Gaming GBA Video

[BlueYoshi]

[center][img]http://upload23.homestead.com/GBA.jpg[/img][/center]

[color=teal]This was a picture taken by the NOMUK team at this year's E3.

A lot has come out of this feature really, both directly and indirectly. For those of you who have no idea what the GBA Video function is, it's basically a series of certain TV shows that have been packed into separate GBA cartridges, which you're able to watch on you're GBA with standard DVD settings like rewind, fast forward etc. From the sounds of it, it's compatible for the SP and the original GBA, so that should avoid any disappointment for those yet to get an SP.

Each cartridge can hold up to 45 minutes of footage, and with further development that's expected to increase along with other capabilities. It seems durable too, with full-screen and audio, adjustable settings (like brightness), and is skip-free, which means that no matter how much the GBA is moved or bashed when playing, it won't crash, pause, or skip scenes.

The project sounds promising, and proves that Nintendo aren't going to neglect the SP in regard to the Revolution or DS next generation, which is great. Some might say that this is merely a ploy to increase sales or whatever, but I don't want to believe that because Nintendo are doing very well for themselves with the GBA, having sold 20 million units since its release in 2001. I'm glad the Majesco team are on the job; they sound appropriate and are bound to put quality ahead of most things while under Nintendo's surveillance, I hope.[/color]

[Brasil]

I've seen this thing in stores lately. It's been out for a few months, apparently.

Surprisingly, I've heard rather positive reviews of it. Just a few months ago, before Summer began, I was chatting with an old high school bud, Scott, who had kept up on the gaming scene just as much as, if not more than, I have.

He had purchased a few of these...Cartoon Cartridges, and was very impressed with their performance. Naturally, he said, there was the expected artifacting from the compression, and there's a frame-skip every so often, but for the most part, it's a very nifty little toy.

Obviously, at this point, this Cartoon Cartridge thing is just a gimmick--at least, the cartoon portion is. I have a feeling that regardless of if this cartoon portion succeeds or fails, the technology developed will prove most useful, in terms of just how much data they can pack into a standard GBA cartridge in the future.

So, right now, I'm ambivalent--well, a bit more impressed than just ambivalent. It sounds like a pretty cool idea. Here's hoping it rides the wave of success, eh?

[BlueYoshi]

[color=teal]Yeah, they've been out since May in the US. I was totally unaware of that at first.

Majesco and DC Studios were very confident about their product when it was in development and couldn't emphasise enough on the technology they were using, so those flaws you were on about seem almost unbelievable in a way heh. They are also boasting about a new type of neck-band headphones they're making specifically for the SP that is fully operative without the adapter, so they aren't compatible for the GBA. Not a problem to be honest, since you can connect almost any type of headphones to the previous GameBoy systems. Though I'm not sure if the SP headphones will work with everything else.

It makes sense really, I mean, it'd be stupid if you were forced to purchase the adapter on top of all things just so you can get a little bit of privacy. Only problem I see is that this may be another "US thing only".[/color]

[Guest tzen]

it all sounds really like a fun little thing to have :D though i wonder does any one know what they cost??? could be nice to know... if they cost as much as a GBA game or what?? :(

[Desbreko]

[color=#4B0082]All of them that I've seen cost about $20 here in the US. Personally, I'd never buy them; I'd rather spend $10 more and get an actual game.

I am interested in the technology itself, though. If it could be used in games for CG cutscenes, that would be awesome. A GBA Chrono Trigger port with the anime scenes from the PS1 port would be something I'd buy in an instant.[/color]

[Guest tzen]

[QUOTE=Desbreko][color=#4B0082]All of them that I've seen cost about $20 here in the US. Personally, I'd never buy them; I'd rather spend $10 more and get an actual game.

I am interested in the technology itself, though. If it could be used in games for CG cutscenes, that would be awesome. A GBA Chrono Trigger port with the anime scenes from the PS1 port would be something I'd buy in an instant.[/color][/QUOTE]

oh well not to much.. though kind of expensive for aprox 40-45 min of anime... a well im prob gonna buy one to check em out.. but i do agre on that it would be perfect if they could use it in cutscenes for the games... would really be sweet... hehehe :p

[BlueYoshi]

[color=teal]I suppose that could work for some games that don't heavily rely on CGs. It's mainly a question of how much space the GBA cartridge is willing to accept because as you can see, they are only capable of running 45 minutes of footage right now.

I don't know if that's a scheme of some sort, but Majesco claimed that they are hoping to increase the standard cartridges capabilities in the near future, so it could probably happen.[/color]

[Guest tzen]

[QUOTE=Wingnut Ninja][color=teal]I suppose that could work for some games that don't heavily rely on CGs. It's mainly a question of how much space the GBA cartridge is willing to accept because as you can see, they are only capable of running 45 minutes of footage right now.

I don't know if that's a scheme of some sort, but Majesco claimed that they are hoping to increase the standard cartridges capabilities in the near future, so it could probably happen.[/color][/QUOTE]

naww.. i dont think they can extend them especially much though..... and in "the near future" could be when ever the heck they feel like it right??

