If the screen is really 720p it would look beyond awful, the screen door effect would be so bad it would look like you're viewing the game through a cheese grater. 720p is fine for a display, its not even close to suitable for VR.
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Nintendo files multiple Nintendo Switch patents (controller, dock, architecture*)
If the screen is really 720p it would look beyond awful, the screen door effect would be so bad it would look like you're viewing the game through a cheese grater. 720p is fine for a display, its not even close to suitable for VR.
Switch VR could actually be one of the easiest and cheapest ways to do VR period.
Gear VR and Google Daydream both require a $600+ smartphone.
PSVR requires a $250 PS4 and a $400 headset, plus the Move controllers and camera to really take advantage of it.
Google cardboard is about the only thing that might be cheaper, though I don't know how well it will run on a $200-$300 smartphone. Apparently it doesn't even work on the Moto G as that phone doesn't have a gyro.
Switch VR would only require the HMD shell.
Now of course as the cheapest option it wouldn't be very good, but it doesn't make sense to compare a ~$300 option to $700+ ones.
For something that isn't tethered to any cables, and is available more or less out of the box (if they are smart Nintendo could sell the shell for like $20), Switch VR could have a lot more support, particularly from indies, than any of the others. Like, if Switch somehow only does lifetime Wii U numbers it'd still be by far the best selling (potential) VR platform.
Not saying it'll happen, but if they can pull off Good Enough VR could be very interesting.
Gear VR and Google Daydream both require a $600+ smartphone.
PSVR requires a $250 PS4 and a $400 headset, plus the Move controllers and camera to really take advantage of it.
Google cardboard is about the only thing that might be cheaper, though I don't know how well it will run on a $200-$300 smartphone. Apparently it doesn't even work on the Moto G as that phone doesn't have a gyro.
Switch VR would only require the HMD shell.
Now of course as the cheapest option it wouldn't be very good, but it doesn't make sense to compare a ~$300 option to $700+ ones.
For something that isn't tethered to any cables, and is available more or less out of the box (if they are smart Nintendo could sell the shell for like $20), Switch VR could have a lot more support, particularly from indies, than any of the others. Like, if Switch somehow only does lifetime Wii U numbers it'd still be by far the best selling (potential) VR platform.
Not saying it'll happen, but if they can pull off Good Enough VR could be very interesting.
I remember hearing about this some time ago. Apparently from what I heard, scanning the veins on your arm/hand works better than retinal scanners due to these kind of cons listed in wikipedia:
Complistic
Member
CADD is my profession so the OT made me a little giddy.
Skittzo0413
Member
The Wii U had support for 8 wireless controllers on a single device. I'd be surprised if the Switch goes backwards from there, with less than 8 joycons or even pro controllers.
CaviarMeths
Member
9, if you include the Gamepad. 9-player Runbow was pure insanity.
Well, I guess we'll see what the press reviews are of them pretty soon, I'm going to trust Nintento on that one for now.
Super excited for the full unveil, I'm liking the sound of "switching" up playstyles.
Skittzo0413
Member
Apparently the original Oculus devkits had 720p screens and while they didn't look great they were still usable.
The original was a prototype, first of its kind, crowd funded over 3 1/2 years ago made for developers and visionaries to tinker with the concept and gain investment funding. This is a consumer device................
calc84maniac
Member
So was the 3DS. What's your point?
The 3DS looked very pixelated and it wasn't right next to your eye ball. So this would be worse..
Skittzo0413
Member
This isn't being positioned as a VR device though, so as long as it has usable VR as one of its many, many features it can potentially offer low end VR experiences for a very low price with a very easy and intuitive setup.
Which is impressive, and could be a system seller to some.
Still wish sticks were level...I like my lower position SNES controller for platformers.
Pretty sure these will each take up only one of the 4 controller slots.
Zeyphersan
Banned
I'll be honest, I love the idea of VR but I don't have a PS4 to get PSVR and even if I did I don't like the wires and the cable management required of the PSVR and the Vive. I was planning on skipping VR until something wireless came along, be it a generation of Vive without any physical hookups or, more likely, a mobile headset that works with my iPhone. Well now with the Switch patenting all this VR stuff, yeah, I'm on board.
Naked Snake
Member
Actually the vertical resolution wouldn't be halfed. So it would still be 720 verical lines per eye.
Also maybe it's not for VR but intended as a "personal theater/floating virtual screen" thing to play regular games on while on the go. Like the Sony HMZ-T1, T2, and T3 HMDs which have 720p displays. In my experience the screen-door effect on those isn't worse than on the Vive, since the image is not streched to cover as much of your field of vision.
KratosEnergyDrink
Member
You will be vomiting. Games like Metroid Prime are not a good fit for VR, as practically every game you are not standing still or a "on-rails" game. Unless you have something like the Hive to track your whole body movement, but moving with a pad is nausea inducing for most people.
