7th June 2004, 10:38 AM
(This post was last modified: 7th June 2004, 10:59 AM by Dark Jaguar.)
3rd party's not something I wanna risk... Eh, anyway, I just checked Nintendo's store again and they seem to be selling batteries now, so no problem except the only way to recharge them is INSIDE the SP... They should make an external charger so I can plug it right in there when I'm using the other one on the go. That's the only way an extra would really even be useful actually. Anyway, they still aren't selling a replacement screen for the SP yet... They are for ALL the other GBs, but not the SP. Sure, it's very protected from scratches, but they do happen now and again. Mine isn't yet, but I know eventually something terrible will happen involving a dagger and the screen will be scuffed up. Having a cheap replacement was great after finding out about them with the first GBA, and I know it'll be here too if they just make one.
Anyway, the SP is still an "almost perfect" device, but here are the flaws I've noticed for when they make the "real" GB successor.
Headphone jack needs to be put back on. There are just too many little things that keep me from using it. I picked up one of those adapters some time ago, but that's only good for when I bring that thing with me. Sometimes I bring the SP alone to a friend's house and want to hear the sound while using THEIR headset, and alas, I cannot. Also, I can't use the headset during recharge unless I buy a special 3rd party adapter (considering it's just wires, I highly doubt those are faulty in any way, but I don't want to get yet another adapter) that lets me do that. It's basically an annoyance. Not much of a problem, but it's there. Basically, I like a lot of the music and sounds in a lot of GBA games, so I like hearing them with a headset which in many cases is a MASSIVE improvement over the speaker due to just how much you miss without it.
Also, this isn't really the SP, but it must be said. The GCN-GBA link cable MUST be changed. That whole big clip that covers the whole top section as opposed to JUST covering the link cable slot? It prevents me from using the charger while using it. You may think it's not much, but it's nice to not have to drain battery life for when I might step out when I'm INSIDE next to an outlet playing Crystal Chronicles or something. I can of course just make that change myself by removing that plastic bit though...
The L and R buttons... They actually aren't that bad at all. I've never really had much of a problem using them, but they aren't perfect. Ideally, I'd like to see Nintendo move those buttons to the BACK of the controller. I'm not sure how many of you ever had a Virtual Boy, but that's the button placement I'm thinking of here. The VB, while overall not a very good system, had a very comfortable controller. Part of this was due to them opting NOT to put the shoulder buttons on the top like every other controller, but rather on the BACK of it. they were two large round buttons you could easily press with your fingers resting in a very NATURAL position. The N64 controller ditched this for the L and R buttons, but used a similar design for the added Z button, and I think we all remember how comfortable that was. Anyway, if they can find space internally for the contacts, it'd be nice to see the L and R buttons resting right underneath where my index fingers are going to be.
Lastly, the next GB, ideally, would be more than powerful enough to finally support SGB modes in the old GB games that had such modes. This is all about total compatiblity here.
Actually, come to think of it, here's my ideal plan for the next portable anyway. Let's say people don't mind buying super expensive portables after all and both the PSP and DS take off. Well, I can imagine that eventually, a situation will finally occur where instead of selling both a home system and a portable of nearly equal power (example, PSP and PS2) they MIGHT just go ahead and release the next generation of both as the SAME system, that is to say, a super powerful portable that has a TV output jack. I could see this happening two system generations from now, where the next Nintendo system was already a portable and would be like that from then on. Due to the flip top design, they could easily protect the delicate parts of modern controllers from the abuse they would otherwise get in one's pocket (analog sticks and such). As for multiplayer, they could just end up selling, as accessories, plain controllers so friends without the system could just play using the TV. Just about all the connecting would be wireless of course. Anyway, that would pretty much be the best of both worlds, in an ideal future where the latest is already very small.
