Nintendo Switch

[Serguei2]

3 hour battery life! And they had the nerve to constantly bash the Atari Lynx regarding poor battery life

 

http://www.appy-gamer.com/Web/ArticleWeb.aspx?regionid=4&articleid=75718488&source=drive

 

Still better than Turbo Express.

[Keatah]

The problem here is that I just can't tell who this is marketed at. Obviously it's not the hardcore gamer/teens/young adult. Nintendo were smart enough to know that nothing they could produce now could compete with the Xbone and PS4. But it's not aimed at kids either. Parents will take one look at that and think JEEZUS! One more thing for little Timmy/Sally to break. The combined controller also looks like it'll be too big for small hands.

 

Maybe it's aimed at the fat ass welfare dump living in an apartment. The type of apartments that have 4 low-class barely-running 90's luxo cars registered per unit and where everything smells of cat piss and floral detergent.

 

Windows being covered with bedsheets and the trash can being in the living room. Or *is* the living room itself!

 

After all, the reveal spot represents and demonstrates the type of life those dwellers would LIKE to live. And that's how advertising works. Depict how the target wants to do something, along with your product.

 

And when the target's brain puts 2+2 together it forms the belief that by buying the product it'll be living that lifestyle!

[Tickled_Pink]

My daughter's owned a DS of some kind (usually several at once - she currently has a 3DS and DSXL, plus we still have both our original DSes somewhere) from the age of 3 and recently asked if I could set up the Wii for her again. It's in the attic and I've set up one of my spare 360s in her bedroom instead so she can play Assassin's Creed (she loves those games and is stoked about the movie). So she's grown up playing virtually nothing but Nintendo until recently. Is she interested in the Switch? Not in the slightest.

 

I'm afraid that this will be Nintendo's final console before they give up altogether. The DS line is still going well but that's not going to keep going forever. A mistake was not offering backward compatibility so that current DS players could transition to the new console and even play their old games on a TV. THAT would have been a strong selling point. As it is, there's simply no real reason to get one unless Zelda gives you wet dreams and you want Mario's babies.

Edited October 21, 2016 by Tickled_Pink

[bretthorror]

3 hour battery life is about what I had expected anyways, for real, if you're on even your cell phone for 3 hours straight, it's gonna die. I don't think it's ideal for a handheld gaming system, but it is what it is. I never expected much more. I've never really bought into playing a game on a bus or whatever, not being able to save and resume at any point is a shitty drawback of the portable ideal. To me, a portable system is what you take to your friend's or grandma's house so you have a system to play away from home or on a long car ride. That's always been how I viewed portables. I don't really see the point in playing a game for 10 minutes and having to stop when you get to school or work, etc. I'm sure some people do it, but that's what the dumb cell phone games can excel at.

 

I kind of broke the Switch's negative points down because I'm so used to be disappointed by Nintendo. I don't care if every other outlet and person is eating it up. Everyone eats everything up when it's announced like a bunch of mindless fools and then wanna file lawsuits No Man's Sky style because they're idiots who never paid attention in the first place. I'm trying to figure out all the way this system is gonna inevitably disappoint from jump street. I'm not gonna get a hard-on for third party shit because there's some at launch like there's always been until the third parties give up and abandon Nintendo. I hope this trend is broken here, but even so, if the PS4 version is better, why would I buy the Switch version? The only reason I can think of is if it's not too glaring, to support Nintendo because it's just more fun to do, and also the prospect of maybe in the future having a portable version of X game instead of being stuck with only a home version on PS4. It's all grasping at straws, like using the Wii U tablet if your TV is in use. Really, in 2016, who only has one TV?

 

I like the idea of the split controller, as tiny as it looks, for if you NEED it to play with two players in a car or whatever is good, but if it takes away from the overall comfort of the stock controller, then I think it's a hindrance rather than a blessing. If the controller is comfortable, I am 100% down with the Switch. I'll even be 100% down if 100% of the games are compatible with the Pro controller.

 

-----

 

Side note - I wonder how many people who say "come on, does the battery life really need to be more than 2 hours? Do you really play games in long sessions?" actually plays modern games or games in general. How many times in modern gaming do you play a game for 20 minutes? It just doesn't happen. 5 minutes is loading, why bother!? Cut scenes and all that take up time, then you gotta do a mission... these games are designed to be played in long bursts.

[Keatah]

You know what else really bugged me, right from the start? The young man in the first segment on the couch playing Zelda 2017. His dog really wants to go for a walk. So the young man PICKS UP HIS GAME SYSTEM, TAKES IT WITH HIM, AND CONTINUES HIS STUPID GAME while the dog takes a solitary shit in the urban park near their home. The young man keeps his attention on his electronic master, the Nintendo Switch. I guess Nintendo systems no longer encourage people to take frequent breaks anymore.

 

They're just identifying with the zombie-like behaviors exhibited by smartphone users and mobile gamers today.

[toiletunes]

Kennedy is looking into having a discussion with the executive vice president in charge of idea theft protection to see if it would be viable to sue Nintendo over cartridges.

