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VOEZ is the first Nintendo Switch game to be portable-mode only

martino

Member
and in the end there is no problem if there is an easy visible thing indicating it except for
berneydidnotread.gif
 
Even if the game is not playable on the dock, they should at least do something when docked.

For example, dock the Switch and you can play all 100+ songs, or create your own playlist to play the songs you want, with Voez wallpapers being displayed on TV while the songs play. So even if you can't play the game, at least you can listen to the songs.
 

jonno394

Member
You are aware the game still works right?

For that person who plays it as 100% home console and never as a handheld, it doesn't though does it?

That's when the complaints start, and that's why I think things like this will be left to the digital front only to avoid any negative PR.
 

KingSnake

The Birthday Skeleton
Some arguments in this thread why this is a bad thing are really weird even if you accept "Slippery slope" is a valid one (which it isn't, it's a fallacy).

Especially when talking about Game Freak and such. I mean, what? VOEZ is portable-only because it absolutely needs touchscreen controls. For which Pokémon does that apply?

It's not "slippery slope" is "history repeats itself". As in it happened already with Wii U that the main gimmick, the Gamepad, was way underused by the games, including 1st party ones. That's where the fear comes from.
 

Mr-Joker

Banned
Developers need to make it VERY clear if their games can only be played in handheld mode. I'm talking stupidly clear to the point of putting a big notice on the front of the box as big as the game title, because I can see consumers getting pissed off when they go home and find out little Jimmy's new game "won't work" on their television.

If a consumer brought a Switch then they clearly know what the Switch can do and that their will be some games designed to be playable only in one mode or another.

I don't see why people think Game Freak would make Pokemon portable-mode only. It's not like Game Freak has some grudge against the very idea of Pokemon being playable on a TV. My understanding is that the reason Pokemon has been handheld-only is that Game Freak considers locally trading your Pokemon with friends to be a vital part of the Pokemon experience. Switch will be able to do that just fine, so what would they gain from not allowing TV output? Especially when such a feature could be a HUGE marketing point.

Exactly, if the Switch can still offer the social element that Nintendo handhelds offers then there's no reason why Game Freak will disable TV mode.
 

Prithee Be Careful

Industry Professional
Instead of being asinine try to see it from my perspective.

Nintendo have gone to pains to say Switch is a home console first, with a portable element. Theyve stated this multiple times.

If a game dev will not, or cannot, make the game playable both ways then it shouldnt be on the console.

Its a console, not a nintendo ipad. If you want mobile games then use your phone.

Imagine this conversation:

"This is a switch game but its handheld only"

"Then why is it called switch? What am i switching to?"

This is the pandoras box nintendo has opened with this. How can they separate games that dont work one way?

Its not an overreaction at all.

Yup, the elevator pitch for this console keeps getting longer...

"It's a home console you can take on the go!"

"Awesome!"

"Except, it obviously has a battery, like a mobile."

"Right, no that makes sense."

"But it doesn't have like 3G or anything and there's no apps at launch, so not really like a mobile."

"Oh, right cool."

"And while most games can be played in both modes there will be games that only work in one or the other."

"Okay... but I can still play GTA on the go, right? That's what you're saying: home console on the go."

"Well, it's still a classic Nintendo console, so I wouldn't expect it to have all the major third parties - we've got Skyrim though..."

"Jeez..."
 

Irminsul

Member
It's not "slippery slope" is "history repeats itself". As in it happened already with Wii U that the main gimmick, the Gamepad, was way underused by the games, including 1st party ones. That's where the fear comes from.
And you can begin saying that once the first game releases that doesn't have a perfectly valid reason for not supporting TV mode.

I mean, for VOEZ, the only alternative would be to not release it on Switch.
 
It's not "slippery slope" is "history repeats itself". As in it happened already with Wii U that the main gimmick, the Gamepad, was way underused by the games, including 1st party ones. That's where the fear comes from.

Exactly. Once its not mandated, why would a dev put the effort in.

If you want mobile shovelware akin to the Wii then fine.

Every mobile dev is going to rush to put games on the Switch without changing it at all just to make a quick buck.
 

Nightbird

Member
For that person who plays it as 100% home console and never as a handheld, it doesn't though does it?

