The official Japanese Twitter account for the Splatoon series has published a series of tweets which detail exactly how voice chat and multiplayer lobbies will operate in Splatoon 2, which makes use of Nintendo's upcoming smartphone application.
The tweets - which have been kindly translated by All Source Gaming - state that the smartphone application will support lobbies and voice communication, so you can chat with your friends before heading into the game proper.
Voice chat also works in-game, but once you're in a match, you'll only be able to talk to your own team - for obvious reasons. Furthermore, it won't be possible to converse with people who aren't already on your approved friends list.
Splatoon 2 launches on the Nintendo Switch later this year.
Comments 146
I might be a functional analphabet, and maybe it's also due to English not being my mother tongue, but it seems to me they don't mention voice chat on the console itself but only through the smartphone app, is it correct?
Was expecting just this. I'm good with it
Good enough for me! I usually don't use voice chat anyway so like the first it doesn't bother me too much. Good for people who want it though.
No surprises here then.
So still gimped. And they expect us to pay for this?
So basically, the highly-touted parental controls app is pointless.
Hmmph.. we still need details on whether we connect the headsets to the console or the phone...
I wonder if the app handless the voice-over-ip connection but the actual UI is an in-game menu.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE No reason to think all games will be like this. Good chance any other shooters will be less child friendly. If they make it to the console of course.
Well if the system came with a mic then this would be terrible, but without a mic I think this is...okay? I mean its easier than some online games like CSGO where a third of the people have no mic whatsoever compared to smartphones that many people have.
Not nearly as good as the other consoles but still alright in some ways.
Seems alright to me. It worked in the first game with no voice chat whatsoever. I wasn't relishing the thought of getting yelled at in Japanese anyways...
If i have to use my phone to chat, I won't bother with online games on Switch. I'll stick with PS4 and XboxOne for online.
"Normal voice chat is something I wouldn't use anyway so it's perfectly excusable to leave out parts of this feature for everyone else."
Look I don't like using voice chat in multiplayer games either but can we not do this.
I'm confused...but it will probably be fine.
good thing i can only talk to teams, i don't want to say my strategy to the wrong people,
Still worrying that Nintendo will still choose on a game by game basis on what games will have lots of online features and which games will be bare bones.
Some games won't have voice chat included at all.
this is still a little annoying, I was looking forward to at least playing ranked using voice chat, with strangers, for strategy and coordination.
You never know wether you're talking to kids, squids, or kids pretending to be squids.
My only annoyance is with the smartphone app thing. As far as actual voice chat goes, I'm glad I won't have to listen to random teenagers who just leaned bad words and need to shout them at the top of their lungs during an online gaming session.
@Dr_Corndog Something tells me you don't even know what the app can do.
It's far from pointless.
They lost me entirely at "friends list". I thought we were past that.
Pay Nintendo for online gaming while we pay our phone companies for our voice chat. Who even came up with that and how was it said out loud to the public? Paid voice chat on the device or free online and BYOP, how do they expect to sell the public on paying twice? I don't get it.
I'm all for the app, great idea for when the Switch device isn't around WiFi and you just want to chat with your friends, but if you have WiFi for the online game, and you are paying for online play, voice chat HAS to be in the device.
It just seems like they are asking a lot while trying to sell a new $300 device.
So you can't talk to strangers that are on your side? If so, that sounds really dumb.
Now we just need word about scrapping the map rotation system, and being able to save more than one loadout at a time.
I was all about to be enraged by this but then I realised I am currently playing Battlefield 1 but also in private party of three people, the rest of my squad and team are not there.
so suddenly no rage as this set up is how I spend 99% of my time online anyway (the exception being games like ARK)
To those saying that they're glad that they don't have to listen to abusive kids and teenagers, there's this miracle solution, it's called the mute button. Having more options is never a bad thing.
Nintendo had parental controls on the Wii, Wii U and now the Switch should be even more comprehensive and easier to implement but yet Nintendo continue to treat us all as kids. How do they expect to attract consumers by giving them less options and freedom that's been standard on the competitions consoles for years?
Q1) am I using my headset with my phone or with the switch?
Q2) friends so if I'm playing with someone who I really like can I friend them and then chat?
So if my phone is dead I can't chat to people.my word.
@-Green- They seem to be referring to private messages to random other players. You would need someone to accept to talk to you first.
This isn't good in my opinion. The whole online thing. If Nintendo are charging for online, it should have parity with the other consoles.
Why bother with the mobile phone app to begin with? How awkward will it be when you're playing a game, to keep checking your phone to see who's in the lobby, etc. As an optional extra it might be cool. But it's going to be their downfall. Nobody will want to use their phone to set up games. It's way too mishy.
I don't particularly like talking with strangers online, but sometimes it CAN be a laugh. It's a great way to meet people who're into the same game as you.
We obviously need more details, but it seems as though it's going to be much more convoluted than it needs to be.
But I won't get to hear random American kids yelling insults at random Japanese kids and the whole thing devolving into a toxic, incomprehensible shambles in which no one achieves anything more than they would have done without voice chat.
Surely Nintendo hasn't 'succeeded' at online until a random child from the other side of the world tells you so go commit some sort of sexual act with a close relative.
Nintendo really missing out on this opportunity.
