Goodbye NX, hello Switch

[jpiniero]

FWIW Nintendo implied in their financial report that there would be no new hardware released in their Fiscal Year; which ends March 2024. So if you were hoping that Switch 2 would be released this year, that's not happening. Although it could still be some time later in 2024.

 

[igor_kavinski]

I hope AMD significantly undercuts Nvidia for the Switch 2's SoC. I want the dagger to go right through Jensen and sever the nerve that controls his bowel movements.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

Turns out ToTK uses FSR in it's 1.1.0 update per Spawn Wave.

 

[RPD]

Heat visor/x-ray and in general and needing to swap weapons was super annoying for me. With regards to the map - you kind of learn where you are after a while. The map could use some tuning, but I didn't think that the back-tracking was that bad. The only thing that I really hated were those

Spoiler

fission metroids

. However, there is no doubt that 2d Metroid is better. The controls, the feeling - it's just better.

I guess my expectations where unfair, I was expecting faster paced FPS type fights, the visor swapping and gun swapping aren't very smoothly incorporated into FPS elements IMO. Going to have to really grit my teeth to finish it. Also yes, fucking map controls, how can 100% of the time do I move the map in the way I didn't want every time I open it?

 

[purbeast0]

I guess my expectations where unfair, I was expecting faster paced FPS type fights, the visor swapping and gun swapping aren't very smoothly incorporated into FPS elements IMO. Going to have to really grit my teeth to finish it. Also yes, fucking map controls, how can 100% of the time do I move the map in the way I didn't want every time I open it?

Metroid Prime was not an FPS game. Back in the day they called it an FPA - first person adventure.

And I think that is the correct genre for it because it is not like any other FPS game and doesn't really try to be a traditional FPS game.

Also, keep in mind, the control in Gamecube did not use dual analog sticks, and all it really had was the auto-aim. It did not control like a traditional FPS game at all back in the day.

 

[RPD]

Metroid Prime was not an FPS game. Back in the day they called it an FPA - first person adventure.

And I think that is the correct genre for it because it is not like any other FPS game and doesn't really try to be a traditional FPS game.

Also, keep in mind, the control in Gamecube did not use dual analog sticks, and all it really had was the auto-aim. It did not control like a traditional FPS game at all back in the day.

Yea, my fault for the expectations; FPA is actually a good category for it. In the 2D games you are trying to dodge as much stuff as possible, you get E-tanks so you can be more mistake prone. Here it seems like all the fights are always so close combat that you can't really utilize the dodge-dash while locked and get hit so much and coming from FPS expectations it's soul crushing to get hit so much.

 

[purbeast0]

Yea, my fault for the expectations; FPA is actually a good category for it. In the 2D games you are trying to dodge as much stuff as possible, you get E-tanks so you can be more mistake prone. Here it seems like all the fights are always so close combat that you can't really utilize the dodge-dash while locked and get hit so much and coming from FPS expectations it's soul crushing to get hit so much.

You can do the dash while locked on if I remember can't you?

I actually found the game pretty easy in general and didn't die much at all, and I think I only died at bosses.

But yeah if you came in expecting more of a traditional FPS game, I can def see why you'd be somewhat disappointed.

 

[RPD]

You can do the dash while locked on if I remember can't you?

I actually found the game pretty easy in general and didn't die much at all, and I think I only died at bosses.

But yeah if you came in expecting more of a traditional FPS game, I can def see why you'd be somewhat disappointed.

That's the only time you can do the dash as far as I know, just seems like the fights with the pirates (at least where I'm at) the space available to move around is very limited so the dash doesn't even seem helpful.

 

[quikah]

I hope AMD significantly undercuts Nvidia for the Switch 2's SoC. I want the dagger to go right through Jensen and sever the nerve that controls his bowel movements.

Maybe they can use the Ryzen Z1 chipset that are being used in PC handhelds. The big issue though is that they have all their tools setup for Nvidia, so good luck to the developers if they do decide to switch to AMD. Also, I would guess that would cause some issues with backwards compatibility for current switch games.

In other news, Nintendo decided to copystrike Alanah Pearce for watching Skillup's Zelda preview on stream (a sanctioned Nintendo video).

 

[jpiniero]

Maybe they can use the Ryzen Z1 chipset that are being used in PC handhelds. The big issue though is that they have all their tools setup for Nvidia

The big issue is that Nintendo won't pay what the Z1 would be priced at. Also keep in mind the AMD marketing slides are talking about performance at 30 W... which surely Nintendo is not interested in.

 

[blckgrffn]

Maybe they can use the Ryzen Z1 chipset that are being used in PC handhelds. The big issue though is that they have all their tools setup for Nvidia, so good luck to the developers if they do decide to switch to AMD. Also, I would guess that would cause some issues with backwards compatibility for current switch games.

In other news, Nintendo decided to copystrike Alanah Pearce for watching Skillup's Zelda preview on stream (a sanctioned Nintendo video).

I dunno, they are using FSR and used AMD for several generations before the Switch. 3rd party engine support is pretty solid for RDNA2 due to few tens of millions of other consoles out there. Given there hasn't been a true mobile GPU from nvidia in some time, I lean towards a RNDA refresh target.

Nintendo, however, will do what is best for them. They will have a price target and fill in the rest from there. A DREAM would be a GPU as strong as the Steamdeck and some mid level ARM cpu (A7x something) from the last couple of years in a 6/8 core setup that actually runs at ~2ghz. Double the ram to 8GB. Then shop it to Samsung or someone to give them a really good deal on middling silicon. Or maybe even N6 from TSMC? lmao, probably not.

This would be a staggeringly large increase in performance and capability. It seems like Nintendo is completely cool going the beat of their own drum, and so if AAA ports work great, but they don't seem to lose sleep over it otherwise.

