Topic: The Nintendo Switch Thread

We're not talking about an idea that is bad because the technology isn't there and I don't know how culture is stopping people buying more phones. It's just an idea that misunderstands both devices.

A smartphone is at its core a device of utility, it's a Swiss army knife of communication. If it loses its charge you're effectively cut-off from the world. If it doesn't have a full app library consumers will ignore it. Even worse for a newcomer there are already two well established players who's ecosystems people are already invested in. Basically the ideal smartphone is a multi-purpose, reliable, compact device with a huge battery

By comparison a console is a very single task orientated entertainment device. They're devices that by design push the CPU/GPU hard and therefore chew through your battery. They also heavily restrict what can run in the background in order to maximise performance for the game itself. They're devices that have super locked down app stores in an effort to avoid the piracy of software. So their app stores by design can't have everything. And ontop of all that they need a comfortable grip and full array of buttons and triggers which adds bulk.

The only way a "gaming phone" makes sense is if it's just a regular console with mobile connectivity. The issue there is that if you have a smartphone you can tether your console to your smartphone. A 4G enabled portable console is a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. A Nintendo-phone would be a downgrade.

I wake up and the same fight over what it is, isnt and all that is raging on. Come on guys. Really?

@JaxonH the click noise only happens when attaching the JoyCon to the system not when docking the system

@Grumblevolcano I think XC2 wont be there because its XC2 + UK. This a place where I could play XCX and be asked "What is that K-pop trash" by everyone around me. XC isnt a hit over here and probably never will be so they are wiser to tailor what they show to who.

Why is it bad?

@BLP_Software Interesting. You'd think that The Netherlands would have the same kind of attitude, but funnily enough Fire Emblem: Awakening was on the top of the 3DS charts when it launched for quite some time. I personally don't much like how they've designed Pyra and that Hikari character, but that's a personal thing. I've seen enough complaining over like-wise looking characters to last me 10 lifetimes.

For those interested, Nintendo has opened a Skyrim teaser site: http://skyrim.nintendo.com/

Interesting to note that it's Nintendo opening it, and not Bethesda.

Edit: I also am not going to give another response the previous argument, since it's quite clear people are getting annoyed over it.

@Therad Because (imho) achievements are useless trash that fill the system and bothers those (like myself) who don't care about it with useless and pointless in game messages and data shoved down your throath that you cannot avoid by any means even if you find it stupid and pointless.
@UmniKnight I can't wait for this game!!!

@BLP_Software XCX was at EGX 2015 though.

The way I read it it wasn't really an argument over what the Switch was and wasn't. If it was it shouldn't have been. The more interesting question is whether or not the Switch concept itself is where all of the consoles are headed. I was trying to argue that Nintendo have been rocketing towards this concept for decades. IMO the only surprising thing about the Switch is that it happened as soon as it did.

Sure Nintendo were the first but even so, who cares whether it's a home console or a portable. Ultimately as technology continues to shrink just about everything will become portable. So why should there even be a distinction between the two?

@skywake Because people themselves won't always be portable, and if there was no value in a big screen experience, then there'd only be a couple of people to own a PS4/Xbox One. Try sitting primarily at home for 7+ years due to circumstances, you'll appreciate a good screen then, ohh yes.

I've been thinking before about BOTW and how it's maybe a precursor and almost a test on Nintendo's part to see if people are interested in Achievements.

Some of those are achievements in their own way and require serious effort. I wonder if Nintendo are monitoring how many people got Hestu's Gift. It does nothing, looks like a turd, takes a monumental amount of time and effort to get when in reality you really only need about just over half of the seeds to unlock all the weapon and shield slots. It would be nice to share achievements like this more widely. I posted that image on Miiverse but that'll end soon and perhaps they're working on a more intuitive way of sharing them and rewarding players for their efforts.

@UmniKnight Just because it's portable doesn't mean it can't be connected to your TV...

@SLIGEACH_EIRE At lot of things their games do are very fitting of achievements, with Hestu's Gift being the typical collectathon gone rogue one seen on other systems.

Plus, they already have achievements that actually get you something (Albeit with subjective value) via MyNintendo on mobile games, unlike the other systems which are just bragging rights. I wouldn't actually be shocked to see it.

@SLIGEACH_EIRE I've heard that Steam monitors achievements to see how well a game was received. Over 50% of them completed was apparently seen as "You liked the game".

Perhaps it'll be used the same way by Nintendo? Who knows.

@Octane That's a whole different argument in and of itself. Many devices have TV connectivity, but that doesn't classify them any differently does it? At any rate, last thing I'll say on the matter, before BLP bursts a blood-vessel.

Here's a question for everyone. You know Nintendo could have easily released a 3DS model that connected to a TV. Would the 3DS have then been classed as a hybrid "console"? No, it'd still be a handheld, just with added TV out.

@skywake Well if it's in sleep mode then it's not off, is it?

@Haru17 But it doesn't require you to have it turned off. If its off or in sleep mode it only activates to give you the battery indicator at the top of the screen for a few seconds, as well as the dock light, just for a few seconds, to confirm its charging. That's all that is.

You've missed entirely what I've been saying over the last couple of pages. I'm not talking about the difference between portables and home console experiences from years gone by. I'm talking about what is possible now and going forward.

It's not a different argument. It's simply a case of you being to stuck in the past to realise that maybe these categories will eventually not mean anything. If you can carry around a home console experience, bring it home and plug it in to your TV why call it one or the other? It's both and neither. It's just a box to play games as everything that came before it was.

The difference is that the 3DS is in many respects a lower spec Gamecube. As a console to plug into your TV it would be a novelty. But if you were to push me for an answer? Then yes. I would put that in the same category as the Switch. In the same way that we didn't re-classify the SNES as not a home console when the N64 launched.

@BLP_Software You're not reading my point, the Switch turns itself on whenever you dock it. I like Nintendo systems for always being easy to power down completely, but this one pushes sleep mode with a restrictive power button interface just like PS4.