Nintendo Network ID Tied to Individual Wii U Consoles

Nintendo has confirmed that your Nintendo Network account can only be used on the console it was created on, at least for now.

In a post over on the Nintendo Support site, the company revealed that there is currently no way to sign into your account on a friend's console or transfer it to a new Wii U should yours break, though this will change at some stage.

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In the future, you will be able to use your Nintendo Network Account with future Nintendo consoles and other devices, such as PC's.

"A Nintendo Network Account can only be used on the console where it was created," the entry reads. "In the future, you will be able to use your Nintendo Network Account with future Nintendo consoles and other devices, such as PC's."

In the interim though, this means if you're unfortunate enough to have your shiny new console die on you then you're set to lose all game progress, Miiverse posts and console settings.

Hopefully this will change soon, as Nintendo has made clear it's planning on rolling the Nintendo Network out to the 3DS as well. It's interesting to speculate what the ability to log in on PC could mean though. Whilst highly unlikely, we mused last week about the significance of the company releasing its first paid-for iOS app in Japan. Could the ability to log into your Nintendo Network account on a PC be the first step in accessing a wider range of Nintendo's back catalogue in app form?

Probably not. But we can dream...

Luke Karmali is IGN's UK Editorial Assistant. You too can revel in mediocrity by following him on IGN and on Twitter.

Source : ign[dot]com

Alan Moore Releases Music Single

In celebration of Guy Fawkes Day and in support of the Occupy movement, V for Vendetta scribe Alan Moore is taking advantage of the 5th of November to release his new music single, "The Decline of English Murder."

It's an interesting mix of spoken word and melody with soft musical accompaniment, which you can download from Occupation Records or watch the video for below. According to the record label's website, each download or purchase of a "Decline of English Murder" print enters you to win a V mask signed by Moore.

The face of Guy Fawkes/V has become a common symbol of protest throughout the world, particularly in the wake of the Occupy movement.

Joey is IGN's Comics Editor and a comic book creator. Follow Joey on Twitter @JoeyEsposito, or find him on IGN at Joey-IGN. He loves superhero pets so hard.

Source : ign[dot]com

Why Capcom Remade Okami

Okami is one of the most beautiful games ever realized. Released in 2006 for PlayStation 2, it’s coming back as a HD re-release for PS3, with Move support. Shown at Gamescom and at TGS, Capcom’s game puts you in the role of a wolf-god with an artistic ability to recreate its surroundings, using a paintbrush and calligraphic skills to swish through an ancient world.

We caught up with Natsuki Shiozawa, producer of the game, to find out about its progress.

IGN: The game's visuals are what people remember best about Okami. Why do you think gamers love this look so much?

Natsuki Shiozawa: The unique Japanese visual style of the game is something that separates it from other titles. Various filters were applied to the graphics in order to create that feeling of a calligraphy brush painting on Japanese paper. Also, the visual style matches the various game environments, which show the beauty of nature and all the color it has to offer. In addition to the distinct visual style, fans resonated with the characters as well as the story, which focuses on universal themes such as love, belief, and compassion. All these things put together is what allows the game to make such a lasting impression on players and fans.

IGN: How do you plan to ensure that the unique fluid style of the original PS2 version be retained in HD?

Natsuki Shiozawa: Actually, when we first started development, we weren’t sure how the game would look when converted to full HD, and all felt very anxious. However, when we finally saw the game running in full HD, all of us thought, ‘this is truly what Okami was meant to be,’ and were floored by the results. In fact, other Capcom staff that just happened to be walking by all stopped in their tracks to marvel at the beauty of the game.

IGN: Do you see this game as being pitched at Move users or will it have appeal for people who prefer traditional controllers?

Natsuki Shiozawa: Choose the control scheme that you feel most comfortable with. Having played the PS2 version a lot, I am used to playing with the normal controller. However, you’ll find that when playing with Move gives you a whole new experience, since it allows you to use the Celestial Brush through natural motions.

IGN: As a creator, what are your feelings about working on this game?

Natsuki Shiozawa: I feel extremely proud. I am able to say to anyone and everyone, ‘This game is amazing. Please give it a try’. There aren’t a lot of titles which truly live up to that kind of praise. We worked on preserving the original Okami experience while providing a new way for players to enjoy the game, and we’re very excited to share this new version with fans who have played the previous versions as well as new players who have never experienced Okami before.

IGN: Many of us believe it should have been much more of a commercial success in the West. Why do you think it suffered from poor sales?

Natsuki Shiozawa: The game had many elements that many have been unfamiliar to Western players. For example, the brush system and the fact that the main character was a wolf, might have made it hard for users to imagine themselves. A comment we hear often from users is, ‘I heard Okami is a great game, but I’ve never had the chance to play it.’ That is one reason why we are releasing this HD remake.

IGN: Why remake a game that didn't sell all that well in the first place?

