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Demystifying the Wii U's "magic sauce"


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#1 BrosBeforeGardenTools

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Posted 23 April 2014 - 09:34 AM

According to Neogaf, the Wii U has 8 ROPs, 8 TMUs, and 160 shaders, at a clock speed of 550MHz. This is lower numbers on paper than the 360. And members also said they believed there was no secret sauce going on, that the Wii U was flat-out worse than the 360/PS3.

 

However according to WUF members, at least some of the games far exceed the technical abilities of the 360/PS3.

 

You'd have to be blinded to say that the Wii U's CPU is no better than the 360's/PS3's. However, it's no Core i7 overall either - is there really a secret sauce to it?

 

Then you've got the Wii U's special GPU RAM, with the high bandwidth, and I suppose it's possible this is part of the picture. But 360 also had some super fast memory, of a smaller quantity.

 

Then you've got the idea that Neogaf is actually correct, that there is no secret sauce to the Wii U, and that the Wii U is actually only as powerful, or even less so, than the 360/PS3.

 

I am not blind. I have seen Mario Kart 8. However, looks can be deceiving - we really don't know how fast something is without seeing benchmark numbers.

 

Do we believe the multitude of lazy devs that claim the Wii U is slow, or the small number of skilled ones which call it impressive? And which results is your average dev going to see?

 

I'm not trying to cause a flame-war. It's just that, I have thought about making a video game for the Wii U some day. And the way I see it is, I'm going to find out eventually that the Wii U is pretty slow, or that it's absolutely marvelous hardware wise. But given that a Wii U dev kit costs $3000 last I checked, it's something that is kind of good to know ahead of time.


Edited by Porridge, 23 April 2014 - 09:37 AM.


#2 Nollog

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Posted 23 April 2014 - 09:55 AM

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I don't care.


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#3 Raiden

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Posted 23 April 2014 - 09:57 AM

Here we go again with neo nutters crud

 

Screw those dopes so don't care


Edited by DreamCat, 23 April 2014 - 10:11 AM.


#4 grahamf

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Posted 23 April 2014 - 09:58 AM

I don't care either.

$̵̵͙͎̹̝̙̼̻̱͖̲̖̜̩̫̩̼̥͓̳̒̀ͨ̌̅ͮ̇̓ͮ̈͌̓̔̐͆ͩ̋͆ͣ́&̾̋͗̏̌̓̍ͥ̉ͧͣͪ̃̓̇̑҉͎̬͞^̸̠̬̙̹̰̬̗̲͈͈̼̯̞̻͎ͭ̐ͦ̋́̆̔̏̽͢$̻̜͕̜̠͔̮͐ͬ̍ͨͩͤͫ͐ͧ̔̆͘͝͞^̄̋̄͗̐ͯͮͨͣ͐͂͑̽ͩ͒̈̚͏̷͏̗͈̣̪͙̳̰͉͉̯̲̘̮̣̘͟ͅ&̐ͪͬ̑̂̀̓͛̈́͌҉҉̶̕͝*̗̩͚͍͇͔̻̬̼̖͖͈͍̝̻̪͙̳̯̌̅̆̌ͥ̊͗͆́̍ͨ̎̊̌͟͡$̶̛̛̙̝̥̳̥̣̥̞̝̱̺͍̭̹̞͔̠̰͇ͪ͋͛̍̊̋͒̓̿ͩͪ̓̓͘^̈ͥͩͭ͆͌ͣ̀̿͌ͫ̈́̍ͨ̇̾̚͏̢̗̼̻̲̱͇͙̝͉͝ͅ$̢̨̪̝̗̰͖̠̜̳̭̀ͥͭͨ̋ͪ̍̈ͮͣ̌^ͦ̏ͬ̋͑̿́ͮ̿ͨ̋̌ͪ̓̋̇͆͟҉̗͍$̛̪̞̤͉̬͙̦̋ͣͬ̒͗̀̍͗̾̽̓̉͌̔͂̇͒̚̕͜^̧͎̖̟̮͚̞̜̮̘͕̹͚̏ͩ͐ͯ͑̍̍̀͒͘*̿ͨ̽̈́͐ͭ̌̈͋̚͟͝҉͕̙*̨̢̭̭̤̺̦̩̫̲͇͕̼̝̯̇ͨ͗̓̃͂ͩ͆͂̅̀̀́̚̚͟%̨͚̙̮̣̭͖͕͙ͣ̽ͮͤ́ͫ̊̊̐̄̌ͣ͌̉̔͊̽̾ͨ^̢̹̭͍̬̖͇̝̝̬̱͈͔̹͉̫̿͛̄̿͊͆ͦ̃ͮͩ͌ͭ̔ͫ̆͞ͅͅ%̵̼̖̻̘ͪͤ̈̃̓̐̑ͩͭ̄̑͊ͫ̆̌̄͡*̴̮̪͕̗̩͇͇ͪ̑̊̈́́̀͞^̼̝̥̦͇̺̘̤̦͕̦̞͑̑ͯ̂ͯ̕͞%ͮͫ̿ͫ̊̈̔̍҉҉̴̸̡*̛̭̖͇͚̝̤̬̰̅̎ͥͯ̓͑̾ͬͨͮ́̕͝^̧̽͋̈ͤͮ̈́́̍ͧ̊҉͇̙̣̯̀́%̴̡̛̘͚͈̗̖̮̫̏̆ͦ̽̔̈̽͒͛̈

