[Dasilva]

Anyone who complains about it not playing DVDs should be slapped. DVD players are like 99p at tescos. lol.

[undeaf]

Originally Posted by Dasilva

Anyone who complains about it not playing DVDs should be slapped. DVD players are like 99p at tescos. lol.

No, you should be slapped. If extra space being taken up is so unimportant, WHY did they have to make it so absurdly small?!

That's the problem with the wii, it's probably not actcually overpriced, what you're paying for is overminiaturization.

[Giligan]

If you're thinking that way, then you come back to the question at square one: Why pay 3-400 [monetary units] for a console that's 20 times less powerful than the 360 or PS3?

[Melanie68]

I think these console choices come down to the games. What is that console offering in terms of games? If the library of games doesn't interest you, any money spent on that console may be a waste if it isn't used. First and foremost, they'll be used to play games. The DVD/BluRay are nice but they may just be extras for many people (not all though).

[Giligan]

Of course, many great, can't live without-em games for each of the consoles have yet to even be dreamed up.......

[undeaf]

Well, for one thing, I'm told that the 360's a jet engine. Also, it requires a TV. And the wii is definitly not 20 times less powerfull than a 360.

Oh, and how many people have a DVD player that can be hooked up to a monitor?(and I don't mean a PC)

[wilco]

I think I used the PS2 to watch movies maybe 5 times during the 3 or 4 years that I own it (although it was one of arguments I used to buy one in the first place ), so I'm really not disturbed by the lack of DVD player on the Wii...

The same can be said about the ability to surf the web in the living room, I'll probably never use it.

The weather channel however...

[fajerkaos]

Originally Posted by wilco

The weather channel however...

yeah, its pretty neat!

[Dasilva]

Erm, so a DVD player is such a big factor in a GAMMING console? Please, Nintendo is not pulling a ''its a music player, multimedia centre, makes your bed and makes your toast too'' ala microsoft, its just plain simple console that is very small because of the japanese market mainly, size is a big factor in Japan, and Nintendo don't want to loose any of their japanese audiences.

As said before, its never about the graphics for me, Im all for wii because of the great games lined up for it, same with the DS. If I want graphics I'll get a PS3, but thats not what I want.

[LeisureSuitedLooney]

Originally Posted by Spiwak

Without thumbing through all 4 pages of the thread, I have a quick question.

I saw $250 for the console, and some separate amount for the Wiimote and nunchuck and retro controller. Do those come with the console at $250 or will I have to pay for those in addition to the $250 console? $300+ dollars would make me reconsider buying it, definitely.

EDIT: Actually, forget it. That wouldn't make any sense. Must be for second controllers.

Actually, I cut n pasted the info from the launch announcement news item from Gamespot, so that I could read it later. They have the following, regarding price info:

"Nintendo will launch the Wii on November 19 in the Americas for $249. The price will include the Wii console, one wireless controller with a nunchaku attachment, and a copy of Wii Sports which includes tennis, golf, baseball, bowling, and boxing minigames. The console will be available only in white at launch, but, knowing Nintendo, we wouldn't be surprised to see a multitude of color choices throughout the system's lifetime. Extra Wii controllers will cost $40, and the nunchaku attachment will sell for $20."

So, I figured out that if I get the bundle, an extra nunchuk controller, an extra wireless controller, the Zelda game I pre-ordered, and maybe 2 other games, the cost to me will be approx. $409, give or take a few bucks.

The only thing I'm debating now is which OTHER 1-2 games to get on launch day. If I don't get any more on that first day, the cost'll be around $309.

[Stiltzkin]

I access have enough DVD players as is. PS2, computer, DVD player, the guy upstairs and his X-Box/Computer. While this isn't the case for everybody, DVD players are becoming very common these days. It's not really a big deal then if the Wii is lacking one.

[undeaf]

If it could play DVD's, it would allow for not having a DVD player, hence saving space. It's not like it would make the console more expensive to make it one, it already can read minidvd's and has a 1200 mhz CPU, that's easily enough for DVD's, and divx files too. The only problem is paying the DVD consortium the liscence fee, hence the reason for making it an add on feature.

