Wii - Part Thrii
02-04-07 | 01:26 PM
#276
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by pinata242
I actually saw 8 Wii Points cards at Target last night. I'm gonna swing by Best Buy here in 3 hours when they open to see if they have any because I figure it would be today, ad or not.
Now this I totally don't understand. Why in the world can they not send in the Wii points cards? How many people would have bought more cards seeing them in the store? True that you can just use a credit card online (like what I did) but still. It would make a great impulse buy seeing them in the stores.
02-04-07 | 01:41 PM
#277
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
* I've seen PS3s in the while at least 5 times now, just browsing. Haven't seen a Wii yet.
* The main reason stores are "hoarding" them till a Sunday is so they can support the ad--I think if they advertise something, in most states they have to have "X" in stock, otherwise it could be considered bait and switch. And maybe for an item this hot, it's easier to sell it in batches, rather than to keep refilling a locked cabinet or running back to the stockroom. This way they just stack them up or wheel them out and they're gone in half an hour.
* The batching/hoarding method definitely does make it harder to "luck" into it. I tried a few weeks back, on Sunday when they had them out; most ads say "Tickets handed out 1 hour before opening"--I was there 1.5 hours before opening and they had handed them out 1 hour before that. I wasn't happy. That's why I personally don't like it, since most stores that hoard/batch give out first-come first serve tickets, those people with a lot more free time than I have are greatly advantaged.
* Some analyst/writer said the Wii is an "impulse purchase". I disagree, for the most part. Having to stand outside a store for an hour or more, or to keep calling/visiting in "hopes" that they got a shipment, is not an "impulse" purchase. If they were readily available, I could see it being an impulse purchase, or at least an easier purchase when someone who's on the fence about a PS3 or 360 sees it.
* Will Sports "always" (or at least for the foreseeable future) be a pack-in?
I'm not sure how scientifically accurate it is, but itrackr shows Wii with a 2% National Availability Rate, and PS3 with a 69%.
* The main reason stores are "hoarding" them till a Sunday is so they can support the ad--I think if they advertise something, in most states they have to have "X" in stock, otherwise it could be considered bait and switch. And maybe for an item this hot, it's easier to sell it in batches, rather than to keep refilling a locked cabinet or running back to the stockroom. This way they just stack them up or wheel them out and they're gone in half an hour.
* The batching/hoarding method definitely does make it harder to "luck" into it. I tried a few weeks back, on Sunday when they had them out; most ads say "Tickets handed out 1 hour before opening"--I was there 1.5 hours before opening and they had handed them out 1 hour before that. I wasn't happy. That's why I personally don't like it, since most stores that hoard/batch give out first-come first serve tickets, those people with a lot more free time than I have are greatly advantaged.
* Some analyst/writer said the Wii is an "impulse purchase". I disagree, for the most part. Having to stand outside a store for an hour or more, or to keep calling/visiting in "hopes" that they got a shipment, is not an "impulse" purchase. If they were readily available, I could see it being an impulse purchase, or at least an easier purchase when someone who's on the fence about a PS3 or 360 sees it.
* Will Sports "always" (or at least for the foreseeable future) be a pack-in?
I'm not sure how scientifically accurate it is, but itrackr shows Wii with a 2% National Availability Rate, and PS3 with a 69%.
Last edited by tonyc3742; 02-04-07 at 01:45 PM.
02-04-07 | 02:51 PM
#278
Originally Posted by tanman
Now this I totally don't understand. Why in the world can they not send in the Wii points cards? How many people would have bought more cards seeing them in the store? True that you can just use a credit card online (like what I did) but still. It would make a great impulse buy seeing them in the stores.
I may have to break down and get 1000 through the console if Super Mario World really does come out tomorrow.
02-05-07 | 12:48 AM
#279
DVD Talk Hero
I'm REALLY pissed at my Wii right now...
In the middle of playing Zelda, the Wii decides it doesn't like my remote anymore, and I get a message saying that it can't recognize my remote. From the console, I shut it off, turn it on again - and the remote still doesn't work (all the lights on it are flashing). I put in new batteries - no dice. I try "synching" it, as described in the manual - no dice. I pretty much tried everything I could (short of buying a new remote) and no dice. So I unplug the power source from the Wii, wait about 5 minutes, plug it back in, turn it on, and all of a sudden, it decides that it likes my remote again... WTF?
