Switch Discussion Thread

[Reprise]

I think we will get both a Switch Mini, which will be cheaper and marketed more towards kids (a la 2DS) and a Switch Pro, which will be more powerful (a la New 3DS).

I think the one thing that is hindering the Switch from fully superseding the 3DS line is it just doesn't seem as kid friendly. Maybe it's just me who thinks like this (I'd love to hear the opinions of some parents of older kids), but to me I would be worried about buying my kid a Switch until he was much older. The 3DS has a massive kid audience, whilst the Switch seems to appeal to older gamers, in my opinion. It's the first portable device from Nintendo that feels like a serious bit of kit, whilst the Game Boy line and DS line always looked and felt more like toys (not trying to deride them here, but hopefully you know what I mean).

To me, it only makes sense to do a slightly smaller, cheaper, less stylish looking Switch that is aimed at kids and parents on a budget. I'd even argue there's a market for either a portable only Switch or one that has the controls moulded to the device (i.e. no support for joycons, other than for wireless use) and comes with a smaller and cheaper dock. I know people argue Nintendo won't do that, because that undermines the core features of the Switch, but then they did it with the 2DS and let's not forget the Wii U's gamepad was more or less a redundant feature by the end of the console's lifespan, mostly being used only for off-screen gameplay or to display a map. I digress though... I genuinely think a Switch marketed more to kids and parents on a budget is a very smart decision, given the success of the console. I'm sure there's lot of parents who are hesitant to buy their kids a Switch.

[isiolia]

That's a shame though it makes me curious why it's that limited unless it's as simple as a microsoft thing since it is their OS so they control the keys to the door.

I really doubt it's a deliberate snub (so to speak) from either party. DirectInput, despite being the older standards, has fewer restrictions on it. Having a device work with it - though it may only be in a limited capacity - doesn't really reflect a deliberate effort. It more just means that it's using USB standards, and the sticks/buttons/etc got picked up. Which is why, say, Joy-Cons will be seen as two separate Bluetooth devices. It'd take additional logic for a PC to see them as a single "controller" as they are often utilized on a Switch.
XInput, on the other hand, has a narrower focus. It's the API for the XBox controllers specifically. The plus side is that specific features are known and supported - analog triggers, rumble, headphone jack, and, well, the exact button layout. So you don't need to worry about, for instance, configuring the button that says B on it to actually map to B.
The downside is that it's designed around what an Xbox would need. More buttons? More joysticks? Can't help you. More than four controllers? Nope.

While I don't think there's actually much if anything in the way of official licensing to make something XInput compliant, logically speaking, it's something the other console makers wouldn't want to do anyway. Sony couldn't support the trackpad, for instance. Nintendo couldn't use Joy-Cons together properly - or would be limited to only letting two players use that setup. For as similar as the controllers are, they do have unique features.

On the other hand, it makes a lot of sense for PC developers - a no-fuss native control API that they may have already incorporated into their game for the Xbox version. So fewer and fewer really worry about DirectInput support, unless they need more specialized controllers that XInput can't handle, like extravagant flight sim setups. The result makes an XInput controller the logical choice for most end users.

Should Sony or Nintendo create drivers for their controllers, they could make them work with XInput as well. Sony only really actually supports them for their remote play application though. Most other support is from third party drivers or Steam's controller configuration possibilities.

[marurun]

Steam does seem to do a lot of input device bridging, which is nice. Wish GoG did the same.

[Tanooki]

I never meant it as a snub, just that MS controls the keys to the door of Windows and input devices. They have an unique spot and use it well so that they can be specific with xinput for their own pad which limits the others unless they choose to make a driver and get it out there. Even if they did, I imagine it still would not get as well supported as it would take more work not being built into the OS. That's where I was going with it.

The 2 third party controllers I asked about are like $12~ instead of the usual price and it looked like it may work as a nice option, and neither of them break into bits and pieces for each joycon part and they're wired too. I was just wondering if they'd be capable of pick up in any game GoG, Steam or otherwise and be fully mapable without having some muck up in the middle.

[marurun]

I'm not sure that this matters, though. I've tried to look up if there is a fee or license associated with making a controller Xinput compatible and I can't find it, but I do know that my arcade stick is DirectInput or Xinput depending on which mode it is set to, so I really think it's up to the controller manufacturer whether they want to support Xinput or not. Microsoft is unlikely to make major changes to Xinput because it would make millions of existing controllers suddenly non-functional. So this isn't really an MS control issue. There are lots of things that are MS control issues, but I don't think this is one of them.

[Tanooki]

Well that's good to know at least. So I guess I'm still back to where I was stuck before, not knowing how either brand would work on a PC. I tried searching it on my phone when I found the controllers but came up with nothing but conflicting information. Safer off I just not buying one because even with the discount, not enough to break even reselling if it doesn't work, and can't return it.

[RCBH928]

Nintendo have upgraded multiple consoles during their history - see the NES 2, Famicom Twin, and basically every handheld they've ever made, which is essentially what the Switch is.

I always thought the updated Nintendo handhelds were actually new consoles that were backwards compatible like GB Color and 3DS, not an upgrade like ps4->ps4 Pro. More like NGC->Wii .

There is the Pro Controller that pretty well addresses most concerns about the Joy-Cons, barring a game making use of waggle or something where it's less practical.

I have little doubt Nintendo will do a "Switch Pro" of some kind at some point. As mentioned, they can literally just move to subsequent Tegra chips or similar, and they've done similar things with basically every handheld they've released. It's much too early for them to do that though.

The whole point of getting a Switch is basically to play it in handheld mode and not on the tv, If the pro controller and screen will be separate then I might as well just get a PS4. Actually the Slim model at 1TB is cheaper than the Switch on Amazon.

[Reprise]

The whole point of getting a Switch is basically to play it in handheld mode and not on the tv

Erm, no, not really. The whole point of the Switch is to use it as a home console that you can play anywhere. If I was to guess, I play mine about 65% of the time docked and 35% handheld, It's called a Switch, because you switch between handheld and docked on the fly as you see fit. That's what the marketing is about.

Unless you're just saying what your personal reason for getting a Switch would be.

Edit: Also, even if you're playing portably, you can still stick it in tabletop mode and use the pro controller that way.

[alienjesus]

Nintendo have upgraded multiple consoles during their history - see the NES 2, Famicom Twin, and basically every handheld they've ever made, which is essentially what the Switch is.

I always thought the updated Nintendo handhelds were actually new consoles that were backwards compatible like GB Color and 3DS, not an upgrade like ps4->ps4 Pro. More like NGC->Wii .

[.

People will debate me on this but in my eyes the game Boy Color is just a souped up Game Boy. The DSi has more processing power and features than the original DS and the New 3DS is the same for the 3DS

[BogusMeatFactory]

Hey the game boy color has one thing over every single system ever! Harry Potter JRPGS!!!! SUCK IT VOLDEMORT!!!!