And with respect to a mute button, IMO no voice chat in random battles in preferelable to asymmetric voice chat, in which one team is synched up due to no 'mutes' or by a shared language, while the other team was composed of (say) two mutes, an English, and a Japanese speaker.
Practically all of the matches play have two or more Japanese players on the same side. If you're lucky, you'd find one other English speaker, and - assuming they even had voice chat enabled - that wouldn't exactly lead to a cohesive team dialogue.
Given Nintendo's history on these things, anyone who expected voice chat with randoms in this game was naive in the extreme.
Having friend based voice chat was realistically about as far as things were going to get. What remains to be seen on whether or not Nintendo's system bodges that up.
@8-Bit_Link
By owning each system, I'm able to buy the best games for each. Somebody who just buys Switch will buy Zelda and maybe a couple other launch titles. But for me, I'll buy Zelda and Zero Dawn for PS4. I'd suggest that instead of buying some average games for Switch, save up and buy another console.
And you are right......time is very valuable. It takes a really good game to make me spend time on it.
So when will they give more details about this. Or anything. Prople have pre ordered but know nothing.
Not encouraged by this. I'm waiting for more news. But not encouraged
@rjejr Why the duck would you want to NOT have a friendlist? Every good multiplayer game has a friendlist.
As for the Switch "demanding" many things from you, if you have a phone, why not use it? It handles the internet connection, comes with everything you need for voice chat (or even video chat), and you've already paid for it. No additional costs.
@KingofSaiyanZ If you're online, you're already paying the fee to play Splatoon online.
Don't own a smart phone, so erm.... i'm screwed right?
Well thats great
This is such a rediculous system.
@Bunkerneath Even people with Smart phone's might be screwed also going by Nintendo's other mobile apps.
Paying for a gimped online system is never a good thing.
@Kroko Because nobody wants to run down their phone battery for something that should be included in the system. When you see how great PS and Xbox have incorporated chat, you realize how far behind Nintendo is. You shouldn't have to tie up your phone to play a video game either.
I keep hearing the comment about not wanting to hear strangers yell this or that. I use PS chat all the time...and I only talk to people I want to...and I only hear people I want to.
Of course....alot of this online talk is sort of a waste. Nintendo isn't offering a compelling game to play online (like a Destiny etc).
@KingofSaiyanZ If you don't pay the fee you won't be paying online at all. The subscription isn't just for the app, it's for everything online basically except accessing the Eshop.
annoying ... ps4 and xbox offer voice chat through the controller directly !!! 10 years ago and its getting better with every new genaration ... and Nintendo still don't know how to make this happened and works .... wow !! and 299$ for system and you need to pay for all extras ? and online service ! .. i need to pay to use this old fashion thing lol ... omg nintendo thanks for making it even harder for us and being always late behind all the companies ... and why still no words about the achievements system ? i guess there is no one with nintendo switch
@SLIGEACH_EIRE I don't think Nintendo fanboys are tech-savvy enough to know about the mute button, just read some of the comments.
@WOLF1313 nintendo fan boys will always be happy with any thing nintendo makes or decide ... any price tag or old fashion system spec they offer ... they never seen anything negative about nintendo ... always blame ps4 and xbox for anything lol but don't point at nintendo ...never !
Why doesn't Nintendo implement no talk to strangers at OS level with parental controls.
Dunno why they feel we all have to be treated as kids. Grown adults should have a choice and like people have already said. On PS4 and Xbox I can press the mute button if I don't want to talk to strangers
Wow just wow Ninty.. Not much to say but let's pay for a gimme online experience. Just wow thx ninty
Pathetic.. I got a good idea let's make another console that will fail
@Adhrast The game itself also has voice chat enabled.
Also, last time I checked guys, going through Steam and Battle.net, you can't voice chat outside of games with someone that isn't already on your friend list, just a thought. That's unless of course you're using Discord/Skype which sounds like how the phone app works.
@peeks
I get both sides. The only way to make a company change is to vote with your wallet. There's really no reason for me to buy a Switch right now.....I have a WiiU and the flagship Switch title...and really only title worth full price....is a WiiU game. But here I am...buying a Switch....$70 pro controller (yet I will have these expensive gimmicky controllers that come with it that I don't need right now).
But I love Nintendo...and when they make one of their great games, there's nothing like it. Unfortunately for me, they don't seem to make the games I want as often anymore.
@8-Bit_Link Well you see, when you're living with your parents, have no financial responsibilities (family, rent, Internet,) and have no plans for the future, it makes excessive buying quite simple.
@Ledgendt
Or you went to college and have a good job......
@WOLF1313 i love nintendo too ! and im mad about my 3DS but not my wii u ! ... every time i play with my PS4 PRO or xbox one i hate nintendo for being late and behind ... they offer amazing games with fantastic graphics and beautiful sales ... you can get AAA games some times for 2.99$ while nintendo offer you 1$ discount and make the game from 4.99 to 3.45$ ... this is no sale !!!! ... i want the switch but i cant find any place in stock but i think will wait since only one game i want so far ! zelda ... nothing else ... no games for me
i dont wanna use my mobiles and check the ,msg's all the time if i need to use online service ! why nintendo switch comes with a buit-in chat? its not 2003 anymore
@Pinkman that's actually also part of the problem, the fact that this is specific to Splatoon 2 shows that Nintendo still has yet to implement a system wide uniform chat set up. Cannot believe they are charging people for this. This is no way improved over their previous free efforts, and in some ways even worse.
