Handheld Gaming Vs. The Rest

[Mike Cook]

Now. Here's an abstract one for you. We're all here (hopefully) because we keep some gaming in our pockets. But I'd also wager that a few of you play on a PC, with a Wiimote, or sometimes flick over to those strange Sky channels that have bright colours and tell you to press the red button.

And lo, for years the two existed side-by-side, and there was peace. But mobile gaming is getting big. Huge, in fact. The PSP and DS are monstrously powerful compared to handhelds ten years ago. If our future handhelds connected to our televisions too, would we ever need those hulking great console boxes ever again?

Will the XBox ever snuff it? Is Nintendo's future in the DS, not the Wii? Or are you a mixed gamer, someone who likes to keep their handheld fun and their living room entertainment separate? Do you just appreciate unintentional euphemisms? Discuss.

[Bigbear]

Definitely an interesting point Mike, although I think what's really happening is that handheld is exacerbating the dichotomy in gaming audience as the pursuit becomes increasingly mainstream (or at least less hardcore).

Basically, way I see it there's a distinct two-tier audience developing between those that are dedicated 'hardcore' gamers who demand the super-powered, photo-realistic, ever-more finnessed experiences that can only really be provided by a top of the range system (be that high powered PC, Xbox 360 or PS3) and a more mainstream 'casual' audience that see gaming fitting into their lives as a means to relax and for short bursts of enjoyment alongside other entertainment mediums.

The latter group is very much who Nintendo are targeting with DS and Wii anda lso whom the PS2 titles like Guitrar Hero/Buzz/EyeToy and Singstar went after. You could also argue it's the group that will get most of casual online games, mobile games and even the likes of Xbox Live.

For this latter audience you could pretty much do away with the box in the corner (you could pack most of the Wii's power CD-player aside into a much smaller form (DS 2?)

Will the PS3 and Xbox snuff it? Nope, these consoles and PCs will continue to develop alongside for the hardcore gamer for the foreseeable future. Personally I can no longer afford either the time or the disposable income required to do this (it's a young man's game...etc), so I've graduated to the casual world of DS, PSP and mobile that fits into my life as and when required.

[danskmacabre]

I think there's easily a place for Handhelds and Consoles and PCs.

For me, I commute via train to work, as it's cheaper and less hassle then taking my car.
Consequently, I have about 40 minutes either way to work and back to mess about on my DS playing games (or reading).
So the DS is perfect for me.
My kids love the DS as well (6 year old son and 4 year old daughter).
I have bought a DS for my son for his birthday, so we will be playing multiplayer games together soon hehe.
He probably doesn't realise how lucky he is having a dad who likes computer games, it comes naturally to me though as I'm a computer programmer by trade.

Anyway, I have 3 PCs in my house, one of them a Laptop, which is for remote access to work and a few select games for networking nights with my friends.
One Desktop with Linux on it which is the family PC, IE my wife and kids use it and I do shopping etc on it.

Then my gaming desktop PC, which is for me to play PC games on.

We also have a gamecube that is mostly used by my son (he's 6) and he loves it.

I think we probably WILL buy a console at some stage and it will probably be a Wii, as I think it is most suitable for my family.

What is more likely on PCs and Consoles it eventually the border between the definition of either will blur more and more, although at this time the console has nothing on the functionality of the PC.

I feel the market share of the Hand platforms will increase as the miniaturization of technology improves.

[Owain]

First off: Danskmacabre outed as a family man! Gosh!

Re: Mike's original point, it's an interesting idea that I admit I've never considered -- that your handheld could be a sort of hub that could output onto different nearby screens such as TVs if available. Certainly the leap from PS1 to PS2 was the critical one in terms of generally acceptable fidelity. PSP 2 should manage PS2+ graphics, so the ability to have a portable that you play on the move and then play on your TV is certainly there.

Two points. Firstly, if a designer makes a game assuming it's always going to be played on a handheld, he or she will make certain compromises that they won't make if they know it will be on a telly. And vice-versa (in reverse). In other words, the experience is likely to be compromised in some way?

Second up, handhelds will really have to address the control issue if they're to be a main point of play. Even the DS isn't perfect; sure the stylus is fab, but I'd like to see you control a TV-based Metroid using it on a handheld. Control is 50% of games; vision and sound are the other 50% (and yes, the fabled 50% each split between them). But because you are the character, control is all. Handhelds aren't competing at the highest level yet.

Owain

[danskmacabre]

First off: Danskmacabre outed as a family man! Gosh!

Yeah, I expect my son will be posting here in a year or 2, he's dead keen on handheld games (and his gamecube) , although I restrict him to 1 hour a day computer gaming (slightly more on the weekend).
We have a trampoline out the back, so I encourage our kids to get physical activity as well.

As to connecting handhelds to TVs and the related control issues.
I guess there could be a handheld version of a Wiimote or something.
Hell, not so far in the future the mindswitch will be perfected ( http://www.science.uts.edu.au/research/mind_switch.html ), so no hand controls at all maybe?

[splat]

love the way that mobile companies such as Nokia and Qualcomm are taking about peoiple connecting their mobile phones to TV because there's enough processing horsepower to handle 720 TV-out. Probably not particularly useful for UK, US but maybe for BRIC/ developing countries.

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