That's when the complaints start, and that's why I think things like this will be left to the digital front only to avoid any negative PR.

That's their own fault for refusing to use certain features of the system.
If a developer wants to create a touchscreen-game for the switch, we shouldn't fault Nintendo for giving them the freedom of doing so.
 
Yup, the elevator pitch for this console keeps getting longer...

"It's a home console you can take on the go!"

"Awesome!"

"Except, it obviously has a battery, like a mobile."

"Right, no that makes sense."

"But it doesn't have like 3G or anything and there's no apps at launch, so not really like a mobile."

"Oh, right cool."

"And while most games can be played in both modes there will be games that only work in one or the other."

"Okay... but I can still play GTA on the go, right? That's what you're saying: home console on the go."

"Well, it's still a classic Nintendo console, so I wouldn't expect it to have all the major third parties - we've got Skyrim though..."

"Jeez..."

None of that, beyond the first line, would constitute an "elevator pitch."
 

jts

...hate me...
For that person who plays it as 100% home console and never as a handheld, it doesn't though does it?

That's when the complaints start, and that's why I think things like this will be left to the digital front only to avoid any negative PR.
Why doesn't it? The console doesn't even come packed inside of the dock. The Switch is a portable console that can be docked and comes with a dock out of the box.

If you choose to limit yourself to only use it in that optional mode, can you really complain that a game labeled as only portable doesn't work for you? It's like having an iPad and saying that you'll keep it in landscape mode forever, so if an app/games plays in portrait-only you can't use it. That's that person's own mental barrier and problem. They can still use the product.
 
I don't see why people think Game Freak would make Pokemon portable-mode only. It's not like Game Freak has some grudge against the very idea of Pokemon being playable on a TV. My understanding is that the reason Pokemon has been handheld-only is that Game Freak considers locally trading your Pokemon with friends to be a vital part of the Pokemon experience. Switch will be able to do that just fine, so what would they gain from not allowing TV output? Especially when such a feature could be a HUGE marketing point.
Does the Switch have local wireless like the 3DS? So could you trade Pokémon without a network connection if such a game existed?
 
Does the Switch have local wireless like the 3DS? So could you trade Pokémon without a network connection if such a game existed?

Yes, up to 8 Switches can connect together via local wireless. In any mode. TV mode also allows wired lan play too, though I can't see that being tremendously useful for Pokemon.

Isn't there an indicator on the packaging that tells you what modes the game can bee played in?

Yes.
 

SigSig

Member
That's exactly the point: there a too many caveats and exceptions that the idea of an elevator pitch kind of becomes ridiculous...

That's a damn stupid point. It's a home console you can take with you.
The only thing that's ridiculous is taking a super niche e-shop game and using it to somehow make a generalized statement about the console.
It literally wouldn't work without the touchscreen.
It wouldn't work on PS4. It wouldn't work on Xbox, not even on PC.
Somehow turning additional games and game genres/concepts into a negative talking point is the most straw grasping shit I've seen on the forum recently.
C'mon.
 

Astral Dog

Member
This is ok because touch controls require it.

Docked mode only,however is complete bullshit snd nobody is going to sell a really gimped version of what you can get on other systems.

I don't think they will ever do this,however small downloadable undocked game versus AAA docked only don't worry guys they rather won't put the game on Switch at all ;)
 

jonno394

Member
Why doesn't it? The console doesn't even come packed inside of the dock. The Switch is a portable console that can be docked and comes with a dock out of the box.

If you choose to limit yourself to only use it in that optional mode, can you really complain that a game labeled as only portable doesn't work for you? It's like having an iPad and saying that you'll keep it in landscape mode forever, so if an app/games plays in portrait-only you can't use it. That's that person's own mental barrier and problem. They can still use the product.


That's the key thing here, the communication. I personally don't see any issue with portable only games, but I can see how others may take issue if the communication isn't good enough.

At the end of the day, locking a game to either tablet or TV mode is defeating the object of "Switch" anyway.
 
If a consumer brought a Switch then they clearly know what the Switch can do and that their will be some games designed to be playable only in one mode or another.

But that's not how the system is being advertised right now. The commercials focus on switching between playing on both handheld and TV, and even use the tagline "Switch and play" sometimes.
 

