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Nintendo's WiiWare aims to help small developers get published in the Wii Shop

With the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 having their own assortment of original, downloadable games on their respective online services, it was only a matter of time before Nintendo would join the fray. Nintendo has officially announced its own online downloadable games system called WiiWare.

Similar to Microsoft’s aim for Xbox Live Arcade and XNA architectures, WiiWare  is a service that will help smaller developers create games at lower costs without any inventory risk.

"Independent developers armed with small budgets and big ideas will be able to get their original games into the marketplace to see if we can find the next smash hit," says Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. "WiiWare brings new levels of creativity and value to the ever-growing population of Wii owners."

Unlike the current batch of downloadable Virtual Console offerings on Wii, the WiiWare games will be able to make full use of the Wii Remote and Nunchuck peripherals.

WiiWare will be posted on the Wii Shop Channel. As with current Wii Shop Channel offerings, users will redeem Wii Points to download content. The first WiiWare content will launch in early 2008.

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Sweet...
By SilthDraeth on 6/28/2007 9:24:50 AM , Rating: 2
I think this will be another healthy boost for the system.
Maybe we will get some good multi player sword fighting games.




RE: Sweet...
By Mitch101 on 6/28/2007 9:57:15 AM , Rating: 1
First thing I could see is Home control software, streaming video software, and DVD playback without a mod.


RE: Sweet...
By Spivonious on 6/28/2007 10:03:09 AM , Rating: 2
I thought the Wii discs were only similar in size to DVDs, but the drive itself can't physically read DVDs? Different lens or something like that?


RE: Sweet...
By Zurtex on 6/28/2007 10:11:17 AM , Rating: 2
Not the case at all, it's just like the gamecube discs, they are read from the outside in, rather than the inside out.

Modders have made the Wii in to a multi-region DVD player as well as a multi-region Wii player.


RE: Sweet...
By DragonMaster0 on 6/28/2007 12:45:41 PM , Rating: 2
Some say that there's data that is so close to the middle that most optical drives can't read what's in there, and that it doesn't read data backwards. (Maybe it's the Wii only too.)

The Gamecube can read DVDs with Gamecube Linux, it's just that 12cm media doesn't fit and can't be completely read.


RE: Sweet...
By GreenEnvt on 6/28/2007 10:12:14 AM , Rating: 2
I don't believe Nintendo has ever stated concretely that it can't play DVD's with an update, but have indicated a new version that supports DVD may come out.

The discs are the same size, I doubt Nintendo would have spend R/D money to make a system that specifically could not read DVD's, with so many already developed systems out there. It would make more sense to take a standard DVD drive and modify it (in software) to also support the format wii games are in.
Though with all the paranoia around copying games, who knows what lenghts they went to.


RE: Sweet...
By BladeVenom on 6/28/2007 9:45:23 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Maybe we will get some good multi player sword fighting games.

Then everyone can look as cool as the Star Wars kid.


whoa whoa
By grimdeath on 6/28/2007 11:28:19 AM , Rating: 4
whoa hold up, WiiWare is NOT xna for wii, xna allows game development for a very low price along with the ability to get your game published on xbox live arcade.

WiiWare does NOT include any development tools, Fils Aime mentioned that there will be no new development tools released as any of the existing SDKs will work (ranging from $2500 and up). While thats still not as bad as other platforms its certainly not an amount I see a group of kids in a garage being able to afford, not to mention the fact that your game will have to have nintendos approval and all the other considerations of game development and costs. Im an indie dev myself, I understand the costs.

Now with that said, I do still hope it will help indie game devs get some games on the Wii, I love my Wii and only wish there was more games for it. Its a good step but its not XNA! Hope that helps.




