Looks like the 40MB Wii Ware limit could be scrapped once this update is released. First being updated for games with large DLC and then moving on to other areas.
I imagine a some amount of re-engineering would be needed to take advantage of this. Like releasing a season wrapper for free and selling the episodes as DLC.
I doubt this could make a difference for ToMI, but looks like it has potential for future Wii titles. My only concern would be the streaming speed from the card.
I think I've read they can have read/write speeds of around 50MB/s, but I'm not sure, depends on how fast the Wii can read them too I guess.
My memory is hazy, but I think that 10-20MB/s is more reasonable for a run of the mill SD card. Most of your customer base isn't going to spend $$$ for stuff that fast.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but this has nothing to do with Nintendo's self-imposed Wiiware size limit. All I see in this topic is mindless speculation.
Data can be stored on the SD card, aka; there's more room than just 40MB, if they allow those bigger downloads of course. But That would be so incredibly logical, it'd be a crime if they didn't.
Fantastic news! This has repercussions for everything Wii-related, I would think. Not only does this give me hope for future Telltale games (too bad it looks like TOMI won't be able to take advantage of this) but I would think downloadable map packs for first person shooters and all the rest of it now are possibilities for the Wii. Thanks, Nintendo!
Nintendo may not scrap or increase the limit with this update. The position of the company could be not to review the limit and leave it where it is. Alternatively, they could decide that they want to keep all WiiWare titles available to people who don't own SD cards, so they would think that the 40MB limit is still a good idea. (Note: I don't own a Wii and I am assuming that not every Wii comes with an SD card.)
All I'm trying to say is, don't get your hopes up until Nintendo actually announce a change in the limit.
My memory is hazy, but I think that 10-20MB/s is more reasonable for a run of the mill SD card. Most of your customer base isn't going to spend $$$ for stuff that fast.
When I was looking for SD cards less than a year ago (for a new camera), all the cards I saw were either Class 2, 4, or 6. This means that the card is guaranteed to not go any slower than 2MB/s, 4MB/s, or 6MB/s. This does not reflect the average speed of the card, which would be much higher, or the maximum speed of the card (which would be the number the advertiser is most likely to point to). What it means is, a defensive programmer will design their program to expect only 2MB/s (or less if they made slower cards in the past).
Which would be more than enough to stream dozens of voice channels at once, so it's really nothing we have to worry about.
I think we should clarify what Nintendo is actually changing: They now allow you to stream data from SD card as opposed to copying to a temp file first. Maybe I'm missing something, but looking at the article that's all I could find.
By itself that means slightly shorter loading times, but that's about it.
Yes, but if you can stream data straight from the SD card, that would suggest you wouldn't need the 40MB limit anymore, because you're not hampered by what can all be fit onto internal memory -- or at least that's what I would think. Granted, there's no official statement from Nintendo that they're doing any such thing, but getting data straight off the SD card clears the path to solving a lot of problems.
It's definitely a start. I just thought that this needed to be clarified.
API-wise it's a big step, but until Nintendo wraps the whole thing up with new terms of service, a new installer and a few other toys, it's not much use for anything besides Guitar Hero. (not saying that this stuff won't arrive along with the update)
When I was looking for SD cards less than a year ago (for a new camera), all the cards I saw were either Class 2, 4, or 6. This means that the card is guaranteed to not go any slower than 2MB/s, 4MB/s, or 6MB/s.
I believe those were for write speeds, but a lot fewer cards plainly state their read speed specifications, which is why I do not remember exactly the values for this. I vaguely remember running HDTune or a similar program on an Adata class 6 SDHC card and got something in the 10-20MB/s range, but it's been a while so my memory is suspect.
I believe those were for write speeds, but a lot fewer cards plainly state their read speed specifications, which is why I do not remember exactly the values for this. I vaguely remember running HDTune or a similar program on an Adata class 6 SDHC card and got something in the 10-20MB/s range, but it's been a while so my memory is suspect.
Now that you mention it, I think you are right. Those are the write speeds that I was talking about, not the read speeds, and writing is definitely slower than reading.
