Nintendo Switch - Happy Switchmas Everyone!

[Goafer]

I potentially have too through a friend.

[Fierce_LiNk]

I'm not bothered about portability at all, so I'd put battery life right at the bottom of my list. I do agree with @Serebii that battery technology hasn't improved enough and that should be a priority for those that do require it. If I were to play a game in bed, there are plenty of plug sockets around which negate the need for relying on an internal battery. The only time it would affect me is if I were outside of the house. I think the Eurostar has electrical sockets on certain carriages, so that's fine. I don't take the bus, I can't use it whilst driving (not legally, anyway), so that minimises when and where I'd use it. So, taking all of this into consideration, battery life is not important to me.

 

After that, I'd go for frame-rate, then features (such as party chat, online connectivity, other processes) and then resolution.

[Phube]

It really sucks that battery technology hasn't really evolved in line with the rest of technology. It's holding things back

 

I thought that our battery tech was at it's absolute peak (with our current knowledge) unless we go quantum tech. So maybe you could say battery tech evolved much faster than every other tech, and they're now catching up!

[Pestneb]

I thought that our battery tech was at it's absolute peak (with our current knowledge) unless we go quantum tech. So maybe you could say battery tech evolved much faster than every other tech, and they're now catching up!

 

True and false... the "horizontal" development is about as far as it can go, but vertical development hasn't moved so much.

 

I think two sides are reduced power consumption (which we are progressing on) and increased power capacity (which we have just about maxed out with current tech) So that tech needs to progress. I think there are some developments going on, but as consumers seem to increasingly accept reduced battery life as a consequence of improved performance there's not been enough pressure/benefit to develop battery tech beyond just making small improvements to the current systems in place.

 

 

Regarding the earlier question about resolution and battery.. it is a sliding scale for every individual. There is a point for each person where the graphics will be too dumbed down, and a point where battery life is unusable.

Personally I think my "sweet spot" is very wide.

I was comfortable using the Wii U gamepad screen, which is only 480p I believe? So I would actually be completely comfortable with as low as 480p in portable mode. As for portable mode... I think I would be wanting 4 hours as a minimum, bearing in mind battery life tends to dip after a certain amount of usage. 8 hours would obviously be nicer.

Edited December 24, 2016 by Pestneb

[Happenstance]

Personally I think my "sweet spot" is very wide.

 

....too many jokes!

 

[Kounan]

Personally I think my "sweet spot" is ve

I was comfortable using the Wii U gamepad screen, which is only 480p I believe? So I would actually be completely comfortable with as low as 480p in portable mode. As for portable mode... I think I would be wanting 4 hours as a minimum, bearing in mind battery life tends to dip after a certain amount of usage. 8 hours would obviously be nicer.

 

I am OK with the game pad, but I really want 720p for the switch. Not more, not less.

 

I really can't wait for it as someone who has night shifts and who has most of the free time at night before going to sleep, the Switch should be brilliant for me, but just let it be HD.

[Ronnie]

I commute from London quite a bit so the idea of flipping out the kickstand and playing console quality games on the train is very exciting. The detachable controllers make the idea even better if I can't be arsed lugging around the Pro controller.

 

I just really hope the UI is good.

[Kam]

I commute from London quite a bit so the idea of flipping out the kickstand and playing console quality games on the train is very exciting. The detachable controllers make the idea even better if I can't be arsed lugging around the Pro controller.

 

I just really hope the UI is good.

 

I do quite a bit of commuting and own an nvidia shield tablet. Every now and then when i fire up Portal or Borderlands i catch glimpses of people trying to work out what my device is, as i see them trying to take a peek at the back of the tablet which is covered by the case.

 

Always makes me chuckle, especially when they own newer devices that cost around 3 times as much as my shield.

 

I'm fully expecting either Nintendo or Nvidia to announce in the January update that the Switch is running off an updated X1 chip. I always found it odd that Nvidia were bigging up the X1 then all of a sudden going quiet.

 

As i'm sure others have mentioned I hope Nintendo get the UI on the Switch right especially if theyre expecting it to replace peoples tablets for web browsing and media (assuming it has web browsing and media support). I wouldn't complain if they used a modded version of android, at least we then have access to a library of apps.

