3DS: First Thoughts Thread

The 3DS came out in the United States today, and I was lucky enough to get my brother's and let me play with it a little.
The 3D graphics are kind of fun to look at, but they do hurt your eyes after a little bit. The fact that the top screen is a little wider than the bottom screen does bother me a bit, however while playing a game you don't notice. The console is really more comfortable to hold than the previous generations, not counting the DSiXL because I have never used nor held one. That thing looks freaking huge though.
I do like the analog stick on the 3DS because it means we can now have comfortable and functional ports of Super Smash Bros, the upcoming Zelda: Ocarina of Time and a LOT more. I'm just waiting on a Zelda: Wind Waker port. I'm probably going to buy my own when Ocarina of Time comes out.
With the 3DS, about 3 new games came out. None of them are too great, though. My brother got Nintendogs +Cats because he was able to get it cheap and he really just wanted to see how the thing worked. The graphics, I must say, are great.
The graphics are close to Wii graphics (which is pretty good considering the size and portability) and the textures are great as well. Things like the fur on the dogs and cats do hurt your eyes a little on full 3D, by that I mean you have the 3D all the way up.
Sound. Nothing special here, just sounds like music and stuff.
I do like the new stylus-thing. You can slide it to adjust the size.
As far as Miis go, they're the same as on the Wii. However, you do make one that the console recognizes as you and makes it your 'avatar' used for a lot of things: games, it's what friends (friends work like they do on XBox Live and PSN) see, etc etc. The 3D camera is fun, but it kind of hurts my eyes. It does not have as many effects as the DSi Camera.

That's basically all I have to say from what I was able to do; I did not play with the Mii feature, the camera or anything else.
Things that I will do soon:
eStore - when it's launched in May

Tell me: What are your thoughts on the console? If you have one, tell me what you think. If you don't have one, why do you or why don't you want one?

Edited by: Açaí

Right now the 3D is the show stopper for me to not get one. I know that this pseudo-3D doesn't work on me (my eye-distance is not the norm) and since 3D is the (more or less) only selling point on the console I see no reason to get one if the selling point doesn't work (or hurts your eyes). Besides it is too pricey for a bug-riddled product. The past shows that Ninty needs a second re-design of the product (slim NDS) before the initial problems are ironed out. Better wait for the improved product as otherwise you have to buy it twice.

I couldnt be more uninterested really. I like the general idea of encorporating 3D without glasses and adding some motion capabilities, but the console has launched with a series of features that arent even usable until next month and the games launched with it sound uninspired.

Maybe I will look at the next generation of it and decide again then.

from the videos i saw looks good to me if homebrew scene will grab 3ds then im in for it but i don't know psp2 is on its way.

CrAzY3AGL3 wrote: from the videos i saw looks good to me if homebrew scene will grab 3ds then im in for it but i don't know psp2 is on its way.

Homebrew is not possible on the 3DS. People tried with the DSi, and the 3DS has the same if not better anti-homebrew software.
Also, the psp2 is out. PSPgo. The next PSP that has been made official is a mobile phone with PSP-like controls and games available.

Açaí wrote:

CrAzY3AGL3 wrote: from the videos i saw looks good to me if homebrew scene will grab 3ds then im in for it but i don't know psp2 is on its way.

Homebrew is not possible on the 3DS. People tried with the DSi, and the 3DS has the same if not better anti-homebrew software.
Also, the psp2 is out. PSPgo. The next PSP that has been made official is a mobile phone with PSP-like controls and games available.

Bullshit. A bunch of flashcarts are running already on 3DS since some time. The only thing you don't have yet is 3D mode but that's just a matter of time. All these people going around and claiming the 3DS would be the anti-piracy wonder wall as it simply isn't. It has even be cracked a couple of days after the launch in Japan. This means it is the Ninty console which has been cracked the soonest so far although claiming it has the most superior anti-piracy.

I'm glad to hear that the console doesn't suck. Means I don't have to sell the free one I get from the company I work for ^^ (gotta love employee benefits) *yay*

Açaí wrote:

CrAzY3AGL3 wrote: from the videos i saw looks good to me if homebrew scene will grab 3ds then im in for it but i don't know psp2 is on its way.

