Nintendo DS Sees Voice-Chat, Demo Stations

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Nintendo DS Sees Voice-Chat, Demo Stations

Posted by Zonk on Thursday February 9, 2006 @08:46AM from the ds-gets-whole-new-bag dept.

An anonymous reader writes "According to Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of sales and marketing, Metroid Prime will include the ability to voice chat with other players before and after games (not during). Granted, the PSP's version of SOCOM allows for in-game chat, but this certainly is the first step." They're also going to be setting up demo download stations in retail stores, as reported in a DS Fanboy post. More details also available at the Game|Life Blog.

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Why not IN-GAME? by rwven · 2006-02-09 08:50 · Score: 1, Interesting

Does anyone have a reason why they can't talking while playing? Seems to me that it wouldnt have been harder to implement it a little further... *confused*

I guess talking BEFORE and AFTER a game is kinda pointless. Just pick up the dang phone and call them...or talk across the room you're probably both going to be sitting in anyway.
1. Re:Why not IN-GAME? by hattig · 2006-02-09 08:56 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  Probably because audio data needs to be compressed before sending it, which requires CPU time, even for basic audio compression algorithms. The DS may have two processors, but neither is that fast, and I bet that even basic compression would use up significant CPU time.
  
  Sure, I bet they're recording in mono 8-bit at 22kHz, so the datarate is only 22kB/s, but with a couple of people that could saturate the uplink of many home broadband connections even without the gameplay traffic. Zap in some simple voice compression and you've got a ~4kB/s data stream, much more convenient.
2. Re:Why not IN-GAME? by Iscariot_ · 2006-02-09 08:57 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  For bandwidth and processing reasons. I'm sure they'll be using a good % of the power of the DS for the game which leaves little or none left over to do voice in game. There's also bandwidth to be concerned about as I believe the DS is only capable of 2Mbps not 11 Mbps.
  
  --
  
  Go here for teh [sic] funny.
3. Re:Why not IN-GAME? by rwven · 2006-02-09 09:18 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  Processing power would have to be it. Very few multiplayer games exceed 10-15kbps bandwidth usage during online play. That leaves a LOT of open bandwidth for sound....
4. Re:Why not IN-GAME? by Anonymous Coward · 2006-02-09 09:22 · Score: 0
  
  Does anyone have a reason why they can't talking while playing?
  
  I'm sorry, but I just can't resisting while making fun.
5. Re:Why not IN-GAME? by vertinox · 2006-02-09 09:54 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  I guess talking BEFORE and AFTER a game is kinda pointless.
  
  Hrm.... Kind of like sex.
  
  --
  "I am the king of the Romans, and am superior to rules of grammar!"
  -Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor (1368-1437)
6. Re:Why not IN-GAME? by Zonk · 2006-02-09 11:21 · Score: 1
  
  While I'm sure technical issues are also involved, I'd be willing to bet another factor is the 'smack talk' gamers seem to love so much. If you've ever played Halo 2 on Xbox Live, you'll be intimately familiar with the levels of inarticulate garbage people can spew while trying to win. Nintendo is, and always will be, a company that focuses on family. The only way you can interact in Mario Kart is by *actually* racing. Put up or shut up, so to speak. I find it interesting they're even allowing voice chat before and after games.
  
  All around, very interesting to see Nintendo changing with the times.
7. Re:Why not IN-GAME? by WhyCause · 2006-02-09 16:30 · Score: 1
  
  While I know you're being flippant, this comment got me thinking...
  
  We don't necessarily know what all they've added to Hunters in the WiFi-upgrade bonus round. What if they added co-op multi-play? Two (or more) stealth bounty hunters preparing for a mission would necessitate communication before-hand, especially if conditions (read: processing power, which I'm certain is the real reason there's no in-game chat) dictate radio-silence whilst fighting. Chat after would allow you to hash over what went right/wrong in that round, prehaps while deciding whether or not to take a do-over.
  
