If you are using your phone for multiplayer it's going to use your data anyway? If you're using a free public wifi then you could just use the same wifi spot on your phone...
Reggie: Switch matchmaking and lobbies handled through phone app
- Thread starter Zombie James
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If you are using your phone for multiplayer it's going to use your data anyway? If you're using a free public wifi then you could just use the same wifi spot on your phone...
mavericktopgun
Member
Nintendo wtf?
I like the idea. It seems that we will use voice chat with the phone without using any headset, you just drop it near you and start talking. This is cool, I hate using earphones (never used the one on my PS4 and used a bluetooth one maybe 3 times on the PS3).
By using a separate app, they dont have much limitation in the console, they dont need to specify some memory and processing power (even if little) for voice chat and stuff.
I think its a nice way to move and I hope they implement it well - then in the next gen the other consoles might follow that trend.
By using a separate app, they dont have much limitation in the console, they dont need to specify some memory and processing power (even if little) for voice chat and stuff.
I think its a nice way to move and I hope they implement it well - then in the next gen the other consoles might follow that trend.
Far-out prediction: Somebody dissasembles launch Switch and discovers that its audio jack port does not support contact point for mic, and with that, all hope for built-in chat dies. Gaf creates another 5K post thread.
down 2 orth
Member
It's all sincerity. The level of disconnect involved to greenlight this policy is staggering. Not just disconnect from gamers but it's going to have a destructive effect on the company as well.
unrenowned
Member
Yeah it would be rather hilarious, instead of connecting a headset directly to the Switch you'd have to connect a headset directly to your phone that is wirelessly connected to your Switch. Elegant indeed.
chillybright
Banned
Of course if it is optional it is better. More choice after all and it has been demonstrated by other consoles and some Pc games.
But the problem now is that it doesn't sound optional from information available.
Making a potentially bad call doesn't make him a sociopath. It's got nothing to do with it. You're reaching.
a) I can't get a decent phone signal in my home so all calls are done via landline.
b) I work from home...and even when out I don't see the need to text/phone someone if I so much as fart.
c) I think I took against mobile phones entirely about a decade ago when I saw a women spend a good 15 minutes reading out the day by day contents of a TV guide at a store to someone over the phone and then put it back on the shelf.
EventHorizon
Member
That's my take too. I'm guessing the OS has very limited multitasking capabilities and can't handle the realtime requirement of streaming audio while running a game.
Another theory from tin foil hat territory is that since Nintendo likely won't have the worldwide network to handle matchmaking, they'll use the apps running on phones as a distributed processing network. Basically they'll use the phones CPUs to run the matchmaking servers instead of having to setup servers themselves. I actually would like the concept in theory so long as the peer network ran through the gaming device.
jts
...hate me...
It's actually all about the online service subscription.
Either I'm explaining myself poorly or you're willfully misunderstanding me. I was talking about the scenario where you are playing multiplayer games away from home and using your phone to connect the Switch to internet. For the purposes of streaming audio to a phone a hotspot and a wifi router should be functionally the same as long as you share a subnet. You ping the subnet, check which one is a Switch, do a handshake, proceed with whatever communication you want. Perhaps this isn't possible, but a cursory google search leads me to believe it is. Either way, it's a niche case which they may not bother with considering few people are going to be gaming and doing voice chat over 3G.
When you are at home you would obviously not use tethering, your phone and Switch would simply communicate over local wifi to stream game audio. Smartglass already basically does this.
So .... I can't use my phone while playing Switch? Like, take a call etc?
Unfortunately for you , you are in the 1% and therefore do not matter to big corporate.
Unfortunately for you , you are in the 1% and therefore do not matter to big corporate.
That's not nintendo-like.
Journeywalker
Member
I can think of maybe one advantage of this system for people who can make mobile hotspots with their smart device. It could streamline the process of creating a mobile hotspot and jumping on it to play online.
That's all I got.
That's all I got.
No. It appears that you have to use your phone for matchmaking and can suspend it then. If you want to voicechat, you need to hold your phone in your hand of course.
Fbh
Member
Well it could run on the background or something.
Sort of like when you are calling someone with Whatsapp and you get a regular call
Lol fuck no. Microsoft and Sony arent desperate at tech/software like this. This is just result of Nintendo is being incompenent and outsourcing entire OS/Online part of console to mobile devoloper.
Iacobellis
Junior Member
The Vita came out in 2011 and offers most of the same features (lobbies, messaging, party chat) as the current generation consoles. The Switch comes out in March with... this.
How is Nintendo going to appeal to their main demographic when a good amount of them aren't going to be in possession of a smart device?
How is Nintendo going to appeal to their main demographic when a good amount of them aren't going to be in possession of a smart device?
R_thanatos
Member
Please tell me this is a joke and it's a misplaced april fools joke that went rogue.
PLEASE ?
PLEASE ?
Joelstinton14
Member
NOA does say this regarding it. The word can suggests it is optional , but yeah Nintendo really need to bring their OS direct (i'm presuming they have one) out sooner rather than their planned date. And if it isn't currently optional, change the script and say it is coming later in the year in an update. Just seems to be a lot of confusion.
That sounds like a terrible idea on a train or any other form of public transit.
Indeed. I'm hoping Nintendo will at least allow the type of "random" online we have on Wii U on Switch..if a mobile device is actually required then I'll simply be waiting for a much bigger price-drop until I purchase..and won't ever be buying the likes of Mario Kart or Splatoon 2 (despite loving the first game).
