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Nintendo Switch – New Video Game System [video]

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Re: Nintendo Switch – New Video Game System [video]

#421

Post by my_ghola »

vlunkr wrote: post #216
jakebasile wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. If you can't have both systems available at the same time and location you need to call in to have your account transferred. This requires you to answer some questions about the account such as what games do you own and when did you buy them. Then they take a few days to get around to unlocking your account. It's awful and easily the most user hostile of the modern gaming platforms' stores.

I don't understand why they do it this way. Buying a game on any other platform feels so much nicer, because I know if my console dies I can just log in and re-download. I assume it's something about piracy, but it does feel hostile towards regular users.

It actually made piracy easier. At least in the 3ds, all you need to do is add some id of the game to a file in the 3ds and it will be like if you purchased it.

Re: Nintendo Switch – New Video Game System [video]

#422

Post by grillvogel »

ocdtrekkie wrote: post #133
exelius wrote: post #105

So this is a good usage model, but I'm not sure people want to carry yet another tablet just for gaming. The only way I can see this thing taking off is if it can fall back into an Android tablet mode for web browsing, e-mail, etc. But as a portable gaming console, it seems pretty boss. I'm curious what the hardware specs are and how they differ from other tablets on the market. Because if it can't do everything else…

Yeah, this has been my challenge. I've bought basically every Nintendo console ever (Zelda fan here, obviously), but I stopped playing their mobile games/consoles when I turned 16, because I was now driving myself places. Being in my parents' cars a lot, it made sense to carry a portable game console. In the world of working people, it doesn't. I don't have enough free time outside my house to justify hauling a dedic…

>In the world of working people, it doesn't.

ever heard of mass transit?

Re: Nintendo Switch – New Video Game System [video]

#423

Post by anotheryou »

anotheryou wrote: post #59

What is so big in the dock? Speakers (not really needed with hdmi TVs, no?)? Also an interesting decision to cover the docked screen (probably to keep 100% compatibility to the single mobile screen and not waste resources while powering the big screen).

Just thought that it would be amazing if it overclocked in the dock and it was mostly heat sink :)

Re: Nintendo Switch – New Video Game System [video]

#424

Post by nameless912 »

joshmn wrote: post #365
yumaikas wrote: post #84

There are two major things that I'm curious about: Price point: How much is this going to cost per unit? I'd imagine it's going to be much cheaper than the other current gen consoles Battery life: If it doesn't get more than 1-2 hours, or else come with some way to extend the battery life via an accessory, it will be kinda underwhelming. That being said, this is a very intriguing idea, and is a good focus on an easy…

I'd like to expect battery would be at least 3 hours while gaming. Considering that we know it's using a Tegra chip like the Nvidia Shield and the Shield gets ~2 hours, and Nintendo has a track record for battery-optimized gaming (Gameboy). With the Shield's battery saver setting, it gets about 4 hours, and 7 hours for streaming. Again, I'd like to think Nintendo is doing better than this here.

The internet is saying 4 hours+, and I'm inclined to believe them. After all, they were right about everything else (seriously, go check out /r/nx: it's 90% shit posts, but the rest is speccing this thing out to an almost insanely detailed degree, even months ago).

Re: Nintendo Switch – New Video Game System [video]

#425

Post by vegabook »

SunShiranui wrote: post #277
vegabook wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

yet to be fair, the very modest gamecube had some of the best franchises around (Metroid Prime a total classic), and even the PS2 did wonders on Shadow of the Colossus. It's almost as if, when the hardware is not supreme, creativity becomes more important?

The Gamecube was far from modest for its time - IIRC, it was the most powerful console until the Xbox came along.

fair enough (and yes I now remember that it did have an Ati sticker on the front - you're right), but the point is that awesome gameplay is not a positively sloped function of hardware power. The correlation, once certain thresholds are met, appears to be zero if not negative.

Re: Nintendo Switch – New Video Game System [video]

#426

Post by ashark »

lmm wrote: post #223
6stringmerc wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Other than Mario Kart my go-to would be N64's Goldeneye. That thing was a masterpiece in so many ways.

It really doesn't hold up these days. Perfect Dark is still playable though.

