Schnozberry
Member
I'd have a hard time believing this can't be fixed through software. It may come at the expense of battery life for the Joycons, but it's better than unpredictable connectivity.
Gamexplain Explains the Joy-Con Desyncing Problem
- Thread starter Tom Nook Sawyer
- Start date
I'd have a hard time believing this can't be fixed through software. It may come at the expense of battery life for the Joycons, but it's better than unpredictable connectivity.
Bluetooth has no such technical limitation with regards to button inputs.
I suspect it becomes more problematic based on distance which is why it wasn't a huge issue at the event (Joy-Con were close to the Switch).
The same thing can happen with the Dual Shock 4, actually. If you're far enough away from the PS4 and turn your back to it, I've found that this can interrupt the signal which causes it to stop responding. Has to be quite a distance, though, but it happens.
On the flip-side, whatever protocol Microsoft used on Xbox 360, it worked really well. I used to have the 360 wireless adapter attached to my PC on the first floor while playing PC games on the TV in the basement (ran very long wires through the floor). It worked great even on a different floor of the house quite a ways away.
The same thing can happen with the Dual Shock 4, actually. If you're far enough away from the PS4 and turn your back to it, I've found that this can interrupt the signal which causes it to stop responding. Has to be quite a distance, though, but it happens.
On the flip-side, whatever protocol Microsoft used on Xbox 360, it worked really well. I used to have the 360 wireless adapter attached to my PC on the first floor while playing PC games on the TV in the basement (ran very long wires through the floor). It worked great even on a different floor of the house quite a ways away.
Oh I see, for some reason I was thinking IR connection. Went back to the Wiimote for a second.
UberTag
Member
I'm expecting a hardware fix... in the form of new and improved Joy-Cons some 12-18 months from now.
We might get a battery-killing software fix as a stopgap measure, though.
Interesting. If this is a common bluetooth issue then I can understand why Nintendo didn't do anything about it. If its as simple as don't block the distance between the joycon and the Switch or don't be too far away from the Switch then I can live with that.
TheProphet
Banned
this is why i hate nintendo. their software is always better than their hardware
TheGreatMightyPoo
Banned
It nearly killed them.
Jack The Nipper
Banned
Not running out of stock more like not getting any sales
In guess they rushed it a bit. Lack of software and ports makes me think that. Doesn't seem new games will be coming much faster than wii u.
I'd also assume the first year of new games or two years is wii u software anyways.
With a poo as great and mighty as yours, I am sure it would.
If 'too far' is 10ft then that's bollocks and makes use in TV mode difficult for lots of people
It also means casual Nintendo man on sofa at the January reveal wouldn't work well in real life
TheChewyWaffles
Member
Maybe the joycon rails/grip things provide enough of a gap to the body of the joycon that signals can get out?
IlGialloMondadori
Member
I had this issue on my ds4 when my ps4 was partially blocked by my TV.
D
Deleted member 10571
Unconfirmed Member
My hands are yuuuge. Fuck :/
Thank god the president is safe.
Thank god the president is safe.
Yeah I'll be sure to test this when I get the Switch. I want to know how bad this issue is. If its as simple as "don't block the joycon from the Switch with your hand when playing" then that's fine. But if its more "Arms is unplayable because holding the joycons in your fists and throwing punches is ruined by lag/signal issue" then that's fucked up and the product is fundamentally broken.
Jack The Nipper
Banned
Yeah but as you know the obvious difference is how you hold and use them.
Atleast there may not be a lot of us here wanting motion etc and sure even I woukd be on a pro controller but for those saying I can live or manage.
You simply shouldn't have to. A product ( especially priced like this) should simply do this without issue or worry from anyone.
Lucent
Member
Day one equals BotW day one, and they are willing to risk all for that.
Yeaahhhh booyyyeeeee!!!
The problem is why are all of these people getting these disconnects? These are people who play games all the time. They know from previous bluetooth-based controllers that if you're a far distance away disconnects can happen. Either the Joy-Cons have much less allowed distance than Dualshock controllers, or some kind of defect or hardware malfunction is going on.
A Serious Man
Member
Welp, can't say I'm surprised. Every indication so far is that Nintendo is rushing this thing out.
Wow I just read the reactions first and was really disheartened. Then I watched the video. So if I cover the WHOLE controller with my hand or body it won't work? Big deal! Yes it shouldn't be a problem but jeez, just hold the controller in a slightly different way until they come up with a fix!
TheGreatMightyPoo
Banned
Type_Raver
Member
Nintendo could fix this up with a firmware update, by increasing the transmit signal strength (increasing power) which would offer improved signal penetration.
HD rumble + vibrators is a winning formula. Nintendo needs to get on this quick (fix your Bluetooth first plz)
UberTag
Member
This issue is impacting two of my launch day purchase decisions.
- If I'm now committed to either playing my Switch in handheld mode or with the Pro Controller in docked mode explicitly to avoid this issue then the Charging Grip is a non-starter until Joy-Cons that don't have this issue get released.
- As my deference to rolling with the Neon SKU was predicated almost entirely on having different colored controllers on hand for multi-player Joy-Con gaming in titles like Mario Kart, ARMS and Splatoon and I'm now going to be discouraged from doing that for fear of pervasive connection dropouts... well, I'm beginning to rethink switching back to the Gray SKU until this problem is rectified.
- If I'm now committed to either playing my Switch in handheld mode or with the Pro Controller in docked mode explicitly to avoid this issue then the Charging Grip is a non-starter until Joy-Cons that don't have this issue get released.
