• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

I do not understand the technical reason for voice chat needing an app

F

fireflame

Member
Hello, i own a wii u but not a Switch, and the need to use a phone for the voice chat is something i do not understand.

In 2012, it was possible on Wiiu, a console sold for a price similar to Switch, to use voice chat, and it did not require a headset nor a smartphone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3clOZH-bpgk

So what i dont understand in terms of technology, is why a 2012 device can do what a 2017 device cannot. I think it is currently possible to buy very cheap pc that support voice chat and are not super expenszive, but wont require a smartphone to do voice chat.

I am not a specialist of hitech and all so i was wondering if someone could explain with simple words why the Switch cannot support it? Is it a matter of Ram, is it because of the CPu, what is lacking exactly? Specs wise the Switch is stronger than the Wii U. When i play ds Zeldagames on my 3ds it can detect my voice to solve riddles.
 
S

Savantcore

Unconfirmed Member
Because it was a compromise Nintendo made when designing the Switch for portability and with its detachable controllers. Could they have made it work? Probably, but they didn't.
 
Sylverstone14

Sylverstone14

Member
It doesn't seem like a tech issue. The lean design of the Switch caused a few expected Nintendo features (like cameras and a mic) to get the axe.
 
S

Skittzo0413

Member
The Wii U had a built in microphone which made a universal voice chat option very simple. For whatever reason, the Switch does not and also does not have headphone jacks on the controllers.

I don't think it's a technical reason, rather it's a design choice. A bad one at that IMO.
 
W

WhatNXt

Member
It is a choice and for reasons you yourself outline, likely nothing to do with anything technical.

I need to see it in practical use before I can judge it, but I do wish they were using something built in to the console. Chances are, if the experience was good, maybe even better in terms of convenience? - I'd use the app anyway, but it's a hard sell with nothing to go on and Nintendo haven't made the case for this. I'm not shocked that people don't like it and they shouldn't be either.
 
Alx

Alx

Member
I can see the necessity of having an independent app for chat, so that you can have natural support for chat across games, groups and any kind of activity. I don't see a reason why such an app cannot run on the console alongside the game though, unless the Switch OS isn't good at multitasking (for now ?).
 
A

Arc

Member
Savantcore said:
Because it was a compromise Nintendo made when designing the Switch for portability and with its detachable controllers. Could they have made it work? Probably, but they didn't.
Click to expand...

Yes if theres one thing portable devices aren't know for its voice communication.

The delusion of Nintendo fans is just unreal.
 
K

Katori

Member
Putting a microphone on the Switch itself would be cool, but then you can't use it when it's docked.

Putting a microphone (and jack) on the Joy-Cons would also be cool, but those things are tiny with tiny batteries. You don't want to compromise on controller battery life.

Also, the Switch OS barely functions for anything other than games. They get to skip out on all the overhead of running multiple processes this way.

Also everyone has a smartphone and most of them come with earbuds.
 
T

TwistedFreeze

Member
It's not so much of a tech issue as it is a Nintendo issue, in all honesty :p

Voice chat could be handled like it is on other platforms but Nintendo has struggled with online services since like the beginning
 
B

Berordn

Member
Metal B said:
And you know that why?
Click to expand...

The console still handles the creation of rooms and supplies you with all the notifications. It features stock bluetooth communication, so it could easily work with headsets.

There's no reason why it'd be impossible, every decision they've made has been by design and not limitation. It could be for the sake of battery, or it could just be that they didn't feel it important. But whatever that reason actually is, it's not due to technical impossibility.
 
B

Baconmonk

Member
While Nintendo has not issued a direct statement, the pieces are easy enough to put together.

This isn't a technical issue, it's a deadline and infrastructure issue. Nintendo needed the Switch hardware out the door, but had very little done on the network interface/ infrastructure stuff. Pair that with a popular online title coming out months after the hardware release, and Nintendo was in need of a stopgap solution.

Another thing I do not know about is the Switch headphone jack may or may not have the "ring" for mic input. Not sure if the hardware breakdowns went in to this, but without one I guess we would be limited to bluetooth options for headsets?
 
M

Masterspeed

Member
It's more than likely due to Nintendos new parental controls. The parental app has a timer for everything so I guess having a mobile phone would be much easier to allow or deny a child voice chat.