Homebrew is not possible on the 3DS. People tried with the DSi, and the 3DS has the same if not better anti-homebrew software.
Also, the psp2 is out. PSPgo. The next PSP that has been made official is a mobile phone with PSP-like controls and games available.

Have you not heard of Sony's NGP? With close to current console generation graphics, dual joysticks, a touch screen, a backfacing touchpad, forward and backward facing cameras, possible 3G connectivity, and a new OS? That will be the PSP 2. The go was just a new generation of PSP.

Edited by: x3nu

I've enjoyed it so far but the launch titles are kind of lacking, the 3D looks great but if I use it for too long it will really start to strain my eyes (I already need glasses though :p) The ability to take 3D pictures is pretty neat though the pictures themselves aren't of the greatest resolution, it's still fun to line up your facial features with the 2 cameras and let the software generate a Mii based off your appearance.

Lego Star Wars has been fun so far, the 3D in the space combat sections in particular has looks great but like most lego games it's just way too easy, I'm waiting for the later titles such as Ocarina of time and Resident Evil: Revelations. in the mean time I'll probably pick up some interesting looking DS titles like the latest Dragon Quest and Mario 64

Altogether I'm satisfied, I got what I expected, I just wish I could use the 3D a little longer because it has great moments where I feel like I'm literally looking through a window into right into a 3D game world

Edited by: Tokoya

Apparently I'm one of the lucky ones? I can play OoT 3D for hours at a time and it doesn't hurt my eyes at all (not sure why it would, but there seem to be enough people complaining). I'm incredibly satisfied with it and in fact the only thing I wish it had was a bit of anti-aliasing because aliasing differences between the left and right images can make things look a bit 'fizzly'.

Dragonlord wrote: Bullshit. A bunch of flashcarts are running already on 3DS since some time. The only thing you don't have yet is 3D mode but that's just a matter of time. All these people going around and claiming the 3DS would be the anti-piracy wonder wall as it simply isn't. It has even be cracked a couple of days after the launch in Japan. This means it is the Ninty console which has been cracked the soonest so far although claiming it has the most superior anti-piracy.

Ehhh... not quite. It's not a case of 3D not working, it's a case of 3DS mode not working, as in only DS mode is accessible.

In fact the situation is very much like the DSi homebrew situation*, none of the extra features/hardware can be accessed and to even run DS mode stuff you need a special DSi/3DS 'flashcart'.

*Or like the DSi homebrew situation was. Apparently there is some homebrew that can take advantage of the extra RAM now? Either way, the 3DS situation is no where near there yet. It's not just a case of not having 3D mode.

eyeball226 wrote: Apparently I'm one of the lucky ones? I can play OoT 3D for hours at a time and it doesn't hurt my eyes at all (not sure why it would, but there seem to be enough people complaining). I'm incredibly satisfied with it and in fact the only thing I wish it had was a bit of anti-aliasing because aliasing differences between the left and right images can make things look a bit 'fizzly'.

Dragonlord wrote: Bullshit. A bunch of flashcarts are running already on 3DS since some time. The only thing you don't have yet is 3D mode but that's just a matter of time. All these people going around and claiming the 3DS would be the anti-piracy wonder wall as it simply isn't. It has even be cracked a couple of days after the launch in Japan. This means it is the Ninty console which has been cracked the soonest so far although claiming it has the most superior anti-piracy.

Ehhh... not quite. It's not a case of 3D not working, it's a case of 3DS mode not working, as in only DS mode is accessible.

In fact the situation is very much like the DSi homebrew situation*, none of the extra features/hardware can be accessed and to even run DS mode stuff you need a special DSi/3DS 'flashcart'.

*Or like the DSi homebrew situation was. Apparently there is some homebrew that can take advantage of the extra RAM now? Either way, the 3DS situation is no where near there yet. It's not just a case of not having 3D mode.

I'm also playing OoT without anything happening to my eyes. I've heard the complaints and don't understand..

l0rdx3nu wrote:

Açaí wrote:

CrAzY3AGL3 wrote: from the videos i saw looks good to me if homebrew scene will grab 3ds then im in for it but i don't know psp2 is on its way.