  Of course, I'm just pulling all of this out of my ass. I have no real idea what MP:Hunters gameplay will be like.
8. Re:Why not IN-GAME? by rwven · 2006-02-10 02:12 · Score: 0, Troll
  
  I like how morons with mod points go through here and mark perfectly legit posts as trolls.
9. Re:Why not IN-GAME? by Anonymous Coward · 2006-02-23 04:48 · Score: 0
  
  Love your site but I love mine more. hahahahahaha http://www.betyourboots.com/ Bet Your Boots is the place for the best bikini photos, advice on dating, relationship tips, health updates, and more.
Finally by GammaKitsune · 2006-02-09 09:20 · Score: 3, Informative

I was wondering when we would see demo kiosks in the US. Seems like something they should have implemented a long time ago... Ah well, better late than never.

--
Gamertag: WyleType
1. Re:Finally by falcon5768 · 2006-02-09 09:23 · Score: 1
  
  how long a time ago can you really be talking about here... wifi enabled games for the DS only recently came out, and as it is setup now, anyplace that has a open 102.11 b/g wifi setup works as a uplink for the DS.
  
  --
  "Slashdot, where telling the truth is overrated but lying is insightful."
2. Re:Finally by SetupWeasel · 2006-02-09 09:29 · Score: 1
  
  you don't know what the parent is talking about then. See, in Japan they have these kiosks where you can simply open your DS, select "DS Download Play," and look for these types of transmissions. They have been around for about a year in Japan, giving demos and, in the case of Band Brothers, additional content.
3. Re:Finally by falcon5768 · 2006-02-10 17:28 · Score: 1
  
  and like I said wifi enabled games have only been out for a few months in America.
  There is no point to make kiosks if we ha ve nothing to play on them, unlike the Japanese.
  
  --
  "Slashdot, where telling the truth is overrated but lying is insightful."
4. Re:Finally by justchris · 2006-02-11 03:43 · Score: 1
  
  You're still not getting it.
  DS has had wireless play since it was released. Super Mario DS, first game out for it, had some wireless minigame or something. These kiosks are to download data that is stored on the kiosk itself. At no point, when using the download kiosk, do you actually go on the internet. It's totally local wireless, the same as what is available in nearly every DS game, even the one's without WiFi play.
  In fact, since Mario Kart DS was released in the US less than a month after it's Japan release (were they released on the same day, I don't remember), Japan has only had WiFi play for a few months as well, but they've had the Kiosks for about a year.
  
  --
  just some guy
Very cool. by kerrle · 2006-02-09 09:50 · Score: 3, Interesting

Even if it is a bit limited, this is still a great move.

It also shows that Nintendo is willing to expand on what they originally offered with their Wifi service.

Now, what would be really great is a Nintendo-branded flash card for the GBA slot - say 512MB - so that you could store demos and other content (NES/SNES games from the Rev's online service?). They'd have to digitally sign the downloads to ease piracy concerns, but it could be made fairly secure and still be cool for end users.
1. Re:Very cool. by vertinox · 2006-02-09 09:56 · Score: 1
  
  Now, what would be really great is a Nintendo-branded flash card for the GBA slot - say 512MB
  
  Or maybe a dedicated VoIP chip.
  
  It would probaly kill battery life though.
  
  --
  "I am the king of the Romans, and am superior to rules of grammar!"
  -Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor (1368-1437)
2. Re:Very cool. by dbIII · 2006-02-09 11:48 · Score: 1
  
  Now, what would be really great is a Nintendo-branded flash card for the GBA slot
  Do you mean like the GBA movie player that people are plugging CF cards into to run DS linux over on www.dslinux.org?
3. Re:Very cool. by kerrle · 2006-02-09 12:20 · Score: 1
  
  Yes, but to work, this would need to be a bootable device, maybe via a DS-slot network frontent cartridge or some such.
  
  Otherwise, any downloaded content could only run in GBA mode.
  
  What I'd imagine is a GBA flash cartridge that could store data for online enabled games and also downloadable games from the online service.
  