Astral Dog

Member
That's a damn stupid point. It's a home console you can take with you.
The only thing that's ridiculous is taking a super niche e-shop game and using it to somehow make a generalized statement about the console.
It literally wouldn't work without the touchscreen.
It wouldn't work on PS4. It wouldn't work on Xbox, not even on PC.
Somehow turning additional games and game genres/concepts into a negative talking point is the most straw grasping shit I've seen on the forum recently.
C'mon.
Yes,its kinda funny XD
People are freaking out over nothing
 
But that's not how the system is being advertised right now. The commercials focus on switching between playing on both handheld and TV, and even use the tagline "Switch and play" sometimes.

It's still a device that "Switches" from offering home console TV gaming experiences like Zelda, to offering handheld touchscreen-driven games. This isn't rocket science folks, it's one game that can only be played this way. You can't play motion-controlled games in handheld mode, but that doesn't bother you all?
 
I don't see how people can say it is unlikely that Game Freak would go this route when they have zero history of bringing mainline series to Nintendo's console. There is a likelihood that they will take this approach.

Now I don't think they will but if they did I won't be surprised especially with this news that Nintendo would allow it.
 

Interfectum

Member
Yup, the elevator pitch for this console keeps getting longer...

"It's a home console you can take on the go!"

"Awesome!"

"Except, it obviously has a battery, like a mobile."

"Right, no that makes sense."

"But it doesn't have like 3G or anything and there's no apps at launch, so not really like a mobile."

"Oh, right cool."

"And while most games can be played in both modes there will be games that only work in one or the other."

"Okay... but I can still play GTA on the go, right? That's what you're saying: home console on the go."

"Well, it's still a classic Nintendo console, so I wouldn't expect it to have all the major third parties - we've got Skyrim though..."

"Jeez..."

You should feel bad for this post.
 

LordKano

Member
I don't see how people can say it is unlikely that Game Freak would go this route when they have zero history of bringing mainline series to Nintendo's console. There is a likelihood that they will take this approach.

It is unlikely because there's no technical reasons why a Pokémon game made on portable wouldn't be the same on the big screen. It won't happen.

VOEZ does it because it can only be played via touchscreen. The gameplay simply couldn't be replicated with buttons.
 
Always expected some games to be one mode only. (either because of controls or it simply can´t run in portable mode due to processing power)

No surprise here.

Yeah, I would imagine this is pretty much as expected.

Just like some WiiU games were Gamepad-Only
And some Wii games were Wiimote-Only
 

LordKano

Member
To be honest, I don't see how this could be interpreted as bad news (except for the usual haters, you know them). Nintendo made it possible to just keep the same clocks as on mobile for the docked mode, so you don't have to work your game to be compatible with the full screen, if you're that lazy. There's no reason why a game wouldn't work in docked mode if you can play it in the classic way on your handled.

What this news bring over, however, is that a huge number of game that couldn't possibly work with buttons can be brought over to Switch. VOEZ is one of them. There's a shit ton of them on the Play Store/App Store. This open a lot of possibilities for small devs to get on board of the Switch.
 

Irminsul

Member
I don't see how people can say it is unlikely that Game Freak would go this route when they have zero history of bringing mainline series to Nintendo's console. There is a likelihood that they will take this approach.

Now I don't think they will but if they did I won't be surprised especially with this news that Nintendo would allow it.
If Pokémon ever becomes a series absolutely requiring touchscreen controls, they probably would go that route, yes.
 

ArtHands

Thinks buying more servers can fix a bad patch
For that person who plays it as 100% home console and never as a handheld, it doesn't though does it?

That's when the complaints start, and that's why I think things like this will be left to the digital front only to avoid any negative PR.

Thats like getting upset that you purchased a touch screen only game and you get upset because you dont use the touch screen on your DS.

Which i can safely say i havent hear any of that happening
 
I'm not a fan of this news for purely personal reasons. I don't like playing handhelds and would really prefer all games to be playable in docked mode. I wouldn't have a problem with this if it was just touch games or something, but I'm afraid devs will arbitrarily do this in the future. Or even worse, insert bullshit touch mechanics in a game just so they can make it handheld-only.
 
I think this is a good thing. Games aren't going to be able to take advantage of the touchscreen if they also have to work in docked mode. I think this bodes well for the Switch combining the mobile market with console as well.

