New (?) Details on Nintendo's DS Online service

[Titanio]

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

Well, new to me at least. And it sounds like it's shaping up very well.

Single cross-network identity, but you can call yourself whatever you like in different games.

Buddy-lists that can be added to "face-to-face" if meeting in real life OR online if you haven't met them (I know there was some debate about that before)

Match-making dependent on skills, seemingly across all games, ala Halo2

Free, but third party devs can charge what they like - with the suggestion this would only be done with MMORPGs and the like

Nintendo won't be taking any slice of revenue from third parties for games

Linked to nintendo-europe.com and nintendo.com

All sounds really good - and bodes well for Revolution's service. I'm thinking/hoping they're going to be linked or even common. It'd be sweet to be able to message rev players from your DS and to have common online components on both platforms so DS players could play with Rev players etc (with different user interfaces, of course).

 

[StefanS]

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

Well, new to me at least. And it sounds like it's shaping up very well.

Single cross-network identity, but you can call yourself whatever you like in different games.

Buddy-lists that can be added to "face-to-face" if meeting in real life OR online if you haven't met them (I know there was some debate about that before)

Match-making dependent on skills, seemingly across all games, ala Halo2

Free, but third party devs can charge what they like - with the suggestion this would only be done with MMORPGs and the like

Nintendo won't be taking any slice of revenue from third parties for games

Linked to nintendo-europe.com and nintendo.com

All sounds really good - and bodes well for Revolution's service. I'm thinking/hoping they're going to be linked or even common. It'd be sweet to be able to message rev players from your DS and to have common online components on both platforms so DS players could play with Rev players etc (with different user interfaces, of course).

Buddy Lists, MatchMaking and more or less free service were both hinted at by Reggie Fils-Whatever in an E3 interview. Single Network ID sounds like a really good idea though. Anyway, the perfect game for this online service would probably be Animal Crossing. Large worlds with a large community that would just rock. Especially since trading is such a big part of this game...

 

[mckmas8808]

Sounds pretty good. I seems like there is starting to become a good reason to have a handheld with so much connectivity with its brother console a la PSP -> PS3.

Thumbs up Nintendo.

 

[PC-Engine]

FREE DS/Revolution ONline is going be sweet. Nintendo is smart to build the foundation now so when Revolution II comes out it will be massive. Nintendo has also said they want their free ONline service to be used by 90% of gamers.