[KidGameR186496]

Kennedy is looking into having a discussion with the executive vice president in charge of idea theft protection to see if it would be viable to sue Nintendo over cartridges.

FUCK Mike Kennedy

[toiletunes]

No, thank you.

[Gentlegamer]

 

Oh these ads and spots, there's nothing, absolutely nothing, that goes in unintentionally. Every single frame is scrutinized and retouched to perfection.

 

I'm pleased to know they agonized over perfecting the scene where the douche takes his Switch on a plane and instead of playing it like a handheld he whips out the kickstand to place it on the food tray.

[Keatah]

They did! Rest assured. A shot like so can easily take 2 days, more when you consider the false coloring added in. This isn't a 1-week start to finish toothpaste commercial.

[Keatah]

Kennedy is looking into having a discussion with the executive vice president in charge of idea theft protection to see if it would be viable to sue Nintendo over cartridges.

 

That's it! Mike Kennedy was mentioned. The kiss of death has arrived and the Switch will be a failure.

[toiletunes]

No no no, it wasn't me, it's all a big misunderstanding, I was talking about someone else, erm, uh,

Lee Kennedy,yeah that's it!

For the record, this is why I won't answer any questions.

Simple as that.

[Flojomojo]

That's it! Mike Kennedy was mentioned. The kiss of death has arrived and the Switch will be a failure.

I thought Jeff Minter was the system-killer?

[Osgeld]

just use some electrical tape, no one will notice

 

that still gets me, in this day and age where you can get anything laser cut, cnc milled, or 3d printed in less than a week, for a modest price, whats the weapon of choice, 99 cent roll of electrical tape ...WTH man

 

back on topic

 

reading other peoples comments of controller attachment durability considering everything N has made within the last 16 years is somewhat brittle with a thin paint job, it is a legitimate concern

Edited October 22, 2016 by Osgeld

[Zap!]

 

A seasoned and experienced crowd that knows what works.

 

And what is it that works? I've been playing games since the 70's and think this will be outstanding.

[Atariboy]

Why couldn't it work just like the DS screen configuration to the left? 3DS top screen on TV, Bottom on switch gamepad.

 

Because Switch isn't a dual screen game system. It's either tv with the screen in the dock with the HDMI port, or it's out and being used as a portable.

[godslabrat]

It's theoretically possible the screen will have enough resolution that both halves can be on the Switch screen simultaneously. If it's a touch screen (not confirmed and now looking unlikely) then it could function as a DS. This is actually not too far from what the 2DS does now.

[spacecadet]

Erm, not really, not to my mind. Do you really think the GameBoy smoked the Lynx or even the Game Gear on technology?

 

To your point, are you going to argue that *game design* is what led the Game Boy to victory over those machines? Not battery life, portability or price?

 

Also, are you conceding that the Switch is a handheld and should thus be judged by those criteria?

Edited October 22, 2016 by spacecadet

[Asaki]

As mentioned, going to be tricky trademarking a name like 'Switch'. Unless Nintendo always accompanies it. i.e.: The 'Nintendo Switch'.

Well...Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo, Nintendo 64, Nintendo DS, etc...sounds likely.

 

The Switch solves several problems for Nintendo. The first is a replacement for the dead Wii U. The second is a replacement for the dying off (of natural causes) 3DS.

Switch isn't replacing the DS line, though. They've stated multiple times.

 

A Big question remains untouched...is it region free?

None of their home consoles have been region-free, so it's seriously doubtful.

 

Yes, it it good job of showing off the system's functionality, but the idea that the target audience is a bunch hip millennials who are always on the move--whether walking dogs, taking business trips, playing b-ball, attending spontaneous rooftop parties, or filing into a stadium to watch Splatoon--was utterly absurd.

I know; it's got me wondering how the Japanese reveal compares.

Although, to be fair, it seems like "hip millennials" are a quickly growing majority in the US =|

 

Side note - I wonder how many people who say "come on, does the battery life really need to be more than 2 hours? Do you really play games in long sessions?" actually plays modern games or games in general. How many times in modern gaming do you play a game for 20 minutes? It just doesn't happen. 5 minutes is loading, why bother!? Cut scenes and all that take up time, then you gotta do a mission... these games are designed to be played in long bursts.

I would think if you really intended to have a 2-3 hour long session, you'd have it plugged into a TV, so the battery wouldn't even be an issue like it is with the WiiU.

 

However, I wonder how much fun it'll be when you've got two little half-controllers that I assume are both powered by an internal battery, and a message pops up telling you the power is low on one of them and you have to stop playing =) I'm assuming that the dock thing they attach to (not the screen) has a bigger battery built into it that they will draw off of, but I wouldn't be surprised if these are self-contained units that don't connect to anything physically, only wirelessly like that c-stick addon for the Old 3DS.

 

If it doesn't differentiate between hand-held, 3DS style releases and console exclusives, then the content could suffer. Will the games be hand-held games on a TV or console games ported to a hand-held? It will be interesting to see how Nintendo deals with that.

Personally, I feel like a lot of 3DS games try to be great big sit-down-on-the-couch experiences, more akin to console games than the DS/GBA games of previous generations. So I'm not expecting play style on the Switch to change much...I mean aside from losing all the Wii/U "gimmicks".

