Slashdot Mirror
How To Make the DS Even Better
Next Generation has up an interesting piece considering ways to make the ultra-successful Nintendo DS even better. Thoughts include streamlining the needlessly complicated 'friend code' system, adding internal flash ram to the device, and rolling out a virtual console system ala the Wii. Their best idea, I think, is to use the GBA slot on the system for a cartridge including all of these new elements: "The advantage over typical 'system upgrades', like the ram expansion for the N64 or the PS2 hard drive, is that this cartridge should have little direct effect on game software; it would simply transform the DS into a more useful and personal tool. Such an update would also weed out the necessity to offer a whole new DS model, further annoying people who felt forced to upgrade to the DS Lite - itself only a cosmetic adjustment."
but not officially. Companies like m3 and Flashloader make devices that plug in to the gba slot on the ds, fit flush, and either have a set amount of onboard flash, or have a slot for an SD card (regular for the original ds, mini or micro for the lite). You can run homebrew applications off of these, as well as listen to music (with the winamp equiv. in moonshell), and play emulated games (though some snes games won't run full speed due to the fx chip issue).
Now, this doesn't simplify the friends code issue, and it's definitely border line illegal, but it does exist.
How Jaded Are You?
If the DS in the US gets a browser that would basically make it kick so much more booty than it already does that I think even Batman might give it a slot in his belt.
And yes I agree with adding rumble to make it vibrate. Then Batgirl might give it a..yah...
I like basketball!!1!
People felt forced to upgrade to the DS Lite? Bullshit. People CHOSE to upgrade. It's a better, smaller system. It's more comfortable to hold, the screen is a lot bright and more colorful, and it's just over-all a better system. I upgrade only because I wanted to, not because there was some social pressure or something. There was certainly no pressure from Nintendo.
"If you make people think they're thinking, they'll love you; But if you really make them think, they'll hate you." - DM
a la Game Boy Camera. It should let you take pictures, movies, and talk online with "friends", and with the ability to talk through Skype.
I think it's a very good idea.
09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C1 bottles of beer on the wall. Take one down, pass it round... Oh, umm...
It should be soft and cuddly.
...with lots of firepower!
...and it should have telescopes! No, periscopes! No, microscopes!
Unlike the PSP, the DS has games that twice as many people find worth playing. The systems aren't even that far apart in price (PSP: $200, DS Lite + R4DS expansion card for playing media from microSD cards: $170), so game quality must be at least a major factor.
I know how to make the DS better! Three Screens! That is what makes it better than the PSP, isn't it?
All kidding aside, I'd say that the biggest issue that I have with it is the lack of WPA support for the wireless. In order to have wireless access, I need to either change the wireless settings on the router, or have a second router that uses WEP. I chose to have a second router that I only plug in when I want to play. The other issue that I've run into is that some public access points, such as at coffee shops, require a browser to connect to their service. There may be a workaround for it, in some cases, but it's still not that convenient to connect. I don't know if the browser "game" coming later will fix that, but it would be a good improvement. Overall, I think I'm happy with the DS, but it's not perfect.
warning: This post is likely to contain gobs of dripping sarcasm. Consume at your own risk.
For instance, WPA/WPA2 support would be nice.
GLaDOS for President 2016! "Well here we are again. It's always such a pleasure." -- GLaDOS, 2011
An english language version of Opera is already on the shelves in the suburban shops in Australia - you could order it online and have it delivered by slow boat long before the release date. Since it's here the UK and a few other places probably have it too.
I have yet to play a handheld that was anywhere as ergonomic as a console controller. The Logitech PS2 controller I have is amazing, so are the GCN controllers and the 360 controllers. Even the Wiimote/nunchuck, which I (although very excited) was worried was going to be hard to hold, I don't have any problem playing with for hours on end. But handhelds are still in the stone age, as far as ergonomics are concerned. They're slightly better than an NES controller... but wow, that's not saying much.
It's a tough one, how do you make a handheld that's ergonomic enough to play for hours on end, while at the same time being regularly enough shaped to be able to fit in a small space.
Multiplayer Gaming (defined): Sitting around, discussing single-player games with my friends, at the bar.
I'd say even two DS slots would be great - so that you wouldn't have to carry cartridge in pocket.
I like to play several games simultaneously and it would be nice feat to be able start another game w/o need to dig in bag looking for another cartridge. (And probability to lose cartridge would be smaller too.)
More than two is better. But I think two slots would be sufficient for most scenarios.
All hope abandon ye who enter here.
Hmmm... My thoughts on your list are as follows:
1. I agree the mic is annoying ("@#!* you Kawashima, I said BLUE!"), but I doubt it's going anywhere.
2. Yes. I never had an original DS, but those buttons are way too freakin' small.
3. If they added a second DS slot (which I would love), it would probably go up top. They will never get rid of the GBA slot because -- contrary to your belief -- that slot is very useful. The GBA has a huge library of games that ALL work on the DS. Perhaps more importantly, there are many DS games where you get extra functionality if you have the right GBA cart inserted. One word: Pokémon. They would never get away with taking away the ability to import all your creatures from the previous games -- the franchise is way too popular.
4. I agree, keep it simple. But a browser, appointment book, notepad, etc. all seem entirely feasible (I'm less convinced about all the media capabilities people are talking about; I agree they should just get a PSP if they want that). I doubt any of these changes will come for the current generation, but I would be very surprised if they weren't a part of the DS2.
While I agree with many of the points the article raised, I have (I think) some more important ones.
1) 802.11g with WPA encryption. Nintendo's official response to this is pretty much "go screw yourself!" but I'm prevented from using many wifi features due to using WPA on my WLAN.
2) Better use of wifi technology. The initial menus should show any DS users in range and what game they're playing when the system boots. Then you should be able to ask to join their game (provided you insert the right cart) by touching one of the games. That main boot menu is unused most of the time because people simply hit the button that starts the game they have inserted. I've seen so many people with a DS on the train when I have mine in my bag, but I can never tell what game they're playing and it's kind of annoying for me to ask them to quit so I could give them a game. Conversely, if a message scrolled past saying "Steve wants to join your game, press START to allow it" (without interrupting their play) they would probably allow it and we might even strike up a conversation afterwards. We can already play strangers on Nintendo WFC, why can't we do it with some agility in ad-hoc play?
3) Don't lock-up the OS when I pop out the cart. This is ridiculous. The system menus boot from ROM and I should be able to swap games without crashing the initial menu system. This is a requirement for point 2 to work. There are interrupts that fire when a cart is removed, but the DS firmware doesn't seem to handle them.
4) The DS browser is very slow due to lack of system memory. An official way of expanding the memory (like a mini SD slot or *officially supported* mini-SD expansion cart for the GBA slot) would be a nice feature.
5) Improve the sound quality, I have no problem with the visuals but the sound quality isn't really good enough for MP3s on headphones. 44khz sampling rates at 16bit would be nice.
6) Allow me to download demos of games with the browser and stream mp3 audio like web radio.
7) Give me a custom avatar to store in my personal data instead of making me draw a different one in every game.
8) Keep everything else as it is and don't try to turn it into a PDA.