I'm happier about this than I would be a Sun and Moon port or third version. Pokken is an ideal game for the Switch and more fighting games are always welcome. Leave the main series' Switch debut for either a new generation or an ambitious remake of Diamond/Pearl to test the development waters.
First, they need to solve the clunky local multi from the Wii U version, which ended up being a major drag. But I also would really like to see a more fleshed out single-player with some actual incentive to plow through. There is way too much potential there for a singleplayer mode and what we got on Wii U was bland, disappointing, and hardly felt like Pokemon.
@hendie001 Right on. It's frustrating how so much online discourse distills everything down to simple positives and negatives when the result should be the opposite.
Who cares if someone played a game for an hour and didn't like it? What value can we provide? Do we want to dismiss everything we don't like or encourage new endeavors? That's what we need to ask ourselves.
I was skeptical of Minecraft at first, but I made it a goal to understand it knowing my kids were coming to an age where all their friends are playing it. As a pure gamer I wanted to appreciate the enjoyment they found in such a game and experience it with them. I'll say we've had some great times taking down hordes, exploring caves, and building castles, farms, towers, towns, etc. together. And I wouldn't trade the fun we had, the memories we share, for anything else. No matter what anyone says, that is why gaming is great. (Not to say Minecraft is collectively our favorite game, that's Splatoon, easily.)
Minecraft is a great experience as a family, but don't be dissuaded if they leave it up to you to figure out the nuances. Take it as a positive because the mystery is part of the allure, I think. There are many online videos and what not, though it is completely possible to learn much of it through experience (what I did at first, even skipped the tutorial).
Really the main things you need to know off the bat is that you need to find and stockpile food and mine coal to build many torches (wood+coal). Obviously build some kind of bunker and always remember that enemies cannot spawn in lit areas, so apply torches liberally to safe zones. Also consider defensive structures as you amass more equpiment and erect a more extensive base. Creepers, for example, can blow a hole in your structure if they spot you nearby. If you hide out at night in your base, keep busy by mining deeper and deeper below (like a basement), crafting items, and reinforcing your base.
If you have anymore questions, let me know and I'll do my best to answer. Most of all, just jump in. Nothing beats practice, so for me I started a few worlds cold, monkeying around and gradually coming to grips with the basics before finding a world that could be my muse and finally committed to the long haul. That initial experience was invaluable in informing me on the nuances of building and proper defensive structures.
Also its wise to develop some method of navigation, both above ground and below. Only what is necessary and natural for you, I wouldn't go overboard unless you want to. Whatever you do make sure you can find your way back home at night or in a pinch.
Anyway, the worst that can happen is a game over or boredom... So just jump in and find your path. Good luck!
Sorry, lovely Twintelle, I've already fallen for Ribbon girl. Jump, jump, airdash into opponent, dive down, extend grab, make love. It's a beautiful thing. Reject her and get slapamanded!
That said, Kid Cobra stands for everything I like and despise. He's perfect. (Fast jumps, quick dashes, snake arms, and spinning top skateboards... To selfie sticks, streaming, saggy pants, and different colored eyes...)
My son won't be pleased with this at all, though... He's 7, so he's all about bots over booty. Double for dog bots.
@NEStalgia I'm not the best person to answer some of the finer details since I haven't played in many months and I've forgotten many specific details. (I'm waiting on further info on migrating Wii U worlds before jumping into the Switch version... My son and I are very fond of one of our particular worlds, for the buildings we've established and the incredible topography inherent to the seed.).
I've also never done the tutorial, so take that for what its worth... However, I believe the interface has several tricks to streamline crafting and what not, so it may not be as obtuse as it first seems. And as far as kids go, consider that an interface is like a language to communicate with a game. In that sense, kid brains are far more able to hardwire the correlations defined by language associations, so as we age and grow wiser it is somewhat necessary to mitigate our rigid minds. Maybe think back to the old-fashioned parents in the past who struggled to decipher computers and the internet while their kids took to that technologly relatively rapidly.
As for destroying the pristine landscape... I actually do get where you're coming from. I sometimes agonize over meager decisions such as what tree to fell, what area to mine, or where to start building. But that is where finding a world (seed) you appreciate comes in. As you explore you may find a particular waterfall or mountain which inspires you to envision a magnificent structure or view that compels you to alter that environment to suit your vision. There is of course no right or wrong, so you may choose to work with the constraints and build off a present structure or strip and clear the land to provide a flat canvas. Similarly you can do minimal building and live like a caveman with minimal alterations... As you progress you'll likely find your goals and ambition evolving over time.
Eitherway, I believe finding a neat seed is an important entry point to inspire and inform such decisions. The world itself may guide you to an extent and it is perhaps important to stay open to that process.
As for nighttime, it is a risk/reward endeavor. As you progress more tough enemies will spawn at night, so hiding indoors can be alluring. For me, I enjoy the danger of exploring at night, so it doesn't stop me from venturing out. Monsters may have nice gear so battling can be advisable or you can adapt to present danger and flee for a cave or a tree top. Personally I build several towers as landmarks with torches at the top to orient myself at night. I may also add stocked bunkers to each in case of lacking gear or supplies.
That said, my son turtles up at the first sight of sunset and uses that time to tend house, sometimes crafting and often tunneling deeper into the basement mine while improving and expanding facilities. He also takes great pride in tending to our livestock, so he often ascends the watchtower to ensure wolves aren't on the prowl while dispatching creepers who may blow a hole in our structures at a safe distance.
I think a large part of the appeal comes from falling down the rabbit hole and at first being lost and confused to slowly grasp concepts one at a time to eventually become a steward or lord of the environment or essentially whatever you want to be. In that sense, Minecraft is truly freeform RPG.
Combine that with ability to mold the world to your fantasy and share/explore your creation with friends... I think it will become apparent why kids adore Minecraft so. Give it more time and there is a good chance as you discover new aspects of the game that compel you, pretty soon it may feel as if you are spiraling down that hole as well.
EDIT: This is quite long and typed during break on a phone... Pardon me for any confusing wording.
@NEStalgia What you are describing is what many witness upon first playing Minecraft, but let go of your expectations and let the world itself life lead you. Not sure how to say it I guess. The first step is to find a seed worth committing to... (There are an incredible amount of varying terrains and landscape amongst seeds, so it's always worth trying a new world.)
The point is finding a world that as you explore impresses upon you the desire to explore further; this will make survival a necessity, which will in turn demand a degree of building effort. Many start with a simple cave he first night (or end up in a tree) and either build that out into something more suitable or head out to prospect for an ideal site for their grand ambitions.
Personally I wouldn't make building my sole ir primary goal until I've nade some headway in the world. That said, it's completely left to the player to find what he or she enjoys. Many simply go into creative mode and fly all over the place to build without any danger... That's not for me — I like even the tension of building a massive skyscraper where a mistake will mean tumbling to my doom.