Why shouldn't it be a bit of a general purpose device while the 360 is, it's the 360 that's too loud for listening to music or watching a movie.

[Stiltzkin]

Allow for not having one? Just about everyone I know has a couple players already, half of which are primarily not designed as players (consoles), etc... They're common like cell phones now, only they're included as extras in so many electronic items. Game consoles could be made to do a lot of things and save space, but not all of them are necessarily needed. However, it is a nice bonus when they do.

[kuze]

Originally Posted by undeaf

If it could play DVD's, it would allow for not having a DVD player, hence saving space. It's not like it would make the console more expensive to make it one, it already can read minidvd's and has a 1200 mhz CPU, that's easily enough for DVD's, and divx files too. The only problem is paying the DVD consortium the liscence fee, hence the reason for making it an add on feature.

Why shouldn't it be a bit of a general purpose device while the 360 is, it's the 360 that's too loud for listening to music or watching a movie.

You answered your own question (and so did people before you) - it would be more expensive. Wait for it to be hacked - or don't buy it if you can't live without it. I personally don't think it is such a big deal (then again, I don't care much about the Wii - there has been too much hype generated around it, but if someone could provide an ultimate ressource of wii information and gameplay movies, I'll maybe reconsider).

The success of the console won't depend on its ability for DVD-playback but on the price point and variety of available games - the PS2 is still the most-bought gaming console (150$ - now THAT'S cheap) with an amazing amount of games still coming out for it. The "innovation in gameplay" and the Wii-mote will only persuade me when I've played the Wii myself.

[undeaf]

Originally Posted by kuze

You answered your own question (and so did people before you) - it would be more expensive.

Only for those who want it, they could even make it a downloadable add on. They could use wii points for it.

Originally Posted by kuze

Wait for it to be hacked

That's not likely to happen, AFAIK the gamecube never was hacked fully. To me it looks probable that they'll be making the red lazer incapable of going past 4cm from the centre, or that they'll make it only capable of reading discs from the outside to the inside.

Originally Posted by Stiltzkin

Allow for not having one?

Not having one by the TV.

Originally Posted by Stiltzkin

They're common like cell phones now, only they're included as extras in so many electronic items.

Yet people still buy new cell phones a lot.

Originally Posted by Dasilva

size is a big factor in Japan, and Nintendo don't want to loose any of their japanese audiences.

To who? Microsoft? Sony? The PS3 will be 6 times as big, and probably will be a lot noisier too. Even the gamecube was almost twice as big, and also not capable of being positioned upright, so why would they need to worry about loosing customers? The small size is mostly for the small-and-cute wow-factor.

[Stiltzkin]

Originally Posted by undeaf

Not having one by the TV.

Most devices that happen to play DVDs go by the TV already. However, if someone doesn't have a DVD-playing console already, and is using a dedicated DVD player, then I think you're right in saying that the Wii could save them space if it played DVDs. It's still not the end of the world, as the Wii isn't very large, and neither are DVD players.

Originally Posted by undeaf

Yet people still buy new cell phones a lot.

People buy lots of useless doubles of things they already have. Besides, cell phones aren't DVD-playing devices.

The fact is that it's not going to kill anyone if one device lacks DVD playback with all the other things we have that play them. The main pupose of a console is to play games anyways. DVD playback would have been great, it is a missed opportunity to be sure, but it's still an additional feature to the main reason people will be considering a Wii, the games.

[Spiwak]

I don't see what the problem with it not having a DVD player is. They cost nothing now...and most computers have a DVD drive these days. And if yours doesn't DVD drives are also really cheap.

[insane_cobra]

I'd never use a console for movie playback, lasers can be sensitive and standalone players are usually better anyway.

[Kolzig]

Yeah, I've never had any use for dvd playback in a console.

It's much better to have for example a quality dvd player, like my cheap but great Philips is.

[Spiwak]

True, the technology tends to be better in actual players. Plus, having to use a controller for DVD playback is lame. I only use the PS2 when it's necessary (given that the DVD player we have in that room has been having problems of late).