Nintendo's 'Demo Play' planned for handheld games as well
by JC Fletcher 
{ Jul 7th 2009 at 11:00AM } 
Nikkei notes that this feature is designed for "high-speed action games," so presumably you won't be able to let Dr. Kawashima step in and count the number of people who just ran out of the house (we hate that one), nor will you be able to make the Pokémon start choosing themselves mid-battle.
[Via Kotaku]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
tmacairjordan87 @ Jul 7th 2009 11:05AM
http://www.darkknightandjoekerr.com/AndHereWeGo.gif
I think this will be fun to watch, if it's anything like last time.
Mr Khan @ Jul 7th 2009 11:18AM
Not really. The people who don't care carry on conversation as normal, and the people who apparently care way too much make asses out of themselves, which is par for the course.
Nothing special.
CTC XBL-supapaypamawio PSN-ctclaw @ Jul 7th 2009 11:25AM
Anytime someone states that it will be fun to watch, it rarely is.
dark_inchworm (on Steam!) dark inchworm (on XBL!) @ Jul 7th 2009 11:06AM
"you won't be able to let Dr. Kawashima step in and count the number of people who just ran out of the house"
But will he please shout "blue" for me?
Vidikron @ Jul 7th 2009 11:06AM
Someone throw out the Picard facepalm... that's all this idea deserves.
dark_inchworm (on Steam!) dark inchworm (on XBL!) @ Jul 7th 2009 11:09AM
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Storm Eagle::The Blood Edge @ Jul 7th 2009 11:11AM
Someone needs to miniaturize that shit. But yeah, that about covers it.
WRYYYYYY @ Jul 7th 2009 11:08AM
They already have this. It's called a movie.
Storm Eagle::The Blood Edge @ Jul 7th 2009 11:15AM
Except you can't control when the cutscenes appear. This mode is an idea that if a level, or part of level even, is too hard, you simply let the game take over and play for you until you feel you have the spine to play it yourself.
I said it before when they last posted this story. It's going to take all the challenge out of games for people and it's going to kill the longevity. I used the example that my first experience with video games with Super Mario Bros. and I could never jump the first gap on 1-1 because I couldn't grasp the concept to push forward AND A. What kind of a gamer would I be now if I simply let the game "do it for me?" I'd suck at games and I'd have no feeling of accomplishment what-so-ever.
tmacairjordan87 @ Jul 7th 2009 11:17AM
Yeah I'm still thinking of this as blasphemy. I'm trying to picture how I would react if this was introduced when I was a kid in the SNES era. All I know is, I wouldn't have taken it very well and neither would anyone I knew that played games.
Mr Khan @ Jul 7th 2009 11:21AM
And cue the ones that care too much
Storm Eagle::The Blood Edge @ Jul 7th 2009 11:24AM
Khan, re-read your post down there and then talk to us about caring too much.
I just happen to be very passionate about this industry (since I do work in it) and care about the directions that it goes in.
mr nimblewick @ Jul 7th 2009 11:41AM
"They already have this. It's called a movie."
Well, all the core gamers want games to be more cinematic anyway, so...
samfish (uses the Joystiq Comment-Kill filter!) @ Jul 7th 2009 11:50AM
"What kind of a gamer would I be now if I simply let the game "do it for me?" I'd suck at games and I'd have no feeling of accomplishment what-so-ever."
It says it in the patent:
YOU
CAN
NOT
SAVE
YOUR
GAME
IF
YOU
USE
THIS
FEATURE.
(which I personally think is stupid, but I digress..)
At some point, you have to actually play it yourself.
Vidikron @ Jul 7th 2009 12:00PM
"At some point, you have to actually play it yourself."
Why then is the word "skip" being thrown around so often? skip != play it yourself
Girugamuk (Moptimus Slimed) @ Jul 7th 2009 12:15PM
tmac, you mean back when companies used codes instead of save states? You want me to believe you never used the Tyson code in Punch-Out!! or something similar?
samfish (uses the Joystiq Comment-Kill filter!) @ Jul 7th 2009 12:25PM
"Why then is the word "skip" being thrown around so often?"
Don't you just love video game journalism and how reporters don't ever do any research?