Don't want them talking? Lock the app under your guidance.
 
T

ToysAndMoreClub

Member
For one, the Nintendo Switch doesn't have a microphone built-in like the Wii U Gamepad.

Also, (and this is entirely my assumption) it boils down to one or two things:

1 - Nintendo doesn't want to use one of the Bluetooth connections designated for the Pro controller or the Joy-Con to be used by a Bluetooth headset.

2 - Nintendo doesn't want to add Bluetooth support for headsets just yet, possibly fearing that it would slow down the OS.

Again, there could be other reasons why, but those are the ones I believe to be in-line with their thinking.

Or maybe they just want to add value to that $20 online package by having voice chat through the app? Who knows.
 
B

brerwolfe

Member
Maybe they're planning on releasing multiplayer games for phones so then you'd be able to have voice chat for various platforms thru one channel.
 
E

ExigentContact

Member
Even the DS had rudimentary voice chat options between its headphone jack and built in mic. This was a conscious design choice by Nintendo and it makes zero sense. I anticipate that any impending Switch revisions will mitigate it but this is not even common sense stuff they've failed to design -- it's stuff the industry and they themselves have designed in the past as a standard.
 
R

rakkadakka

Member
Masterspeed said:
It's more than likely due to Nintendos new parental controls. The parental app has a timer for everything so I guess having a mobile phone would be much easier to allow or deny a child voice chat.

Don't want them talking? Lock the app under your guidance.
Click to expand...

Ding ding.
 
J

j-wood

Member
Here are the technical reasons:

1. The switch currently has no way to use a headset on the console. You can't use bluetooth because the controllers use bluetooth. This is the same on PS4.

2. Nintendo hasn't developed a voice protocol app on the console itself.

3. Nintendo would have to release a wireless headset that uses a USB dongle that plugs into the console. Knowing Nintendo, they won't do this because they'll think that's a hassle and looks ugly. But a phone app is fine. Nintendo logic.
 
C

cw_sasuke

If all DLC came tied to $13 figurines, I'd consider all DLC to be free
Its by design, they want people to use their Smartphones to matchmake/Voicechat.
 
S

Skittzo0413

Member
Baconmonk said:
While Nintendo has not issued a direct statement, the pieces are easy enough to put together.

This isn't a technical issue, it's a deadline and infrastructure issue. Nintendo needed the Switch hardware out the door, but had very little done on the network interface/ infrastructure stuff. Pair that with a popular online title coming out months after the hardware release, and Nintendo was in need of a stopgap solution.

Another thing I do not know about is the Switch headphone jack may or may not have the "ring" for mic input. Not sure if the hardware breakdowns went in to this, but without one I guess we would be limited to bluetooth options for headsets?
Click to expand...

That's a reasonable theory, yeah. Except I don't think they have any intention of adding this functionality to the console sadly.

And the headphone jack does have the microphone ring, Nintendo's official specs indicate this.
 
D

digitalrelic

Banned
Savantcore said:
Because it was a compromise Nintendo made when designing the Switch for portability and with its detachable controllers. Could they have made it work? Probably, but they didn't.
Click to expand...

What it gods name does portability and detachable controllers have to do with Voice Chat?
 
O

OléGunner

Member
As a returning Nintendo gamer with the Switch, oh boy is it fun coming back to some of Nintendo's asinine decision making.

Reading the online app thread had me shaking my head through the entire thing.
 
F

fernoca

Member
The 2012 device had a mic, the 2017 device doesn't.

That's the main reason.

Now the other ideas and concepts around the app, pricing, USB ports, Bluetooth and whatever are an entirely different beast. :p
 
S

Shiggy

Member
According to NeoGAF's most technology-versed users, Switch games use the system's hardware to the last bit. While voice chat on Nintendo DS was very well possible, Switch games are optimised to push the limits, and thus voice chat needs to be offloaded to mobile phones.

Also, Switch uses a very special battery which would drain extremely fast with voice chat. While voice chat doesn't have a significant effect on other systems as the WiFi connection is running already for online play and the voice chat is not eating lots of resources, the Switch battery is different. Why? Only your NeoGAF experts can tell you.
 
