Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection details

[GFLPraxis]

The original interview:
http://portables.p-nintendo.com/articles/I-89-2.html

From Gamesarefun.com:
For those who just want to read the important parts, I've summarized them below.

WCS = Wi-Fi Connection Service

-As Nintendo has stated before, you won't have to pay to play their 1st party DS games online.
-Nintendo's WCS will be free for 3rd party publishers to use. They have the option of charging if they desire. They will own their own network-infrastructure. Use of the matchmaking service will be free.
-Everyone will have a kind of buddy list. You'll be able to add people you know in the "real world," of course, as well as people you only know online.
-There are a few parameters you can set to fine-tune who you play against online. You could choose to only play against people you know (on your friends list), or you could choose to only play with people in a certain area (European players only, for instance), or you could choose to only play against players of a certain skill level. Basically, Nintendo wants you to be able to choose however you want to compete online.
-Each DS user is uniquely identified in the system. Adding people to your buddy list will be kind of like giving someone your cell phone number. Everyone will get a unique "password" of sorts each time they want to send someone a friend invite.
-You can have a separate name or "tag" for each game you play online. Also, you'll be able to pick names that people have used already (if you want to use "Bob," you can, even if someone else used it already). This works because each DS will have a unique userID (which you will never see).
-You'll be able to connect your account to nintendo.com (or nintendo-europe.com). Your stats, friends, etc. can be viewed online.
-The Wi-Fi Connection Service will be launching worldwide (a specific date still hasn't been mentioned; though we know it has to be before Mario Kart DS comes out in November).
-Nintendo took way too long to release Animal Crossing (GameCube) in Europe. Even though Animal Crossing DS will be released in Japan and North America before Europe; the release delay won't be as huge as the original's.
-Mario Kart DS will be the first game to use WFC, probably followed by Tony Hawk's American Wasteland and then Animal Crossing DS. There are a number of other games that you will use WFC that haven't been announced yet.

Good stuff, no? Some details are a bit hard to understand (the interview wasn't originally in English); I suggest clicking on the link above and reading the full interview for more.

Source: Puissance Nintendo
http://www.gamesarefun.com/news.php?newsid=5450



Wow. This seems, FROM MY KNOWLEDGE (please, anyone who knows the exact features list of XBox Live, correct me) to be pretty much everything XBox Live has, except downloadable content (the DS has no storage), the voice masking (apparently the voice chat takes a lot of power for a system with a 66 MHz processor, so not all games will use it), and the price tag. I am most impressed. This is pretty good for a handheld system and Nintendo's first WiFi outing. I suggest reading the interview.

This is pretty cool. I can't wait for DS Online.

[spaceballl]

Yeah I read the interview you summed up. It sounds GREAT. The first generation of Wi-Fi games seem neat... But i'm VERY MUCH looking forward to what kind of stuff we'll see in a year. I love how the online service is free for all first party games and free for 3rd party devs to utilize. It sounds pretty much exactly what i'd like it to be like. It almost seems to good to be true. Let's hope Nintendo doesn't F up this theoretical gem.

[michaelltd]

I'm really hoping that Konami will make use of Nintendo's Wifi Connection service for Yu-Gi-Oh!: Nightmare Troubadour. I want to duel people all over the world!!

I doubt it though... :(

[raggedjimmi]

Just got bomberman DS this morning, US import Nintendogs arrives this week, Mario Kart in a month or so, online free, student loan arrives next month... gaming life doesn't get much better :)

[mrgreen4242]

As Nintendo is sitting on the best action/adventure RPG franchise of all time and are now playing catch up in the online gaming market, with the advantage of it being in the only real player in the handheld market, one can only hope we get a MMORPG Zelda game.

Zelda has so many fans of so many age groups, and has so many variations (classic top down Zelda, the revisted top down views in Minish Cap and Four Swords, 3d 3rd person, with this generation having both amazing style - Wind Waker - and from the looks of it amazing detail - Twilight Princess) that a good online Zelda could easily be a system seller on a HUGE scale.

Even if it wasn't a MMORPG in the 'true' sense of 1,000's of players in the same world, but a something between Diablo and that (ie, I want more than a matching service for a Four Swords port). I'd be happy with a graphic chat area with 1,000's of players combined with the ability to visit different areas/dungeons in groups of 2-12 people. Something like the way Guild Wars on the PC is done, I believe.

I'd also be happy with either a 3D N64 style game, or a top down Four Sword looking adventure. Although I'd be most pleased, I think, if it were set in the Wind Waker universe (the island maps and everyone-wears-Link-cloths-for-a-birthday tradition would make it fit the best of all the Zelda stories).

Eitherway, it's nice to see that Nintendo has a shot at doing this right and we may get some really good quality games out of this! Personally, I'm going to hold off on the DS until either a Zelda game comes out or until a $99 price point (or maybe at least some used units available at the $99 or less point).

[kuyu]

Cool. I look forward to not paying attention in class this fall.

[rockthecasbah]

finally good news on the ds, most had been doubting it and saying it wouldn't be able to compete with the PSP, looks like soon those nay-sayers will be eating their words :p

[mrgreen4242]

finally good news on the ds, most had been doubting it and saying it wouldn't be able to compete with the PSP, looks like soon those nay-sayers will be eating their words :p

Well, isn't the DS outselling the PSP 2-1 worldwide even without the online service?

[applekid]

Mostly old news just regurgitated.

