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Now second screen gaming is dead, can we agree it was a bad idea in the first place?
- Thread starter oni-link
- Start date
Well, I´ve only played the testfires, but Splatoon does work much better with a second screen for the map. ZombiU and NintendoLand also made very good use of the second screen and almost the whole DS library as well.
So...no, when used correctly the second screen was a very cool addition, though I agree that at least in WiiU it crashed with other things like OffTv play and not many games used it correctly.
So...no, when used correctly the second screen was a very cool addition, though I agree that at least in WiiU it crashed with other things like OffTv play and not many games used it correctly.
Omnii-chan
Member
Most of the games I played used the second screen as a map or inventory. I'd rather just press start, pause the game and map check and have a bigger higher res screen.
I'm happy with the direction Nintendo have gone... if second screen gaming is dead. We still don't know if they will make another *just* portable machine.
I'm happy with the direction Nintendo have gone... if second screen gaming is dead. We still don't know if they will make another *just* portable machine.
Bronetta
Ask me about the moon landing or the temperature at which jet fuel burns. You may be surprised at what you learn.
It was a terrible idea on WiiU where you have to look back and forth between the TV and looking down at the crappy gamepad screen.
Dual screen was good on handhelds because the screens are right next to each other. Still I'd take one good screen over two mediocre screens any day.
Dual screen was good on handhelds because the screens are right next to each other. Still I'd take one good screen over two mediocre screens any day.
Toadthemushroom
Member
It was bad on Wii U and maybe 3DS. Not on DS. Let me count some of the ways:
This is making me want to create a thread celebrating the unique dual-screen + touch games that developers brought to DS.
I was watching a very old 1UP video review for Hotel Dusk and it was pretty great seeing their reactions to the way the game played, worked, and was presented.
You can say for the same for just about all innovations in gaming. Modern games could still exist if we were still stuck without force feedback and dual analogue sticks. Heck we could even still be playing games on QWERTY keyboards. It just wouldn't be as convenient or as fun!
There is actually an advantage to the 3DS's dual offset screen, that is the form factor that takes up less real estate and the portability of the device. Tablets are not as portable as the 3DS, you can't fit them in a back pocket and they don't have enough buttons. A modern thin device in the DS form factor with two hires super amoled displays would always be superior as a portable gaming machine to a tablet with a very tall display.
Chû Totoro
Member
Bad idea no. Not well executed for consoles with Wii U yes (even if still enjoyable and I don't have a perfect solution) but so well done with DS <3
I'm missing so many of the DS games and I'll miss many of 3DS ones... really hoping Nintendo will find a way to do keep two lines of HW products. 100% portable and hybrid. Don't care for console only since I'd better have compromise with less power but more portability and other innovations (like joy-cons)
I'm missing so many of the DS games and I'll miss many of 3DS ones... really hoping Nintendo will find a way to do keep two lines of HW products. 100% portable and hybrid. Don't care for console only since I'd better have compromise with less power but more portability and other innovations (like joy-cons)
IdreamofHIME
Member
What a strange thread to make the same week as Nintendo releases a new two screen console.
Yup.
I always hated it, I always thought it was a bad idea - immersion-breaking and uncomfortable - and I hope it's gone for good.
I did play quite a couple of WiIU games because the games itself were often fantastic but the second screen-part I always hated. No matter what game ... W101, Pikmin3, ZombieU and even Splatoon.
Glad we are over it. Same as with motion controls before.
I always hated it, I always thought it was a bad idea - immersion-breaking and uncomfortable - and I hope it's gone for good.
I did play quite a couple of WiIU games because the games itself were often fantastic but the second screen-part I always hated. No matter what game ... W101, Pikmin3, ZombieU and even Splatoon.
Glad we are over it. Same as with motion controls before.
VendettaRed07
Member
It was downhill for dual screen after bookform went away
Orniletter
Banned
Nope, it was absolutely fantastic on the DS and ok/ decent enough on the 3DS to allow for backwardscompatibility and improve game UIs.
I give you the WiiU though. That didn't work out very well.
I give you the WiiU though. That didn't work out very well.
The 2DS showed that the second screen was completely redundant as two screen games functioned identically with the single screen the 2DS was equipped with. The real case to be made is the form factor that being dual screen enabled. A single screen with that kind of surface area ends up essentially being a tablet.
RoadHazard
Gold Member
For a handheld it made sense. For a home console it doesn't. I don't want to have to keep looking down at some small screen when I'm trying to see what's happening on the TV.
Azure Phoenix
Member
Yeah, for the Wii U it was an awful idea. The whole premise revolved around you having to take your eyes off the screen and look down and it was never used for anything important. Those people who claim it was absolutely critical in Splatoon just make me laugh, you couldn't afford to spend more than half a second looking at that map because it meant taking your eyes off the gameplay, as a transparent overlay you can play and look at the map at the same time.
For the DS things are a bit different, the two screens were right on top of each other and games rarely required you to look at both at the same time. On that system alone, developers made good use of the dual screens, problem is that by the time the 3DS rolled around all those ideas dried up and it went back to being a map screen again.
For the DS things are a bit different, the two screens were right on top of each other and games rarely required you to look at both at the same time. On that system alone, developers made good use of the dual screens, problem is that by the time the 3DS rolled around all those ideas dried up and it went back to being a map screen again.
You're crazy OP, dual screen gaming was just fine. Major QoL improvement for many games, whether it was in the form of additionnal screen space for maps, inventory or just extra gameplay space, tactile buttons. There's a healthy number of games released on DS/3DS that just wouldn't be as good on a single screen platform.