  Wifi games could just access the GBA slot's content normally, of course, but to run standalone downloaded content (say, SNES games), you'd need a DS cartridge designed to do it. Of course, they could build the functionality into a future game, and just use that as the front end.
4. Re:Very cool. by idonthack · 2006-02-09 13:21 · Score: 1
  
  Yes, but to work, this would need to be a bootable device, maybe via a DS-slot network frontent cartridge or some such.
  
  Otherwise, any downloaded content could only run in GBA mode.
  Moderated -1, Incorrect. They are running DS Linux on it. Obviously not in "GBA mode".
  
  --
  Why is it that when you believe something it's an opinion, but when I believe something it's a manifesto?
5. Re:Very cool. by Anonymous Coward · 2006-02-09 13:57 · Score: 1, Informative
  
  Yeah, the DS flashcard scene is quite something. As they do it now, they use a device similar in shape as a DS cartridge, along with an actual DS cart plugged in to it, to run unsigned DS code from the flash card. Works very nicely for homebrew as well as...*cough* actual games *cough*.
6. Re:Very cool. by catprog · 2006-02-09 14:44 · Score: 1
  
  The gba slot can run DS code by itself. To run DS Linux you need such a thing as flashme ,passme or wifime
  
  --
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  Kindle Books http://www.catprog.org/rev
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7. Re:Very cool. by catprog · 2006-02-09 14:46 · Score: 1
  
  OOPS :-{ Meant to say it can't run DS code
  
  --
  My Transformation Website
  Kindle Books http://www.catprog.org/rev
  Interactive CYOA http://www.catprog.org/st
What about the gba expansion slot? by Carlbunn · 2006-02-09 09:54 · Score: 4, Interesting

I don't know why they haven't thought of this before, they probably have a good reason.
Since ds games have acess to the gba slot, (as in metroid pinball's rumble pack) Why don't they create a speech pack to enable processing of voice-chat? Seems like a no-brainer to me, and it could be optional. If you want voice-chat you buy the pack, if not you don't. Guessing by the size of mp3 players and voice recorders lately, the gba card has more than enough space to create a hardware like that...
1. Re:What about the gba expansion slot? by damsa · 2006-02-09 11:45 · Score: 1
  
  They already have an MP3 player you can buy for the GBA. I think they also have a TV tuner as well.
2. Re:What about the gba expansion slot? by blackraven14250 · 2006-02-09 13:14 · Score: 1
  
  But could you include a decently powerful processor in that slot, given all its limitations?
3. Re:What about the gba expansion slot? by Anonymous Coward · 2006-02-09 13:19 · Score: 0
  
  Powerful enough to compress/decompress audio. It's not that CPU-intensive.
  
  And if they really need to, it can stick out a little. They aren't totally confined by the space inside the slot.
4. Re:What about the gba expansion slot? by Bwerf · 2006-02-09 21:38 · Score: 1
  
  There are mp3 players about a third the size of a gba cart (think usb stick w/ mp3 player). Even if not exactly the same thing I don't think the physical space would be a problem.
  
  --
  If noone rtfa, then what's the slashdot effect?
Cool new stuff for the DS by AK__64 · 2006-02-09 11:43 · Score: 3, Interesting

I think Nintendo has a lot of opportunity to develop some innovative new things for the DS. I'm thinking it would be way easier to set up GPS, (which is coming to the PSP btw) and the comment about VoIP was dead on. I'd love to see some real video distribution (cheap anime, anyone?) in addition to what was announced today.
I guess it would be handy ... by ASUSanator · 2006-02-09 12:48 · Score: 1

It would be handy to be able to have a small chat to say hello etc before you battle then say good game afterwards but really i don't feel this will be used by many of the gamers or be any benifit to their sales. The target audience like the GB has always had is mainly going to be young kids. If i can remember back 5 years when i was really into pokemon etc we just wanted to battle and trade and i know we where limited to the crappy short link cable then but i cant imagine we would have been appart anyway.
I guess the times are changing, i know people who use picto chat just to talk in class. So i guess a similar principle could work for voice chat. But i know when i am versing someone on my DS i like to be face to face so the chat isnt going to do anything much for me.
1. Re:I guess it would be handy ... by Anonymous Coward · 2006-02-10 03:40 · Score: 0
  
  "The target audience like the GB has always had is mainly going to be young kids."
  
