Splatoon! Bow to your immortal queen, and indisputed best girl- Marie

[Carbo]

Hmmm, its almost as if this was Nintendo's first attempt at an online shooter game, oh wait it is

Not a good excuse.

Closer to "this was a title they didn't expect to want to put more time into the oven".

[Gabz Girl]

Hmmm, its almost as if this was Nintendo's first attempt at an online shooter game, oh wait it is

 

Well, yeah, but the fact that they didn't even include features such as friend lobbies and voice chat even though MK8 has both of these (private chat but still) just boggles the mind!

[Willsy]

Hmmm, its almost as if this was Nintendo's first attempt at an online shooter game, oh wait it is

Yet they missed out something at launch that is so basic that even previous Nintendo games like Mario Kart 8 and Smash Bros had. Friend lobbies date back even before the Wii U in Nintendo games. It's such a stupid thing to omit that "it's their first online shooter" isn't an excuse. They have done online games before, and they have done them right. I don't understand why Splatoon is missing features that are not only painfully standard but features that were in previous Nintendo titles.

[Sami]

Hmmm, its almost as if this was Nintendo's first attempt at an online shooter game, oh wait it is

 

Then don't charge $60 if you can't compete with people that do this shit way better than you.

[Sean]

Carbo's stated it multiple times, the only possible explanation for it is that Nintendo just didn't expect Splatoon to grow as big as it did. It doesn't mean it's a justified omission but that should answer anyone going "I don't understand why it's this" especially since they're aiming to rectify it

[Junko]

Hmmm, its almost as if this was Nintendo's first attempt at an online shooter game, oh wait it is

Lmao, I don't quite understand why you're so quick to defend but not to judge. Of course it's their first try, but it doesn't omit the basic fucking mistakes they've made, amiibo being the least of their issues.

Oh and fuck you, Metroid Prime Hunters' online was swag.

[Daisy-Fan]

Hmmm, its almost as if this was Nintendo's first attempt at an online shooter game, oh wait it is

 

 

Metroid Prime Hunters, crazy how people has forgot a such title like this,

 

Edit: already got tell, but at least MPH was enjoyable then MP2 MP.

[Kaze no Klonoa]

Honestly, despite the limited online features, I like what I see here. Despite the demo's times being a little too much for me (God damn the one on Friday is basically telling me to stay up all night, and I'll have to give up the one that starts 8 AM in the morning for me so I can get a good enough sleep after that), I'll definitely give it a shot. I've always wanted to play this game, and if there is anything in the world to convince me to get a game, it's a demo.

[MegasonicZX]

So question, what time does the first demo session start in eastern time?

[Kaze no Klonoa]

So question, what time does the first demo session start in eastern time?

11 PM-12PM EST.

 

You're gonna have to stay up late on that one.

[Tracker_TD]

 

There's a setting for colour-blind people in here; nice one Ninty!

[MegasonicZX]

11 PM-12PM EST.

 

You're gonna have to stay up late on that one.

Welp, i'm probably out then since I have to be to work in the morning, hopefully I can catch saturday :/

[-Mark-]

Just heard that the game had a colourblind setting;

 

https://twitter.com/NinEverything/status/596427343087816705

 

My boyfriend's overjoyed at that, he's colourblind and has a hard time with colour-specific things in games as a result.

[MegasonicZX]

Thats pretty cool that nintendo would think of colorblind people too, more dev's should really do this.

[Inkling Cooper]

I'll be doing the demo on Saturday. So, how does the online in the demo work?

[sonicgirl313]

I downloaded the demo already to be prepped for today. I wasn't going to miss out getting a taste of the multiplayer.

My brother refuses to play with me because he's convinced the demo is going to lag like crazy.

[Blacklightning]

Kind of amazing that Nintendo went out of their way to include a function that should be obligatory in every shooter game (colourblind setting / colour picking) yet somehow isn't, and somehow neglected to include a function that is obligatory to every shooter game despite having no reason not to.

Hmmm, its almost as if this was Nintendo's first attempt at an online shooter game, oh wait it is

 

I literally don't understand how Smash Bros.'s amiibo functionality can operate without having an amiibo. It's like those toys were designed for that game specifically, there's no way that kind of feature can work as shop-bought content

It's not to say Amiibo fighters don't benefit from the physical media part of Amiibo figurines if nothing else, but honestly, anyone here who's even dabbled in Chao raising can probably tell you that they'd still work fine without the toys. It's not like the Amiibo themselves actually have complex AI patterns that can analyze how a player plays a game - all of that is handled by the game's own programming. Conversely, the Amiibo's own role in this is essentially being a wireless storage medium.
 