@NEStalgia Although the creative aspect is the biggest hook, for many players survival and exploration are at least equal pillars. Think of it like Morrowind (or similar open RPG) with building and no story.
The real beauty of Minecraft lies in the organic relationship between those three aspects. You create to provide safety, store goods, and survive many nights; you survive to explore deeper, further, and grow stronger; you explore to find supplies and equipment to both build and battle tougher enemies (eventually bosses).
Building is always an element, but more to the extent that it relates to your goals for exploration and survival: do you create simple pits or caves as you progress through the landscape to survive a night or two at a time? Do you attempt to build an entire castle or city with extravagant architecture ? Do you establish various structures and landmarks about the world to navigate and migrate? Do you develop elaborate roads and mines to maximize efficiency? Do you establish a massive farm to collect and utilize all sorts of animals? Do you descend to build a monument declaring yourself lord of the underworld?
Their is quite a lot of depth and complexity which the game doesn't explain, so it's encumbent upon the player to discover their own path to success, or even enjoyment.
@iphys I love the controllers (as I do Joycons and the pro, so take that as you will), but 8bitdo's dpads have serious issues with PCB contacts. In other words, good luck with diagonals...
Argh, I need to reiterate that we need the ability to swap "drift" and "use items" for SR/SL, as well as turn off control stick steering when using tilt!
This is unacceptably cruel treatment of wheel players. The inhumane demands upon their hands needs to be rectified!
Also, the mamsy-pamsy masses deserve the option to switch accelerate to a trigger for their pampered hands.
@Tetsuro You may be right, though we still need to see how it all shakes out over time. I was never really on board with the double items partially for that reason, really elevates the struggle of the fray.
However, there is value to bringing players on a more even ground. Anyone with a family or who frequently invites guests over for couch multi understand this intrinsically. Stratified competition is not much fun, the people on top have easy victories and those on the bottom have dire experiences, so it's really hard sometimes to encourage people to play together when they know the result going in. It's far worse if no one in your house wants to play than continually losing online.
Ultimately, there is no perfect way to balance all this out, and in attempting, some playstyles will be either buffed or needed to some effect. With MK8D, fire-hopping is gone, but there are now purple boosts. That will slow down the very best and possibly allow for different tactics to compete at the highest. Smart-steering and more items will generally boost the lowest skilled players to a suitable, if unspectacular level though they will never be able to beat a middling player who utilize aspects like freeform shortcuts and advanced drifting that are unavailable with smart steering. It is certainly possible that the mid-level players will suffer a bit, but its definitely better to help the worst players along than heavily cap the skill ceiling.
For me, a lot of the fun in gaming comes from growing your skills and climbing the ladder. The best way to facilitate that is with a firm challenge propelling you forward to learn new skills and further hone the ones you rely on. If we stay stagnant, we are just a speed bump on the road for those behind us.
@Talkshowhost Hold down on the control stick and press SL. Alternatively, hold up to launch, say, a banana forward. Works quite well, but definitely not as easy as the d-pad with a Wii Wheel.
I do love the joycon wheels, actually disregarding tilt they are equally useful as a joycon shell with their big, chunky triggers. Very comfy.
That said, the Wii Wheel trained me to use the left trigger for drifting and with MK8D we are stuck using SR, which is far less intuitive and kills my right hand after awhile.
Another big annoyance is that for some reason they don't turn off the turning on the control stick while using tilt... Why not is beyond me, but this could interfere for some I imagine. And it would be so much better to have the option to flick up or down on the control stick to launch items. Still love the tilt controls, though.
Slightly related, but I wish Nintendo would support one-handed joycon play. Would be a boon for people without use of an arm.
@Tetsuro It did occur to me also that the influx of items seems to enhance the fray. If you can't jump in front early, it's going to be more chaotic in the middle of the pack. The only way to mitigate this is by either expert driving technique or fortunate and effective item use, or both.
This was always my concern with double items... Great for battle mode, but a borderline nuisance for racing. In this case, we can only embrace the crazy, I guess.
@Tetsuro Well, MK does have a very low barrier to entry yet extremely high skill ceiling. In that sense, the I suppose the elite are warlocks who conjure dragons and control them with their very will..
Still, keep in mind the game has only been out for a day or so. Anyone you run into online is more likely to be a pretty hardcore fan relative to when there is a much bigger player base in a few weeks from now. It's likely a high percentage of current players were fairly high-level MK8 players who lapsed over the past year or two, now coming back into the fold.
Consider also that MK8 sold low compared to tradional MK levels. Anyone who mastered 7, Wii, DS, or DD will be able to adapt those skills to 8 pretty quickly even if they are unfamiliar with the tracks. Those are possibly another significant hardcore market to jump back in with MK8D.
All said, give it time to sell and the skill level online will spread out to a much greater degree. In the meantime, please don't use smart-steering unless you have to, keep mastering your drifts, try to learn some reliable shortcuts (time trials helps), and pop into battle mode when racing gets you heated.
In the end though, if your enjoyment of MK is strictly derived from victory then maybe you'll struggle to find bliss in the online space, to put it lightly.
@Tetsuro I'm surprised it's taken you this long to realize how hardcore MK can be... With fire-hopping removed in MK8D it should be easier to compete with the very best, though.
First, I'm not clear whether you are using Smart Steering or not, but if you are--turn it off, immediately. It will only hinder your ability to learn the best shortcuts and drive the best lines...
Anyway, I've won or come in second in every race I have played online vs randoms so far. That's using tilt + the new wheel, which is quite a change for anyone used to the old Wii Wheel, specifically if you used the trigger for drift. (I need to be able to switch the shoulder buttons! My hands don't deserve this!).
That said, items come into play a little more now, so you will not win as consistently without impeccable driving. Practically ignoring items and riding the best line will get you a lot farther in MK than most think. If you can ace time trials you will be hard to beat no matter what. Also, maybe the stats have changed a bit, so try various kart setups rather than your old faithful.
@Deadlyblack Splatoon's world is post-apocalyptic. Squids have emerged and humans are fossiled with their Wii Us. One cat has somehow survived hundreds of years.
@Anti-Matter I sort of agree in principle, except in practice I've found my kids more than suited to the time-honored tradition of Nintendoing games by being thrown in the deep end. (Obviously that's how I learned, zero assistance beyond being told to "go outside" — and look how I turned out...)
My son (three at the time) was soon able to get golds on 50cc in vanilla 8. Now at 7 he is pretty skilled in all platformers, racers, Smash Bros., Splatoon, etc... Pretty much the same for his younger sister (6), who is pretty masterful at all Kirby games herself. Except she requires more help and truly hates to lose...
A certain amount of hand holding is essential, but more to encourage enjoyment than anything. Like learning to swim, you'll never fully learn with a life preserver but most kids would be discouraged if you dropped them in deep water with no assistance.
Like all good parenting, you really need to know the individual person and attempt a suitable balance for each one.
