Reggie: Switch matchmaking and lobbies handled through phone app

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Nintendo used to be cutthroat, they used to play to win a long, long time ago. They're just plain ass backwards now. I'd pay out the ass for a normal high powered console that plays Nintendo games and has basic multimedia functionality
 
Pokemaniac said:
I really think people are making this out to be a much bigger deal than it probably actually is (mostly because Reggie explained it terribly, but still).

The phrasing on the official website heavily suggests that the app is only for what would be OS-level lobbies on the other platforms and that individual games will most likely still handle matchmaking by themselves. Unless someone from Nintendo comes out and say otherwise, that's most likely how this is going to end up working.
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people are mostly angry about needing a another device like a smart phone or tablet when the device that you just bought should be able to do this.
 
Why only drain one battery if you can drain two?

And just as a side note because I'm not sure I understand.

Will the actual game sound also come over the phone or just chat?
So lets say I want to play in a public space with only looking like a weirdo but being silent about it.
I have to put headphones with a mic into the phone and prop up the switch with the controller?
Or do I have to put headphones into the switch AND into my phone for voice chat?

Explain the elegance fans!
 
I'll say again, the only reason that makes sense to me is that they want as much processing power for games as possibe, and I would be fine with that, I want my metroid
lel
to look as good as possible. And IF the app is well made and has all the functionality it may not be as big a disaster as people think it will.

#bulkyheadsetgate can't be the real reason, and I just wish they'd trust and be more open with their fanbase
 
Sean said:
1. Not everyone owns a smartphone.
2. You are relying on an external device that may not always be available (lost/stolen/broken/in a repair shop = no Switch online for you).
3. Phone runs out of battery mid-game, you're probably booted out of your online session.
4. Many people install iOS/Android public betas, the app could potentially be broken on these beta OS's meaning these users cannot play online for months...
5. They are putting themselves in the hands of others - Apple's App Store goes on lockdown in like the last 2-3 weeks of December, and that's when there's most likely gonna be a problem if Switch (somehow) gets massive holiday sales. So they could be in a situation where they need to release an emergency app update and all the App Store employees are on Christmas vacation or whatever.
6. This ties up your phone. If you answer a phone call, it'll almost certainly end your online session (or at least the voice chat aspect).

Then there's the logistics of this...
7. You're not gonna be able to hold a cell phone to your ear while both hands are clutching a controller. So this leaves two options, headset or speakerphone.
8. Headset - the lightning earbuds included with the iPhone 7 block the charging port, so you are going to run into issue #3 (battery dying mid-game). Unless you buy a bluetooth headset, but then you run into more issues (hassles pairing / re-pairing the BT connection, another device to purchase, another device you have to monitor the battery levels of, etc.)
9. Speakerphone - is what most people will probably use and that sounds crappy. Since the phone is most likely going to be sitting on a coffee table or the other side of your couch, voices are going to be garbled as fuck, you're gonna hear the game noise on top of that, etc.


This is one of the worst ideas I've ever heard, not a single thing about this setup sounds the least bit appealing or convenient.
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Good points well made.
 
Joeshabadoo said:
EVEN IF THAT'S TRUE?! what, you think all these games that are coming at or a month from launch suddenly cant handle their own matchmaking?! Like somehow they're all going to have to communicate with an app which isn't even released yet, and once that app is released every single piece of software gets auto-patched so the online multiplayer is locked out unless you navigate through an app?



for goodness sake, you wont need to use two devices to play Mario Kart online. you'll only need to bust the phone app beginning late summer with the trial version if you wish to get a bunch of Switch console levels friends together in a private lobby, launch in to Kart with that party and chat throughout

do you people really have THAT low of an opinion of Nintendo and their approach? All it takes is one big wig using less than great wording in an interview and a Gafer deciding to create an alarmist negative vague thread based on incomplete info which suggests a situation which is beyond absurd?
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For anything to do with online features? YES. As recent as Mario Maker 3DS they've shown they have very little understanding of what the average gamer expects when it comes to anything online. The original Mario Maker is looking like more and more like it was some kind of freak accident in which they have no idea what made it so successful with a large online community.

