Wii U Export

The HTML5 exporter should work for visuals on Wii U, but maybe not super complicated apps, and audio may not work. I am hoping some of us will be able to test this sometime soon.

Apparently Nintendo is really opening on the eshop to the indie scene now - especially since Microsoft appears to have ditched the indie games from their next console with the closure of XNA.

They used to have strict guidelines - ie you had to operate from a office. Not anymore!

That isn't what I have read.
Could you please provide some more information and perhaps a link because that sound interesting.
The story I have read says that you need to apply to be approved to be an developer for Wii U and that you to apply have to submit things like the references for all key persons working with the project and other demands.

This should answer most questions: Please login to see this link.

That link more or less confirms what I had heard - that you needed to meet a series of qualifications and demands from Nintendo.
First, you have to have a confirmed development background: "Authorization will be based upon your relevant game industry experience."
They continues: "An Authorized Developer will have demonstrated the ability to develop and program excellent software for Nintendo video game systems or for other game platforms. In addition, an Authorized Developer will have a stable business organization with secure office facilities separate from a personal residence".
That means that 99,9% here is out.

Then you have these demands:
"We require that companies are working from a secure business location. A secure business location has security systems for the building. The office space is secured from other offices in the same building. The office space is not shared with any other company. Sub-leases will need to be reviewed. The office space is not located within a personal residence."
This means that you need to have an office.

No, forget this platform for MMF development. I am not sure that anyone more than CT them self would satisfy these demands (of us posting here).

Some developers have already tried their HTML5 games on the Wii U. Search online, there are some articles about it. The "a" button is mapped to Enter, and the arrow keys are mapped to the d-pad. You can also play web browser content on the gamepad, or move the display to the TV.

There is not solid audio support yet though, and no local storage. Once the browser is closed, the data is gone. Hopefully this will be changed and updated later somewhat.

Quote from Xhadoe

There is not solid audio support yet though, and no local storage. Once the browser is closed, the data is gone. Hopefully this will be changed and updated later somewhat.

I haven't tried the HTML5 exporter, but I'm wondering if it is possible to make these games cloud-based so that the user's progress is taken with them online instead of stored locally? Hopefully as HTML5 develops, audio HTML5 elements will be updated too to work with the browser. Speaking of that, Nintendo use a WebKit-based browser on their console, which is like Chrome and Safari, so it shouldn't be too difficult for them to implement, should they do so.

here is one link i found - although the news doesn't go official till somepoint soon.

Please login to see this link.

Yeah, I believe they're lifting the indie developer limits... Which would make a lot of sense since they're competing with the iPad now. I would be all over a Wii U exporter, I always wanted to get into WiiWare (using coding) but as seen here, Nintendo's demands were too high.

Quote from DistantJ

Yeah, I believe they're lifting the indie developer limits... Which would make a lot of sense since they're competing with the iPad now. I would be all over a Wii U exporter, I always wanted to get into WiiWare (using coding) but as seen here, Nintendo's demands were too high.

The problem is that in the linked article they only speaks about lifting the requirement for the developer to have a physical office.
That still leaves the problem that you need to apply in writing with all qualification off your staff and that you have to have a documented experience.
That is an silly requirement that isn't present in any other store - the only thing you need to be an Apple developer is sign up, pay Apple a small fee and then submit your app. There isn't any precheck that you and other working with you have documented experience.
Most people in these forums simply wont pass that kind of checks. Until that requirement is lifted I see the Wii U store as a massive failure with a small selection - and I have a Wii U. The store is almost empty. I understand why.

It's weird though, a lot of WiiWare developers seemed to be new starters, the guys behind World of Goo for example were students. Perhaps they went through a publisher.

Just saw this link on this subject - Please login to see this link. might be interesting since it seems Nintendo is trying to make it much easier.

All the big companies will be moving toward indies now (especially after the last GDC). 2012 was one of the best years ever for quality AAA games, but only two of the thirteen awards were given to AAA games. The big companies are now having very difficult times competing with the mobile and indie markets. Their games are too expensive to make in relation to how much less money they're bringing in, so we can expect some radical changes to the game dev scene. Namely tools getting cheaper and more powerful, while the AAA will be changing tactics to indie-style games.

In my view the Wii U is already dead.. sales wise that is.. little to no third party support will be nail in the coffin which is a shame since I've always loved nintendo.

So for me, if Clickteam would make another console exporter, my money would go to playstation 4 which will have good support for indies.

I am waiting to hear back from Nintendo to kind of gauge whether they would lease the dev kit, which they said they may at GDC last week when I talked to them about the Web Framework. It may be a thing where it might be easier to see if Clickteam would do that, and we publish through them or something.

However, there is nothing to keep us from HTML5 apps being made for the WiiU now Controls example: Please login to see this link.

We'll have to wait and see with the Wii U. It's inches away from going the way of the Dreamcast, but the 3DS was failing too until they did the epic pricedrop and a tonne of exclusives, there might be a massive pricedrop around the corner for the Wii U which would make it like half the price of the two upcoming systems...