For some odd reason I really love the idea of the voice chat and parties and whatnot being part of an app on my smartphone. This decouples it from the system itself and I can see a lot of potential for an idea like this... although we may have to start plugging in our phones when playing games for long sessions with friends... which will be kind of annoying.
It also means you can find out who is playing or online and send each other messages without even to have your Switch turned on at the time. I like that idea.
Would be interesting to start a chat with friends, play for awhile, and then maybe switch over to our phones and play some future yet to be released multiplayer Nintendo game that uses the same app for voice and party creation. I don't know.
@Moshugan it said you can use the system for voice chat
@Captain_Gonru I can see a few benefits. 1, extended battery life on Switch.
2, party organization without having to turn on your console.
3, less latency (not sure if this is a legitimate possibility)
4, text chat without having to type with your controller (I'm looking at you xbone)
5, higher quality service.
All in all, I really like what I'm hearing about the online chat features.
I'm fine with only talking to members of friends lists, but I still don't get the smart app thing and how it works. Why don't I just call people if I'm going to be on my phone in the chat room?
@peeks
Which is one reason I wish Nintendo would just make handheld hardware and make games for PS4 and XboxOne. I know it's a very unpopular opinion for Nintendo fans. But Nintendo could use more advance hardware. As great as Zelda looks, it looks dated compared to Zero Dawn. They could focus resources on what they do best.....games.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE note: this is for how Splatoon 2 works. There is nothing in those posts says that's how Nintendo has it implemented for other games. Clearly it can be per game basis.
@Adhrast Nintendo announced at the Switch event you will need a smart device (phone/tablet) to use their voice/friend system.
@Ledgendt
I'm not sure about any of those. PS4 and XboxOne both have apps where you can do a lot of that (without turning on your console).
I can't imagine anybody who has used the PS4 chat system could think what Nintendo is doing is better.
@Ledgendt Yes you are spot on. Add in friends list anywhere to voice chat, organise parties or just get notifications.
Its a huge advancement that has lots of potential - something Microsoft are trying to do but people overlook.
@WOLF1313 have you used those apps? They are slow, don't notify you when people are online, doesn't show you online if the app is in the background, can't send voice messages or voice chat, can't join parties while away from the console...
I love my Xbone and App - but I can tell you that Nintendo are definitely moving ahead of both companies with this move. Just have to hope Nintendo brings its A game.
I can now see why Nintendo always says we are not competing with other console's, competition it good for us the customer it helps drive down prices and bring us better products etc, other words Nintendo wants no part of this which is very anti-customer. Until one day people say enough is enough bring your products up to date and competitive prices.
@OzHuski PS4 and XboxOne already do this. There's the main PlayStation app which you can add friends, buy games, etc etc. Then PS Messages where you can msg your friends, setup game times etc.
The switch needs a power bank, an external hard drive ( wait till all those 3rd parties start releasing their incomplete games and ton of patches) a smartphone, and probably you will need another power bank for that smartphone... so yeah its going to be on life support.. thats all I see when I hear these "AMAZING" ideas of having voice chat on a separate device..
So when my little nephew wants to play Splatoon online with me and his dad he can't as he doesn't have a smartphone.
Why should we need to buy him a smartphone to play with us online together?
Also Nintendo really should break the bad news now that windows OS and blackberry OS phones will not be supported.
I am actually shocked some people think this smartphone app is a good idea. In no way whatsoever is this a good idea.
@gatorboi352 actually they have - what it's showing is that developers have more control over how people chat in their games and what they feel is best.
@WOLF1313 read my post. It states what the app "can't" do that Nintendos can, and we will be able to do all you listed as Nintendo have previously stated all that is coming. I use the Xbox App regularly.
@OzHuski Yes I use the PS one often. It shows me who is online. Alerting people online is something PS and Xbox used to do automatically, but it gets really annoying. I think you can still do that, but it's not the default because nobody liked it.
You can't send voice msgs...but not sure why you would? And I don't think i'd ever join a chat if I'm not playing the game.
Nintendo isn't doing this for any other reason than to cut corners and costs.
I'm confused. Can you talk to your team during a game or just to the players on your team who are on your friends list?
I don't have a smartphone, so...
@Ledgendt I Also Imagine It Reduces The Amount Of Processing Power That Needs To Be Reserved by the operating system possibly increasing the amount of power each game can utilise from the system. I am sure with ps4 and xboner there is a set amount reserved for the operating system. Not sure if it will help the switch keep up with them in any way but I'm sure it will help developers make the most of the system.
Sorry for the grammar phone playing up.
Neither the pro controller nor the Joy Con have headphone jack. So only way to have headphones connected to the system when docked is either Bluetooth (no news on what you can connect via Bluetooth) or connecting to the docked Switch tablet directly (far from ideal)
@WOLF1313 nope. There is no option on the Xbox app and doesn't show you online if your not physically in the app or notify you if people are online - so the PS app is slightly ahead.
You say it's to cut corners, but you realise they have to developed this system and then incorporate it still into the Switch? As all match making is made via the app and then linked in. Its hardly cutting any corners. Only corner it cuts is when fixing bugs or issues they don't have to do a full system update.
