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[Shiggy]

I haven't used the product yet, but it does sound like it has many terrible things. However, anyone that thinks this free beta is the final product and wants to yell from the rooftop about it is jumping the gun a bit in my book.

Nintendo has actually shown itself to be pretty agile recently with software issues relative to its history, anyway. Some of the fixes in BOTW / other switch software that were rectified within 1-2 months of release come to mind.

That said...some of this stuff sounds like poor decision making. Maybe there is a reason.

Bear in mind, this is the version that Nintendo deems as good enough for customers.

And coming from the company that brought us Miitomo, I don't have exactly high hopes that it will improve much.

 

[DrROBschiz]

Just to be clear, I absolutely think companies are capable of making dumb decisions. I think where Nintendo landed here is ultimately a dumb decision. Where I'm willing to give some benefit of the doubt though is that I think often times there are sane, logical decisions that are made along the way before ultimately reaching a faulty conclusion.

I am absolutely not letting Nintendo off the hook here. I've mocked this implementation and will continue to do so. However, I also am just very interested in trying to understand the real, underlying reason that led them to launching this (not even very good) smartphone app as their primary social communication vehicle.

Me too

Im racking my brain at how they even came to this design with so many options out in the wild in the tech space

When they said they were going to look at mobile for inspiration i didnt picture this as a result

 

[mrk8885]

As usual, Nintendo doing something annoying a lot of people. And once again, it can be easily circumvented but still unfortunate.


Yea its annoying I can't use my phone while I use the app. But I'll just use the app on my iPad and still play with my phone between matches.


Yea the headset situation is annoying. But I'm not worried about it because my Astro a50 setup will be just fine.


So many Nintendo issues that aren't a problem for me personally, but I totally get why people are annoyed.

 

[jorgejjvr]

I recommend you guys do something about it

http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?t=1408170

 

[UnemployedVillain]

Bear in mind, this is the version that Nintendo deems as good enough for customers.

And coming from the company that brought us Miitomo, I don't have exactly high hopes that it will improve much.

Betas are deemed "good enough" for customers. You're ignoring/forgetting that
1) This is a free version, not the final version, of the app
2) They pushed back the launch of the paid service until next year so presumably this is still a WIP

 

[backflip10019]

It's mind-numbing that they will be charging for an app this featureless in the near future.

What an embarrassment.

 

[Shiggy]

Betas are deemed "good enough" for customers. You're ignoring/forgetting that
1) This is a free version, not the final version, of the app
2) They pushed back the launch of the paid service until next year so presumably this is still a WIP

This is not a beta, this is for all users. It's the free trial version.

Beta versions are typically not deemed "good enough" for customers and are thus limited to a specific audience.

 

[Maintenance]

 

 

[entremet]

I still can't believe this is happening. It's like a bad nightmare lol.

 

[DrROBschiz]

I recommend you guys do something about it

http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?t=1408170

Dear Nintendo

Put this app on the switch

Actually.... put discord on the switch and scrap this

 

[NOLA_Gaffer]

I just use my ps golds, great audio and no disconnections, for the switch i just connect them to my out since i dont need a mic for it anyway.

Though im not 100% sure if theyre proper Bluetooth headsets

Do keep in mind I'm looking for a headset, not headphones. One of these dealies:

 

[Effect]

It's mind-numbing that they will be charging for an app this featureless in the near future.

What an embarrassment.

Guess what, they aren't. They clearly said as much. That said the app would be launching with a limited feature set during the trail period. When the times comes you're not paying for an app (everyone regardless of paying gets a version of the app (either the free limited version or the fully featured version if you subscribed) you're paying for online access, the game catalog service, etc. No money is being exchanged until sometime in 2018.

Again this isn't a defense of the current state of the app or how it functions. People just need to get their facts straight and stop overreacting.

 

[Xater]

The Eurogamer article gives me life. I hope more press will call them out for this messy solution. If only to pressure Nintendo to find a new one.

 

[Chopper]

Is there any reason they couldn't just put a mic on the system? I mean, the DS's voice chat system was fine, no?