 


#5 3Dude

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Posted 23 April 2014 - 10:13 AM

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The bandwidth thing was misinformation created by overzealous under informed fans.

And the 360's bandwidth use was misunderstood as well. Its operations bandwidth, not data bandwidth.

That off die ram wasnt designed to be used anywhere else on the gpu at all. It was for the rops to use to do their job. Mainly rasterizing for the frame buffer.

The bandwidth CONNECTING to the ram chip was much much lower, because it was a DATA bandwidth, and only needed to move data for the rops to crunch, and finished rasters as output.

The wii u edram DOES NOT need to be used for that. It is used to HOLD the frame buffer image, and send it out, (DATA bandwidth) but it isnt used for the rops operations, they have their own ram attached to the logic, and since they are on the same die, can very rapidly transfer peices of the framebuffer to the edram for holding until its finished and sent out.

COMPLETELY different setups, and the 360's solution is VASTLY inferior despite the 'high bandwidtj' of its rops ram chip.

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#6 grahamf

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Posted 23 April 2014 - 10:29 AM

Can we please start moderating people that keep on bringing up this rainbow? Anyone who owns a Wii U enjoys it (unless they force themselves not to), so any argument about it's capabilities is pointless. It's the only home console that will get Smash Bros and that's final; end of subject.

$̵̵͙͎̹̝̙̼̻̱͖̲̖̜̩̫̩̼̥͓̳̒̀ͨ̌̅ͮ̇̓ͮ̈͌̓̔̐͆ͩ̋͆ͣ́&̾̋͗̏̌̓̍ͥ̉ͧͣͪ̃̓̇̑҉͎̬͞^̸̠̬̙̹̰̬̗̲͈͈̼̯̞̻͎ͭ̐ͦ̋́̆̔̏̽͢$̻̜͕̜̠͔̮͐ͬ̍ͨͩͤͫ͐ͧ̔̆͘͝͞^̄̋̄͗̐ͯͮͨͣ͐͂͑̽ͩ͒̈̚͏̷͏̗͈̣̪͙̳̰͉͉̯̲̘̮̣̘͟ͅ&̐ͪͬ̑̂̀̓͛̈́͌҉҉̶̕͝*̗̩͚͍͇͔̻̬̼̖͖͈͍̝̻̪͙̳̯̌̅̆̌ͥ̊͗͆́̍ͨ̎̊̌͟͡$̶̛̛̙̝̥̳̥̣̥̞̝̱̺͍̭̹̞͔̠̰͇ͪ͋͛̍̊̋͒̓̿ͩͪ̓̓͘^̈ͥͩͭ͆͌ͣ̀̿͌ͫ̈́̍ͨ̇̾̚͏̢̗̼̻̲̱͇͙̝͉͝ͅ$̢̨̪̝̗̰͖̠̜̳̭̀ͥͭͨ̋ͪ̍̈ͮͣ̌^ͦ̏ͬ̋͑̿́ͮ̿ͨ̋̌ͪ̓̋̇͆͟҉̗͍$̛̪̞̤͉̬͙̦̋ͣͬ̒͗̀̍͗̾̽̓̉͌̔͂̇͒̚̕͜^̧͎̖̟̮͚̞̜̮̘͕̹͚̏ͩ͐ͯ͑̍̍̀͒͘*̿ͨ̽̈́͐ͭ̌̈͋̚͟͝҉͕̙*̨̢̭̭̤̺̦̩̫̲͇͕̼̝̯̇ͨ͗̓̃͂ͩ͆͂̅̀̀́̚̚͟%̨͚̙̮̣̭͖͕͙ͣ̽ͮͤ́ͫ̊̊̐̄̌ͣ͌̉̔͊̽̾ͨ^̢̹̭͍̬̖͇̝̝̬̱͈͔̹͉̫̿͛̄̿͊͆ͦ̃ͮͩ͌ͭ̔ͫ̆͞ͅͅ%̵̼̖̻̘ͪͤ̈̃̓̐̑ͩͭ̄̑͊ͫ̆̌̄͡*̴̮̪͕̗̩͇͇ͪ̑̊̈́́̀͞^̼̝̥̦͇̺̘̤̦͕̦̞͑̑ͯ̂ͯ̕͞%ͮͫ̿ͫ̊̈̔̍҉҉̴̸̡*̛̭̖͇͚̝̤̬̰̅̎ͥͯ̓͑̾ͬͨͮ́̕͝^̧̽͋̈ͤͮ̈́́̍ͧ̊҉͇̙̣̯̀́%̴̡̛̘͚͈̗̖̮̫̏̆ͦ̽̔̈̽͒͛̈

