Nintendo Switch: From good to bad to worse.

[PkmnTrainerV]

Wow so apparently reports of switch defects are in the 10's of thousands now.

Especially the left joycon not working when in portable or docked mode.

The dock is scratching screens and the led screen has pixels out.

In classic fashion Nintendo says the left joy con is no big deal, refused to admit docking scratches the screen and refuses to admit dead pixels are a defect even tho if you buy a TV with dead pixels you can get an immediate refund or exchange.

But you can't exchange a switch because there are none available.

Article by inquistitr

It dosen't hurt to link the article so that we could read it in full...

 

[Lyrebird]

It dosen't hurt to link the article so that we could read it in full...

If that's the article he quoted then that's a shoddy ass article.

 

[Beth Pavell]

I will say that I would have preferred the dock to have some felt padding on the inside, or something. I've found myself being careful to slot it in to avoid accidentally scraping the screen, just in case. Actually, I may well do that myself anyway. Felt's cheap, afterall

 

[Anime Psyclone]

I will say that I would have preferred the dock to have some felt padding on the inside, or something. I've found myself being careful to slot it in to avoid accidentally scraping the screen, just in case. Actually, I may well do that myself anyway. Felt's cheap, afterall

Felt is cheap, but still. Imagine if Nintendo made a controller that hurt your hand as you used it. Oh wait...

The dock is scratching screens and the led screen has pixels out...Refuses to admit dead pixels are a defect even tho if you buy a TV with dead pixels you can get an immediate refund or exchange.

I mean, if we can get it, and Samsung can get it, and other TV makers can get it, Nintendo should be able to get it.

But you can't exchange a switch because there are none available.

Because Nintendo thought their new console/handheld hybrid would sell less then 2 million in the first month. Nintendo’s Reggie is trying to fix the Switch’s problems and up their production, so don’t worry too much. Just always wait, especially if most of the games come out later this year.

 

[Beth Pavell]

Felt is cheap, but still.

Well, yes, it doesn't make it less of a design flaw

I've never used a Nintendo controller that actively hurt to use. I've never used one that's been so much as uncomfortable. I'd be inclined to call those complaints exaggeration from people determined to dislike anything other than a clone of an Xbox controller ... but I also have fairly small hands so perhaps that makes a difference

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

I mean, if we can get it, and Samsung can get it, and other TV makers can get it, Nintendo should be able to get it.

But, I've heard that people are returning dead-pixeled Switches to their retailers, so it's a win-win situation for the consumer.

 

[Anime Psyclone]

I've never used a Nintendo controller that actively hurt to use. I've never used one that's been so much as uncomfortable. I'd be inclined to call those complaints exaggeration from people determined to dislike anything other than a clone of an Xbox controller ... but I also have fairly small hands so perhaps that makes a difference

I was talking about a time when Nintendo needed to ship out gloves because a mini-game was hurting people’s hands on the NGC or N64, can’t remember.

But, I've heard that people are returning dead-pixeled Switches to their retailers, so it's a win-win situation for the consumer.

Well, Nintendo should recognize the problem if the Target I bought it at can.
No I do not have a Switch and did not buy one at a Target.

 

[Stratelier]

Nintendo's official response so far is ... predictable? Basically an "it hasn't happened to us personally, but keep the reports coming." This is exactly the same kind of response you frequently see to bug reports in open-source projects.

And, to be statistically fair, "tens of thousands" out of even 1 million still means 90% of people aren't having problems.

Judging by the teardowns/disassemblies people have posted on YouTube, problems with the left JoyCon seem to boil down to it having a weak Bluetooth antenna -- the right JoyCon has a proper antenna wire while the left JoyCon merely has its antenna integrated into the circuit board. Smaller antenna, less signal, more problems, end of story. (Spawn Wave experimented with merely soldering an extra wire onto the antenna's connection, and this literally tripled its usable range. It might come at some cost to battery life, but hey, whatever works for you.)

