PAL Wii: What's 60 Hz and What's Not

[Ratso]

I believe it to be possible to have a virtual mod switch (as it has been dubbed).
Just as CEX and others used to literally stick a switch on the back of a Saturn which flicked the output on any game from 50 to 60Hz. I used to have a software mod on my Amiga 500 funnily enough (back then known as a 'screen stretcher').

Issues with pre-optimised ROMs hav been covered above, but with something completely unoptimised such as the aforementioned PilotWings, Wave Race and many SNES games it would be simply 'stretched' (or rather 'uncrushed') and sped up by the old 17% approx. No new coding/encoding would be required.

EDIT: An emulator running on Wii can have a 50/60Hz option just as virtually every emulator you can get for your PC does.

[Leon Retro]

Why can't they give us choice? Do they think casual gamers heads would explode if they were confronted with a choice between PAL/NTSC ???

All that is needed is a screen for the virtual console that says NTSC or Pal, thus giving us a choice. The server could then deliver a pal version or an ntsc version depending on the selection.

Everyone would be happy. Nintendo Europe obviously don't have brains, or they don't care. Whateve the case, people that care about the issue shouldn't let Nintendo Europe off the hook.

I'll be buying a U.S machine now. No other choice!

[Goemon]

I believe it to be possible to have a virtual mod switch (as it has been dubbed).
Just as CEX and others used to literally stick a switch on the back of a Saturn which flicked the output on any game from 50 to 60Hz. I used to have a software mod on my Amiga 500 funnily enough (back then known as a 'screen stretcher').

Issues with pre-optimised ROMs hav been covered above, but with something completely unoptimised such as the aforementioned PilotWings, Wave Race and many SNES games it would be simply 'stretched' (or rather 'uncrushed') and sped up by the old 17% approx. No new coding/encoding would be required.

I've played games where speeding up a 50Hz game to 60Hz has caused problems (Play PAL MK on an import SNES for one). Some games will probably work fine but others won't and would have to be dealt with.

[EJG1980]

This is a real shame. I was all set to start work late on Friday so I could nip down to our local Woolworths and hopefully nab one (if they have any at all!) the second they opened. I was really excited about that but now this 50hz rubbish has burst my bubble. When / if I get one, I'll be going American.

[elkatas]

Just when you start to think Nintendo don't hate Europe quite so much we get more crippled 50hz releases.

So... when Activision releases 50 hz title, it's suddenly NoE's fault? Perfect logic.

[elkatas]

Everyone would be happy. Nintendo Europe obviously don't have brains, or they don't care. Whateve the case, people that care about the issue shouldn't let Nintendo Europe off the hook.

Nintendo of Europe isn't independent body by any means. They get their funding, hardawere and orders directly from Japan. If you want to bitch about this, complain to the japan.

[Ish]

You know I thought I'd never see a thread of this nature again.

Sorry Nintendo but I'm used to rock steady hi definition goodness now. I could just about live without the hidef (just about) but back to the land of 50Hz crapness I think not. This is really piss poor.

[elkatas]

BTW, here is the petition to add 60 hz mode. Let's look how many names we can gather. Not that I personally care, but it's interesting to see how many name we could possibly get to this.

http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/wii60hzvc

[S0L]

I've signed, I don't want chuggy versions of F-Zero :P

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[C']

So... when Activision releases 50 hz title, it's suddenly NoE's fault? Perfect logic.

I understand your thinking but Activision also release games for the 360 none of which are 50hz only. Based on this you have to assume that Microsoft have played some part in ensuring developers support 60hz guaranteed whereas Nintendo have not.

[Pirotic]

The best solution would be to allow us to pick what region we want the game from. I can see why they've put all the crappy PAL (50hz) SNES games on the VC, because it's the only version of the rom to offer the language select for our european friends. But it really can't be that difficult to allow us to decide if we want the European, Japanese of US release? maybe it's all down to red tape and licencing.

[pentarou]

So... when Activision releases 50 hz title, it's suddenly NoE's fault? Perfect logic.

I was referring to VC games more than COD3, and I wasn't saying it was NoE's fault either. Surely Nintendo could enforce a 60hz option with all releases?

[charlesr]

Screw the petition. Sell your PAL consoles and buy a US one. Vote with your feet.

Otherwise stop moaning and get on with updating this thread with useful info.

[TheShowstoppa]

The best solution would be to allow us to pick what region we want the game from. I can see why they've put all the crappy PAL (50hz) SNES games on the VC, because it's the only version of the rom to offer the language select for our european friends. But it really can't be that difficult to allow us to decide if we want the European, Japanese of US release? maybe it's all down to red tape and licencing.

this is 2006, even microsoft were talking about putting jap XBLA games up for release over here and in the USA as they acknowledge thats what a lot of gamers actually want.

its just pitiful tbh, and just shows a total lack of direction.

tbh i wouldnt be surprised if the local comet deputy manager has just been hired as general manager at nintendo europe.

[elkatas]

But it really can't be that difficult to allow us to decide if we want the European, Japanese of US release? maybe it's all down to red tape and licencing.

Yeah, pretty much. I explain whole situation in rather simple terms:

1) Ratings. It has been very long time before SNES games were originally released in Europe. They don't have any ratings, which makes selling them illegal in most European Union countries. Some countries are more lenient on this, but even them often give game PG rating if it's not rated. Either way Nintendo couldn't sell products efficiently. So... to sell games legally in Europe, Nintendo needs to get each single one rated. And by my understanding, you actually need to pay to get rating.

2) Censorship. Let's assume situation where little Hans from Germany buys "Hitler no Fukatsu: Top Secret"* from Japanese virtual console. In addition of that resulting ****storm would be ****ing huge, Nintendo could be held responsible of selling illegal games to minors. I'm not any means legal expert, but when downloading software on-line, you are using laws of that country where buyer is physically.

3) Licenses. When game was originally published, nobody had idea that someone could try to sell them twenty years later. Some other publishers have rights there, some other publisher here. Most of these contracts haven't aged, and Nintendo needs to be extremely careful not to break any distribution contracts, as they could be held legally responsible.

4) Money. To put it bluntly, it is easier to maximize profits when you can control where you customers can buy software.

5) Localization. Believe it or not, Nintendo has hired many translators to specificially work with VC (you could see some of these applications in Gamasutra). This hints that Nintendo is going to localize some games. They really don't want US versions to sow confusion.

* Japanese version of original Bionic Commando.