480i
Latest
MadWorld won't run in 480p (consolation: multiplayer footage!)
Being Wii gamers, we're not total graphics snobs, but many feel that 480p support really should be the standard for new games by now. We guess Platinum Games didn't get the memo, as upcoming MadWorld will only run in 480i, IGN reports. Neither Platinum Games nor Sega have made an official statement as to why the game is stuck in 480i, but regardless of interlaces or progressives, you have to admit the game still looks sweet.For those of you who feel the same way, you might want to head past the break for a sneak peek at the game's multiplayer Blood Bath challenges. Still planning to pick up the game, despite 480i? Or is the deal totally off now?%Gallery-22964%Source - MadWorld in 480i Source - First look at multiplayer [Via Go Nintendo]
Strong Bad freezing? Take your Wii out of widescreen display mode
We haven't heard much in the way of problems with Telltale's newest episodic game, Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People. One of our incredibly handsome commenters had some other kind of issue, but it's nothing like what ThatVideoGameBlog is reporting.Apparently, at the same spot in the episode, the whole game would freeze, locking up the console. Others over at the Telltale forums were reporting the same issue, yet they found a fix: take the console out of widescreen display mode and set it to standard (also suggested is turning off 480p and setting the system to 480i). This seems to correct the issue, yet means gamers will have to put up with some black bars on outside of the screen and none of that delicious progressive scan all the kids are crazy about. Until Telltale can patch the game, it looks like this is the only fix for those suffering from freezing. [Via ThatVideoGameBlog]%Gallery-29377% Strong Bad's Game for Attractive People isn't the only notable WiiWare title. Capcom's upcoming Mega Man 9 has managed to turn a few heads (and might have even gotten other companies to think about retro revivals). There's also the upcoming Tetris Party and Alien Crush Returns, both from Hudson. Oh, and let's not forget Space Invaders Get Even!
Revolutionary: New Year's Res
Every (other) Tuesday, Mike Sylvester brings you REVOLUTIONARY, a look at the wide world of Wii possibilities. It is the year 2008 and we've all got jet packs to carry us from our front door to the flying car in our driveway. Our friends can leave us telepathic thoughtmails when we're summering in seclusion on the dark side of the moon. Skynet fought back and the treacherous Decepticons have conquered the Autobots' home planet of Cybertron. Everyone is basking in the realer-than-reality goodness of their HD television sets. Wait a minute ... scratch that last bit. Not everyone's got an HDTV or even a DTV, so that broadcast switchover to digital transmission that the FCC mandated for the years leading up to 2007 wound up getting postponed until 2009. Nintendo engineers are patting themselves on the back (no doubt with fat stacks of cash) for predicting the relatively slow transition to HD, which allowed them to keep production costs down on the little white wonder. It's a point of contention to some, but seniors, girlfriends, your parents, and most Wii fanboys aren't giving it a lot of thought. Many people aren't even aware that it's not an HD console, so this edition of Revolutionary is intended to clear up any misunderstandings about the Wii's resolution ... -ary.
Wii having problems with 480p output?
A thread over at the Nintendo of America forums has highlighted a potential problem with the Nintendo Wii's output of 480p signals using component cables. Over a dozen members have reported blank and flickering screens on a range of televisions from 30" Toshiba CRTs right up to 65" Sony XBR LCD TVs. The type of cable isn't limited to third party solutions from the likes of Mad Catz, Psyclone, and Joytech either: several reports indicate that the standard Nintendo component cable also exhibits the problem (no word on whether DIY will save you). Strangely, the problem -- which Tharealfofo states is "like nothing is connected" -- occurs in similar sections of certain games and applications: several forum members have mentioned that the screen goes blank during specific sections of Zelda, the Wii Channel, and in the Opera browser. Switching to 480i output in nearly all cases fixes the problem. The broad mix of configurations that are affected suggests that the problem is the Wii itself, so hopefully Nintendo will issue some form of update in the not too distant future. In the meantime, feel free to sound off in the comments about how being forced to view your games with interlacing is a breach of your fundamental human rights.[Thanks, Galls]
PS2, PS1 480i games hampered by crazy jaggies on the PS3
When we heard the PS3 was going to feature a whole PS2 chipset for the sake of backwards compatibility, we didn't think it would suck so much. Beyond the games that are straight-up freezing or glitching out on the new box -- for which Sony is promising a patch -- the PS3 seems to be having heaps of trouble with 480i games in particular. In a sort of "double your jaggies" scenario, that's sure to leave fans of classic PlayStation titles delighted, the PS3's upscaling method for the low-res titles introduces all sorts of "jaggies" and artifacts into the image, as can be seen above in a splitscreen comparison between the PS3 and PS2 in Final Fantasy X. Some speculate that the PS3 lacks the necessary upscaling hardware, making a firmware update impossible for now, but we're hoping that somewhere in that heap of PS3 horsepower, Sony can find a way restore that beautiful shimmer to Tidus' hair. Peep a comparison video after the break.[Via Joystiq]
Poll results: 480i vs. 480p, what will the people be using?
It's been a week and it's time we checked out our little poll on picture quality. Turns out the majority of you are looking to game in 480p, no doubt already having the thirty or so dollars for Nintendo's cables set aside. If you're like us, you're ready to shell out the dough for said cables, however you're still angry that the GameCube component cables are incompatible.Thanks for voting!