As for auto-steering, I mostly see it useful for forcing people into multiplayer matches when they aren't familiar. I would suggest almost everyone turn it off in single player, though.
@SmaMan While I can see the essentual utility in certain circumstances, I am incredibly annoyed that it is turned on by default... (At least give a pop-up window ti turn off/on the first time you race!)
I know when I go to friends' houses to jam on their Switch, I will inevitably find them all to have that stupid antenna on the back with barely any awareness of their own derpiness. They're going think I'm some sort of MK magician with how I zip around the track unhinged...
Man, in vanilla 8 I already had to severely handicap myself to make our local races competitive...
@Destron Right on, I've been putting up top tier times in Time Trials over the years with the wheel in both Wii and 8. Analog and everything is fine, but tilt offers increased range of control, better traction, easier tricks, etc., which are actually significant benefits beyond the simple joy of tilt steering. I am worried about launching items backwards without the Wiimote's d-pad, however...
Anyway, despite what jaded gamers claim, the wheel does have competitive merit. Similar in a way to Splatoon (which finally proved the point with gyro aiming), if you can maximize tilt skills you'll find a higher ceiling.
The wheel is awesome, ride the fringe, drift like a maniac, mushrooms can boost out of blue shells, coins are key to consistently winning, know when to go risk/reward racing line, boosts get you through off road sections, bump into others in anti-grav, learn how to expertly tighten/loosen drifts, draft at the right opportunities, stretch out each boost, tap the lip of jumps to extend glides, hops can provide little corrections and bypass obstacles, tricks are cheesable with tilt controls, dolphin diving can be crucial, slick drifting will make you hero in battles, discover all sorts of shortcuts and know when to use them, you're never out of it, you can win with the wheel.
Finally: if you want true MK skills, don't ignore Time Trials! Improving your times will forge and temper those fundamental skills.
Harada said as much, "Officially, we can't really comment on that because our company has strict policy about which titles we talk about for Switch..."
This is a case where the preamble qualifies the entire statement. Harada will remain tight-lipped until he is allowed to speak and is no longer exerting all energy towards Tekken 7's release. The bit about not being able to buy one is just to emphasize his point. He will not talk, has nothing to say, don't bother asking.
I just hope there are actual Switch games hidden in those bulbous cheeks.
@AlexSora89 So he was given free rein to promote the Wii U version of TTT2, which sold like absolute dogs***?
He literally states in the case of Switch he cannot divulge any info on upcoming games. Could mean anything from there are no games or they are watching the market to they have several projects in the hopper waiting to be unveiled. His team is probably deep in it with the confirmed versions of Tekken 7 as is, so that's where all his specific focus is (saying nothing of Namco as a whole).
Common sense would suggest that a port of Pokken would take priority and they do not want Tekken and Pokken to compete for Switch sales. Neither do they want to compete with ARMS. Games such as those will better bare out a market for fighters and a late port of Tekken 7 or whatever could still have appeal as portable version anyway.
@AlexSora89 That's not what he said. He seems to be referring to acquiring and studying retail units for whatever reason. Probably because he can't, or won't talk about dev kits. By stating they have strict policies regarding Switch titles he implies that he is cognizant of letting any morsel drop.
That said, I doubt they are currently working on a Switch version of Tekken 7 when Namco probably has other priorities for the system...
Also, you cannot put the toothpaste back in the tube.
I'm sure these developers deserve the best opportunity for success on the Switch; however, once the storefront is flooded there is no going back. Games too easily become lost and new releases get ignored in favor of whatever else is on sale. Maybe this curation strategy could work in favor of these anonymous developers (assuming their pride isn't too damaged) by creating a more favorable ecosystem upon release of their games.
Considering how Snipperclips, Snake Pass, FAST RMX, GEM, etc. have lit up the charts all over the world, there is evidence of progress compared to past Nintendo storefronts dominated by Nintendo games. Let's see what happens once there are far more Switch owners... How new releases do then will paint the picture.
Sales matter and previous Nintendo platforms have failed to buoy digital sales. This is NOA's response and it appears to be working on some level. Good sales will encourage developers more than friendly emails or personal interactions.
I am concerned that your anonymous sources are a little too obvious to someone with a thorough knowledge of the digital content on Nintendo platforms. There are only a few possibilities of who some of these developers could be.
The completely obvious thing to do is port MW4 Remastered... Relatively cheap port with a lot of appeal on a handheld. Makes so much sense to test the market.
Talk nonsense all you want... I don't think it is appropriate to ignorantly diminish the pedigree of developers because some review scored their game low. Think about it.
@NEStalgia Yeah, I was surprised as well, but Mr. Shifty was the only game I could find a notable buzz pre-dating the nindie reveal. After that I still saw more people claiming it was their standout than the other games like GEM or, even, Runner 3.
I never thought it would stand up to Hotline Miami myself, but it still is a pretty fun game with potential, both wasted and untapped. Beyond performance, the mechanics/depth could use some expansion and improvement, and the lack of replay-ability is a dire fact... However, I don't want to jump all over the developers nor tinybuild for attempting to launch Mr. Shifty simultaneously on Switch/PC. Obviously the market will bare that out.
When you're an indie, eventually the time comes when you have to ship a game, no matter what. Let's see if they can turn this one around and maybe support them if they do... Before the backlash gets out of hand.
@ogo79 Get it together, man. Your post is so unnecessary. .
"Team Shifty
Team Shifty is a new indie games company based in Brisbane, Australia. Composed of ex-Halfbrick developers with experience shipping 20+ games from GameBoy Advance to Xbox 360, the team split off to form a new studio. Mr. Shifty is their action-packed debut!"
@NEStalgia Uh, in some circles this had more prior hype than just about anything else shown in the nindie showcase. Many Hotline Miami fans were frothing.
The lack of a score system or anything similar is baffling. You cannot expect to get by with this sort of game on solely a dash through 15 levels once.
@ogo79 That's neat and all, but in practice I haven't actually seen any flesh person actually alter a component of their Switch. Everyone I know has gotten by just fine without any dock, joycon, etc. engineering. In the future I might send in a joycon for repair, but that is the only issue I've seen in over about a dozen real-life Switches. Small sample size, but so is just about every account you read online about anything...
So cute comment, but likely born more out of the internet hivemind than actual reality.
@RedMageLanakyn Rushing to post "news" is more important than getting the words or facts right. The results effectively diminish the value of journalism as a service and instead suggest a lack of respect for the reader beyond monetizing clicks. The internet is every bit as useful for confusing and shrouding as it is for informing and sharing, and it's sad that the economic realities encourage the former endeavors (even by well-meaning writers/sites).
It all portends to an embarrassing future, but I'll always remain hopeful that someday we will get it right no matter how unlikely.
@Aerona You can't even come up with your own response? Or even an accurate one?
So essentially one statement is my opinion, "infinite worlds don't add much".
