dartmonkey

Modest Tech: The NX Generation (Nintendo Switch)

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Yeah, they basically have enough space to put battery in up to the point of it being too heavy or expensive.

 

Possible scenarios where Mario Maker is released, and the editor ideally has a touch screen:
- The editor only works with the unit undocked, and to make up for the relative lack of content they include a ton of Nintendo-made levels. Maybe they even bundle in the inevitable New Super Mario Bros. game with the editor and other tilesets.

- The editor works on the TV, but you have to use a stupid mouse-cursor-on-analog-stick interface for it.

 

These are definitely not mutually exclusive. I really hope they do trojan horse the editor in with a new 2D Mario game, as those apparently sold a lot better than Super Mario Maker did.

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Surely couldn't the tablet part wirelessly connect to the dock to allow people to use the screen as a controller while seeing it on the TV? I'm sure they wouldn't want to focus on that and make it look like the Wii U 2, but I could see it being a feature.

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Alright, you lot have everything covered here, so all I need to point out is that Nintendo had better bring the goddamn colors at launch day. No drab grey, I want SPICE and GAMECUBE PURPLE or LIME GREEN, or I'm waiting this the heck out.

 

Alright, that's not entirely true. Money permitting, I'll get the Switch within the first year. I love what I'm seeing so far. This is all I ever wanted from the Wii U: a Nintendo tablet, both console and handheld. I don't think I'll miss the second screen. My experience with the Wii U second screen has been disappointing: it's rarely used in cool ways (Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush being the wonderful exception), and oftentimes it's used in strikingly awful ways. Have you tried watching Netflix on Wii U? It streams the programme or movie on both screens at the same time! What lunacy is that?

 

The Switch will definitely not play Wii U games. The architecture is too different in every conceivable way (both in chipset, power and physical properties). This was expected. The Wii U is Nintendo's legacy machine - the Switch is a new starting point. In fact, I'd kind of like it if they didn't flee into their now-standard nostalgia-wallowing on day one. Does anyone really need the hundredth version of Mario Bros? Let's be a little more neophilic here. I want new games and new experiences after three devices filled with virtual consoles.

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I think I'm OK if the battery life is only a few hours. I'd prefer longer battery life, sure, but the crazy portability of this thing is still killer even if I do need to camp out somewhere with an electrical outlet. Hell, I even like this about the Wii U and have been known to plug the damned unit in on Amtrak Trains and Greyhounds.

 

Once the Switch/Breath of the Wild bundle is announced, I'm preordering that jawn.

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6 hours ago, SuperBiasedMan said:

Surely couldn't the tablet part wirelessly connect to the dock to allow people to use the screen as a controller while seeing it on the TV? I'm sure they wouldn't want to focus on that and make it look like the Wii U 2, but I could see it being a feature.

 

Hypothetically, sure, but the dock would have to have some more hardware for this. Power, controller pairing and video out don't require it to be anything more than a specialized dongle, but doing mirroring would mean it needs its own processor/display controller/wifi card/etc, making it more expensive and a possible point of failure. It's basically the difference between the dock being a Steam Link and a USB hub.

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The Switch looks like it might be the next iteration of the Wii and maybe 3DS too. I am already pretty excited by the concept, even without knowing all the details

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I'm not sure about that - the Switch seems to be a clean break with the sort of technology that defined Nintendo hardware in the past. The 3DS at least, though you might be right about the Wii, should the Joy-Cons be motion-enabled. Even then, once you click them in the screen for portable mode, it won't operate at all like the Wii. More likely is that this is a new beginning for Nintendo with a new, clean hardware concept.

 

On another note, I've come to really like the hamburger stand that you keep the Switch in when playing on the tv. I dislike how the Wii U controller rests on a wobbly little piece of plastic where the screen has all the opportunity to gather dust. The one thing I'm concerned about is how vulnerable the Switch screen is, so it's a comforting idea that it has a robust toaster to keep it.

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If Nintendo consolidates it's handheld and home console markets in to one bigger audience then I could see sales being pretty decent, even for third party. Would be a smart move. There is the issue with too many 1st party games being on only one of the two Nintendo hardware currently so removing that obstacle would also be good for fans. Combine I can play all Nintendo made games where I want and give me some of my favorite console/PC indie and AAA games with ability to take them with me, that will turn heads.

 

The biggest if for me is what will the limitations be? Focusing on single screen eliminates a lot of backward compatibility options. There are rumors of weird stuff based on patents like a project that can show game related images in real world (because gimmick). Will the transition from dock to mobile be smooth and seamless as commercial makes it appear. Will there be any early Nintendo first party must have games? How good are Battery and internet on the go? What is the revamped Nintendo online service going to be like?