[raggedjimmi]

Mostly old news just regurgitated.

sorta, I think this is the first time its actually been set in stone. no more rumours there.

[Abulia]

Wow. This seems, FROM MY KNOWLEDGE (please, anyone who knows the exact features list of XBox Live, correct me) to be pretty much everything XBox Live has, except downloadable content (the DS has no storage), the voice masking (apparently the voice chat takes a lot of power for a system with a 66 MHz processor, so not all games will use it), and the price tag. I am most impressed. This is pretty good for a handheld system and Nintendo's first WiFi outing.Yes, except the part that Live has been doing this for what, nearly 3 years now? I know, I know…$49.99 ($4.16 a month!) is just a fortune to have to shell out for a well-managed online environment with more features.

Does Nintendo offer basic voice capability at all, sans the voice masking?

I'm wondering, why is this impressive?

[mrgreen4242]

Yes, except the part that Live has been doing this for what, nearly 3 years now? I know, I know…$49.99 ($4.16 a month!) is just a fortune to have to shell out for a well-managed online environment with more features.

Does Nintendo offer basic voice capability at all, sans the voice masking?

I'm wondering, why is this impressive?

IMO, this is impressive because it is a portable wireless device. The only other portable online gaming experience that has been released up till this is the N-Gage, which as we can see, has failed miserably. The DS is unlikely to fail, I think we can all agree.

Yes, the XBox did it first, but they did it, for a fee, on a system tied to your home and wired network. PCs were doing that for years before the XBox did. Being able to take your online multiplayer games with you 'anywhere' (you can get a wireless network connection) is a new and exciting proposition. I think this will be very good for Nintendo and gaming in general.

[spaceballl]

Yes, except the part that Live has been doing this for what, nearly 3 years now? I know, I know…$49.99 ($4.16 a month!) is just a fortune to have to shell out for a well-managed online environment with more features.
Does Nintendo offer basic voice capability at all, sans the voice masking?
I'm wondering, why is this impressive?
Nobody is doubting MS to have been first to online console gaming, but Nintendo's DS WiFi Connection looks to be the most elegant service yet.

And as far as voice, I love playing XBOX live, don't get me wrong... but I can't stand the voice. I turn that off.

[GFLPraxis]

Yes, except the part that Live has been doing this for what, nearly 3 years now? I know, I know…$49.99 ($4.16 a month!) is just a fortune to have to shell out for a well-managed online environment with more features.

Does Nintendo offer basic voice capability at all, sans the voice masking?

I'm wondering, why is this impressive?

This is impressive because it's on a portable device and it's free. Simple as that. Plus it has some interesting connectivity options and is done in a different way.

[GFLPraxis]

Well, isn't the DS outselling the PSP 2-1 worldwide even without the online service?

Yep. And even better in Japan.

This last week had the DS outselling the PSP and the other three consoles PUT TOGETHER in Japan...
http://nintendoinsider.com/site/EEkuuEAyuVVPcSlYql.php

Heck, the GBA SP's sales were only 2% off the PSP's.

[raggedjimmi]

The PSP doesn't look set to do well in the UK either. I was having a nice chat with a guy at Game whose worked there for too long, looks surprisingly like Simon Pegg too... Telling me that the DS had a massive pre-order list, so much they had to get more stock in for fear of selling out. yet, at the moment there are 3 PSP pre-orders.

but ho hum.
not surprised to see the SP doing so well still. its an awesome piece of equipment. made better by what could be the console worlds longest backwards compatibility ability (GB games). till the Rev. of course.

[mkrishnan]

I'm just finding out about this...but wouldn't it be amazing if you could convert AIM / MSN / Y! buddy lists to Gameboy buddy lists -- that is, automatically find everyone on some kind of existing friend list who owns one, and add them?

Anyway, I'm excited about this coming out! :)

[eva01]

Also i read online that McDonalds will have wireless networks for DSs.

This is going to be kickass, i will destroy you all :P and a yughio game would be kickass

But just wait till they decide to make a Pokemon MMORPG

[greatdevourer]

I'm just finding out about this...but wouldn't it be amazing if you could convert AIM / MSN / Y! buddy lists to Gameboy buddy lists -- that is, automatically find everyone on some kind of existing friend list who owns one, and add them?

Anyway, I'm excited about this coming out! :) Someone said summat about a messenger program, but no-one knew whether it was gonna be a standard one or proprietry. I'm not to phased either way - someone'll port GAIM for the homebrew people :D

[GFLPraxis]

I'm sure GAIM will run on DSLinux :D

[greatdevourer]

I'm sure GAIM will run on DSLinux :D Yeah, but as yet, DSLinux is just CLI - GAIM is a GUI app

[takao]

Yeah, but as yet, DSLinux is just CLI - GAIM is a GUI app

there was a CLI icq port for linux.. micq ? something like that a few years (tried it out by myself.. kinda funny)

[mkrishnan]

Someone said summat about a messenger program, but no-one knew whether it was gonna be a standard one or proprietry. I'm not to phased either way - someone'll port GAIM for the homebrew people :D

I don't mean a messenger program...I guess that would be nice, but I personally don't care too much about that. What I mean is a way to easily get your friends from other contexts, like IM, where they're already registered, onto your list of game "buddies" in the DS.

[GFLPraxis]

Yeah, but as yet, DSLinux is just CLI - GAIM is a GUI app


As yet. It won't stay that way forever. :)