 


#7 BrosBeforeGardenTools

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Posted 23 April 2014 - 10:33 AM

Can we please start moderating people that keep on bringing up this rainbow? Anyone who owns a Wii U enjoys it (unless they force themselves not to), so any argument about it's capabilities is pointless. It's the only home console that will get Smash Bros and that's final; end of subject.

How about we just do away with the whole Wii U hardware section? Better yet, let's moderate all people who wear shoes or hats.

 

Seriously, why moderate when I'm just bringing up the same normal subjects as many, and presenting a particular topic I don't see talked about (Wii U magic sauce)?



#8 SailtheSeas

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Posted 23 April 2014 - 10:51 AM

This subject could have been put to bed had Nintendo outlined what exactly is in their system in the same way Microsoft and Sony did last year with their consoles.

 

Does the Wii U have a secret sauce? Whatever the hell that means? Nope, I believe the Wii U is a capable system as shown in some games on the Wii U and there's a reason that SlightlyMadStudios has decided to scrap the 360/PS3 version of Project C.A.R.S and keep the Wii U version.

 

The problem with the Wii U is that Nintendo's secrecy and the lack of demand for third party games from Nintendo gamers has meant that the Wii U has been engulfed with third party games that have not fully utilised the Wii U's capabilities.



#9 NintendoReport

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Posted 23 April 2014 - 12:41 PM

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#10 Abcdude

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Posted 23 April 2014 - 01:10 PM

>Everyone is asking constantly for Wii U's specs

>Specs are listed

>"We don't care about this rainbow"


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#11 BrosBeforeGardenTools

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Posted 23 April 2014 - 01:52 PM

>Everyone is asking constantly for Wii U's specs

>Specs are listed

>"We don't care about this rainbow"

 

List the official specs including exact number of shaders from Nintendo's mouth and what kind, and I will never cross your path again.



#12 Mahmoodinho98

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Posted 23 April 2014 - 01:58 PM

I still believe Wii U has A secret sauce, some guy in the internet even claims that it has the same graphical capabilities has Xbox One.

 

Only time can answer



#13 Scumbag

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Posted 23 April 2014 - 02:19 PM

I can't believe these words will exit my mouth but here goes, I agree with Mahmood that Wii U does have secret sauce and Nintendo are the only ones that know what the limits are.

 

The secret sauce in Wii U is the lack of real info from Nintendo (potentially much more capable than we think), CPU+edram, GPU+edram and bandwidth when relying on edram all benefit. Is the embedded ram the secret sauce? No but it has much much more purpose for games than 360's ever had.

 

We just don't know what the console is capable of but I'm fine with that. I like the element of surprise and Nintendo have the best skills in getting more out a console that we can ever imagine.

 

MK8, X, and Bayo 2 all look delicious.


Edited by Toilet_Snaker, 23 April 2014 - 02:22 PM.


#14 GAMER1984

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Posted 23 April 2014 - 06:28 PM

yeah gave up on this a while ago.... The Wii U hardware secrets have become bigger than BIGFOOT and THE LOCH NESS MONSTER.... we have a better chance of finding them and seeing proof before we see Wii U specs and know fully what it is capable of.