But basically everything else I posted is fact. The reasons why mobile have infinite worlds and consoles don't. Fact. Lower mob density in larger worlds. Fact. Difficulty in interacting with other players online because world is too big. Fact.
Everywhere I look people are comparing world size to mobile with no context. (Pardon me, "c'mon, my phone can handle this" does not strike me as an enlightening statement given the reality of console requirements.). If we aren't interested in facts, I don't know why we are posting here.
@Aerona First, I already explained the legitimate technical and architectural reasons why. Infinite worlds aren't likely to ever come to consoles and it has nothing to due with raw horsepower. Second, infinite worlds don't add much and the larger worlds on PS4/XB1 suffer from lower mob density in addition to the potential lack of interaction with other players in online multiplayer (because they do not find each other). Obviously last gen versions were restrictive, but max Switch worlds will be 13X (or so) larger, which hopefully is big enough, yet not too big.
I mean, world size stands as a quantifiable bullet point against the Switch and little else.
Kudos to 4J and Microsoft for commiting to support Wii U transfers. Considering all the ridiculous whining about legacy discounts, it's disappointing that more people aren't lauding this concept.
Forget discounts, the best service/support you can provide people who spent years playing games on Wii U is to allow those gamers to transfer their progress in games like Minecraft. (Accordingly, Nintendo deserves severe backlash if they do not follow suit with Mario Maker.). Our current and future disbursement of time is infinitely more valuable than the funds we spent on videogames in the past.
I wish more of us were concerned with gamer ideals than their pocketbooks.
@MarioPhD It comes down to handheld mode and 60fps performance. You're right that RAM is the most likely culprit, but even if they could push farther in docked mode, they are hamstrung by portable considerations. That said, I think the world size on Switch will be plenty big and actually a happy medium of sorts.
Despite incessant harping on size, it must be said that bigger is not always better in Minecraft. In fact, I find the "large" worlds on PS4/XB1 to be too big for most purposes. Getting lost can be fun, but in those massive worlds with little identifiable topography, it is mostly a nuisance. (Especially since you need something like 24 paper maps to fully map a world that size. I believe the Switch version is around 9.)
Moreover, the animal/mob density really suffers on those "large" worlds, so you're left with an unwieldy, relatively empty world by comparison. Now, the world size on last gen was somewhat restrictive, if more focused, so I hope Switch strikes a solid middle ground.
They are right to prioritize performance and hopefully they can keep up the mob density on Switch (one area the Wii U version excelled).
@BezBot Unlimited worlds are not really important (nor fun). I'd take the conveniences and benefits of the console versions any day. Touchscreen Minecraft is a scourge and our children are being willfully devoured.
@David_Dudeney That's not how it works. The console and PC/mobile versions are fundamentally different due to the differing architectures and, primarily, the requirements of console manufacturers.
In effect, the PC/mobile versions have no limits on their use of storage other than the space available on a given device. Meaning worlds can be streamed from memory/storage, so the game is constantly accessing read/writes to load only the area surrounding the player. This does lead to several problems such as the filesize of saves ballooning and encountering glitches the further you travel.
Due to strict console restrictions on storage use, the console version operates on a tradional save system. So the game is loading the entire world uprfront to avoid constant read/write cycles. This means there must be a limit placed upon the world to function on consoles. The benefits are lower filesizes and more consistent performance/less glitches.
@Smug43 I agree, the real problem with this game is the amount of content and replay-ability. It's sort of unbelievable that the developers didn't realize that a game like this needs something like a score attack, time trials, or any additional mode which effectively encourages replays.
The mechanics are neat, but nowhere close to capable of carrying the game without proper mode support.
I think this is getting way overblown. Team Shifty can't magically snap a finger and fix the framerate so, at the time of the tweet, recommending the Steam version was practical for anyone sensitive to FPS. They are a small team so they clearly did not want to get caught making promises they couldn't keep. What else should they say? Some lip service?
That said, they made the wrong choice with regards to fidelity/performance. Granted they were likely going balls to the wall to release on Switch with PC. However, the later levels lag far too frequently and they must've known that experience skirted the fringe of acceptability. They seem to gave chosen the easy way out because with some careful nips and tucks I'm pretty confident the perfomance would be fine. Obviously Mr. Shifty is not the type of game to get notably docked for a less attractive port...
I'm all over this. Can't wait to show my kids what pure fight-skills look like. No more blaming the controller or my unfair knowledge of button-combos either. Hear that, little snots?
Someone should kickstart a Neo Geo Pocket Keychain, though.
Comments 1,409
Re: Pokkén Tournament DX Confirmed For Nintendo Switch
I'm happier about this than I would be a Sun and Moon port or third version. Pokken is an ideal game for the Switch and more fighting games are always welcome. Leave the main series' Switch debut for either a new generation or an ambitious remake of Diamond/Pearl to test the development waters.
Re: Pokkén Tournament DX Confirmed For Nintendo Switch
First, they need to solve the clunky local multi from the Wii U version, which ended up being a major drag. But I also would really like to see a more fleshed out single-player with some actual incentive to plow through. There is way too much potential there for a singleplayer mode and what we got on Wii U was bland, disappointing, and hardly felt like Pokemon.
Re: Twintelle Joins The ARMS Global Testpunch Roster This Weekend
@Kirbyfan Either the internet is all adolescents or it fosters adolescence. I don't get it either and I love booty of all sizes.
EDIT: Speaking of her hair I love how it looks like those twisted lollipops. Brilliant stuff.
Re: Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition Gets Another Welcome Patch
@hendie001 Right on. It's frustrating how so much online discourse distills everything down to simple positives and negatives when the result should be the opposite.
Who cares if someone played a game for an hour and didn't like it? What value can we provide? Do we want to dismiss everything we don't like or encourage new endeavors? That's what we need to ask ourselves.
I was skeptical of Minecraft at first, but I made it a goal to understand it knowing my kids were coming to an age where all their friends are playing it. As a pure gamer I wanted to appreciate the enjoyment they found in such a game and experience it with them. I'll say we've had some great times taking down hordes, exploring caves, and building castles, farms, towers, towns, etc. together. And I wouldn't trade the fun we had, the memories we share, for anything else. No matter what anyone says, that is why gaming is great. (Not to say Minecraft is collectively our favorite game, that's Splatoon, easily.)
Re: Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition Gets Another Welcome Patch
@dcstud Just now saw your post. Happy to help!
Minecraft is a great experience as a family, but don't be dissuaded if they leave it up to you to figure out the nuances. Take it as a positive because the mystery is part of the allure, I think. There are many online videos and what not, though it is completely possible to learn much of it through experience (what I did at first, even skipped the tutorial).
Really the main things you need to know off the bat is that you need to find and stockpile food and mine coal to build many torches (wood+coal). Obviously build some kind of bunker and always remember that enemies cannot spawn in lit areas, so apply torches liberally to safe zones. Also consider defensive structures as you amass more equpiment and erect a more extensive base. Creepers, for example, can blow a hole in your structure if they spot you nearby. If you hide out at night in your base, keep busy by mining deeper and deeper below (like a basement), crafting items, and reinforcing your base.