> Perfect Dark is still playable though.

Especially the version on the Xbox360, or, as I call it, "that big white box I own solely to play Perfect Dark on". A straight port with upgraded graphics, better framerate, modern controls, and (or perhaps this one I'm imagining) subtly rebalanced difficulty to account for those other changes. Nothing like that garbage trying-to-be-Call-of-Duty-and-failing-miserably Goldeneye reimagining a few years back.

Still unmatched in terms of gameplay options. Coop single player, versus(!) single player, the great multiplayer of course. The way the difficulty settings changed objectives and even starting location(!) in addition to damage values and AI. The fun "cheats" you unlock with speedruns. Brilliant game.

Re: Nintendo Switch – New Video Game System [video]

#427

Post by hbosch »

FullMtlAlcoholc wrote: post #385
emdowling wrote: post #8

It is so reassuring to see Nintendo create a modern gaming machine that doesn't try to be a living room hub or an iPad competitor. Going entirely by the video alone, every single design decision has been made with a clear focus on gaming. The simple docking action for transitioning it to the TV, the versatility and portability of the controllers, the reasonable size, etc all combine to make this (again, judging entir…

What's wrong with being a living room hub? Since cutting the cord, my PS4 has been the ideal set top box and is the only device attached to my TV. Blu Ray Player (that I never use), check. Plex client, check. DLNA client, check. Digital Optical Out, check. Netflix, Amazon Video check. Gaming machine, yup. It completely removes the need for a HTPC.

And it can even access the new-ish Playstation Vue (https://www.playstation.com/en-us/network/vue/), making the PS4 a relatively viable cable replacement box.

Re: Nintendo Switch – New Video Game System [video]

#428

Post by macspoofing »

mratzloff wrote: post #52

If there's a "switch" here, it's Nintendo finally taking feedback from customers and third parties seriously. Console with graphical power that rivals Xbox One and PS4. Check. Industry-standard architecture and tooling (Unity), allowing third parties to flood in. Check. Blends their successful portable division with their console division (this has been a common refrain for awhile now). Check. They already addressed…

>Console with graphical power that rivals Xbox One and PS4.

Why would you think that? It's a mobile system, running mobile CPU/GPU with a price target of a mid-market smart-phone. It's isn't going to match the PS4 or XboxOne, no way.

>This is going to be a major windfall for them.

Maybe, maybe not. I don't know if they'll be able to run the latest AAA titles, especially with the new MS and Sony consoles coming out soon. So they'll have the same problem as they had with the Wii and WiiU - you buy the console for Nintendo games and that's it.

Re: Nintendo Switch – New Video Game System [video]

#429

Post by macspoofing »

ben174 wrote: post #386
adrusi wrote: post #227

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Very unlikely that this has performance that competes with Sony and Microsoft. This is an integrated GPU on a battery-powered device with limited thermal regulation. The PS4 and Xbox One are always plugged in to AC and have plenty of space for a proper cooling system. That's OK, this time the console actually takes advantage of weaker performance to offer a better form-factor. Whether that tradeoff satisfies consumer…

There is a lot of speculation in the community that when docked, additional video processing will be available in the hardware within the dock. When undocked, they can scale down resolution and frame rate for the smaller screen.

>There is a lot of speculation in the community that when docked, additional video processing will be available in the hardware within the dock.

Doubt it. Not a trivial problem to solve technically and console pricing is inflexible - they need to sell this thing for under $400, and Nintendo hates subsidizing hardware.

Re: Nintendo Switch – New Video Game System [video]

#430

Post by macspoofing »

vegabook wrote: post #124
gdulli wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Console with graphical power that rivals Xbox One and PS4. Check. Where do you get this from? The specs haven't been released and they're showcasing some previous-gen games. I doubt this will have the processing power of the original Xbox One or PS4, let alone the souped-up versions of those consoles that are coming soon.

yet to be fair, the very modest gamecube had some of the best franchises around (Metroid Prime a total classic), and even the PS2 did wonders on Shadow of the Colossus. It's almost as if, when the hardware is not supreme, creativity becomes more important?

Having horsepower doesn't hurt, no matter how much Nintendo PR will try to spin it that way.
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