Nintendo Switch

[pulsemyne]

There is one element in Doom that really suits portable play, the checkpoint system. You really can play the game in bite-sized chunks. 

[Majora]

Just attempted to wake my Switch and the screen is just black. I can raise and lower volume and bring up the power options by holding down the power button but none of them do anything. Weirdly I still get the click noises if I slide the joycons on and off but otherwise it's basically unresponsive. 

 

Considering I can't even power it off I guess I'm just going to have to wait for the battery to drain and hope for the best. 

[Monkeyspill]

1 minute ago, Majora said:

Just attempted to wake my Switch and the screen is just black. I can raise and lower volume and bring up the power options by holding down the power button but none of them do anything. Weirdly I still get the click noises if I slide the joycons on and off but otherwise it's basically unresponsive. 

 

Considering I can't even power it off I guess I'm just going to have to wait for the battery to drain and hope for the best. 

I had the same issue. Just hold down the power button until it resets.

[Mike S]

Just now, Majora said:

Just attempted to wake my Switch and the screen is just black. I can raise and lower volume and bring up the power options by holding down the power button but none of them do anything. Weirdly I still get the click noises if I slide the joycons on and off but otherwise it's basically unresponsive. 

 

Considering I can't even power it off I guess I'm just going to have to wait for the battery to drain and hope for the best. 

 

Try a hard reset by holding the power button for a fair few seconds.

 

[Marlew]

I've had that happen three or four times in the eight months or so it's been out. The reset tip worked every time. 

[Majora]

Oh, phew. Thanks guys, that sorted it. I knew a long hold brought up power options but I didn't know a really long hold did a hard reset. Crisis averted. 

[Shimmyhill]

1 hour ago, Captain LeChuck said:

The left joycon has done a real number on my left hand. Zelda's awkward controls haven't helped, you've got to really tuck your thumb in to change arrows/shields. First time I've ever had to give either of my hands a rest after gaming.  

 

Sounds like you need a pro controller!

[robdood]

@Captain LeChuck my hands hurts like fuck the first week or so. I've clearly developed new muscles / tendons to adapt as I no longer get any issues playing on the joycons.

 

Though there's no cure for pins and needles when playing in bed

[dataDave]

2 minutes ago, dood said:

Though there's no cure for pins and needles when playing in bed

 

More cardio and arms* work.

* Not the game.

[robdood]

I refuse to believe that enough cardio would beat gravity!

 

Its kind of like a Kiddy timer anyway.

[NEG]

Knight Terrors has proved to me just how useless the JoyCon Grip shoulder buttons are. Considering the games gimmick is to use shoulder buttons (L to fly, R to attack), I've been testing out every combination and JoyCon Grip, when it comes to responsiveness (for what is a frantic auto running hack and slash), is the absolute worst.

 

Great game though. Literal price of a coffee (£2.60) and 5 game modes. Already spent 3-4 hours on.

[Janski]

Any eshop recommendations for indie games? 

 

The store itself isn't great for browsing 

[NickC]

19 hours ago, scottcr said:

I know I'm a massive raging fanboy - but sitting playing Doom at the climbing centre with my coffee while my son was at his class was just *brilliant*. 

 

Love the idea of you sitting there totally focused, your pulse quickening, a few beads of sweat on your forehead, you murmuring "Have that you bastard!"... whilst all the other parents watch on in curiosity as they sip their coffees 

[dataDave]

14 hours ago, pulsemyne said:

There is one element in Doom that really suits portable play, the checkpoint system. You really can play the game in bite-sized chunks. 

 

Even without a checkpoint system the Switch sleep mode is great, I wish the GBA had something similar.

[Marlew]

@Janski

 

This is my work in progress Switch eShop guide (edited for indies only, roughly in order of recommendation, to my tastes):

 

The Binding of Isaac AB+ (top tier roguelike, 300 hours and counting, still enjoying it just as much)

Shovel Knight (NES throwback with modern refinement and progression, lots of game)

Axiom Verge (very good Metroidvania, charming 16-bit presentation and thumping soundtrack, best in class on the system)
Thumper (psychedelic intense rhythm game) 
Deemo (rhythm game, piano based, pretty)
Slime-san (charming Meat Boy style platformer, reminds me of the C64 era)
Butcher (2D pixelated Doom, violent, brutal sound effects, great fun)
Cave Story+ (expensive but superb Metroidvania, brilliant soundtrack, fun story) 
Sonic Mania (authentic throwback, imaginative, refined) 