Too bad they didn't do this, oh I don't know, WHEN 4.0 LAUNCHED. :mad:
Fixed. And there's no sign of it affecting WiiWare, since it's more intended for retail games. (That said, it makes the DLC loophole even easier to pull off).
@Shmeh: No, the Wii does not come with an SD card (unless you count the 512Mb-ish of flash memory it has inside)
My new understanding is that there will not be any "streaming" from the cards. Games will transfer their DLC from the memory card to the internal storage when the game starts up.
So DLC for retail games will behave similarly to WiiWare titles stored on the card.
Yeah, that's what I was wondering. Because if the game streams it off the SD card onto the internal memory before using it...then it doesn't really have the potential to change anything for WiiWare games.
Nintendo needs to make it so games can run straight off the SD card. But I wonder if such a drastic change to the firmware is even possible?
Ah, so it was too good to be true, is that right? Bah.
On a slightly different topic, I finally partitioned my Mac's hard drive and installed Boot Camp. Allowing me to buy TOMI for the PC -- the night before Telltale announced I could buy individual episodes!
But I'm not complaining. There are still issues with lag and hitches with the PC version, but overall I'm fairly impressed. TOMI is a great game and I look forward to downloading the next installment.
Comments
I doubt this could make a difference for ToMI, but looks like it has potential for future Wii titles. My only concern would be the streaming speed from the card.
That's why I'm mad at them for taking this long to do it.
I think I've read they can have read/write speeds of around 50MB/s, but I'm not sure, depends on how fast the Wii can read them too I guess.
My memory is hazy, but I think that 10-20MB/s is more reasonable for a run of the mill SD card. Most of your customer base isn't going to spend $$$ for stuff that fast.
Data can be stored on the SD card, aka; there's more room than just 40MB, if they allow those bigger downloads of course. But That would be so incredibly logical, it'd be a crime if they didn't.
All I'm trying to say is, don't get your hopes up until Nintendo actually announce a change in the limit.
When I was looking for SD cards less than a year ago (for a new camera), all the cards I saw were either Class 2, 4, or 6. This means that the card is guaranteed to not go any slower than 2MB/s, 4MB/s, or 6MB/s. This does not reflect the average speed of the card, which would be much higher, or the maximum speed of the card (which would be the number the advertiser is most likely to point to). What it means is, a defensive programmer will design their program to expect only 2MB/s (or less if they made slower cards in the past).
I think we should clarify what Nintendo is actually changing: They now allow you to stream data from SD card as opposed to copying to a temp file first. Maybe I'm missing something, but looking at the article that's all I could find.
By itself that means slightly shorter loading times, but that's about it.
API-wise it's a big step, but until Nintendo wraps the whole thing up with new terms of service, a new installer and a few other toys, it's not much use for anything besides Guitar Hero. (not saying that this stuff won't arrive along with the update)
I believe those were for write speeds, but a lot fewer cards plainly state their read speed specifications, which is why I do not remember exactly the values for this. I vaguely remember running HDTune or a similar program on an Adata class 6 SDHC card and got something in the 10-20MB/s range, but it's been a while so my memory is suspect.
Now that you mention it, I think you are right. Those are the write speeds that I was talking about, not the read speeds, and writing is definitely slower than reading.
@Shmeh: No, the Wii does not come with an SD card (unless you count the 512Mb-ish of flash memory it has inside)
So DLC for retail games will behave similarly to WiiWare titles stored on the card.
This is like fourth-hand information.
Yeah, that's what I was wondering. Because if the game streams it off the SD card onto the internal memory before using it...then it doesn't really have the potential to change anything for WiiWare games.
Nintendo needs to make it so games can run straight off the SD card. But I wonder if such a drastic change to the firmware is even possible?
On a slightly different topic, I finally partitioned my Mac's hard drive and installed Boot Camp. Allowing me to buy TOMI for the PC -- the night before Telltale announced I could buy individual episodes!
But I'm not complaining. There are still issues with lag and hitches with the PC version, but overall I'm fairly impressed. TOMI is a great game and I look forward to downloading the next installment.