S

Stabby McSter

Member
j-wood said:
Here are the technical reasons:

1. The switch currently has no way to use a headset on the console. You can't use bluetooth because the controllers use bluetooth. This is the same on PS4.

2. Nintendo hasn't developed a voice protocol app on the console itself.

3. Nintendo would have to release a wireless headset that uses a USB dongle that plugs into the console. Knowing Nintendo, they won't do this because they'll think that's a hassle and looks ugly. But a phone app is fine. Nintendo logic.
Click to expand...

they could have used the 3.5mm port like everyone else

but they didn't
 
M

Metal B

Member
TwistedFreeze said:
Voice chat could be handled like it is on other platforms but Nintendo has struggled with online services since like the beginning
Click to expand...
Nintendo had Voice-chat with the WiiU, Wii, DS and 3DS. So if people think, Nintendo doesn't know, what voice-chat is, doesn't get us nowhere near the answer.

I guess, Nintendo didn't wanted to sacrifice elements, which were more important to them, for voice-chat, which they don't find as nessary. The Switch is an very compact device, which tries to use all it's space to make the portable part work.
 
S

Synth

Member
Metal B said:
And you know that why?
Click to expand...

Logic.

It's hardly a mystical feature that we don't have a billion portable devices doing with no issue, battery powered or not. Voice communication basically the least battery intensive function any of these devices do.

The existence of a phone app makes sense if you can't plug a headset into the joycon, but there's no good reason why the Pro controller doesn't have one (when the thing would even be connected to a power outlet), or in portable mode. The phone app should be a neat option, not the only bloody way to speak.

It's extra ridiculous that you then need a mixer just to combine the games audio with the voice comms.
 
C

chronomac

Member
Katori said:
Putting a microphone on the Switch itself would be cool, but then you can't use it when it's docked.

Putting a microphone (and jack) on the Joy-Cons would also be cool, but those things are tiny with tiny batteries. You don't want to compromise on controller battery life.
Click to expand...

This is probably the reason. You can't really use the headphone jack on the Switch itself when the system is docked - at least, not easily. So you'd have to include the jack elsewhere, both in a Joy-con and a Pro Controller, which drives both the cost of the controller and the usage of the battery up.

They figured that if you want voice chat you definitely have to have an internet connection and you've probably got a smartphone. Obviously not everyone in the world who owns a Switch owns a phone but most do.
 
O

outunderthestars

Banned
Metal B said:
Nintendo had Voice-chat with the WiiU, Wii, DS and 3DS. So if people think, Nintendo doesn't know, what voice-chat is, doesn't get us nowhere near the answer.

I guess, Nintendo didn't wanted to sacrifice elements, which were more important to them, for voice-chat, which they don't find as nessary. The Switch is an very compact device, which tries to use all it's space to make the portable part work.
Click to expand...

so they couldn't add a bluetooth radio why exactly?
 
J

j-wood

Member
Stabby McSter said:
they could have used the 3.5mm port like everyone else

but they didn't
Click to expand...

They didn't because most people would need at least a 6 feet cable when playing in docked mode. Then you have to think about how many warranty claims would be filed because someone forgot about the cable, moved, and pulled their switch off, possible knocking a tv over, etc.
 
D

DeathoftheEndless

Crashing this plane... with no survivors!
Katori said:
Putting a microphone on the Switch itself would be cool, but then you can't use it when it's docked.

Putting a microphone (and jack) on the Joy-Cons would also be cool, but those things are tiny with tiny batteries. You don't want to compromise on controller battery life.

Also, the Switch OS barely functions for anything other than games. They get to skip out on all the overhead of running multiple processes this way.

Also everyone has a smartphone and most of them come with earbuds.
Click to expand...

I think this is a good summary.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

I am a professional hacker...
38
3K
kurisu_1974 replied
New: Tell Steam If Your Game Supports DualShock or DualSense Controllers
Game Dev
24
2K
Skifi28 replied
Introducing Steam Families
Platform 2 3
144
7K
Robot Carnival replied
What makes good motion controls in games?
Opinion Analysis
35
2K
Trilobit replied
Samsung Is Already Working On A Mixed-Reality Plan To Take On Apple VR
8
1K
Eddie-Griffin replied
Top Bottom