Topic: The Nintendo Switch Thread

@G0dlike
"labelling all our memory cards (SD)?"

Eh, don't think you'll need to label your SD cards anymore than you label your external hard drives plugged into the Wii U.

And what I mean by that is, why would you ever need more than one? I have my entire 70 game library of GameCube games and 65 Wii game library all on 1 single SD card on my Wii U. And that's only a 256gb. I have roughly 75 retail 3DS releases, 50 eShop releases and 175 virtual console games on one single microSD card in my 3DS. And that's just a 200gb ( with at least 50gb free space still).

You can already get 512gb SD cards (which is exactly what I'll be buying for the Switch), and by the time it launches and you actually fill one of those up they'll probably have 1 terabyte SD cards for sale. I mean, even PS4 and X1 are sold predominantly in 500gb models.

Im guessing the vast majority of Nintendo's games will probably hover around 5gb, maybe 10gb (perhaps 20 for larger games like Zelda or Xenoblade) since they managed to keep them at 3-5gb on Wii U. Third party games will undoubtedly be larger but they certainly won't be the size of PS4 or Xbox One games.

All things considered I do think I will actually run out of space eventually just because I buy pretty much every single game released on Nintendo systems that's good. But it'll probably take around 40-50 full retail releases before that happens, or say 35 retail releases and 35 digital only indies (VC games take up squat for space comparatively). And I really do expect one terabyte SD cards to be out long before that day comes.

@BiasedSonyFan It doesn't matter how "cutting-edge" your hardware is. The important thing is being developer friendly.

@JaxonH How do you have a 200gb microSD card for your 3DS? I thought it was incompatible with SD cards with higher storages than 32gb.

Problem with that, is that developers don't want any variation in the hardware, just the standard controller and box console. No motion controls, no touch screens, no cameras, no off TV play, just stagnation. I'm happy with the big three having similar architecture making porting the code reasonably easy, but after that, they should suck it up and make use of some controller quirks. Optimisation seems to be a scary word for devs.

@BLPs
Yeah, I read that column yesterday, and while its a fair and respectable opinion to be a bit negative or uncertain.... That column is an utter piece of trash.
It says innovation is bad.... If that were true, we would still be playing with NES style controllers.
They slam the console as being underpowered when we only have rumors, and they speak about the release slate, when the idea of unifying the dev teams was to avoid that....
If they had said they don't like Nintendo and want another PS4-/XONE it would have been more honest.

@BiasedSonyFan I don't really know the details of the systems during that generation to argue about it but from what I do know. GameCube used a different format for their physical media and during a time first person shooters were on a rise, it lacked a comfortable second analog stick. These things would discourage developers from using the system. It didn't help that the GameCube was in last place with their install base and Microsoft was buying up a ton of exclusive support. While the GameCube is a much loved console now, during its lifespan, it was considered the weakest even if it was actually a very powerful console for its time.
_{I am currently sick and could probably come up with better arguments if I wasn't taking so many meds lol}

Devs don't care about scary bells and whistles as long as they can ignore them.

EDIT: upon further reading, it appears that it wasn't your opinion, it was an article. Oh well, the below comment is a good summary of my opinions.

@BLPs: Excuse me if I misunderstand your message; it was quite a read, so I went through it as quickly as I could. But I think you're underestimating a few demographics.

Let me start by saying that I don't expect the Switch to be nearly as popular as either the NES or the Wii. You're right, those times have passed, but the Switch can still be successful, and its current angle is better than going into the same part of the market that Microsoft and Sony have already dominated.

Nintendo could go one of two ways with the Switch; firstly, it could be marketed more toward hardcore gamers, which is what our first trailer suggests (though it could just be a clever marketing schedule, since at the beginning of the market cycle, it's the hardcore early-adopters that are going to be paying attention and starting the word-of-mouth). But if this is the route they go, which I think is what most people suspect, then this device is going to be powerful enough to compete with the Xbox One/PS4 (maybe overcome them?), be kinda expensive, and have sucky battery life. But it would compete, and for the hardcore market, that and 3rd party support is what matters. But a lot of trust has grown between hardcore gamers and the competition over the past two generations, so it's a tough scenario.

