Topic: say goodbye to friend codes!

If you've read the last IGN Nintendo top story, there was an almost unoticed moment at the end of the paragraph. All devs are now free to simply use the address book for online games. This has already begun with EA Nation, Mario Kart Wii, Conduit and the next Guitar Hero. Now, according to Vicarious Visions it will be the new standard from here on.

AWESOME

To be honest, I actually prefer game-specific friend codes. Now why would I suggest a nutty thing?

Take this example, let say you have a full list of Wii FCs, and you bought a new wifi multiplayer game that allows the use of only your address book friends. Though lets say a few people on your list is going to be interested in this game, but lets say you got a few more friends that want to get this game, but you have no room in your address book. Now we got ourselves a dilemma unless this game allows you to enter game specific codes.

And FYI, friend codes are not that bad; it is just how the online system is constructed.

I believe game specific codes will still be there for non-wiiconnect24 users as to not get message spammed, it's just that now ur TRUE friends are just an address book away.

Now that is awesome! However, we should also be allowed to use in-game FC too if we wish.

And beside, Nintendo said they could use WIi FC, not require it, so the days might not be over yet.

If you haven't noticed by now "requiring" is something Nintendo never does. Everything is still up to the individual dev. Now, when done right, a dev can create an online system that's not a complete headache. I'm interested in knowing how far future projects will go with this.

I doubt it would be a big deal for Nintendo to add more pages to the Address book if all the 3rd party devs started using Wii system codes in place of game-specific ones...

I'll miss you, friend codes! ;'(

Until they get rid of FCs altogether, this is actually just a step backwards. And Ninty's already 5000 steps behind (I counted) MS on friend networking.

hahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahah oh that's rich.

No, actually they're terrible...they'd be better if they had an alternative, or if you could chat with everyone online with WiiSpeak, but you can't. If you've ever played any 360, PS3 or PC game online you'd know that friend codes are a terrible excuse for friends, networking and logic.

Let 'em keep console FCs to let us know when our registered friends are online, and give us the option to link up on the fly without using FCs if we want. If "family friendliness" is the issue, then make the latter option restrictable in the parental controls section. NEXT!

And see what our friends are playing atm (this is also free advertisement for devs), and send them messages that they can read while they're in a game, so you can be working out with EA Sports Active and get an invite to a Brawl match or have your friend tell you she's opening her gate on AC, all while you're doing fast kick-ups on the track.

Friend code is just an archaic username; I am referring to everything else. Friend codes is not the blame with knowing if someone is online or not, or anything related to it so try not to mix those two up.

And yes, I play PC games online, and I do use a small little program called Steam.

This is good. Now if Nintendo could eliminate Friend Codes altogether, then I'd be REALLY happy.

(Laughs) Not happening (Continues laughing).

Na na na na...

God I hate Nintendo's online structure.

Now you're talkin'!
The message system might have to wait 'til the next console though if it's going to be done elegantly.

B-B-b-But, what if There was a DSi game where Your picture was involved and you only wanted your friends you know in real life to be in that friend rooster? or what if You had a New animal crossing for Wii/DS and you also had a FPS on the Wii, I would bet that not all of your friends on AC would be interested in the FPS.
You only way I see to solve this is that if you have to accept all of you currently existing friends into a new game instead of them automatically appearing.

And isn't it funny how people don't like something, and then when it changes chances are people are still going to complain/ find something wrong with it and miss the old system lol.

So say we all.