[Flojomojo]

To your point, are you going to argue that *game design* is what led the Game Boy to victory over those machines? Not battery life, portability or price?

 

Also, are you conceding that the Switch is a handheld and should thus be judged by those criteria?

I'm not really into arguing, but since you seem to be pushing the "I'm right, you're wrong" mode of discussion...

 

Yes, of course GameBoy dominated because of the quality and quantity of its software. It had action games, licensed games, multiplayer (with innovative/at-the-time) system link cables, it had long, involved JRPGs with battery saves. It had Mario, Zelda, and probably most importantly, Pokémon.

 

Battery life, price, and portability were important too, but they're pointless without a good software lineup. Games are the reason to buy a game player.

 

"Are you conceding that the Switch is a handheld and should thus be judged by those criteria?"

 

Objection, your honor! Spacecadet is leading the witness.

 

Look, I don't give a flying turkey how the Switch "should be judged." I'm not a Nintendo shareholder, I'm just a dork on a message board. Nintendo's stock slipped by 7% after the announcement, which is bad for them and signals the money isn't confident this will perform. I think it lives or dies because of the software it enables, full stop.

 

If it comes out with at least one amazing game (which I think is increasingly difficult to pull off in a crowded field), it'll be compelling. I like the idea of open-world Zelda, even though I'd likely never play such a thing through to completion.

 

Reasonable price and enough power to do interesting things needs to come standard. Otherwise, they could resign themselves to having a slow seller like 3DS or PS3, which took a while to take off. There's a real chance that Switch could be another belly flop like Wii U, but not dead-on-arrival roadkill like Virtual Boy.

 

The little green lights on the snap controllers seem to be battery indicators. I assume they charge off the main unit. There seem to be a lot of little fiddly bits to break on this system, but at least there's no spinning optical drive, and probably no ginormous power brick.

[KidGameR186496]

It's been confirmed that there's no backwards compatibility for both Wii U & 3DS and it's only a single-screen experience,aslo 2 days ago Epic Games and Unity Technology confirmed both Unity & Unreal Engine 4 support.

[Raticon]

cartridges.

Yeah. About that... When we were having the raging hurricane of a discussion early on in the RVGS thread there was at least some consensus that flash cartridges = ass for collectors because "data rot" making flash storage into useless chunks of plastic in the long run.

 

Any word from big N what type of tech powers these carts? Because if flash = poo for the RVGS then it would be equal poo for the Switch, but still so many people on social media and gaming press are so fired up about N ditching optical media and going for these carts that some make it look like the second coming of Christ.

[Atariboy]

It's theoretically possible the screen will have enough resolution that both halves can be on the Switch screen simultaneously. If it's a touch screen (not confirmed and now looking unlikely) then it could function as a DS. This is actually not too far from what the 2DS does now.

 

It's not a resolution issue. It's a quality of play issue.

 

Wii U already allows it for Virtual Console DS games with its 480p gamepad resolution, as shown by that screen capture of the option that would be necessary here. 3DS is only a minor jump in pixel density over that of the DS and it seems assured that the display here is 720p. So plenty of resolution to work with.

 

But Emily Rogers has also said that the screen here is the same size as that of the Wii U. And really, can it go much larger and even be practical? If anything it seems like it could end up a bit smaller. That's going to be a mighty small picture for both screens of a 3DS game when they're sharing that screen.

 

I can't speak for everyone of course, but I sure wouldn't bother utilizing the feature over my 3DS XL.

Edited October 22, 2016 by Atariboy

[Flojomojo]

The Nvidia Shield handheld from mid 2013 had a 5" 720p screen. It looked great at the time, if a little small. It cost $199. It would be cool if Nintendo can hit that price with better GPU specs in early 2017. Four years is a long time in mobile tech.

 

The Switch screen looks bigger than the 6.2" Wii U screen, it's more like 8" according to http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/10/how-big-is-the-nintendo-switch-an-ars-visual-analysis/... I think it will need to be 1080p to look nice at that size -- though games can get away with lower resolutions than things that need to be sharp for reading text.

[Atariboy]

It says 6.5" actually, and Emily Rogers recently said 6.2". So I imagine it's indeed equal in size to the Wii U's 6.2" display and that they're .3" off on their estimate.

 

Even if screen size isn't an issue with both displays sharing the Switch screen, there's still issues with touch functionality. With both screens centered in the middle, at their proper aspect ratio, and with the hinge area represented with a gap, something like the camera controls in Super Mario 64 DS are going to be well out of easy reach of your thumb if the Wii U gamepad that I was just holding is any indication.

 

Hopefully if people want it though, it will be supported. With the right display options, I'd even utilize it sometimes despite my skepticism and doubts about its usefulness. The option to hide the bottom screen and enlarge the upper display to as large as possible with respect to its original aspect ratio would work fine during gameplay for many DS/3DS games, for example.

 

But I can't see it ever supplanting my 3DS for games that rely on both displays simultaneously, games that depend on touch controls during gameplay, etc.

Edited October 22, 2016 by Atariboy