Reggie: Switch matchmaking and lobbies handled through phone app

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tmespe said:
Because listing to the people who are most invested and interested in your platform is bad? I'm not saying we're always right, but a lot of the changes made to the Xbox One originated from pressure from GAF and other online communities.
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they are particularly bad at giving people what they wantt, but theres also the fact that "they" is a huge group of people and for the right guy at the right part of Nintendo to see something, agree, and turn it into something in one of their games is even more unlikely. also yeah theyre mostly japanese developers
 
Gestault said:
Everything about this networking infrastructure sounds silly, and it's coming pretty clearly from the official channels. I'm still holding out hope this is a communication mistake, and there's a standard/reasonable system in place with the cellphone app as an option that can communicate with the built-in software.

Mind you, that doesn't make sense that they would engineer the solution twice.
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The only reason this would make sense is if nintendo is marketing this as an actual portable system in the japanese market. Then DeNa could benefit by creating special "Switch data packages" for their mobage infrastructure.

Everything about the Switchs online infrastructure seems to be under some serious galapago syndrome. Tailored for one particular market.
 
Big Nikus said:
I'm a Nintendo fan and I don't play online multiplayer much because they don't let me do so.
Some of my friends were intested in Smash, Mario Kart and Splatoon but the lack of voice chat just killed the intesrest. I tried once to play Mario Kart with a friend while we were on Skype with our phones and it was a mess. There's no excuse for their stupidity.
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yup

at least with WiiU they had the mic built in so companies could out in Voice Chat as an option

MH3 Ultimate had it and it was glorious

now we are back at square one again


i basically have to do what I did on 3DS and use my phone for voice chat except now I have to pay?

go fuck yourself Nintendo
 
All this seems so confusing and it's hard to say what I think about it, before I see how it works. I sure do hope we can join games without the phone app. I have no idea how the app is going to work, but could they stream game from Switch to it? Like lets say you have Switch docked and you would want to make your Mario Maker level from phone. I mean I doubt it's going to happen but it could be cool.
 
DrROBschiz said:
they dont even have a good option for traditional gamers at home on console mode

there are no audio ports on the joycon grip or the pro controller

its wireless or nothing

or hey... tether through your phone and have the tv audio backfeed to all your buddies annoyingly
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and this is what annoys me the most!

Why is there no audio port on the pro controller....i dont get it
 
Big Nikus said:
I'm a Nintendo fan and I don't play online multiplayer much because they don't let me do so.
Some of my friends were intested in Smash, Mario Kart and Splatoon but the lack of voice chat just killed the intesrest. I tried once to play Mario Kart with a friend while we were on Skype with our phones and it was a mess. There's no excuse for their stupidity.
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FaceTime Audio works really well, if you both have iPhones that is.
 
KingSnake said:
On top of this, Reggie doesn't comment so damn much on things that are supposed to not be shown until later. This is him sweetening the pill.
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This is my take too. he is trying to PR damage control and soften the blow that is to come because that is pretty much his job (outside Japan) with Nintendo Japan being in complete charge of everything concerning the Switch. Even considering that he is still president of NoA, he does know what the Switch is and what it isn't, he is too high up in the company hierarchy (even if he most likely has little say outside of US domestic market matters like marketing localization and releases). He can't influence the Switch strategy but he has to make sales, so all that's left is him praising even the most obscure 'advantage' of the system that's going to happen. Microsoft pretty much did the same thing after the disastrous XBone reveal before they pulled the 180 several days later.

Nintendo is clearly communicating what it wants clearly communicated (see them showing of and explaining even the most esoteric features of the hardware in simple and understandable terms). The bitter pill will hit later, possibly after launch (when people are already stuck with the console they bought) or shortely before (when people are too afraid of letting go of their preorder "or not getting one" + Zelda). They are also stalling for time because it seems the whole online system is barely ready at this point.

People saying "this is definitely not how it will works" reminds me of people saying the same thing about the NES/SNES "free game" being revoked after 30 days instead of just being available for download for 30 days. 'I mean, after all the entire competition is doing it that way, isn't it?' Sure, the chance is still there, but I think Reggie's message has been rather precise so far for PR speak.
 
Its a good idea as an additional way to handle online functionality, but its really stupid as the only way. I guess we have to wait for further explanation, but as it looks right now, I'll be SOL with a Windows Phone lol.
 
