Random: Cleaner At German Video Game Age Ratings Firm Almost Mistook Nintendo Labo For Trash

Haha, perfect! The first of many little 'accidents' I'm betting.

Cant believe they confused the new Nintendo innovation with a pile of rubbish...

They knew it was a peripheral, their confusion was that they thought it was for the WiiU.

No surprise.

I hope it was going to be recycled

Despite some issues like the above, I actually like the cardboard, my kid can repair any damage with his cereal boxes. However, Nintendo needs to be prepared for the upcoming patent battle with Solid Snake in the near future.

Funny. That's likely where it'll end up after a few days use. Disposable income on disposable toys.

Yeah that makes sense. If I saw it, I would have done the same - even if I knew what it was.

Well of course they wanted to throw it away, because Labo really is TRASH!! Nintendoomed lololololol
(This is a joke btw)

I'm looking for RC Car tires online. I want to make a hole in the cardboard of the RC Car and put the wheels there. Anybody knows where I can find the wheels and the thing that bonds the two wheels (don't know the name lol).

Cardboard is a left-field material that makes sense in retrospect for Labo - plastic model building outside dedicated sets like Lego is more complicated (and thus limits the lower age threshold below which parental assistance would be mandatory) while its durability doesn't quite map the same territory as cardboard - if you make a mistake during the construction and bend a detail the wrong way, plastic will quite literally snap at you and your incompetence. At the same time cardboard is cheaper - people who don't realise what part of the price accounts for the software (just like 1-2-Switch, it doesn't become any less challenging or costly to make just because gamers are dismissive of the results) would probably choke at a kit with plastic details.

That said, the public will take some time to get used to the thought; until then, forget the cardboard - brief your family well lest your Joy-cons should end up in a dumpster as well! XD

@JJ286 the thing that bonds the two wheels... an axis? No idea where to get it all (unless you resort to dismantling some other toy car for the purpose), but now you can google more.

@JJ286 the RC "car" works due to the fact the toy is vibrating, which makes it jump a very tiny distance off the ground several times in a very quick fashion. Since the toy is heavier on one side, and the legs are designed in a curve, whenever it jumps it falls forward a tiny little bit.

So, in essence, it's trying to topple itself over, but it does it so quickly it gives the illusion of thrust instead.

Adding wheels would probably mess with the whole thing.

Yeah, I could totally see this being a potential issue.

Lol. You gotta labo it

Like we needed another reason to despise the USK.

Just noticed that top slot on the piano that looks like it receives a card of some kind... wonder what that one is for? My first guess is a cardboard cutout in the shape of the icon above it that has IR reflectors in a pattern. You could make a bunch and "save" the music you play to them. I mean, it would obviously be on the Switch, but the pattern could be unique so it would seem like you were saving it to a piece of cardboard. haha. That would be funny/cool.

@aaronsullivan it apparently takes cards with different patterns cut into them that somehow modify the sound, or something like that.

@Meowpheel Okay. Though, that's what I thought the knob with the 1 on it was for.

@aaronsullivan that changes the instrument.

Hobos can collect these thrown away Labo and build themselves a house to live in. That would be a nice fairytale.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE Are you saying that it is somehow different from other games and toys? Personally, I don't judge my experience with games by how many days I've played them, personally, but by what I get out of them. But, yes, save for a few, most video games are disposable income spent on disposable toys.

However, I imagine that kids experiencing the building and understanding of these kits, will get more valuable insight and lessons that they can potentially use in their life and occupation than another game played for more days that is largely the same as the last ten games they've played.

Typical German thoroughness in waste separation 🤔

Mods: English only on this website. Thanks.

@Nincompoop Only hobo-kids. This has been made abundantly clear.

@nhSnork I think you mean axel

@nhSnork thanks for the word, and yes I think it will be easier to just dismantle a car and use the components.

@Meowpheel I still want to try it, afterall thats what Labo is about....create, experiment, fail, do it again, have fun.

This cardboard thing gives me terrible memories of Nintendo’s penchant for wacky ideas that are so far fetched (Dux ftw) and gimmicky that I get worried that this idea could be forced into the games I do care about.

Then I remember that this is just another outlet for them to let consumers have fun with. I’m not forced to participate like with the Wiimote, or be locked out of added fun because of my lack of amiibos. I couldn’t be happier that this isn’t forced on me. Bravo Nintendo! Carry on

@noobish_hat Cardboard isn't as extremely cheap as you think it is and @NewAdvent has a good point too.

Cardboard is a material like plastic and others that is cheap to create in massive amounts, but there is a cost in printing it and perforating it with precision. (There was a commenter around here with first hand knowledge of the process that could give you more information).