If you have anymore questions, let me know and I'll do my best to answer. Most of all, just jump in. Nothing beats practice, so for me I started a few worlds cold, monkeying around and gradually coming to grips with the basics before finding a world that could be my muse and finally committed to the long haul. That initial experience was invaluable in informing me on the nuances of building and proper defensive structures.
Also its wise to develop some method of navigation, both above ground and below. Only what is necessary and natural for you, I wouldn't go overboard unless you want to. Whatever you do make sure you can find your way back home at night or in a pinch.
Anyway, the worst that can happen is a game over or boredom... So just jump in and find your path. Good luck!
Re: Twintelle Joins The ARMS Global Testpunch Roster This Weekend
Sorry, lovely Twintelle, I've already fallen for Ribbon girl. Jump, jump, airdash into opponent, dive down, extend grab, make love. It's a beautiful thing. Reject her and get slapamanded!
That said, Kid Cobra stands for everything I like and despise. He's perfect. (Fast jumps, quick dashes, snake arms, and spinning top skateboards... To selfie sticks, streaming, saggy pants, and different colored eyes...)
My son won't be pleased with this at all, though... He's 7, so he's all about bots over booty. Double for dog bots.
Re: Video: Anatomy Of A Fake: Creator Of "Leaked" Smash Bros. Switch Screens Speaks Out
Don't give these people attention.
Re: Video: Get a Good Look at Twintelle's Special Moves in the Latest ARMS Trailer
Just ignore the internet if how others objectify something bothers you.
Re: Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition Gets Another Welcome Patch
@NEStalgia I'm not the best person to answer some of the finer details since I haven't played in many months and I've forgotten many specific details. (I'm waiting on further info on migrating Wii U worlds before jumping into the Switch version... My son and I are very fond of one of our particular worlds, for the buildings we've established and the incredible topography inherent to the seed.).
I've also never done the tutorial, so take that for what its worth... However, I believe the interface has several tricks to streamline crafting and what not, so it may not be as obtuse as it first seems. And as far as kids go, consider that an interface is like a language to communicate with a game. In that sense, kid brains are far more able to hardwire the correlations defined by language associations, so as we age and grow wiser it is somewhat necessary to mitigate our rigid minds. Maybe think back to the old-fashioned parents in the past who struggled to decipher computers and the internet while their kids took to that technologly relatively rapidly.
As for destroying the pristine landscape... I actually do get where you're coming from. I sometimes agonize over meager decisions such as what tree to fell, what area to mine, or where to start building. But that is where finding a world (seed) you appreciate comes in. As you explore you may find a particular waterfall or mountain which inspires you to envision a magnificent structure or view that compels you to alter that environment to suit your vision. There is of course no right or wrong, so you may choose to work with the constraints and build off a present structure or strip and clear the land to provide a flat canvas. Similarly you can do minimal building and live like a caveman with minimal alterations... As you progress you'll likely find your goals and ambition evolving over time.
Eitherway, I believe finding a neat seed is an important entry point to inspire and inform such decisions. The world itself may guide you to an extent and it is perhaps important to stay open to that process.
As for nighttime, it is a risk/reward endeavor. As you progress more tough enemies will spawn at night, so hiding indoors can be alluring. For me, I enjoy the danger of exploring at night, so it doesn't stop me from venturing out. Monsters may have nice gear so battling can be advisable or you can adapt to present danger and flee for a cave or a tree top. Personally I build several towers as landmarks with torches at the top to orient myself at night. I may also add stocked bunkers to each in case of lacking gear or supplies.
That said, my son turtles up at the first sight of sunset and uses that time to tend house, sometimes crafting and often tunneling deeper into the basement mine while improving and expanding facilities. He also takes great pride in tending to our livestock, so he often ascends the watchtower to ensure wolves aren't on the prowl while dispatching creepers who may blow a hole in our structures at a safe distance.
I think a large part of the appeal comes from falling down the rabbit hole and at first being lost and confused to slowly grasp concepts one at a time to eventually become a steward or lord of the environment or essentially whatever you want to be. In that sense, Minecraft is truly freeform RPG.
Combine that with ability to mold the world to your fantasy and share/explore your creation with friends... I think it will become apparent why kids adore Minecraft so. Give it more time and there is a good chance as you discover new aspects of the game that compel you, pretty soon it may feel as if you are spiraling down that hole as well.
EDIT: This is quite long and typed during break on a phone... Pardon me for any confusing wording.
Re: Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition Gets Another Welcome Patch
@NEStalgia What you are describing is what many witness upon first playing Minecraft, but let go of your expectations and let the world itself life lead you. Not sure how to say it I guess. The first step is to find a seed worth committing to... (There are an incredible amount of varying terrains and landscape amongst seeds, so it's always worth trying a new world.)
The point is finding a world that as you explore impresses upon you the desire to explore further; this will make survival a necessity, which will in turn demand a degree of building effort. Many start with a simple cave he first night (or end up in a tree) and either build that out into something more suitable or head out to prospect for an ideal site for their grand ambitions.
Personally I wouldn't make building my sole ir primary goal until I've nade some headway in the world. That said, it's completely left to the player to find what he or she enjoys. Many simply go into creative mode and fly all over the place to build without any danger... That's not for me — I like even the tension of building a massive skyscraper where a mistake will mean tumbling to my doom.
Re: Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition Gets Another Welcome Patch
@NEStalgia Although the creative aspect is the biggest hook, for many players survival and exploration are at least equal pillars. Think of it like Morrowind (or similar open RPG) with building and no story.
The real beauty of Minecraft lies in the organic relationship between those three aspects. You create to provide safety, store goods, and survive many nights; you survive to explore deeper, further, and grow stronger; you explore to find supplies and equipment to both build and battle tougher enemies (eventually bosses).
Building is always an element, but more to the extent that it relates to your goals for exploration and survival: do you create simple pits or caves as you progress through the landscape to survive a night or two at a time? Do you attempt to build an entire castle or city with extravagant architecture ? Do you establish various structures and landmarks about the world to navigate and migrate? Do you develop elaborate roads and mines to maximize efficiency? Do you establish a massive farm to collect and utilize all sorts of animals? Do you descend to build a monument declaring yourself lord of the underworld?
Their is quite a lot of depth and complexity which the game doesn't explain, so it's encumbent upon the player to discover their own path to success, or even enjoyment.
Re: Guide: How to Get Third Party 8Bitdo Controllers Running on Your Switch
@iphys I love the controllers (as I do Joycons and the pro, so take that as you will), but 8bitdo's dpads have serious issues with PCB contacts. In other words, good luck with diagonals...
Re: Guide: Tips for Getting Started in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Argh, I need to reiterate that we need the ability to swap "drift" and "use items" for SR/SL, as well as turn off control stick steering when using tilt!
