Topic: Nintendo's reply to lefty concerns for 3DS

How about this:

Use the analog knob for moving, and switch to the stylus when needed. If both are needed at the same time, then you have a problem. Otherwise, you could just lay the stylus to the left of the DS.

But then you get this.
EDIT: I was talking about This ^^ image.

Maybe I missread what hes saying, but the very first game coming out for 3ds requires you to use the stylus and and analog at the same time, Kid Icarus, camera movement and aiming are for the stylus, along with being able to dodge and quickly turn, while the analog is for character movement. Who is getting pwned?

@huey: that's just a generic anti-hotlinking placeholder image. the only one who got pwnt was Aviator :3

Haha thanks for clearing that up for me

Ahem.

1. If the game requires moving around while attacking with the stylus (e.g. Ocarina of Time), then you'll need to adjust
2. If the game uses the knob and stylus at different times (e.g. for puzzle solving rather than attacking), you can use the knob for moving, and then change to the stylus as needed

Heheheheh. He said knob.

Ahem. Its a good thing we have you or else people would have never known that. See it's easy to say that, when it doesn't effect you, which I am guessing it doesn't (but I could be wrong). And you are essentially right as it stands. But the thing is, there is still time as they are "looking for feedback" which is why this good to come up with ideas now, because once its done, its done, until the next iteration.

In my opinion, the thumb stylus is one of the best ideas that doesn't include changing the system, due to the fact it will alow the thumb to emulate another slide pad, in the fact that all you have to do is move your thumb, as you would with an analog device, as opposed to learning how to hold a pencil with the opposite hand.

Once again, I'm left handed and I wont a problem with the device as I have taken the time to learn to use my right hand when I was younger, but there are others who this will be uncomfortable for, and there is a chance to fix it if there is enough people who think could benefit it from it. Just saying "get used to it" (at this point) is about as helpful a poke in the eye. Although when the system is out and done with, I will agree with you, because well thats your only choice.

Raylax wrote:

Such a minority?" It's not that much a minority. We're left-handed, not albino.

Might as well be, as it's a known medical fact that only 7-10% of the adult population is left handed. This is why you guys get screwed because it's not financially wise to custom tailor things for such a teeny percentage considering the costs for a business well outweigh the benefits. Don't take it personal as I'm just going by fact and not picking on you for it.

In business talk, 10% of your potential audience is a pretty big deal. Let's say you've estimated your product will make $30,000,000 net profit in it's first year. Risk assessment says up to 10% of that audience will be turned off because it's hard for them to play. So you've missed out on up to $3,000,000. The cost of making the device lefty-compatible sure as heck isn't $3,000,000, especially if you're planning to take feedback for redesigning it anyway. You're going to piss off your shareholders.

Also, btw. 1 in every 14 people is left-handed. 1 in every 17,000 is albino. That's quite a difference, forget 'might as well be.'

I tried writed right-handed earlier, just to get a feel for it. It did NOT go well; there's just no precision! So unless something is done, I won't be able to play games like Kid Icarus Uprising, period. You can say whatever you want to say about "getting used to it," but the fact is, that isn't going to work. I'm sick and tired of the prejudice and lack of caring about lefties; we're people too, dammit, and there's no good reason to take ANY of our rights away for it!

Raylax - I do hope you realize that 1 out of 14 is roughly 7%.

Oh, is there a thumb stylus? I'm sorry.

I wasn't saying "get used to it". I was saying that, if the game requires both the knob and the stylus to be used simultaneously, then you'll have to make do. Otherwise, you can alternate between the knob and the stylus (move with the left thumb, then stop and write or whatever).

There's no announced thumb stylus for the 3DS, but such things apparently do exist. Might be cross-compatable, though I'm not sure I'd want to risk it.

Obviously, the announced control scheme for Kid Icarus wouldn't be condusive to stopping using the slide pad in order to use the touch screen. Heck, it'd be a pain in the butt in ANIMAL CROSSING! No, we need a solution. Rather than spell out doom for us, you COULD consider e-mailing Nintendo on our behalf. There's no rule saying you HAVE to be a lefty to complain about our plight. They're looking for feedback, I say give them feedback!

Yes, quite aware. Your point is?

EDIT: Also, expanding on my previous point (not aiming this bit at you, Birdman13), if lefties were such a minority part of the market, then why did Nintendo put the extra effort into making games like Metroid Prime Hunters, Brain Training, Rhythm Paradise and Super Mario 64 DS leftie-compatible? I'd imagine they'll make a solution for this.

_{that's enough. -- TBD}

He's go a point, its tough being a lefty in a righty's world, but I def wouldn't change to being right handed, i'll take being only like 7 percent as opposed to 93 (excluding ambi).

No doubt, it at the least is more unique.

Because it isn't very hard to do so. They didn't have to add any more buttons to make the game lefty compatible, just change what they do. They aren't changing any character models, like they would have to do for a Zelda game. So, why wouldn't they?
There's a lot going on under the hood of the 3DS, and they aren't going to help the left-handed audience if it means getting less profit overall, or getting rid of overall power/battery life. It just isn't worth it, especially since half of the left-handed people planning on getting it will buy it anyway.
I remember being forced to play Metroid Prime Hunters left-handed due to my L button not working on me, (I wasn't aware of the licking trick at the time.) After awhile, I became really good at it. On my second playthrough I beat it in 3 hours. It wasn't game breaking, it just took some practice. Lefties will be able to get over it after practice.

[quote=J.K.]No doubt, it at the least is more unique.

[/quote]

Sometimes, I wonder if being unique is really worth all the trouble that comes with it. You can actually be FIRED for being left-handed if your employer only has right-handed equipment available (I heard of this happening in an ice cream shop once...don't remember who said it). You're forced to adjust to using pretty much everything, 'cause very little is built for you and is always in short supply. Then you get this kind of problem, potentially RUINING your enjoyment of your #1 pasttime. Yes, there are upsides to being a lefty (being, on average, more creative and reportedly more successful on the whole), but I can't help but feel gyped sometimes nonetheless.

I really don't give a crap WHAT "business reasons" Nintendo might have to no accomodate us; if they don't fix this issue, it's going to bite them in the butt. For a company with a solid history of lefty-friendliness, this move can't come off as anything but a stab in the back to me.

After doing some online reading about this issue and various people's reactions to it, I have determined that most people are FAR more stupid and insensitive about this problem than the NLife userbase. I suppose that's usually the case in general, but I had forgotten because this particular issue feels far more personal than most to me.

Anyway, that's not the main point of this post. I saw some more recommendations for the thylus, and decided to give it a try (mostly because it's cheap). I'll try it out with various DS games and post my findings here. It won't excuse Nintendo's overlooking this issue, but it may yet alleviate the problem nonetheless.

EDIT @TBD: The stupid ones are the ones who refused to understand how there could POSSIBLY be a problem for lefties to hold the stylus in our right hands. There was a LOT of that going on on GoNintendo, but not really so much here. Why lock a thread for my (admittably awkward) THANKS to this community?