And yes I'd rather send voice messages and voice chat, because if I'm taking with friends it's faster and easier than typing messages back and forth all the time. So why wouldn't you want that ability?
@kobashi100 He can still play. No smartphone required. It's optional. And I presume he can just talk to his Dad who will be next to him presumably talking to you.
The reason it is a good idea potentially is that you will still be able to use voice chat features when there is no wi fi.
Also even if it doesn't work with blackberry and Microsoft OS nintendo kindly thought about that and realised you could just phone your friends instead.
@Pinkman Xbox reserves one full CPU core to run the system and its resources. At launch it used two full cores until they could reprogram the OS to be more efficient.
So yes, it will cut down on the data the Switch has to both send and deal with and reduce the overhead.
@Monkeyofthefunk the later. Only talk to you team IF they are on your friends list.
Next time they will say you will also need the support of your computer to play games on the Switch.. come on isnt the console powerful enough to have built in voice chat? its a damn Wii U port with more stages.. God, I never was so negative towards Nintendo but its getting on my nerves...
@OzHuski
I'd never use the voice msgs. If I can't type, I'd just talk into the phone and have it turn it to text. But that's just preference, so it's good for you...useless to me.
It's cheaper for Nintendo to put the chat burden on your phone than to have it in their system. The power of the Switch is a result of cutting costs.
At least Nintendo is preventing Stranger Danger.
@WOLF1313
"It's cheaper for Nintendo to put the chat burden on your phone than to have it in their system." I would be ok with this if the online was a free service..but come on, for a paid service you need a separate device? What if I dont want to use my smartphone for that? If it is supposed to be a powerful "home" console, then the chat service should be thorough the console..
I think this needs to be tested before all the complains of "it sucks!". Paper resists much, but trying out will show if its useful or not.
@banacheck
What does anti customer practices have to do here? Nintendo isn't the only option in the market, if you don't like their offerings you have 4 more options (PS/X1/PC/Mobile). There is competition - they are all pointing to different segments in the market.
Anti consumer would be the PS Vita memory cards, which forced you to buy Sony's overpriced stuff when the system could have perfectly used SD cards instead, or having a monopoly on the gaming industry by a single company.
That you don't like their offerings doesn't mean its anti consumer, it only means you're not part of the target market.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE no it's a choice whether you buy a switch or not. Hopefully you won't
@Pinkman sorry I meant chat and play with me and his dad.
He doesn't live with his dad. Kinda sucks he will need a smartphone to chat with us when playing
@rjejr Friends list isn't the odd part. VC on most platforms is friends list based unless it's the COD type open chat lobbies (and who over the age of 13 has any tolerance for that?) Most of the player base in Splatoon is in Japan. Not many people will be able to communicate anyway in open forums. So for Splatoon friends/team makes sense (you don't have a team if they're not on your friends list after all.) That's Splatoon specific for now though, that doesn't say what, Activision or EA might do.
But don't fall into that "it's using my phone data" trap I've seen from a few people here. I'm not sure where people are getting that. If your switch is near wifi, your phone should be on wifi too - it's using the same net connection. If your switch is NOT near wifi, then your phone is probably your hotspot for the Switch anyway. But if you're near WiFi for your switch, that's what you're using for your phone too. Unless you leave your phone off WiFi and on mobile data...but who DOES that? Not only does it eat your mobile data when it doesn't have to, but the cell radio eats battery faster than the wifi radio too. The only time that would be beneficial would be if it's a secure device for corporate/governmental purposes that can't be put on anything but the secure wireless network (in which case, why oh why are we playing Splatoon with it? )
"Use your phone" means "Have 2 devices on your wifi instead of 1" not "use your phone data." Regardless of if it's a good plan or not to have to use a phone, "using your data plan" is not one of it's problems.
@Pinkman I totally get you on that. But then the console looses its purpose of being portable.. you get a console with a small non interchangeable battery.. hello power bank, you need to use you smartphone with it.. hello power bank number two.. so yeah.. how many thing do I need to carry to play with the console?
...lol?
@FreakFerrett I would suggest buying a very large coat.
@NEStalgia you're assuming that everybody has decent wifi. Those with cheaper plans (or who live in rural areas) will experience more lag and connection drops the more devices they have connected. In my old home, I used to have to disconnect my phone/3DS from the router if I wished to stream Netflix etc.
This is another 'hidden' cost of owning a Switch; you better have enough bandwidth to handle two devices connecting otherwise no online for you, pal.
I see a lot of people concerned about whether the Switch itself will allow for voice chat or if we have to use the App. I can't say with 100% certainty that the Switch itself doesn't need an app for voice chat, however, Nintendo's official specs on the UK website here: https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Nintendo-Switch/Specifications/Specifications-1176277.html#1 States:
Audio Jack - For connecting commercially available headphones, microphones or headsets.
Seems very promising to me that the Smartphone app may not be necessary for voice chat.
@FreakFerrett I'm 100% with you. It's ridiculous for people to have to use their smart phone.
@Luna_110 Sony's PS Vita memory move was very anti-customer who said it wasn't? as it only gave the customer one overpriced option, Nintendo's online system adds in a smart phone with data costs. And then if you don't own a smart phone its tough luck right, or the right smart phone going off Nintendo's other mobile app offerings or are thay not the target audience also?
