Posts by Henhouse

I remember downloading the app, but for whatever reason never logging in (maybe I forgot my login). By the time I tried, the service was no longer available to download or sign up for, so I missed out. What exactly was Miitomo? Was it like a social app with Miis?

Quote from Link

I copied the thread from its original location to here also, so it would be displayed as site news.

Oh golly, in that case I rewrote much of it and made it sounds significantly more news-worthy and added pictures, because we all need those. ^^

Sadly, the front page doesn't seem to respect the text alignment and also doesn't restrain the images from going outside the size of the text area. I think there are CSS ways to prevent overflow like that, but I'd need to test it out sometime.

As unveiled today, Nintendo has finally revealed the plans regarding their upcoming subscription-based online service: Nintendo Switch Online.

Within the details of announcement was a bit of an unexpected surprise: 20 NES games are going to be available on launch of the service that will be included in the monthly subscription. According to Nintendo, these 20 games will all have added online multiplayer capabilities, cooperative and/or competitive! Among these titles is the original Legend of Zelda!

However, despite the news of the NES games being including with their new online platform, Nintendo has announced that they will not be bringing the Virtual Console to the Nintendo Switch^[1], as has been done on previous platforms. This news game as a bit of a shock to the community, as seen throughout the respective Nintendo subreddits, but many hope that this is Nintendo taking the opportunity to rethink and rebrand classic gameplay -- the NES game selection coming to their online service may be an example of such.

What are your thoughts on this announcement? My personal opinion is that while it is wonderful we're finally getting saves on the Switch, it still makes Nintendo the only current-gen console that doesn't offer a free method of preserving your saves^[2]...I don't think you should have to pay a subscription to a monthly service to have the peace of mind knowing your hard work is safely backed up. Additionally, despite my excitement of NES games with online play, I feel a bit worried... With them axing the Virtual Console platform I worry they could be ignoring their consumers desires and throw away any plans to have older games playable on the Switch. I personally have always dreamed of having a centralized Nintendo hub where I can play their games from any point in their history without needing to carry decades worth of equipment and hardware, even if it forces me to repurchase the games digitally.

^{[1]: https://kotaku.com/virtual-consol…says-1825848253}

^{[2]: https://www.reddit.com/r/NintendoSwit…_major_console/}

As unveiled here, Nintendo has finally revealed the plans regarding their upcoming subscription-based online service: Nintendo Switch Online.

Among the announcement was a bit of a surprise: 20 NES games are coming to the online service that will be included with the subscription model. These games (apparently all?) feature multiplayer capabilities. This includes, the original Legend of Zelda!

What are everyone else's thoughts on the service? My personal opinion is that it's great we're finally getting saves on the Switch, but it makes Nintendo the only current-gen console that doesn't offer some external means of backup of saves. I don't think you should have to pay a subscription to a monthly service to backup your own saves. Additionally, with the new NES announcement, I feel a bit worried. Nintendo also mentioned today they would NOT be continuing their Virtual Console platform as seen on other devices. Some speculate this is due to them axing the "Virtual Console" brand name, and instead going for a different approach (such as this subscription model). I for one hope they've not ignored their consumers again and actually disregarded any plans to have older games playable on the Switch.

Quote from Joshua

I'm on Discord, but I'm really only on it because we use the voice chat functionality for team meetings at ZU.

Discord is a godsend for many reasons. Like a blend of IRC and Ventilo/TeamSpeak and Skype. But free, without ads, extremely reliable, and very customizable. The only downside is I have seen it significantly replace other means of communicating over time. A lot of communities that were primarily forum based or so exclusively talk in Discord servers instead of their actual community forums leaving them a bit dead. ?(

Quote from Kaynil

I use Trillian for Google, AIM, YIM and facebook contacts.

Do you still? Sorry to quote you from so long ago. I just ask since I know AIM is officially dead now. Not sure about YIM. It's weird downloading programs like Pidgin, Adium and seeing MSN (which has been dead for years now), and other long-since removed IM platforms.