Michael T @ Jul 7th 2009 12:32PM
@Girugamuk
JUSTIN BAILEY
- - - - - - - - - - - -
FTW.
tmacairjordan87 @ Jul 7th 2009 12:32PM
I was never a fan of punch out. Played it at a friend's, but I never really liked the series.
c0bra95 @ Jul 7th 2009 12:39PM
There isn't much I can add to that. It's so concise, and so . . . *right*.
WREturns @ Jul 7th 2009 1:44PM
Won't somebody think of the children?!
You guys sound ridiculous when you talk about kids these days not knowing how to do a super-jump...you know that, right?
Storm Eagle::The Blood Edge @ Jul 7th 2009 11:09AM
LOL @ Pokemon choosing themselves. What? They think they have rights or something? Back in the ball, you little rat!
BTW, this "Demo Play" mode is the worst thing to happen to video games since (insert failed game/console here).
Jon A. @ Jul 7th 2009 11:19AM
As described by the patent, you can't save your progress if you use this feature. I don't see anything wrong with it. What's the difference between this and using a strategy guide?
tmacairjordan87 @ Jul 7th 2009 11:20AM
The point is, you're not supposed to use either. You're supposed to figure it out on your own if you get stuck.
Jon A. @ Jul 7th 2009 11:24AM
If I myself ever thought like that, tmacairjordan87, I don't think that I would have ever enjoyed any game.
Storm Eagle::The Blood Edge @ Jul 7th 2009 11:26AM
@Jon, you still have to have to reaction time, concentration, etc. to do certain things in certain games. Defeating a difficult boss comes to mind. Strategy guides tell you the weaknesses, but they don't take the controller from your hand and do it for you.
tmacairjordan87 @ Jul 7th 2009 11:27AM
I just don't see how anyone can enjoy a game when someone or something is telling them everything to do. That's kinda weak to me.
Jon A. @ Jul 7th 2009 11:29AM
Since this doesn't save your progress, you're still going to need those things to actually complete the game (and I doubt this feature finds bonuses for you). So what's the difference between this and a YouTube playthrough?
Mr Khan @ Jul 7th 2009 11:32AM
But there have been so many games that hold your hand since the advent of 3D. All to varying degrees, of course, but that's where the industry has been heading for a long time
Storm Eagle::The Blood Edge @ Jul 7th 2009 11:34AM
Ok, Jon. Let me use this as an example.
Let's say I SHOWED you how to do a kickflip on a skateboard. Do you still think you could do it? Let's say you read online about the proper foot placement and maneuvers to do a kickflip. Do you still think you could do a kickflip then? No. It involves a measure of concentration, skill and reaction time. Media does not replicate that for you. And yeah, so you can't save. But let's say I'm near the end of the game at the second-to-last or the last boss/level. It's the same difference.
Vidikron @ Jul 7th 2009 11:38AM
I think this is quite a bit different than strategy guides or even on-screen instructions telling you what to do. In both of those instances at least you still have to do it yourself even if you didn't have to figure out what to do on your own. This actually does it all for you. You may as well just use a level skip. It's truly is the ultimate hand holding feature and I'm not the least bit surprised Nintendo is the one doing this BS.
MLS @ Jul 7th 2009 11:44AM
I played through Metal Gear 2 entirely with a FAQ. I enjoyed the game very much. I wouldn't have if i had to figure out and find all the ridiculous crap they made you do.
Jon A. @ Jul 7th 2009 11:50AM
@Vidikron: If you can't save, how exactly is this hand holding like you describe? This is more akin to using a GPS on a road trip. It tells you exactly what you need to do to get there, but you still have to drive.
@Storm Eagle::The Blood Edge: If I wanted to use this feature to see the end-boss, what's stopping me from watching it on video portal website, or better yet, having somebody else do it?
This really isn't that big of a deal y'all. In fact, maybe it'll lead to harder games from Nintendo.
Vidikron @ Jul 7th 2009 11:55AM
@Jon A
We'll see how they actually implement it. The fact that one guy is calling is a "skip feature" would seem to imply you can use it to avoid sections completely.
Storm Eagle::The Blood Edge @ Jul 7th 2009 11:57AM
Maybe there's some confusion here.
It says it will allow the player to "to skip difficult areas and watch them played automatically". Now, to me, this is what that statement means:
Arrive to point A: "Oh, man. This is way too hard. Demo Play "On".