Refreshment.01
Member
From a quick read of the patent:
- No IR Leds on the face of the device for sensor bar type use.
- 2 Speakers and a light sensor on the face of the device.
- The Switch main body features accelerometer and gyro sensors, basically the same motion IMUs as each of the Joycons.
- Obvious and related to the above, Joycon less use (basically Tablet mode) mentioned thanks to the touch screen.
- Multi touch capacity screen specifically mentioned.
- Mentions a Magnetic Sensor in the Switch that detects near alterations of magnetic forces. Example use, a screen cover that makes the LCD screen turn off.
- Thumbstick clicks mentioned.
- IR emitter embeded in the right Joycon with the camera itself (i think). That is why the camera can be used for:
a)To track markers, think Wii like pointing.
b)Biometric ID by measuring the blood vessel pattern of the hand.
c)Pulse detection.
d)Hand Gesture recognition.
e)ESPECULATION: By using reflective IR tape, the user could mark the exact corners of the TV screen and achieve 1:1 pointer tracking, basically a more exact Wii pointer capability. - ESPECULATION: 3rd USB port in the back next to the HDMI one. Why? So Nintendo can pack a small power brick. Plug the brick to power the cradle or take the brick to charge the device when on the go.
- Two cradle attach modes mentioned: Front and Back facing, that are used in conjuction with a different cradle. In the patent, the cradle has the front facing "wall" of a lesser high than the back one. When the Swicth is attached with the screen facing the user Wii U notification type functionality is mentioned. This doesn't mean this will end in the final product but the idea is considered.
- Craddle has 1 power/sleep/Notification button.
- IR camera use to track markers withing input devices mentioned. For example, attach the right Joycon to a dummy controller shell, so the built in IR camera tracks buttons/sticks with reflecting IR parts.
- A recap of what in the attachable part of each Joycon: Secondary L and Secondary R (SL & SR) shoulders for SNES type play, a Synch button, 4 LED's for player number, the physcical connection port.
- Joycon attached = physical data transfer. Detached: Wireless data transfer. This is instead of all wireless comunication.
- Joycons charge when the Swicth is in the craddle. Joycons can also charge from the Swicth itslef when off the craddle since it has a bigger battery capacity. Joycons recharge from the grip although it is not specified if the Grip does this thorugh battery or a cable.
- 2 player Wii Remote/Nunchuck or 4 player SNES style play on 1 Switch specificaly mentioned. To clarify with 2 pairs of Joycons.
- Built in memory within the Joycons. Related to this the patent mentions the process of pairing multiple joycons, how the system keeps tracks of all the possible paring combinations like left and right Joycons and in what orientations or if a player uses a joycon in each hand while a second player just uses another 1 in SNES style.
- An example of an operating mode in which the user holds the Joycon Vertically and uses the thumb to press the L and ZL shoulder/Triggers. While the index/anular fingers can press the SL and SR buttons and make gestures with the motion sensors.
- For those interested: A very long and complex explanation of a secondary attachment mode for the Joycons that also relates (i think) to those covers over the sliding rails that appeared in the unveil video. Might be for the final product or a considered alternative attachment mechanism.
- Both the 4 directional left Joycon buttons and the 4 ABXY right Joycon buttons have the exact same mechanism. This means no joyned Dpad type for the directional buttons in case someone was wondering.
- The lower square left Joycon button is refered as a record button. The specific use of taking a screen shot is mentioned.
- ZL and ZR projecting beyond the back surface of each Joycon touted as a feature. When the device rests on a flat surface ZL and ZR protouding gives the Switch a slight inclanation so the user has a easier time seen the screen. Since the ZL and ZR button have a backward/forwad motion, accidentanl presses are minimized when resting the unit in a flat surface.
- Patent drawings put the air intakes to the left and right of the USB bottom port as well as the memory expansion port. Previous speculation put these features in the back of the unit.
- Specific mention of the internal fan spining at different speeds depending of portable or console mode. And how they took in consideration fan noise depending on the mode, handheld operation: close to the user less revolutions. Console mode: Full capacity but sound masked by the distance and sounds coming from the TV. No fan in the dock mention whatsoever.
I've been wondering if there will be an iPad-like smart cover from Nintendo.
It seems like everything I could ask for as far as device functionality, including absence of unwanted features (camera)
So happy if it all comes true, but so un-Nintendo
Gamer @ Heart
Member
Another control option for Tablet mode games.
Or, multiplayer stuff. Like how some games on Wii u would have 4 users with Wii motes and a 5th with the gamepad. Just another layer.
It would also help with accuracy since you have an additional source for input.
Pretty sure these will each take up only one of the 4 controller slots.