I looked around online, and it seems like this is a rather common occurance - which sucks if it happens while you're in the middle of a crucial section of a game.
In the middle of playing Zelda, the Wii decides it doesn't like my remote anymore, and I get a message saying that it can't recognize my remote. From the console, I shut it off, turn it on again - and the remote still doesn't work (all the lights on it are flashing). I put in new batteries - no dice. I try "synching" it, as described in the manual - no dice. I pretty much tried everything I could (short of buying a new remote) and no dice. So I unplug the power source from the Wii, wait about 5 minutes, plug it back in, turn it on, and all of a sudden, it decides that it likes my remote again... WTF?
I looked around online, and it seems like this is a rather common occurance - which sucks if it happens while you're in the middle of a crucial section of a game.
02-05-07 | 05:30 AM
#281
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Originally Posted by slop101
I'm REALLY pissed at my Wii right now...
In the middle of playing Zelda, the Wii decides it doesn't like my remote anymore, and I get a message saying that it can't recognize my remote. From the console, I shut it off, turn it on again - and the remote still doesn't work (all the lights on it are flashing). I put in new batteries - no dice. I try "synching" it, as described in the manual - no dice. I pretty much tried everything I could (short of buying a new remote) and no dice. So I unplug the power source from the Wii, wait about 5 minutes, plug it back in, turn it on, and all of a sudden, it decides that it likes my remote again... WTF?
I looked around online, and it seems like this is a rather common occurance - which sucks if it happens while you're in the middle of a crucial section of a game.
In the middle of playing Zelda, the Wii decides it doesn't like my remote anymore, and I get a message saying that it can't recognize my remote. From the console, I shut it off, turn it on again - and the remote still doesn't work (all the lights on it are flashing). I put in new batteries - no dice. I try "synching" it, as described in the manual - no dice. I pretty much tried everything I could (short of buying a new remote) and no dice. So I unplug the power source from the Wii, wait about 5 minutes, plug it back in, turn it on, and all of a sudden, it decides that it likes my remote again... WTF?
I looked around online, and it seems like this is a rather common occurance - which sucks if it happens while you're in the middle of a crucial section of a game.
wii and ps3 are reporting this problem which makes me think bluetooth might be the culprit
02-05-07 | 10:57 AM
#284
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From: Boston, MA
Originally Posted by dtcarson
* Will Sports "always" (or at least for the foreseeable future) be a pack-in?
02-05-07 | 11:17 AM
#285
New VC games for the week of 2/5/2007:
Super Mario World™ (Super NES®, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points): During a vacation in Dinosaur Land, Princess Toadstool gets kidnapped and a spell is cast on the inhabitants of the island. When they stumble upon Yoshi™, a young dinosaur, Mario™ and Luigi learn that Bowser is responsible for the terrible misdeeds. Now, all Yoshis are trapped in magical eggs that Bowser has hidden throughout seven castles. Many hidden paths aid Mario in making his way to Bowser's castle, completing 74 areas and finding all 96 exits. Discover items, including a feather that gives Mario a cape that allows him to fly, or a flower that shoots fireballs in layers upon layers of 2-D scrolling landscapes. Players can even ride Yoshi and swallow their enemies.
VIGILANTE™ (TurboGrafx-16, 1 player, 600 Wii Points): Brave the streets of New York City in this side-scrolling beat-'em-up game. Thugs kidnap the beloved Madonna, and it's up to players to become vigilantes. Players fight their way into enemy territory to get her back. Enemies attack with weapons like iron pipes, chains, guns and motorcycles. To fight back, players can punch, kick or use the "nunchaku" item that appears in the stage. Players must use each of the attacks effectively to defeat their enemies. To clear a stage, defeat the boss that waits at the end. Players fight their way through exciting stages that include the City Streets, Junkyard, Brooklyn Bridge and the Backstreets.
