Overlord dev: 360 to Wii ports don't work

OXM UK reports that Triumph Studios says Wii's last-gen technology is the reason direct Xbox 360 ports won't work for Nintendo's console.

Lennart Sas, Creative Director at Triumph Studios, tells OXM that "the weakness for the Wii is the graphical and processing technology, which is last-gen... so you have to custom tailor your game to best use of the Wii's strengths, which is the Wii-mote. I don't think you can do that with a direct port."

[madmonkey0]

isn't that obvious?
Maybe we will see a Wii HD sometime in the future.

[SpoonyRedMage]

Yup, that's pretty obvious. Overlord seems like it could work really well though and graphically it looks quite nice on the Wii but it seems to be pretty bad judging from reviews.

[N4g_null]

I'm thinking that most people do not remember arcades and the nes. If you have ever played the arcade version of ninja gaiden then you know how good the first few stages where. Yet the rest of the stages where pretty forgettable. Yet when they ported the game to the nes is was a master piece that even the 3d version today can not top story telling wise.

Maybe part of the reason why they can not port their games is because video games have been replaced with 3d games. We really need a ne3w word for that. Video games do not automatically have to mean a 3d game. 3d always mean free roaming and seriously we do not have the true power for that right now. The idea of a sand box game is very unfocused right now.

Anyway focusing on the Wii mote is part of it but you need to leverage your art and your game play.

[Gr81]

"the weakness for the Wii is the graphical and processing technology, which is last-gen... so you have to custom tailor your game to best use of the Wii's strengths, which is the Wii-mote. I don't think you can do that with a direct port."

What he considers a weakness I see as a strength for the Wii.

[PirateThom]

You see low graphical and processing technology as a strength?

:-/

[SpoonyRedMage]

Well it kind of is and isn't at the same time because with it's low cost and low demand for graphic sand stuff it's attracted smaller devs, most obviously High Voltage who said they would be fine with making games for the HD consoles but they can't afford it. It's also got some bigger companies looking at it as well and whilst it's mostly shovelware there are a few gems that wouldn't exist otherwise.

It seems to be both a weakness and a strength.

[ChickeyCantor]

Not just that, it goes back to the nes/sega era where developers needed to be creative to make it all work. Not just in art-style but also in the way in making their engines more efficient.

Of course if we are talking about higher production games.

[Gr81]

I wasn't looking at it in simple terms of graphical output. But more in lines with the business perspective of what was said. "Games tailor made for Wii" is just fancy talk for developing from the ground up exclusively for the system.

Exclusives are what make a system shine, and distinguish one platform from the next. You ever wonder why people regard PS360 as HD twins? because neither really has any notable exclusives beyond Halo and what, LBP? Even MG is now multiplatform as is FF.

HD consoles are sharing everything with themselves and PC's. The thing is the PC has the games like Dead Space and Bioshock and Lost Planet etc. And guess what? they look and play better on the PC!

Wii is easily distinguishable from the PC and this is because Nintendo's aim was not to mimic PC gaming which was MS intent with Sony following suit.

This is where Nintendo has won. As Spoony has said it has kept costs down, and ironically it is in the Wii's graphical limitations work in its favor. And has Sidar pointed out the game has to rely on content and gameplay to sell, not shiny special effects. The Wii is actually a throwback to the old school console gaming.

[poopface1]

sorry but only RTS, FPS, and mmorpgs "play better" on PC. Lots of games CAN look better on pc, but Id rather play other types of games(dead space, AC, SF, GTA 4) on consoles; on a big TV with a controller.

The one thing pcs dont have for FPS is analogue movement, but most people dont even know what that is or how it could help them in FPS.

Also "old school" games were actually challenging, games on wii are so easy and simple that they are starting to play themselvs.

[Gr81]

You must be new to gaming. At least your name matches your posts ;) Aren't the HD consoles primarily made up of FPS'? Which since you have even admitted play better on PC, pretty much proves my point no?

Did you beat Prime 3 on Hypermode w/ 100% pickups? Did you get 9,999pts online in MKWii? 242 stars in Galaxy? Prime 3 alone is longer than 3 HD games combined on a first play through.

[N4g_null]

PirateThom low graphical detail is a strength. It is a great place for talented people to shine. If you look back I liked most of the console ports better than the arcade games in most cases. The games had to be totally reworked and put up against stiffer competition rather than quarter stealing.

Because of this flaw we can have fully render 2d games like demon blade and FPS that focus on different control set ups because they don't blow their budgets on graphics only. Seriously I would love to see team ninja make a ninja gaiden 16 bit version for wiiware or a full game to take on demon blade! I would love to see a real strider game like the nes version yet with the arcade graphics style!

console gaming is about a happy medium not all out to one side. If you will notice most HD gamer will not even touch 2d games unless they are under $20 now. Now when I go see a movie do I expect to pay less for animation or live action? Nope... catering to a few is killing games for us all.

Seriously they most hyped games right now in the HD realm are not even interesting to me. They lack visual rules and a clear challenge in most cases. They are very ADHD like. I don't like that.

[JCDenton]

"the weakness for the Wii is the graphical and processing technology, which is last-gen... so you have to custom tailor your game to best use of the Wii's strengths, which is the Wii-mote. I don't think you can do that with a direct port."

Well, no sh1t, Sherlock! ;)

[badz149]

the 360 (and PS3 for that matter) can do downscaling to 480p but the Wii does not have that very capability! it can't process HD materials thus only outputting 480p max!

[Gr81]

I didn't know there were Wii games "HD console only" owners were interested in? Also if they are chances are they have already bought a Wii or are considering it. I mean really the Library is really starting to get fleshed out.

Look at sales; HD hasn't mattered thus far, why would it suddenly make a difference now?

[jackalman]

we landed on the moon and the sky is blue.

[ChickeyCantor]

You make it sound like the moon has a blue sky...

[asyouburn]

PS3 to PS1 ports not working out as planned. . .

[Nihilism]

so that's why crysis warhead doesn't work on the original atari, i thought all consoles had limitless hardware ability, that's what the forums here told me anyway,lol

[user3915800]

However, you could port PS3 games to the wii since they are about the same quality in both visuals and frame rates, but one most be very carefull, cause the wii framerates are sometimes better than sonys, lowering the standards of video games.

Wii> PS3
PS3< Wii
360 > PS3 and Wii combined

[SinnedNogara]

Well of course. Look at Call of Duty on Wii. It is OK, but isn't nearly as good as the PS3/360 version.