That's what I'd like to assume, it's just weird that setup is left out of the trailer and the patent. Hopefully I'm just being paranoid.
That support was extremely specialized though, for Smash Bros. only.
Runbow cheats by treating 4 controllers as 8. It's not "true" 8-Player like Smash allows with 8 wireless controllers. 4 Joycons connecting to a Switch is actually pretty similar to that setup, where to the console it might read it as 2 players but the game can seperate the inputs however it wants. Which is why I don't take it as explicit proof 4 full controllers can connect to a Switch.
Because of the boom of the mobile market these past 10 years, a lot of mobile tech these days are basically commodities, very cheap. It's also it's their only console so that's probably why they're going all in.
Jaded Alyx
Member
....Is there anything the Switch can't do?
It depends on what games they would make for it.
You can do cell phone VR stuff and sure its not so impressive visually, but I would be totally willing to play games with worse graphics, but excellent game play and games.
Which doing more with less is kind of nintendo's bread and butter.
I imagine some kind of NES or SNES or 64 looking games in VR.
Wouldn't be the traditional VR stuff but could be bad ass.
Imagine Star Fox 2 or something.
VR doesnt have to be photo realistic to be bad ass.
Jim_Cacher
Member
Thank you for the summary from you and Skittzo0413! If the retail version has all these features, coupled with region free games, I am going to say Switch is everything I want.
Hawk269
Member
With a 720p screen. Good luck. It will look really bad, I mean really bad at that resolution. As a game screen in your hand it will be fine, but if they try using it for VR 720p is not going to cut it at all.
guybrushfreeman
Unconfirmed Member
No Gear VR has been 720p, let that idea go. Those were 1080p or 1440p displays that were smaller than the switch. The pixel density is not comparable at all. Switch VR would need a better screen. Read some reports of people using the first Oculus prototypes. They were unusable for many many people due to the low res. Many people would get sick using them, it wasn't really until much later prototypes the device started to work acceptably for most users. It's safe to assume any Switch VR setup would need a revised setup with an improved display. Which is fine, it makes sense to have the patent now even if it's not something the current device is really capable of handling.
I'm very certain that's not the reason it has a Magnetometer.
The Wii U Gamepad had a Magnetometer, it was for the motion controls.
http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/11/wii_u_gamepad_offers_nine_axis_controls
Movalpolos
Banned
This. Plus the system is totally underpowered.
Movalpolos
Banned
Have you read this thread? Some people really do believe it can do VR.
Refreshment.01
Member
i was very specific in that post and also im pretty aware of what's inside the Wii U Gamepad.
It is not a magnetometer in the same way, as there's no mention of a compass type device to detect earths magnetic field in the patent. Is just a NPS to detect small alterations in a magnetic field. Just think about those magnetic covers for tablets and how the device nows the cover has been attached to it or something like how the small magnet in cardboard was used as an input button.
Well:
I think this picture makes it quite clear that each joycon is a full controller in itself. That would be an explicit proof of 4 full controllers support.
Type_Raver
Member
For me the biggest relief is that there is an SD Card slot!
My mistake then, I didn't have time to read it over from the patent as I'm jumping between a lot of things.
Hell yeah. I strongly suspected but it's nice to have confirmation.
What surprised me control-wise was the gamepad itself has a magnetometer when the joycons don't. I guess putting that and other motion sensors in the gamepad itself is purely for the HMD? edit: oh, answered above.
Also, the IR sensor seems to be on the bottom of the right joycon. How will that work? They don't expect people to hold it upside-down, right?
Also nice to have confirmation of rumble!
Why would you suspect that?
freddie1313
Member
i think VR at this point is a given----why else would they build motion sensors in the main unit when the controllers already got them?
Powdered Toastman
Member
The HMD extension is just for Virtual Boy VC.
But we can take it to mean that the Switch is designed to do all these things and this means a 3rd party could fill in the gaps if they are ok with paying Nintendo a licensing fee.
I suspect that if Nintendo isn't offering VR functionality Nvidia will with their next Shield.
Great I can finally play Teleroboxer again.
Gamer @ Heart
Member
Well, USB c accessories have already started showing upon retailer lists. If there was ever a co formation to all the rumors saying that it charfes that way, physical products are definitely it.
So I'm seeing debate as to whether or not the joy cons are able to replicate Wiimotes?(!) But I don't quite get the terms of the debate, and would appreciate someone making it clear to me.
If this isn't the debate I'm seeing and someone knows what is making me think I am, I'd appreciate someone making that clear too
.
If this isn't the debate I'm seeing and someone knows what is making me think I am, I'd appreciate someone making that clear too
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Polygonal_Sprite
Gold Member
It can certainly do VR, my iPhone 5c with it's sub 720p screen can do fun little VR games.
No one is suggesting it will run AAA VR games.