Hope this means Bluetooth headsets should connect no problem. But who knows at this point..
Voice chat on the Switch will consist of a paid app on "smart" devices (your phone)
- Thread starter Trojita
- Start date
Hope this means Bluetooth headsets should connect no problem. But who knows at this point..
Lots of console OS software is half baked and missing features at release. We should never forget what a shameful state the PS3 system software was in at launch.
orthodoxy1095
Banned
This still doesn't justify not having chat on the console though, and more importantly, I have absolutely no faith in Nintendo doing all of that properly. It sounds way too modern, interconnected and involved for them
PS3 thankfully, like the Switch at least for now, didn't have the gall to charge for anything.
There are people defending this. Of course there are people defending this.
You should not have to have a third party piece of hardware to access a core function of the system. I should not have to make sure my phone is next to me whenever I want to organise a multiplayer session. These problems were solved a decade ago.
You're already paying for online multiplayer and they still expect you to use your own device to pick up the slack for the social elements. It's absolutely backwards.
You should not have to have a third party piece of hardware to access a core function of the system. I should not have to make sure my phone is next to me whenever I want to organise a multiplayer session. These problems were solved a decade ago.
You're already paying for online multiplayer and they still expect you to use your own device to pick up the slack for the social elements. It's absolutely backwards.
And that was a decade ago, expectations change.
This still doesn't justify not having chat on the console though, and more importantly, I have absolutely no faith in Nintendo doing all of that properly. It sounds way too modern, interconnected and involved for them
PS3 thankfully, like the Switch at least for now, didn't have the gall to charge for anything.
I hate subscriptions, and I have very little interest in online multiplayer, that said, since it is a paid service, if no one continues with the service after the trial period is up, they will have incentive to improve it.
I'm a bit disappointed that they won't have streetpass and haven't announced anything quirky in its place. Probably cause whatever it is it will be rolled into their online service.
Wickerbasket
Member
I'm trying to believe that Nintendo isn't this stupid.
The whole point of voice chat being built into a console's OS is so I don't NEED to phone my friends.
They may as well be telling people to use the Skype app on their phone, which would also be a stupid idea.
The whole point of voice chat being built into a console's OS is so I don't NEED to phone my friends.
They may as well be telling people to use the Skype app on their phone, which would also be a stupid idea.
Fox Mulder
Member
Hahaha.
This is awful.
This is awful.
I was wondering ghe same thing lol
Cave Johnson
Member
What the hell is going on with Nintendo? They've gone haywire since Iwata left (bless his soul).
PS3 also launched over 10 years ago.
I suppose the app is focussed more on the "organizing" aspect like scheduling, inviting friends from the friendlist, write some notes or messages etc. I see it as something like the PlayStation App. Maybe you can join the voice chat via the app as well.
The voice chat functionality has to be explained a bit more indeed. However, I still think that Voice Chat will still be integrated into the system in some way. Playing the game while having the phone on speakers is a weird concept.
Yep, software gets better with time, revisions, and updates. I am sure that the Switch OS software and online service, that no one has seen, but everyone has decided will be terrible will get better over time too.
Unless people think that since it is now 2017 software would come out in a perfect state at release.
I am no fan of pay for online services, but we should at least see it and try it before we tear it apart. No?
DrROBschiz
Member
Still a bummer that they dont have the option baked in at the hardware level though
Pro Controller and Joy Cons do not have an audio jack
Best we can hope for is that Wireless headsets will be supported but they are already well under the standard as far as options at this point
Being tethered to a damn Cell phone at all is fucking stupid and shows their unwillingness provide a robust featureset
I mean the concept of an app that would be complimentary to integrated lobbies/voice chat is nice but that's really not what I'm getting from Reggie here :
Add to that the fact that there are no headphone jacks on any of the controllers and it's not looking too good.
I hadn't considered that. In the worst case, one would have to additionally invest into more bandwidth and higher data caps.
DrROBschiz
Member
you know what have been better reggie? A mic built into the damn system itself like the WiiU fucking had
The console is out in less then 2 months. It's Nintendo's job to make sure everything that needs to be known is known.
If Nintendo can't show what people expect so close to launch, that's their problem.
I am under no obligation to keep an open mind for any console maker. It's up to them to make me want their product.
But this is where it get even more insidious, but bear with me to the end here. If you're an older teenage or an adult buying the Switch, meh whatever. But if you're buying one for your young kid, well... you're gonna need two phones...
