Topic: 3DS mii plaza street pass mechanics?

Does my 3ds have to be on with the lid closed to pick up other console's miis via streetpass or will it pick up other consoles while the system is shut off? This is primarly for picking up miis for mii plaza.

The system must be on in order to Streetpass. It can't be turned off. Usually you will pick up Streetpasses while your 3DS is in sleep mode, but there are a few cases where you can pick up a Streetpass while playing a game.

So basicly when I walk around with it I have to have it on with the lid closed and most of the time just at the home screen? Yeah I don't have sleep mode enabled on it.

I've been doing that.. having it on in my pocket at the home screen (app page, whatever it's called..) and I haven't gotten a mii since E3.. and I take it nearly everywhere I go.

Simply closing your 3DS while it's on puts it in sleep mode. You don't have to be at the Home screen for it to work. However, you can't be playing a DS game. It'll work if you're playing a 3DS game.

Old DS games interfere with the communications feature of the 3DS, Pokémon Black (2) / White (2) will cut off communications but if you turn off the in game C-Gear, street passes will happen but you don't get the green light of joy blinking. It just happens in the background.

You could always go to a Nintendo Zone and check out if you get any Street Passes there.