Golf Story (charming, quite funny, simple relaxing gameplay)

Jydge (an exact cross between Mr. Shifty and Neuro Voider, better than both - see below!)
Neuro Voider (twin stick roguelike, lots of loot upgrades and weapon combos, lacking only in broader progression system) 
Mr. Shifty (Hotline Miami meets Blink from Dishonoured, satisfying melee, puzzle elements)

Gonner (quirky roguelike shooter, satisfying movement and shooting, some left turns) 
Bulb Boy (spooky B-movie point-and-click, short)
Graceful Explosion Machine (high score chasing shmup, elegant mechanics but repetitive)
Shantae (fun, challenging platformer based around the theme of tits)
Blaster Master Zero (NES style platform shmup fun, surprisingly varied)
Voez (beautiful rhythm game with mostly shitty J-pop tunes, some belters redeem it)
Forma.8 (Metroidvania, you control a kind of metal ball, sounds shit but very atmospheric)

Thimbleweed Park (enjoyable point and click, Ron Gilbert's all over it)
Steamworld Dig 2 (charming presentation, Spelunky-esque platforming and resource gathering plus gear upgrades)

The Mummy Demastered (Metroidvania meets Contra, feels like a lost 16-bit belter)

Wonder Boy (looks gorgeous, gameplay and level design is untouched from Master System version)
Mighty Gunvolt Burst (shooty platforming in the footsteps of Mega Man)
Earth Atlantis (interesting concept, 'free roaming' shmup hunting bosses to unlock the map, quite repetitive in every respect)
Kamiko (high score chasing HLD-lite, designed to be replayed)
Tumble Seed (an interesting, unique puzzler and much more accessible now it's patched, beautiful presentation, relaxing but also infuriating)

Count Lucanor (very creepy pixelated adventure, good sense of exploration, not much mechanical skill to it)
Flame in the Flood (beautiful presentation and music, survival game, lots of gathering and crafting)
Kingdom New Lands (beautifully presented tactical base builder/resource management kind of thing but it's a mobile game really, very simple controls, quite buggy)

[R0b]

12 hours ago, dood said:

I refuse to believe that enough cardio would beat gravity!

 

Is there a doctor in the building?

[parkinho]

Great list, @Stanshall

I'd also throw Wulverblade into the mix if you're after an old-school beat 'em up that provides plenty of challenge, gore, Scottish accents and the ability to use severed limbs as weapons.

[Marlew]

1 hour ago, parkinho said:

Great list, @Stanshall

I'd also throw Wulverblade into the mix if you're after an old-school beat 'em up that provides plenty of challenge, gore, Scottish accents and the ability to use severed limbs as weapons.

 

Cheers, man. I've played a good few more bits and bobs but couldn't necessarily recommend them.

 

Wulverblade is definitely on my list to try, though. It does look right up my street and combat looks chunky and crunchy. I'll keep hovering over the button and hope for a little sale at some point soon. 

[rgraves]

On 11/10/2017 at 18:30, Alexlotl said:

the more money you’ve earned, the better equipment (i.e. more abilities) you can afford.

 

Not to labor this any further, but you *do not* directly buy abilities in Splatoon - they are unlocked, randomly, on gear you are wearing. You buy clothes, hats, shoes with between 1 and 3 slots - then the abilities are added to them at random (well, you can try to influence buy buying a certain brand of gear or eating food but it just increases chance still).

 

Honestly, balance is not something to worry about in Splatoon - this is not a game in which you simply cannot compete - the weapon you get in the very first level is just as useful as any you get later on - many, many high-level players are using the opening weapon sets. You don't unlock some uber-powerful stuff later on - you just unlock variety. Everything you need is there from very early on, what experience and playtime teaches you is what your play-style is and what abilities matter the most to you. There is no 'best set' of anything.

[Alexlotl]

You don't directly buy abilities, but you do directly buy ability *slots*, either in the form of higher level clothing or upgrades. So the more you've played, the more slots you have, and the more abilities you have. Plus, the random nature of the abilities gained means that the longer you've played, the more likely you are to have achieved a decent set.

 

Put two equally skilled players up against each other, one with random single-slot starters kit and one with an optimised three-slot kit, and the three-slotter will win. Now give that three-slotter better knowledge of the levels and more experience of the game's systems, and the odds are stacked against Johnny One-Slot.

