Topic: Iwata Talks DS Online, Hot-spot Details

[StrikerObi]

The big man confirms some info regarding the DS onine.

When Nintendo President Satoru Iwata unveiled the first pieces of information regarding the DS' online plans, he left gamers with many questions. Now, in a document sent to Japanese gaming website Game Watch, he has clarified some of this information.    

First off, Nintendo plans to launch somewhere around 1,000 wireless hot-spots across Japan, to help those gamers who do not already have a wireless connection in their home. These hot-spots will be free to use, and there will be no set-up required. The Nintendo DS will automatically connect to them.    

At the Game Developers' Conference, Iwata mentioned that there would be no need for gamers to use complicated things such as SSIDs and WEP passwords to access Nintendo's online service. This confused many gamers, leaving the impression that the DS might not be able to access hotspots that needed this information. However, in his recent comments, Iwata has stated that in order to connect to a home wireless connection, the DS will require some configuration, but that it would be minimal if the gamer users a "Nintendo approved router."    

Iwata also said that Nintendo will not charge for their online service, but they are not going to stop other publishers from charging players to access their games.

[Arbok]

"Iwata also said that Nintendo will not charge for their online service, but they are not going to stop other publishers from charging players to access their games."

And in comes Sega to take advantage of that...

Anyway sounds nice for Japan, although doing similar hot spots in the US I assume won't be possible considering the size differences.

[odifiend]

This "Nintendo approved router" business concerns me.  The only non Nintendo-made merchandise I've ever seen Nintendo approve is Hori.  Nintendo's lack of approval has never stop my 3rd party memory cards from working, but I worry that the hurdles you may have to jump through with non approved routers could be substantial.  Otherwise sounds great, especially the fact that I hear Iwata call it the Nintendo network which suggest possible console expansion.

[Robotor]

I wonder how many hot spots they are willing to sprinkle across the US.  I hope they put a lot of effort into all this, so far I'm satisfied, but my opinion could change depending on how this goes.

[KnowsNothing]

I don't think "Nintendo approved router" means a router specifically made for the DS, like odifiend implied.  I figure there's a bunch of routers that Nintendo tested on and designed their system around, so that people who already own [popular] routers wouldn't have to go through a lot to get connected.

Eh, I've got a router in my house, and I don't care if it's Nintendo approved or not, I'm playing  

[MarioAllStar]

Quote
Originally posted by: KnowsNothing
I don't think "Nintendo approved router" means a router specifically made for the DS, like odifiend implied.  I figure there's a bunch of routers that Nintendo tested on and designed their system around, so that people who already own [popular] routers wouldn't have to go through a lot to get connected.

Eh, I've got a router in my house, and I don't care if it's Nintendo approved or not

Exactly. It's just like how there are certain ISPs that are guarunteed to work with Xbox Live, though others work, too.

I'm really excited about this announcement. Nintendo couldn't have done online play any better way. Though it's dissapointing that 3rd party developers can still charge us money, I don't think many will. Either way, I think it's for the best. Some developers wouldn't make the game online at all if they couldn't profit from it.

[Ian Sane]

Wireless only is restricting but since the DS is a portable I'll give it some slack.  But with the Revolution I want to be able to just take the cord I plug into my computer and just plug it into the Rev to go online.  I don't want wireless-only for the Rev.  I don't want to have to buy a wireless router.  Wireless as an option is cool, wireless as the only option sucks.  Hopefully we'll get some clarification on that at E3.

"Iwata has stated that in order to connect to a home wireless connection, the DS will require some configuration, but that it would be minimal if the gamer users a 'Nintendo approved router.'"

I like this a lot.  That's the kind of flexibility I want to see.  Nintendo is infamous for insisting that people do things their way so it's good to see that they're not handcuffing the DS to some hot spot related design that would not work outside of Japan.  Simplifying things is cool but sometimes you need that extra complexity for those that can use it.  I'm glad they're not sacrificing flexibility for simplicity.

"they are not going to stop other publishers from charging players to access their games."

Well on one hand third parties would like to have that option so it's a good way to be third party friendly.  But cost to the user was one of the reasons Nintendo supposedly didn't go online with the Cube.  Free first party games with the potential pay-to-play third party games isn't new.  The PS2 already has that model.  I didn't wait through five years of being offline to get what the competition could have offered me years ago.  The delay was supposed to be for a reason.  We're supposed to get something better.  This isn't better.  It's better than nothing but Nintendo was practically promising free online gaming in exchange for no online for the Cube.

