Hello guys, There is a new Nintendo Switch Patent. Personnal Thinking : The Switch is more and more interesting ! I wish I could play it right now (And I wish I could be able to developp games for this system). Patent can be seen here : https://worldwide.espacenet.com/pub...OC&locale=en_EP&CC=EP&NR=3103532A2&KC=A2&ND=1 Remark : Patents may not correspond to the final product, so every informations here should not be taken as facts. There is even something that look like a VR headset. Will read the complete patent to get more informations, and I will updated this thread. Edit : There is an ambiant light sensor (in order to perform an automatic screen light adjustment). There is a Microphone/headphone plug (yes Apple, that is right haha). The screen is a touch screen. There is two slots for two different kind of media, one for games, and the other one for storage media like and SD card. The Analogue joystick will be clickable (acting like a button when pressed down). Interesting point : The Patent is pretty open when it comes to the shape of the Joycon, as long as the type of controls present in these Joycon. It may me think that these Joycon may be available in several shapes, with different controls, in order to fit certain games (but this is just my opinion, no real proof). There is a "Record" button on the left Joycon. There is an infrared camera/sensor on the right controller, allowing the Switch to capture right hand movements. Interesting point : The infrared module can be used to connect an external controller to the right Joycon. Indeed, light signals can be used to detect this external controller connected to the right controller (a controller connected to another, like the Nunchuk connected to the Wiimote). The dock (cradle) can communicate wiredly or wirelessly with a TV, pretty strange. Several Joycons can be connected to one Switch. it can be only left controllers, only right controllers or a mix of them. Main unit uses Wi-Fi and bluetooth. Motion sensors are used (knowing that Just dance is going to be launched on the Switch, this is not a surprise). They seems to be used in both Joycon and Main unit. Remark : In others Patents, the motion sensors are not present on the Main unit, but only in the VR headset. There is a magnetic field detection sensor, that can be used to detect a protection cover or something like this. The right joycon uses NFC. Other tests have been made to send the Video directly to the TV, without using the Dock. Clock Frequency of the Switch in portable mode will be limited. Interesting point : The Clock frequency limitation will only cause the resolution to be smaller in portable mode, which is a pretty good idea, as we don't need a huge resolution in portable mode, du to the size of the screen. In docked mode, some wireless mode can be disabled in order to keep more power for the game itself. In this case, communications can be managed by the dock (cradle), with a specific communication device.
Yeah, I was just thinking that, but it doesn't really matter as long as it straps to your head properly. I got to use PSVR again recently for a solid 2 hours or so and it was heavier than I thought, but the constraints were good enough to keep it from slipping down the front of my face. I wouldn't say VR is a "toy" per se, I think it's more like an "experience", but it definitely is not a viable avenue for gaming right now. Give it a few more years and we'll be there.
Haven't been able to test PSVR yet. But thanks for your feedback The good thing with this potential VR headset is that it can be played everywhere, as the CPU will be inside the Switch main unit, which will be used in this VR headset.
The dream would be to have multiplayer VR games with such headset. But I suppose that it can be hard to do as player location in space will be hard to figure out without cameras.
probably there will be some kind of helmet add-on where you just click in the whole screen of the console, making it vr. edit: nvm, just saw the last picture of the patent and figured out what it is ;d
Hello Guys, There is another new patent which gives a closer look at the Switch Controller : https://worldwide.espacenet.com/pub...locale=en_EP&CC=US&NR=2016361633A1&KC=A1&ND=1 I will try to read it later this day, in order to get more informations.
Anything mass produced that needs to slide/dock like these controllers do will always have a cheap feeling. That is because they need to have enough play in them to make the docking easier for all audiences.
