Everybody Votes followup: another theory
by JC Fletcher 
{ Feb 21st 2007 at 11:00AM }
Yesterday, we discussed the significance of the Everybody Votes Channel, and made some conjecture about how it relates to the future of the Wii online. We've discovered another theory we think is worth sharing, from a post made in one of our own comments threads last week! Our readers are so smart; we, of course, take full credit.
Reader Cole thinks that the Everybody Votes Channel is a sneaky way to test netcode for online play, getting players to interact with the system in a simple manner. It sounds plausible to us, and certainly goes a long way in explaining why a poll channel appeared out of nowhere.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
adam @ Feb 21st 2007 12:30PM
Cole is wrong.
If they are using this to test the "netcode", we are doomed. The service is sloooow. Cast a vote and time it. How many seconds does it take to use "netcode" to register your vote? It should be instantaneous, ya know, like an online game.
Cole @ Feb 21st 2007 2:26PM
The first stages of a community network test is a simple handshake to insure that data can be traded. This is what the votes channel is, it allows the user to run a simple connect software on their client and connect to a server. This is supported by the lack of questions offered, they only send one out to test the water. Nintendo gets a whole bunch of questions from our suggestions everyday that go unused. As the network matures the client software and the server communication will become more complicated. These advances will allow for a client of "world of warcraft" for example to run the main process on the local machine and then connect over to a server for interaction. These community networks will more then likely be regional in nature and be at first be peer to peer then grow to a MMO type of game atmosphere.
In short:
The handshake protocols established in the votes channel will allow you to pick an opponent to battle for one on one combat (Pokemon) with out those pesky friend codes.
Brok3n Halo @ Feb 21st 2007 3:11PM
>>1
Slow? It's instant for me...
AS for this theory, could very well be true, I'm guessing a mix of both though, testing their infrastructure and being useful at latter stages (I'm still thinking that the color question will turn itself into the next color to come out for the Wii after black)
adam @ Feb 21st 2007 3:24PM
This is how it works:
1) Game system connects to GameServer
2) Data is transferred between the two
Your examples are idiotic at best. Stay in school.
Kenny @ Feb 21st 2007 3:25PM
It's strange how some are complaining about slowness. It's never been anything but fast for me. I've never had any errors or unusual slowness from the channel.
Right now, it's a waste of space, but it's not space I need right now, so I'll keep the channel to see if it matures.
I really do hope that Nintendo brings some good online play. I'm not that interested in playing multiplayer with strangers, but if friends purchase the Wii, it'd be cool to play with them... Or for a game like Animal Crossing.
Grey Acumen @ Feb 21st 2007 3:35PM
I've never had any issues with speed. Ever. No errors, nothing like that. I don't know why anyone else would be having any issues.
I agree with the theory though, it could simply be a test program, get the basic thing down. After all, if an online poll goes glitchy or goes down, who's really going to care?
Brok3n Halo @ Feb 21st 2007 4:23PM
>>4
First settle down! No need to call something idiotic.
And second I'm not sure what kinda school you went to, but Cole's explanation is a lot more accurate than that 2 step.
If anything, he simplified it too much, as you will learn in college, because they teach it to you at least twice, so far I've learned networking protocols in my 2nd and 3rd years of classes... God, those were boring classes...
Mr Khan @ Feb 21st 2007 4:28PM
@ Kenny
Even with friend codes, you can bet WiiFanboy would have a Game Night just like DS Fanboy does
I too adhere to Cole's idea, its a way to test the waters for some online system that is not as bad as friend codes, but not as good as direct chat
Think of this: User A goes to the "WiFi Channel" (with BWii in his disc drive) and sees a screen much like an Online forum, he clicks the tag entitled "Battallion Wars 2," where he then finds a number of open "rooms" where a user is waiting to recieve someone to play a game with him/her. He clicks on that users request (since BWii will only be 2 players Online), which then sends a WiiConnect24 mail to the user, or if he/she is still logged in to "WiFi Channel," immediately begins connecting them, by loading BWii right to the Online Multiplayer screen
Mr.Bob @ Feb 21st 2007 5:14PM
Wat the heck are you all saying!? The vote channel is almost instentaniuce for me! I press vote and its there! Number 1 must have a slow internet conevtion or something...
Badaro @ Feb 22nd 2007 7:25AM
I also think this channel is part of their preparation for launching an Online Service.
I posted my theory on rage3d.com earlier this week... copy-paste below.
--- Begin Copy-Paste ---
I think it's a sneaky way for Nintendo to collect player distribution data, to help them organize the infrastructure needed for online gaming.
I'll explain: If you don't own a Wii you probably don't know this, but along with this channel came a new system update. It expanded the location details, including state/province information.
Earlier today I was looking at the poll results on the new channel, and I was quite surprised when they showed me a map of my country (Brazil), with the vote results organized according to state/province.
In short, thanks to this channel they should have good estimates on:
- Number of online consoles for each country
- Console distribution inside a country
- Number of players for each consoles (since multiple players can participate in a poll)
Seems to me like some very sweet information for someone starting a new online service. Coincidence?
--- Begin Copy-Paste ---
Zachary Hinchliffe @ Feb 22nd 2007 6:41PM
I'm also with 3, 5, 6, and 9. It's always instantaneous for me.