This is unacceptably cruel treatment of wheel players. The inhumane demands upon their hands needs to be rectified!
Also, the mamsy-pamsy masses deserve the option to switch accelerate to a trigger for their pampered hands.
Re: Guide: Tips for Getting Started in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
@Tetsuro You may be right, though we still need to see how it all shakes out over time. I was never really on board with the double items partially for that reason, really elevates the struggle of the fray.
However, there is value to bringing players on a more even ground. Anyone with a family or who frequently invites guests over for couch multi understand this intrinsically. Stratified competition is not much fun, the people on top have easy victories and those on the bottom have dire experiences, so it's really hard sometimes to encourage people to play together when they know the result going in. It's far worse if no one in your house wants to play than continually losing online.
Ultimately, there is no perfect way to balance all this out, and in attempting, some playstyles will be either buffed or needed to some effect. With MK8D, fire-hopping is gone, but there are now purple boosts. That will slow down the very best and possibly allow for different tactics to compete at the highest. Smart-steering and more items will generally boost the lowest skilled players to a suitable, if unspectacular level though they will never be able to beat a middling player who utilize aspects like freeform shortcuts and advanced drifting that are unavailable with smart steering. It is certainly possible that the mid-level players will suffer a bit, but its definitely better to help the worst players along than heavily cap the skill ceiling.
For me, a lot of the fun in gaming comes from growing your skills and climbing the ladder. The best way to facilitate that is with a firm challenge propelling you forward to learn new skills and further hone the ones you rely on. If we stay stagnant, we are just a speed bump on the road for those behind us.
Re: Guide: Tips for Getting Started in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
@Talkshowhost Hold down on the control stick and press SL. Alternatively, hold up to launch, say, a banana forward. Works quite well, but definitely not as easy as the d-pad with a Wii Wheel.
I do love the joycon wheels, actually disregarding tilt they are equally useful as a joycon shell with their big, chunky triggers. Very comfy.
That said, the Wii Wheel trained me to use the left trigger for drifting and with MK8D we are stuck using SR, which is far less intuitive and kills my right hand after awhile.
Another big annoyance is that for some reason they don't turn off the turning on the control stick while using tilt... Why not is beyond me, but this could interfere for some I imagine. And it would be so much better to have the option to flick up or down on the control stick to launch items. Still love the tilt controls, though.
Slightly related, but I wish Nintendo would support one-handed joycon play. Would be a boon for people without use of an arm.
Re: Guide: Tips for Getting Started in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
@Tetsuro It did occur to me also that the influx of items seems to enhance the fray. If you can't jump in front early, it's going to be more chaotic in the middle of the pack. The only way to mitigate this is by either expert driving technique or fortunate and effective item use, or both.
This was always my concern with double items... Great for battle mode, but a borderline nuisance for racing. In this case, we can only embrace the crazy, I guess.
Re: Guide: Tips for Getting Started in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
@Tetsuro Well, MK does have a very low barrier to entry yet extremely high skill ceiling. In that sense, the I suppose the elite are warlocks who conjure dragons and control them with their very will..
Still, keep in mind the game has only been out for a day or so. Anyone you run into online is more likely to be a pretty hardcore fan relative to when there is a much bigger player base in a few weeks from now. It's likely a high percentage of current players were fairly high-level MK8 players who lapsed over the past year or two, now coming back into the fold.
Consider also that MK8 sold low compared to tradional MK levels. Anyone who mastered 7, Wii, DS, or DD will be able to adapt those skills to 8 pretty quickly even if they are unfamiliar with the tracks. Those are possibly another significant hardcore market to jump back in with MK8D.
All said, give it time to sell and the skill level online will spread out to a much greater degree. In the meantime, please don't use smart-steering unless you have to, keep mastering your drifts, try to learn some reliable shortcuts (time trials helps), and pop into battle mode when racing gets you heated.
In the end though, if your enjoyment of MK is strictly derived from victory then maybe you'll struggle to find bliss in the online space, to put it lightly.
Re: Guide: Tips for Getting Started in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
@Tetsuro I'm surprised it's taken you this long to realize how hardcore MK can be... With fire-hopping removed in MK8D it should be easier to compete with the very best, though.
First, I'm not clear whether you are using Smart Steering or not, but if you are--turn it off, immediately. It will only hinder your ability to learn the best shortcuts and drive the best lines...
Anyway, I've won or come in second in every race I have played online vs randoms so far. That's using tilt + the new wheel, which is quite a change for anyone used to the old Wii Wheel, specifically if you used the trigger for drift. (I need to be able to switch the shoulder buttons! My hands don't deserve this!).
That said, items come into play a little more now, so you will not win as consistently without impeccable driving. Practically ignoring items and riding the best line will get you a lot farther in MK than most think. If you can ace time trials you will be hard to beat no matter what. Also, maybe the stats have changed a bit, so try various kart setups rather than your old faithful.
Anyway, keep at it, you're probably just rusty.
Re: New Splatoon 2 Squid Sisters Stories Chapter Reveals Drifting Relationship
@Deadlyblack Splatoon's world is post-apocalyptic. Squids have emerged and humans are fossiled with their Wii Us. One cat has somehow survived hundreds of years.
Re: Guide: Tips for Getting Started in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
@Anti-Matter I sort of agree in principle, except in practice I've found my kids more than suited to the time-honored tradition of Nintendoing games by being thrown in the deep end. (Obviously that's how I learned, zero assistance beyond being told to "go outside" — and look how I turned out...)
My son (three at the time) was soon able to get golds on 50cc in vanilla 8. Now at 7 he is pretty skilled in all platformers, racers, Smash Bros., Splatoon, etc... Pretty much the same for his younger sister (6), who is pretty masterful at all Kirby games herself. Except she requires more help and truly hates to lose...
A certain amount of hand holding is essential, but more to encourage enjoyment than anything. Like learning to swim, you'll never fully learn with a life preserver but most kids would be discouraged if you dropped them in deep water with no assistance.
Like all good parenting, you really need to know the individual person and attempt a suitable balance for each one.
As for auto-steering, I mostly see it useful for forcing people into multiplayer matches when they aren't familiar. I would suggest almost everyone turn it off in single player, though.
Re: Guide: Tips for Getting Started in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
@SmaMan While I can see the essentual utility in certain circumstances, I am incredibly annoyed that it is turned on by default... (At least give a pop-up window ti turn off/on the first time you race!)
I know when I go to friends' houses to jam on their Switch, I will inevitably find them all to have that stupid antenna on the back with barely any awareness of their own derpiness. They're going think I'm some sort of MK magician with how I zip around the track unhinged...
Man, in vanilla 8 I already had to severely handicap myself to make our local races competitive...
