Topic: What we Want From the Next DS Hand Held

[BlackNMild2k1]

Open pricing would go a long way towards more content on the Wii/DSi/VC shops.
But it's also the reason why there are lots of cheap crap on the iPhone (from what I've heard). But you gotta take the bad with the good sometimes. If Nintendo approves it for sale, then the maker should be responsible for how much they charge for it.

Seasonal or Event DLC would also be a good idea, like they do for AC.
Some "Help for Haiti" (or some other type of event) shirts with proceeds that go towards the cause would have been a nice touch and another way for Nitenndo to keep themselves in the News.
Limited edition seasonal DLC would also be nice, like a Halloween kart for 2010 in Mario Kart or the ability to goto NintendoVille in AC during E3 and receive a special NES game to play made just for AC players.

[Spinnzilla]

Open pricing would go a long way towards more content on the Wii/DSi/VC shops.
But it's also the reason why there are lots of cheap crap on the iPhone (from what I've heard). But you gotta take the bad with the good sometimes. If Nintendo approves it for sale, then the maker should be responsible for how much they charge for it.

Just imagine how bad the flood of sudoku games would be!  :  Nintendo really needs to make their approval team ( or whatever that monster is) bigger if they want to be serious about their DLC.  They've already set up the basics, why not go the full way?  I know nintendo will want to be conservative about what gets added to the apps store, so maybe they could update the shop daily?  Because a once a week update isn't really intuitive. 

Also, they'll need to improve navigation from the current DSishop.  It's slow and clumsy and becoming a big hassle to go through.

[Stratos]

Open pricing would go a long way towards more content on the Wii/DSi/VC shops.
But it's also the reason why there are lots of cheap crap on the iPhone (from what I've heard). But you gotta take the bad with the good sometimes. If Nintendo approves it for sale, then the maker should be responsible for how much they charge for it.

Just imagine how bad the flood of sudoku games would be!  :  Nintendo really needs to make their approval team ( or whatever that monster is) if they want to be serious about their DLC.  They've already set up the basics, why not go the full way?  I know nintendo will want to be conservative about what gets added to the apps store, so maybe they could update the shop daily?  Because a once a week update isn't really intuitive. 

Also, they'll need to improve navigation from the current DSishop.  It's slow and clumsy and becoming a big hassle to go through.

Yeah, the slow load times and your ability to only view 2 games at once really makes me dread browsing.

[Spak-Spang]

What I want from the next Nintendo handheld.

Design:  2 screens is a must with clamshell design to protect the screens.  Multitouch technology would be nice on both screens, and if Nintendo can fit it in for cheap pressure sensitive screens would be nice.  Also, motion must be incorporated into the design somehow. 

Basically, I want the DSi but more.  I want the system out of the box designed with everything developers might need to come up with interesting game concepts and new game ideas.  Cameras, Microphone, Speakers (obviously), Motion, Buttons, Analog Nub, Multi-touch, ect

Media:  The DS carts are large enough for me.  Continue using those, but also remember to include the SD card slot...and an ability to access the SD card during games. 

Storage:  I want some internal memory available so Nintendo can continue and expand its game download services. I am thinking somewhere between 3-5 Gigs would be ample.  Also remembering that the SD card could be used to increase storage.  200 MEGS of that can be isolated for hot swapping from the SD data.  This would allow for good 200 MEG limit for downloadable games, which really should be more than once for any portable system device.

Graphics:  I am not a big graphics whore.  So I am mostly worried with backwards compatibility and price.  I am wanting a lot of hardware features added which is going to raise the price of the system...so I am basically wanting gamecube to Wii-ish powered graphics. 

RAM:  I honestly don't know how much RAM needs to be in a portable...but I figure the DS2 could get away with having as little as 128 MEGS RAM, and still be able to perform wonderfully.  It could mostly likely even do less than that...but I know RAM is getting cheaper and 128 shouldn't be too much to ask for.

Software and OS:  For the Software and OS I want so form of multitasking.  I want to be able to run some special apps in the background while playing my games.  What apps do you ask?  Well for starters a voice chat program so all games online and off have chat.  Next I understand Nintendo's need for friend codes...so make them part of the OS and input once for all games. 