However, they could also skip out on power and storage, improve battery life, have a touch screen and price it low, and I think it could be popular with casual players. Maybe not everyone that jumped onto the Wii bandwagon, but I'm sure there's a section of people out there who game on their phone or tablet that would also want a Nintendo device for Christmas. The 3DS is evidence of this; it's largely successful, and most people I know with one aren't die-hard gamers but bought it just for Pokémon, and maybe Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. If this next console is a cheap enough handheld, yet it's a powerful tablet with not only Pokémon and SSB but the new Zelda and Mario games that play more like the really good 3D versions we all know and love, it could possibly double the success of the 3DS. I think there's real appeal for a device that goes beyond what a tablet can do, with buttons to boot. And its not just 3DS owners. It's also a handful of home console owners as well as phone/tablet gamers that look at current owners and see that the new Nintendo looks a lot like their tablet, but better at games.

And its convenient! That's the most impressive part. Those same 3DS owners I mentioned before play their 3DS's at home more often then on the go, despite it being a handheld! It seems counterintuitive, but in reality the gamer that doesn't care about high resolution is going to want the console that can just sit charging at their bedside table waiting for them to pick it up. Or take it with them on vacations, car trips, waiting in line, etc. And it seems like you'll be able to do that with the Switch, if you so desire! The choice is yours!

The third possible option is that we're selling the Nvidia technology short, and it actually can do everything at a low price point. The techies here on this forum will probably tell me why this is unlikely, but if it can, then kudos to Nintendo for successfully doing what everyone said the Wii U hopelessly failed to do: catering to both markets! Probably not, though.

I understand that some may feel "cheated" if the Switch's multiple options come at the cost of hardware specs. But this is why I kinda think that the Switch isn't going to try to be a hardcore device, but rather a professional device centered solely on the convenience factor. Cuz the world isn't black and white; just like there are lots of Republicans, and there are lots of Democrats, and there are lots of different kinds of Republicans and Democrats, and lots of inbetweens, independents, and undecideds, there are hardcores that aren't all about specs, casuals who aren't afraid of trying a little more as long as it's convenient and cheap, kids interested in the colorful characters who aren't concerned with price and specifics, and people who aren't afraid of owning multiple gaming devices. The only reason the the Wii U didn't succeed in doing this is that it definitely wasn't convenient, it wasn't sleek and professional, and it didn't have the 3rd party games. It wasn't even that cheap. It was just kinda goofy all around, really.

But my final point is that I am no expert; in fact, you probably have more industry knowledge than me being a developer and all that. But I hope you don't mind me giving my 2 cents.

@Luna_110 Lets compound this issue shall we.

Here is the BBC covering the Switch. Bear in mind the BBC is the UK mainstream of mainstream to Joe Public.

Nintendo has revealed that its next games machine will be a handheld, portable device that doubles up as a home console.
Previously code-named NX, now named the Nintendo Switch, the device looks like a tablet computer with controllers that attach to its sides.

The device was revealed in a short "teaser" video posted on YouTube.

One analyst said the device could be Nintendo's "last shot" at selling a home console.

"The Wii U was a car crash, basically," said Paul Jackson of the Ovum consultancy.

"They fudged the communication and confused everybody with the controller and what the screen was for.

"As a result it sold about a tenth of what the original Wii sold."

The Wii U was rapidly outsold by Sony's PS4 and Microsoft's Xbox One, although Nintendo has enjoyed success with its handheld 3DS device.

The new Switch console can be seated in a dock to play games on a television or used as a stand-alone portable device.

Games will be delivered on small cartridges - a nod to older Nintendo consoles.

Mr Jackson said it was no surprise the new device was a "bit of both" console and handheld.

"Two of the most successful consoles ever are Nintendo's portable devices - both the Gameboy and DS sold more than 100 million each."

Nintendo has announced that leading games studios and publishers such as Activision, Bethesda, EA Games, Sega, Ubisoft and Warner Brothers had signed up to produce software.

However, Mr Jackson said Nintendo would need a strong roster of games to launch its console.

"On the software side, they need the big Mario game, the Zelda game, the Metroid game - front and centre, exclusive to Switch and available at the same time as the console.

"In the past they've got that wrong - and if you have a lousy launch, suddenly you're in the wilderness for a few years."

Nintendo has already announced that its highly-anticipated title Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will be released on the Switch.

However, it is yet to reveal the technical specifications of the device, which is due to be released in March 2017.

