ThoseDeafMutes said:
I'll break it down for you:
It's because by reducing the number of friend codes to 1 per system, and replicating the important functionality of competing systems (adding friends without writing their tag down by using a browsing interface for "recently played with" or "currently playing with"), you make the experience mostly hassle free. Writing down a number for your friends is not difficult, and takes minimal time. It's worse than the average case for a tag, but not worse than the worst case (Sup4L33tKill4RK4pAK0p has come online), and acting like this is a dealbreaker for an online system is, frankly, pathetic. It is indeed true that I would prefer a Steam style system (Heck, I'd just prefer Steam but it ain't gonna happen), but the Friendcode vs Usernames debate is overshadowed by the far more important aspects of the online system, such as:
- The ability to use and host dedicated servers
- A party system
- Cross game chat
- The system being free
- The system being reliable
It's the recognition that nobody should give a shit because it's a miniscule issue once they've reduced it to the one code w/ an invite system. You're continuing to make a mountain out of a molehill. This is probably going to be the least offensive part of Nintendo's reworked online system, and you'll have far more substantial things troll about when we actually start to get real details about it.
I hate to be reductive to start with, but again your argument literally can be summed up in: "Well, it's not
that bad, so why are you complaining about it?" or "Well sure the other thing is better, but this is ok I guess." This is not an argument. This is an
excuse.
First of all, it is bad. It's terrible, in fact. I am almost amused we're still having that discussion in 2011 about whether it's awful or not. Adding in numbers is the most ridiculous, hassle oriented method of adding people imaginable. When I had to add neoGAF members to my 3DS it took no less than an hour to add every code. I won't even mention how long it took on Wii.
Do you know how long it took for me to add people on XBL and PSN? I got over 60 people added on in less than five minutes. When someone wants to add me, I get prompted to accept and they magically go on my list too. Nicknames are natural to remember, long, 12 digit numbers are not.
For every excuse you make for it, you reduce the seriousness of your argument. You may call not lowering ones standards to make excuses for a giant corporations incompetent decisions as "pathetic", but I call it "not being a sycophant."
And your final conclusion - that there are other even MORE important issues to focus on - is entirely beside the point. Having more than one serious problem does not change that something else is also a problem. You cannot erase a problem by suggesting there are other more serious problems too. They are all problems, and I am an adult and can focus on them all.
Nintendo does not exist in a vacuum. Until they do, I am going to call out and rightly slam any company that does something markedly worse than their competitors. Friend codes is one on a long list of major problems they have to fix if they're going to have a competent, competitive online system. Period.