Game takes over and controls character to point B.
Retake control at Point B: Man, that was much easier. Shoot, can't save though. Better play to the end.
Am I correct in this? Or is it that the game cuts to a video and shows you what to do, and then you do it? Because I think that's what some people think.
Markez @ Jul 7th 2009 12:18PM
Nobody seemed to care when the new Alone in the Dark game had 'chapter skipping'. I suppose that's possibly a combination of all the critics saying the game was garbage, and people always loving to throw a toddler tantrum when it comes to Nintendo.
This won't ruin the 'purity' of video games, this isn't ruining the industry. You can still play video games the way you want to, no one is taking that away from you. Other people can play video games they want to. Cheezus crust.
Girugamuk (Moptimus Slimed) @ Jul 7th 2009 12:27PM
I'm pretty sure that I'm not the only one here who used a guide to get through the Water Temple in Ocarina.
And if I didn't have that guide? I probably would've thrown my N64 through my TV on multiple occasions
Mr Khan @ Jul 7th 2009 12:28PM
I think the details have been glossed over. The patent is by no means what has to happen when its actually implemented, and the Nintendo reps might be overly-simplifying what this thing actually does when they've explained it to journalists
If we want clarity, we'll simply have to wait until a final version of NSMBWii goes up, probably at the Fall Conference in October. Then we can see it in action
ilovethewaggle @ Jul 7th 2009 12:36PM
I was thinking more along the lines of Super Mario Brothers, If i flip to demo mode will it show me where exactaly to jump down into the infinate abyss to find the hidden pipe? Nothing like positive reinforcement to depressed preteens making them randomly commit suicide to achieve success in a video game....
arrness (PSN: chsowls) @ Jul 7th 2009 3:01PM
simple solution,
dont like it? dont use it
other people using it doesn't affect YOU, does it?
Quattro @ Jul 7th 2009 4:10PM
The way I see it, the people who beat Ocarina of Time and solved all the puzzles using a strategy guide, versus the people who played through and beat it their own, who is happier in the end?
Markez @ Jul 7th 2009 4:26PM
Whether intentional or not, that's a trick question. Because, guess what, they both can be equal amounts of happy! How effing crazy, wow!
Mr Khan @ Jul 7th 2009 11:16AM
Certainly proves that the code behind this isn't anything very processor intensive
And according to the Nikkei article, they're mostly just going to use it for action/adventure/platformer types. Not for anything else. So no auto-Pokemon for you (that would require some mad processing power anyway, since its so open-ended, you would have to get an AI on your side, which just wouldn't work)
MRLN @ Jul 7th 2009 11:26AM
Whatever gives Nintendo the guts to make harder games. Who knows, maybe EVERY dungeon in Zelda Wii will be like the Water Temple!
WREturns @ Jul 7th 2009 1:51PM
If that happens I will find you and kill you.
Matias @ Jul 7th 2009 11:53PM
And I will kill you WRE, because that's the best idea I heard today.
Zelda+Harder puzzles (lufia II ftw)= EPIC WIN
MLS @ Jul 7th 2009 11:32AM
I love the counting people in/out of the house game : (
Futuramaguy42 @ Jul 7th 2009 11:40AM
I hope this is more challenging then the DS version of New Super Mario Brothers, that was WAYYYYY too easy.
MLS @ Jul 7th 2009 11:41AM
So how is demo mode any different than passing the remote to a friend or older sibling?
Also another thing to consider, not every barrier in a game is difficulty. Sometimes a game is just plain broken or unfair. There have been lots of times in games where I felt I was just doing a monotonous ritual, or up against poor game design. Even after I pass it i'm more thankful for luck than fabricated skills to boost my small ego.
Shit, how many NES games did we play as a kid where we just wanted to see what the rest of the game was like, not just level one, because the game was pain in the ass unfair?
tmacairjordan87 @ Jul 7th 2009 11:44AM
"how many NES games did we play as a kid where we just wanted to see what the rest of the game was like, not just level one, because the game was pain in the ass unfair?"
*raises hand*
But I put a lot of energy, time, and effort into seeing the ends of a lot of nes and snes games. Nowadays, games are easy as hell. Who really needs this for today's games?