[Falcon_BlizZACK]

 

[MindFreak]

The first video is summarised below:

- two third party exclusive games at launch, with the rumored Rabbids & Mario crossover being one of them

she thinks Retro Games’ new project won’t be talked about at the event in January

- initial Virtual Console library won’t be large; small upgrade fee required for games already owned on Wii U / 3DS

- 20+ new Pokemon for the rumored Pokemon Sun & Moon port on Switch; however Tom Phillips of Eurogamer, who initially leaked the port, doesn’t think this is likely

- although most features of the Switch are known (via leaks) at this point, she thinks there are a few surprises left for the January event

- one “unexpected new IP” will be shown

- Purchases are tied to an account, not a system

- the new Mario game will be playable at the various preview & press events in January

- Splatoon, Smash Bros and Mario Kart 8 are enhanced ports, not entirely new games. Mario Kart is an extensive port, while Smash Bros has minimal new additions

- she has heard that Breath of the Wild won’t be available at launch, but Nintendo’s marketing so far seems to contradict this

- a short teaser for Beyond Good & Evil 2 is in the works, but she doesn’t know if it will be ready for the January event

like Emily Rogers, she has also heard about Mother 3 from very reputable sources, but she has no clue why it hasn’t materialized yet

- Monolith Soft is working on a new game, not a Xenoblade Chronicles X port. This new game will be similar to the Xenoblade games in terms of its combat style

- it’s potentially possible to run the Switch at full clock speed in portable mode, though this is likely a developer choice, not a user-level toggle

- Miiverse is returning; screenshots and videos can be posted there via the “share” button on the Switch

- multiple different development kits are in the hands of developers at the moment, with one that went out in October being more powerful than one that went out in July

- Joy-Cons have analogue triggers

- some games might support Wii Remotes

[Serebii]

Well there was zero chance whatsoever that they would put the entire VC up at launch. They have explained the dripfeed policy and it does make sense from various standpoints.

 

They just need to increase the dripfeed. Guarantee at least 1 release from each console each week

[dazzybee]

It doesn't make loads of sense, barely any sense. Unless they're desperate for releases. Just release different consoles and unreleased games. And n upgrade fee, still sour about that.

 

More news came out too, @kav82, her and that obe1 confirms voice chat!!!

[Hero-of-Time]

It doesn't make loads of sense, barely any sense. Unless they're desperate for releases. Just release different consoles and unreleased games. And n upgrade fee, still sour about that.

 

More news came out too, @kav82, her and that obe1 confirms voice chat!!!

 

Voice chat or party chat?

 

I'm not happy with the drip feeding. For the 2nd time now, it looks like we will have to sit and twiddle our thumbs to get a hold of games that we already own on the next Nintendo console. This, along with the upgrade fee, is souring me on the whole VC service. Still, at least GC games look to be coming out on the Switch.

[MindFreak]

Regarding VC, everything that is available on Wii U should by default be made available on Switch at launch or at least in the launch window. It's not going to happen but that's the only logical thing to do.

[Serebii]

Regarding VC, everything that is available on Wii U should by default be made available on Switch at launch or at least in the launch window. It's not going to happen but that's the only logical thing to do.

If the Switch had the same architecture as the Wii U, I would 100% agree. However it doesn't so things need to be reworked for the new system and that takes time

[Kav]

If this thing has Party Chat... oh yes please!

[Hero-of-Time]

 

More news came out too, @kav82, her and that obe1 confirms voice chat!!!

 

Was this from the video that he posted with him and Laura talking? I've just watched it ( man, that guy is annoying ) and neither of them discuss it. They are about to and then they decide not to bother for some reason.

 

Gaf have done a summary of what she said.

 

-She reveals that the little button located in the left joycon is indeed a "share" button

-She says that Rockstar doesn't trust Nintendo meaning that they will probably not port Red Dead Redemption 2

-She hasn't heard information about Overwatch coming to the Nintendo Switch

-She prefers not to talk about voice chat

-She said don't expect any delays, The Switch is for sure coming out in March.

-Joy-Con will be sold on release date. Pro controller not included with the system, you have to buy them separately.

-She has heard 3 hour battery estimate at full clock speed

-You can charge it quickly using the USB port

-She says to expect 3 Virtual Console GameCube games at launch.

-GameCube games at original resolution

-Only gray color Switch at launch

-She says that different color Joy-Cons are possible

-Right Joy-Con has a IR pointer

-You can buy Joy-Cons separately, available day one

-She says to not expect the new Mass Effect Andromeda for the Switch

-She says that the recent "Geno leak" is fake

-She has heard 720p resolution for the screen

-The Switch is not using friend codes

-The Switch has Bluetooth

-No extra docks within the first six months. The docks are not gonna be expensive

-The Switch Entry Bundle is 32 Gb. micro SD supports 128 gb

[dazzybee]

Was this from the video that he posted with him and Laura talking? I've just watched it ( man, that guy is annoying ) and neither of them discuss it. They are about to and then they decide not to bother for some reason.

 

Gaf have done a summary of what she said.

