A compilation of thoughts around why data visualisation people should consider gaming systems such as the Wii-U as platforms for their work.

1. Data Archiving and Networked Services
Your next data-viz gear
should be a Wii-U
Christophe Guéret (@cgueret)
DANS is een instituut van KNAW en NWO

2. Outline
=

3. Why bother with gaming hardware ?

4. 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)

5. New cool peripherals since 2006
● Can be used a discounted alternative to their
professional counterparts

6. But what about the console
(GPU and peripherals) ?

7. 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

8. The 6th generation
● Gaming devices

9. The 7th generation
● Still mainly focused on gaming but with
online content and services

10. Now comes the 8th
● “Bridge generation” on the way to become
the only box in the living room

11. Video calls
● Easy and featureful calls

12. Social networks with in-game support
● No more about playing alone in the couch
PSN
Miiverse

13. Social TV and streaming

14. 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, ... )

15. 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

16. Let’s now focus completely on Wii-U
● 300 euros => tablet + desktop PC

17. How do we code on it ?

18. The traditional way
1. 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 :-(

19. 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,
Many platforms, vast investment :-(
and Wii U

20. 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

21. Really ? See Wii Street U
“has been
developed by a
small team mostly
using web
technologies
based on HTML5”
-> no native code

22. Some stuff already available
● SVG, Canvas 2D Context, Session History,
Web Storage, and Server-Sent Events (test)

23. 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/

24. 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