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[Suburban Thug]

I think I know why Nintendo is doing this.

They've always been hesitant to allow voice chat, because it might mean children being subjected to all sorts of foul language and inappropriate topics. By tying this functionality to phones, they are protecting very young kids from it and also ensuring that the kids that do have it are deemed mature enough by their parents to own a cell phone.

Of course, the fact that you'll need a paid subscription to access online in the future anyway somewhat disproves this theory.

All they have ever had to do is provide parental controls and let adults monitor their kids instead of making everybody else suffer thanks to their overbearing "but think of the children" attitude. This is ignoring the fact that kids are exposed to bad language on the playground or TV everyday. I remember hearing a classmate drop the F bomb under his breath in 5th grade and I went to a catholic school at that time.

 

[Onaco]

I'm sitting down at my PC right now and left my phone in the bathroom. I have a setup that my PC is connected to my TV, and I sit on a futon with a keyboard, mouse, and Razer Tartarus across my lap with a Couchmaster. I also just went to my classes from 8:00 AM to 6:30 PM with a 50-minute drive in between both ways and work in the morning. Obviously, I'm tired.

So when I have a busy day like this, do you really think I care to get up and get my phone just to log into Overwatch right now using my mother fucking phone, Nintendo? I hope by "matchmaking" he meant it can be used to accept friend invites and prompt you to insert the game (or just launch off an SD card) using your phone, which then immediately puts you in a lobby or match right away. I REALLY hope that. But fuck it all. Was it so damn hard to make this one basic concept just work the like everyone else, if you chose to make me need my phone somehow? Is this the answer to friend codes? Are you still thinking Little Timmy needs Nintendo's own parental supervision still?

 

[recursive]

I wonder what will happen to blackberry users like myself :3

And essentially, I'll need my phone for the duration of the use of this system.. Kinda inconvenient imo.

We'll the thing I am wondering is what demographic are they trying to appeal to here. Seems to alienate some of the younger crowd that don't have smart phones.

 

[March of the Crabs]

In all honesty, this really going to be a major inconvenience to anyone? The market of Switch fans without a smartphone will be very, very small.

Doesn't change the fact that this should be a cool bonus feature and not the primary method for online communication though. Very odd.

 

[Draper]

So no mario kart online in april? If thats true lmao.

That's why online multiplayer is free until the Fall. Their online solution is half baked.

They straight up said the online service would be in a trial stage until this fall, when the full paid service rolls out officially. You can be sure that what's in place at launch will be missing features.

For fuck's sake, Nintendo...

 

[Audioboxer]

MS is a software company that creates OS that are way more feature robust and responsive. These companies are not equals on the topic of OS, or even non gaming software.

It's been like 15 years since it launched. I think Nintendo have had time.

Not to mention surely software wise trying to engineer all this through an app is... More complex? lol.

 

[Mechazawa]

Who thought of this.

WHO THOUGHT OF THIS.

WHO
H
O

THO
UGHT

O
Ⅎ

T S
H I

 

[MADGAME]

I think I know why Nintendo is doing this.

They've always been hesitant to allow voice chat, because it might mean children being subjected to all sorts of foul language and inappropriate topics. By tying this functionality to phones, they are protecting very young kids from it and also ensuring that the kids that do have it are deemed mature enough by their parents to own a cell phone.

Of course, the fact that you'll need a paid subscription to access online in the future anyway somewhat disproves this theory.

I could maybe buy this crock of shit if it were only voice chat, but they are putting lobbies and matchmaking behind it too. Kids have friends, even if they are old enough to have a mobile device.

 

[Dryk]

For real. You'd have to have only ever played Nintendo systems and be completely ignorant of MS's, Sony's, and PC's online ecosystems in order to think this is anything but a boneheaded idea.

About that...

At some point in this conversation we were informed that it was no good referencing Live and PSN as nobody in their development teams used those systems (!) so could we provide more detailed explanations for them?

 

[Kodros]

and why haven't they had time to figure this stuff out?

like what have they been doing? i just don't understand why this can't be "ready."

Probably because the WiiU was such a dumpster fire that they had to rush this system out.

 

[msdstc]

I bet speaker phone

Lmao it simply can't be. Just no way.

In all honesty, this really going to be a major inconvenience to anyone? The market of Switch fans without a smartphone will be very, very small.

Doesn't change the fact that this should be a cool bonus feature and not the primary method for online communication though. Very odd.

Yes it will be actually. Just one more thing you need, make sure that phone is charged, unless you wanna bring the charger or power bank along. It's a completely unnecessary move. Nobody complains about current party systems and headsets being an issue.