To answer the original thread: I used Skype daily for many years, but began loathing it after Microsoft continued to drive it into the ground. There was seemingly no really other good alternatives for group-based chats and group voice calling. Discord changed all of that and I, and all my friends quickly made the switch and I cannot see myself going back. Skype is pretty dead to me. Back in my days of running Zelda Oracles I remember talking to everyone through MSN... No one wanted to adopt Skype since it was the "new kid" on the block. I remember not understanding why so many random people I didn't know kept calling me until I learned what the "Skype Me!" status meant.

Oh my gosh, haha. Why do you have TWO Switches?

Quote from Joshua

Honestly? It's probably his reaction video to the final Breath of the Wild trailer.

I am not generally into reaction videos like that, but something about that last Breath of the Wild trailer just makes me wants to watch how others reacted. I love reliving that moment...a lot.

I went and found the video you're speaking of. It definitely gave me chills. Some trailers are truly magical like that... I can't remember how many times I watched the Elder Scrolls: Oblivion and Skyrim trailers. They made me so excited to play.

Quote from Joshua

I still think that if we bought them digitally then they ought to just move over, no questions asked.

Totally agree. I made the big mistake of buying BotW on my Wii U before I had the time to even consider playing it (was too busy). This Christmas my SO and I bought a Switch together and we love it... I asked Nintendo since I own the digital copy if they would consider transferring the license to a Switch version, since it's the same game, and same price. I was flat out told N-O. While I like Nintendo, I feel that their corporate attitude and policies are straight out of the 90s. It's as if they never, ever modernized. Calling their support department felt archaic. I left them some strongly argued thoughts in the feedback email (if that is ever even read or considered, hah).

Needless to say, I bought the game again for Switch...

Whoa, quite the collection!

I am curious, how does playing the Wii games fair? Is there a viable way to use a controller, despite having no motion controls? I would love to be able to rig my Dolphin emulator to play them better.

I have a neat setup currently where I use a Raspberry Pi to use this streaming technology called like moonlight that communicates with ShadowPlay from NVIDIA on my desktop computer and stream the screen to the TV, and send the USB input to the computer as well. It's the closest thing I've gotten to replicating a couch-to-TV experience with "upgraded" visuals while deviating from original hardware. The GameCube experience is really good running at a forced 16:9 ratio and 1080p quality with heavy sampling and other smoothing techniques. The N64 one works moderately well, I just had to get a USB controller for it instead, but I am at a total loss on what to do for Wii.

Quote from Kaynil

I honestly think they would probably just adapt the motions to the joycons.

That would be pretty interesting... I wouldn't mind it so much, but the Wiimotes are just the most fatiguing experience ever after a while. I disliked TP so much due to how much the game relied on you sitting close to the TV holding your arms out. Either no motion controls at all, or joycons would be excellent. I also didn't finish SS due to the fatiguing aspect, lol. I don't know, I just lose interest if it's an effort to play a game. I guess I better never get VR.

I think SS HD will be next on their list, though I'm hoping for WW and TP remakes to get ported since they're so new and they seem to be porting many of their other Wii U games. They must realize it's a goldmine to continue to bring Zelda titles to each next gen.

Quote from Kaynil

Yeah, I kind of figured out that good ol' Dolphin would probably be the most reliable solution at this point.

Good to hear XBox controller works well with GC emulations.

If you have a GC controller lying around, and can flesh out the $30 (I think) for the GC to Wii U adapter (USB), it's really great. Dolphin supports it out-of-box as well. I've not personally tried with an Xbox controller so it's really down to what you prefer, I guess.

I'm all for Nintendo porting games to the Switch, but it really sucks if you owned it on previous consoles with no ability to easily migrate your data, or get some kind of discount or credit towards the new one. I didn't own this game before since it doesn't really seem like a game I would want, as Kaynil put it, a Dynasty Warriors with a Zelda skin, but I do own WW HD on the Wii U, and I almost bought TP HD... if I had to REBUY those again (hopefully 'when' and not 'if') they are ported to the Switch, I would be quite annoyed to be forced to pay a full retail price for essentially a game I would be buying for the third time.

That being said, the retail trailer showing off the heroes/skins from OOT and MM hit me in the feels quite hard. The Child Link and Skull Kid looked amazing...