I don't think this is that bad of an idea at all. My phone is much easier to type on than any game system I've ever used, and I can always bluetooth a headset. If anything this seems even better than being on-console for me since it doesn't require an overlay or anything to disrupt the game, so if I'm waiting to respawn or something I can just glance down and see text messages and shit.
 
Vash63 said:
I don't think this is that bad of an idea at all. My phone is much easier to type on than any game system I've ever used, and I can always bluetooth a headset. If anything this seems even better than being on-console for me since it doesn't require an overlay or anything to disrupt the game, so if I'm waiting to respawn or something I can just glance down and see text messages and shit.
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This is a terrific point. What do most people do in lobbies between matches? Look at their phones, right?
 
Interfectum said:
What dimension is this? I don't think this shit would even be viable or accepted years ago. This online solution is straight up crazy town.
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I agree, years ago smartphone penetration was much lower, a solution like this would've cut out a huge percentage of the market. It's much more viable in 2017 than it would've been years ago.
 
shanafan said:
This is a terrific point. What do most people do in lobbies between matches? Look at their phones, right?
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On Xbox in between matches I'm chatting with my friends using my headset plugged into my controller.

And if I want to text my friends I already have their phone number. I don't need nintendo's app.
 
Vash63 said:
I don't think this is that bad of an idea at all. My phone is much easier to type on than any game system I've ever used, and I can always bluetooth a headset. If anything this seems even better than being on-console for me since it doesn't require an overlay or anything to disrupt the game, so if I'm waiting to respawn or something I can just glance down and see text messages and shit.
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Yes as a companion app it's really nice I agree. But this is not a companion app, this is the mandatory way to communicate with other players.
 
So, if I get it right, you can play play online just fine without any app, but if you want to manage your friends and organise lobbys to play with them (and use voice chat) you need to use the app, right ?

It's not really a problem for myself, if it works like that.
 
Exclusive look at the first person playing Nintendo Switch online:

c9Ups.gif
 
Vash63 said:
I agree, years ago smartphone penetration was much lower, a solution like this would've cut out a huge percentage of the market. It's much more viable in 2017 than it would've been years ago.
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lmao

ok but you can already do this for free right now with nintendos last gen systems

now they want you to pay for it
 
I can't believe some people are still in denial. The official Nintendo web page literally says voice chat and lobbies are from the app. Reggie, President of NOA said it is through the app. Kimishima, president of NCL, said it's through the app. It's not a mistranslation.

The only thing gamers can do is voice how garbage this is, and hope they change it and at least give us the option to do this through the actual Switch hardware.
 
I don't really ever play games online, but this is really disappointing. Really don't understand what they think is so complicated about setting this up via the system itself.

moltonasty said:
I can't believe some people are still in denial. The official Nintendo web page literally says voice chat and lobbies are from the app. Reggie, President of NOA said it is through the app. Kimishima, president of NCL, said it's through the app. It's not a mistranslation.

The only thing gamers can do is voice how garbage this is, and hope they change it and at least give us the option to do this through the actual Switch hardware.
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Yeah for those who really care about online gaming, I think you all should be starting a petition and going to twitter with pitchforks like most did for Xbox One. This is pretty crazy, and I don't think it's worth waiting to see what the implementation is like. There's nothing better about pulling out your smart phone to handle all of this rather than doing it from your system especially when you are docked. If it is because Nintendo isn't supporting Bluetooth headsets, that'd be really disappointing.
 
DrROBschiz said:
lmao

ok but you can already do this for free right now with nintendos last gen systems

now they want you to pay for it
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How do I invite someone to my party in Smash bros from my cell phone? I already do have a Hangouts chat going usually for any console game multiplayer (or Mumble on PC), but that doesn't handle partying or joining servers.
 
Oh Nintendo, how hard is it to copy your competition online infrastructure?

This all sounds so unnecessary, even the Vita has perfect voice chat/match making....

This console seems like it wasn't meant for a Spring(well still technically winter) release.
 
Nintendo 2017, sadness....

Feels bad to take the wait and see approach. Under normal circumstances Zelda + Region free alone should be enough to make me go all in first day. But the buts and uncertainties keep appearing.