EDIT: That said, I'm only cool with mobile only games being a thing, not docked only. The main conceit of this things is that you can take your games on the go anywhere. That's still true with mobile only games, but wouldn't be for docked only games. Doing that would be a mistake.
 

Teletraan1

Banned
I don't really like touch enabled games anyway so not interested in this game. My whole draw for the switch is to play previously DS/3DS rpgs on a TV. Really hope nobody pulls some shit and restricts these games to portable mode only because they wanted to shoehorn some bad tapping gameplay. Wonder if the tone of the thread would be the same if a docked mode only game was announced. Options are always great when you like the outcome.
 

spiritfox

Member
I'm not a fan of this news for purely personal reasons. I don't like playing handhelds and would really prefer all games to be playable in docked mode. I wouldn't have a problem with this if it was just touch games or something, but I'm afraid devs will arbitrarily do this in the future. Or even worse, insert bullshit touch mechanics in a game just so they can make it handheld-only.

So think developers will go out of their way and spend additional man hours and money to add touch mechanics so they can spite a group of people that only wants to play on the TV?
 

jonno394

Member
Thats like getting upset that you purchased a touch screen only game and you get upset because you dont use the touch screen on your DS.

Which i can safely say i havent hear any of that happening

Come on, people are complaining about every little thing regarding the switch, they'll definitely pick up on this and run with it at some point.
 

ArtHands

Thinks buying more servers can fix a bad patch
Instead of being asinine try to see it from my perspective.

Nintendo have gone to pains to say Switch is a home console first, with a portable element. Theyve stated this multiple times.

If a game dev will not, or cannot, make the game playable both ways then it shouldnt be on the console.

Its a console, not a nintendo ipad. If you want mobile games then use your phone.

Imagine this conversation:

"This is a switch game but its handheld only"

"Then why is it called switch? What am i switching to?"

This is the pandoras box nintendo has opened with this. How can they separate games that dont work one way?

Its not an overreaction at all.

This is seriously an embarassing post.
 

Prithee Be Careful

Industry Professional
That's a damn stupid point. It's a home console you can take with you.
The only thing that's ridiculous is taking a super niche e-shop game and using it to somehow make a generalized statement about the console.
It literally wouldn't work without the touchscreen.
It wouldn't work on PS4. It wouldn't work on Xbox, not even on PC.
Somehow turning additional games and game genres/concepts into a negative talking point is the most straw grasping shit I've seen on the forum recently.
C'mon.

I mean, the console is showing the potentional for catalogue sub-division two weeks before it even launches. It's too early to extrapolate, but this hardly points to Nintendo hawkishly enforcing their USP.

Moreover, if the history of console development tells us anything about optional hardware USPs, it's that they often get relegated to after-though, even by first-parties, within a year of launch...
 

TAS

Member
Uhhh... isn't this huge news, in a way? Like, if this thing can receive ports from iOS/iPad, and developers don't need to worry about building out controls for docked mode, that could lead to a huge rush of mobile content.

Frankly, I'd welcome it. It would be fantastic if the Switch could do double duty as both a system for 'real'/full console-style games and a system for light, mobile-type games. I currently carry around my 3DS and iPad because I like both kinds of games. It would be great if I could just carry my Switch.

Exactly. I can't remember the exact quote but they asked Iwata a question regarding mobile games and his response was even though they are making games for mobile, their goal is wanting to bring these gamers over to play on Nintendo hardware. So this makes perfect sense in retrospect. Plus I'm pretty sure the inclusion of a capacitive multi touch screen for Switch was heavily influenced by this.
 

ggx2ac

Member
That's a damn stupid point. It's a home console you can take with you.
The only thing that's ridiculous is taking a super niche e-shop game and using it to somehow make a generalized statement about the console.
It literally wouldn't work without the touchscreen.
It wouldn't work on PS4. It wouldn't work on Xbox, not even on PC.
Somehow turning additional games and game genres/concepts into a negative talking point is the most straw grasping shit I've seen on the forum recently.
C'mon.

It's amazing seeing people lose their shit over more options and games available.

Just because a developer chooses to use handheld mode only for a touchscreen only game doesn't imply that every developer not making any touchscreen games will do the same thing.
 
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