Homebrew is not possible on the 3DS. People tried with the DSi, and the 3DS has the same if not better anti-homebrew software.
Also, the psp2 is out. PSPgo. The next PSP that has been made official is a mobile phone with PSP-like controls and games available.

Have you not heard of Sony's NGP? With close to current console generation graphics, dual joysticks, a touch screen, a backfacing touchpad, forward and backward facing cameras, possible 3G connectivity, and a new OS? That will be the PSP 2. The go was just a new generation of PSP.

I learned what Vita "NGP" was about a day after I made that post.

@eyeball226, Açaí:
If you don't have the strain then you are indeed lucky. The 3D system used there is a "fake" 3D (or stereoscopic rendering). I don't want to go into detail as there is enough resources around the net explaining the many problems in detail. In short though you need a bunch of parameters to be matching: camera/eye-distance, depth-focusing and perceived depth. First is camera-distance/eye-distance. If the image is not recorded/played-back at the same distance as your eye-distance is then your brain tries to correct the error resulting in headaches and nausea. The same happens with depth-mismatch. For true 3D the perceived depth (image of each eye combined) and the focal depth (how far away the point in question is from your face) have to match. With fake 3D the perceived depth is behind or in front of the focal depth (the screen you focus on). Again this is an incorrect set of signals the brain receives and trying to correct this error causes strain and nausea too. The second problem can not be solved yet while the first can (adjusting the camera distance). It depends now on how fast you get strain/nausea trying to correct the incorrect informations your brain is fed with. Children by the way are more prone to this problem hence the health warning that kids using the 3DS can obtain eye problems (training the eye during growth to a wrong set of input signals). Hopefully this answers in short the problem.

@eyeball226:
As I said "3D mode" is not working. It is not "3DS mode". Something like this does not exist. There exists only "DS mode" and "3D mode" on the 3DS. Flashcards run on the 3DS in "DS mode" and 3DS games have already been dumped. It's just a matter of time for the console to be cracked. Actually it's going to be interesting to see how fast this console will break down. The DSi by the way has not been cracked because there is no use for it (and crackers only crack where there is use aka fame to be gained). With the 3DS though there is a lot of fame to be gained in contrary to the DSi so there's quite the run going on right now.

Dragonlord wrote: @eyeball226, Açaí:
If you don't have the strain then you are indeed lucky. The 3D system used there is a "fake" 3D (or stereoscopic rendering). I don't want to go into detail as there is enough resources around the net explaining the many problems in detail. In short though you need a bunch of parameters to be matching: camera/eye-distance, depth-focusing and perceived depth. First is camera-distance/eye-distance. If the image is not recorded/played-back at the same distance as your eye-distance is then your brain tries to correct the error resulting in headaches and nausea. The same happens with depth-mismatch. For true 3D the perceived depth (image of each eye combined) and the focal depth (how far away the point in question is from your face) have to match. With fake 3D the perceived depth is behind or in front of the focal depth (the screen you focus on). Again this is an incorrect set of signals the brain receives and trying to correct this error causes strain and nausea too. The second problem can not be solved yet while the first can (adjusting the camera distance). It depends now on how fast you get strain/nausea trying to correct the incorrect informations your brain is fed with. Children by the way are more prone to this problem hence the health warning that kids using the 3DS can obtain eye problems (training the eye during growth to a wrong set of input signals). Hopefully this answers in short the problem.

The thing about me is my right eye is much better than my left, so much that my left eye requires a contact lens and my right does not. I really want a monocle for that.
Anyways, what I do is I play with 3D around 80% and hold the console slightly tilted left in order to see the screen as two split images, though my left eye cannot see them from about 10 inches away, thus everything on the screen appears off-center, though I see in 3D. Does that make sense?

