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[orthodoxy1095]

from the Splatoon page - Sounds like all voice chat will be through a smart phone only. Utter madness

I still am in denial that they could be this stupid.

And no, the "think of the children" defense is and will forever be complete horseshit. They just showcased a detailed and excellent set of parental controls that give parents flexibility in how they monitor and control their children's gaming experience. Give me onboard voice chat and let the parents who want to tinker with that feature do so, while I voice chat seamlessly with whoever I want.

 

[Ferr986]

Can you chat or check who's online on your smartphone for the other consoles?

Yeah there's an app for that on the PS4 and One to text chat (no voice, atleast on PS4), check who's online, buy and download games to your console or even watch streams.

 

[BananasWithGuns]

This is pretty embarrassing honestly and it really shows just how far behind Nintendo is in terms of online services and functionality. As unlikely as it is, I can only hope that they find a way to make some massive improvements over a short amount of time.

 

[Skux]

You pay for online and still have to use a third party device for chat. Oh dear.

 

[Psychoward]

As hilariously dumb as this is, it makes it even more insulting that they want people to pay for their online service. Fuck off.

Edit: and that this stunted mess isn't even available until the fall

 

[Trojita]

Yeah there's an app for that on the PS4 and One to text chat (no voice, atleast on PS4), check who's online, buy and download games to your console or even watch streams.

The PS4 one is so shitty.

 

[EatinOlives]

My god at the conlusion jumping here. There's obviously going to be a similar app/background voice thing on the console as well. There's been online voice communication on Nintendo consoles since the original DS, jeez. The app is just a way to keep in touch with your Switch friends when you're not on the console.

This is the same company that put out Super Mario Maker 3DS. With Nintendo and online features, never assume anything.

 

[Ushojax]

It has a touch screen. Why would typing on a phone be preferable?

The touch screen is not usable during TV mode.

 

[VendettaRed07]

Of all the most bizarre, ridiculous, crazy, stupid, nonsense ever in console gaming history, this is really, really high up there.

No voice chat at all would have been better.

 

[orthodoxy1095]

Can you chat or check who's online on your smartphone for the other consoles?

Yes, I do this nearly every day with my PS4 apps (I will note here that it's utterly idiotic that Sony split the messaging function into its own app).

It's a great way to supplement my console social interactions if say, I'm away from home and want to message a friend to get ready to play. Or I want to check who's online before turning on my console. But those apps aren't and should never be the primary drivers for social interaction on my console.

 

[Gekzee]

I'm reading the details and still having a bit of trouble understanding.

Damn no wonder they didn't explain on stage. That translator would've had a heart attack trying to explain this.

That. Or he's familiar with the expression "shooting the messenger".

...Or Nintendo knows all of this stuff is shitty and hopes that by not talking about it on stage it'll fly under the more casual gamer's/general mass media's radar. You know, whatever.

 

[foxbeldin]

It's not even gonna be available day one.

 

[Jumeira]

This sounds bad, I don't see this thing taking off, just Nintendo fans.

 

[Psychoward]

The touch screen is not usable during TV mode.

...

What

 

[DecoReturns]

You get a Nintendo Network or some such app for your preferred smartdevice of choice. (In general they seem to be pivoting towards a notion of tethering and/or companion functionality between Switch and smart devices.)

App is itself most likely free with limited functionality, and if you pay for the online service you get to use the apps as a Nintendo-Skype/Discord equivalent. And since you're paying for online multiplayer anyway, you may as well use it (is probably their logic).

From there, we'll need to see pricing and what else it offers (aside from the SNES/NES rental and online play). The app itself is probably (like seemingly everything else) going to be able to interact with your preferred social media.

The OS of the Switch itself seems to be very limited/minimalistic, and even then its largely there to function as a portal to social media.

You think it's because people might want to play online on portable mode and this makes voice chat possible?

 

[Fahzgoolin]

As hilariously dumb as this is, it makes it even more insulting that they want people to pay for their online service. Fuck off.

Yup. Nintendo is just smacking the bee hive at this point.

 

[Vena]

So best case scenario is that the phone app just serves as a UI for quick matchmaking and friend chat, but the actual stuff happens in the console?

I doubt it. They seem to have divorced everything they can from the Switch because you'd love access to all of it when you slotted it into the dock.