I'd buy it at launch and extra bonus points if there is a Bayo 3 updated version day 1 too. And of course I'll buy MK 8 again.

 

[jpiniero]

Nintendo, however, will do what is best for them. They will have a price target and fill in the rest from there. A DREAM would be a GPU as strong as the Steamdeck and some mid level ARM cpu (A7x something) from the last couple of years in a 6/8 core setup that actually runs at ~2ghz. Double the ram to 8GB. Then shop it to Samsung or someone to give them a really good deal on middling silicon. Or maybe even N6 from TSMC? lmao, probably not.

Steam Deck performance is reasonable. I could see people being upset over Steam Deck performance 2 years later... but that's Nintendo for ya.

 

[jpiniero]

BTW, the current rumors suggest that it is using a semi-custom variant of the Tegra Orin... which is Ampere based. It's possible that Samsung gave a good enough deal to get it on a node better than SS8 but it's not a guarantee.

 

[blckgrffn]

BTW, the current rumors suggest that it is using a semi-custom variant of the Tegra Orin... which is Ampere based. It's possible that Samsung gave a good enough deal to get it on a node better than SS8 but it's not a guarantee.

Meh, those are hot, power hungry and hella expensive unless you get a tiny one that comes with awful A57 cores. I know Nintendo could custom order it by the millions but it just doesn't seem like a realistic fit.

NVIDIA Jetson Store

Buy the Latest Jetson Products | NVIDIA Developer

store.nvidia.com

You know what it is? The only thing resembling a solution that nvidia has. It doesn't take much to start a rumor when there is only one viable option on the table from a given vendor.

I trust Nintendo to do right by themselves first and foremost.

What I would be incredibly disappointed in is a "refresh" of the current hardware that doubles the storage/ram maybe bumps CPU clock speeds 10-20% and calls it good. That would be horrible. There are Nintendo titles that deserve a better platform to really breathe.

 

[jpiniero]

Meh, those are hot, power hungry and hella expensive unless you get a tiny one that comes with awful A57 cores. I know Nintendo could custom order it by the millions but it just doesn't seem like a realistic fit.

It's realistic. The Orin chips normally have a lot of automotive stuff that Nintendo doesn't need. So it's probably 8xA78 plus 8 Ampere SMs, which gets you about 1.8 TF.

 

[blckgrffn]

It's realistic. The Orin chips normally have a lot of automotive stuff that Nintendo doesn't need. So it's probably 8xA78 plus 8 Ampere SMs, which gets you about 1.8 TF.

That's something similar to the $500 tool kit, even if you strip stuff out. What do you think Nintendo's real budget is on the CPU, GPU and memory hardware? It's gotta be south of $200, probably closer to $150. I don't know why nvidia would bother. They've got the $150 jetson nano kit and if they are involved that's what I expect we'd get. Gross for a product that'll be in use until 2030.

The first Switch chip made sense, nvidia had the shield console and essentially just repurposed it. There is no consumer Orin this time around and nvidia hasn't really made any play towards that. Not saying it can't happen, but we are in a different place in late 2024 than we were back in 2017 when Nintendo just got to use a cheap SOC that nvidia launched in ~2015. AMD had very little for that space at that time, now they are specializing in low power SOCs for mobile gaming. Nvidia? Not hardly at all.

I don't think nvidia is in a hurry to gift anything to anyone. We will see.

 

[jpiniero]

There is no consumer Orin this time around and nvidia hasn't really made any play towards that.

That's part of it I'm guessing. nVidia maybe will release some other products using the same chip.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

It's realistic. The Orin chips normally have a lot of automotive stuff that Nintendo doesn't need. So it's probably 8xA78 plus 8 Ampere SMs, which gets you about 1.8 TF.

Ouch, new Switch only being PS4 Slim level would be rough.

 

[jpiniero]

Ouch, new Switch only being PS4 Slim level would be rough.

Presumably they want decent battery life while being cheap enough to work in a theoretical Switch Lite 2 eventually.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

Tears of the Kingdom getting 10/10 reviews everywhere. So now that the information is publicly available and Nintendo approved, there are dungeons, much better and varied enemies, a crafting system where you're constantly making wild machines, and a fusion system that allows you to make all sorts of crazy weapons and shields. Like I can fuse a fire source to my shield to my shield spit fire at enemies when I block, stuff like that. It's like combining Breath of Wild, old school Zelda, and Minecraft in all the best ways and is one of the most creative games I have ever seen. I think it might be the best game Nintendo has ever made and I find it night and day better than Breath of the Wild.

 

[Oyeve]

Just ordered the Tears of the Kingdom OLED switch. I know its probably a waste of $$$ at this point but I could use the extra .8" screen size for my aging eyes. Plus I could always sell my old switch.

 

[sze5003]

Wish I had liked BoTW to actually get into the new game but I didn't. I'll probably watch someone on YouTube if they decide to do a walkthrough of the new game so I can get an idea but pretty sure with these type of games I like to have some sort of direction provided.

 

[purbeast0]

Just ordered the Tears of the Kingdom OLED switch. I know its probably a waste of $$$ at this point but I could use the extra .8" screen size for my aging eyes. Plus I could always sell my old switch.

If you play handheld ever, the OLED screen is NOTICEABLY nicer than the original screen.

I ended up modding my launch switch and selling it for more than I paid for the OLED switch when it launched.

 

[Oyeve]

If you play handheld ever, the OLED screen is NOTICEABLY nicer than the original screen.

I ended up modding my launch switch and selling it for more than I paid for the OLED switch when it launched.

Nice. I only play it handheld.

 

[purbeast0]

Nice. I only play it handheld.

In that case it is 100% worth the upgrade. You won't be disappointed.