 

[jdstorm]

Really Nintendo. 3rd parties already tried this companion app BS. It was a horrible horrible failure

 

[Ricerocket]

Just what anyone wants to do. Get home from work, load up the switch, go back to their phone and run the app to find a game, then plug in their earphones? or leave on lap with speakerphone and then get back to the console to play Splatoon online. Repeat for another game? lol.

 

[Mihael Mello Keehl]

We need to create a Wii U vs Switch chart to track how many features they are going back on.

3DS supported voice chat. Heroes of Ruin, if nothing else, proved that.

metroid prime hunter on DS had it 😐

 

[Back-In-Black]

Ayyyyyy.

 

[Kthulhu]

MS is a software company that creates OS that are way more feature robust and responsive. These companies are not equals on the topic of OS, or even non gaming software.

Sony makes consumer electronics and Valve made video games. The problem isn't that Nintendo isn't equal, it's that it isn't up to par. Hell they aren't even in the same league.

The competition must be looking at the challenge of competing with Nintendo like a fistfight with a sugar ant.

 

[MoonFrog]

Why? I don't really plan on doing anything online but eShop and VC, so not a big deal for me, but this seems incredibly odd and also just counter-intuitive.

I hope this is really only about voicechat and private rooms, but it sounds like all the online matchmaking is done with a smart phone or tablet. Please, do not be true.

 

[LiK]

For fuck's sake, Nintendo...

omg, i need to look up this video from RLM.

 

[Vena]

3DS supported voice chat. Heroes of Ruin, if nothing else, proved that.

Ahh right the 3DS does have a mic, I forgot about that. But you're conflating software and the OS integration, I am under the assumption that this (thread) is about the Switch's OS integration. None of this seems to be integrated at any native level in the OS, the OS is running basically nothing in the background. The 3DS and WiiU also didn't have these capabilities, though they did have mics built into them so they did allow voice chat through their software.

There are games at launch with online multiplayer, do people think they have no matchmaking until summer?

 

[BumbleBee Castle]

Are you gonna give your phone number to every random person you meet in an online match of Splatoon/Mario Kart/etc? The app should enable you to voice chat with randoms. That's the reason to use it over discord or just having a conference call.

You're perfectly right about randoms. My brain always defaults to friends only when multiplayer console is involved.

 

[liquidtmd]

About that...

Hot damn

 

[13ruce]

Ayyyyyy.

Best twitter account of all time.

 

[JaseMath]

Ayyyyyy.

Best Twitter.

 

[GifGafIsTheBestGaf]

seems relevant

https://twitter.com/KazHiraiCEO/status/821061280752660480

This simply cannot be right.

We must be mistranslating him from English to English.

lmao

Because AMD was holding them back...



I find it amusing that Nintendo believes it's disrupting the market, when in actuality, they've perfected the art of disrupting themselves.

Has anyone worked out a logical reason why this all handled via a phone app anyway? If I'm being forced to use my phone, why not just conference call everyone?

i know man, i just wanted to believe a bit that they would do it right this time.


btw, is the phone app be geo-locked? that would be the icing on the cake lol

 

[Razzorn34]

Cesspool, nice words there.

Sorry it's not our job to showcase how features of a console out in 40 days works

No one says you have to buy the thing day 1 if this is an issue for you. Here's a thought.... wait and see how it actually works before making a determination? Crazy talk, I know.

 

[diaspora]

Lmao it simply can't be. Just no way.



Yes it will be actually. Just one more thing you need, make sure that phone is charged, unless you wanna bring the charger or power bank along. It's a completely unnecessary move. Nobody complains about current party systems and headsets being an issue.

I think they're talking about the market of switch owners stupid enough to pay for online gaming.

 

[RPGam3r]

It's been like 15 years since it launched. I think Nintendo have had time.

Not to mention surely software wise trying to engineer all this through an app is... More complex? lol.

Like I said the are plenty of companies that specialize in app creation. And if Wii U was any indication, no they didnt have enough time.

 

[Dsyndrome]

Like a monkey fucking a football. Good lord, Nintendo.

 

[Etzer]

Not that this isn't an absolutely terrible idea, but you guys posting about not having a smartphone were bound to encounter a service that required you to have one sooner or later. Nearly 70% of adults in the U.S. had a smartphone two years ago and "The average age for a child getting their first smartphone is now 10.3 years".

Where's this from?

The O.C.

Considering GAF since the last week, what good momentum?

The initial teaser video was met with pretty positive reactions, IIRC.

About that...

What in the world...?

 

[Garrett Hawke]

No one says you have to buy the thing day 1 if this is an issue for you. Here's a thought.... wait and see how it actually works before making a determination? Crazy talk, I know.

Maybe they could actually explain how the thing they're already taking people's money for works? Crazy talk, I know.