Streamline what ? Using my phone as a hotspot literally takes 2 taps. And then I can put my phone wherever and not bother with a 2nd device.
SlickShoes
Member
Open mic chatting is utterly dire, think of all the crap you are going to hear from people.
I'll just pop my phone down so you can listen to my doorbell ring, dog bark, wife talking, baby crying, my TV is up too loud so you can hear that as well, and you can hear my gameplay, enjoy.
The only way this makes sense is that they couldn't put it in the console because it would eat too many resources. Even then that makes the choice understandable but still flat out TERRIBLE.
Rebel Leader
THE POWER OF BUTTERSCOTCH BOTTOMS
D
Deleted member 518153
Unconfirmed Member
I'm curious how customers will react to this shit show because it's doubtful Nintendo will change their course like Sony and Microsoft when confronted with a big backlash. Their renewed monopoly position in handheld gaming won't be much benefit for us either...
GarthVaderUK
Banned
Open mic chat means I turn chat off.
Bobosaurus
Neo Member
The more I read about this, the more I wonder if Nintendo have just outsourced large parts of their online infrastructure to a third party to create.
I think Nintendo have recognised the importance of this stuff to modern console gamers but they have shown in the past that they have struggled to implement unified online accounts, friends lists, team chat/parties etc. It would make some sort of sense for them to offload the task onto another company/subsidiary with more expertise in the area - maybe someone like DeNA, which would perhaps explain why this is a mobile app?
I fully expect the app to be officially Nintendo branded but I question the degree of their direct involvement in it's creation - especially with the seeming lack of any integration of any of this online component into the physical console.
I think Nintendo have recognised the importance of this stuff to modern console gamers but they have shown in the past that they have struggled to implement unified online accounts, friends lists, team chat/parties etc. It would make some sort of sense for them to offload the task onto another company/subsidiary with more expertise in the area - maybe someone like DeNA, which would perhaps explain why this is a mobile app?
I fully expect the app to be officially Nintendo branded but I question the degree of their direct involvement in it's creation - especially with the seeming lack of any integration of any of this online component into the physical console.
sammyCYBORG
Member
How can nobody high up at Nintendo see that all of these decisions are so fucking stupid?
Yes, if it's a 2 pin connection instead of 4......it's dead.
God Nintendo how can you fuck up on all fronts again.
Gimmicks, and bullshit requiring a phone.
Waking up to this... wow. Just wow.
There has to be more to it than this, but even if there is and everything's just peachy, this is a disgraceful bit of marketing and messaging by Nintendo.
They just don't get it - they hide tech specs and OS stuff so that people will focus on the games. But it's counter productive because by hiding that stuff they make it the focus! All they had to do was spend 30 minutes in a treehouse stream giving us a tour of the OS and introduce this app and the focus would be firmly on the games!
God almighty they are bad at this console launching thing. The 3ds, the Wii U, now the Switch... will they ever learn?
In 2017 if you can't figure basic online functionality and user accounts out you have no business being a platform holder and hardware maker, really. These are the damn basics.
There has to be more to it than this, but even if there is and everything's just peachy, this is a disgraceful bit of marketing and messaging by Nintendo.
They just don't get it - they hide tech specs and OS stuff so that people will focus on the games. But it's counter productive because by hiding that stuff they make it the focus! All they had to do was spend 30 minutes in a treehouse stream giving us a tour of the OS and introduce this app and the focus would be firmly on the games!
God almighty they are bad at this console launching thing. The 3ds, the Wii U, now the Switch... will they ever learn?
In 2017 if you can't figure basic online functionality and user accounts out you have no business being a platform holder and hardware maker, really. These are the damn basics.
All of this(plus other stuff) sounds really like... real stupid moves. For the first time, I'll ignore a Nintendo console at launch. Good thing Zelda will still be available on Wii U. But I have no idea now if i'll ever buy the Switch. Even if the price goes down by 100$ in a year. They would need to make a lot of interesting games for me, and that means not "mastered" ports like Mario Kart.
It's also baffling that they're promoting this app as essential to the online service, but it's not available when the first games with a heavy online component launch. Even when there's just MK available for online play, it's a given that all the components that are necessary for the service, are there day one. That it's only releasing in the summer just feels like they decided on this later on. Plus, and this has been brought up, it's not even clear in the messaging what will be available ingame, and what is restricted by the app. What a confusing way to approach your playerbase. There should've been a presentation on this app in the presser... but it's probably nowhere near ready yet.
I feel like this is just some way to gate kids off from adults.
It also means that, unless they show off this app before launch, launch buyers will be buying entirely on trust that the online features will work correctly.
What I'm expecting is that a game like Mario Kart will work online as it does on the Wii U without the app. But with the app you can set up parties and lobbies for your own custom games. If that's the case then I won't even need the app, because I don't do those things. And I'd suggest that most Nintendo players would be happy without it.
I'm not trying to excuse it, just trying to be optimistic.
half a moon
Banned
I said wut wut in the butt
BriareosGAF
Member
FWIW a significant percentage of middle school age kids in our district here in Maine have smart phones.
nekkid
It doesn't matter who we are, what matters is our plan.
Prisoner KSC2-303
Member
It's all starting to feel horribly reminiscent of the Xbox One reveal - offering solutions to problems that don't exist, not being able to demonstrate how a key service works and letting the bad PR snowball from there. Even if something is getting lost in translation, this is just depressingly shite communication.
More and more it's looking like March is a soft launch while they work out what the hell they're doing.
More and more it's looking like March is a soft launch while they work out what the hell they're doing.
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