If one eye is worse than the other the focal point is different. That's why you need glasses to correct to focal point (actually it's the focal point not sitting exactly on the backside of your eye). Hence if both eyes have slightly different focal points tilting might help. The slider is mislabeled. People interprate it as the strength of 3D effect but that's incorrect. What it actually does is determining how much the images are offset hence the camera distance from 0 to some maximum value. So you actually try to match the camera-distance with your eye-distance fiddling with that slider. That is though also dependent of the distance of your head to the screen as well as your fatigue (both altering the focal point). Having to hold the 3DS in the exact right position for a long period of time without moving it around really sucks and makes you tired. But that's one of the problems with the 3DS so far. The entire 3D stuff is as much marketing crap as it is with 3D movies. It doesn't work for many people and except gimmick there's no real use for this. 2D actually looks better than fake 3D as all the eye inputs actually line up with each other. Once we have Holodecks this would be different but personally I doubt we'll ever get there.

Dragonlord wrote: @eyeball226:
As I said "3D mode" is not working. It is not "3DS mode". Something like this does not exist. There exists only "DS mode" and "3D mode" on the 3DS. Flashcards run on the 3DS in "DS mode" and 3DS games have already been dumped. It's just a matter of time for the console to be cracked. Actually it's going to be interesting to see how fast this console will break down. The DSi by the way has not been cracked because there is no use for it (and crackers only crack where there is use aka fame to be gained). With the 3DS though there is a lot of fame to be gained in contrary to the DSi so there's quite the run going on right now.

Call it what you want, I was simply trying to point out that a 3DS is a lot more than just a DS with a 3D screen. When you said '3D mode' I took that to mean that you thought that the only thing we didn't have access to was the ability to show stuff in 3D.

In reality we don't have access to anything other than DS mode yet.

Really, we were talking about the same thing. You call it 3D mode, I call it 3DS mode.

Edited by: SirPrimalform

There is a 3DS price drop on August 12th in the US, from $249.99 to $169.99.

Gameinformer.com

Good, Nintendo have realised they haven't go the game lineup to ask for such an exorbinant amount of cash.

Actually it's more because the selling so far of the 3DS is bad compared to their expectations. So to cheat up the selling numbers they ride now the bargain-train. Doesn't really change though the fact that the 3DS is not really that spectacular and that they have a track record of having a sub-par first revision of their handhelds so the clever consumer waits until the 2nd or 3rd revision to get a better product without paying twice. I for sure would not get a 3DS before it hits the 2nd revision as history is a good teacher.

My thoughts as well. How many DS revisions were there? Like, 5 or so? This isn't the first of the 3DSs we'll see.

Only two DS revisions and two DSi revisions. I honestly don't see why people criticise revisions like the DSlite and GBA SP, it's not like you need to buy them if you've already got the first version. What I would criticise is the DSi... it had some exclusive games but it wasn't enough of a step up for me to justify getting one.

l0rdx3nu wrote: My thoughts as well. How many DS revisions were there? Like, 5 or so? This isn't the first of the 3DSs we'll see.

In addition to what SirPrimalform said, Nintendo has stated that there won't be a "3DS Lite" or "3DS XL", or any other revision of the console, unless it meets a new demand. The DS Lite was created for a better screen brightness and to add portability. The DSi XL was made to help people like my cousin, who have bigger builds, specifically hands, find a gaming console, which was really a good move on their part, because technology is getting smaller and smaller.
Nintendo believes that the 3DS has a good screen size, portability, and screen. The only hardware revision I can think of is a longer battery life.

world's first real 3DS flashcard--Crown3DS,was running 3DS games successfully on a V2.1.0-4 3DS console.even now can only run 3DS rom game - "splinter cell3d.3ds" on 3DS V2.1.0-4 successfully,but it first r4 3ds card support 3ds games. @gamezwayal get more detail about when crown3ds card will released and how much it cost .just take a look at this link, Crown3ds flashcard---Playing 3DS games on nintendo 3DS [Crown3ds] you can get more details.

I don't think this belongs here and should be deleted. This is a pure pirate news in contrary to NDS flashcards supporting homebrew. Furthermore it's not clear if this is legit or a single-game hack so you possibly spread scam here.

Dragonlord wrote: I don't think this belongs here and should be deleted. This is a pure pirate news in contrary to NDS flashcards supporting homebrew. Furthermore it's not clear if this is legit or a single-game hack so you possibly spread scam here.

I agree.

This thread is dead anyways, though. I made it when there wasn't much on the 3DS on YouTube or anything.