 

[Effect]

Yes, I do this nearly every day with my PS4 apps (I will note here that it's utterly idiotic that Sony split the messaging function into its own app).

Do we have any metrics for how often this is used in Japan? Same with other apps that might operate like this for other games in Japan? If we had that info then it could help, in part, explain why Nitnendo might have gone in this direction.

 

[Trojita]

...

What

Well you wouldn't be holding the switch right?

 

[The_Endgamer]

I already have a phone + laptop sitting next to me all the time at home gaming + this will free up more RAM on the system... Not sure how this is any different to those dedicated platforms people use like Discord.

It's a positive for me as I don't usually use it (only ever use it for Overwatch sometimes) but yeah. No biggie for me, reduces lag and can be across platforms. Perfect unless you want it more casual (which I'd imagine they'd patch in at the very least at some point)

 

[Ferr986]

The PS4 one is so shitty.

It's not that bad but yeah needs work. But it's more of a side thing, considering is not mandatory like these Switch rumors. I wonder how good the Switch app will be, especially if it's that important.

 

[Psychoward]

Well you wouldn't be holding the switch right?

Oh true, I guess the center piece becomes the resting console "brick"

 

[MatrixMan.EXE]

I can see why Nintendo are not including the communication features within the hardware. They don't want children being exposed to vulgar language and content and they probably don't want those features taking up the very limited resources of the hardware. We all have a smartphone next to us 24/7 so it makes sense. I'm sure Miiverse will be moved to the smart app too.

There's always one.

 

[DecoReturns]

...

What

You have to docked the tablet to use tv mode. You cant play with the Switch tablet as your main controller like the Wii U.

That was stated clearly.

 

[Devilgunman]

...

What

How do you touch the screen when it's inside the doc? I think this is obvious.

 

[Gregtis]

One of the major benefits of losing your legs in a car accident is that you no longer have to folk out money on shoes.

I mean, come on man, you're reaching here.

Eh not really, just giving my opinion. Then again, I'm not really into voice chat anyway. I only own a Wii U so I don't know what I'm missing for voice chat features I guess. Regardless, I think the companion app will be cool.

 

[Psychoward]

You have to docked the tablet to use tv mode. You cant play with the Switch tablet as your main controller like the Wii U.

That was stated clearly.

How do you touch the screen when it's inside the doc? I think this is obvious.

Yeah my bad, it's late.

 

[Vena]

You think it's because people might want to play online on portable mode and this makes voice chat possible?

Potentially.

I think it has more to do with the fact that if the Switch has this all built into it...

How do you use it when its docked? Do you shout at the Switch? The Joy-Cons obviously can't do it, they're seemingly ready to explode from whatever the fuck is crammed in there, and you can't make people buy a Pro with a jack to get a headset to be able to use the functionality.

With all that considered, they probably said: "Just pull it out and put it on the smart device companion." Moreover, this also solves the touch screen issue since, well, again can't use it when docked.

Of course, it could end up that the Pro Controller will allow this and the OS has it built into it, but I doubt it. I think they went super minimal on the OS and built a lot of the functionality into tethered functions. In fact, I'd think that the Switch App will probably be able to do a lot to and with the console.

 

[ColtraineGF]

The jack on the top supports headphone and microphone inputs.

https://www.nintendo.co.jp/hardware/switch/specs/index.html#1

Edit: Text mentions these 3 options separately as being useable with this:

Headphones
Microphones
Headphone/Microphone combos

 

[VlaudTheImpaler]

See

http://neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=228243504&postcount=89

It's confirmed by the Splatoon team as the way to voice chat in Splatoon 2.

I could see Nintendo seeing the outcry and rushing to make a native app. Not sure if the memory with the OS can take it though.

 

[see5harp]

I type on my phone all the time and I'm good at it. With the joy cons, is it easy to reach enough of the screen for typing? What about in docked mode, no touch screen then.

I admit the whole app thing makes less sense for the portable use case.

With the XBOX app, you can message directly and even straight up use the app as a controller. I would bet good money that even the parental controls on the XBOX one are more robust at this point. Nintendo is flailing.

 

[KarmaCow]

Eh not really, just giving my opinion. Then again, I'm not really into voice chat anyway. I only own a Wii U so I don't know what I'm missing for voice chat features I guess. Regardless, I think the companion app will be cool.

