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Nintendo Online = Poorly Implemented

M

Marty Chinn

Member
I'm sure some of this has been mentioned in the various Mario Kart threads, but I don't have it and haven't tried playing with it yet. I'm speaking solely from a Tony Hawk perspective and it just amazes me at how retarded Nintendo has set the whole thing up.

1) Connecting to other people has the lamest interface ever created for online. It just sits there waiting with hope that you can connect to someone without knowing if there is anyone out there. I can't believe how lame this is that you sit there and wait.

2) Friends lists. It seems stupid to have the whole long numerical ID to begin with but also the fact that both people have to add in order for it to work. It just seems too complicated and not streamlined which is what I thought one of the things Nintendo was trying to avoid.

3) Now here's the big kicker for me. What the hell is up with the game being tied to your system? If you play it online with one system, you cannot play it online with another until you have transfered and erase all that info from one DS to another. That is such a pain to have to deal with. Not to mention, what happens if someone sells the game to a used game store and then someone buys it? They're screwed because they can't play it online since its already tied to someone elses system. I can't believe Nintendo did this and this is the most retarded thing they've done with their online setup.

For all that time that they spent researching and learning what online gaming should be about, it sure doesn't look like they've done their homework. We waited all this time and they give us a pretty crappy implementation.
 
i gotta say, the 'waiting around for someone to show up' thing really bites - sometimes i'm waiting up to 5 mins for ia full 3 'dots' to show up - then they just disappear and it starts from scratch again. frustrating to say the least - especially cos you don't know whats going on (and can't see anything), like you say.
 
Yeah, Tony Hawk definitely has the upper hand online than Mario Kart

Website interface is better, voice chat (!), better features...
 
From the sound of this all, I hope they learn from their mistakes for Revolution. Not having a unified friends list/identity might make sense because of the lack of space to save within the DS, but it shouldn't be a problem with Revolution.

It's going to be a pain in the ass when all the other DS Online games come out and you have to reenter the same people each and every time. :\
 
basic or not, ive played MK online for hours on end, time flies. great fun. cant see tony been a more enjoyable experience, maybe more feature packed, but not more fun
 
Apparently you can chat before matches from what someone in the IGN Review thread said

Either that or you type/draw...I dunno, what have you seen?
 
Ya, I think Mario Kart will be the better online experience, but wow does it suck that I can't pass my game to my g/f so she can play online. I just don't know what they were thinking when they decided to tie the game to the system.
 
Not to mention, what happens if someone sells the game to a used game store and then someone buys it? They're screwed because they can't play it online since its already tied to someone elses system. I can't believe Nintendo did this and this is the most retarded thing they've done with their online setup.
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As usual, Nintendo is a step ahead of Sony.
 
demi said:
Apparently you can chat before matches from what someone in the IGN Review thread said

Either that or you type/draw...I dunno, what have you seen?
Click to expand...

I didn't see anything like that. I was just waiting for a connection, and I left it there, the next thing I know, I see it connected and a guy is there. I never saw any lobby or anything to chat with. I'll try again and see if I notice. It just sucks to have to wait there and stare at it hoping that something will happen.
 
Jonnyram said:
Maybe they prefer people buying new copies of the game instead of getting it used ;)
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Do people actually buy used GBA\DS games? As far I know, most of the Games stores don't do pre-owned GBA games.
 
demi said:
Apparently you can chat before matches from what someone in the IGN Review thread said

Either that or you type/draw...I dunno, what have you seen?
Click to expand...

I just played online. Nothing. It just jumps straight in.
 
That's a downer. Oh well. It'll pick up when everyone starts buying it.

Did you register on the THAS website and link it to your DS?

How do you make your name in THAS? Via the settings?
 
Marty Chinn said:
My name was based off my save game file.
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So the name you register online (on the website) is different from what your save game file is? Or do they have to be the same?

Have you registered on the website yet?
 
I haven't registered online yet. When I got online I saw the name of my save game as my name so I assumed that's where it got it from. It never asked me to input a name anywhere else.
 
Reading all the rumors and news regarding Nintendo's online plans I had always assumed it would work like Gamespy, with a 'running games' list you just choose from. How does it work now? Does it show friends who are online to play against and you can choose to play with them?
 
I'm reading the THAS forums and they also confirm no chat option

Dang

At least you can have your bail clips
 
Marty Chinn said:
3) Now here's the big kicker for me. What the hell is up with the game being tied to your system? If you play it online with one system, you cannot play it online with another until you have transfered and erase all that info from one DS to another. That is such a pain to have to deal with. Not to mention, what happens if someone sells the game to a used game store and then someone buys it? They're screwed because they can't play it online since its already tied to someone elses system. I can't believe Nintendo did this and this is the most retarded thing they've done with their online setup.
Click to expand...

