I Just Realised Something Terrible

[iExist]

In the Nintendo Direct, they mentioned about chatting via the Nintendo Switch Online app... I don't have the app, and quite frankly, don't WANT the app. Also, I'm pretty sure you have to be over a certain age to get it.

EDIT:
It's the parents' job to teach their kids to be safe on the Internet, not Nintendo's. It's putting a problem on people under the age cap that are sensible. Also, by "chatting" I meant text chat. They showed typing on your phone, and it appearing in-game. I hope you can do both, because I find phone typing much harder because you have to put down your JoyCons to pick up your phone. Where do you put them? *Sigh.* Not even fussed about voice chat, I just want to text chat so I can do tours, trades, and maybe even do stage performances? I've always dreamed of doing that and NH gives us the chance with outdoor furniture.

EDIT AFTER RELEASE:
Yep, you can chat by typing. Press the R button (right bumper/shoulder button) and you can access the keyboard.

 

[mayortash]

I?m hoping they?ll still have an in game keyboard for chat. Especially cause of the age restriction on the app it wouldn?t make sense to not have it.

 

[tajikey]

There's an in-game keyboard for sending postcards, so hopefully that means you can chat online using the same feature. I know for sure I won't be doing any voice chatting through the Nintendo smartphone app.

 

[Xara]

i won’t be doing any voice-chatting as i don’t feel comfortable with that, but i’ll use the app’s keyboard when possible as it’ll be a lot easier for me to type on

 

[Aubrey895]

Hopefully there is a way to chat in game. I would use my phone though since I won't play in handheld and typing will be easier. But the option should be there. But it is nintendo. They don't make the best choices when it comes to online lol.

 

[Khaelis]

Hopefully there is a way to chat in game. I would use my phone though since I won't play in handheld and typing will be easier. But the option should be there. But it is nintendo. They don't make the best choices when it comes to online lol.

Actually... the Nintendo Switch supports a lot of USB keyboards, so as long as the game registers it as usable, you can use the keyboard to type.

 

[RETSAMDET]

I hope that the existence of the app doesn’t mean that the corresponding features have been cut out of the game (voice chat likely is app-only, but it would be nice to have text chatting in-game). I’m not a fan of having to use separate apps to get full functionality out of my games.

That being said, I dislike voice chat anyway, so I probably won’t use that feature. And using the app does sound like it may be easier for typing than using the Switch’s keyboard, as I’m already used to typing lots on my phone.

As for concerns about age, I’m guessing it will have the same cutoffs as any previous Nintendo apps? I think the Pok?mon Home app might have an age 16 cutoff (I was expecting 13, like most forums, but maybe it has to do with the nature of the communication). Then again, for those concerned, I don’t know how enforceable the cutoff is. As an adult, I haven’t paid much attention to recent age cutoffs for gaming-related apps and services.

 

[thegunpowderincident]

I hope there’s an in-game keyboard for chatting. I can use my phone, but it seems like a bit of a hassle. And I don’t plan on voice chatting whenever I have people in my town that I don’t know irl.

 

[DJStarstryker]

I don't have a smartphone. I know, I live under a rock. But it's hard to change over when my flip phone only costs me $100 per year total and I don't really call or text people much.

I don't care about the voice chat function, but I REALLY hope there's in-game text chat. But the thing that affects me the most about not being able to use this app is the ability to use QR codes. It's really frustrating that Nintendo didn't build a regular camera into the Switch and so the AC team had to do this work around. I'm glad they DID, because it's better than nothing. But I use QRs a lot. Argh. Maybe I'll get a smartphone eventually, but in the shorter term, maybe I'll download an Android emulator for my laptop and see if I can get the app working on that whenever it comes out.

 

[JKDOS]

Also, I'm pretty sure you have to be over a certain age to get it.

As an adult, not a problem.

And since 99.99999% of kids lie about being 13+ and sometimes 18+ while on the internet, and also download any app they want, also not a problem.

 

[PugLovex]

i would also like the option to use the in game keyboard. i type much faster on mobile which is helpful since the in game keyboard takes forever lol

but yeah i don't feel comfortable with voice chat either. i wouldn't want to meet creepy people

 

[SheepMareep]

The app is going to have extra features not available in the core game like QR codes. The Switch DOES have a mic and some controllers now have a microphone jack but I'm not sure if it will be compatible with the game. (for example I can use a mic for fortnite but not mario kart) As someone else mentioned above keyboards are also compatible but its a question as to whether or not they will work with NH. There is an in game keyboard for letters so im sure we will still be able to communicate that way in game.