For software I want Nintendo to merge the Nintendo Stores.  Basically buy once and if it is able to be played on the DS2 or Wii can have it on one system.  The limitation is you can only have 1 console and 2 handhelds connected to your My Nintendo Account...and immediately on day one allow you to download and play any games you have bought.  (I am pissed that I spent over $200.00 on virtual console games and I can't ever have access to them again, because I sold my Wii and disconnected my account.  I should be able to reconnect a new Wii and have those games back.)

Internet Access:  I think Nintendo should continue Wifi, but also ONLY for its Nintendo Store allow for free connectivity (like the cell phone services) You charge a premium for your virtual games...so lets make it worth it for the player.  If I know I can download a new game anywhere at any time I don't mind the $5.00 NES prices.  It would seem perfectly reasonable to me. 

I do believe Region Free is a must for all media games on the DS2 carts but downloadable content can still be region locked if necessary...just allow gamers to access their countries store wherever they are in the world.

Price:  $179.99 would be the BEST price...$200.00 ONLY if you have some free Nintendo Points, or a pack in game.  Actually if you can create some sort of DS2 Sports game or new better version of Club House games that would be a wonderful pack in.

[BlackNMild2k1]

The one thing I haven't heard anybody mention and never seen a patent on.

Analog D-Pad.

where is it? why has no one invented and patented it yet(or have they)?
this seems like the solution to the handheld analog nub problem and too many control inputs on one controller.

DS2 should have an Analog D-Pad.

[Mop it up]

An analogue D-pad sounds like an engineering nightmare. I have no idea how that could even be constructed, much less built sturdy enough to last.

[BlackNMild2k1]

but as soon as someone figures it out, problem has been solved.

[Adrock]

They can make it, but why? I'm pretty sure every button on the Dual Shock 2 besides L3/R3 and start/select were analog. Point being, most people didn't even know. I guess Nintendo could always engineer a better solution but it'd probably be easier and more logical to just include analog sticks if they were even considering it as an option.

[BlackNMild2k1]

But looking at the CC, CCPro and every Sony controller, an analog d-pad solves the problem of having to choose which control option to focus on. that's why.

We're not talking about pointless analog buttons here, were talking about a central control option that functions as well as a d-pad but replaces the analog stick without having to put both options on the same device. It could be as revolutionary to controller design as the original D-pad was to the digital joystick.

[NWR_insanolord]

I once had an idea for an analog stick/d-pad hybrid. It would have to be a circular D-pad, kind of like the Genesis D-pad, but when you flip a switch it pops up, the d-pad locks in place and the whole thing can move around in an analog manner. I'm not sure I'm describing it well enough, but I think it could work.

[BlackNMild2k1]

I can picture it. but that seems like it could be a little flimsy.

I just had an idea myself for an analog d-pad. maybe I'll type it up later if I still remember it.

[NWR_insanolord]

I'm not sure it would be possible to do something like this with it actually working in a way that wasn't potentially flimsy.

[Guitar Smasher]

So I see a lot of people want motion controls incorporated.  But the best description I can find is "motion controls somehow".  How can you want something that you can't really imagine yourself?  From my perspective, motion controls would be silly for a handheld considering the screen is held by your hands (obvious).  At best you could incorporate tilting, which has been done before.

[NWR_insanolord]

Tilting should definitely be in. I've played enough iPhone games that use it well to believe it should definitely be in there as an option. I'm not sure I'm quite on board with motion sensors in the stylus, though.

[Stratos]

I bought my sister Yoshi's Tilt N Tumble or whatever it was called and it was pretty fun from the few times I tried to play it. I was always intrigued by the demo Nintendo loved to show off of Kirby Tilt played on the GC with a GBA hooked up and if he fell off a ledge gameplay switched to the GBA screen.

Monkeyball could be great with that type of control.

[Guitar Smasher]

I'm not sure I'm quite on board with motion sensors in the stylus, though.

Is that really being speculated?  You're joking right?

[Stratos]

Like a page or so ago someone mentioned it. I think that is as far as it has gone to my knowledge. No real reason to believe it will happen.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Nintendo Patent Reveals What May be Tactile  Feedback Felt Through DS Stylus

Patents are filed all the time, but with rumors of a new DS, some possibilities can't be ignored. While the wording in these is always a bit difficult, it's interesting to consider the possibilities.

