News: Iwata Explains Storage Solution

[wraggster]

Translated directly from the Japanese press conference, Nintendo president, Satoru Iwata summarised the SD card-based storage solution heading to Wii next year.

It was a long time coming, but Nintendo's plans for appeasing Wii owners exhausted of emptying the fridge have finally been confirmed. Rather than release a hard drive, the simple plan is to allow downloaders to fully utilise SD cards, as if it were merely a memory card. The full translation of Iwata's speech regarding the matter is as follows:


"We will make it so that, when there is not enough room on the Wii's internal memory, you will be able to purchase and download Virtual Console and WiiWare software directly from the Shopping Channel to an SD memory card. We will also make it so that you will need to go through just one process in order to transfer Virtual Console or WiiWare software stored on an SD card to the Wii console and then be able to play it. We would like to deal with this issue utilizing two methods. Since the updates to realize these new structures will require significant revisions to the Wii system, and these changes need to be made by taking care of a variety of different angles, this method will become effective beginning next spring. For some of you, this may be considered late. But please know that we really appreciate your cooperation and understanding. We are working hard so we can begin the service as soon as possible."

So it seems not even Nintendo HQ could escape the wrath (internet forum-based wrath, of course) of scores of scorn Wii owners. All that matters is that a solution is coming, and it will only require a simple firmware update.

http://www.n-europe.com/news.php?nid=12425

[ICE]

I dont see how that solves anything.. Let us play from the SD card and we're talking but letting us download to SD so we can put it on our hdd to play it solves nothing.

[kamanashi]

I think Nintendo doesn't understand what storage solution means. We can already copy stuff from the SD card, all this does is decrease the process by like 2 steps, still not a real solution.

[Brainy142]

Epic Failure

[acg12xu]

So we're still going to be unable to load directly from the SD?

Even if they allowed loading from the SD it wouldn't be enough, but this is just ridiculous.

We need a Hard Drive.

[onetwentyeight]

how about some sub directories while we're at it: a single snes channel instead of one for each purchased game, i.e. metroid, mario rpg, zelda...

don't worry, everything will be resolved by the wii hd just like how every swan song gc game ended up on the wii instead: zelda, paper mario, etc.

[agenericperson]

This is old news. It's been up a while at http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n10/conference2008fall/presen/e/06.html
And everyone is right, this is no solution.

[chuggman]

Depending on how extensive this goes. It could mean about nothing changes . Especially if this means we can still only us regular SD. However, If it means that Nintendo plans on adding SDHC support to the wii through the system update and let us use that as a storage... then that's a little different. think 32 GB SDHC cards are out right now. If we can use those who would truly need a full HDD adapter. 32GB is surely enough for a numerous amount of wiiware and virtual console games! And if it keeps us from having to copy stuff back and forth between the wii and sd card for using it then that would just solidify it for me. If not though then this is a stupid update that still only allows for up to 2.5gb of use at a time. annoying but true. we will have to wait for more details before I'm making a decision on this news.

[sean.aaron]

Everyone is not right; everyone is jumping to conclusions based upon what might be a bad translation.

We will also make it so that you will need to go through just one process in order to transfer Virtual Console or WiiWare software stored on an SD card to the Wii console and then be able to play it.

That could easily mean "play directly off SD card," but it just worded differently, because the data on the SD card would still need to be read into the main Wii console memory for a downloaded game to be played. It's also possible that the Wii has some reserved memory which could be used on a temporary basis by downloaded content.

The fact is we just don't know and clearly whatever Nintendo's doing is going to require a lot of work to the OS and they haven't determined exactly what it is they're doing yet, so we may need to wait a few more months for something more definite to bitch about...

[Piny89]

dumb solution is dumb

[Qmark]

If there is some sort of issue that requires the data to reside in the system flash (of which, only about 200MB is actually available for the user), the simplest solution would roughly as follows:

In a Wii with no SD card inserted, nothing functionally changes. VC games, channels, and WiiWare all stay in the resident flash until removed.

In a Wii with an SD card inserted, the system flash becomes a cache of sorts.
Set aside an arbitrary amount (100MB should be plenty, 50 is probably enough), and simply fetch the content from the SD and copy it into the system flash as needed, freeing up space as needed.
Ideally, this process would be as invisible to the end user as possible, with a "loading" icon or something being the only sign something is happening.



I've no evidence this is what's actually going to happen, but it's a likely interpretation of Iwata's statements.

[trugamer]

I'm pretty sure from what I've read the wii will be able to play games direct from the SD card.

I'd much rather have that than some stupid overpriced official HD, seeing as there is actually some competition in prices.

[Qmark]

If they can pull off a "load from SD" function, or even some goofy caching scheme, it would be trivial to eventually add support for a HD plugged into one of the USB ports.