I disagree, its clear that Nintendo screwed up. No way a developer should have been struggling to get a simple "Hello World" to run on a new console and if the debugger has issues, how exactly do you expect the developer to do their job? Having to GUESS that the network code would work okay because you couldn't run it on proper debugging mode, seriously?
When a programmer learns a new language, or has to migrate their work to a new platform, there are experiences which align perfectly with the anecdotal experiences the author of this article exaggerates.
I've experienced it myself. The lack of documentation is expected for brand new hardware, though, if the problem persisted for more than 1 or 2 months, then there would be an issue on Nintendo's side.
The article suggests that was not the case, documentation was provided after a few weeks, and Nintendo had a guide ready to take questions, the failure lay in Nintendo's isolationist approach, specifically the translation effort. The translator obviously didn't know as much technical details as lead Nintendo developers did, ending in a confusing reply.
Nintendo's isolation from the West has always been an issue. Something we all work around.
The Green Hill debugger seems to be an issue, sure. But that was first-draft hardware and software according to the article. Did it improve? We don't know, the author leaves out any information about things improving past launch, incredibly.
Nintendo's network code has nothing to do with their games. I'm not sure what you mean, but plugging into an API which NN would provide would be rather simple, and why most launch games have updates to patch everything in properly.
What the author most likely meant was, "We didn't know how the experience would feel/look like, having no ability to fully test the online experience was a detriment. therefore, we were unable to implement MiiVerse features and adding friends in-game."
Because that's what they meant, if they used logic.
It sounded clear to me that Nintendo made it almost impossible for them to do their job and the end results makes it seem totally plausible. Its perfectly understandable that with a poor experience like that, no developer is going to give it a second chance.
No more so than what is to be expected from new hardware from a historically isolated hardware company.
Developers do what Publishers tell them to.
I mean come on, the sheer fact that the WiiU OS is still such a slow laggy mess should be a clue. Sony aren't exactly fantastic when it comes to OS coding but the improvements between PS3 and PS4 are huge, its finally is up to Xbox 360 quality of experience (when ironically the Xbox One seems WORSE). In comparison the WiiU OS experience is just a joke. If the end user experience is poor, I can only imagine how bad the underlying code must be.
The Wii U OS isn't slow at all, and never really was. It's in-line with other console OS's. Now it's faster than even the "next gen" OS's.
P3 to P4 is purely architecture change and services. They didn't even bother porting their accounts over and still have all the same issues as before. Even worse than before actually, with 3 separate hacking types already brushed under the carpet by the gaming media, presumably paid off by Sony.
Ask yourself this: If Sony can brush negative news about itself under the carpet, can they not asseverate negative news on a competitor? Then say positive things in public about their competitors to make they look like the good guys, thus scoring a double marketing marvel.
What about the user experience of Wii U's OS is bad? Lack of folders? Perceived "slowness"?
Boot up your other consoles from cold boot and time them against the Wii U.
Game loading (both Disc and Disk) is slow sometimes, especially in splinter cell my word that rainbow's slow to load.
I am still very much looking forward to Mario Kart and Zelda, but that's not going to make me say the WiiU is something its not. The only thing I can really say that is positive about the WiiU OS is that the backwards compatibility is fantastic. Although that said, they could easily have made it compatible all the way back to Gamecube and I wouldn't have to go out and buy a Classic Controller to play N64 games. So even there, its not perfect.
I believe the game the author made was Darksiders 2.