Here's one that comes from a recent patent filed by Nintendo. It's an addendum to an older one filed in 2005, but mentions what seems to be a stylus with some sort of force feedback, whether through the touchscreen or the stylus itself is not totally clear. Here is a piece of the patent application:

A game apparatus includes an LCD, and a touch panel is placed on a top surface of the LCD. A player instructs an enemy character displayed on the LCD by use of a stick to attack the enemy character. For example, in a case that the enemy character exists at a depth of a game screen, little damage is applied to the enemy character, and a weak vibration is applied to the game apparatus. Conversely, in a case that the enemy character exists at a front of the game screen, much damage is applied to the character, and a strong vibration is applied to the game apparatus. In either case, the vibrations are transmitted to the fingers or hands of the payer via the stick.

Edit: After another read, it seems that the vibrations come from the system itself. For instance, when attacking an onscreen character, the device--or at least the screen--will vibrate at varying degrees. This force is supposed to be felt through the stylus.

Read the patent application.

Here is a PDF

[Kytim89]

A motion sensing stylus would be too expensive to produce and too bulky. Also, what if you lost the stylus? Nintendo would have to come up with some kind of strap for the stlust that connected to a wrist strap so that once you were finished it could be secured on the side of the DS system.

[BeautifulShy]

Check your PMs Kytim89!

As far as a wrist strap for the next DS system I think there is some possible sollutions. You could have a place to put the stylis on the system itself. Much like where you can put your stylis in a place on the DS Lite. Another option is that Nintendo could do something similar to the Gamecube cases where you could put a Memory card in the gamecases. You could have a place for the Stylis in the DS2 game cases.
Of course there is going to bound to have 3rd party accessories for the systems.

[Gameboy Freak]

Well Virtual console is a must! 

They should keep the button layout and the number of them the same.

Keep using cards.

Make the system small.

Extras (Not really part of the system design)

-Make a carrying case that is relativly small and can carry a lot of games and the charger. (I always find myself having to use make shift cases because the official ones do not have enough room)

[Kytim89]

What kind of hand held consoles should be on the virtual handheld service?

[TJ Spyke]

There really are not that many to even choose. These are the notable ones I can think of (I am not counting re-models):

Game Boy
Game Boy Color
Game Boy Advance
Game Gear
Neo Geo Pocket
Neo Geo Pocket Color
Wonder Swan
Wonder Swan Color
WonderCrystal
Atari Lynx
Game.Com

PSP games won't happen, and I doubt bit systems like Tapwave Zodiac, N-Gage, Game Park 32, and Gizmondo will get supported (TurboExpress wasn't really a new system, it was just a portable version of the TurboGrafx-16).

[Ian Sane]

Analog D-Pad.

where is it? why has no one invented and patented it yet(or have they)?
this seems like the solution to the handheld analog nub problem and too many control inputs on one controller.

This is a very cool idea if it's feasible.  But I don't really think it is.  I could just as easily ask "why has no one invented a time machine"?  The reason is the concept might just be impossible.  Unless you just want a spongey d-pad, which would probably suck for both analog and d-pad games.
 
For a DS2 VC I don't just want old Gameboy games.  I want NES, SNES, Genesis and any other VC platform that I know the DS2 would be capable of emulating.  Why limit it to portable titles if the DS2 hardware can handle a lot of classic console titles as well?  And I want the same in reverse - portable titles on the console VC.  There is no reason to seperate them.  Just make it so that certain VC titles can't be played on the DS2 because they're too complex or the controls won't work or whatever.
 
I'm sure someone will chime in and note that console games don't take into account the screen size and such so text might be illegible or the game might be too dark.  I say "buyer beware".  Let me decide what I'm willing to put up with.  Put a warning if you want but don't treat me like a helpless baby.  I don't like it when Nintendo cuts back on options so us stupids won't get confused.

[Adrock]

I'm sure someone will chime in and note that console games don't take into account the screen size and such so text might be illegible or the game might be too dark.

If the games are interchangeable between console and handheld (which they should, no reason not to be), this shouldn't be a problem.