Sure the Xbox Live model has a fee but it's ONE fee for everything with a few exceptions like PSO.  Here we could potentially have to pay the price of Xbox Live for each online game.  Now obviously not everything will be pay but without a centralized model we could be put in a situation where we have to pick and choose what online titles we play for a month or face paying insane amounts of money.  With Live that doesn't happen.  Whether you play one online game a month or twenty the price is the same.  Now if only MMOs cost money then Nintendo's method could be superior to Live but that assuming third parties play nice which is a pretty big gamble.

This is basically the Cube online model without Nintendo's sabotage.  I didn't put up with offline Mario Kart to get the Cube online model years later.  I was expecting Nintendo to deliver some sort of really cool service to justify the delay but I'm not seeing it here.  I'm seeing what Nintendo should have done in 2002.  Sony and MS already have the online market.  Nintendo is not going to steal it away from the competition by merely being competent.  Nintendo Online should be exceptional.  Hopefully they've got something with more meat to it for the Rev but this DS online plan isn't really blowing me away.  It's sufficient but not worth killing the Cube's online presence for.

[TheYoungerPlumber]

Yeah, it'll be a list of routers Nintendo has tested for compatibility.  They are not going to ask everyone with a WiFi setup at home to buy a new router--that would defeat the purpose of going with 11b/g standards.

[TheYoungerPlumber]

Damnit Ian, you can't accept anything.  Nintendo's damned if they do, damned if they don't by your logic, and that just pissed me off.  Yes this is the DS's online plan, and I can't expect much more from it.  I'm baffled at how you could already be complaining about Revolution's phantom online plans!  You look for things to complain about, seriously.

I don't believe developers or publishers get any money for Xbox Live games, so as long as they aren't greedy and Nintendo is providing the servers, we shouldn't see fees very often.

[Deguello]

Ian, you bitched for years that Nintendo should get into the online fray.  They are.  Please tell me I didn't have to read every single word of your internet angst for nothing.

[ssj4_android]

I remember some story on slashdot or dslreports or a site like that, that Nintendo will be using some one button security configuration thing. Belkin maybe, I don't remember which brand. This is probably what they mean by approved routers.

[kennyb27]

Not to just jump on the Ian-hate train, but I have to disagree.

Ian:  For once Nintendo is "ahead of the curve" technologically (at least that is the perception).  Please, just don't complain about it.  I think it's great that Nintendo is going this way instead of only allowing you to plug it in (or not having online at all).  I personally don't want to string wires across my living room just to play online.  And let me note that I don't have a wireless router, but certainly plan on buying one just because of this (and it will work great with my laptop).

[Ian Sane]

Hey I'm happy Nintendo is online.  I'd just like to know why we had to wait so long for them to deliver what Sony has had available for a few years.  This is pretty much what I wanted on the Cube but that's the point.  Why was this NOT on the Cube?

Whatever.  Nintendo's online.  That's good.  Just don't make me buy a wireless router for the Rev and I'll be happy.

[thepoga]

I hope companies won't feel greedy to make every game have an online fee. Pff, yeah... that'll happen.

Hopefully all of nintendo's online games will be free.

[Nephilim]

Aslong as they support Dlink and Netcomm then most people should be fine in australia
im excited that there talking about it.
Hopefully they make a updated port of PSOU, I wouldnt care about the fee.

[gally]

Quote
Originally posted by: KnowsNothing
I don't think "Nintendo approved router" means a router specifically made for the DS, like odifiend implied.  I figure there's a bunch of routers that Nintendo tested on and designed their system around, so that people who already own [popular] routers wouldn't have to go through a lot to get connected.

That's what I assumed it meant. I don't know how wireless routers work differently from other routers though. My household has a router for all of us to use the internet at once, but what's the difference between that and a wireless router? Will I have to buy something new?

[Artimus]

I'm glad it's wireless only. I've been using wireless on my laptop for over a year and had not a single problem.

[Pale]

Ian do you have a regular router?  Cause you'll need one of those for the Rev regardless... spending an extra 10 bucks on a wireless one isn't that big of a deal...

How long did it take you to shelf that VCR and buy a DVD player?

[Mr. Segali]

Why would you need a router? When I go online with my PS2, I just pop the ethernet cable from the back of my pc into my PS2. I think that's sorta the idea Ian had.

Nevertheless, I'm gonna buy a wireless router. A wireless network is something I've wanted to set up in my house for a while now and the DS is the push I needed to finally go through with it.  

[PaLaDiN]

"Hey I'm happy Nintendo is online. I'd just like to know why we had to wait so long for them to deliver what Sony has had available for a few years. This is pretty much what I wanted on the Cube but that's the point. Why was this NOT on the Cube?"