Which is kind of a shame to me, because if Nintendo actually went out of their way to make an Amiibo teach itself to play any game by watching the player they'd definently hold a lot more value to me. Right now they're pretty much just collectible season passes.

[Sean]

The fact that amiibos act as physical storage is important. One of the major draws of FP characters is being able to use them on any copy of the game and make them fight with friends' other FPs.

The toys are necessary in Smash's case.

[Willsy]

While I am still looking forward to the game, I can't say I feel happy with the game being incomplete at launch. We are in an industry that relies way too much on patches and updates to complete a game just so it can meet a deadline, even if it harms the quality of the game. In Splatoon's case, I feel that it unfortunetly harms the initial launch which is a pretty bad scenario as word of mouth will get around, and negative word of mouth often negates positive when it comes to the gaming community. Not only that, but if they don't add new content regularly enough people will simply become fed up of waiting and stop playing.

Another issue is, how large will these updates be in terms of file size? The Wii U's storage (both models) is laughable at best and not all kids are going to have a USB storage device they can use. This is another issue with pushing content into patches, if a kid has the basic system with no external storage they are basically out of luck thanks to an oversight on Nintendo's part. If they can somehow keep the file size down however, it shouldn't be a problem.

One thing's for sure though, launching with five maps and one mode in an online multiplayer shooter that you have to pay for is not a good decision. If it was free to play then I would understand....but it's not. Luckily the price is low in non-US regions (fuck you NoA) so that cools the burn off, but I hope they don't do this again and with a more expensive title.

[CelerinaTheJackrabbit]

Another issue is, how large will these updates be in terms of file size? The Wii U's storage (both models) is laughable at best and not all kids are going to have a USB storage device they can use. This is another issue with pushing content into patches, if a kid has the basic system with no external storage they are basically out of luck thanks to an oversight on Nintendo's part. If they can somehow keep the file size down however, it shouldn't be a problem.

One thing's for sure though, launching with five maps and one mode in an online multiplayer shooter that you have to pay for is not a good decision. If it was free to play then I would understand....but it's not. Luckily the price is low in non-US regions (fuck you NoA) so that cools the burn off, but I hope they don't do this again and with a more expensive title.

I dunno. You really don't need a full TB HD unless you're planning to only buy digitally. Really, all you need is a little USB stick. And seeing as a 32GB one, at least for me, was fairly cheap... I'm pretty sure most folks could afford that.

 

I agree with you on the price outside the US though. ( 70$ CAD, what the hell. Is it gold plated or something? )

[Carbo]

While I am still looking forward to the game, I can't say I feel happy with the game being incomplete at launch. We are in an industry that relies way too much on patches and updates to complete a game just so it can meet a deadline, even if it harms the quality of the game. In Splatoon's case, I feel that it unfortunetly harms the initial launch which is a pretty bad scenario as word of mouth will get around, and negative word of mouth often negates positive when it comes to the gaming community. Not only that, but if they don't add new content regularly enough people will simply become fed up of waiting and stop playing.

Another issue is, how large will these updates be in terms of file size? The Wii U's storage (both models) is laughable at best and not all kids are going to have a USB storage device they can use. This is another issue with pushing content into patches, if a kid has the basic system with no external storage they are basically out of luck thanks to an oversight on Nintendo's part. If they can somehow keep the file size down however, it shouldn't be a problem.

One thing's for sure though, launching with five maps and one mode in an online multiplayer shooter that you have to pay for is not a good decision. If it was free to play then I would understand....but it's not. Luckily the price is low in non-US regions (fuck you NoA) so that cools the burn off, but I hope they don't do this again and with a more expensive title.

It goes either ways.

Team Fortress 2 launched with 6 maps, 3 modes and substantially less content than Splatoon has, and that was one of the most critically acclaimed multiplayer shooters of all time at it's release, with no new content for several months (never mind the fact that every server ever was Dustbowl or 2Fort). Killing Floor, a series that debuted often with sparse content, got by primarily because of word of mouth, to the point that Killing Floor 2 launched as recently as a week ago to heavily scarce content but plenty of positive reception.