@OzHuski yeah, not buying that at all. You do know that what Nintendo is doing is essentially charging you to use a Nintendo branded Google Hangouts app from your phone right? (btw Hangouts is free).
Also, what if you don't have a phone, or its battery is dead or not near your console at the time? This thing is a huge fail all around.
People need to enlighten themselves, The Switch itself allows you to connect commercially available mics and headphones, see here: https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Nintendo-Switch/Specifications/Specifications-1176277.html#1
States:
Audio Jack - For connecting commercially available headphones, microphones or headsets.
For Whatever reason, Nintendo isn't advertising it yet, I'm guessing to further promote the Switch companion app which will likely be much more useful than just for the optional method of voice chat through your phone.
@Mega_Yarn_Poochy Something tells me you shouldn't be so quick to assume.
@banacheck
.... You don't have Wifi at home? I won't use my data plan, I have internet at home.
As for the smartphones, most studies made by companies indicate that most people around the world have smartphones, even cheap ones. While we don't know the specs the app will require, it is a reasonable assumption made by the company that someone buying a Switch will have a smartphone.
@gatorboi352 I call shenanigans on anyone who owns a current gen, $300 console, but doesn't have a phone. A smartphone at that. Maybe there's a few. But I will bet much more (potential) Switch owners will have some kind of smart device of some kind than those who don't.
Further, the dead battery thing is also a flimsy excuse. Battery life in phones is pretty darn good nowadays. And if that is a real concern, then charge your phone when you know your gonna be gaming online.
But ultimately, I agree with a poster above that we need to wait and see this in practice before deeming it a failure. It.might work. It might not. I do get why Nintendo is doing it. Not only for philosophical and personal moral reasons. But in response to social networking habits. This is in response to the second screen/device users. I know alot of people who tweet, Facebook, text or blog while consuming forms of entertainment. I do it myself. I love tweeting while watching my favorite shows live.
@UmbreonsPapa So you work all day...come home and want to play online. Your phone probably isn't going to have much of a charge, so you'll have to wait while it charges.
To me, this whole conversation is ridiculous. Whether you have a smart phone or not.....how much battery you have.....using your minutes vs wifi.....none of it should be happening. You should not have to use your phone to chat online.
@WOLF1313 This conversation is ridiculous because you all keep missing a key point coming directly from Nintendo that I keep trying to point out:
People need to enlighten themselves, The Switch itself allows you to connect commercially available mics and headphones directly into the system, see here: https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Nintendo-Switch/Specifications/Specifications-1176277.html#1
States:
Audio Jack - For connecting commercially available headphones, microphones or headsets.
For Whatever reason, Nintendo isn't advertising it yet, I'm guessing to further promote the Switch companion app which will likely be much more useful than just for the optional method of voice chat through your phone.
@UmbreonsPapa "I call shenanigans on anyone who owns a current gen, $300 console, but doesn't have a phone. A smartphone at that. Maybe there's a few. But I will bet much more (potential) Switch owners will have some kind of smart device of some kind than those who don't.
Further, the dead battery thing is also a flimsy excuse. Battery life in phones is pretty darn good nowadays. And if that is a real concern, then charge your phone when you know your gonna be gaming online."
You're missing the point. The point being that NONE of this should be tied to a smart phone app (a PAID app at that!) in the first place.
@gatorboi352 OH MY GOD, you all are so frustrating arguing over a non-issue that I've been trying to alert you to, look at these specs coming directly from Nintendo:
The Switch itself allows you to connect commercially available mics and headphones directly into the system, see here: https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Nintendo-Switch/Specifications/Specifications-1176277.html#1
States:
Audio Jack - For connecting commercially available headphones, microphones or headsets.
For Whatever reason, Nintendo isn't advertising it yet, I'm guessing to further promote the Switch companion app which will likely be much more useful than just for the optional method of voice chat through your phone.
@duffmmann
Any confusion is because of Nintendo's poor communication. They are only talking about this app. Just because you can connect those things, doesn't mean they will be used in chat. I really hope so though.
@WOLF1313 That is true, but the point is, you're all wasting your time, it allows you to connect commercially available headsets right into it. It's going to support voice chat, but they want to push the companion app right now. I suspect there will be a Switch Direct before it launches that will explain things like this as well as the Virtual Console.
@Mogster If the available bandwidth can't handle one device sending game data and another device sending voice data, that it's not going to far much better with one device sending game + voice data. I can't say the total throughput will be 1: 1 with a little phone overhead, but the bandwidth used should be more or less identical either way. (And I dare say, your online gaming would be really really awful with such a connection, with or without voice chat. I've been there.
But internet performance shouldn't be strained by number of connected devices, just by the total throughput. An issue some people might have is really awful routers/access points that don't really handle simultaneous connections well. But for the voice chat feature on a paid online service, we're talking about pretty "hardcore online gamers" here that already worked out their network issues (or determined they can't really play on their setup) long ago. Casual online players who, in Splatoon, would just noodle around in Turf War, aren't the people interested in voice chat to begin with.