Nintendo games are marketed towards families so they appear to be more cautious when it comes to voice chatting with random strangers/talking to strangers in general. They can't control who people invite into their towns or the reasoning and I know they had to of gotten complaints from the online function of the island in NL from parents whos kids got trapped on the island or met some.... not so nice people/creepy adults. Of course this was an optional feature but even if the parents said no it was up to the child if they bought it in game or not.

I'm not sure their reasoning but I am GUESSING they think its safer to limit the voice chatting/text chat to the mobile phone app. that way it MAY keep a log of what players say or who they interact with in case parents start to worry. Or they think its more convenient to type quickly on a phone than to struggle with the switch controls

- - - Post Merge - - -

I don't have a smartphone. I know, I live under a rock. But it's hard to change over when my flip phone only costs me $100 per year total and I don't really call or text people much.

I don't care about the voice chat function, but I REALLY hope there's in-game text chat. But the thing that affects me the most about not being able to use this app is the ability to use QR codes. It's really frustrating that Nintendo didn't build a regular camera into the Switch and so the AC team had to do this work around. I'm glad they DID, because it's better than nothing. But I use QRs a lot. Argh. Maybe I'll get a smartphone eventually, but in the shorter term, maybe I'll download an Android emulator for my laptop and see if I can get the app working on that whenever it comes out.

Something that made me raise an eyebrow during the direct is that they said you could scan QR codes from NL and HHD into NH using the app.... but never mentioned anything about if NH used QR codes. Maybe there will be a different system for getting the designs made on NH?

 

[DJStarstryker]

but yeah i don't feel comfortable with voice chat either. i wouldn't want to meet creepy people

The AC community might be different, because it's a game that people of all genders play. But as a female gamer, I had bad experiences in the past playing games online on Xbox 360. People hear a female voice over voice chat and they start saying mean things (acting like you're suddenly bad at a game just because of your gender even though they were fine with you before hearing your voice) or gross perverted things.

So yeah, I totally feel you there. Even if I had a smartphone, I would never use the voice chat part (probably not even with people I grew trust with) because those people made me feel so uncomfortable. I avoid most online play ever since then, and when I do online play, I only will use text chat.

- - - Post Merge - - -

Something that made me raise an eyebrow during the direct is that they said you could scan QR codes from NL and HHD into NH using the app.... but never mentioned anything about if NH used QR codes. Maybe there will be a different system for getting the designs made on NH?

Yeah, New Horizons has no way to use QRs by itself. QRs require a camera and Nintendo didn't put a regular camera into the Switch. There's an IR (infared) camera, but that works by detecting heat from your hand and things like that. That's why they had to build it into the app.

If you don't have access to the app, you'll probably have to manually draw designs 100% of the time - kinda like you did for all of the AC games before New Leaf.

 

[kkfenrir]

I was also very reluctant about having to use the app. :'(
Very much hoping we can still type on a keyboard within the game.

 

[SheepMareep]

Yeah, New Horizons has no way to use QRs by itself. QRs require a camera and Nintendo didn't put a regular camera into the Switch. There's an IR (infared) camera, but that works by detecting heat from your hand and things like that. That's why they had to build it into the app.

If you don't have access to the app, you'll probably have to manually draw designs 100% of the time - kinda like you did for all of the AC games before New Leaf.

I was hoping they would have an online sort of hub where you can search for designs people have shared but maybe they wont :c that would suck having to draw everything or make it in NL or HHD first before transferring it over.

 

[SmoochsPLH]

I really hope there's a in game keyboard or keyboard on the app. I have very bad anxiety and do not do well talking to strangers through anything other then text.

 

[Kaireevee]

I do not believe they will limit chat to smarthphones or apps. The target audience is not just necessarily adults, they will have children too. PLUS in the interest of letting your children free roam on the game as such limiting them to only being able to communicate with their friends via an app seems far fetched.

I however love that they are allowing an app because I can type suuuper fast on keyboard and my phone and suck at typing on consoles so this works for me.

I am also sure I seen an accessory which I think was similar to the keyboard attachments you can get for xbox and playstation so that's another potential option?

 

[John Wick]

In the Nintendo Direct, they mentioned about chatting via the Nintendo Switch Online app... I don't have the app, and quite frankly, don't WANT the app. Also, I'm pretty sure you have to be over a certain age to get it.

I don't want it either so just don't get it.

I'm not.
I loathe apps of any kind, having only been on a mobile since 2007.

 

[Aubrey895]

I don't want it either so just don't get it.

I'm not.
I loathe apps of any kind, having only been on a mobile since 2007.

You seem to hate all technology lol.

 

[John Wick]

You seem to hate all technology lol.

LOL, My PC packed it in back in 2007 and I never bothered getting a new one.

This phone I've got has about 20gig of bloatware, and absolutely nothing useful.

I hate mobile phones because I'm always on one.

That's why the Nook Phone makes me want to throw myself under a bus.