 

If the hardware executes on all the promises implied in the commercial and there are good enough games to warrant switching, they should do well enough. If the execution of the platform itself isn't there, they may have another struggle on their hands. That they are staying mum until the new year (less than 3 months before launch) is really strange and concerning. That Bethesda says they are partnering with Nintendo and worked with them on the video but would not confirm any game coming to Switch is also concerning. I don't understand what they hope to gain out of the lack of information. That said, I am firmly entrenched in the cautiously optimistic stage at the moment which is higher on it then I thought I would be.

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The slow trickle (or no trickle) of information is a completely deliberate move on Nintendo's part. This time around, they want to control communication exactly and will do anything to avoid muddying the perception of the machine. The trailer they released contains everything they want to audience to know at this point. We'll first have to simmer in this before they release details like screen resolution and interface. That's the sort of thing that, while important, doesn't sell the console to the wider audience. I expect we'll hear about these things in a month or so. Until then, they're doing a pretty good job: a lot of people are talking about the Switch and dreaming about its potential.

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They've said there are "more surprises" in context of the hardware specifically (at least that's how it read to me, but it could be a translation thing, as it was directed at investors). So I'm interested to hear what those are...

 

I mean I'm 100% going to get one of these things at launch because I am a Capitalist Pig, but I'm still excited to hear more. Especially about any exclusive games! That Mario, mmmmm.

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I haven't had a Nintendo machine since the DS and a Nintendo console since the 64, and I am surprisingly SO on board. I'm a bit dumbfounded at myself. Even knowing that there's an uphill battle to get the user base numbers to attract publishers, bad online, unoptimized system software, etc etc etc.

 

I'm not worried about low specs, especially with the hybrid-portable aspect. I played the shit out of "Wario Blast: Featuring Bomberman!" on the Super Game Boy snes hookup. We would play the 4-player matches endlessly. The Switch must be tapping into that deep nostalgia vein for me. I'll think of it as a portable console being played on my tv and then I won't think twice about the underpowered-ness of it.

 

I wanna chill on my bed and wander around Hyrule. I want to take my lunch break and play some online Mario Kart. I wanna play my first Animal Crossing thing.

 

I'm not worried about battery life, especially since I can't remember the last time I played a game for more than two hours before getting ancy. I get home, I throw it in the dock, then it's ready to go for the next day. Just another gadget that requires an overnight charge, right?

 

If the general reviews for the system are good, I'll be hopping on board.

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Just in: Nintendo is giving a big conference January 12th, streamed online. We'll hear more details then about pricing, games, launch date and hopefully technical specs. The odds are good they'll unveil all the little details then. In the days afterwards there's a big show in the Tokyo Big Sight for a general audience, so expect tons of impressions then.

 

On the downside, that leaves a good 2,5 months that we'll have to speculate or just forget this exists.

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AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

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Eurogamer bringing the hot scoops again today with a few technical details - obviously unconfirmed, but apparently from the same source(s) who pretty much nailed the basic design of the thing.

 

The short version: it's got a 6.2" capacitive multi-touch screen, and a IR zapper of some kind concealed in the right-hand Joycon. So it might not be as divorced from motion and touchscreen controls as we thought; but as the article suggests, it might be wise for them to downplay those aspects at this stage.

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I have a bad feeling that the supposed projector (found in patents) plus the IR pointer means a second screen with stylus will be possible to recreate. Ick.

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Ick? WONDERFUL! Dual screen is incredible when done well.

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How would that work, exactly? I doubt the projector will be able to produce anything resembling a coherent, useable second screen. And the console mode will work only when the Switch is docked, rendering its screen unfit for use.

 

Anyway, nice to see that report on Eurogamer! 6.2" screen at 720p. That's a huge improvement in resolution over the 3DS, where you can basically count the pixel. This should render everything sharp as a whistle. I have a bit of a hard time imagining how large exactly a 6.2" screen is in real life, I have no comparable devices at hand. From the images I'm guessing it's a bit bigger than a Vita screen. Wait, my Kindle Paperwhite is about 6" I believe...

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Ah fair point. The projector bit does seem odd, I agree. I suspect that - if it even shows up outside the patent (I'd be surprised!) - it's not intended to be used like a project in the way people traditionally think of using a projector, but... I mean, who knows. Nintendo's done weirder!

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For anyone who wants details about Le Switch, http://letsplayvideo games.com/ seems vital. They've been bang on with a lot of their rumors, and transparent when they aren't.

 

Quote

A source at Nintendo has confirmed to Let’s Play Video Games that the company doesn’t have any plans to support USB Hard Drives being connected to the Nintendo Switch Dock to expand system storage.

Nintendo’s concern internally is that allowing consumers to attach large external drives to the Dock will cause players to see the system as less inherently portable, harming their core branding for the system as a portable home console.

That's weird as shit, though. Ah yes my home (but portable!) console is less portable (in my home?).

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19 minutes ago, Justin Leego said:

How about expandable internal storage then?

 

Yeah microSD card would be sweet!

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