Re: Guide: Tips for Getting Started in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
@Destron Right on, I've been putting up top tier times in Time Trials over the years with the wheel in both Wii and 8. Analog and everything is fine, but tilt offers increased range of control, better traction, easier tricks, etc., which are actually significant benefits beyond the simple joy of tilt steering. I am worried about launching items backwards without the Wiimote's d-pad, however...
Anyway, despite what jaded gamers claim, the wheel does have competitive merit. Similar in a way to Splatoon (which finally proved the point with gyro aiming), if you can maximize tilt skills you'll find a higher ceiling.
Re: Guide: Tips for Getting Started in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
The wheel is awesome, ride the fringe, drift like a maniac, mushrooms can boost out of blue shells, coins are key to consistently winning, know when to go risk/reward racing line, boosts get you through off road sections, bump into others in anti-grav, learn how to expertly tighten/loosen drifts, draft at the right opportunities, stretch out each boost, tap the lip of jumps to extend glides, hops can provide little corrections and bypass obstacles, tricks are cheesable with tilt controls, dolphin diving can be crucial, slick drifting will make you hero in battles, discover all sorts of shortcuts and know when to use them, you're never out of it, you can win with the wheel.
Finally: if you want true MK skills, don't ignore Time Trials! Improving your times will forge and temper those fundamental skills.
Re: New Splatoon 2 Squid Sisters Stories Chapter Reveals Drifting Relationship
Setting the groundwork for the single player story? A new Splatfest concept? The rise of a rival chart-topping duo? Hmmm... Can't wait to find out!
You better not hurt Callie, Nintendo... Or mess with my blaster(s) + splat bomb combo...!
Re: Tekken Producer Katsuhiro Harada Too Busy To Study Switch Hardware For Possible Port
@AlexSora89 Wish granted.
Harada said as much, "Officially, we can't really comment on that because our company has strict policy about which titles we talk about for Switch..."
This is a case where the preamble qualifies the entire statement. Harada will remain tight-lipped until he is allowed to speak and is no longer exerting all energy towards Tekken 7's release. The bit about not being able to buy one is just to emphasize his point. He will not talk, has nothing to say, don't bother asking.
I just hope there are actual Switch games hidden in those bulbous cheeks.
Re: Tekken Producer Katsuhiro Harada Too Busy To Study Switch Hardware For Possible Port
@AlexSora89 So he was given free rein to promote the Wii U version of TTT2, which sold like absolute dogs***?
He literally states in the case of Switch he cannot divulge any info on upcoming games. Could mean anything from there are no games or they are watching the market to they have several projects in the hopper waiting to be unveiled. His team is probably deep in it with the confirmed versions of Tekken 7 as is, so that's where all his specific focus is (saying nothing of Namco as a whole).
Common sense would suggest that a port of Pokken would take priority and they do not want Tekken and Pokken to compete for Switch sales. Neither do they want to compete with ARMS. Games such as those will better bare out a market for fighters and a late port of Tekken 7 or whatever could still have appeal as portable version anyway.
Re: Tekken Producer Katsuhiro Harada Too Busy To Study Switch Hardware For Possible Port
@AlexSora89 That's not what he said. He seems to be referring to acquiring and studying retail units for whatever reason. Probably because he can't, or won't talk about dev kits. By stating they have strict policies regarding Switch titles he implies that he is cognizant of letting any morsel drop.
That said, I doubt they are currently working on a Switch version of Tekken 7 when Namco probably has other priorities for the system...
Re: Tekken Producer Katsuhiro Harada Too Busy To Study Switch Hardware For Possible Port
It's just a goofy deflection. He is not willing to talk about anything Switch-related at the moment.
Re: Feature: The Growing Pains of Curation on the Nintendo Switch eShop
Also, you cannot put the toothpaste back in the tube.
I'm sure these developers deserve the best opportunity for success on the Switch; however, once the storefront is flooded there is no going back. Games too easily become lost and new releases get ignored in favor of whatever else is on sale. Maybe this curation strategy could work in favor of these anonymous developers (assuming their pride isn't too damaged) by creating a more favorable ecosystem upon release of their games.
Considering how Snipperclips, Snake Pass, FAST RMX, GEM, etc. have lit up the charts all over the world, there is evidence of progress compared to past Nintendo storefronts dominated by Nintendo games. Let's see what happens once there are far more Switch owners... How new releases do then will paint the picture.
Re: Feature: The Growing Pains of Curation on the Nintendo Switch eShop
Sales matter and previous Nintendo platforms have failed to buoy digital sales. This is NOA's response and it appears to be working on some level. Good sales will encourage developers more than friendly emails or personal interactions.
I am concerned that your anonymous sources are a little too obvious to someone with a thorough knowledge of the digital content on Nintendo platforms. There are only a few possibilities of who some of these developers could be.
Re: Poll: Do You Think Call Of Duty: WWII Will Come To Switch, And Would You Want It If It Did?
The completely obvious thing to do is port MW4 Remastered... Relatively cheap port with a lot of appeal on a handheld. Makes so much sense to test the market.
Re: Review: Mr. Shifty (Switch eShop)
@ogo79 Sure, whatever.
Talk nonsense all you want... I don't think it is appropriate to ignorantly diminish the pedigree of developers because some review scored their game low. Think about it.
Re: Review: Mr. Shifty (Switch eShop)
@NEStalgia Yeah, I was surprised as well, but Mr. Shifty was the only game I could find a notable buzz pre-dating the nindie reveal. After that I still saw more people claiming it was their standout than the other games like GEM or, even, Runner 3.
I never thought it would stand up to Hotline Miami myself, but it still is a pretty fun game with potential, both wasted and untapped. Beyond performance, the mechanics/depth could use some expansion and improvement, and the lack of replay-ability is a dire fact... However, I don't want to jump all over the developers nor tinybuild for attempting to launch Mr. Shifty simultaneously on Switch/PC. Obviously the market will bare that out.
When you're an indie, eventually the time comes when you have to ship a game, no matter what. Let's see if they can turn this one around and maybe support them if they do... Before the backlash gets out of hand.
Re: Review: Mr. Shifty (Switch eShop)
@ogo79 Get it together, man. Your post is so unnecessary. .
"Team Shifty
Team Shifty is a new indie games company based in Brisbane, Australia. Composed of ex-Halfbrick developers with experience shipping 20+ games from GameBoy Advance to Xbox 360, the team split off to form a new studio. Mr. Shifty is their action-packed debut!"
Re: Review: Mr. Shifty (Switch eShop)
@NEStalgia Uh, in some circles this had more prior hype than just about anything else shown in the nindie showcase. Many Hotline Miami fans were frothing.
Re: Review: Mr. Shifty (Switch eShop)
The lack of a score system or anything similar is baffling. You cannot expect to get by with this sort of game on solely a dash through 15 levels once.
Re: Video: The Problem with the Joy-Con Steering Wheels and How to Fix It
@ogo79 That's neat and all, but in practice I haven't actually seen any flesh person actually alter a component of their Switch. Everyone I know has gotten by just fine without any dock, joycon, etc. engineering. In the future I might send in a joycon for repair, but that is the only issue I've seen in over about a dozen real-life Switches. Small sample size, but so is just about every account you read online about anything...