Natsuki Shiozawa: Through the use of HD technology, we are able to bring the true Okami experience to a whole new generation of gamers, and that alone warrants the development of this game.

IGN: How would you describe the experience of playing this game to someone who is used to playing gritty combat games?

Natsuki Shiozawa:  Okami is a truly unique experience that you need to try out for yourself to truly understand. The elements that make up the game, be it characters, story, gameplay are all things that are very different than normal action games.

Okami HD releases on October 30th.

For daily opinions, debates and interviews on games you can follow Colin Campbell on Twitter @ColinCampbellX. Or IGNColinCampbell at IGN. 

Source : ign[dot]com

Star Wars' AT-TE Walker is (Almost) a Reality

I'm still waiting for my own C-3PO to take my drink order, but in the meantime this is pretty cool: Boston Dynamics is developing the LS3 -- Legged Squad Support System -- which is a walking, four-legged robot that looks like it could be a smaller, prototype version of a Star Wars AT-TE walker.

The AT-TE (left) and the LS3 (right)

The device is being designed for military support and is capable of carrying 400-pound payloads so that troops don't have to shoulder that burden. World News Australia (via Blastr) reports that the "vision for LS3 is to combine the capabilities of a pack mule with the intelligence of a trained animal. … The LS3 is capable of tracking certain visual and oral commands and uses GPS (Global Positioning Systems) and computer vision to guide itself."

Check it out in action:

No word yet on when we're getting AT-ATs, though.

Talk to Movies Editor Scott Collura on Twitter at @ScottIGN, on IGN and on Facebook.

Source : ign[dot]com

The Real Cost of Google Fiber

Pre-registration for Google Fiber closed last week, with about 90% of Kansas City's eligible "fiber-hoods" rallying enough support for Google to build its infrastructure: it's on.

Pre-registrants get seven years of slower broadband internet free (following a $300 construction fee). Or, with a 2-year contract for gigabit internet (1000 Mb/s) or Google's TV service bundle - both of which are priced competitively with rival plans - Google promised to waive the fee. And fully funded fiber-hoods get free gigabit internet at schools, hospitals and other public buildings.

With stellar speed, dreamy prices and no sneaky equipment-rental fees, our initial report on Google Fiber was part glowing recommendation and part distilled envy.

Alas, that ostensible absence of hidden fees is superficial. The service will still be priced as advertised, but the full cost of Google's fiber network won't be covered by billing and Google's capital investments alone.

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Kansas City taxpayers are helping Google develop its fiber network whether their neighborhoods will have access to it or not.

The truth is, Kansas City promised numerous regulatory concessions and substantial subsidies in its bid to be Google Fiber's first home. Kansas City taxpayers (on both sides of the state line) are helping Google develop its fiber network whether their neighborhoods will have access to it or not.

The development agreement between Google and Kansas City stipulates that "Google will bear all costs for the [Fiber] project." Yet it goes on to guarantee the company:

• Free power
• Free office space for Google employees
• Expedited permits and inspections (with fees waived)
• Free marketing, including direct mail
• Free right-of-way easements (i.e. Google can build anywhere they want without compensating the city for noise or increased traffic)
• The right to approve or reject any public statements the city makes about Fiber

Now, those weren't preconditions for the agreement; Google may not have even suggested all of them. But the company did reject proposals from over a thousand other communities with more restrictive policies.

Kansas City may not be footing the bill for Google's infrastructure outright, but they've suspended regulations and waived fees for Google and no one else. Did we mention that the city has never offered another ISP any of these incentives? How about that Google's exempt from standard open access regulations that would let competitors lease the city's only fiber network to offer competing services?

Don't misunderstand: I'd gladly swap Comcast's stranglehold on my neighborhood for the benevolent monopoly Google is looking to build. Google's answer to the public interest concerns brought up by the Fiber program is that what it's offering is just better than everything else available. And that's pretty persuasive: Gigabit internet plus a free network box from Google would cost less than I pay now for 20Mb/s with a monthly usage cap.

And, really, it's worth asking whether any city in the US will ever get better broadband without monopoly-enabling concessions much like Kansas City's. It's prohibitively expensive and risky for any ISP to make such huge infrastructure improvements - especially for an upstart with no existing customer base. Corporate favoritism may be backward, but it's ushering in Kansas City's cheap fiber internet future.

Still, it's hard to see how crippling other ISPs' chances to compete, in service of a particular for-profit company, is even legal - let alone good for consumers. Google Fiber just isn't a free market success story, even if FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai (among others) seems to think so. There are lots of more accurate names for exceptional government treatment of corporate interests. None of them is very nice.

Are Kansas City's concessions a dangerous precedent or the cost of doing business? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Jon Fox is a Seattle hipster who loves polar bears and climbing trees. You can follow him on Twitter and IGN. 

