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Nintendo Switch – New Video Game System [video]

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

#481

Post by buzzybee »

chipperyman573 wrote: post #458
morley wrote: post #256

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They will not go back to cartriges obviously It does indeed use cartridges: http://www.polygon.com/2016/10/20/13344618/nintendo-switch-n...

Aren't SD cards and cartridges different? I thought that cartridges used ROM while SD cards can be written to.

From a user standpoint, when we speak of "cartridge" we're talking about the packaging - 8-track tapes were also called "cartridges". Calling any game cart "ROM" has been a little bit off in that old cartridges were PCBs that could contain arbitrary chips, custom hardware, battery-backed RAM, etc.

With the modern carts, it's all flash memory - both the game binary and any user data can coexist. That said, it's much less common than in the NES era, but not unheard of, to incorporate custom hardware on the cart. For example the DS Game Card[0] has an infrared variation. With this change the overall performance model now is guided around working with flash memory - you have big mass storage, longer load times, and don't get to do any fancy bank-switching tricks or rely on an additional co-processor or an extra RAM bank.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_game_card#Nintendo_DS...

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

#482

Post by jocro »

macspoofing wrote: post #429
ben174 wrote: post #386

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

One concept that seems feasible - if the portable device is vented but lacking airflow for cooling, power that airflow with fans in the dock. Then, when docked, overclock the chip (or underclock when undocked).

This all presupposes, though, that the hardware they're packing in the portable unit is comparable to what's in the PS4/XBO or their newer equivalents.

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

#483

Post by ndesaulniers »

cdash wrote: post #225
deelowe wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Specs haven't been released, but nvidia has a press release claiming it is powered by a custom tegra processor: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/2016/10/20/nintendo-switch/ It's probably safe to assume it will be a customized version the latest or an upcoming model. I believe this puts the system in the PS4/Xbone ballpark.

Unless there is a separate GPU contained within that docking station that is extremely unlikely to have the processing power of a PS4/Xbox One and especially so the PS4+ and Xbox One+. That would mean that either some games could not be played while in mobile mode or they will be degraded significantly performance/graphics wise when in mobile mode. There is just no way they could pack the hardware/cooling/battery int…

maybe by having a smaller rendering target (lower res) on mobile they can run just fine.

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

#484

Post by ndesaulniers »

deelowe wrote: post #176
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.

Specs haven't been released, but nvidia has a press release claiming it is powered by a custom tegra processor: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/2016/10/20/nintendo-switch/ It's probably safe to assume it will be a customized version the latest or an upcoming model. I believe this puts the system in the PS4/Xbone ballpark.

Good find. I doubt an ARM64 based Tegra can compete just yet with an x86_64 chip, even if made by AMD.

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

#485

Post by ndesaulniers »

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…

> The only way I can see this thing taking off is if it can fall back into an Android

That's actually a great idea. Someone else pointed out this press release [0] from Nvidia saying they're making the chip. Tegra's can run Android (Nexus 7, 9) which has the latest OpenGL ES and Vulkan support.

[0] https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/2016/10/20/nintendo-switch/

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

#486

Post by eropple »

jbmorgado wrote: post #444
jbmorgado wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Special edition Skyrim is coming out this month, 28th of October, on the PC, not 3 years ago.

Why am I being donwvoted for making a factual comment? This is clearly an abuse of the downvote system. Any mechanism in place to report this?

I think you were downvoted because you misread the comment you were replying to, which generally isn't considered productive. It happens, it's not abuse of the system.

(You were then downvoted for complaining about votes, because that is universally considered negative behavior.)

You can always email hn@ycombinator.com if you'd like.

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

#487

Post by Splines »

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.

Game consoles don't ship with TV remotes, and the remotes that you can buy are overly complicated affairs.

The WAF of using a controller to control video playback is low. We have a Roku 3 and it's far simpler to use than our 360 or PS4. Plus it's never "off". Side benefit is that I can remote play the PS4 when someone is using the Roku ;-).

The Switch could plausibly fill this gap, but I guarantee that those little controller thingies are going to get lost.

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

#488

Post by pbhjpbhj »

ndesaulniers wrote: post #485
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…

> The only way I can see this thing taking off is if it can fall back into an Android That's actually a great idea. Someone else pointed out this press release [0] from Nvidia saying they're making the chip. Tegra's can run Android (Nexus 7, 9) which has the latest OpenGL ES and Vulkan support. [0] https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/2016/10/20/nintendo-switch/

Running Android would provide competition at the bottom end of the game spectrum. I could see them having a [virtualised] Android that was not openly Android so they can run Facebook and such without giving people access to put Android games on the thing.

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

#489

Post by ClassyJacket »

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. Check.

Almost certainly not. It's a tablet, it's very unlikely it's going to equal the home systems with 100W power supplies and huge fans.

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

#490

Post by ndesaulniers »

pbhjpbhj wrote: post #488
ndesaulniers wrote: post #485

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The only way I can see this thing taking off is if it can fall back into an Android That's actually a great idea. Someone else pointed out this press release [0] from Nvidia saying they're making the chip. Tegra's can run Android (Nexus 7, 9) which has the latest OpenGL ES and Vulkan support. [0] https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/2016/10/20/nintendo-switch/

Running Android would provide competition at the bottom end of the game spectrum. I could see them having a [virtualised] Android that was not openly Android so they can run Facebook and such without giving people access to put Android games on the thing.

> without giving people access to put Android games on the thing

it's trivial to not install apps unless they've been signed with Nintendo's key, a la iOS.

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