Letterbox

[dazzybee]

So hopefully letterbox will be with us very soon. It's billed as pictochat online. But it doesn't seem to have any chat functional at all. It looks like a souped up version of wii messaging - can send images/sound, not instant etc. I'm worried about how limited it is.

 

What do people know about it? What do people want from it? And the important one, will it be multitasking?

 

Instant messaging, chat rooms and multitasking are my big desires (sending images and drawings a very distant 4th!). I fear it won't have either!!

 

Edited April 26, 2013 by Grazza

[Cube]

If you can't use it while in a game, it's completely pointless.

[RedShell]

Yeah, this probably isn't going to be the real-time chat tool that everyone wants on the 3DS, but I don't think it'll be completely pointless. After all, the 3DS currently has no communication system in place at all, so something is surely better than nothing!

 

Plus I'm convinced (well, kind of ) that Nintendo will eventually build some sort of chat tool, hopefully as part of a further update to the friend list. Just something simple whereby you can click on a Mii and type a few words to them, that's all you'd really need for organising online games.

[dazzybee]

I hope you're right redshell. I worry this'll be the communication box ticked, like the achievements is that box ticked, Even though they're pisspoor imitations of what we really want.

[Mokong]

So where is this?

 

I thought it was meant to be in the new update?

[-Dem0-]

So where is this?

 

I thought it was meant to be in the new update?

I originally thought that too, until i read this from NintendoLife:

 

"The 3DS's free messaging application Swapnote (Nintendo Letter Box in Europe) was originally announced for release in December: Nintendo never mentioned it as part of this particular update."

 

so personally I think it'll arrive at the same time as those GBA-A Titles.

[david.dakota]

As a application, Letterbox/Swapnote/Whatever is simply going to be missed by the majority of consumers. Whilst I agree with @dazzybee that it needs to be built into the OS; only then would the messaging feature become relevant and accessible.

 

However, I don't believe Letterbox/Swapnote is what we want - its robust game invites.

 

Swapnote seems like a hybrid of Pictochat and Wii Messaging. Two services nobody really used - well, maybe out of intrigue but they soon lost interest. I used Wii messaging to send a Zelda update to @dazzybee but he's not replied - and who can blame him; its cumbersome and not enjoyable. Furthermore,tThe only meaningful communication I've had on the Wii Messaging was a Mario Kart Wii League reminder from @lostmario who brilliantly imported a message as a photo and sent it out - but thats clearly a work around for game invites.

 

Furthermore what we do have is Nintendo trying to replicate a device we've all got (phone) whilst simultaneously stating 'we're letting you watch Blurays on WiiU because you've already got that device'. Its retarded.

 

Yes, the 3DS needs a way to transfer relevant information between systems. So, whats relevant? Game Invites, perhaps game libraries and scores etc. To a lesser extent, photo and video. Being able to scribble a note to someone, send it via SpotPass, wait for the receiving person to hit a SpotPass and for the message to download (then possibly the same process for a reply) does not seem like an effective means of communication and not a valuable addition to the system in my opinion.

[dazzybee]

I didn't even know you'd sent me a message, and I was playing on the wii most of yesterday. Though to be fair we wouldn't have that problem with the 3DS.

 

I don't mind the idea of letterbox, i quite like the idea of being able to send messages and pictures and stuff. But my big worries are that with it being downloadable, not everyone will download it, and it will be really clumsy to actually send messages as you won't be able to go directly rough your friends list, so it won't actually be that useful outside of itself. Which will be a fun distraction, but isn't the messaging service we've all been crying out for, or what the system needs.

 

We're all jumping to conclusion, we may all be surprised. I just hope that if it's as naff as we all expect it to be, that journalists quiz Nintendo about it, and still cry out for what we need to compliment our online gaming.

[Debug Mode]

If you can't use it while in a game, it's completely pointless.

 

This. I pretty much said the same thing back in the Nintendo 3DS thread when I found out it wasn't going to be a part of the update.