It goes with out saying that Nintendo have been way off mark for just their overall console online features starting from the Gamecube.

Nintendo has a history of fucking up hard in this department, that makes it hard to see stuff like this Switch phone app in anything but a really bad light.

I mean just look at the one NES or SNES game a month they're offering for the paid online Switch service...a single ROM...a ROM that gets REVOKED after one month. Fucking lollll
 
Speely said:
As much as I dislike this as an enthusiast, I do still think there is a chance that this could be spun as a positive if the features and functionality are there.

I mean goddamn, GAF. Critical analysis is a good thing, but leave a little wiggle room.
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You're not allowed to have wiggle room, though. Lol. There's nothing wrong with saying this looks bad right now, but yeah we don't know everything because they could be alienating a group of people with this move.
 
Mike Golf said:
Dude you can place hopes on that, but as it stands Reggie's wording leaves no quams that this app is going to be the only way to use these online connection features. I honestly hope he mispoke and it gets clarified, but I just don't think so based off of how he said it.
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They still have to announce how much they are going to charge a month/year for the service so maybe they will clear up everything by then.

I'm actually surprised some people are okay with all of this. It's just so backwards. If Sony or Microsoft pulled this the reaction would be crazy.
 
Kebiinu said:
It's just based on the fact that it would make absolutely no sense, especially from how Nintendo has been advertising this as a home console. I assume Reggie was implying how it's for those "on the go" situations where you take the Switch. And I literally can't imagine Nintendo releasing a console in 2017 with an option for lobbys/etc on an app, and not their actual device.

This is just misinformation on a feature that hasn't even been discussed in detail yet. Just chill out, tbh. The only response anyone could say is, "Because Nintendo." and that shouldn't warrant all this commotion.

Oh well.
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This is how Trump got elected.
 
notaskwid said:
This is the company that announced it will literaly be renting one rom per month as a counter for charging for online services, so yes, I'm thinking worst case scenario everytime.
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what you're actually suggesting could be real is not a 'worst case scenario' it is a completely unprecedented and unrealistic suggestion that would involve all developers gating any/all online multiplayer behind separate app interaction.

JUST USE YOUR HEAD. the mere fact that a good number of games will be fully playable online before this app even exists means that an app will not ever be required for basic online match making at the software level. it will be required for private friend party/lobby set up and voice chat. period.

we still need to see the price of the service, the quality of the app and the ease of tethering bluetooth headset/mics to the app before any more griping is worthwhile or can get us anywhere
 
Another thing to consider in addition to freeing up system resources by not having chat/matchmaking on the console is that you could also be extending the already rather small battery life. I still think it's a stupid decision, but they could be thinking that they'd rather sacrifice online functionality for a better base system.
 
Devilinthiscity said:
They still have to announce how much they are going to charge a month/year for the service so maybe they will clear up everything by then.

I'm actually surprised some people are okay with all of this. It's just so backwards. If Sony or Microsoft pulled this the reaction would be crazy.
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I was *shocked* by how well Mario Maker 3DS sold. I'm not shocked by Nintendo zealots anymore (i consider myself a fan so I won't say "fans")
 
I can only imagine Nintendo's reasoning for doing this is because they want to keep the amount of RAM the OS uses at a bare minimum?
 
Kebiinu said:
It's just based on the fact that it would make absolutely no sense, especially from how Nintendo has been advertising this as a home console. I assume Reggie was implying how it's for those "on the go" situations where you take the Switch. And I literally can't imagine Nintendo releasing a console in 2017 with an option for lobbys/etc on an app, and not their actual device.

This is just misinformation on a feature that hasn't even been discussed in detail yet. Just chill out, tbh. The only response anyone could say is, "Because Nintendo." and that shouldn't warrant all this commotion.