So cute comment, but likely born more out of the internet hivemind than actual reality.
Re: Video: The Problem with the Joy-Con Steering Wheels and How to Fix It
@RedMageLanakyn Rushing to post "news" is more important than getting the words or facts right. The results effectively diminish the value of journalism as a service and instead suggest a lack of respect for the reader beyond monetizing clicks. The internet is every bit as useful for confusing and shrouding as it is for informing and sharing, and it's sad that the economic realities encourage the former endeavors (even by well-meaning writers/sites).
It all portends to an embarrassing future, but I'll always remain hopeful that someday we will get it right no matter how unlikely.
Re: Video: The Problem with the Joy-Con Steering Wheels and How to Fix It
I believe this is purposeful to prevent accidentally pressing the button when setting down the wheel, a big issue with past Wii wheels.
Confession: I'm an all wheel player.
Re: ARMS Brawler Mechanica Is A Normal Human In A Mech Suit
What is going on? Why is this site using a bunk translation?
EDIT: Wonder if Mechanica is the secret protagonist.
Re: Minecraft On Switch Compares Well To Other Versions, Wii U World Transfers Being Worked On
@Aerona You can't even come up with your own response? Or even an accurate one?
So essentially one statement is my opinion, "infinite worlds don't add much".
But basically everything else I posted is fact. The reasons why mobile have infinite worlds and consoles don't. Fact. Lower mob density in larger worlds. Fact. Difficulty in interacting with other players online because world is too big. Fact.
Everywhere I look people are comparing world size to mobile with no context. (Pardon me, "c'mon, my phone can handle this" does not strike me as an enlightening statement given the reality of console requirements.). If we aren't interested in facts, I don't know why we are posting here.
Re: Minecraft On Switch Compares Well To Other Versions, Wii U World Transfers Being Worked On
@Aerona First, I already explained the legitimate technical and architectural reasons why. Infinite worlds aren't likely to ever come to consoles and it has nothing to due with raw horsepower. Second, infinite worlds don't add much and the larger worlds on PS4/XB1 suffer from lower mob density in addition to the potential lack of interaction with other players in online multiplayer (because they do not find each other). Obviously last gen versions were restrictive, but max Switch worlds will be 13X (or so) larger, which hopefully is big enough, yet not too big.
I mean, world size stands as a quantifiable bullet point against the Switch and little else.
Re: Minecraft On Switch Compares Well To Other Versions, Wii U World Transfers Being Worked On
Kudos to 4J and Microsoft for commiting to support Wii U transfers. Considering all the ridiculous whining about legacy discounts, it's disappointing that more people aren't lauding this concept.
Forget discounts, the best service/support you can provide people who spent years playing games on Wii U is to allow those gamers to transfer their progress in games like Minecraft. (Accordingly, Nintendo deserves severe backlash if they do not follow suit with Mario Maker.). Our current and future disbursement of time is infinitely more valuable than the funds we spent on videogames in the past.
I wish more of us were concerned with gamer ideals than their pocketbooks.
Re: Minecraft On Switch Compares Well To Other Versions, Wii U World Transfers Being Worked On
@MarioPhD It comes down to handheld mode and 60fps performance. You're right that RAM is the most likely culprit, but even if they could push farther in docked mode, they are hamstrung by portable considerations. That said, I think the world size on Switch will be plenty big and actually a happy medium of sorts.
Despite incessant harping on size, it must be said that bigger is not always better in Minecraft. In fact, I find the "large" worlds on PS4/XB1 to be too big for most purposes. Getting lost can be fun, but in those massive worlds with little identifiable topography, it is mostly a nuisance. (Especially since you need something like 24 paper maps to fully map a world that size. I believe the Switch version is around 9.)
Moreover, the animal/mob density really suffers on those "large" worlds, so you're left with an unwieldy, relatively empty world by comparison. Now, the world size on last gen was somewhat restrictive, if more focused, so I hope Switch strikes a solid middle ground.
They are right to prioritize performance and hopefully they can keep up the mob density on Switch (one area the Wii U version excelled).
Re: Minecraft On Switch Compares Well To Other Versions, Wii U World Transfers Being Worked On
@Bread-Not-Toast $30
Re: Minecraft On Switch Compares Well To Other Versions, Wii U World Transfers Being Worked On
@BezBot Unlimited worlds are not really important (nor fun). I'd take the conveniences and benefits of the console versions any day. Touchscreen Minecraft is a scourge and our children are being willfully devoured.
Re: Minecraft On Switch Compares Well To Other Versions, Wii U World Transfers Being Worked On
@David_Dudeney That's not how it works. The console and PC/mobile versions are fundamentally different due to the differing architectures and, primarily, the requirements of console manufacturers.
In effect, the PC/mobile versions have no limits on their use of storage other than the space available on a given device. Meaning worlds can be streamed from memory/storage, so the game is constantly accessing read/writes to load only the area surrounding the player. This does lead to several problems such as the filesize of saves ballooning and encountering glitches the further you travel.
Due to strict console restrictions on storage use, the console version operates on a tradional save system. So the game is loading the entire world uprfront to avoid constant read/write cycles. This means there must be a limit placed upon the world to function on consoles. The benefits are lower filesizes and more consistent performance/less glitches.
Re: Mr. Shifty Devs Tackling Frame Rate Issues After Initially Suggesting You Should Pick Steam Over Switch
@Smug43 I agree, the real problem with this game is the amount of content and replay-ability. It's sort of unbelievable that the developers didn't realize that a game like this needs something like a score attack, time trials, or any additional mode which effectively encourages replays.
The mechanics are neat, but nowhere close to capable of carrying the game without proper mode support.
Re: Mr. Shifty Devs Tackling Frame Rate Issues After Initially Suggesting You Should Pick Steam Over Switch
I think this is getting way overblown. Team Shifty can't magically snap a finger and fix the framerate so, at the time of the tweet, recommending the Steam version was practical for anyone sensitive to FPS. They are a small team so they clearly did not want to get caught making promises they couldn't keep. What else should they say? Some lip service?
That said, they made the wrong choice with regards to fidelity/performance. Granted they were likely going balls to the wall to release on Switch with PC. However, the later levels lag far too frequently and they must've known that experience skirted the fringe of acceptability. They seem to gave chosen the easy way out because with some careful nips and tucks I'm pretty confident the perfomance would be fine. Obviously Mr. Shifty is not the type of game to get notably docked for a less attractive port...
Re: Nintendo Publishes Interview With Pocket Rumble Developer
I'm all over this. Can't wait to show my kids what pure fight-skills look like. No more blaming the controller or my unfair knowledge of button-combos either. Hear that, little snots?
Someone should kickstart a Neo Geo Pocket Keychain, though.