 

[Lyrebird]

I was talking about a time when Nintendo needed to ship out gloves because a mini-game was hurting people’s hands on the NGC or N64, can’t remember.
Well, Nintendo should recognize the problem if the Target I bought it at can.
No I do not have a Switch and did not buy one at a Target.

Mario Party on the N64.

 

[Anime Psyclone]

Mario Party on the N64.

That’s the one! Still, talk about design flaws.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

That’s the one! Still, talk about design flaws.

I think that JoyCons hurting are pretty subjective. Concerned about the comfort, I've checked out a lot of posts from another forum, and Reddit, and found the comfort of JoyCons to be vastly different, some people prefer single JoyCons more than pro controllers, some people think the Grip is bad, and some think it's better than pro, and some think that handheld is the best.

I don't think we'll ever face the gloves issue or something like that again.

 

[Kisu]

It dosen't hurt to link the article so that we could read it in full...

I already told you either it'd my phone or the app I read articles on but when I post links I get blank posts..

I said which site it was from...If you wanna read it look it up.

Another post of interest taking fire is from I believe Jim sterling at metaritic.

He's taking fire for rating the new Zelda 7/10 bringing it down from the highest rated game ever to tied for 2nd with 4 others.

What's interesting is the main reason for this is the games crafting and weapons breaking and basically saying it's wonderful game that makes a point of being an arse to you.

Which I get,I haven't played but have watched quite a bit on twitch,( watching the switch on twitch )watched and hour and 25 to 30 mind were nothing but stopping to craft.

Or starting a battle and all his weapons breaking so your watching the player go back and craft for 15 mins to try again.

I love crafting and weapons upgrades but I like it optional,not forced constantly.

But on the bright side it looks like Nintendo is finally responding to the switches issues and offering dock replacements.

A year from now we can prolly buy a switch with most if not all the issues fixed right when it has a solid game base.

I don't know how they can fix the joycon and Internet issues with switches already out in the wild but hopefully they fix it in future shipments.

I mean to communicate online you need a phone app but they tell you to keep all electronics and phone at least 4 feet away from the switch.....Come on Nintendo your smarter than this.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

Another post of interest taking fire is from I believe Jim sterling at metaritic.

He's taking fire for rating the new Zelda 7/10 bringing it down from the highest rated game ever to tied for 2nd with 4 others.

What's interesting is the main reason for this is the games crafting and weapons breaking and basically saying it's wonderful game that makes a point of being an arse to you.

Which I get,I haven't played but have watched quite a bit on twitch,( watching the switch on twitch )watched and hour and 25 to 30 mind were nothing but stopping to craft.

Or starting a battle and all his weapons breaking so your watching the player go back and craft for 15 mins to try again.

I love crafting and weapons upgrades but I like it optional,not forced constantly.

The Jim Stering thing was a bit too controversial, and there are still debates over it. Anyways, I'm not a Zelda fan, so I sort of don't care.
They just have to release Pokemon Stars and Switch bundle to take my cash.

But on the bright side it looks like Nintendo is finally responding to the switches issues and offering dock replacements.

A year from now we can prolly buy a switch with most if not all the issues fixed right when it has a solid game base.

I don't know how they can fix the joycon and Internet issues with switches already out in the wild but hopefully they fix it in future shipments.

They're also replacing JoyCons with connectivity issues. Reddit is full of people with replaced JoyCons. And I think they'll finish the problem altogether with new shipments. So, I think Nintendo is going in the right direction about the issues.

I mean to communicate online you need a phone app but they tell you to keep all electronics and phone at least 4 feet away from the switch.....Come on Nintendo your smarter than this.

The previous comment sorts this out.

P.S. Simply why do people forget about PS4's blue light of death, and X Box's Red Ring of Death, while saying that Switch has an abysmal launch due to dead pixels and connectivity issues?