Oh well.
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"Hope is the quintessential human delusion, simultaneously the source of your greatest strength and your greatest weakness.”

Right now, you're operating under the assumption that any of the games that launch between now and fall will have OS-level matchmaking or voice chat at all.
 
Spiral Insanity said:
This is how Trump got elected.
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Lmao, nothing intelligent to say. Got it.

Sho_Nuff82 said:
"Hope is the quintessential human delusion, simultaneously the source of your greatest strength and your greatest weakness."

Right now, you're operating under the assumption that any of the games that launch between now and fall will have OS-level matchmaking or voice chat at all.
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I'm not being overtly optimistic about anything relating to this news, I'm just not going to lose my mind like most of y'all when we haven't seen the full picture. Could be even worse, tbh. They haven't even discussed price yet. In the meantime, I'm comfortable assuming that we will have OS-level matchmaking at the very least, for those launch-fall games.
 
Wouldn't a more elegant solution be the ability to plug a headset into the Switch and use the console to facilitate matchmaking, group chat, etc? I don't want to use my phone for talking to people, setting up matchmaking and whatever else the Switch App does for various reasons. I don't want calls/texts/notifications interrupting me. I don't want my phone's battery to be drained. I don't want the cumbersome setup of plugging a headset into my phone.

It's actually a quite inelegant solution to the niche problem of voice chatting on the go - a problem a $10 earbud type headset and the "normal" method for voice communication on consoles would solve.

Like, the app may have some merit to it the same way Miiverse has some merit to it, but that doesn't mean this app is justified or acceptable. And it isn't free.
 
Spy said:
I can only imagine Nintendo's reasoning for doing this is because they want to keep the amount of RAM the OS uses at a bare minimum?
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I didn't think of this. Yeah, that could be a possibility, but I also think it's a way to "link" the causal market to the Switch since the casual gamers have smart devices.
 
lol so they really gonna go that route. Baffling descision if you ask me. Makes me wonder tho, how much of this is because of power issues? Maybe they needed every little bit of the power to run the games, which means they had to find other solutions for basic OS features.
 
Joeshabadoo said:
what you're actually suggesting could be real is not a 'worst case scenario' it is a completely unprecedented and unrealistic suggestion that would involve all developers gating any/all online multiplayer behind separate app interaction.

JUST USE YOUR HEAD. the mere fact that a good number of games will be fully playable online before this app even exists means that an app will not ever be required for basic online match making at the software level. it will be required for private friend party/lobby set up and voice chat. period.

we still need to see the price of the service, the quality of the app and the ease of tethering bluetooth headset/mics to the app before any more griping is worthwhile or can get us anywhere
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I'd like to take your word for it, but I just know there's going to be a whole lot of shit with his because of the way Nintendo is skirting around/explaining this. Why is something so simple and entrenched in online gaming so hard to explain?
 
this is so dumb on so many levels

i do feel like they'll realize this after sales tank in month 3 and release a firmware update that offers these services through the console itself
 
We also think it’s a very elegant solution because if you’ve taken your switch on the go, you’ve put yourself in a hotspot, you’re looking at get a quick match of Mario Kart in, to whip out some sort of bulky, gamer headset is a bit of a challenge.
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giphy.gif
 
Joeshabadoo said:
what you're actually suggesting could be real is not a 'worst case scenario' it is a completely unprecedented and unrealistic suggestion that would involve all developers gating any/all online multiplayer behind separate app interaction.

JUST USE YOUR HEAD. the mere fact that a good number of games will be fully playable online before this app even exists means that an app will not ever be required for basic online match making at the software level. it will be required for private friend party/lobby set up and voice chat. period.

we still need to see the price of the service, the quality of the app and the ease of tethering bluetooth headset/mics to the app before any more griping is worthwhile or can get us anywhere
Click to expand...