 

-She reveals that the little button located in the left joycon is indeed a "share" button

-She says that Rockstar doesn't trust Nintendo meaning that they will probably not port Red Dead Redemption 2

-She hasn't heard information about Overwatch coming to the Nintendo Switch

-She prefers not to talk about voice chat

-She said don't expect any delays, The Switch is for sure coming out in March.

-Joy-Con will be sold on release date. Pro controller not included with the system, you have to buy them separately.

-She has heard 3 hour battery estimate at full clock speed

-You can charge it quickly using the USB port

-She says to expect 3 Virtual Console GameCube games at launch.

-GameCube games at original resolution

-Only gray color Switch at launch

-She says that different color Joy-Cons are possible

-Right Joy-Con has a IR pointer

-You can buy Joy-Cons separately, available day one

-She says to not expect the new Mass Effect Andromeda for the Switch

-She says that the recent "Geno leak" is fake

-She has heard 720p resolution for the screen

-The Switch is not using friend codes

-The Switch has Bluetooth

-No extra docks within the first six months. The docks are not gonna be expensive

-The Switch Entry Bundle is 32 Gb. micro SD supports 128 gb

 

Yeah I only read an overview. He's doing a real every day for 12 days - it was him that revealed Assassins creed was happening on switch. I think voice chat is one of his 12 reveals.

 

Also, can anyone explain why there is a cap on 128g on micro SD? I don't fully understand it, why would there be a cap at all and it not just support any size?! It's like they want to fuck us over on buying digital games.

[Dcubed]

Also, can anyone explain why there is a cap on 128g on micro SD? I don't fully understand it, why would there be a cap at all and it not just support any size?! It's like they want to fuck us over on buying digital games.

 

It's probably shorthand for saying that it has official SDXC support, I wouldn't get hung up on that number. There's no technical reason why it would be limited to 128GB in particular (unlike with 3DS, which uses FAT32 and only officially supports SD and SDHC - which goes up to a maximum of 32GB), since SDXC cards currently go as high as 1TB and there are no compatibility issues in regards to devices that support the SDXC standard.

 

Hell you can even use 128GB+ cards with a 3DS if you format them as FAT32. It's unofficial, off brand support (hence why Nintendo officially state that 32GB is the maximum for 3DS), but it works just fine.

 

I suspect that they'll use their own custom file format with the Switch's Micro SD cards though (like they do with USB storage on Wii U), in order to get around FAT32's limitations (which supports files no larger than 4GB - convenient that 3DS games are no bigger than 4GB then eh?) and avoid licensing exFAT from Microsoft (which does away with the old limit, but naturally is a Microsoft owned format...), so don't expect to be able to take out the micro SD card and be able to use it on your PC like you can with 3DS.

Edited December 29, 2016 by Dcubed

[Serebii]

It's probably shorthand for saying that it has official SDXC support, I wouldn't get hung up on that number. There's no technical reason why it would be limited to 128GB in particular (unlike with 3DS, which uses FAT32 and only officially supports SD and SDHC - which goes up to a maximum of 32GB), since SDXC cards currently go as high as 1TB and there are no compatibility issues in regards to devices that support the SDXC standard.

 

Hell you can even use 128GB+ cards with a 3DS if you format them as FAT32. It's unofficial, off brand support (hence why Nintendo officially state that 32GB is the maximum for 3DS), but it works just fine.

 

I suspect that they'll use their own custom file format with the Switch's Micro SD cards though (like they do with USB storage on Wii U), in order to get around FAT32's limitations (which supports files no larger than 4GB - convenient that 3DS games are no bigger than 4GB then eh?) and avoid licensing exFAT from Microsoft (which does away with the old limit, but naturally is a Microsoft owned format...), so don't expect to be able to take out the micro SD card and be able to use it on your PC like you can with 3DS.

Only issue would be backups or moving to a larger card

[Hero-of-Time]

Only issue would be backups or moving to a larger card

 

Surely cloud saves will be a feature on the Switch? This would make transferring stuff very simple.

[Serebii]

Surely cloud saves will be a feature on the Switch? This would make transferring stuff very simple.

It's Nintendo...

[david.dakota]

Yeah, but cloud saves were rumoured for Wii U too IIRC

[Dcubed]

If they do cloud saves, it wouldn't be free...

 

I can see them integrating Pokemon Bank into a hypothetical Nintendo Cloud though... And we know that PokeBank is definitely coming to Switch...

 

(Otherwise, they could do the same wireless network drive thingy that they do with New3DS that I can never get working properly )

[dazzybee]

That Obe1 2nd exclusive is that VR isn't just a patent and is happening - games are being worked on. It won't be ready for launch but it will be spoken about very soon. Mentioned it will be wireless but also can plug it in for better frame rates. He's talking about a specific game tomorrow.