It isn't touch.
I totally expect nintendo to gimp themselves with this, like they always somehow manage to do with all their home consoles.
Eagerly hoping to eat crow though.
Nintendo: Switch dock only for charging and TV-out, Amiibo support, no commt on touch
- Thread starter hohoXD123
- Start date
I totally expect nintendo to gimp themselves with this, like they always somehow manage to do with all their home consoles.
Eagerly hoping to eat crow though.
Fabtacular
Member
The tech press can only talk on and on about how the mobile SOCs have been more powerful than PS360 HW for years and how any day now they're going to be more powerful than current gen consoles before people start expecting such things.
I can't really speak intelligently on the subject, and I suspect that what's really at work is an apples-to-oranges comparison, but it's understandable for people to feel that way.
HerroRygar
Member
Hm. I'm definitely worried about the storage situation and had hoped the base unit would provide some of that. I like being digital only, really don't want to have to maintain a cartridge library.
jungomitis
Member
To me it's obvious that the Switch won't have a touch screen because they need the games to run all the same, both docked or undocked. Unlike the Wii U, you won't be able to use the "tablet" when docked, so Nintendo is right when they say it is mainly a home console that can offer a home console experience on the go.
ShockingAlberto
Member
By this logic isn't the Wii U just a gimped 3DS
Maybe. But on the other hand, touch would be nice to make this thing a web browser/e-reader/mobile gaming platform on the go too if needed.
Edit: on second thought, this could also why they don't showcase touch even if it exists. Perhaps it only function for certain use cases and playing certain type of software is not one of them.
I think it could be possible that some game will be playable on the go. And i think Netflix and YouTube are better with touch.
TheCongressman1
Member
What reason could they have for not commenting on the touch? Is it just me that thinks that's odd?
There's always a catch, I guess this time it's not having a touch screen on a portable in 2017.
There's always a catch, I guess this time it's not having a touch screen on a portable in 2017.
If the thing can play 3DS games, how will it play the ones that require touch without a touch screen of some sort?
jungomitis
Member
So add a wifi/cellular antenna on an already battery strained device? Sadly unless they are going to see this at Apple prices (which would be suicide) I don't think we'll see much wireless communication capabilities off the dock. (Just RF or Bluetooth for the controllers)
That's very valid. If the Switch wants to be BC with the 3DS it will need a touch screen. I'm unsure how the control setup it would be though for "3DS mode" though... to me it looks like turning the tablet from landscape to portrait won't let the joycons connect
Agreed. This is the question I wanted Nintendo to answer and after today it seems they finally have. Sad day for me cause I'm not interested in a handheld system. Even if it can pretend it's a console. Epic run tho.
Edit: If you can't pull the controllers off this thing and play games with just the screen (meaning touch controls) then Nintendo has officially lost the plot. I fully expect playable versions of Miitomo, Mario run, and all that shit on the Switch. It wouldn't even be a missed opportunity. It would be a tragedy.
ShockingAlberto
Member
Could be it doesn't have it.
Could be that it has capacitive multitouch and they want to make a big deal about it.
Could be they just don't want to answer anyone's questions about things in the video and two months from now will just go "Here's the OS with touch!"
Milly Osworth
Member
Imagine having to use Netflix on it with sticks and buttons, or Youtube.
JoshuaJSlone
Member
I'm sure external drives are one of the main intended purposes of the USB ports, for those who want to go beyond SD capacity.
That Wii U was a bad job of a "Home DS" has been my biggest beef with it for 5 1/2 years.ShockingAlberto said:
There are more unknowns with Switch than I was expecting. I thought they had a system set up where both touch and motion control had a logical coexistence, but they haven't shown either in use yet.
Removing touch would be an odd choice. Even if it isn't bc, touchscreen works wonders.
Could be that they'll have a downloadable software ecosystem of touch oriented applications and mobile-style games that require the tablet to function, and that would come out in another announcement.
All the rumors (and they've been right about everything else) suggest the screen has touch capabilities.
Maybe if they focus too much on that right now, they're afraid it will hurt the "home console first" marketing they're trying to push at the moment.
In my mind a true hybrid meant:
- You have a portable device for on the go gaming, 720p.
- Connect it to a base unit that provides extra horsepower and other features (perhaps motion controllers, VR, etc.) when you're at home.
