GameCube System
Note: Original publication date is missing
By now most Nintendo fans have an idea about the Gamecube’s power. The purpose of this section is to explain the processes that make the Gamecube system great.
Nintendo has announced plans to deal with Sonic Blue Inc. to use the company’s compression technology for Gamecube’s system. Sonic Blue Texture Compression is embedded directly into Art-X-developed graphics chips for Gamecubem which means Gamecube can decompress textures without performance loss on the console. If the Internet is what your concerned about, don’t worry; Nintendo has covered all the bases with their online connectivity for Gamecube. Nintendo and a company called Conexant Systems Inc. have formed an alliance in which Conexant will build and supply the V90 56k modem for Gamecube.
“Conexant is pleased to be contributing our modem technology to Nintendo’s exciting new video game console,” said Matt Rhodes, senior vice president and general manager for Conexant’s Personal Computing Division. “Conexant helped to re-shape personal computing in the 1990s with our low-cost, dial-up modem technology for Internet access and online connectivity, and now we are helping industry-leading consumer companies like Nintendo do the same for video gaming.”
If music is your thing, than you need not worry. Nintendo has formed a partnership with Factor 5 to develop sound tools for Gamecube. “Nintendo is the first game console manufacturer to recognize the evolution of sound as an integral part of their next generation system,” said Julian Eggebrecht, president, Factor 5, LLC. “Their system will be more powerful than anything else out there, and we’re thrilled to work with them.”
“These tools will allow our developers and third-party licensees to make the most of the tremendous power of the Gamecube system,” said Jim Merrick, Director of Technical Support at Nintendo of America. “Providing developers quality tools from top companies at this early stage means better quality games, faster game creation, and faster time-to-market, which is great for everyone, especially the consumer.”
GameCube sports the four regular controller ports at the front, with the DVD insert at the top, and with the regular Power On/Off, and “Reset” button. At the back, there are numerous ports, including a phone line that will support a V90 56k modem, as well as “future” expansion ports. Nintendo has presumably kept GameCube as a game-playing system, so there will be no “interface” or anything like we’ve seen with the PS2.