(It's not callousness, actually right now I'm running on a metered data plan and don't download large patches for PS4 games for example....so I get internet issues and I had really bad internet for a long long time. It's just the physics of "if your net is so bad that running voice chat cripples it, it would cripple it if it was on the Switch or on your phone, and even without voice chat you're going to be fairly laggy".)
All the above is one of the reasons I just generally dislike online gaming as a whole. Splatoon is one of my few exceptions.
Well when Nintendo stated that chat was only available via the app I was like...ok. I pay a price for continuing to support Windows Phone. Oh well I am a lone wolf anyways.
You guys crack me up..
THE WORLD IS ENDING! THERE'S NO POSITIVES IN USING THEIR APP! NOTHING!! It's not because I can't see it or am unwilling to.. IT'S
BECAUSE NINTENDO IS STUPID!
@WOLF1313 One last point about battery life in smartphone. On an average day, if I leave for work with a 100% full battery, I typically come home from work with about 50 to 65 % with just average use during the day. That includes watching a show on Netflix during my bus ride.
But yes, in a perfect world, I don't necessarily disagree with you or @gatorboi352 that this feature should be streamlined in. I just think we should also wait and see before dismissing it.
Also for clarification. Is it a an app with a cost or are talking about the online fee?
@Yorumi Actually No.
The Switch itself allows you to connect commercially available mics and headphones directly into the system, see here: https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Nintendo-Switch/Specifications/Specifications-1176277.html#1
States:
Audio Jack - For connecting commercially available headphones, microphones or headsets.
For Whatever reason, Nintendo isn't advertising it yet, I'm guessing to further promote the Switch companion app which will likely be much more useful than just for the optional method of voice chat through your phone.
So does this mean that you can choose your teammates? Couldn't concerned parents have simply just turned the function off? I think it's dumb to tie this whole thing to an app anyway. Besides all of my relatives who game own PlayStations and older Nintendo/Sega systems.
@MrHero
Well if you don't understand what they're saying, you can't be offended, trust me half my family speaks Tagalog and unless my name is being spoken, I'm blissfully unaware of when they're talking smack about me. Lol
Meh, this is fine to protect the kids. Adults will just use discord, skype, whatever.
When I play with my friends then I want to talk to them even if they end up on the opposite side. When I play with strangers then I want silence, mouth breathers can stick with csgo, bf, cod etc to vent their toxic language.
@UmbreonsPapa you do realise that there is kids who will have the switch right. My nephew will have one day 1. He won't be getting a smart phone though as he is 7.
He should be able to chat with friends without having to use an app.
I think some people focusing on the friends requirement are still missing that Nintendo has global online, not regional online like some of the more popular online games (COD, Starcraft, etc.) have. Mass chat with strangers will usually end up with a lobby of 4 languages spoken in 3 dialects. The phone app thing can be its own debate, but I think we can all agree that we'd rather the chatting consist of a language we actually can speak/understand. And the only way to do that is region-locking the chat (eww), or chatting with those people who you add to the list. It's not like you need a friend code, you see a user name you want to add and you send a request.
I definitely don't want Kensuke who's booyah I failed to respond to screaming obscenities at me in a language I don't even understand. Not that obscenities screamed in Japanese don't always sound completely awesome.
So basically voice cheat is making a phone call?
@kobashi100 I guess that is a tough spot to be in. Though it does seem to highlight Nintendo's philosophy and probably their ideals and how they either conflict or reflect gaming and overall media consumption today. I would bet, based on their past actions on the matter, if you ask Nintendo right now whether or not a 7 year old should be voice chatting while gaming, they will probably say no or have serious reservations about it. I personally wouldn't want my kid to have access to it at that age (even if it is amongst friends). But I wouldn't dare to say otherwise to or judge anyone else if that's what they will allow in.their household. Every kid and situation is different. So maybe Nintendo should leave it to parents to decide if that is what they want for their kids. And I guess in a way, it is up to a parent. If your adolescent child really needs to.chat with friends while gaming and their gaming device is a Switch, then you (seemingly at the moment) have no choice but to invest in a smartphone. If.that's out.of the question, maybe a different console without the requirement should be considered.
With all that being said, I assume if this app is available on both iOS and Android, you could possibly use it on any device with the OS. Does.your nephew have an iPod touch of some sort? Or an Android powered tablet?
I'm still not sure of how this works in terms of having to use a smartphone to do it all. Is it just like running something like Skype on my phone at the same time as playing a game on the Switch? That's not really ideal at all imo. I honestly don't want to have to worry about anything on my phone while playing games on some other device. I mean, does it at least take the sound from the phone App and run it through the Switch's speakers/headphones? Because, if it doesn't then how can you play the game with headphones on the Switch while still having voice chat on the phone at the same time? Is this something we have to pay for in terms of using our inclusive minutes on our phone, or is it free to voice chat as long as you want while using the App? I think we need to find out a lot more about exactly how all of this is going to work, but it's not sounding exactly ideal as of right now. Thank Christ I almost never personally care to ever talk to other twits online anyway, I guess. Not that I can even afford a Switch either way, but it's the principle.
@PotatoTheG yeah idk why they can't just do it on the system itself
@Captain_Gonru Yeah, you and your Windows Phone need to be loud and proud b/c there ain't no way in heck you're getting that app.
What do we want? A Windows phone app!!
When do we want it? NOW!!