 

[Skittzo0413]

It's mind-numbing that they will be charging for an app this featureless in the near future.

What an embarrassment.

A) They have repeatedly said since the beginning that this would be the limited version of the app this summer. So they will not be charging for this app as it is now.

B) There is no indication that they will ever actually charge to download the app.

Is there any reason they couldn't just put a mic on the system? I mean, the DS's voice chat system was fine, no?

It would have to be on one of the joycons in order to accommodate both handheld and docked play, and there may not have been enough room. Or some other reason, I have no idea.

 

[DrROBschiz]

The switch in portable has

- Mic in stereo jack

- Bluetooth support


The switch in dock has

- Bluetooth

- Usb ports

Like.... this isnt impossible Nintendo

 

[Vic]

The app/service was clearly rushed for the release of Splatoon 2. The release date of the paid service being moved from Summer/Fall 2017 to 2018 makes a lot of sense.

 

[guybrushfreeman]

Yeah. I don't personally buy that one.

All Nintendo run services have now been shut now or are in the process of shutting down. Nintendo have chosen to outsource all online functionality to DeNa and discontinue their own services. DeNa have been responsible for the switch online services and that's why it's just a mobile app instead of a built in service.

I've been saying this for ages now, it's the true and it's unlikely to change. It's very sad and very disappointing because Nintendo were actually moving forward with their own online service on the Wii U but it's time to admit that's all been scrapped now and we're left with this pathetic, outsourced mess.

Edit: it wasn't clear why I quoted you. My point is this has nothing to do with 'protecting kids'. That excuse won't seem to die despite being disproven over and over and over again

 

[elohel]

Just to be clear, I absolutely think companies are capable of making dumb decisions. I think where Nintendo landed here is ultimately a dumb decision. Where I'm willing to give some benefit of the doubt though is that I think often times there are sane, logical decisions that are made along the way before ultimately reaching a faulty conclusion.

I am absolutely not letting Nintendo off the hook here. I've mocked this implementation and will continue to do so. However, I also am just very interested in trying to understand the real, underlying reason that led them to launching this (not even very good) smartphone app as their primary social communication vehicle.

I feel like they're metering out each and every real feature of the console. They seem to be doing this for some software features as well and treating it as a work in progress. Maybe this is where they decided to wait and implement it on something else instead? and maybe down the road it'll come to the actual console naitively? lol either way even with understanding it's kind of a rough decision.

 

[jrDev]

It's mind-numbing that they will be charging for an app this featureless in the near future.

What an embarrassment.

Or the app might have MORE features when they begin charging for it. I know, must be mind blowing!

 

[jmizzal]

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2...ke-it-could-be-every-bit-as-bad-as-you-feared

Wow...this sounds horrendous. Baffling decision all round.

Why are they writing an article about the whole Nintendo Online service based on the voice chat app? The article should be about the app not the service as a whole, we dont know how good or bad it could be.

 

[pretty done]

Is there any reason they couldn't just put a mic on the system? I mean, the DS's voice chat system was fine, no?

Because they wanted to fix something that wasn't broken

Or they just wanted to sell those tacky gamer headset + amp combos

Or because Nintendo

 

[commish]

All Nintendo run services have now been shut now or are in the process of shutting down. Nintendo have chosen to outsource all online functionality to DeNa and discontinue their own services. DeNa have been responsible for the switch online services and that's why it's just a mobile app instead of a built in service.

I've been saying this for ages now, it's the true and it's unlikely to change. It's very sad and very disappointing because Nintendo were actually moving forward with their own online service on the Wii U but it's time to admit that's all been scrapped now and we're left with this pathetic, outsourced mess.

Edit: it wasn't clear why I quoted you. My point is this has nothing to do with 'protecting kids'. That excuse won't seem to die despite being disproven over and over and over again

This makes no sense. There are online functions built into the Switch, for one - you can go to the store and buy and download games, updates, etc. Second, the fact that they partnered with DeNa does not mean that they HAVE to use a mobile app for things like voice chat. And even if it that was true, why would they so partner with DeNa rather than run it themselves? That's what we are wondering - why was this decision made.

