They don't. Well, perhaps better to say they don't rule out a downclock. Same thing, though, depending on where you are starting from.
The "charging and providing power to the system" part is worded somewhat infuriatingly.
Nintendo: Switch dock only for charging and TV-out, Amiibo support, no commt on touch
- Thread starter hohoXD123
- Start date
They don't. Well, perhaps better to say they don't rule out a downclock. Same thing, though, depending on where you are starting from.
The "charging and providing power to the system" part is worded somewhat infuriatingly.
Oh man, first the (confirmed?) disappointment of not being able to use both screens at once at home and now also the added possible disappointment that the pad might not even have any touch capabilities? Nintendo is making some weird decisions again if true. You never make a successor to a system that loses key features - features that most people associate with Nintendo at this point, like touch screens.
I really had hoped Nintendo would find a way to let me play 3DS and Wii U games on this thing, as ports or natively in 3DS's case, but it's looking less and less likely. Not being able to play something like Super Mario Maker (2) on Switch would be a real bummer as well.
I mean, what features will they sell this system on except for being able to switch between a limited handheld (limited in terms of 3D, touch screen, etc.) and a limited home console (limited in power possibly due to small size of unit and no boost while docked)? Aren't they risking being masters of none here?
Edit: one way to solve some of my issues is if they'd allow us to use the Wii U's Gamepad while the Switch is in docked mode. That way we'd have two screens at once as well as touch functionality. Doubt this will happen though.
I really had hoped Nintendo would find a way to let me play 3DS and Wii U games on this thing, as ports or natively in 3DS's case, but it's looking less and less likely. Not being able to play something like Super Mario Maker (2) on Switch would be a real bummer as well.
I mean, what features will they sell this system on except for being able to switch between a limited handheld (limited in terms of 3D, touch screen, etc.) and a limited home console (limited in power possibly due to small size of unit and no boost while docked)? Aren't they risking being masters of none here?
Edit: one way to solve some of my issues is if they'd allow us to use the Wii U's Gamepad while the Switch is in docked mode. That way we'd have two screens at once as well as touch functionality. Doubt this will happen though.
Im still convinced it has a touch screen. If not, that would be maybe Nintendos most stupid cost cutting measure ever. Everything has touch screens these days. It needs it if only for the web browser to be good. I doubt they are ditching miiverse as well.
They just wanted to emphasize that its not a touch gaming device in the reveal.
From WikiPedia:
"By 2025, more than half of US households are expected to have a 4K-capable TV (2160p), which would be a much faster adoption rate than that of FullHD"
That's a wee bit of time to worry about it IMO.
Yeah, let's hope they simply didn't show it because they wanted to focus on the removable controller components and the docking functionality.
julesodies
Member
Curious about the weight. If its heavy, no way it will have a touch screen. A little kid is supposed to handle it with 1 hand
UnemployedVillain
Member
According to who? And why would they?
Pancake Mix
Copied someone else's pancake recipe
I'm not sure why people thought there would be secret sauce in the stand, that was absurd and reminds me of the "second GPU in Xbox One Kinect" crap. The thing isn't going to be cheap as it is.
Maybe the stand will tell the system to overclock since it's not on battery and the fan kicks in (or runs faster if it is used while on the go). That's quite possible.
Waaait, I thought touch was confirmed? A handheld device without touch might be a tough sell, in my opinion.
Especially as I felt this thing could be a nice tablet alternative due to its removable controller units (if Nintendo ups their OS game). Furthermore, that would complicate many potential WiiU/DS/3DS ports.
Especially as I felt this thing could be a nice tablet alternative due to its removable controller units (if Nintendo ups their OS game). Furthermore, that would complicate many potential WiiU/DS/3DS ports.
Captain Europe
Member
Poor choice of words, now is not the time to be vague.
Seems like Nintendo is marketing this to young adults. So that doesn't really matter all that much.
Seems like Nintendo is marketing this to young adults. So that doesn't really matter all that much.
