Nice ending there :P

Wonderful update on the Wii U, Roo! Thank you so much for finding all of this information out for me! I was curious on all of those things and just what the Wii U had in its innards in terms of power and that.  Really great to know that this is a new "next generation" console and with how Nintendo does things, it seems to be in its own league again! 

I am just so excited to think of all the great game ideas that will come from this system!!  Nintendo is making me excited for gaming again!! 

I haven't been following the Wii U much, but I'm surprised (read: relieved) to hear that its capable of surpassing the 360 and PS3 graphically. I think one of the aspects that kept the Wii from attracting the "hardcore" audience was its lack of graphical supereoriosity (a word I tells ya!)-- not because hard core gaming requires it, but because it prevents 3rd party publishers from easily porting their game to all three systems, unlike the days when you could take a pick between GC, PS2 and Xbox. (And as a side note, I realize the GC versions were often the ugliest muddiest textured versions, but it still allowed players to make the GC their primary console.) Owning all three consoles this generation, I often find that the Wii feels more like a toy (or really, my bedroom netflix machine), with worth while games far and few between. Needless to say, I'm glad to see that they have the power to pull in 3rd party support this time around.

Thanks Roo, I'm quite pleased to hear some more specifics. Yeah, being behind the 8 ball technologically has probably hurt Nintendo in some ways, but in terms of reliability which you mentioned? My NES still works. My SNES still works. My N64 and Cube still work. My Wii works like a dream.

I've had a Genesis 2 and PS2 die on me. I think ... yeah I even had  a dead PS1. Never had a Nintendo product die on me.

Lucky, Sonicrose! My NGC died due to laser errors and my sister's SNES died before I was even born!

I am a Direct3D 11 programmer (or DirectX 11 if you prefer to call it that) and I was always aware that the SDK is free with no need to pay Microsoft anything... maybe for embedded systems it's different...?

BTW, why use D3D10 instead of 11? The xbox still using D3D9 when the PC has D3D11. Consoles are for poor people, I only like retro game consoles (and NDS + 3DS).

sheefo, you could probably speak much more to the technicals of directx than I could.  Nice to know there's a programmer in the house to answer the specifics!  :)  I actually don't know for sure, but I thought I read somewhere that the main reason the PS3 uses OpenGL instead of directx is because of licensing issues with MS.  Again, I could be wrong there - someone speak up if they know otherwise.

Could just be that Sony doesn't want to depend on a Microsoft product in their system.

I know I wouldn't want anything my direct competitor developed in my system.

The only Nintendo console that has broken down on me is my DS Lite.  It still works but the bottom screen has some nasty red lines.  I still use it to play GBA games on the top screen.

I've been looking ate the Wii u controller and i have to say it looks really uncomfortable and one of the Screwattack guys even mentioned something to that effect(even if they are not the most reliable source out there), so i'm kinda on the fence about it.   

Gnashvar: I've owned just about every major Nintendo system (released in America), besides some iterations of the Game Boy & DS lines, and I don't think I've ever had one just up and quit on me.  Oh sure, the NES was finnicky as all hell, but it would usually work fine after a bit of cleaning or contact bending.  Nintendo makes sturdy products.

Kappa Master: I didn't really notice a big issue with the controller.  It actually feels smaller in the hands than what you'd initially think.  However, I didn't playa game for more than 5 minutes at a time, so there's no telling how it would feel after a long session.

Man. That controller would be great with multiplayer games. I only wish they'll make a D&D game with the WiiU touchscreen controller user as the DM setting up encounters or random events off screen from the main 4 players or so.

Perhaps taking the place of the AI director in a game like left4dead may be a lot of fun too.
 

LMAO @ Roos comment.  I'm actually a big fan of Nintendo and it felt very weird to see one of their products not working properly.

Never had a Nintendo product die on me.

I'm on my second SNES. I went through three NES-es.