 

But I can see we're not going to agree here, so let's drop it.

[rgraves]

4 minutes ago, Alexlotl said:

But I can see we're not going to agree here, so let's drop it.

 

I'll agree - as long as you then agree that there is absolutely no game on earth that will meet your criteria - you're basically saying every game ever will be unfair because some people will have played it more.

 

Trust me when I say, Splatoon is one of the most balanced multiplayer games out there - the stuff it gives you in your opening game is just as useful as the stuff you get later on. There is no more powerful gun, they just don't exist in the game. At all.

 

And actually you can earn absolutely everything upgrade potential wise in one day - take part in one spaltfest for example (losing every game if you want it won't matter!) and you have enough snails to up whatever gear you have to three slots. Done. Theoretical "Max Power" reached.

 

Or do it without snails - you do know you can just buy whatever you see people wearing in the plaza - for not a lot of cash, it's not like you have to play for long at all to afford a 3-slot t-shirt if you want one.

 

You're in a hurry to get to maximum 3-slot gear - you should be using the time it takes you to get there to work out what you want in those three slots when you have them - because the only differentiation is the combinations. They add nuance, not overwhelming power or advantage.

[CovisGod]

Buying a second Switch power adapter so I can leave one plugged into the dock which is tricky to get at, and having one I can carry around with me / plug in upstairs for in bed gaming sessions.... A good idea or just lazy ?

 

I had an “early night” the other night and took my Switch up to bed, it turned into a Zelda marathon and for the first time playing portably I got the battery warning thing flash up, queue me running downstairs with my knob out desperately trying to unplug it from the dock behind the telly (the lead not my knob).

 

Would also be handy to have one at work in my bag, train journeys etc. And for the price what are they £20 ? It’s probably worth getting a second one.

 

No replies needed folks, I’ve already talked myself into it typing this out.

[catinthehat]

Cross post from the Skyrim thread, but does anybody know if I buy Skyrim digitally, will it load faster than from the cart? And do I need a memory card or will it fit on the internal memory? I’ve not downloaded anything else. 

[DeniableAsset]

4 minutes ago, CovisGod said:

Buying a second Switch power adapter so I can leave one plugged into the dock which is tricky to get at, and having one I can carry around with me / plug in upstairs for in bed gaming sessions.... A good idea or just lazy ?

 

I had an “early night” the other night and took my Switch up to bed, it turned into a Zelda marathon and for the first time playing portably I got the battery warning thing flash up, queue me running downstairs with my knob out desperately trying to unplug it from the dock behind the telly (the lead not my knob).

 

Would also be handy to have one at work in my bag, train journeys etc. And for the price what are they £20 ? It’s probably worth getting a second one.

 

No replies needed folks, I’ve already talked myself into it typing this out.

I thought about this for ages, then picked up a massive anker battery and the requisite USB B to USB C cable. That way I'm not limited to needing a power socket. It has come in very handy on long haul flights. Just need to keep on top of where the charge is at on the battery.

[CovisGod]

1 minute ago, DeniableAsset said:

I thought about this for ages, then picked up a massive anker battery and the requisite USB B to USB C cable. That way I'm not limited to needing a power socket. It has come in very handy on long haul flights. Just need to keep on top of where the charge is at on the battery.

 

Anything you could recommend mate ? 

[Lovelyman]

I've got this 

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01CHZMFUS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[DeniableAsset]

12 minutes ago, CovisGod said:

 

Anything you could recommend mate ? 

Sorry it was  Ravpower I got - The cable is Anker. It doesn't seem to be for sale anymore but this is the equivalent:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Portable-RAVPower-22000mAh-Li-polymer-Smartphones-Black/dp/B01GJFNQYG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1510575474&sr=8-3&keywords=ravpower+power+bank

 

This one is a bit bigger I think mine is 18,000. Also - USB-C is still something of a minefield with some cables not actually being the right grade to charge and so on but this cable works for me:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B011995DDO/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

But there are cheaper/smaller options out there:

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2017-the-best-switch-power-banks-tested

[DeniableAsset]

1 minute ago, Mrs Horribleman said:

I've got this 

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01CHZMFUS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Boom.

Also comes in useful with iPhones, and so on. I even regularly charge my camera batteries from it when I',m travelling.

[CovisGod]

Thanks fellas 

[catinthehat]

Great, more stuff I didn't know I wanted, that I now need.  Yeah, thanks fellas.

 

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