 

[backlot]

Or the app might have MORE features when they begin charging for it. I know, must be mind blowing!

I gave up on hoping for things that Nintendo might do a long time ago.

 

[jrDev]

LMFAO at the 5 star reviews. Nintendo won't care for the naysayers lol...

 

[NOLA_Gaffer]

It's mind-numbing that they will be charging for an app this featureless in the near future.

What an embarrassment.

The paid service is over five months away at the time of this post.

The app will updated many times by then. This is practically a beta so folks will be able to communicate with Splatoon 2.

 

[Mikey Jr.]

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2...ke-it-could-be-every-bit-as-bad-as-you-feared

Wow...this sounds horrendous. Baffling decision all round.

Thats a shame.

 

[Terrorblot]

With the exception of private chatting on discord I haven't used voice chat in games since like, Halo 3. I don't think I'm the only person either. Not everyone is like me and this is absolutely a half-baked concept, but Nintendo will continue to do just fine.

 

[Mendoza]

This is going to completely kill online for the Switch. Nobody is going to do this.

I can't think of the last time I heard someone's voice in a public game on a current gen home console. (Ranked on Overwatch, maybe.) Most people don't use voice chat these days. I think your being a tad hyperbolic.

 

[FinalAres]

Just to be clear, I absolutely think companies are capable of making dumb decisions. I think where Nintendo landed here is ultimately a dumb decision. Where I'm willing to give some benefit of the doubt though is that I think often times there are sane, logical decisions that are made along the way before ultimately reaching a faulty conclusion.

I am absolutely not letting Nintendo off the hook here. I've mocked this implementation and will continue to do so. However, I also am just very interested in trying to understand the real, underlying reason that led them to launching this (not even very good) smartphone app as their primary social communication vehicle.

I think the issue isnt making dumb decisions, it's not listening to customers, or being aware of its competitors. Nintendo have positioned themselves as being different to PlayStation and Xbox, but part of that seems to be that they're wilfully ignorant.

This is not an awful solution really, and I love the idea of an app. But the implementation just screams 'lack of market awareness!' because what everyone else offers is so much better, and it makes Nintendo look crappy.

 

[rudger]

Hopefully the bad press snowballs enough to the point that it spooks shareholders into forcing their hand on a better solution. Or something.

Lol. Their stock shot up today

 

[guybrushfreeman]

This makes no sense. There are online functions built into the Switch, for one - you can go to the store and buy and download games, updates, etc. Second, the fact that they partnered with DeNa does not mean that they HAVE to use a mobile app for things like voice chat. And even if it that was true, why would they so partner with DeNa rather than run it themselves? That's what we are wondering - why was this decision made.

They factually have shut down their own services though. They abandoned everything they built on the Wii U for this.

Yes I know the Switch has game updates I was talking about online multiplayer functionality. They outsourced those functions to DeNa rather than building their own services.

As for why. I can't say for sure. I think they were under the mistaken belief that DeNa (who were very experienced in mobile online gaming) would more easily adapt to the needs of the console market. To be fair, over time they might.

It's a shame right now though

Edit: Thinking it over the distinction is moot anyway, considering the point of the partnership was to intertwine their services. The important part, as you pointed out, is why they abandoned everything they built before this for a new approach. That's something that I understand as little of as everyone else.

 

[RoadHazard]

Mic jack on the switch itself is not available while docked.

Why do people keep saying this? Yes it is. The jack is perfectly accessible when the Switch is docked, and it's also active (for audio output). I don't understand what you're saying. Is it that it's far away? That will differ for each person, and is no different from using headphones with any other console (unless you use the controller jack).

 

[Korezo]

Nice can't even use the app, requires ios 9.0.

 

[Admodieus]

Why do people keep saying this? Yes it is. The jack is perfectly accessible when the Switch is docked, and it's also active (for audio output). I don't understand what you're saying. Is it that it's far away? That will differ for each person, and is no different from using headphones with any other console (unless you use the controller jack).