Gain Ground™ (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points): It's the 31st century, and science and technology have progressed to the point that the human race is approaching perfection: no war, no poverty and no conflict. With nothing to worry about, the human race seems destined to live forever in harmony. But what if Earth came under attack? By this point in time, people did not know how to cope with problems or conflicts, and had completely lost their survival instincts. In response to this, the United Earth Government created the Gain Ground system, a war simulator that would help humans rediscover their lost instincts. After several terrible malfunctions, the creators became prisoners in their own creation. Now it's up to players and two courageous comrades to go into the Gain Ground system, rescue their fellow humans and destroy the system. Players battle through different periods in history as they revive their survival instincts, while trying to live.
VIGILANTE™ (TurboGrafx-16, 1 player, 600 Wii Points): Brave the streets of New York City in this side-scrolling beat-'em-up game. Thugs kidnap the beloved Madonna, and it's up to players to become vigilantes. Players fight their way into enemy territory to get her back. Enemies attack with weapons like iron pipes, chains, guns and motorcycles. To fight back, players can punch, kick or use the "nunchaku" item that appears in the stage. Players must use each of the attacks effectively to defeat their enemies. To clear a stage, defeat the boss that waits at the end. Players fight their way through exciting stages that include the City Streets, Junkyard, Brooklyn Bridge and the Backstreets.
Gain Ground™ (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points): It's the 31st century, and science and technology have progressed to the point that the human race is approaching perfection: no war, no poverty and no conflict. With nothing to worry about, the human race seems destined to live forever in harmony. But what if Earth came under attack? By this point in time, people did not know how to cope with problems or conflicts, and had completely lost their survival instincts. In response to this, the United Earth Government created the Gain Ground system, a war simulator that would help humans rediscover their lost instincts. After several terrible malfunctions, the creators became prisoners in their own creation. Now it's up to players and two courageous comrades to go into the Gain Ground system, rescue their fellow humans and destroy the system. Players battle through different periods in history as they revive their survival instincts, while trying to live.
02-05-07 | 11:40 AM
#286
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Originally Posted by her34
wii and ps3 are reporting this problem which makes me think bluetooth might be the culprit
This is not cool at all... haven't happen to me, but still it already bothers me when i read about it. I believe they are working on a fix so that you can update your Wii to eliminate the problem?
02-05-07 | 12:20 PM
#287
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Originally Posted by slop101
I'm REALLY pissed at my Wii right now...
In the middle of playing Zelda, the Wii decides it doesn't like my remote anymore, and I get a message saying that it can't recognize my remote. From the console, I shut it off, turn it on again - and the remote still doesn't work (all the lights on it are flashing). I put in new batteries - no dice. I try "synching" it, as described in the manual - no dice. I pretty much tried everything I could (short of buying a new remote) and no dice. So I unplug the power source from the Wii, wait about 5 minutes, plug it back in, turn it on, and all of a sudden, it decides that it likes my remote again... WTF?
I looked around online, and it seems like this is a rather common occurance - which sucks if it happens while you're in the middle of a crucial section of a game.
In the middle of playing Zelda, the Wii decides it doesn't like my remote anymore, and I get a message saying that it can't recognize my remote. From the console, I shut it off, turn it on again - and the remote still doesn't work (all the lights on it are flashing). I put in new batteries - no dice. I try "synching" it, as described in the manual - no dice. I pretty much tried everything I could (short of buying a new remote) and no dice. So I unplug the power source from the Wii, wait about 5 minutes, plug it back in, turn it on, and all of a sudden, it decides that it likes my remote again... WTF?
I looked around online, and it seems like this is a rather common occurance - which sucks if it happens while you're in the middle of a crucial section of a game.
i was experiencing the same thing this morning was pissing me off.
02-05-07 | 12:26 PM
#288
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From: San Antonio
Every time I "lose connectivity" with the remote, I just change the batteries and that usually sorts it right out...but it sounds like maybe folks are experiencing some other sort of issue. 
02-05-07 | 02:41 PM
#290
DVD Talk Godfather
Originally Posted by chess
Every time I "lose connectivity" with the remote, I just change the batteries and that usually sorts it right out...but it sounds like maybe folks are experiencing some other sort of issue.
Yep. I've had it happen once. Changed the batteries and it worked fine.
02-05-07 | 05:22 PM
#291
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From: Ohio
Originally Posted by Michael Corvin
Yep. I've had it happen once. Changed the batteries and it worked fine.