Guess I'll just borrow a wiiu or something for Zelda.
 
moltonasty said:
I can't believe some people are still in denial. The official Nintendo web page literally says voice chat and lobbies are from the app. Reggie, President of NOA said it is through the app. Kimishima, president of NCL, said it's through the app. It's not a mistranslation.

The only thing gamers can do is voice how garbage this is, and hope they change it and at least give us the option to do this through the actual Switch hardware.
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Well, I wouldn't call denial. People can be on board with a new idea, and willing to give it a chance. All new ideas have to start somewhere, right?

Remember the outrage when Microsoft announced the $150 controller? That has been pretty successful so far.
 
I agree with the notion that this would serve as an excellent companion app.

That it's the main method for matchmaking and voice chat is stupid.

Damn it. Nintendo have some excellent ideas marred by really dumb decisiona.
 
shanafan said:
Well, I wouldn't call denial. People can be on board with a new idea, and willing to give it a chance. All new ideas have to start somewhere, right?
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I don't think it's possible for this to be better than handling it through the system. So yes it is new, and yes it could be decent, but there is almost no shot this will be better than doing it via the system, and that's all that matters.
 
I'm betting the app is their "elegant" solution to the friend-code problem.

Wanna play against someone? You need their Phone number :lol :lol
 
Vash63 said:
I don't think this is that bad of an idea at all. My phone is much easier to type on than any game system I've ever used, and I can always bluetooth a headset. If anything this seems even better than being on-console for me since it doesn't require an overlay or anything to disrupt the game, so if I'm waiting to respawn or something I can just glance down and see text messages and shit.
Click to expand...

shanafan said:
This is a terrific point. What do most people do in lobbies between matches? Look at their phones, right?
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I mean, I gotta give it to you guys. You could work with Reggie as his underlings.

As an optional app that added functionality this would be ok. As the only way to do things, this is horrible.
 
TrueBlue said:
I agree with the notion that this would serve as an excellent companion app.

That it's the main method for matchmaking abd voice chat is stupid.

Damn it. Nintendo have some excellent ideas marred by really dumb decisiona.
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Exactly how I feel. It's pretty neat and honestly surprising that Nintendo will allow all this stuff to be controlled via smartphone. Really forward thinking in that sense. However, the fact this is the ONLY way to do things is just insane. One step forward, two steps back.

shanafan said:
This is a terrific point. What do most people do in lobbies between matches? Look at their phones, right?
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I... kind of agree actually. It just seems bizarre to limit options to this though.
 
Looking at Nintendo's website, it doesn't look like the app is required for multiplayer, just that it can be used for party chat and matchmaking:
http://www.nintendo.com/switch/online-service/

"This service lets Nintendo Switch owners enjoy online multiplayer gaming as well as a dedicated smartphone app that connects to your Nintendo Switch system and helps you connect with friends for online play sessions.

Check back for more details on the service and its features after the Nintendo Switch system launches."

More logic: multiplayer online starts at launch in March, but the app isn't available until summer.

"Our new dedicated smart device app will connect to Nintendo Switch and let you invite friends to play online, set play appointments, and chat with friends during online matches in compatible games─all from your smart device.

A free, limited version of this app will be available for download in summer 2017."
 
shanafan said:
Well, I wouldn't call denial. People can be on board with a new idea, and willing to give it a chance. All new ideas have to start somewhere, right?

Remember the outrage when Microsoft announced the $150 controller? That has been pretty successful so far.
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New ideas that are good don't need to be forced upon the public to be adopted.

Case in point, the elite controller is not mandatory for Xbone. Counter-example: remember Kinnect?

This app could very well be optional and if it works great a lot of people would use it.
 
Been marinating on this for a bit and this is probably one of the most, if not the most,"Nintendo" decisions I've seen. My first reaction is that they outsourced it as they couldn't develop it in-house.

Quite concerning really. The weird decisions like this on Wii U (and 3DS to an extent) we're really annoying. Wii U is the worse console I've owned and that was mainly due to the bad execution of numerous elements.

The biggest issue I have with this is how do I listen to the game and chat at the same time?

I keep swinging back and forth with a preorder (especially now that Fire Emblem is confirmed) but this along with the prices, not being able to charge controllers when playing out of the box, not being to charge in tablet mode and no doubt other annoyances (I'm willing to bet the OS is coming in hot) just keeps me back for now... :/
 
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