"Unless you use the one feature everybody uses"

 

[RoadHazard]

"Unless you use the one feature everybody uses"

Yes, but that wasn't my point. It was that people keep saying the jack on the Switch isn't usable in docked mode, and I don't understand what they're on about.

 

[killroy87]

Dicking around with the app some, the Splatoon stat features are pretty cool, but almost every social/communication feature of the Nintendo part of the app is completely moronic.

I gave them the benefit of the doubt, but this is a truly stupid implementation of basic functionality.

 

[Spukc]

nintendo 2017 xD
just use discord ffs

 

[Chauzu]

nintendo 2017 xD
just use discord ffs

Memes are getting spicy around here!

 

[Vic]

nintendo 2017 xD
just use discord ffs

At least I can use those cans while my phone is idle.

 

[CuckFupertino]

No it will not. Stop this! This nonsense needs to stop. If this doesn't improve then people will ignore it. Something people have been saying for a while now. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Splatoon 2 still have ways for people to join up with each other in the same manner as their past games. That hasn't changed at all. Nor do I expect it to change going into the future. The communication functionality of the Switch isn't going to kill people's ability or desire to actually play online if it's a game they want to play.

It may not kill people's desire to play games like Mario Kart or Splatoon because those games are designed to work without communication. Imagine if there was a truly cooperative game that necessitated such communication however, like Overwatch or Destiny? Yes I realize those games are very unlikely to come to Switch, but by restricting the communication functionality of the platform so are any games similar to those.

People keep forgetting, when the services goes paid people are paying for access to online games, the virtual console styled games with online catalog, discounts, etc. This app and the chat through it is just one part of the overall package. If it's garbage then ignore it. It's not required to play online and it's not going to stop anyone from playing online. Continue to use Discord, Skype, etc if Nintendo doesn't change this.

I use Discord when I'm playing games on my PC because it's quick and easy to setup, since I'm already on my PC. I wouldn't want to use Discord while playing a console game since it requires a lot of work to mix audio channels from two separate devices into one headset. This goes back to my earlier argument that certain games require coordination and communication. Although none of those games are currently available on Switch, they might be in the future.

I personally think this app and its functions will be changed a lot between now and when the paid service starts. We're clearly in a testing/beta phase. Nintendo themselves calls it a trial period. So I agree keep sending all of that feedback to them through the app and even through the stores. Be constructive about it though.

That's great but you're making an assumption. The issue here isn't that the app is crashing or has other technical issues: the issue is that it's lacking basic features. Nintendo has said absolutely nothing about whether these features would be implemented. Therefore, there's absolutely zero reason to assume these features will come.

This isn't a defense of the app at all and how it currently works. I just don't understand this "the Switch is doomed" response here from some. Bash the app all one wants and Nintendo for designing it like this. Saying this will kill the Switch or online games is where I draw the line. That BS makes no sense at all and is just people being hyperbolic.

You're right: the Switch isn't doomed. Nintendo's appeal and legacy are not online games that require voice communication, that much is plain to everyone. However, this does severely limit the Switch's outlook for third-party support. As I stated earlier, games like
Destiny and Overwatch require voice communication to be played effectively, and if Nintendo's solution for that is reviled by its own customers then its unlikely developers will want to bring these types of games to Switch.

While this doesn't kill the Switch, or some online games like Mario Kart and Splatoon, I think it does paint a grim picture for the Switch getting the types of experiences some are hoping it to have.

 

[UnemployedVillain]

This is not a beta, this is for all users. It's the free trial version.

Beta versions are typically not deemed "good enough" for customers and are thus limited to a specific audience.

Betas are open to everyone who wants to sign up for them. The only difference is they're limited in number. It's just s much bigger pain to do the same thing on mobile. Well, on Android you can install apks outside of the store, but I have no idea if that's possible on iPhones

That's great but you're making an assumption. The issue here isn't that the app is crashing or has other technical issues: the issue is that it's lacking basic features. Nintendo has said absolutely nothing about whether these features would be implemented. Therefore, there's absolutely zero reason to assume these features will come.