S
Steve.1981
Unconfirmed Member
The DS and 3DS were both hugely successful and between them have a ridiculously deep library of excellent games that use a 2nd screen, and use it well. So no, I can't agree it was a bad idea. In fact it was a brilliant idea, for a handheld system.
With hindsight, it was obviously a bad idea to try and recreate the experience for the home console/TV screen. We can't deny that was a failure (despite those few Wonderful Wii U games that properly utilised the gamepad).
With hindsight, it was obviously a bad idea to try and recreate the experience for the home console/TV screen. We can't deny that was a failure (despite those few Wonderful Wii U games that properly utilised the gamepad).
GiantBreadbug
Member
No we can't because it wasn't a bad idea
Also yeah 3DS isn't dead (much to the dismay of some crybabies)
Also yeah 3DS isn't dead (much to the dismay of some crybabies)
Since the second screen was there obviously developers found a good way to use it, but i was a bad idea meant to look innovative and to substitute the more conventional but very functional second analog and a touch screen with a higher resolution, you can put all the infos you want on a high resolution screen and have more "free" pixel for the game than on the ds and 3ds and the screen didn't even need to be high res, this is dune 2 on the amiga(1993)
the original resolution is 320x200, as you can see there are all the infos, options and even some wasted space and despite that the view dimension in pixel is just slightly smaller than ds, if the space was better used the the game view would have had a better resolution than ds main screen with all the infos right in front of you.
the original resolution is 320x200, as you can see there are all the infos, options and even some wasted space and despite that the view dimension in pixel is just slightly smaller than ds, if the space was better used the the game view would have had a better resolution than ds main screen with all the infos right in front of you.
Monkeyball
Banned
It kinda worked on handheld, though I would have preferred Nintendo to continue with GBA style handhelds.
Wiiu was just a horrible product, looking up and down was a bad bad idea.
So yep, GOOD RIDDANCE!
Wiiu was just a horrible product, looking up and down was a bad bad idea.
So yep, GOOD RIDDANCE!
Candescence
Member
It wasn't so great with the Wii U, but it was incredible with handheld gaming, especially on the DS. I think most of the same functionality will eventually be able to carry over back into traditional gaming via augmented reality (imagine UI elements around an existing screen or even virtual screens), but it'll be a while before that becomes a reality. Until then, dual-screens will be sorely missed.
Donniewahlberg
Banned
Mmm, not sure I can get on board with the OP. I will say up front that off screen play ended up being more valuable to me than second/two screen play, & as a QOL improvement, easily accessible menu/map etc without having to pause or go to a load screen during main gameplay.
The lego games did some neat co-op on separate screen stuff I'll miss though., & I wish there had been more competitive multi stuff like in Nintendoland with Luigi, Mario Tag & Animal Crossing to do with different player perspectives experimented with. Of course, outside of the Wii U looking at the DS/3DS I couldn't even begin to get behind that second screen game play is a flat mistake.
The lego games did some neat co-op on separate screen stuff I'll miss though., & I wish there had been more competitive multi stuff like in Nintendoland with Luigi, Mario Tag & Animal Crossing to do with different player perspectives experimented with. Of course, outside of the Wii U looking at the DS/3DS I couldn't even begin to get behind that second screen game play is a flat mistake.
neurosisxeno
Member
Did anyone actually read the OP? He's asking specifically in the context of Consoles--using the Wii U is a prime example. Dual Screen is not the same as Second Screen I would argue. On the DS/3DS you had 2 screens within your field of vision, the Wii U had a second screen that was largely a full head turn away from the main screen. I knew early on when the Wii U was announced that it was going to end up being a Map/Inventory screen 90% of the time. The OP doesn't mention the DS or 3DS once, yet somehow people are using it as proof the concept is sound. They are inherently different concepts.
All the ideas weren't fully explored. Sure splatoon was great but not for second screen it was the motion controls that made it amazing.
The penny arcade idea of a "dm" controlling a party never happened.
Pac man 4 player on GameCube is one of the best uses of a second screen but the Wii u never really succeeded in justifying the concept but that doesn't prove its a bad idea.
The penny arcade idea of a "dm" controlling a party never happened.
Pac man 4 player on GameCube is one of the best uses of a second screen but the Wii u never really succeeded in justifying the concept but that doesn't prove its a bad idea.
S
Steve.1981
Unconfirmed Member
This is the point. Gaming with a second screen works perfectly and has been a huge success, on a handheld. The op asks if second screen gaming was always a bad idea. It wasn't. You can't just cherry-pick examples to suit your argument, and ignore whatever disproves it.
ArtHands
Thinks buying more servers can fix a bad patch
There is a reason why Splatoon on Nintendo Switch isn't a port,but a brand new game. Splatoon 2 is designed for Switch.
I'll disagree too. One of the reasons why and how DS and 3DS amassed a huge and great handheld library, and thus winning the handheld war and murdering both Vita and PSP, is due to the dual screens.
:Motorbass
Member
What? No! It was an awesome feature and what I miss most on the Switch.
neurosisxeno
Member
As I said, the two implementations are inherently different. I don't hear anyone saying how great 2 screens are for VR.
BladeoftheImmortal
Member
I can't think of one game that was better because it had two screens.
marcbret87
Member
I quite liked the 2nd screen. Personally I think the Wii U had many more problems beyond the 2nd screen, and in DS/3DS it really works well. Also, having menus in RPG games displayed in the 2nd screen really helps IMO.
999 only works because it has two screens.
also, a shitload of ds games were better because of it. using the touch screen as a giant button in games like phoenix wright, or using an entire screen as a map like in castlevania - they were welcome features.