Just wondering if...

[El Duderino]

I was just wondering if anyone thinks Nintendo is using previously released n64 emulators to create content for the "Virtual Console" on the wii.

On one hand, we have a company who may take the easiest way, and use already released source codes of emulators to further their own.

On the other hand Nintendo created the wii and n64, and so must have the ability to do the work on their own.

My real question is, is it possible that Nintendo is looking at the work of others to help them emulate on the virtual console?

[Agozer]

If you ask me, I don't see Nintendo doing that. They have no love for emulation outside their own work whatsoever. They do their own emulation and write their own emulators for the Virtual Console.

Then again who knows.

[BlueFalcon7]

Then again who knows.

LOL

Somehow I could see that...

[thepreserver]

Nintendo Employee Coder 2682149: Hey Chuck, what was the dsp call for getting Rogue Squadron to work?
Nintendo Employee Coder 3101940: I don't know...the 1964 team never implemented it!
Nintendo Employee Coder 0000300: Yo guys, let's just leave that game out. For Sparta! Spartans!!!
Nintendo Employee Coder 2323232: Do you mind? I'm seeing dillusional things again...curse you 23...Oh I know the DSP call...it's...its...42.

Uhh...yeah. I went a little carried away there. :|

[JKKDARK]

LOL the first post. How couldn't a company emulate their own machines?

[El Duderino]

LOL the first post. How couldn't a company emulate their own machines?

It's not that Nintendo can't emulate their own machines, it's a matter of labor and man-power. They have the ability, but why not take advantage of the work that has already been done?

If I were the president of a large corporation, and I'm not, I would take advantage of any time/money saving opportunity that I could, just like all corporations do. It wouldn't be illegal, only slightly unethical.

You also have to view it from the standpoint of Nintendo. They have fought emulation from the beginning, and suddenly they see a use for it. Would it be too much of a stretch to believe that they could see the quality work that has already been done, and implement it into their own programs?

All I know for sure is that Nintendo is focused on making the Wii and virtual console monetarily successful.

Why wouldn't they take the opportunity to use "free" software to make money. Just because they can do the work themselves, doesn't mean they won't take shortcuts to achieve their goals.

I don't think that the actual code from other emulators is being used, only being looked at to see how certain problems have been solved.

Another interesting thing to note, none of the games that current emulators are incapable of emulating, are even on the release list for the virtual console. ie...Rogue Squadron, Indiana Jones and Battle for naboo. All of these games were very popular, yet very hard to emulate. If Nintendo is so capable of emulating their own hardware with ease, then why aren't they emulating such an extremely popular title as rogue squadron? The only answer I can think of is that others haven't done it yet, so those games will take significantly longer for them to figure out.

I'm not trying to insinuate that Nintendo is evil, in fact I'm pretty sure they are not. But they are trying to make money, and lots of it.

[Mantorok]

1. Porting software from one platform to another platform is generally less efficient than rewriting it, especially when you know how to implement all the software's features.
2. Just because something is open-source doesn't mean you can sell it. I'm sure Nintendo would love to give emulator authors a reason to file a lawsuit.
3. Nintendo has to form an agreement with the publisher/developer/license-holder before a game appears on the Virtual Console. This means Nintendo would have to come to an arrangement with Factor 5 and Lucasarts before you'll see Rogue Squadron or Battle for Naboo.

[JKKDARK]

It's not that Nintendo can't emulate their own machines, it's a matter of labor and man-power. They have the ability, but why not take advantage of the work that has already been done?

Sorry, but the work from a homebrew developer is NOT perfect

[smcd]

Sorry, but the work from a homebrew developer is NOT perfect

Sorry, but the work from any developer is (quite often) not perfect, assuming anything over trivial cases.

[JKKDARK]

You didn't understand.

The people who made the Nintendo 64 can make a perfect emulator.