  Well shit. I guess me and all of my 23+ year old friends are little kids.
  
  And I just thought we liked interesting games with badass networking capabilities.
  
  Nintendo targets -everyone-. Yes, everyone. Adults, kids, whatever. It is their strong point, -and- their weak point.
  
  This "kiddie system" BS is starting to really get annoying.
2. Re:I guess it would be handy ... by ASUSanator · 2006-02-10 14:18 · Score: 1
  
  I am talking from my viewpoint of a South Australian. Here i don't know any adults who regularly play a Gameboy or PSP. So get your nickers out of a twist i wasn't making wild accusations i was talking from what i see around me.
3. Re:I guess it would be handy ... by justchris · 2006-02-11 03:51 · Score: 1
  
  My suggestion to you, be an innovator. But a DS, let your friends try it out. I suggest Meteos to start, and Mario Kart for later. Convince at least 7 of them to buy a DS, then you can play an 8 player Mario Kart battle. That's been my tactic, it's worked on 3 of them so far, and 1 more is just waiting until he has the spare cash (recently bought a house so it may be a few months).
  Speaking from personal experience, I don't know anyone under the age of 25 who owns a DS, but then, the only person I speak to on a regular basis under the age of 25 is my 3 year old niece, so I don't feel I'm up to judging what kids are doing these days.
  
  --
  just some guy
4. Re:I guess it would be handy ... by ASUSanator · 2006-02-11 12:44 · Score: 1
  
  Well i guess i am in the "kid" bracket (17), I didn't really make that clear. Out of the people who do play portable consoles they are all GBA(sp) and DS bar one. It is really quite funny, i catch public transport every day and go to a school of a couple of thousand and i know one person with a PSP. He went to some snobby private school and by the way he was pressing the buttons it was obvious he just had it out to show off. But the point is it makes me laugh how badly the psp is selling down here, well from what i have seen.
  I Had a GBA and a GBA SP then i sold the SP and kept my GBA. I still play it. I will buy a DS probably at the same time i buy my revolution.
  The point i was really trying to make in the first post is that i really don't see me or anyone else using the voice chat to any extent but no harm in adding these things i guess *shrug*. ..... This got really off topic and i dont know what im meant to be talking about :P
FYI - SOCOM Fireteam Bravo Voicechat Info by challlen · 2006-02-09 14:42 · Score: 0, Offtopic

I know everyone is excited about the DS networking, and I too look forward to seeing what it can do.
Mario Kart DS was a great game to showcase Nintendo networking!

People should be aware of the PSP networking progress as well.
The PSP launched in the US with online titles (Twisted Metal, ATV, 989 sports games) and most PSP titles (100+) support Adhoc (LAN) gameplay as well.

SOCOM Fireteam Bravo was the first PSP game and the first handheld game (that I am aware of) to support 16 player PSP voicechat in game. That is really impressive for a handleheld!
FTB has 16 player games with many gametypes (deathmatch, bombing bases, hostage extraction, etc)
And it shares the SOCOM 3 servers.
The gamespot review is here
http://www.gamespot.com/psp/action/socomusnavyseal sfireteambravo/review.html

Now, where is that Microsoft portable game device!??? :)
1. Re:FYI - SOCOM Fireteam Bravo Voicechat Info by Anonymous Coward · 2006-02-23 07:41 · Score: 0
  
  I'm curious why this got modded OffTopic when the summary clearly mentions SOCOM, and no one else provided any info and details about voicechat.
  
  My hope was to have some detailed comparisons between the two, and to get more info on the DS voicechat.
  (I find it curious the yahoo article link no longer works. Anyone know why?)
How about you advertise somewhere else? by Anonymous Coward · 2006-02-09 19:31 · Score: 0

Why don't you GTFO of a Nintendo thread and advertise your fucking shit back on /b/, you fucking PLANT?

Those of you who don't get it : http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM .20060208.gtplugged08/BNStory/Technology/AtPlay