What we have:
- A tablet that has detachable controllers.
- Charging station that provides TV out (which is convenient, I guess).
Pokemon Go is 100% reliant on 3G/4G and GPS. So that's a no.
brochiller
Member
https://twitter.com/LaurakBuzz/status/789131903622406144
Anybody bring this up? This person seems to have solid sources.
Anybody bring this up? This person seems to have solid sources.
It's possible, but maybe Nintendo finally realised that people would rather use a smartphone for all these secondary things and decided to focus on the games. It would make the Switch cheaper to produce too, one less component to increase the manufacturing costs.
No touch screen would mean no backwards compatibility, no drawing apps, and no miiverse art.
So yes, it would be a deal breaker for some.
Shpeshal Nick
aka Collingwood
Shes been way on point with her leaks. If that's the case, though, why is Nintendo saying all it does is the stuff in the OP?
Modern batteries are designed to function properly that way for years and years now.
ShockingAlberto
Member
She doesn't say it has an extra processor. She says docking involves extra processing.
Dreams-Visions
Member
I mean...those are 2 controller ports on the base, are they not? For wheels and sticks and whatnot?
Probably that is all it does, but it's underclocked in tablet mode to save on battery. Then when you power it up, it switches into normal processing mode.
Shpeshal Nick
aka Collingwood
No joke. That's news to me.
Been letting my batteries completely die for over a decade now.
I see. So, what is the potential benefit of the up clock? Could it allow games to output at native 1080?
OG_Original Gamer
Member
So does that means, when you go mobile what your getting is a 720p image with better anti-aliasing?
CarbonFire
Member
The wording there "additional processing" is ambiguous enough that it could very likely still be an issue of the chip running at full power when docked, and then throttling when in "portable" mode. Throttling a powerful chip to make it more battery efficient for mobile is a WAAAAAAAAAAY better way of doing this than trying to add additional external processing.
I hope so
Who is? I am surprised the dock doesn't clock the GPU higher for tv gaming, since the battery isn't a concern when docked, and the dock could house a fan as well. I think that's a missed opportunity.
Have you ever used a smartphone or tablet? Ever used a WiiU where it was easy and intuitive to navigate the UI, to type your name, to browse the internet, select Netflix movies... No?
Dacvak
No one shall be brought before our LORD David Bowie without the true and secret knowledge of the Photoshop. For in that time, so shall He appear.
What's SCD?
LOLCats
Banned
ya dudes. I don't want to be negative but knowing this its going to be hard to not think this will be heavily underpowered when it finally does arrive.
WordAssassin
Member
So let's take a look at what Laura says, since she was right about everything else regarding the Switch and its release video:
Nintendo is trying to keep the message very clear and simple right now. It's a console you can take with you. If the dock adds power that has potential to confuse the message - can you buy the console without the dock then, will there be multiple docks, etc. We'll find out more at the investor's meeting, which is why Nintendo is staying quiet.
I mean the dock is huge. We don't know WHERE the amiibo scanner is on either device. We've also heard from Emily, who was also spot-on about everything, that there's a camera and a sensor bar somewhere. Is it in the dock? Did they leave it out? We'll find out at the investor's meeting.
Nintendo is trying to keep the message very clear and simple right now. It's a console you can take with you. If the dock adds power that has potential to confuse the message - can you buy the console without the dock then, will there be multiple docks, etc. We'll find out more at the investor's meeting, which is why Nintendo is staying quiet.
I mean the dock is huge. We don't know WHERE the amiibo scanner is on either device. We've also heard from Emily, who was also spot-on about everything, that there's a camera and a sensor bar somewhere. Is it in the dock? Did they leave it out? We'll find out at the investor's meeting.
forknknife
Banned
That's true, 4k needs 1 or 2 more years to reach mass market adoption.
The switch having such big vents makes it clear to me that when docked the tablet will perform better. So if the tablet is 720p the dock must let it upres till 1080 for sure.
That's killing them faster than if you'd have charged them nightly.
Apple themselves have recommended always topping up iPhone/iPad/Macbook batteries for years now. Other companies use the same tech.
HandsomeCharles
Member
Supplimental computing device.
Essentially getting more power from additional "parts" that are not physically connected to the base unit. (Think buying an object and sitting it next to the dock in order to increase performance)