 

[Beth Pavell]

What's interesting is the main reason for this is the games crafting and weapons breaking and basically saying it's wonderful game that makes a point of being an arse to you.

Which I get,I haven't played but have watched quite a bit on twitch,( watching the switch on twitch )watched and hour and 25 to 30 mind were nothing but stopping to craft.

I don't know why the player's doing this. I'm finding the weapon frangibility a bit of a pain - you essentially have to hoard some weapons against needing them for mini-bosses, etc. And it does mean you have to think twice before using a decent weapon against a weak enemy. However, after a while it's not hard to keep finding at least decent weapons, even if the really good ones don't last long. I honestly don't know how you can spend more than about five minutes at a time crafting ... unless perhaps the player's not been picking up items as they go along and has to keep searching for them.

All that's kind of the point, though. It's a survival-style game, you have to be resourceful, take opportunities where you find them and sometimes make do with what you have. You have to think - if you get overenthusiastic and keep uselessly smashing your spear into an enemy's shield, yep, you're going to break it faster. Nevertheless, I do wish there was some way of mending weapons somewhere - if you had to do some real exploring to find it or go through a sidequest to unlock it, etc, that would be fine

 

[Stratelier]

Nevertheless, I do wish there was some way of mending weapons somewhere - if you had to do some real exploring to find it or go through a sidequest to unlock it, etc, that would be fine

I definitely agree here, from an early game standpoint my mindset is that it should be surprising if there isn't SOME way to repair a weapon before it breaks, but if there's not...

Still, if there is, once you unlock that you are now playing a completely different strategy with your weapons. It's like exploring dungeons in early RPGs - if the only way out of a dungeon is to backtrack manually (i.e. no conveniently-placed exit/loopback, no fast-travel / instant-exit skills) then you have to (literally?) double up on your preparations, and you have to play it differently than you would otherwise. "Fight or flight" becomes a real consideration when you don't have a get-out-of-danger-free card.

 

[Kisu]

P.S. Simply why do people forget about PS4's blue light of death, and X Box's Red Ring of Death, while saying that Switch has an abysmal launch due to dead pixels and connectivity issues?[/QUOTE]

Well as far as the Xbox one people haven't forgot at all,that and the Kinect mess at xbox1's launch have cost Microsoft badly and maybe permanently.

I mean right now ps4 is the runaway domanant console selling over double the xbox1.

And it's mainly because of the Trainwreck of the Wii u and xbox1/360.

The PS blue ring wasn't a huge deal compared to the red ring of death,even at the end of the 360's life cycle it was still happening.

I made the mistake of buying a 360 back then and got the ring of death,my replacement console destroyed discs,in face I just borrowed my dad's refurbished 360 to play fallout 3 and it destroyed the disc the second I put it in.

On another note according to an article by go connected on a poll of 4500 game devs only 3 percent are said to be developing switch games and the switch ranked last in opinion of consoles they wanted to develop for,even below Google's home console thing.

 

[Lyrebird]

Where's the poll and said article?

 

[Stratelier]

On another note according to an article by go connected on a poll of 4500 game devs only 3 percent are said to be developing switch games and the switch ranked last in opinion of consoles they wanted to develop for,even below Google's home console thing.

GDC 2017 Survey Shows 3% of Developers Working on Nintendo Switch Games

My initial gut reaction: "80-20 rule."

There are good reasons not to take the percentage too seriously, however. For one, GDC 2017 happened prior to the Nintendo Switch’s launch [ . . . ] the 3% at GDC is likely higher now.

 

[Kisu]

At the same time taking the huge amount of developers said to be making games from switch by Nintendo seriously is dangerous too,I mean the same was said about Wii u

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

At the same time taking the huge amount of developers said to be making games from switch by Nintendo seriously is dangerous too,I mean the same was said about Wii u

Can you please make up your mind?

When there is less third party, you complain. When there is more third party, you complain.