Not to say it's $80 but, let's just guesstimate a bit.

It's something like 28 sheets of the stuff, so that could go for $15 - $25, and yes things are marked up for profit by retail and Nintendo so that could be $20 - $35 dollars of the price. There's also string and grommets that are a bit more durable than the usual presumably. The robot kit has fabric adjustable straps for going over the shoulders. There are rubber bands (again, these won't be on the cheapest end because they have to last under stress). But let's just subsume all of that into the $20 - $35 dollars.

That leaves about $35 for a the software/game for the variety kit and $45 for the Robot game. Maybe a little high for a those games. There is @NewAdvent 's valid point that the game has an entire other purpose with detailed, interactive instructions (quickly shown in the video) and explanations of how the mechanics work. The purpose of these is not just games with weird peripherals but to be learning experiences for kids. Also, the software development needed to do some unusual research and development worthy work with reading in the reflected IR spots and making use of them. Let's say the extra attention to education and the R&D adds ~$10 to what is needed to recuperate costs.

Now, we are down $25 and $35 dollar games. There are 5 activities in the variety game kit so that averages $5 a game where some are obviously more complicated than others. We haven't seen much of the robot game, but at $35 it looks pretty good, maybe. The graphics are certainly a big step up from the old Project Giant Robot concept games from way back and the experience is bound to be unique.

At least in this estimation, it seems maybe a tad high priced, but pretty typical for Nintendo.

(Edit: Sorry about repost, I had to fix when I included the wrong people)

@SLIGEACH_EIRE No.

The Janitor made NO MISTAKE

Hopefully Nintendo doesn't get too greedy with its pricing on cardboard replacements. $20 seems like a reasonable price point for a replacement kit (sans game, obviously).

@SpaceboyScreams I want to be offended, but I can't deny that I laughed. Take my like, you savage.

No, no mistake there.

Not all heroes wear capes~

@aaronsullivan watching your rampant defense of this thing is really funny, every single person who has an opinion that differs from yours you seem to take exception to.

You need to pipe down a bit there son shine, i'n not sure where you got this notion that cardboard is expensive.

If you think this product is the next best thing after sliced bread then you can keep it to yourself at this point, everyone and their mothers know you love this thing, watching you attempt to defend this product with such a long winded explanation about why its worth it is about the lamest thing on this website for the last 2 days.

Just stop... the lameness of all your posts is degrading this entire website, as unbelievable as that sounds, you are jumping from all the labo related posts and rampantly defending its every feature against countless naysayers.

while admirable, it's so lame, just give up and let the numbers do the talking, no matter how many "pre-orders" this junk got, it will flop like someone poured water on it.

@Kwehst Amiibo are essentially DLC though, how are you locked out of DLC you didn't buy? (Fair point otherwise, optional is always good)

@thesilverbrick I might be estimating high in the cardboard area. Pizza boxes are crazy cheap in large orders, but then there are WAY more pizza boxes made than these will ever sell. Plus, I don't know for sure, but the precision needed to make parts as small as piano keys fit together and stay together without adhesives. It has to be precision perforation, not these mass cut patterns for pizza boxes. The printing also needs precision, you can't have the sloppy rolled image you see on those boxes. I don't know. I went with about 50 cents to almost a dollar per sheet which is ten times what a pizza box goes for, so maybe too much. But, in the realm of cardboards, I don't think they are low-quality, no.

Probably on the higher-quality spectrum, and highly specialized, and less mass-produced ad infinitum than Pizza boxes. So, I wouldn't expect it to be the same cost.

There was a commenter the other day that knows a bit more as he is actually in the manufacturing business and knew more precisely the process for this kind of thing. Hmm...

@Meowpheel Cool, thanks. Now I want the fake memory card thing, though. lol.

Where did they leave it? Because if I were a cleaner and I saw someone had constructed a piano out of cardboard and left it on their desk I'd be crazy impressed someone made a piano out of cardboard! Trash is the last thing I'd be thinking.

"samples were very nearly thrown in the garbage."

Rubbish or bin.

But a funny story nonetheless

@GravyThief A lot of Germans are SUPER gung-ho about recycling, environmental conservation, etc compared to Americans. A lot of wasteful things Americans do actually pisses Germans off. Even things like leaving a petroleum powered car running in neutral for more than a minute. Happened to my sister recently in Germany, some random woman went off on her (in German, of course) for that.

@Razer Happy to have an unabashed admirer, Ray! Cheers.

Yeah, I'm a bit overboard lately. I'm honestly avoiding work and have been too busy to be on here much previously, making up for lost time or something. I tend to bristle at shallow comments, or people who have strong opinions about things they prove they know little about.