RE: whoa whoa
By feelingshorter on 6/28/2007 4:05:20 PM , Rating: 2
I found the quote that you mentioned.

quote:
Nintendo has said it's targetting developers of all size with WiiWare, but Fils-Aime said that doesn't mean there will be an introduction of new development kits. "First, the development tools and SDKs [software development kits] that enable developers to participate are already available," he said, referring to the kits that all Nintendo's licensees use to make full retail games.


We don't know, and you can't assume that they won't release cheaper SDKs. Not to mention, if your price of 2500+ is considered expensive, consider the fact that people buy Macs that are that price (if not more). If you have the tech know how to make a game, then that 2500 isn't much.

Also:

quote:
Unlike full-scale products on Wii and DS, Fils-Aime said that "Nintendo will not do any screening of ideas. The games have to pass our bug checking process, but that's the only screening that we're doing. The developer is responsible for getting an ESRB rating for their game, just as with our current publisher agreements. We don't allow AO-rated games on our systems."


So no, the game does not have to have Nintendo's approval as it is NOT filtered, except that it is not AO rated game, and being bug free, which i think is very reasonable. This is a family console and I don't want my little sister seeing something AO rated anyways.

Your right, its no XNA but your comparing apples and oranges. To say that most of the games created was by "kids in a garage" is not correct. Chances are, the people who do create successful games with good graphics, and technical know how is an older person. So if your about 24-28 years old with a degree in CS and a hobby in photochopping, I'm sure you can find a job and cough up that 2500. If a person is serious, they will buy the SDK for 2500 just as a person would buy a mac for video editing. Thats like saying Bill Gates was a kid working in garage when he started his computer business. He wasn't a kid.

In the end, its the same people that download Fruity Looops, Photoshop CS3 and all other sorts of software off bittorent acting like they are going to learn it, that complain. I've seen 50, maybe more, people try learning PS CS2/3 and fail. Same with Fruity Loops. No your not a DJ or a graphics designer, just by sitting at your couch and downloading pirated software, trying to learn off tutorials. If you don't have a degree or real world experience (instead of being a couch commander), I probably don't want to play your horrible game thats ugly in graphics and sound, and game play.

Vote me down, but i speak the truth. I've taken classes in high school to learn programing, and i was very enthusiastic about it. Also took graphics classes to learn above PS CS2. I'll admit I can do some basic stuff, but no where near the skills needed to create a game. I highly doubt most of the good games on XNA was made by kids (anyone under 18, or still in high school). If so, do give me an example.

quote:
Returning to WiiWare discussion, Fils-Aime described the controller options available to developers. "Again, there's no filtering," he insisted. "We have not put any parameters on the control device or how the consumer will play the games. They can be remote-only; remote and nunchuk; classic controller; Gamecube controller. All of that is allowed."


Again, they allow developers freedom.


RE: whoa whoa
By grimdeath on 6/29/2007 12:33:57 AM , Rating: 2
first off thanks for finding the quotes, i regreted not posting them after i thought about it later.

im just saying its still going to take a bit of organization and pulling of money to build a game for that "ENTRY" price...you gotta remember theres a lot more to developement besides getting the dev kit in hands. the current engine we're using on my project cost $9000 and is being funded by groups and organizations we've convinced to help us out. we're currently evaluated middleware to plug in that will aid our develop that ranges from $15 up to $8000. you took my comment a bit too far, all im saying is $2500+ vs what $100 for xna?...thats not chump change IMHO.

licensing and approval by nintendo as well as non-AO rated games does fit the term "filter" as far as im concerned, though it is very much a good thing...its QUALITY screening to avoid millions of knock off games but I can foresee instances where a game developer could be really let down when they didnt make it for whatever reason.

i agree with your comment of XNA and WiiWare being apples and oranges, that was again, my point...it was the dailytech article that made it out to be very similar saying
quote:
Similar to Microsoft’s aim for Xbox Live Arcade and XNA architectures, WiiWare is a service that will help smaller developers create games at lower costs without any inventory risk.