- As my deference to rolling with the Neon SKU was predicated almost entirely on having different colored controllers on hand for multi-player Joy-Con gaming in titles like Mario Kart, ARMS and Splatoon and I'm now going to be discouraged from doing that for fear of pervasive connection dropouts... well, I'm beginning to rethink switching back to the Gray SKU until this problem is rectified.
Also, the folks thinking they can avoid this issue so long as they don't grip their controllers like a gorilla holding a banana are deluding themselves. This is simply the route Gamexplain went to easily recreate the issue for a video to qualify that it exists. You WILL encounter problems through normal use because that's what Jason Schreier and others have encountered.
At least Donald Trump won't have anything to worry about.It's unplayable for some though
Yeah this really should not be an issue at all and the fact that it is is very worrying. I want to experience it myself so I understand the limitations we're dealing with. I'm not likely to ever literally block the joycons with my hands, but if playing Snipperclips for example with the joycons held horizontally and my fingers on top of the controllers are enough to screw up the signal or if sitting curled up with maybe my legs or feet between the signal causes an issue, then that's awful.
It's unplayable for some though
You really think these people that have been getting disconnects are covering the entire controller with their hand or body? Why would they be doing that?
I generally don't have stuff between me and my console when I'm gaming, so I'm not sure if fbis is a huge issue
Maybe they places the dock somewhere whiteout a clear line of sight to where they were gaming because they didn't know that was an issue?
i mean, if they were able to alleviate this issue (if it's really systemic) via a software update that boosts signal strength of the joycons at the cost of battery life - so be it.
Since the Switch is designed to serve as a charging cradle to the joycons when not in use - or to charge them when in handheld mode - i don't believe i'd ever run into the issue of the joycons running out of juice, unlike with the PS4 where - if you don't have a charging cradle, and you just let the controller sit around after a session of gaming, you might run out of juice during your next playing session.
Since the Switch is designed to serve as a charging cradle to the joycons when not in use - or to charge them when in handheld mode - i don't believe i'd ever run into the issue of the joycons running out of juice, unlike with the PS4 where - if you don't have a charging cradle, and you just let the controller sit around after a session of gaming, you might run out of juice during your next playing session.
D
Deleted member 10571
Unconfirmed Member
So there's not much hope this might actually be fixable without a hardware revision, right?
Depends. If Nintendo have purposefully programmed a weaker signal for battery life, then potentially they can just lift their signal strength cap.
If the hardware has an inherently weak signal, then yet, no software fix.
clay_ghost
Member
Trump will be pissed.
I think the problem comes from the fact that the press didn't go looking for this issue, it came about just from them playing with the Switch naturally. It wasn't let's test how strong the joycon signal is to find its limits. It seems it was more natural and unexpected rather than the result of testing. So if it can occur frequently in everyday use, that's a problem.
UberTag
Member
He didn't have to cover the whole top for the issue to arise. He had to cover the whole top to easily recreate the issue to demonstrate it on a video. It will happen intermittently during normal use... in situations like...
Bingo. Provided you're a good distance away from the Switch.
D
Deleted member 10571
Unconfirmed Member
I see. Alright, I'll remain hopeful for now.
Fess
Member
Even if by "too far away" you mean 6 feet?
You mean glad?
THIS is what I want to know. Cuz fuck if one of the playmodes Nintendo clearly promoted doesn't even work reliably.
Impulsor
Member
That is because it is something that is taken for granted. The last thing you think about qhen playing games on a console with a controller is that you jabe to be careful for controller signal strength.
But Bluetooth doesn't use line-of-sight. You can listen to Bluetooth speakers through walls even, let alone with just some objects between you and the Bluetooth source.
But the issues occur at very normal distance, 6-8 feet. In my eyes it would be an enormous oversight if they haven't caught this issue yet. It really is Electronics 101. Here's hoping Nintendo makes a statement about it sooner rather than later.
Resistance100
Member
It's a good video, think a lot of people are making more of this than they need to (as with a lot of things with the Switch).
Hope theres a way to fix it completely but can't see it being a major issue in the long run
Hope theres a way to fix it completely but can't see it being a major issue in the long run
UberTag
Member
Jason Schreier is the top gaming journalist working in this industry today.
He's gone on record saying that Zelda is unplayable using the Joy-Cons independently or in the bundled grip and he's now using the Pro Controller exclusively in docked mode.
That's a big enough flag for me that this is going to be problematic for just about everyone once they're further than 6 feet away from the Switch. I trust Jason a hell of a lot more than I trust Nintendo.
I mean, check out the case example in this video. Dude from What's Up Games is a reasonable distance from his television but isn't an appreciably far distance away. This is your typical living room environment. Additionally, he's holding the Joy-Con in a normal fashion the way just about anyone would when playing the game and encountering problems.
I'm hoping they turned the signal strength down just before the production run because they figured journalists would talk about battery life more, and they can turn it back up via an update. I'm identical hand twins with my wife, so my hands are even smaller than Trump's, so I should be good. Then again, my living room has a ton of interference from a gazillion devices. I can hardly watch some TV channels.
Though I have to say it's strange that it's the left joycon that's faulty, even though it has way less technology than the right one. That does seem to indicate a hardware problem. Would really like a free left joycon once you fixed it Nintendo!
Though I have to say it's strange that it's the left joycon that's faulty, even though it has way less technology than the right one. That does seem to indicate a hardware problem. Would really like a free left joycon once you fixed it Nintendo!