Source : ign[dot]com

Madden 13 Confirmed for Wii U

During its Summer Showcase today, EA announced that Madden NFL 13 is coming to Wii U. Madden will offer GamePad support for play calling and pre-play adjustments. Players can create custom hot routes by drawing paths on the GamePad during offense, or change assignments on the fly during defense.

It isn't a surprise to see EA supporting the platform, as the company said just days ago that it was “keeping a very close eye” on Wii U, hinting that more announcements were on the way. Separately, EA also detailed FIFA 13’s Wii U functionality today.

Nintendo hasn’t announced a release date for Wii U yet, so no release date has been announced for this version of Madden, but the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions are due out on August 28th.

Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s associate news editor. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following him on Twitter or IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Jon Favreau Gives Magic Kingdom Update and Discusses how Pixar is Involved in the Disneyland-Based Film

Jon Favreau was at the TCA (Television Critics Association) press tour yesterday in support of Revolution, the new NBC series he’s executive producing alongside J.J. Abrams and Eric Kripke, with Favreau also directing the pilot episode.

After we spoke about Revolution (look for that portion of our interview in the coming weeks), the conversation also turned to Magic Kingdom, the Disneyland-inspired film Favreau is attached to direct. Favreau gave an update on that project and revealed that he’s been developing the film with the assistance and input of John Lasseter and the team at Pixar.

Jon Favreau: Magic Kingdom, I’ve been working on. I went back to back to back, three movies in a row -- Iron Man, Iron Man 2 and Cowboys & Aliens -- all of them with release dates announced as I cracked the script for the first time. We already knew the date and the poster -- and sometimes in some cases the cast. On this one, Magic Kingdom is a big film. It’s a very special piece of intellectual property with all the characters from the park and the legacy of Walt Disney. When I got hired, I said, “Look, I really want to emulate the storytelling model and development process of Pixar.” Pixar’s process is a lot different than Hollywood movies. You don’t just write a script, prep it, shoot it, and then figure it out sometime later. There’s a lot of visual effects that include animation, and post-production tends to be a bit of a knockdown, drag-out fight in the big Hollywood films, especially the visual effects elements. So what we’ve been doing is writing the script, going up to Pixar and meeting with the brain trust, coming back down, bring on artists and story editors, and putting it together as though it were an animated film. Then, by the time we actually film it, we’ll have a rock-solid story. I don’t want to rush anything. I want this one to be perfect. I want it to be one shot, one kill, like a sniper. I want to make sure this movie’s right in the crosshairs, that we can really knock it out of the park -- so to speak.

Question: Do you have to decide on a main character, or is it more of an ensemble?

Favreau: It’s going to be a family in the park, and it’s an alternate reality version of the park they get lost into. So much of it is just how it weaves together as a tapestry and what the visuals look like in creating this rich world. Fortunately, there’s no rush on it. I’ve been working on it as a writer now, and we’re in a very exciting part of the process and looking forward to getting that long lead prep as you would on an animated film. Then you work your way to where you know what the whole movie’s going to be before you ever roll camera. You could actually watch it -- as the Pixar people do -- actually watch it on a screen and evaluate it before you ever roll camera.

Question: It’s not officially considered a Pixar production though, right?

Favreau: No, as far as I know it’s a Disney production, but they’ve been very good about... I’ve known [John] Lasseter for many years now, and it’s our first time collaborating together. But he’s opened up us to all the resources at Pixar. I’ve been up there a few times now and stayed up at the ranch. It’s just been a dream come true. Taking a tour of Pixar is special enough, but to sit in a room and pitch to those people and hear their ideas? It’s very, very exciting. So I want to learn as much as I can from them and hopefully have their success in storytelling that they do as well by learning from their process. But I really want to hold this film in very high standards. I’m not rushing it, but it’s coming along very well. We’re very excited about it.

Question: Are the rides in the movie?

Favreau: Yeah, I think they’re called “attractions.” Disney corporate would call them attractions. But yeah, it’s informed by everything that I remember and know about the park from going there since I was a small child.

Question: Might we get any reference to Club 33?

Favreau: Club 33 is something that we’ve been discussing, definitely. I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the vulture in Club 33. That’s an interesting character. There’s a lot of ideas swirling around right now. I don’t know which ones are going to make it in, but it’s primarily informed by Walt’s vision of the park, either before or immediately after it opened. So a lot of it, for people our age, there will be a nostalgic element to it. People who know Disneyland, they’re going to see that we did our homework, but it’s ultimately going to be an adventure for the family and for the kids, too. I had a lot of fun playing to that type of crowd with Elf and Zathura, and this seems to be mixing elements from all the films I’ve done -- from Iron Man, Cowboys & Aliens, Zathura, Elf -- all rolled into one project that’s calling upon everything I’ve learned up to this point.

Source : ign[dot]com