Thats what most people speculate and imo still likely.
Hmm... so it's more of a handheld with video output than a truly hybrid system.
The biggest problem is that it's very lilkely this will fall into the problem that Wii and WiiU faced interms of support. It's not gonna be able to keep up with the current gen consoles and be left behind interms of 3rd party support.
But actually, this probably makes the most sense for nintendo.
Their home console business has collasped, and it's gonna be almost impossible to regain marketshare from sony and MS, even if there was spec equality. so focusing on the handheld niche makes a lot of sense. Especially since Sony is likely to make a vita 2
What is this nonsense? Define a "truly" hybrid system for me, I would argue that we've never had one. Switch is designed for multiple play styles in diverse settings with adaptable controls and potentially scalable resolution. That is a hybrid to me. Whatever else you have in mind that is the "true" hybrid doesn't currently exist.
Also LOL @ the idea of a vita 2.
Sure, the actual information likely came from someone with an accent like Lois Griffin who was constantly talking about the dock being the "power sauce" for the tablet, while the journalist automatically thought it was MERELY the "power source".
Pancake Mix
Copied someone else's pancake recipe
It really is an ingenious design. Saves battery power by leaving some power on the table so to speak when on the go, but provides the beef only a modern system requiring active cooling can give as a console when slotted into it's cradle.
But the dock itself was never going to be more than a dock, obviously.
Let's be real. There's absolutely 0% chance this thing is going to be 199$. I'd be first in line if it were, but that's exactly why it's not going to happen. It would be too crazy of a value proposition that simply isn't feasible if Nintendo wants to make a profit.
And i'm still baffled at the people trying to find meaning in the casual wording of 'providing power'. I mean christ, this is just how people talk, they aren't purposefully putting out riddles to hint at something. It's clear as day.
And i'm still baffled at the people trying to find meaning in the casual wording of 'providing power'. I mean christ, this is just how people talk, they aren't purposefully putting out riddles to hint at something. It's clear as day.
10/10
You just said yourself that the dock will ONLY be about charging... I think that's still the case.
What? I meant to say Nintendo wont go into technical details that most people wont notice. I think it will upclock for higher tv resolution, but Nintendo wont talk about it because its to technical.
Pancake Mix
Copied someone else's pancake recipe
We're saying that the dock can probably tell the system itself to overclock and start actively cooling.
All it's doing is providing a power source, a video out, and perhaps USB connectivity of some kind. Any charger could send the Switch the same signal about overclocking, but the dock design makes sure the fan isn't blocked when the Switch is resting in it.
Hardware down clocking when in tablet mode makes sense, esoecially considering the tablet is only 720P.
Although if the switch aims for 720P across all games as the default resolution and simply reduce graphical co olexity in tablet mode then atleast in TV modr it might be able to get games that look closer to current gen standards (at 730P obvs)
Although if the switch aims for 720P across all games as the default resolution and simply reduce graphical co olexity in tablet mode then atleast in TV modr it might be able to get games that look closer to current gen standards (at 730P obvs)
BlazingDarkness
Member
I wonder if we can charge the tablet with a separate adapter and not rely on the dock? If not then it's not truly a console/handheld hybrid, is it? Because after X hours we'd need the dock again, not very practical.
I have some hope that the NS would fair better than the WIi U but it all depends on whether it can replace the allure of the DS/3DS line, so far I'm unconvinced of that, partly because of the above and partly because it's pretty big and I'd be worried it would get stolen if I was walking about with it!
And it's not going to be 199 people!! Going in that low is basically selling it as the budget alternative to PS4/Xbox, which might be great for big launch numbers but those numbers will quickly drop to nothing once PS4/Xbox start being regularly sold at that price too, because it will have a perceived lesser value as a product. It's always start high and go low with these things.
I have some hope that the NS would fair better than the WIi U but it all depends on whether it can replace the allure of the DS/3DS line, so far I'm unconvinced of that, partly because of the above and partly because it's pretty big and I'd be worried it would get stolen if I was walking about with it!