If a game is released with a rock solid foundation the word of mouth can only go upwards in the face of post-launch content, and Splatoon isn't necessarily launching in any "incomplete" state. Everything they'd shown and promised up to yesterday is stuff that will be there when the game hits, and they've been fully transparent with that. It's up to you whether you feel like 5 maps (which as something that the likes of Blood Gulch, Nuketown etc. have proved, doesn't mean that quantity is the boon of a multiplayer shooter), two modes, ~30 level single player campaign and heavy customization features is something that sounds like a good way to kickstart the game.

I don't think it was a good idea to segregate the launch MSRPs. The US echo chamber has been significant in that regard as Splatoon is launching there for around $20 more than it is here in Europe, and that really doesn't make any sense to me personally. The only possible "excuse" I can see is the fear that not charging the game for $60 creates the implication that the game isn't a "premium" experience from the developers part. That said if $60 is the asking price, don't expect it to go down in value by the time you feel like the "necessary" content will be available. Nintendo tax is some weird shit. If you're interested in the game on those merits it's perfectly reasonable to consider when you're going to buy it because you're still getting the content. It's just a matter of whether you want to ride the wave ahead of everyone else.

The one thing I'm openly critical about is the matchmaking modes. That has no business being there late. But in the end the meta is what's going to determine word of mouth, and if Splatoon releases with good impressions on that front, it has nowhere to go but up. Refer to games like the aforementioned TF2, and even today, Killer Instinct, as examples of how things heavily change for the better with continuous content. Even though you could make the argument that several of the games I've mentioned in passing are cheaper (though Killing Floor 2 is only $10 cheaper than Splatoon's EU MSRP), games don't live on their price point. Even the cheapest games die out if they don't have the meta and game play to support it, which is what is going to fully draw people in. There's a good chance that most people will be aware of the game's post-launch support due to the whole news cast, so it ought to be good. This is the kind of game that you're in it for the long haul. Continuous support defines it and it's success, and such things have heavily benefited games like Mario Kart 8 and Hyrule Warriors in sales. For Splatoon it's easily it's best selling point for the reliance on community.

As an aside, I can sort of see why Nintendo are pushing it out the way they are. For one thing, they needed something in the May calendar. Delaying it to June would not be too smart since that's when they have Yoshi en route. Delaying it to July or August would be nonsensical since that's the Summer death wish period. Launching new IPs during summer is the worst possible thing to do, especially for a game like Splatoon on the Wii U. They could move it to September but that's when Mario Maker is due and the general Fall season competition will be heating up.

With the kind of game Splatoon is, launching in May is the perfect choice, and spreading out content throughout the summer was an ingenious move.

[Autosaver]

Yeah I can't stress that enough that the quantity of maps don't make a difference. I've played multiple shooters and it's usually 1-2 maps that are replayed over and over because they're so good. Maps have been added to these games but they don't matter because they're rarely picked from the rotation table.

 

Nintendo has done DLC right and we've seen it. Smash Bros will be getting a year of updates and Mario Kart added over half a game. Pikmin 3 also had some cool DLC. If Nintendo can continually provide updates to Splatoon then by the time things get "old", we will have new content. Mario Kart 8 DLC rejuvenated its life.

[Failinhearts]

Just heard that the game had a colourblind setting;

 

https://twitter.com/NinEverything/status/596427343087816705

 

My boyfriend's overjoyed at that, he's colourblind and has a hard time with colour-specific things in games as a result.

 

Sweet, really thinking about everyone (except the people who want chat) Nintendo! Props to you!

[DarkRula]

Splatoon to me sounds a good game, and as others have said - quality over quantity. And of course, free updates adding to the game.

A small fear is that the primary mode might not be good enough to hold the game until Ranked Matches and new modes come into play. While games like Battlefield and Call of Duty have the same core concept, they still launch with a shelf-load of modes. Splatoon will only have one until aforementioned Ranked Matches and new modes do come into play.

I suppose we'll find out when the demo starts up. Just five and a half hours to go.

[Cyrus]

Imma be honest, I haven't been following this game in quite a while. I'm still eager to play it though, and I'm even more excited now that I've just now heard that there's a demo coming out tonight. The limited time is really questionable though, but I shouldn't be surprised that Nintendo's made yet another questionable decision.