I only suggest this based on how the latest laptops are actually very near the power of the latest PCs these days, and it seems the laptop will actually be the death of the PC, for those who are power users with money to spend. However, before laptops can do this, they need to come up with some standards so that the laptop's various parts can be switched out just as fully as a PC's parts. I do imagine docking stations will still sell quite a bit, since when at home the laptop owner will want the "full desktop" feel. One other thing, ditch those annoying touch pads! I cramp up HORRIBLY using those things because I have to tense up every single finger to keep it from accidently brushing against the pad. Replace with those nice felt analog stick things that some laptops have.
Anyway, the SP is still an "almost perfect" device, but here are the flaws I've noticed for when they make the "real" GB successor.
Headphone jack needs to be put back on. There are just too many little things that keep me from using it. I picked up one of those adapters some time ago, but that's only good for when I bring that thing with me. Sometimes I bring the SP alone to a friend's house and want to hear the sound while using THEIR headset, and alas, I cannot. Also, I can't use the headset during recharge unless I buy a special 3rd party adapter (considering it's just wires, I highly doubt those are faulty in any way, but I don't want to get yet another adapter) that lets me do that. It's basically an annoyance. Not much of a problem, but it's there. Basically, I like a lot of the music and sounds in a lot of GBA games, so I like hearing them with a headset which in many cases is a MASSIVE improvement over the speaker due to just how much you miss without it.
Also, this isn't really the SP, but it must be said. The GCN-GBA link cable MUST be changed. That whole big clip that covers the whole top section as opposed to JUST covering the link cable slot? It prevents me from using the charger while using it. You may think it's not much, but it's nice to not have to drain battery life for when I might step out when I'm INSIDE next to an outlet playing Crystal Chronicles or something. I can of course just make that change myself by removing that plastic bit though...
The L and R buttons... They actually aren't that bad at all. I've never really had much of a problem using them, but they aren't perfect. Ideally, I'd like to see Nintendo move those buttons to the BACK of the controller. I'm not sure how many of you ever had a Virtual Boy, but that's the button placement I'm thinking of here. The VB, while overall not a very good system, had a very comfortable controller. Part of this was due to them opting NOT to put the shoulder buttons on the top like every other controller, but rather on the BACK of it. they were two large round buttons you could easily press with your fingers resting in a very NATURAL position. The N64 controller ditched this for the L and R buttons, but used a similar design for the added Z button, and I think we all remember how comfortable that was. Anyway, if they can find space internally for the contacts, it'd be nice to see the L and R buttons resting right underneath where my index fingers are going to be.
Lastly, the next GB, ideally, would be more than powerful enough to finally support SGB modes in the old GB games that had such modes. This is all about total compatiblity here.
Actually, come to think of it, here's my ideal plan for the next portable anyway. Let's say people don't mind buying super expensive portables after all and both the PSP and DS take off. Well, I can imagine that eventually, a situation will finally occur where instead of selling both a home system and a portable of nearly equal power (example, PSP and PS2) they MIGHT just go ahead and release the next generation of both as the SAME system, that is to say, a super powerful portable that has a TV output jack. I could see this happening two system generations from now, where the next Nintendo system was already a portable and would be like that from then on. Due to the flip top design, they could easily protect the delicate parts of modern controllers from the abuse they would otherwise get in one's pocket (analog sticks and such). As for multiplayer, they could just end up selling, as accessories, plain controllers so friends without the system could just play using the TV. Just about all the connecting would be wireless of course. Anyway, that would pretty much be the best of both worlds, in an ideal future where the latest is already very small.
I only suggest this based on how the latest laptops are actually very near the power of the latest PCs these days, and it seems the laptop will actually be the death of the PC, for those who are power users with money to spend. However, before laptops can do this, they need to come up with some standards so that the laptop's various parts can be switched out just as fully as a PC's parts. I do imagine docking stations will still sell quite a bit, since when at home the laptop owner will want the "full desktop" feel. One other thing, ditch those annoying touch pads! I cramp up HORRIBLY using those things because I have to tense up every single finger to keep it from accidently brushing against the pad. Replace with those nice felt analog stick things that some laptops have.
"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." ~ Charles Babbage (1791-1871)