 

[Osiris]

In all honesty, this really going to be a major inconvenience to anyone? The market of Switch fans without a smartphone will be very, very small.

Doesn't change the fact that this should be a cool bonus feature and not the primary method for online communication though. Very odd.

If they keep up this level of stupid, the market of people with a Switch will also be very, very small.

It's a ridiculous choice, like "We have no idea what the hell we're doing or what the world is like outside our front door" levels of stupid.

It's not innovative, it's not reasonable, it's one of the daftest ideas since the VirtualBoy.

 

[BobLoblaw]

MS is a software company that creates OS that are way more feature robust and responsive. These companies are not equals on the topic of OS, or even non gaming software.

So basically, Nintendo is too cheap to outsource to a software company that could actually give them a solid OS and online infrastructure? I guess that sounds about right given the nickel and dimeing they've shown so far with the overpriced Switch.

 

[Realyn]

Reading "Well, we have to see how the app turns out" is living proof that the term fanboy exists for a reason.

I usually never go into that territory. People can discuss which game looks better, which action rpg is more fun and whatever. I really don't care.

As far as this is concerned. Nobody gives a damn about the quality of the app. The concept of it in 2017 is pure insanity - and so is trying to defend it.

 

[Skellybroski88]

Have they said how much the app is going to cost?

Well if the price of the switch accessories are any indication, I'l say double whatever you think sounds reasonable.

 

[Hockey123]

The best elegance

 

[Kthulhu]

Just what anyone wants to do. Get home from work, load up the switch, go back to their phone and run the app to find a game, then plug in their earphones? or leave on lap with speakerphone and then get back to the console to play Splatoon online. Repeat for another game? lol.

Watch it not even do that. Watch it not support speaker phone or headphones and you'll have to sandwich it between your shoulder and your ear.

 

[Kodros]

Wow. One of the few voices of reason is this cesspool of a thread. I applaud you friend. I'm right with you.

Oh, come on. The Internet is blowing up with how stupid this is. If this was a simple misunderstanding, don't you think Nintendo would have clarified it by now?

 

[bachikarn]

No one says you have to buy the thing day 1 if this is an issue for you. Here's a thought.... wait and see how it actually works before making a determination? Crazy talk, I know.

Nintendo does not really deserve the benefit of the doubt when it comes to online especially when what little they tell us sounds crazy.

 

[Dunlop]

The gaming headset excuse is hilarious.

My earbuds I use for my cell phone have a mike with volume controls

 

[Let me in]

Referring to "bulky headset" as if people have been clamoring for a solution to this "problem" only exemplifies how out of touch they are.

 

[Dash_Riprock]

About that...

Well, that explains a lot...

 

[Schnozberry]

Have they said how much the app is going to cost?

The app is free. Certain features are locked behind the subscription service.

 

[kvothe232]

There's something going on, there has to be, this can't be right. Mario Kart 8 comes out soon after launch and that's online, unless they only have co-op ready for it.

The system must be able to go online by itself, the app must be another option to get the system online while away from home.

 

[hwy_61]

No one says you have to buy the thing day 1 if this is an issue for you. Here's a thought.... wait and see how it actually works before making a determination? Crazy talk, I know.

Orrrrrr maybe Nintendo can actually get their shit together and spell out everything the customer can expect. Until then, shut your mouth. Don't say shit about it if you're not ready to detail every aspect of it.

 

[Falchion]

That's legit awful. Good thing I won't be playing online with a Switch whenever I get one.

 

[OnionPowder]

No one says you have to buy the thing day 1 if this is an issue for you. Here's a thought.... wait and see how it actually works before making a determination? Crazy talk, I know.

Shit you're right, if anybody has problems with it just shut the fuck up because you're ruining my vision of it being everything I want.

How about Nintendo learns how to properly communicate what their online does. How is it acceptable that a console can launch without the online features being ready? Especially after heavily emphasizing a mostly online game during the reveal.

 

[Etzer]

In all honesty, this really going to be a major inconvenience to anyone? The market of Switch fans without a smartphone will be very, very small.

Doesn't change the fact that this should be a cool bonus feature and not the primary method for online communication though. Very odd.

All of these small inconveniences add up. Add to that that they're non-existent in other consoles and...

 

[Qwyjibo]

Well at least Nintendo is making it an easy decision of whether to pay for their online services or not.

Hopefully the Switch will be a good single player system for the people that buy it.

 

[CD'S BAR]

Good thing this console will be a Zelda/Mario machine meaning online play is largely negligible.

 

[Mikey Jr.]

So if I just want to fucking MATCHMAKE, you need a phone app.

Nice.

Seriously, my God. Nintendo. Jesus. What the hell is with these guys?