As far as I know there won't even be a friend's list at launch lol. Can I organize a party in game, or does that have to be done through the app? I'm sure you'll be able to play with randoms, but nintendo is doing away with friendcodes and there doesn't seem to have an alternative outside of the app.

So yes, I'll keep assuming the worst.
 
The actual idea (I'm assuming text chat is in the app too) is kinda cool, despite the voice chat stuff. Yes, other apps do it but being able to IM to people in your match (or a party or whatever) while sitting on a loading screen/lobby like MK8 actually sounds pretty cool to me.

The voice chat bit of it seems ill-thought out, but I think for text chat + store/purchasing an app could be really strong. Unless they completely fuck it up.
 
People have been saying wait for more details because we haven't got enough to make a proper assessment, yet everytime they explain things it makes it sound worse.

One a molecular level I understand this from a portability standpoint but um... who the flying fuck on this planet is going to play online on the go, and waste their 4G for this shit, hell does the Switch even have the capability to use online outside!?
 
You can all try to sugar coat this any way you want but it isn't going to work.

What a steaming pile of crap idea. Has to be the most assinine way ever dreamed of for multiplayer gaming. And the Nintendo fanboys just bend over and smile. Time to tell Nintendo to go for themselves.
 
Dark Cloud said:
That's why this could be the best move they've ever made because it ties the casual market to their system.

But still tell us everything dammit.
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This is like designing an app for a tablet which can only used by simultaneously accessing a sister app on your smartphone. That's...not a good way to sell the mass market on your tablet app. It's really dumb. Like, makes your head hurt dumb.
 
Anth0ny said:
this is so dumb on so many levels

i do feel like they'll realize this after sales tank in month 3 and release a firmware update that offers these services through the console itself
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This is a good Hero stance to take. You know what they need. They don't. Go email!
 
Not sure if discussed... But.


What are the chances you pay your online fee by buying the app, then paying a fee in the app instead of having to do anything on the Switch itself other than logging into your account?


If so, as a parent, this is great.
 
Joeshabadoo said:
EVEN IF THAT'S TRUE?! what, you think all these games that are coming at or a month from launch suddenly cant handle their own matchmaking?! Like somehow they're all going to have to communicate with an app which isn't even released yet, and once that app is released every single piece of software gets auto-patched so the online multiplayer is locked out unless you navigate through an app?



for goodness sake, you wont need to use two devices to play Mario Kart online. you'll only need to bust the phone app beginning late summer with the trial version if you wish to get a bunch of Switch console levels friends together in a private lobby, launch in to Kart with that party and chat throughout

do you people really have THAT low of an opinion of Nintendo and their approach? All it takes is one big wig using less than great wording in an interview and a Gafer deciding to create an alarmist negative vague thread based on incomplete info which suggests a situation which is beyond absurd?
Click to expand...
First of all, Nintendo has been lagging behind in terms of online infrastructure since ever since online has been introduced in the gaming landscape. Second of all that "big wig" is a pretty important figure, everything he says is calculated so don't blame the consumers for quoting him. He is the one at fault here. Finally, the Switch may have a better infrastructure than I previously imagined. That much is true, but even for voice chat there are 4 main problems towards their phone - app strategy:

1) Not everyone has a smartphone.

2) in undocked mode, how will you hear both the game and the people in the chat?

3) A phone is still a phone, meaning you will get calls that will interrupt your session.

4) Phones run on battery, which will deplete with usage. Having a second device to charge just for voice chat is certainly unheard of.

I hope you see how the phone app is less than ideal, and for a paid service that is pretty bad considering the other options which don't have any of these problems whatsoever. The frustrating part is that all of these problems can be mitigated by a simple, standard solution; voice chat being built in the Switch with a wireless headset for communication. That's literally it.

In short, yes I do think that lowly of Nintendo when it comes to online, and this is coming from a guy that doesn't play online games often.
 
I don't believe THAT many posters actually believe there will be no multiplayer match making in games on Switch without a phone app.

It must be just bad trolling.
 
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