So in the UK by ourown main media its been touted as a handheld that needs Mario, Zelda and of all things Metroid at launch for it to be anything but a flop.

So to sunmarise what the UK will think of this. Tablet. Needs x and x or no sell. And its a handheld first and foremost apparently. So much for that clear message.

To be honest I dont see retail over here pushing this thing. The UK probably doesnt even need convincing away from Nintendo. If it gets FIFA and CoD itll sell a bit here but...even then.

So the UK is off to a great start /sarcasm

@Nicolai The entire tl:dr isnt my opinion its one of a gaming website hence I posted it. My opinion is tight and sealed since Im pursuing development for Switch.

And yeah I think the article does sell it short. Setting up for failure in some ways.

I wouldnt say I have industry knowledge though. Im at a Sony partnered university and Nintendo is irrelevant as a platform or developer. Hence why I keep quiet.

@BLPs Yeah, my bad. Like I said, I read through it kinda quickly, and missed the part where you said it wasn't your opinion. But my piece up there is still good as my opinion

@Nicolai Your opinion is always welcome.

Just like when I mentioned my upcoming game plays like Spyro, Im very pleased about the positivity here. Even if mass media is ambivalent or negative. :/

A reasonable chunk of them don't seem to care about doing anything they can avoid. When you get games dropping down to 1fps on one type of hardware, when the other has no issues whatsoever, or saying that a particular piece of hardware is not powerful enough to run a game when weaker hardware already has the game available for purchase, then it starts becoming clear that they're not interested in producing quality software.

Speaking of one of the points I made on said piece:

How many people do you think are going to buy this and never hook it up to their TV, but instead keep the dock on their desk or bedside table? I might even end up doing that at least for brief periods of time.

But isn't this true for all of these platforms? I mean that's my main point here. And with Nintendo it's worse because unlike Steam your purchases are basically tied to one system. There's no way to just log-in from another Wii U or 3DS. There's no family sharing option. On Nintendo like all other platforms a large chunk of the cost of the game goes to to Nintendo. But on Nintendo ontop of that most of the games people buy are developed and published by Nintendo!

Anyways, your post in this thread was about the Switch having 500GB-1TB of flash. Not this.

To be fair to some of these news sites people are quoting. An Australian site ran with the headline "Nintendo returns with Game Boy 2.0". I'm pretty sure they've edited the headline from what I can tell. But it was a thing. So I wouldn't read too much into mainstream coverage.

@skywake I think an issue however, and what @BLPs was raising with the BBC article, is that mainstream media may be one of the main ways in which the general public hear about new devices. If they paint these devices in a negative light, that may influence public perception and affect the success of the product. Would your average joe get excited about the Switch, having read the BBC article saying Nintendo's previous console was a trainwreck?

@Buizel
I think you're giving the media too much credit. The media and especially the print media has far less influence than it used to. What'll sway people's opinions on something is what people are saying on social media within their little bubbles. The average consumer forms an opinion based on what Jenny from that community Facebook group thinks. Or what some random internet celeb said in their most recent vlog.

Think about it. Most people consume their media via social media. That's where these links pop up. How many people actually click the link if it's not a video? Probably not that many. But on Facebook in particular everyone sees the comments under it. And because Facebook doesn't want you to leave links with more comments are always promoted to the top.

Which is a scary reality. TBH I'd much rather if we did live in a world where people made up their minds based on a considered reading of articles from sites like the BBC. But for better or worse that's not the world we live in. Especially for the people who are fans of tech enough to want to buy a gadget such as the Switch.

@Buizel: Hasn't Sony and Microsoft suffered the same kind of clickbait-backlash articles on the PS4/Xbox One? I'm sure the Xbox One has. And I'm pretty sure the Xbox One is pretty successful today.

Basically, yeah, these articles are hurting the public opinion, but its also par for the course. All we can do is wait and see how badly it damages the Switch in the long run.

@LegendOfPokemon
All you have to do is format your SD to FAT32. That's it.

Just note that Windows won't format storage larger than 32gb as FAT32 (who knows why) so use a partition management tool. There's a thousand of them free to choose from, like EaseUS or Paragon, and on and on and on.

3DS "officially" supports up to 32gb because everything larger than 32gb comes formatted as exFAT, which isn't supported. But unofficially (by simply formatting larger cards as FAT32) it will support anything. Sky's the limit.