02-05-07 | 11:01 PM
#292
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Originally Posted by dtcarson
* Some analyst/writer said the Wii is an "impulse purchase". I disagree, for the most part. Having to stand outside a store for an hour or more, or to keep calling/visiting in "hopes" that they got a shipment, is not an "impulse" purchase. If they were readily available, I could see it being an impulse purchase, or at least an easier purchase when someone who's on the fence about a PS3 or 360 sees it.
02-05-07 | 11:21 PM
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From: Muncie, IN [Member formerly known as abrg923]
Has anyone been able to pick up a Classic Controller? I still have yet to see one. If anyone finds one, and could pick it up, I'd Paypal you the money for it.
02-06-07 | 06:30 AM
#294
DVD Talk Godfather
Originally Posted by abrg923
Has anyone been able to pick up a Classic Controller? I still have yet to see one. If anyone finds one, and could pick it up, I'd Paypal you the money for it.
02-06-07 | 07:23 AM
#295
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From: Ft. Wayne, Indiana
Umm Since you live in Muncie depending on how far you're willing to drive there are plenty in my area approximately 50 minutes to your North, I used to live in Muncie so I made the drive between here and there everyday, the time estimate is pretty accurate by way of 67 North to U.S. 27 North the Wal-Marts in Portland and Decatur both have tons of them. Also Fry's and Target in the Fishers area had plenty of them on Saturday and you can make that trip in about 45 minutes. 
02-06-07 | 09:42 AM
#296
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From: Muncie, IN [Member formerly known as abrg923]
Originally Posted by kakihara1
Umm Since you live in Muncie depending on how far you're willing to drive there are plenty in my area approximately 50 minutes to your North, I used to live in Muncie so I made the drive between here and there everyday, the time estimate is pretty accurate by way of 67 North to U.S. 27 North the Wal-Marts in Portland and Decatur both have tons of them. Also Fry's and Target in the Fishers area had plenty of them on Saturday and you can make that trip in about 45 minutes.
02-06-07 | 10:30 AM
#297
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From: Ft. Wayne, Indiana
Dude it's rough living in a college town trying to get stuff like the Wii and its accessories. When the PS2 online adapter came out I was living at the Martin House Apartments (Check my gamertag for apartment number 
) I had to drive to Indy to get one, and it took a couple months before I started seeing them in Muncie. Same thing happened with the Live! kits for the xbox best buy decided it was a swell Idea to order like 4 of them, ugh!! road trip to Indy. Living in Muncie is a pain in the balls sometimes.
) I had to drive to Indy to get one, and it took a couple months before I started seeing them in Muncie. Same thing happened with the Live! kits for the xbox best buy decided it was a swell Idea to order like 4 of them, ugh!! road trip to Indy. Living in Muncie is a pain in the balls sometimes.
02-06-07 | 11:34 AM
#298
DVD Talk Godfather
An impulse purchase is still a purchase. It's not Nintendo's fault that their hardware is priced at the impulse purchase level and Sony's is not. Impulse also means that it has a lot of interesting, innovative cool ideas that someone wants to try out.
I agree, the Wii is an impulse purchase. However, I don't agree that it's a bad thing.
I agree, the Wii is an impulse purchase. However, I don't agree that it's a bad thing.
02-06-07 | 11:55 AM
#299
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Originally Posted by The Bus
I agree, the Wii is an impulse purchase. However, I don't agree that it's a bad thing.
People are just saying its not right now since you can't just go into a store and buy one. You have to watch the ads to know when stores have them, then show up an hour or two (or more someplaces) before opening to buy them, use iTrakr etc. So it takes a lot of planning and effort, and thus isn't an impulse buy at the moment.
When they are sitting on store shelves in a month or two, it will definitely be an impulse buy item, or at least much more so than the PS3 or 360. $250 is still a good chunk of change to a lot of people.
02-06-07 | 12:16 PM
#300
DVD Talk Hero
Exactly - when you have to make an premeditated effort to buy one, it's not an impulse buy. Even though I lucked out getting one (one week after launch, my friend called me and said the local ToysRUs had a bunch of Wiis in), I still had to make an effort to get one - as have about 99% of the people that have bought one. So the excuse of impulse-buy right now doesn't hold.