Er, anyone can buy it used. They just have to erase the saved data and start a new game, as far as I can tell. The local ID is merely saved to the card flash/whatever memory. If placed in a new unit, it will be overwritten with the info from THAT unit.
 
Yeah from what I understand it is like: When you put the game into another DS and go online, it will generate a new code and stuff for the game and the DS being one set. You can return it to your old DS but then get a new code.
 
1) It does sound slightly annoying. Until they become properly populated though, and the servers know what they have to cope with (so what happened with Mario Kart the other night doesn't happen again) then you'll have to live with it.

2) Its a REAL friends list this way. I don't have a problem with this at all. I understand your frustration if you want to pretend randoms are your friends and add them after a good game, but it wouldnt be hard to work with real life friends and forumers to get yourselves mutually added.

3) as has already been indicated, WFC codes are system related. The game generates a code based on the system its in. A user having bought a used copy would just generate a new code. Theres nothing broken about this element at all.

PS. at least Tony Hawks has chat. At least if IGN are right. Have you checked to make sure its not there?

Theres a full list of Gamespy middleware applications that could be added to these games, which future games are almost certainly going to include. It will be better on future games. If you feel strongly on any point, give them feedback.
 
I don't get it. If my DS fucks up and i buy a new one, is all the online-related shit on my game file erased?
 
You'd get a new code.
You'd need to re-link that to your Nintendo username if you wanted to keep stats n stuff I imagine.

I don't know for sure, but this is what I'd imagine happening.
 
I don't get it. If my DS fucks up and i buy a new one, is all the online-related shit on my game file erased?
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Only thing you will lose is your friends list. Everything else you can keep. You just have to relink your DS to your Online Stats account.
 
as others have said, the game isn't really "linked" to your DS. you can use it on other DSes also. the data is stored on your DS. Friends list I don't know about. In the WFC manual it implies that the friends list is stored on the DS, though I don't know how correct that is. The women already went online with my copy just fine (had to setup a new WFC connection) but we didn't bother to check the friends list. When I got the game back in mine the friends list was still there.
 
Marty Chinn said:
3) Now here's the big kicker for me. What the hell is up with the game being tied to your system? If you play it online with one system, you cannot play it online with another until you have transfered and erase all that info from one DS to another. That is such a pain to have to deal with. Not to mention, what happens if someone sells the game to a used game store and then someone buys it? They're screwed because they can't play it online since its already tied to someone elses system. I can't believe Nintendo did this and this is the most retarded thing they've done with their online setup.
Click to expand...

Welcome to the World of Phantasy Star Online.
 
1) Connecting to other people has the lamest interface ever created for online. It just sits there waiting with hope that you can connect to someone without knowing if there is anyone out there. I can't believe how lame this is that you sit there and wait.
Click to expand...

Ok, but in Mario Kart there is an icon that shows if one of your friends is looking for you. That's a bummer the feature didn't make it into Tony Hawk, but don't go blaming Nintendo Wi-Fi for a feature that is completely possible.

2) Friends lists. It seems stupid to have the whole long numerical ID to begin with but also the fact that both people have to add in order for it to work. It just seems too complicated and not streamlined which is what I thought one of the things Nintendo was trying to avoid.
Click to expand...

This is the one area that is completely gray. Sure the whole number thing isn't as easy as typing in "3lit3s8rboi" but the whole idea was safety and accuracy. And if you play locally with someone they are automatically put on your friends list... don't really see the problem here. And as a parent I think the 2 number auth system is brillant. Would I want my 7 year old playing Animal Crossing with complete strangers online? You can use the whole "parents should watch their kids" line, but this is a handheld... much harder to monitor than a console or a PC.

3) Now here's the big kicker for me. What the hell is up with the game being tied to your system? If you play it online with one system, you cannot play it online with another until you have transfered and erase all that info from one DS to another. That is such a pain to have to deal with. Not to mention, what happens if someone sells the game to a used game store and then someone buys it? They're screwed because they can't play it online since its already tied to someone elses system. I can't believe Nintendo did this and this is the most retarded thing they've done with their online setup.
Click to expand...

What happens when someone buys a used copy of Mario Kart? They erase all data and then the cart regenerates a code for their system. It's not tied in stone - that's like saying someone buys a used XBox and can't go on Live because someone else has already gone online with that unit. Is it a small inconvience? I guess. Who knows the thinking behind it, but you are making true mountains out of mole hills.