Has anyone specifically asked them about it? You're making assumptions as well

 

[Wollan]

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2...ke-it-could-be-every-bit-as-bad-as-you-feared
"I'm sorry to report that, right now, it's a convoluted mess."
"worse than feared"
"Right now there's just not enough there to justify downloading the Switch companion app"

 

[theangrypirate]

Never played any Wii U games online. Looks like that trend will continue with my Switch too. No loss though really, I have zero interest in Splatoon and anything competitive I'll use a PS4 or PC for. I don't understand why It's so hard for Nintendo to get this right. People give Sony a hard time but Good lord Nintendo is having some trouble here.

 

[Dark Cloud]

It feels like this should be a simple fix of putting a system wide voice chat on the system. Screw this stupid game by game voice chat.

 

[zelas]

What about them? At worse no voice chat. Doesn't stop any other menu features. I've seen nothing that suggest this app is mandatory for developers to use. They'll still very likely let you join or invite friends based on your friends list. Doesn't stop them form including lobby setups in their actual games that again pull from the friend list, have random match making, etc. None of the normal stuff (outside of voice chat) that happens in online games seems like it would be impacted by this app setup in the end. Unless Nintendo has made it mandatory and I don't think they have.

This isn't a defense of the app at all and how it currently works. I just don't understand this "the Switch is doomed" response here from some. Bash the app all one wants and Nintendo for designing it like this. Saying this will kill the Switch or online games is where I draw the line. That BS makes no sense at all and is just people being hyperbolic.

Its kind of ridiculous to say at worse people will just tolerate the lack of voice chat in third party games when in all likelihood the lack of voice chat will discourage some from buying the Switch versions of third party games. Limiting the longevity and playerbase of games right out of the gate by chasing away people who care about voice will then impact those who were just looking for a good sized audience to play with.

This "what about third parties" attitude also goes against the narrative that Nintendo is trying to overcome and its certainly not encouragement for devs who still have yet to be convinced that a large portion of Nintendo's audience is interested in more than just Nintendo's games. It has to be more than just third parties who are taking serious the idea that an online infrastructure with basic features matters.

 

[JayDub]

Just to be clear, I absolutely think companies are capable of making dumb decisions. I think where Nintendo landed here is ultimately a dumb decision. Where I'm willing to give some benefit of the doubt though is that I think often times there are sane, logical decisions that are made along the way before ultimately reaching a faulty conclusion.

I am absolutely not letting Nintendo off the hook here. I've mocked this implementation and will continue to do so. However, I also am just very interested in trying to understand the real, underlying reason that led them to launching this (not even very good) smartphone app as their primary social communication vehicle.

I honestly believe they felt that the performance implications might be too great, especially the effect it may have on battery life. They probably wanted to offload the power and processing task to something everyone has.

I don't agree with it. I'm just trying to understand their thought process.

 

[RoadHazard]

Never played any Wii U games online. Looks like that trend will continue with my Switch too. No loss though really, I have zero interest in Splatoon and anything competitive I'll use a PS4 or PC for. I don't understand why It's so hard for Nintendo to get this right. People give Sony a hard time but Good lord Nintendo is having some trouble here.

Yeah. I've played a bit of MK8D online, but unless this solution is VASTLY improved by the time they start charging for it I don't think I will bother. I have my PS4 for competent online gaming.

 

[CuckFupertino]

Has anyone specifically asked them about it? You're making assumptions as well

I'm making zero assumptions. I'm taking the app for what it is. Does experience lead me to believe that apps and services are updated over time? Yes. However I'm not going to make any assumptions about what those updates might be until Nintendo specifies.

Accepting the app for what it is right now is not an assumption. I'm not arguing updates won't happen, but I am arguing that anyone using such a hypothetical as a defense is making assumptions.

 

[Living the Dream]

I honestly believe they felt that the performance implications might be too great, especially the effect it may have on battery life. They probably wanted to offload the power and processing task to something everyone has.

I don't agree with it. I'm just trying to understand their thought process.

Your post is saying that the Switch is less powerful than the Nintendo DS, PSP, Xbox, PS Vita, and Dreamcast. Congratulations.