It's a paid phone app, which means it will require parental permission. So the parent will do that on the kid's phone. And if that's the case, why not have it connect to the master app account on the parent's phone as well, for further verification?
The trap is set. Because now you have an app that is directly connected to your kid's app. You can see when they log on to Switch Network, what they're playing, etc. Even more, if they're chatting via voice or text. That last bit can't be done on XBL or PSN easily, if at all, but Nintendo's method makes it completely natural.
And now if that's the case, maybe the app will let you see their texts, or hear their conversations in real time, or even transcribe their voice into text, if Nintendo is renting voice-to-text capabilities from Google or Amazon.
I KNOW but it's not that crazy; remember last gen some sports games used to fire players from their single player coaching because of profanity over the mic.
Of course, this could all be way past Nintendo's level of care, but hey.
Jonneh3003
Banned
This is important to remember before freaking out
Who am I kidding the freak out happened ages ago.
Who am I kidding the freak out happened ages ago.
DrROBschiz
Member
You know whats crazy about Reggies statement
He harps about how inconvenient bringing Headset/Headphones with you is despite headphones being shown in the first god damn ad
I seriously hate him sometimes
He harps about how inconvenient bringing Headset/Headphones with you is despite headphones being shown in the first god damn ad
I seriously hate him sometimes
If only there was a way for them to get this info out... Like a platform unvielling or something like that.
Remember when Nintendo showed the wiiu for the first time and lots of people didn't know it was a new console? Whos fault was that? It was Nintendo's . It's up to them to make sure they have a simple and clear message.
If it's not (and switch reveal was not good) it's up to them to fix it.
th3sicknness
Member
More importantly does the switch have a built in mic? Or does it require a head set like other games.because it sounds like you are leveraging your cell phones mic to speak. Great we have to manage two sets of batteries now.
Trying to wrap my head around this... So I'll have a game playing on my switch and I'll be using a headset while in portable mode... Then I'll need my earbuds from my phone to hear voice chat ?
I'm assuming it will work like the parental controls app they showed. Where you essentially can schedule group chats and game appointmets and the switch takes over. I hope that is what they mean. This route makes it like a meet up without leaving the house.
Trying to wrap my head around this... So I'll have a game playing on my switch and I'll be using a headset while in portable mode... Then I'll need my earbuds from my phone to hear voice chat ?
I'm assuming it will work like the parental controls app they showed. Where you essentially can schedule group chats and game appointmets and the switch takes over. I hope that is what they mean. This route makes it like a meet up without leaving the house.
Audioboxer
Member
Yeah but, seriously, how to PR 101. Are we back in 1st year business School? The whole thing reeks of "we don't know what the fuck we're doing". If you have system-wide voice chat you don't go announcing an app without announcing the former first.
Chances are the OS is complete and utter underdeveloped trash, and instead of busting a gut to fix it Nintendo is just outsourcing to some mobile app development team to have something to say "this makes it worth you paying us a monthly fee.... lol".
DrROBschiz
Member
We dont even know if the switch Audio port supports more than stereo bands.... I really hope you can hook a headset to it
Wireless headset support wouldnt hurt either
DrROBschiz
Member
It looks super bare bones right now
Which is kind of a plus considering how slow and bad the WiiU OS was
That said... still no confirmation on hardware that could support voice chat natively on the system and thats literally a step back from the WiiU tablet
th3sicknness
Member
Is that really a step back ?? You couldn't even do voice chat in most games on the Wii u. Mario kart only had it active in the lobby and not during gameplay.
Jimmyfenix
Member
If only Nintendo had a presentation to give out important information like this and not spend time teaching us how to milk a cow
DrROBschiz
Member
Its a step back because the hardware and the option was there
We have ZERO confirmation that native voice chat can even be done on the switch at all
Need to know what kind of audio port it has at the top.... no built in mic and what wireless accessories it can support
SO yes.... A STEP BACK
Neuromancer
Member
I've been doing voice chat on consoles since the PS2 network adapter came out in 2002. What a magical world 2017 is.
Honestly I have no incentive to use a smartphone app, especially a paid one for basic features that a console should have.
But I totally expect that it will be mandatory to use with MP games like Splatoon and MK and that would be totally annoying.
Well, they didn't. So why are you blaming the customers for something that a company doesn't want to clarify?
That's a good point, I'm curious about this now.
Nintendo had a full conference and follow-up streams, press hands on and everything and didn't clarify this thing one bit. Reggie could have said one very simple sentence to clarify this: "You can use voice chat without the smartphone too".