Because I like to think things through and discuss them and process different viewpoints I get longwinded. Sorry about that (to everyone). But, hey, scroll wheels, ignore buttons, you got 'em if you need 'em.

@aaronsullivan It shows mate, you should pipe down, you're jumping on every Labo thread like you have stock in the market for it or something.

We get it, you love it, you should just chill out about it now.

@Razer Um... yeah, well, unless someone is actually being hurt I'll do what I please, actually. Like I have for about 10 years. But, I'll take it under advisement. I will be back at work soon enough, too busy to comment much for a few months, anyway.

Hope you can chill out about me not chilling out about it? :/

@aaronsullivan The price of cardboard depends on the quality of materials, glue/binding, specialized coatings, and corrugation. In particular, non-corrugated is really cheap and flimsy, whereas full height triple wall corrugation is actually surprisingly tough, with an appropriate price to match.

From the looks of the images, it seems like the cardboard used for Lab-O is full height single wall corrugated in some heavier use areas (like the piano keys), partial height single wall corrugated in much of the support structure, and non-corrugated in the outer edges. I wouldn't be too surprised if they cheap out on the binding/glue for a mass produced product that's not expected to hold up over time, and we can definitely see that the coatings used are minimalist, to be generous. (Hence why it's so easy for someone to mistake the product for junk to recycle.) So the quality of most of the cardboard used here is really on the cheaper side. Charging $70-80 is very profitable.

This site gives a good indication of all the different things that can go into cardboard quality:
https://www.randwhitney.com/custom-packaging-products/corrugated-cardboard-boxes/

Well, bunch of people were thinking it was the same thing when announced. He Was just in the position to act on it.

@aaronsullivan lol i'm good mate, i spend a couple of hours a day replying to comments, and when i get bored i stop replying. You have been constantly commenting on labo related posts rampantly defending it like you have stock in the venture.

You ever heard the expression "Nintendo fan boys are crazy" ever wonder why this expression exists? this is coming from someone who owns all Nintendo products for gaming. I'm not saying your crazy, but this expression exists because people like you do not stop.

Do as you please though, just know this website gets degraded by your rampant fanboyism

@PlywoodStick Thanks. I was more interested in the precision of the perforation as far as quality, but I'm totally out of my depth in doing more than "guess"timating those cardboard prices, for sure. I still think comparing them to pizza boxes isn't very accurate, but, hey, you and @thesilverbrick , tell me more if you it helps get a better picture.

Maybe @reali-tglitch will chime in? I finally found his posts and he suggested he worked with manufacturing cardboard if I remember right.

@Rubbercookie I get your point about amiibo being like dlc; however, normally if I want dlc I go to the online shop and purchase the dlc. With amiibo I have to (or mainly HAD to when it was all the craze) go scavenge around, competing with other collector-crazed individuals and be disappointed that I could’nt find one, or be tempted to purchase them for way more than they are worth from scalpers. To me, Nintendo took dlc and made it a hassle to obtain. That’s fine and all if they would just give me an option to purchase dlc without them, or put an in-game way to obtain the items (which I know some games do).

My point is that with this whole cardboard thing, I’m not forced to get this stuff and can still enjoy my love for Nintendo. Which to me is an amazing step forward.

@aaronsullivan Well if you look at the piano, it does have a record "button", but it will likey save the music in the switch instead of retro punched cards

@aaronsullivan You're right, it's not accurate to compare this to pizza boxes. Those usually have wider perforation, as you note, while for Lab-O it's more narrow. The grade of cardboard used in pizza boxes is usually really trash tier, too. Cardboard can only be recycled several times before the quality of the wood pulp degrades into a useless substance, and a lot of food transportation grade cardboard tends towards the end of that life (re)cycle. Whereas the cardboard material related to use for electronics (except for REALLY awful products) tends towards the beginning, and is easier to preserve.

Now that I think about it, there's been a plastic rendition of corrugated cardboard for decades now as well. I remember back in the '90s that Nintendo had a plastic variety of full height single wall corrugated "plasticboard" for their magazine holders, sold in the Power Supplies Catalog. I'm guessing it wasn't used for Lab-O because cardboard imparts a more natural appearance, but the plastic variety could be interchangeable. For the piano, I could see that with black and white dyes/gloss looking really nice.

@Razer
Is this a come on? lol. I'm married with kids. Please, stop.

I am a Nintendo fan, yes, and with good reason. If you want to discuss points about fanboys and how I haven't shown reason, and backed my reasons with evidence, fine. I'm open to it.

