Download - Your next data viz gear should be a Wii-U
Your next data-viz gear should be a Wii-UChristophe Guéret (@cgueret)
Data Archiving and Networked Services
DANS is een instituut van KNAW en NWO
Outline
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Why bother with gaming hardware ?
A console is a boxed big GPU
● GPUs are big matrices-processing units
● “applications runs up to 30x faster on a single PS3 than on a regular single CPU PC” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_3_cluster)
● Reaching out of consoles (NVIDIA’s CUDA)
New cool peripherals since 2006
● Can be used a discounted alternative to their professional counterparts
But what about the console (GPU and peripherals) ?
Console generations
● “Smartphones, TVs, and even computers are replaced by new models every six or twelve months. Game consoles, on the other hand, are meant to last for at least five years.” (Gizmodo)
● 9th generation to be launched in 2018-2020
● Work to start in 2-3 years from now
The 6th generation
● Gaming devices
The 7th generation
● Still mainly focused on gaming but with online content and services
Now comes the 8th
● “Bridge generation” on the way to become the only box in the living room
Video calls
● Easy and featureful calls
Social networks with in-game support
● No more about playing alone in the couch
Miiverse
PSN
Social TV and streaming
More information
● Specs of the three living-room big names○ http://www.nintendo.com/wiiu/built-in-software/○ http://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-one/innovation○ http://us.playstation.com/ps4/index.htm
● Some other ones, using Android○ https://www.ouya.tv/○ https://gamestick.tv/
● (and Nvidia Shield, OpenPandora, ... )
So what ?
● Console manufacturers design platforms that are ready to use by game developers
● Pre-integrated, powerful, rendering hardware packed with sensors
● Just imagine how you could use the console features for making interactive visualisations
Let’s now focus completely on Wii-U
● 300 euros => tablet + desktop PC
How do we code on it ?
The traditional way1. Buy a dev-kit (http:
//www.warioworld.com/)
2. Code in C++ with Nintendo’s APIs and compiler
3. Physically package the output
Dedicated platform, vast investment :-(
A better way
● Game engine & design studio
● 1 code, many platforms: iOS, Android, Windows, BlackBerry 10, OS X, Linux, web browsers, Flash, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows Phone 8, and Wii UMany platforms, vast investment :-(
Even better
● Based on WebKit
● Code in HTML5, JavaScript, and CSS -> runs everywhere
● “development times [...] reduced and Wii U applications can be easily developed using common Web technologies”
Many platforms, minimal investment :-D
Really ? See Wii Street U
“has been developed by a small team mostly using web technologies based on HTML5”-> no native code
Some stuff already available
● SVG, Canvas 2D Context, Session History, Web Storage, and Server-Sent Events (test)
What next ...
● Instead of targeting specific platforms, code data visualisation using Web technologies
● Buy a Wii-U and start playing around with the APIs
● Register NLeSC | AFS | KNAW as a developer to get access to more content○ https://wiiu-developers.nintendo.com/
References / Further reading● The interface of the PS4 is in WebGL !● What the Xbox One, PS4, and Wii U Tell Us About the
Future of Consoles● New development environment to support app creation
using HTML5, JavaScript and CSS● Wii U system specs● JavaScript and the Wii U Browser● Wii U brew wiki - Internet browser page● PhiloGL: A WebGL Framework for Data Visualization,
Creative Coding and Game Development