#15 Raiden

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Posted 23 April 2014 - 07:01 PM

I can solve Bigfoot

http://en.wikipedia....Gigantopithecus

 

 

So see even Bigfoot is proven fact easier to prove than WiiU hardware



#16 GAMER1984

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Posted 23 April 2014 - 07:24 PM

I can solve Bigfoot

http://en.wikipedia....Gigantopithecus

 

 

So see even Bigfoot is proven fact easier to prove than WiiU hardware

 

YEAH



#17 tboss

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Posted 23 April 2014 - 09:45 PM

all i can say about neogaf, is there is a large group shooting for minimum possible specs regardless of proof or logic. 

 

as for wiiU's actual specs......We have ruff estimates. 3dude already gave what might be the hardest part we can guarantee. We do know there is plenty of room for optimization, and running off very unoptimized code is ruffly onpar wiht a fully optimized 360/PS3. we can safely say its stronger than a PS3/360. We can not say its exact power.

 

CPU is not x86/64. so that will take optimization. 

 

as for secret sauce, my answer is maybe. Though i doubt its the kind of thing many people would expect.



#18 Raiden

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Posted 23 April 2014 - 10:54 PM

I like tech specs also but thing is. Look at Wonderful 101,Sonic Lost World,Mario 3D World,X,Bayonetta 2 and Mario Kart 8,Pure Chess,Art of Balance and others. The system is plenty capable and when we hear the system is doing 4-8k textures well to put in perspective I think the most PS3/360 could do was 2k and many games did not use that just upscale SD textures. Tho 3dude may correct that. That alone tells WiiU can do plenty when asked.

 

 

Also it's been said before but the reason you go with a console architecture is the more you work with it the more you get out of it why console games get better looking as the system ages. PS4/XBO are low ends PC's off the shelf. What you see is what you get and they are showing all their cards now. Be very short time before PC devs complain PS4 is holding them back, 360 at this stage was much more advanced than XBO/PS4 when compared to PC's from 2005 to maybe mid to late 2007 it held up with high end PC's. PS4/XBO been outdated for a while. Even PS3 and 360 were more consoles esp PS3.

 

So yeah on paper WiiU seems behind but it's not Wii vs PS360 it's a lot closer. WiiU can make great looking games. And not this good for WiiU crap that was used for Wii..it looks good for a wii game. nah none of that WiiU can make good looking games period. It won't be doing Battlefield but it's not doing Dead Rising Wii either. 



#19 NayNay

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Posted 24 April 2014 - 12:50 AM

List the official specs including exact number of shaders from Nintendo's mouth and what kind, and I will never cross your path again.

 

 thought he was backing you up. saying people ask for specs, u deliver and then people claim they dont care. 



#20 GAMER1984

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Posted 24 April 2014 - 01:03 AM

I like tech specs also but thing is. Look at Wonderful 101,Sonic Lost World,Mario 3D World,X,Bayonetta 2 and Mario Kart 8,Pure Chess,Art of Balance and others. The system is plenty capable and when we hear the system is doing 4-8k textures well to put in perspective I think the most PS3/360 could do was 2k and many games did not use that just upscale SD textures. Tho 3dude may correct that. That alone tells WiiU can do plenty when asked.

 

 

Also it's been said before but the reason you go with a console architecture is the more you work with it the more you get out of it why console games get better looking as the system ages. PS4/XBO are low ends PC's off the shelf. What you see is what you get and they are showing all their cards now. Be very short time before PC devs complain PS4 is holding them back, 360 at this stage was much more advanced than XBO/PS4 when compared to PC's from 2005 to maybe mid to late 2007 it held up with high end PC's. PS4/XBO been outdated for a while. Even PS3 and 360 were more consoles esp PS3.

 

So yeah on paper WiiU seems behind but it's not Wii vs PS360 it's a lot closer. WiiU can make great looking games. And not this good for WiiU crap that was used for Wii..it looks good for a wii game. nah none of that WiiU can make good looking games period. It won't be doing Battlefield but it's not doing Dead Rising Wii either. 

 

YEah we have to see that game first before we say what it can do. Still waiting on Shin'en to PROPERLY reveal Fast Racing Neo. I am just afraid we wont have many devs put the time in to show what Wii U can do over the years. They seem to be ok with getting ps360 level graphics out of the machine and calling it a day. Nintendo dont have many devs that look to push graphics... nintendo is gameplay first. I want to see Zelda U (I know I know E3), Metroid, New IP's from Retro and Miyamoto, and please bring project hammer back with Wii U level power that could be a head turner.






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