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Nintendo Switch review: pure potential

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Re: Nintendo Switch review: pure potential

#331

Post by gyello »

r00fus wrote: post #201
n-gauge wrote: post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

..and maybe to stop users playing HTML games (Nintendo ripoffs for example). This is a shame as I felt the Wii U was crippled in this respect (i.e. video tag supported but not audio!)

Why would I buy a switch to play HTML games? Honestly this argument seems a stretch to me.

There's a popular website used on the Xbox One that emulates older Nintendo consoles from within the included Edge browser with controller support, and it can use OneDrive to store your ROMs and saves.

Something similar to that on the Switch could eat into Virtual Console revenues.

Re: Nintendo Switch review: pure potential

#332

Post by 83457 »

flukus wrote: post #329
tblair wrote: post #324

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not to be too uncharitable, but did you read the rest of their comment? The very next words are that they don't want to bring multiple devices.

Yes, but it starts out with the assumption that the devices have the same function, which they don't. In a similar vain, a laptop will not replace either.

If you can't admit there is a huge overlap between mobile touch screen devices your are just being silly.

Re: Nintendo Switch review: pure potential

#333

Post by 2muchcoffeeman »

flukus wrote: post #329
tblair wrote: post #324

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not to be too uncharitable, but did you read the rest of their comment? The very next words are that they don't want to bring multiple devices.

Yes, but it starts out with the assumption that the devices have the same function, which they don't. In a similar vain, a laptop will not replace either.

It's a bit surreal.

You can now bring all this information and entertainment with you and it takes up less space and weight than any 2 textbooks I used at uni and people are concerned about an extra half kilo in-case they can't make up their mind if they want to play console games or watch TV that day on the train.

Of course their phone can do all these things as well but they need the bigger screen or something.

Re: Nintendo Switch review: pure potential

#335

Post by M_Grey »

cbhl wrote: post #319
mercer wrote: post #144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've skipped all the Nintendo consoles since the GameCube, in part because I didn't care for odd controls (I just want to play Mario/Zelda/Metroid with a regular gamepad!), and in part because as a result of those odd controls backward compatibility isn't too great either. The Switch, however, will be the first console I'll buy. I'm not too happy with the low specs, but it's somewhat justified by the portability. And…

since the GameCube, in part because I didn't care for odd controls Gee, I remember thinking the Gamecube had pretty odd controls when it came out. The C-stick seemed like an odd compromise between the N64's C buttons and the PS 2 controller's dual analog sticks.

It was definitely a bit odd... it worked, but it wasn't the ideal solution. In the end, there's a reason why that was a dead-end.

The problem is that everyone wants to create bold new interfaces, but few people want to refine existing ones. If you can make a breakthrough, go for it, but if not... just make iterative improvements. I'm a lot happier with how Sony and MS have gone with their controllers, by contrast.

Honestly the Switch seems like the closest thing to a classic control scheme that they've had in a while. If it had more than 3 hours battery life, and didn't seem in need of a day-0 patch, it might even be worth it.

Re: Nintendo Switch review: pure potential

#337

Post by cloakandswagger »

danso wrote: post #313
laumars wrote: post #289

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> signs that Nintendo didn't know how to adapt to the Internet age haven't exactly been mitigated by what we know of the Switch so far: no web browser, no Virtual Console nor movie services like Netflix at launch. The Wii (not Wii U but the original Wii) had all of that though. A web browser, multiple on demand services including BBC iPlayer and Netflix, an online store that allowed you to downloadable games direct t…

Another data point: the Switch will facilitate voice chat by the use of a smartphone app: https://www.reddit.com/r/NintendoSwitch/comments/5nv1ht/conf... Chat is a function served by many, many applications and devices, of course, but it doesn't seem strange for games and system makers to provide dedicated in-game/system chat even in the face of Discord. Granted, chat is much more integral to a game than Netflix or e…

This is what made me hold off on preordering.

It seems so ill-conceived, and I can't imagine how it will work. Does in-game audio get piped to your phone? If not, what are you supposed to do? Have two sets of earbuds, one from your phone and one from the device?

Also, what's with the console's lack of an ethernet port? Everything I've seen suggests that Nintendo did not prioritize online play when designing the Switch.

Re: Nintendo Switch review: pure potential

#338

Post by voltagex_ »

cloakandswagger wrote: post #337
danso wrote: post #313

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Another data point: the Switch will facilitate voice chat by the use of a smartphone app: https://www.reddit.com/r/NintendoSwitch/comments/5nv1ht/conf... Chat is a function served by many, many applications and devices, of course, but it doesn't seem strange for games and system makers to provide dedicated in-game/system chat even in the face of Discord. Granted, chat is much more integral to a game than Netflix or e…

This is what made me hold off on preordering. It seems so ill-conceived, and I can't imagine how it will work. Does in-game audio get piped to your phone? If not, what are you supposed to do? Have two sets of earbuds, one from your phone and one from the device? Also, what's with the console's lack of an ethernet port? Everything I've seen suggests that Nintendo did not prioritize online play when designing the Switc…

Have Nintendo ever prioritised online play?

Re: Nintendo Switch review: pure potential

#339

Post by ClassyJacket »

givinguflac wrote: post #34
bryanlarsen wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

According to reviews, it depletes the battery faster than it can be charged so a powerbank won't expand life as much as it should.

No, it can charge while playing when using the official adapter. It's just that people were using low-rated battery packs. USB C can support up to 100W, the Switch charger is 45W, so if you're using a pack that doesn't output more than 10-20% of that, obviously you'll have slow charging and probably not enough to sustain playing and charging simultaneously. I'm not worried, I'm almost never away from power for more t…

But the Switch downclocks the GPU greatly in portable mode, so it consumes less power. If it does that, and charges but a bit slower, you won't need a 45W battery pack.

Re: Nintendo Switch review: pure potential

#340

Post by MAGZine »

M_Grey wrote: post #245
MAGZine wrote: post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nintendo has a history of doing quirky things, in an effort to differentiate themselves. They've always been innovative. - Directional Pad (NES) - Shoulder buttons on controller (SNES) - third handle on a controller and controllers with expansion slots (N64) - portable gaming systems (starting with gameboy, which didn't even have a backlit screen) - subsequent iterations that included: folding designs (SP), Touch scr…

You can really divide that list into two distinct eras: Era 1: Nintendo is the head of the pack in software and hardware, and not afraid to try new things. -NES -Gameboy -SNES -Partly N64 -DS Transitional period: Gamecube. At this point it's pretty clear that Sony is bringing things to the table that Nintendo is struggling to match. It's not a bad console, the GC, and it ends up being almost laughably affordable, but…

I'm not really sure I agree. I think the eras you've chosen are pretty contrived.

If the gimmicks that "muck up the same handheld" aren't worth anything, then the vita should have captured a large segment since it had virtually no gimmicks and just solid hardware. Not the case.

Nintendo's portables have added a lot. Please don't tell me that juice is "essentially just water with some flavor gimmicks." yes, everyone is iterating. No, nobody knows what will ultimately pan out and what won't. If you want Mario on PS then say so, but Nintendo is genuinely trying to innovate and think differently. Move and Kinnect are gimmicks. Nintendo will happily devote a generation to do something interesting.

The day Nintendo gives that up and makes an x86 platform running expensive hardware with no "gimmicks" is the day they become a primarily a software developer.

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