Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection Presentation #3

Matthew Green - PressTheButtons.com
Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection (WFC)
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Game publisher Nintendo’s
first official entry in the world of
online video gaming
Play against close friends or
random players around the
world over IEEE 802.11b
Series of public Wi-Fi hubs
and residential wireless
broadband connections
provide access
Master servers maintained by
Nintendo
Service architecture
maintained by IGN
Entertainment
For use with Nintendo DS and
Nintendo Revolution game
systems
Matthew Green - PressTheButtons.com
Why Study Nintendo WFC?
• Chance to explore a service from first public
announcement to launch date and beyond
• Familiar topics take on new features
• Service has potential to reinvent online portable
and console gaming
• Potential for free service and accessible
technology to expand gaming demographic
• Firsthand experience and developer access
• Nostalgia
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Service Types and Fees
• Three levels of service
– Play against random players chosen by the system
based on skill level or geographic location
– Play against known friends through an approved
“Friends List”
– Download game content (new levels, new items, etc.)
• Gameplay access is free for Nintendo-published
titles; third-party publishers may charge a fee
• Downloadable content to be available for a fee
• Aims for transparent access; most users need
not configure Nintendo DS manually by default
Matthew Green - PressTheButtons.com
WFC-enabled Titles
• Nintendo DS
– Mario Kart DS (Now)
– Tony Hawk’s American
Sk8land (Now)
– Animal Crossing: Wild World
(December 2005)
– Metroid Prime Hunters (March
2006)
• Nintendo Revolution
– Super Smash Bros. 3 (working
title; TBD 2006)
– Nintendo “Virtual Console”
offers downloads of classic
titles dated 1985-2000 (2006)
Mario Kart DS
Matthew Green - PressTheButtons.com
Connections For Everyone
• Automatic configuration
• Manual configuration
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SSID
WEP key
IP address
Subnet mask
Gateway
Auto-obtain DNS
Primary and Secondary
DNS
• Wi-Fi Connector
• Wayport wireless hotspot
Matthew Green - PressTheButtons.com
Connections For Everyone
Matthew Green - PressTheButtons.com
Nintendo Wi-Fi Connector
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Allows Nintendo DS to access
wired broadband connections
Includes software and driver for
Windows XP
$35 price tag encourages
adoption
Available direct from Nintendo’s
online store initially
Available at retail in March 2006
DS needs no manual
configuration when using the
connector.
Connector software allows users
to set permissions on a per-NDS
basis.
Software upgradeable for
Nintendo Revolution use in
2006.
Matthew Green - PressTheButtons.com
Let’s Go For A Race
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Select WFC option
Confirm WFC connection
Choose race type
Pause for the system to
gather up to three other
players
• Select character and kart
• Vote on racetrack
• Race!
Matthew Green - PressTheButtons.com
Customize and Personalize
• Player names appear during play
• Unique custom emblems add personality
• Emblems appear on karts and next to player
names during play
Matthew Green - PressTheButtons.com
Organize Friends
• 12-digit Friend Codes
are generated by the
WFC system
• Swap codes with
friends and input
those codes into NDS
• Race against friends
on WFC
• Some limitations
Matthew Green - PressTheButtons.com
Nintendo WFC Hub
• Web hub for WFC
information and statistics
• Track personal game
progress and records
• System stats available via
XML
• Possibility of user-made
system tray tools and
toolbar widgets
• NintendoWiFi.com
Matthew Green - PressTheButtons.com
Room To Improve
• Only 20 of Mario Kart DS’s 32 tracks are
available on WFC
• Battle Mode unavailable on WFC
• Races limited to 4 players on WFC
• Communication between players not
possible on WFC
• Sore losers drop connection during play to
avoid score penalties
Matthew Green - PressTheButtons.com
Room To Grow
• 52,000 (42%) of Mario Kart DS owners
played on WFC in the first week of
release.
• Nintendo aims to increase this number to
90% by the end of January 2006.
Matthew Green - PressTheButtons.com
Matthew Green - PressTheButtons.com