 

Half of me wants to believe Nintendo finally gets this messaging shit right, but half of me knows they're going to derp hard and have it as an application that requires you to exit every thing you're doing.

 

Aside from some very shitty communication options for communities, Mario Kart 7's online functionality should have been offered as a part of the OS. It's already been covered that they did intend this but it wouldn't have made it in time, but why didn't they include it as part of the latest firmware update? Limiting that online functionality to just one game is incredibly disappointing and down right retarded.

[Mike]

So, this is out this week. Looking forward to having a play around with it, and I've still got my fingers crossed that it'll actually be useful.

[cvl]

There's a short video introducing letterbox on youtube. Apparently I'm not allowed to post links so try look at user channel "NintenDaan1" for the video.

 

Looks like it's going to be a separate application not integrated with the OS and without in-game messaging.

 

Edit:

Anyway, here is the video:

 

Source; gonintendo.com

Edited December 21, 2011 by cvl
Automerged Doublepost

[-Dem0-]

thanks for the vid @cvl I thought it would be something along those lines.

[Hero-of-Time]

This thing is pretty pointless if you can't access it when in a game. For shame, Nintendo.

[Burny]

Actually, it looks quiet elaborate for a kind of "E-Mail" substitute. It definitely has charm. The replay how a drawing was crated with the sender's Mii drawing at the corner of the screen or the voice messages, where the Mii "speaks", are cute. Seems far more appealing and less useless than the Wii's messaging system, at least.

 

Still no communication solution for online matches. I'd have envisioned a kind of online-pictochat as a system-level feature, but while playing a game that's useless, too. You can't really write messages while playing a game. Best thing would be Voip, but as a system-level feature that seems out of question at this point.

[Debug Mode]

What we need is... communities for Skype.

[yesteryeargames]

Looks useful, and its free

[dazzybee]

Any confirmations it's not multitasking? Also any update on whether it's instant messaging?

[Mike]

I do wonder whether, if this works through SpotPass, you'll be able to see a 'preview' of the messages in the notifications menu, which would make it visible in-game, even if you couldn't reply to it. I guess we'll know soon enough..

[Gentleben]

E-shop updated, and Letterbox can be downloaded now.

 

 

Looks like you can only send send Streetpass letters to people in your friends list, if I'm reading things correctly.

Edited December 22, 2011 by Gentleben

[dazzybee]

Downloaded. And yes, it's absolute pap.

 

Tha is for the email service Nintendo, now can you give us a messaging service so we can sort online games out!! Trust us, the box still isn't fucking ticked!

[Gentleben]

Downloaded. And yes, it's absolute pap.

 

Tha is for the email service Nintendo, now can you give us a messaging service so we can sort online games out!! Trust us, the box still isn't fucking ticked!

 

Let's add each other and send a message.

 

FC 5112 3406 7200

[or else you will DIE]

I think it's awesome. It can be used in some very creative ways (daily Nintendo news feed anyone?)

[Gentleben]

I hope everyone has been saving there playcoins, since you need to spend 15coins to unlock the recording feature.

 

You can only send recorded voice clips that are 5 seconds in total length. e m(which you pre record in the music player and attach like photos)

[Captain Falcon]

Well I've just sent a few unfortunate people some "wonderful" art as created by my own hand.

 

The inabilty to use it with anything else does seem a bit limited - it's not much more of a solution to the communication problem than leaving a message on here but I guess it's not bad for a freebie.

 

I can safely say I've already used this 100 times longer than I did pictochat so that's a positive right there.

[Gentleben]

Ok looks like there are 3 unlockable extras:

 

Record voice (5 seconds) Extra Stationary and Date Stamp

 

 

They are unlocked by having a set number of saved written messages. You will also need a total of 195 play coins to buy everything (unless there is more unlockable stuff I'ye yet to discover.

Edited December 22, 2011 by Gentleben