im not sure what you were getting at with your rant about pirates and downloaded software...i hope it wasnt geared as a jab towards me...ive worked as a digital imager for a photography studio full time for the last 4 years. as for my "night job" of indie game development...my team includes at least 3-4 members under the age of 18 that, while not the strongest members on the team, they can hold their own just fine. comments about age are irrevalent in art as far as im concerned...sure it sounds right on paper but ive seen these people in action and im here to say its just not that way...for other fields though like programming it does require time and skill to advance and further your knowledge though there are plenty of skilled people in any field.

you made a long post and i had to make a long responce i guess...i think you were trying to make my mostly positive responce into something it wasnt so i just wanted to make things clear here.


wow
By NotAok on 6/28/07, Rating: 0
RE: wow
By Nightskyre on 6/28/2007 9:53:16 AM , Rating: 5
Thank you for showing the Dailytech community that you have no idea what the investment is on *any* game for a console. Nevermind the cost of development, but the cost of manufacturing, contracting retailers, holding inventory, etc. The costs can rise very quickly before the content on the disc is even considered.

Further, when this talks about small firms, it means everything from the 10-50 person team that EA has put in the corner to work on some wacky idea, but doesn't want to invest large amounts of dollars in, all the way to the father-son team that is making a game as a family project.

I would also suggest you take a half second to consider some of the titles either in place or already announced for the system. Pokemon Battle Revolution, Super Smash Brothers: Brawl, Metroid Prime 3, Super Mario Galaxy, these are all large budget titles.


RE: wow
By michal1980 on 6/28/07, Rating: -1
RE: wow
By BMFPitt on 6/28/2007 10:41:05 AM , Rating: 2
If you were let down by Mario Party, I have no idea why you were playing it in the first place. Did you really pick it up thinking it was Gears of War or something?


RE: wow
By michal1980 on 6/28/07, Rating: -1
confused
By Spivonious on 6/28/2007 9:57:06 AM , Rating: 2
So this WiiWare is different from the normal Wii SDK?




RE: confused
By A5 on 6/28/2007 10:23:16 AM , Rating: 2
I'm guessing that it's going to be much cheaper.


Catan & Carcassonne
By Houdani on 6/28/2007 11:27:46 AM , Rating: 2
I've got major 360 envy after seeing them get goodies like Settlers of Catan and Carcassonne. I believe other boardgames like Alhambra and Puerto Rico are also making their way to Live. Those German style board games are fun FUN fun.

Here's hoping that similar titles will find themselves moving to the Wii with this WiiWare initiative. I'll even make due with the single player variants of these games ... just gimme already.




RE: Catan & Carcassonne
By tdawg on 6/28/2007 12:36:24 PM , Rating: 2
I love Catan on the 360. It's the only thing I've bought off XBL Arcade. Definitely worth the 800 points.


This is total BS
By route66 on 6/28/2007 9:20:02 PM , Rating: 2
This is geared for indie developers, my ass. Basically, in order to develop for WiiWare you need the SDK. In order to get the SDK you need to a.) invest an unknown amount of money (this amount is under NDA, and I am sure varies per developer) b.) show previous quality games to be given developer access and c.) have an office, you can't be working out of your home or 'garage'. Think I'm kidding? http://www.warioworld.com/apply/wii.html. WiiWare is not going to allow indie developers to get their ideas to their audience - it basically greases the wheels of the current licensed Wii developers to be able to get on the Wii gravy train.

Really, I hope I am wrong. But 24 hours after this announcement I haven't seen any thing from Nintendo that backs the indie developers, which is sad because that is how they are advertising it.




RE: This is total BS
By grimdeath on 6/29/2007 12:38:18 AM , Rating: 2
thanks for posting the warioworld link, i made a comment saying the same thing above, i wasnt aware of the "office" clause so that just helps justify my points that much more...thanks again :)


a great idea
By Gul Westfale on 6/28/2007 6:26:26 PM , Rating: 2