But I totally expect that it will be mandatory to use with MP games like Splatoon and MK and that would be totally annoying.
Well, they didn't. So why are you blaming the customers for something that a company doesn't want to clarify?
That's a good point, I'm curious about this now.
Nintendo had a full conference and follow-up streams, press hands on and everything and didn't clarify this thing one bit. Reggie could have said one very simple sentence to clarify this: "You can use voice chat without the smartphone too".
You just unsold the switch to every kid I know, lol.
Audioboxer
Member
But remember Nintendo live in the clouds that consist of the fear everyone on the internet is a paedophile out to abuse the children.
All while they fail to realise a ton of kids are now growing up on PlayStations and Xboxes because like it or not kids are playing FIFA, BF, COD and Overwatch. Gaming in general thanks Nintendo for the perfect storm of the Wii introducing a ton of new people to gaming, and then chunks of these new gamers started to ask questions about what it is like on PlayStations and Xboxes, and Sony/MS to their credit nail social gaming/social media interactions.
Nintendo still behave like voice chat = the equivalent of phoning a sex chat up line. Better bar it behind an app cause those sweet innocent kids don't have smartphones, right.... well, maybe they don't. But really they do, cause parents buy kids smartphones. Sorry Nintendo. The paedophiles and predators win. Get with the times and sort your damn OS out and don't embarrass yourselves by the end of 2017 having your voice chat behind a PAYWALL phone APP.
DrROBschiz
Member
Yeah you know how EVERYone else deals with this? Parental controls and user account restrictions
I just bought my Kids Fire Tablets for xmas and its NOT hard to solve these issues with software
Audioboxer
Member
Yup, I mean Nintendo even have parental controls, which EVERY respectable company should have for parents to be mindful of the fact there are problems online. Even in amongst my rhetoric above, I know this.
However, Nintendo at times is just so far behind the curve. Like a bunch of adults in boardrooms that have been teleported from the 1950's to the modern day. They seem to want to make money but continue to make it terribly obtuse to be social on their platforms. As much as Sony get flak for all their focus on social media and sharing at the beginning of this generation, it paid off. General run of the mill consumers are indoctrinated by Twitter/FB and interacting online. Just the times we live in.
Even if you're a bit of a hermit SP gamer like myself, I still understand the value of the console needing to support the masses of gamers streaming on Twitch/YT and talking all the time whilst playing their games.
MikeE21286
Member
Why the hell does Nintendo demand being so confusing. This is the most backwards nonsense.
My Nintendo
Smartphone apps
Then layer on all the different pieces and parts with the system.
Joy-cons
Hubs
Pro controllers
Charging grips
.....
Just so much
My Nintendo
Smartphone apps
Then layer on all the different pieces and parts with the system.
Joy-cons
Hubs
Pro controllers
Charging grips
.....
Just so much
Devilgunman
Member
Nintendo has a decade to catch up with Sony and MS. They couldn't do it with the WiiU and they're still not able to do it with the Switch. There is really no excuse to not have this at launch.
Nose Master
Member
Welp, so much for nintendo not being completely clueless about online this time.
I'm holding on to Occam's razor. None of it makes sense so the likelihood is it isn't correct.
The problem is, Occam's razor would also lead us to follow only the evidence. And the only actual evidence is the vague and confusing communication Nintendo has given so far.
Alrigh... this is so damn stupid. But anyway, they mention plug in your earbuds and go. So... why not plug those earbuds with a mic, that a lot of phones use, in the switch. No clunky headset either nor having to use another device next to the switch. Why is this so hard for them to do?
JetSetRadio
Banned
They really want their shit on your phone don't they?
Devilgunman
Member
Then what are you gonna do when you dock the Switch to the TV? Have a 6-foot earbud run across the room?This could be solved easily if Nintendo just copy DS4 and add headphone jack to the Joy-Con but of course they didn't.
DrROBschiz
Member
Because they are dumb?
We are still awaiting confirmation that the audio jack on the top can even support a Mic
brochiller
Member
I will say that managing your friends list and appointments from your phone is a great idea. Having a touch screen to interact with while the console is docked is easier than using buttons.
But there is no excuse for HAVING to use your phone for voice chat.
DrROBschiz
Member
Oh sure Im not against the App itself at all
Sony does this with the PSN app and Remote play etc...
Its just that its not a replacement for Native features like you said