[Guest ScirosDarkblade]

Well as of now I've pretty much seen nothing but Spongebob and some other bottom-rung Nickelodeon shows available. Heck, for the cost, I'd even not bother with Batman: TAS on the SP, honestly. Unless the price of the video cartridges drops dramatically, it makes way more sense to get a cheap portable DVD player.

[Guest tzen]

[quote name='ScirosDarkblade']Well as of now I've pretty much seen nothing but Spongebob and some other bottom-rung Nickelodeon shows available. Heck, for the cost, I'd even not bother with Batman: TAS on the SP, honestly. Unless the price of the video cartridges drops dramatically, it makes way more sense to get a cheap portable DVD player.[/quote]

well youre right... nickelodeon shows.. MUST SEE!! i Totaly tricked u there right :p hehe i hate most of theire shows... i need good anime on the GBA cartridges goddamn! and they shoul find some magickal way to make the animations longer.... i mean 45 min isent worth 10-20 bucks...or around that sum of cash...

[BlueYoshi]

[quote name='tzen']naww.. i dont think they can extend them especially much though..... and in "the near future" could be when ever the heck they feel like it right??[/quote]

[color=teal]Upgrading the play time would be pointless unless the amount that's added will be enough to fit in an extra episode or two. I'd imagine that three eps of whatever would be the maximum, so that should be slightly less than 70 minutes in total.

Some of the franchises that are up for sale for the GBA Video are incredibly large, if that. I can't honestly think of anyone who would invest in buying the complete DBGT series for it, I mean, I wouldn't even get the DVD. What urged Nintendo to go ahead with this and what acclaim they're hoping to receive besides the idea itself is beyond me totally, but reminiscent to the chat services the GBA may acquire in addition, I like that it hasn't been forgotten because it's only starting to shine with its hardware.[/color]

[Guest tzen]

[QUOTE=Wingnut Ninja][color=teal]
Some of the franchises that are up for sale for the GBA Video are incredibly large, if that. I can't honestly think of anyone who would invest in buying the complete DBGT series for it, I mean, I wouldn't even get the DVD. .[/color][/QUOTE]

wait are they gonna relese DBGT to the GBA?? man no ones gonna buy the whole frekkin series of it.... ive got it on DVD but shiit its like millions of DVD movies for the whole series... and one DVD is about 100-120 min long... and a cartrige can have 45 now....and maybe MAYBE uppgrade it to 70 min.... theire still gonna have to relese so many cartriges i could build a continent with em..... damn.... :eek:

[Magnum Apex]

[color=darkblue][font=trebuchet ms]It all seems very unattractive to me. I saw a 2-episode TMNT cartridge for the GBA Video feature for $20 at Toys R' Us, while a DVD of the same show with four episodes and extras costs around $9.99. Considering there's a very low chance that I'd crave to watch two episodes of a cartoon on my GBA while I'm out of the house, it's virtually worthless to me. With the DS just around the corner, I don't see the technology being exploited in any significant way in the near future.[/font][/color]

[Brasil]

Cyke, I think you're missing the bigger picture here.

The cartoon feature may die out, and I have a feeling it will, but the technology developed will spurn on new developments in cartridge design and approach. The DS, while looking very impressive, will not suddenly replace the GBA. It may outsell it, sure, but considering the amazing record of the GameBoy since its conception in the late 80s/early 90s, and considering the unbelievable success of it, I highly doubt that the purpose of the DS is to replace an outstanding product line like the GameBoy.

Because of this, your criticism of the GBA Video technology, how the "technology [won't be] exploited in any significant way in the near future" is unfounded, as the GameBoy has consistently proven itself to dominate the handheld market, and to offer some very competitive sales figures in the [i]console[/i] war.

This Cartoon Cartridge will undoubtedly assist in how games are produced, if only for the technology developments it provides.

[BlueYoshi]

AM3 are currently working on a new system, promptly named Advance Gashapon, that is able to download the GBA Video shows to custom 32meg Advance Cards. Again, a waste of life, but Nintendo are really out doing themselves with the GBA, so the future ought to be good. At the moment, while currently being tested at the Nintendo Centres over in Japan, only Pokemon is available for it, though many other shows are expected to follow by the end of the year.

Also, there's this:

[quote]There are plans for more than just video, however. SmartMedia cards will allow mp3s, e-books and e-manga (them backwards reading funny books) to be used on GBAs, and am3 plans to allow these cards to connect to digital cameras so that pictures can also be displayed. Even with the approach of the Nintendo DS this fall, it seems that the GBA will continue to be actively supported by both Nintendo and outside companies in ways people never expected, or even wanted.[/quote]

Looks like another one of those 'Japan-only' things, but even still, I wouldn't buy it. Come to mind, I think Nintendo are heading in the direction of the PSP. They aren't providing things that people want, but what the people think would be good, unrealistically. Ought to pull their socks up, really. Hopefully this technology will serve a better purpose in the future, though.