It was; it just wasn't implemented at all. Nintendo's had the exact same model as Sony since this gen started, they just had no games and a shortage of adapters. The only new info in this article is Nintendo adding hotspots and providing a means for the DS to go on the net somehow, which implies some sort of interface that could possibly have other features.

Microsoft's plan has been proven to be flawed... because of the fee, Live subscribers make up a very small percentage of Xbox users. Sony's and Nintendo's plans this gen were also flawed because the adapter and/or HDD also count as a fee. Nintendo's going in the best direction next gen as far as I can make out... there are technically no added costs, not even wires, and if Nintendo delivers on their promise of simplicity then I can see online gaming experiencing a boom. Which sucks, but that's my opinion.

The wifi Rev-DS connection rumors, on the other hand, make me happy... connectivity without the wires.

[gally]

Quote
Originally posted by: PaleZer0
Ian do you have a regular router?  Cause you'll need one of those for the Rev regardless... spending an extra 10 bucks on a wireless one isn't that big of a deal...

Only $10? I'm impressed. I had no idea of how much a wireless router cost. Now I just need to know how to set one up.

I'm very glad Nintendo is taking this route, even though I admit I don't understand it all that well - that is, how it is different from regular online services. I hear Wi-Fi is considered a "free, open" service, and that is why it is becoming popular. So apparently people without normal internet access can use this? What are the ping speeds when compared to cable (what I have)?

I'd like to know more information. I'm not very familiar with Wi-Fi, and Wikipedia's article on it hasn't answered many of my questions at all.

[Ian Sane]

It seems the best arguement for justifying wireless-only is "I'm already wireless so I don't care."  That's not a valid arguement.  I'm asking for both options so if you already have internet access you don't have to buy anything.

Wireless is better than having cables going everywhere but that's no justification for wireless only.  Component and S-Video are better than the standard composite A/V cables but that doesn't mean that the Rev shouldn't be able to use standard A/V cables.  There's nothing wrong with having options even if one option is clearly "inferior".

I can afford a wireless router and I probably would buy one if I had to but obviously I would rather not have to buy something if there was no legitimate excuse for being forced to.

[Mr. Segali]

Quote
Originally posted by: gally

Quote
Originally posted by: PaleZer0
Ian do you have a regular router?  Cause you'll need one of those for the Rev regardless... spending an extra 10 bucks on a wireless one isn't that big of a deal...

Only $10? I'm impressed. I had no idea of how much a wireless router cost. Now I just need to know how to set one up.

I think he meant 10 bucks more than a regular router, heh.

[gally]

Quote
Originally posted by: PaLaDiNIt was; it just wasn't implemented at all. Nintendo's had the exact same model as Sony since this gen started, they just had no games and a shortage of adapters. The only new info in this article is Nintendo adding hotspots and providing a means for the DS to go on the net somehow, which implies some sort of interface that could possibly have other features.

Microsoft's plan has been proven to be flawed... because of the fee, Live subscribers make up a very small percentage of Xbox users. Sony's and Nintendo's plans this gen were also flawed because the adapter and/or HDD also count as a fee. Nintendo's going in the best direction next gen as far as I can make out... there are technically no added costs, not even wires, and if Nintendo delivers on their promise of simplicity then I can see online gaming experiencing a boom. Which sucks, but that's my opinion.

Yes, I always wondered why so many PS2 games went online and their Gamecube equivalents didn't, even though neither company had a service set up like XBox Live.

Cutting extra fees out is an impressive idea; I do wonder though how many people will be sparked to buy wireless routers as a result. Most people already have modems or cable connections, and they may not be familiar with wireless, so they may at first view it as another annoying thing to pay for. I hope Nintendo is able to convince consumers of the benefits of Wi-Fi.

And I am glad to see Nintendo starting up their own online network. I wonder if they can use this to encourage people to buy the wireless routers they need (provided they need them - don't places such as New York City already serve as wireless hotspots?). Heck, Sony convinced people to buy hard drives and modems/broadband adaptors. Microsoft encouraged them to spend extra money for the Live service.

A lot of people likely WILL see what Nintendo is doing as an extra price as well - what's the difference to Joe Peon between buying a modem adaptor, and a wireless adaptor? That's where I think Nintendo needs to concentrate next: on getting the word out.

[Mr. Segali]

Sony made more network adapters and made them more easily attainable. Also, they pushed the whole online deal with some of their own games like SOCOM and had ad campaigns to back it up. Nintendo didn't really do any of those things. Bottom line is, Sony tried harder.