And it's not going to be 199 people!! Going in that low is basically selling it as the budget alternative to PS4/Xbox, which might be great for big launch numbers but those numbers will quickly drop to nothing once PS4/Xbox start being regularly sold at that price too, because it will have a perceived lesser value as a product. It's always start high and go low with these things.
UnemployedVillain
Member
We don't know. We only know the "main" function and the fact Nintendo won't comment on anything else
BlazingDarkness
Member
Well we do kind of know, it's right there in the OP
'The main unit of Nintendo Switch is the unit that has the LCD screen'
So the handheld unit is where the guts of the system are, no two ways about it.
Feels like some people are being wilfully confused by all of this, Nintendo isn't being especially vague in my opinion, it's pretty clear.
NoHeDidn't
Member
So its basically an updated Nividia shield with hdmi out and those side controllers that will run 1st party Nintendo games plus 3rd party?
Yes, but there is the possibilities, that Nintendo would have a power-up station (they NEED to call it that way!) as an update feature in the future.
In the most basic form, yes. But i guess, there will be more to come. Nintendo just tried to sell the basic idea to core gamers with the trailer. That's why we didn't see touch-screen and motion-control features, the things this target-group hates.
I'm reading providing power as just... electricity power. I guess it can run faster when plugged in as it's no longer concerned with battery so my guess is that'd be how it operates. Sorta downclocks when off the dock to preserve battery.
Do we want touch because everything has it right now?
One thing I used to rue about the Vita was how it crammed so much into it. Camera, two touch panels, full social media functions.
Don't know about you but I'm starting to move away from convergence and toward specialisation again.
Strip back, make it do great games, don't overload it with functionality, job done. If I want to do phone type activities, I'll whip my phone out.
One thing I used to rue about the Vita was how it crammed so much into it. Camera, two touch panels, full social media functions.
Don't know about you but I'm starting to move away from convergence and toward specialisation again.
Strip back, make it do great games, don't overload it with functionality, job done. If I want to do phone type activities, I'll whip my phone out.
BlazingDarkness
Member
Yeah that's exactly what they mean by 'power', hence why it is mentioned in the same breath as charging the unit.
Probably. Or a very good fake that guessed a lot right. Most likely true.
Yes, we want it for cool gameplay ideas, ports of mobile games and a user friendly UI.
MoogleWizard
Member
You can remove the physical controls, which basically leaves you with a tablet. It would be incredibly dumb for this tablet-like thing not to have a touch screen. How will I type on the internet browser or miiverse without a touchscreen? Plus, Nintendo's mobile developer will likely make games for it, again those would need touch.
wait what.
You can't even buy 720p TVs anymore unless you look for one really really hard.
720p looks pretty shitty on 1080p. And 4k TV price is dropping like rocks.
And yet it's not, since it comes with its own controller meaning you don't have to sit in front of your tv with a cable connecting the handheld to the tv. There is also still a chance that performance could be better when docked (due to being clocked higher). And the biggest advantage to the console side, which you are gravely forgetting, is the games catalog.
You must be really crazy if you believe it wouldn't be touchscreen, of course it will.
Don't know why theyu even asked that.
A touch screen would be silly not to have, for web browsing, miiverse etc and it would add minimal cost.
I think Nintendo didnt show it because they wanted to emphasize its not a touch gaming Device.
With a 720p display and that kind of bulk? No, not a chance.
Acquiescence
Member
Any mention yet about whether it's region-locked or not?
If it isn't region-free, I'll be legit aghast at that decision.
If it isn't region-free, I'll be legit aghast at that decision.
While we all are saying the device stream 720p on the TV.
Where did nintendo saying that?
Because I'm reading other rumors...
720p display doesn't mean 720p output
Yes, they wanted to step away from wii/wiiu and 3ds.
Showing touchscreen already or the motion/force feedback, would give people the wrong idea/message
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