This seems fine. Good even. I don't even understand the complaints: after 400+ hours of Overwatch, it's not like anybody ever communicates anyway. People just breathing heavy; Hanzo's on attack ready to silently carry their grieving, pleeading teammates to victory.
@Kroko How many Splatoon 2 trailers and videos have you watched from Ntinedo? How many have you seen them using a phone in for voicechat?
If it's such a great idea why not show it?
@Captain_Gonru Sorry, I was just kidding about the phone, I'll try and remember to stop.
SMR doesn't run on any of the 7 or 8 Android smart devices in my home. Tablets won't work b/c i n eeds an always on connection and don't think they consider WiFi to be that connection. Not sure why Apple's iPads are good but not Androids but that's my guess anyway, no cell service, no SMR. I think I have FEH pre-ordered on my tablet.
"and keep the app as an addition, not a substitution."
Basically that. My PS4 app on my tablet gets used occasionally, more gimmicky than useful, but I still use it. I do almost all of my PSN shopping on PC then it auto-downloads, which is nice.
Still wondering if I'd need to have my headphones connected to my phone to chat.. and then be unable to hear the game audio.. kind of lame that this setup seems to only let you listen to one audio source at a time.. Also disappointed that we need to pay for this..
@Kroko it just doesn't really make sense. Why need two devices to voice chat instead of just doing it on the system if it, in fact, can't be done like that?
Typical Nintendo really, what else would you expect?
@kobashi100 It is pretty odd considering a lot of the ads I've seen pretty much focus on people in the age group of 20 -something-year-olds. "Hey, we're marketing this product to adults who should be responsible and understand some of the things they may encounter playing online, but we're gonna treat them like they are children." They're making a parental control app. They should use that for restricting voice chat for kids. Not just apply this restrictiveness to everybody.
@Ernest_The_Crab Yeah, but you do all that on the same system. I don't need another device.
@imacdvguy You can send messages to friends on PS4 or Xbox via their app.
@Link118 Yep. I don't enjoy using the Xbox app for that purpose though. Doesn't feel right to me. If Nintendo even half tries they can do much better than that. (Haven't used the PlayStation app)
@Pinkman If there's no Wi-Fi what are the odds you can even play online then wherever you are?
@imacdvguy Fair enough. I barely use the Xbox App on my phone. (I send messages via PC if anything) The PS app is fine. I'm not saying you're wrong or anything. I don't really care either way. I just don't see why they can't create the app AND allow you to setup party, send messages, etc. as well on the console. If you in fact can't. Nintendo hasn't really clarified anything.
@Link118 It would be a bit strange to make the app absolutely required for that purpose. What happens to people who don't have a smart phone? Or it is charging in the other room? Or a kid whose parents aren't ready to give them a phone yet?
Lots of questions and very little info as you said.
@NEStalgia ""Use your phone" means "Have 2 devices on your wifi instead of 1""
Good point. I'm probably more sensitive, right or wrong, to these things as we have 4 smartphones in our home I monitor - wife, kids, myself - and we are all on the minutes, txts, data plans, we get like 60 txts 60 minutes 2GB, something like that. So whenever people start talking about using phones for anything I have to look at it carefully.
But you are right, as long as the app works over WiFi. It's Nitneod so who knows, I can't download Super Mario Run on any of our 8 Android devices and I wonder if that's b/c our tablets don't have cell service. Wouldn't surprise me if the app had issues over WiFi. Hopefully DeNA has it covered though.
But we didn't use our cell service for Pokemon Go - lots of WiFi were we live - we won't use it for Spaltoon either.
Don't really use voice chat, good anyway
@Link118 Haha I hadn't even thought about that. Maybe it's connected with the force
I really don't get the optimism. Even the WiiU had on console voice chat for COD. I think the Wii did too for that matter. The og Xbox had built in voice chat. It's 2017, this should really be a basic feature by now, especially when it is on the competition.
@Ledgendt
You genuinely believe that people who can afford multiple systems must be living at home with their parent's? You need to get a better job fella, the world looks very harshly at jealousy....
@Pinkman Things would be simpler.
@rjejr Haha, yeah, I hear you with the phone limit blues. Who (in the US) doesn't have that problem? I remember back in the dial-up PC gaming days getting a good laugh at all the Brits with their metered phone lines (I forget the telco over on that side of the pond back then, but we were all like "how can they stand that?!" .....and then we adopted metered internet.)
But yeah, it's pretty doubtful it won't work over wifi. I've never seen a data app other than one of those apps from the telco that shows you your usage and account settings (or the security/government/mil/intel type devices) that knows the difference between what connection it has. My take on the whole phone app thing is Nintendo saying "we have no idea what we're doing with this intertube stuff, here DeNA, you do it! Make it not suck!" On the up-side of the phone app is I can use my data when out and about to arrange lobbies for Splatoon with my little group whom I usually leave high and dry by never coordinating well with... or at least easier than Discord has allowed maybe. I don't like voice, but just for lobby arrangement it could be handy if it's really well integrated.
Errr...SMR doesn't exist on Android yet, does it? I thought it releases in March, it's still in iOS prison.
I'm looking forward to trying it......is what I would have said had it not been launching right after Switch....
Sooo.. you call your friends on your phone? nice.
It's great for kids and no hassle for adults who can easily add friends.