@Meowpheel Haha. No, I know. I was just liking the silly illusion about the cardboard being a memory card. Being honest, the whole contraption upholds similar illusions, but I could just see a young kid staring at the piece of cardboard and imagining how the music could be stored in it and then figuring it out later.

@JJ286 Trust me, it wouldn't work! The entire reason it moves is due to the shape of its legs. Add wheels underneath, and it won't move. At best, the vibration in the Joy-Con causes it to wiggle a bit.

@Ralizah $20 for a few sheets of cardboard is pretty expensive. I was thinking about $5 lol.

I don't see any mistake being made.

Cya
Raziel-chan

the thing is, it is trash

@noobish_hat "By your logic, Breath of the Wild and 1-2 Switch must have cost the same to make"

And this logic comes from accounting for the possibility of different challenges. I welcome actual experienced game devs in the vicinity to enlighten or correct me if there are any here, but just how "easy" is it to program nuanced performance on the nigh robotic border of virtual and physical? Not to dismiss the work done on BotW in any sense, but it uses JCs' equipment within the impressive yet familiar range of selective gyro controls and certain atmospheric rumble, on par with DualShock 4. 1-2-Switch and Labo put all the features to use in a series of elaborate and context-specific interactions. Labo in particular features software meant to help Switch turn CARDBOARD into electronic toys like RC vehicles and interactive playsets - and we've all seen the pricetags on many actual dedicated specimens like that.

@Razer Yeah, you’re right, aren’t you?
People who try to defend Labo are just idiots, but people who despise it just because it’s not targeted at them they have all the right to pester all post with stupid comments. Haven’t they?
Most of the people hating on this are just selfish guys mad because Nintendo didn’t release a product directly targeted at them because, you know? They’re the only people Nintendo should care about. And everything and everyone else is just pathetic and a way of taking resources out of the games they really want.
Let me guess who the really pathetic people are here...

Another man's trash is another man's treasure.

Small print on Labo box will reveal - "Ripping cardboard will void warranty".

But the real money will be in Nintendo branded duct-tape for officially patching to make it "more stable".

It will be called - Mario Brothers Plumbers Tape (tm).

@JJ286 make some cardboard wheels

@TheOpponent It's pretty pathetic to despise (!) an age rating board, just sayin'. Anyway, give me your reason and I will tell you, why the USK is actually not at fault.

@scamander The only problem I have with the USK is their HUGE age ratings that seem to take up an eighth of the box!
But there's probably a law to blame for that lol

@Untempered-Link Yeah, thought so! Up until 2008/2009 the age rating was pretty small and unintrusive:
https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/mario/images/f/f8/Verpackung_PM2.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/1000?cb=20090721102157&path-prefix=de

Then our former minister of family affairs made a big deal of the small text on it and prepared a law which fixed the size and position of the age rating logo for video games and films (up until that point the age rating for films has been somewhere on the back: https://www.wog.ch/nas/cover_large/d2/back/rdvd_tudorsseason2.jpg

USK and FSK (the film rating board) publicly objected the law, because it would ruin the cover art, without effectively strengthen youth protection. In the end they couldn't stop it, though, which led to some bizarre covers the first few months, like this:
http://www.uwes-adventureseite.de/Nintendo_DS/Syberia.jpg

After a short period of time USK and FSK came up with a solution to somewhat lessen the negative impact. Huge parts of the logo are now semitransparent and, while as big as required, the new USK logo doesn't take as much space of the cover art, because it isn't diamond-shaped anymore. It's not much, but I don't know what else they could have done.

The funny thing is, that due to the huge backlash, most of our DVD and Blu-ray releases now use so called "Wendecover" or stickers to get rid of the ugly logos. Unfortunately that's still a very rare practice with video games.

Well, it looks like trash. So Im not that surprised..

Lol!

@maruse They are not selfish, They are short sighted. I’m selfish and realise it is good for me that companies make products for everyone in the long run (not forgetting to focus on their skills of course)

@aaronsullivan you are straight tripping if you think cardboard is expensive. I’m completely down with Labo but trying to defend it from a price stand point using the price point of cardboard is a joke. I guess I’m in the minority but I thought these kits would be more expensive based on the R&D and software that goes into this stuff.

I think calling the toy-cons hardware is a bit of a stretch... they're more like accessories... maybe cardware would be a more appropriate name for them.

@CurtBro Yeah, I agree with you that most of the cost is in R&D and software. In fact, I didn't say cardboard was "expensive". You can quote me above saying it's "cheap", though. My post that guesstimates the cost tries to include most of the costs including what you are suggesting. I'm guessing too high on the cardboard costs, yes, but I did try to support that part of the price with profit margin (markup) and the other odd physical bits.

I have no idea what your talking about.