Putting aside how little faith in Nintendo I have when it comes to this sort of thing, companion apps are welcome when they are supplemental, not necessary.

 

[majik13]

Technically, we're already doing that for LIVE and PSN.

This is somewhat...different. With a spin that truly only Nintendo could concoct.

I thought it was part of PS+ too, but looked it up and voicechat is free.

Though you wouldnt be able to play with that person in a game without PS+

 

[Vena]

The jack on the top supports headphone and microphone inputs.

https://www.nintendo.co.jp/hardware/switch/specs/index.html#1

Uhhh.

Well, okay, nevermind. Maybe the console CAN do it on its own then. Not sure why it'd have a mic-jack otherwise.

 

[Two Words]

This has to be one of the dumbest solutions to a missing feature like this.

 

[Dereck]

Did they mention anything like just party chat? Like creating a party and inviting people to talk in it, without having to play a game to chat?

I wish I could describe that more eloquently

 

[Rogan]

lmao

 

[VlaudTheImpaler]

The jack on the top supports headphone and microphone inputs.

https://www.nintendo.co.jp/hardware/switch/specs/index.html#1

This really does need to be cleared up ASAP.

 

[Conkerkid11]

It's not even gonna be available day one.

Nintendo Switch Early Access

 

[Vena]

This really does need to be cleared up ASAP.

Ya now I am confused.

The switch specs listing it as being capable of microphone input makes me extremely confused.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

The jack on the top supports headphone and microphone inputs.

https://www.nintendo.co.jp/hardware/switch/specs/index.html#1

I bet it's only for in-game audio, and not audio chat..

 

[Trojita]

The jack on the top supports headphone and microphone inputs.

https://www.nintendo.co.jp/hardware/switch/specs/index.html#1

Can you translate?

 

[Xater]

I thought it was part of PS+ too, but looked it up and voicechat is free.

Though you wouldnt be able to play with that person in a game without PS+

Sure you can. The F2P titles don't require Plus.

 

[Peterthumpa]

Here's a Google translation from the japanese site:

"You can use "Online Lobby & Voice Chat" application for smartphones that allows you to easily meet online friends and enjoy voice chat with your friends. Prior to the official delivery in the fall of 2017, we plan to deliver a version limited to some functions in the summer ahead of time. This advanced delivery version can be experienced for free."

 

[Terrell]

So best case scenario is that the phone app just serves as a UI for quick matchmaking and friend chat, but the actual stuff happens in the console?

It's a possibility, yes. Though no one in the thread appears to be acknowledging that, what with all the hot-takes.

 

[Reg]

Just keeps getting worse.

 

[Ushojax]

...

What

That's the whole concept of the console. The tablet sits in the dock and becomes a piece of plastic under the TV.

There's always one.

I don't defend what they are doing. But they have made design decisions that make features like Miiverse very awkward to use in TV mode, and they obviously want the free money that Microsoft and Sony are charging people for online features. Nintendo are just like all other companies, if they can make a cheap buck then they will. They also have a long-standing paranoia regarding children's exposure to adult content/language, so none of these things should be a surprise. Nintendo's idiosyncrasies will always be there.

 

[jwk94]

Uhhh.

Well, okay, nevermind. Maybe the console CAN do it on its own then. Not sure why it'd have a mic-jack otherwise.

For when you're playing on the TV I guess. Does this thing not support headsets for TV play?

 

[v1oz]

It's a good idea. Rather make us all pay for new accessories, we can just use the devices most of us already own in our homes. I am guessing the app will also support pairing with Bluetooth devices.

 

[vern]

You get a Nintendo Network or some such app for your preferred smartdevice of choice. (In general they seem to be pivoting towards a notion of tethering and/or companion functionality between Switch and smart devices.)

App is itself most likely free with limited functionality, and if you pay for the online service you get to use the apps as a Nintendo-Skype/Discord equivalent. And since you're paying for online multiplayer anyway, you may as well use it (is probably their logic).

From there, we'll need to see pricing and what else it offers (aside from the SNES/NES rental and online play). The app itself is probably (like seemingly everything else) going to be able to interact with your preferred social media.

The OS of the Switch itself seems to be very limited/minimalistic, and even then its largely there to function as a portal to social media.

Basically what I've been saying for the past 2 months 👌🏼