Changes

This is the big year where stuff goes from its prototype form to being ready for final release, as well as the Wii being fully opened to third party devs. This can be seen in both the console, controller, and software; the console is shown in its final physical form at [[E3 2006]] this year and its hardware is finalized in August 2006 (as evidenced by release of the NDEV 2.1 as the final version [[NDEV]]), and the Wii's SDK as well as NDEVs are finally released to developers in March of this year. The controller goes through a lot of minor changes this year, including the infamous "pause/arrow" plus/minus button design ([[Dev Tool]] v4) and the round DPD (sensor bar lens), although the controller and Nunchuk retain the same shape that they did at the end of 2005.

This is the big year where stuff goes from its prototype form to being ready for final release, as well as the Wii being fully opened to third party devs. This can be seen in both the console, controller, and software; the console is shown in its final physical form at [[E3 2006]] this year and its hardware is finalized in August 2006 (as evidenced by release of the NDEV 2.1 as the final version [[NDEV]]), and the Wii's SDK as well as NDEVs are finally released to developers in March of this year. The controller goes through a lot of minor changes this year, including the infamous "pause/arrow" plus/minus button design ([[Dev Tool]] v4) and the round DPD (sensor bar lens), although the controller and Nunchuk retain the same shape that they did at the end of 2005.

The software most likely transitions into resembling final at this point; the TurboGrafx is added to VC in March of this year indicating constant active development on VC and by extension most likely the Shop Channel as well. As the Mii Channel was stated in the Iwata Asks to be one of the last channel additions, and it was revealed to exist at E3 2006, this most likely indicates that channels were being finalized around the time of E3 2006 as well, with everything between the [[Startup Disc Menu]] and final release of the Wii menu and channels most likely being minor bugfix type revisions. This is reflected in the start of system configuration library development at the start of this year, as well as a system configuration menu being given to developers around the middle of the year. "Formalities" for production like factory discs are most likely made towards the end closer to system release, although much of it is copied from the GameCube anyways.

The software most likely transitions into resembling final at this point; the TurboGrafx is added to VC in March of this year indicating constant active development on VC and by extension most likely the Shop Channel as well. As the Mii Channel was stated in the Iwata Asks to be one of the last channel additions, and it was revealed to exist at E3 2006, this most likely indicates that channels were being finalized around the time of E3 2006 as well, with everything between the [[Startup Disc Menu]] and final release of the Wii menu and channels most likely being minor bugfix type revisions. This is reflected in the start of system configuration library development at the start of this year, as well as a system configuration menu being given to developers around the middle of the year. "Formalities" for production like factory discs and [[0002]] are most likely made towards the end closer to system release, although much of it is copied from the GameCube anyways.

Libraries and the SDK are finalized as the release date for the system draws near, and by October 2006 the system and software are completely ready for final launch, with August-September most likely being minor software bug fixing. While IOS certainly existed in 2005 due to the existence of the Starlet, and likely in some early prototype form in 2004 as well, 2006 is the first year where we have information about its development, with IOS3/0, IOS4, and IOS12 existing earlier in the year with IOS9 being developed more towards August. DVD support is also scrapped in this year, likely circa or before E3 as it is not mentioned at E3. Overall, this year from start-E3 is a lot of finalization of stuff prototyped in 2005, with the rest of the year being a lot of bugfixing and finishing up for final release.

Libraries and the SDK are finalized as the release date for the system draws near, and by October 2006 the system and software are completely ready for final launch, with August-September most likely being minor software bug fixing. While IOS certainly existed in 2005 due to the existence of the Starlet, and likely in some early prototype form in 2004 as well, 2006 is the first year where we have information about its development, with IOS3/0, IOS4, and IOS12 existing earlier in the year with IOS9 being developed more towards August. DVD support is also scrapped in this year, likely circa or before E3 as it is not mentioned at E3. Overall, this year from start-E3 is a lot of finalization of stuff prototyped in 2005, with the rest of the year being a lot of bugfixing and finishing up for final release.