Nintendo DS Theory Thread

[JibberX]

The Nintendo DS, we know bits and bobs about it, here and there. But what about the theories you have.

My personal bigish theory is that they are gonna do the whole GBA<-->GC link up properly this time. As has been reported the GBA/GC thing is a big kludge, and also Nintendo are bigging up the whole connectivity thing. What would "totally rule" for me is a VNC style thing, where the DS gets a full screen game type display from the Cube onto the DS screen(s).

I.e. you have a generic FPS, but everyone one has there own real screen that noone else can see.

Any others?

[Brats]

You may well be right. The big problem from the GBA connectivity point of view is the control system of the GBA. A D-Pad plus four buttons is not enough for most home console games. This is why the link up games that have worked have been 2D with relatively simple controls (Pacman Vs and Four Swords).

If the DS has a proper analogue stick plus more buttons, it could really point the way forward for connectivity. Notwithstanding this, such controls should be a prerequisite on modern handheld anyway. Hopefully the early mock up shots that showed the SP with six buttons are a sign that Nintendo are fully aware of this .

[Papercut]

Jibber - you're talking about the DS somehow hooking to the Cube's parallel port aren't you? Because the main problem with the gba <-> gcn 'kludge' is that the transfer speeds are too slow.

I doubt it personally. I still think (and hope) there is something in the gyroscope controller rumour.

[Baroque]

A thicker cable would have allowed them to transfer more info, but it would have driven the price up. A better way of doing things might be to go wireless.

Either stick the transmitter/receiver into the controller port or snap it into the bottom of the cube.

[Crisp_Rapper]

omg. goldeneye without cheating!

[Brats]

you have a generic FPS, but everyone one has there own real screen that noone else can see.

Just thinking about this, you wouldn't need GC - DS linkage for this to work, just 2 or more DS consoles linked together would be fine, wouldn't it?

[SharkAttack]

I've always pictured the DS as a portable that I will take on the train to work, send out a feeler for other DS owners, and then play other train passengers wirelessly.

[Alf-Life]

Crisp: Seconded.

I've always felt the whole link-up thing was just a desperate attempt by Nintendo to transfer their very successful/large handheld department's audience over to their 'main' console rather than the legitimate gameplay innovation they claimed it could be.

However, with that FPS example and a lot of power behind the DS, I can imagine great things - how about instead of "just" GoldenEye with no screenwatching, you get to link more than just 4 DS' - how about 16? There's your online multiplayer gaming without the server costs right there. :P

[JibberX]

Quite frankly I don't know the technical specifications of the controller ports on the Cube, so its random speculation from me. The only justification for using the Cube, is because splitting the power of the Cube 4 ways, might be more "powerful" than the DS doing itself. But bandwidth issues and all that, I am not sure of, but they definitly ain't just controller ports.

That aside, the wireless connectivity should rock, if they impliment it right. The whole touch panel freaks me out a tad, you never know what Nintendo are thinking, ususally designing things for themselves they must have a trick up their sleeve, at least you'd hope so.

[Darwock]

There's your online multiplayer gaming without the server costs right there. :P

And how many people would be able to take advantage of it, not many have that many friends with the same interests outside of football! Sounds like a waste of time to me.

[Alf-Life]

If everyone had that same outlook, we'd never have had the 16-player Xbox linkup for Halo...

[SharkAttack]

And how many people would be able to take advantage of it, not many have that many friends with the same interests outside of football! Sounds like a waste of time to me.

That's the beauty of the wireless connection. You could just send a signal out in a public place and find other players. You don't need to know them. Kinda like Online play but anywhere.

[mattSix]

my hunch is the DS will be accompanied by a wireless reciever / router that'll enable cubes to talk to them & GBA's (with wireless links). whether the DS is GBA compatible or not it'd make sense that they'd be able to link up (without a cube-hub) too...

if that's the case, the sky's the limit. handheld client / server style applications at home (with WAN connectivity; dust off that BBA!), broadcast LAN connectivity at the game store (already being proposed for the GBA) & peer-to-peer communications anywhere there's someone else within range.

there'd be so many more connectivity options open to developers than with 'online' gaming, it'd represent a generational advance over internet-only based services.

and you just know it'll come with a new version of animal crossing! 8)