@NEStalgia "SMR doesn't exist on Android yet, does it?"
They put up a "Pre-register" page, or maybe it's just "register?" but when I go to it the spot says "This app is not compatible w/ your device." I triedit on several devices, phones and tablets, in my home. I don't think it worked on any of them, but I'm forgetful, so I'll check again when it releases.
Just checked a few minutes ago for FEH and that still says "Register" so we should be able to play that one.
@rjejr You know, I haven't actually hit the pre-reg button, so I don't know what it does. What OS version do your devices that say it's not compatible have? It should work on anything Lollipop or newer I'd think. I would imagine it wouldn't work on Kit Kat or ICS. Nintendo hasn't said anything, but just going by what types of things generally work across the OSes I would think that's the case (and DeNA's making it so they understand these things.)
I just tested on my older S5 and it worked, but the pre-register is basically just an email notification button, so it's weird it was blocking ANY devices. Might just be a Play Store thing (or an older OS.)
@NEStalgia Why do Android people always have to use in house names, why can't they just use numbers like normal people?
4.4 or 5.0 give or take. So I think we pre-date Marshmallow, not sure about Lollipop. Is Nuggat 7.0? No "O" snack comes to mind.
@rjejr LOL, because remembering Google's crazy numbering system would be horrifying where 5.2 is a different "series" than 5.1, and therefore in the different snack name scheme. I think Microsoft should start snack names since they clearly can't count (1.0, 3.0, 3.11, 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 10.) It's like remedial math as a corporate policy
"Oreo" could be the O snack, if they don't get sued. They got away with Kit Kat, so why not? I think P&G is more sue-happy than Hershey though.
Hmm, 4.4 would be Kit Kat....that could explain it. They changed a LOT of things between Jellybean/KitKat to Lollipop/Marshmallow. It was a rewrite mostly. Or so they say. My oldest devices is an S3, which I think left off on Kit Kat. Yeah...that's kind of old by Android standards in terms of targeting software at it, particularly game software.
@NEStalgia I like Oreos, that would work.
"that's kind of old by Android standards"
Problem is, none of my phones or tablets are old. Not only did I buy a couple of them last year, they also released last year. The problem is the less expensive devices - $100 - get the older OS even if the device is new, so I never know what I'm getting. I think my sons 3 year old phone is 5.0 buy my 1 year old tablet is 4.4.2.
I have a Samsung Galaxy Core Prime. Here's it's nice offical website w/ no mention of the OS other than "Android".
http://www.samsung.com/uk/smartphones/galaxy-core-prime-g360f/SM-G360FHAABTU/
And a Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 7". Same OS, Android.
http://www.samsung.com/uk/tablets/galaxy-tab-4-7-0-t230/SM-T230NYKABTU/
I really need to stop buying Samsung devices.
@rjejr The problem I think is the "new cheaper devices" are typically "old expensive devices repackaged with a new price point and a few updates." So the hardware typically isn't up to the new spec. But yeah, the fragmentation in the Android market is really a mess which is why iOS exclusives are so desired. Also, Google's initial stance that Android is for phones and will NOT be supported for tablets, then the ICS debacle to bring tablets on board left a permanent fragementation in the system that has never been address. Android tablets end up always being behind the phones. I just gave up and started buying x86 Atom based Windows tablets, and then just gave up and started getting proper laptops with keyboards.
I love that website. Core Prime looks pretty much near identical to an S3 outside. Less RAM, better CPU, worse screen (S gets the OLED high res.)
Also love the FAQ:
"Should I use non-Samsung batteries in my Samsung device?"
I didn't click for an answer but I'll presume it says "YES! ABSOLUTELY! It's required by the ATF."
(Fun trivia, I was about 40 seconds away from buying a Note 7 when the buzz started spreading about them exploding everywhere. Phew.... Of all the phones that explode, figures it would be the one I was holding out for!)
Anway, it depends on carrier, looks like for Verizon it's Kit Kat. And the Tab 4 looks like Kit Kat too. So that might be it.
Samsung....I'm so stuck in their phone ecosystem at this point because nobody makes something like the Note, but they definitely are unfriendly at times. At least the flagships get OS updates for a while (eventually) but for non-flagship devices, yeah, there's probably a lot of better devices out there (Asus tablets are pretty nice and well supported for example.) Phones are just weird due to carriers no matter what.
@NEStalgia Know what would solve a lot of that?
If Nintendo simply said what OS was required for the game to run. Go look, it's almost impossible to find, if it exists anywhere at all. I don't even care if they say it by # - 5.0, 6.0 - or snack - Marshmallow, Lollipop - they should have at least listed it somewhere. But they don't.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE
Not only gimped, but for what has been a standard feature on all consoles for like a decade you now have to use your .... smart device? what? nothing unwieldy about that. not to mention all the data usage. Nintendo is trying to transfer cost to your phone company instead of their own servers for voice (or something like that). Fail.
@rjejr Very true. Though it's not uncommon for android software not to. And for Google's part, they don't make it clear for things on the store either. It's also possible the minimum OS isn't determined yet, it's not coming out until sometime in March, which surely means mid-late since they won't want to dump it along with Switch, so they're still working on it and testing it. Final OS approval might not be determined yet.
Edit: And this is why things like Switch have value over general purpose tablets
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