) every bit of memory counts. You could always have the option for both. let people stream or download.

For that matter, how could you even stream a game? Streaming movies is easy because it's one linear progression from the start of the file to the end of the file. That's not exactly how a game works.

[QUOTE="GabuEx"]

[QUOTE="goblaa"]

Well, when you only have 6-8gb of space for a modern console (for wiiware, patches, new channels, updates, DLC) every bit of memory counts. You could always have the option for both. let people stream or download.

BrunoBRS

For that matter, how could you even stream a game? Streaming movies is easy because it's one linear progression from the start of the file to the end of the file. That's not exactly how a game works.

Well that's not "streaming"; that's just transmitting controller input to the server, doing all the processing on the server, and then transmitting visual frames back to the client. Streaming is downloading a file at the same time as reading from it.

[QUOTE="BrunoBRS"][QUOTE="GabuEx"]

For that matter, how could you even stream a game? Streaming movies is easy because it's one linear progression from the start of the file to the end of the file. That's not exactly how a game works.

GabuEx

Well that's not "streaming"; that's just transmitting controller input to the server, doing all the processing on the server, and then transmitting visual frames back to the client. Streaming is downloading a file at the same time as reading from it.

[QUOTE="GabuEx"]

[QUOTE="BrunoBRS"] the onlive way of game streaming involve huge, ultra-powered servers running the game for you, so it pretty much depends on your internet connection rather than system power. the upside is that you don't ever have to bother updating your hardware. the downside is that unless you have a perfect connection and the servers are in perfect condition, close enough so the ping isn't too high and in enough numbers to sustain the active userbase, you'll get a subpar experiece, with control lag and framerate issues (hell, or even not being able to play because the server is too busy).BrunoBRS

Well that's not "streaming"; that's just transmitting controller input to the server, doing all the processing on the server, and then transmitting visual frames back to the client. Streaming is downloading a file at the same time as reading from it.

Maybe I will. :P

Terminology aside, it seems to me that that would require Nintendo to basically set up an absolutely massive server infrastructure that would be guaranteed to require a monthly fee. The minor benefit of not having to download games is not exactly something I'd want to pay a monthly fee for.

[QUOTE="BrunoBRS"][QUOTE="GabuEx"]

Well that's not "streaming"; that's just transmitting controller input to the server, doing all the processing on the server, and then transmitting visual frames back to the client. Streaming is downloading a file at the same time as reading from it.

GabuEx

Maybe I will. :P

Terminology aside, it seems to me that that would require Nintendo to basically set up an absolutely massive server infrastructure that would be guaranteed to require a monthly fee. The minor benefit of not having to download games is not exactly something I'd want to pay a monthly fee for.

[QUOTE="GabuEx"]

[QUOTE="BrunoBRS"] tell onlive that.BrunoBRS

Maybe I will. :P

Terminology aside, it seems to me that that would require Nintendo to basically set up an absolutely massive server infrastructure that would be guaranteed to require a monthly fee. The minor benefit of not having to download games is not exactly something I'd want to pay a monthly fee for.

Well yeah, they wouldn't need to run current-gen games, but even so, you'd have millions upon millions of people all bombarding your servers with requests, which would require upkeep, and I can guarantee that Nintendo would not maintain that upkeep for free. :P

Streaming makes no sense given the small file size of the ROMs they distribute - you would eat up the amount of bandwidth it would take to download a full SNES game in about four seconds. A subscription service, however, would make sense. And it would be awesome. Pay $15 a month to have full access to the Virtual Console - download the games at will, play them, delete them, download others, etc. Naturally there's less immediately profit opportunity, but I'd be willing to bet the audience actually buying a lot of VC games is not particularly big and Nintendo could probably make a subscription service appeal to more people. I know I'd buy it - it'd be fun to try out some lesser known VC games, as god knows most of them are not worth their asking price but if I'm already paying a flat rate I'd try them out. Same reason I have no problem watching crappy movies on Netflix.DJ_Lae

That would work too. You would still have space issues though.

Streaming seems like a huge waste of money. I can picture a subscription system where you can download a game to the internal HDD and play it while you're online, but streaming video of the game would be a huge waste. 2 seconds of video streaming would be more data than the actual rom for most non-N64 games. As far as having to be online all the time, I've never gotten the issues of this, but I've had the internet in my house since the 90s and I don't know anyone in real life who doesn't have internet access... but maybe we're all outliers or something. This is the Wii forum but I see PC people complaining about this as well and it perplexes me there too. The idea of a hardcore PC gamer who doesn't see the point of having internet access is laughable imo.Senor_Kami

for once i agree with jayson guy , ,

i think it be smart for them just to port over virtual console and add more to it on wii 2 , as well as wii 1 keeping wii 1 on the market for a little longer for old time sake wouldnt hurt

but giving wii 2 more platforms to choose such as other non nintendo ones like sega saturn dc etc theres alot of platforms i havent owned and have little intenton to buy i would rather see them put games on vc for cheap so i dont have to look for them -thats what tg16 etc is for me , a releif cause i dont find these often if not at all

and i only seen one sms in my life time looking for used stuff at pawns , wasgonna grab it but i made a mistake not doing so but ya

not gonna happen streaming a game is alot more harder then streaming a movie/tv show , id rather own the game license but again i rather have a physical collection when ever possible

making afew exceptions are the hard to find systems and games ,

That would work too. You would still have space issues though.goblaa

not sure how to answer this. I dont mind buy a $5-10 VC/Wiiware game, but i wont buy a $60 game for steam for my PS3. i like having the disc to show for my purhcase. I have like 50 VC and Wiiware purchases just because of the old school games i miss...but i wont buy new games off download services.da_chub