Most, if not all of us, have seen the Three-Dimensional (3D) capabilities of home gaming consoles, like Playstaion, Dreamcast, and more recently, the X-Box. Nintendo has had their hand in that very same cookie jar ever since the fall of 1996, which is when the Nintendo64 was released to North American gamers commercially. But now Nintendo has a new step coming forward on the horizon, the N (a.k.a. Project: Dolphin). Hype has caused this to be the most anticipated, powerful, and dazzling machine that gamers will ever see this side of the 21st century. With their new 'mature' and adult twist, will Nintendo have an edge over Sony and Sega? We can only ask ourselves just how amazing will this system be?
We have all seen the power of "last-generation", namely the everlasting, and still ongoing battle between the N64 and the Playstation (PSX). If you want to compare system power, each of these, now outdated, machines have their setbacks, but one very important similarity.
Both systems were the first truly 3D consoles from their respective companies. But as we venture into the next-generation, the "Odyssey" era of consoles, we've begun to wonder, just how much better will the N be compared to the PS2, and X-Box?
Sony has always been the first out of the gate with their next-generation consoles. And they're always the ones to suffer from it. Sony seems to "jump the gun" too quickly; they release their information to the press right away, which makes their system very susceptible to the competition, and becoming outdated before they even release it.
Nintendo however, has always been the latecomer, carefully plotting and planning their releases with the best technology at lowest prices. The fact of the matter is, we've never heard about any of the "solid" features the N will have. The only concrete evidence we have is it's graphics chips' name. The ArtX and Gekko Processor. While we've heard what they can do, the exact capabilities of the two chips are still up in the air, unknown to the world.
Take the N64 into great consideration for a moment. The first-generation titles that were produced were taken with high acclaim, but not for their quality of 3D effects and models, but rather of the diverse worlds and imagination that Nintendo was able to brew up for the system's release.
The N64 graphics capabilities are "ancient" to say the least, but at the time of release it had the latest and greatest possibilities to make completely original games with amazing detail and replay value (see Goldeneye and Perfect Dark).
But what is to be said about N? Well, we can only imagine that by the time it is released in early 2001, it will amaze us all. We will be able to catch just a glimpse of its power at Space World this August, but demos will not quench gamers' thirst for more, and we can only imagine what Nintendo will have in store for us at it's launch and beyond.
Even though no true screenshots have been shown on N hardware, we can only assume that the detail and depth with textures and 3D models will be something never seen before in a console. Nintendo is taking every step necessary to ensure a very successful, and revolutionary introduction to the next-generation console wars, and they don't plan to waste any time.
This week at Space World, N will be revealed, along with its true name and playable demos running on finalized hardware. Probably even the final design for the system will be revealed.
But what will happen after N and AGB? Will Nintendo immediately start on the next system? Just take a second to imagine what life-after-N could be like.
Being a 3D artist, I know and am hoping that the N will be nothing short of revolutionary in the realm of 3D home console gaming. We've only taken the first steps at discovering how wonderful and diverse 3D worlds can get. It is only a matter of years before an illusion, will become a reality.
The Old, and the New
We have all seen the power of "last-generation", namely the everlasting, and still ongoing battle between the N64 and the Playstation (PSX). If you want to compare system power, each of these, now outdated, machines have their setbacks, but one very important similarity.
Both systems were the first truly 3D consoles from their respective companies. But as we venture into the next-generation, the "Odyssey" era of consoles, we've begun to wonder, just how much better will the N be compared to the PS2, and X-Box?
Power over Pleasure
Sony has always been the first out of the gate with their next-generation consoles. And they're always the ones to suffer from it. Sony seems to "jump the gun" too quickly; they release their information to the press right away, which makes their system very susceptible to the competition, and becoming outdated before they even release it.
Nintendo however, has always been the latecomer, carefully plotting and planning their releases with the best technology at lowest prices. The fact of the matter is, we've never heard about any of the "solid" features the N will have. The only concrete evidence we have is it's graphics chips' name. The ArtX and Gekko Processor. While we've heard what they can do, the exact capabilities of the two chips are still up in the air, unknown to the world.
Blast From the Past
Take the N64 into great consideration for a moment. The first-generation titles that were produced were taken with high acclaim, but not for their quality of 3D effects and models, but rather of the diverse worlds and imagination that Nintendo was able to brew up for the system's release.
The N64 graphics capabilities are "ancient" to say the least, but at the time of release it had the latest and greatest possibilities to make completely original games with amazing detail and replay value (see Goldeneye and Perfect Dark).
But what is to be said about N? Well, we can only imagine that by the time it is released in early 2001, it will amaze us all. We will be able to catch just a glimpse of its power at Space World this August, but demos will not quench gamers' thirst for more, and we can only imagine what Nintendo will have in store for us at it's launch and beyond.
Into the Future
Even though no true screenshots have been shown on N hardware, we can only assume that the detail and depth with textures and 3D models will be something never seen before in a console. Nintendo is taking every step necessary to ensure a very successful, and revolutionary introduction to the next-generation console wars, and they don't plan to waste any time.
This week at Space World, N will be revealed, along with its true name and playable demos running on finalized hardware. Probably even the final design for the system will be revealed.
But what will happen after N and AGB? Will Nintendo immediately start on the next system? Just take a second to imagine what life-after-N could be like.
The Odyssey is near
Being a 3D artist, I know and am hoping that the N will be nothing short of revolutionary in the realm of 3D home console gaming. We've only taken the first steps at discovering how wonderful and diverse 3D worlds can get. It is only a matter of years before an illusion, will become a reality.