I'm tired... I guess what I am getting at is, why the hate? All I know is that right now I can play MK, TH and soon Animal Crossing online for free.
 
to answer "why the hate" I don't think it's hate. I think most of us (myself included) have just become so accustomed in how to setup a game online that nintendo's new approach is difficult to accept or understand. it is very limited, and the question is "Is it OVERLY simplified?"

though understand that most people who are complaining about it (again, myself included) are ONLY complaining about the way matchmaking works. The game itself is probably one of the most fun online games ever. The only thing that could make the game better is all tracks, holding shells behind you, and 8 players, but all of those would just be holiday bonuses. the game is insanely fun as is. just the matchmaking is a bit annoying for most of us online gaming fogies to grasp.
 
borghe said:
to answer "why the hate" I don't think it's hate. I think most of us (myself included) have just become so accustomed in how to setup a game online that nintendo's new approach is difficult to accept or understand. it is very limited, and the question is "Is it OVERLY simplified?"

though understand that most people who are complaining about it (again, myself included) are ONLY complaining about the way matchmaking works. The game itself is probably one of the most fun online games ever. The only thing that could make the game better is all tracks, holding shells behind you, and 8 players, but all of those would just be holiday bonuses. the game is insanely fun as is. just the matchmaking is a bit annoying for most of us online gaming fogies to grasp.
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Cool. The match making part I can dig. I think there's just so much confusion on what the games can and can't do that seeing a post called "Nintendo Online = Poorly Implemented" irked me a bit. Maybe it should have been call "Tony Hawk for Nintedo Online = Poorly Implemented"

But yeah, I give that the matchmaking area could have been fleshed out a bit more. All right, that is all :)
 
It seems the reason people are complaining is we waited forever for Nintendo to offer an online setup, and what they have available is a substandard service. Please don't bring up Xbox Live because it was never close to being this shoddy at launch. I know Nintendo has time to fix things but some of the things they have done makes you wonder, "What were they thinking?"
 
so MK matchmaking is essentially halo 2 lite type matchmaking system?

it really bites that I have to wait 8 more days for this arrrgh.
 
Marty Chinn said:
3) Now here's the big kicker for me. What the hell is up with the game being tied to your system? If you play it online with one system, you cannot play it online with another until you have transfered and erase all that info from one DS to another. That is such a pain to have to deal with. Not to mention, what happens if someone sells the game to a used game store and then someone buys it? They're screwed because they can't play it online since its already tied to someone elses system. I can't believe Nintendo did this and this is the most retarded thing they've done with their online setup.
Click to expand...

It's actually not much of a problem at all. You just need to erase all data from the game when you put it in a new system. When I got our review copy of MK from Nintendo, I put it in my DS and played a couple of WiFi races, then erased all the data and shipped it to StrikerObi to do the actual review. And it's working perfectly for him, in fact I raced him several times yesterday.

It's possible that this only works if you erase the game data while it's loaded on the system it has been tied to, and in that case, stores like EB just need to require that people do that before they'll accept the game for trade-in. Can anyone confirm if it matters what system you erase the game data on? For example, if I had shipped the game to Obi and let him erase the data himself, would it still have worked?
 
Mrbob said:
It seems the reason people are complaining is we waited forever for Nintendo to offer an online setup, and what they have available is a substandard service. Please don't bring up Xbox Live because it was never close to being this shoddy at launch. I know Nintendo has time to fix things but some of the things they have done makes you wonder, "What were they thinking?"
Click to expand...
it may be dodgy matchmaking, and I may only have 32 friends, but I can play it for free, and I can play it portably anywhere that has an open hotspot.

Live has things over WFC. WFC has things over Live.
 
One of the points Marty was trying to make is that one of the reasons Nintendo used for abstaining from on-line gaming was that it was too difficult for consumers. Nintendo wanted to create an easier way for the consumer to play games on-line. The end result of Nintendo's efforts is more complex than XBL or PS On-line.
 
jedimike said:
One of the points Marty was trying to make is that one of the reasons Nintendo used for abstaining from on-line gaming was that it was too difficult for consumers. Nintendo wanted to create an easier way for the consumer to play games on-line. The end result of Nintendo's efforts is more complex than XBL or PS On-line.
Click to expand...

but remember those threads talking about how revolutionary and impressive their service would be over competitors? Yea, I'm laughing too.
 
Well, Nintendo succeeded in making it easier to set up a connection. The problem is the user interface, which changes from game to game, so while the lack of a great unified structure is disappointing, they have left open the potential to improve the service quite a bit. Eventually, we should have a service that is both easy to connect to and easy to use. It is disappointing that we don't have that now, though.
 
borghe said:
it may be dodgy matchmaking, and I may only have 32 friends, but I can play it for free, and I can play it portably anywhere that has an open hotspot.

Live has things over WFC. WFC has things over Live.
Click to expand...

WFC only has one thing over Live which is it is free. And I'm not sure this is an advantage looking at the level of service offered. For all of Nintendos talk about ease of use, XB Live destroys Wifi Connection in ease of use functionality. If this is Nintendos commitement to free online gaming paying 50 bucks a year for Xbox Live is a steal.
 
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