Have you scratched your DS touch-screen yet? [Archive]

goatdan

05-20-2005, 05:04 PM

Through "normal" use, you shouldn't be able to. I have had an old Palm Pocket for about 3 years now that I took everywhere and never used screen protectors. Including tons of times using my fingers to do things, I never scratched it.

I don't have a DS, but if Nintendo used anything different for the screens, it would've been extremely stupid.

legov8

05-20-2005, 05:37 PM

I don't own a DS but I did see a touch screen in a very bad shape. There is a Wal-Mart near me that has the DS display thingie. The screen is very very badly scratched. My sister tried to play it and she couldn't see a thing on the bottom, and I tried the screen and it didn't pick up my finger (the stylus pen wasn't there.) It makes me sad that they put things up for display and little annoying kids come by and ruin it.

joshnickerson

05-20-2005, 05:39 PM

That's nothing. My Wal-Mart's had two DS units, the first got scratched up horribly (similar to yours), and the second one they currently have looks like someone hit the bottom screen with a hammer (you can see the screen is shattered beneath the plastic cover).

Remarkably, on both units I could still get some function out of the touch screen, but not much. *L*

Just goes to show you there are idiots everywhere.

Sylentwulf

05-20-2005, 05:50 PM

Define scratch. There are slight markings on my screen that don't come off when I clean it, but you can't see them at ALL unless you hold it up to a light just right and look in the right direction.

And that's from VERY MINIMAL USE I assure you. The final stage of feel the magic involves quite frantic rubbing....

Emily

05-20-2005, 06:04 PM

BS
Through Normal use my DSs screen became scratched only afew days after I got it . Im still extremely pissed.

ozyr

05-20-2005, 06:08 PM

BS
Through Normal use my DSs screen became scratched only afew days after I got it . Im still extremely pissed.

Rather odd. I've been using my for over a week of heavy use, and have not even slightly scratched the screen. It's glass, as far as I can tell. Not easy to scratch at all, unless you use something beside the included stylus. Just my opinion and experience....

Emily

05-20-2005, 06:11 PM

I just use the damn stylus.
If your touchscreen is glass, die! Joking...
But yeah, mine is made of annoying plastic, and is noticably scratched.

suppafly

05-20-2005, 06:37 PM

I had a DS for 3 months and never noticed a scratch in the screen..

But now that I carefully think about it...maybe its because DS has sucky games only, and I used it only to play gba games LOL

Bluteg

05-20-2005, 06:49 PM

Play Wario Ware: Touched to completion and your touch sceen WILL get scratched.

This reminds me of Mario Party on N64 destroying the analog sticks on the N64 controller.

SamuraiSmurfette

05-20-2005, 07:15 PM

The top of mine is scratched. Does that count?
Put it in my purse, and then threw my keys in.

downfall

05-20-2005, 07:29 PM

Not a single scratch.

And that's having beaten WarioWare 100%, Feel The Magic 100%, Super Mario 64 100%, Yoshi's Touch N Go 100%, Polarium (close to 100), and Pac-Pix (up through level 12) - not to mention the multiplayer games of Metroid and everything else.

What are you guys doing to tear these things up?

Lady Jaye

05-20-2005, 07:51 PM

Did you guys know that there are 2 types of DS touch screen? There's the grainy screen (which I have) and the grid screen.

http://db.gamefaqs.com/portable/ds/file/ds_touchscreen.txt (you may have to copy-paste the url into browser, as direct linking is prohibited by gamefaqs)

Anyway, my touch screen doesn't have any major scratch, if any scratch at all (and I did play Wario Ware Touched...). My screen is actually mostly full of fingerprints because of Daigasso Band Bros., and the d-pad and buttons are now pretty soft and sensitive because of Daigasso as well.

Slate

05-20-2005, 09:17 PM

No.

I take care of my DS' Touch screen.

I don't have many DS games, so the touch screen does not get much use, though.. I've had it since Christmas 2004. I use mine mostly for GBA Games.

But :eek 2: Those DS systems at Walmarts are UNPLAYABLE! I'll say it again: Unplayable! It looks like they were Punched with bricks! @_@

I wonder how long they lasted..

ozyr

05-20-2005, 09:40 PM

I just use the damn stylus.
If your touchscreen is glass, die! Joking...
But yeah, mine is made of annoying plastic, and is noticably scratched.

To be honest, I'm not sure if it 'is' glass. Seems like it, but I'm not going to test that theary! :D All I know is it seems rathy tough, and I"ve played Wario and other touch screen intensive games. Not a single tiny scratch.

As for the person who posted the link to the two types of screens, the link doesn't work.

If there are two types of screens as described, I've got the grainy screen, not the grid one...

Videogamerdaryll

05-20-2005, 09:49 PM

Classic collector paranoia :)

I've not read one single case of somebody having scratched their DS touch-screen through normal use.

Have any of you scratched it, yet?

No...

PDorr3

05-20-2005, 09:52 PM

not yet, I always keep it closed when not in use, and I find it hard to be able to scratch it, unless u use a bad stylus.

Lady Jaye

05-20-2005, 11:33 PM

As for the person who posted the link to the two types of screens, the link doesn't work.

If you read what I wrote right after that link, gamefaqs doesn't allow for direct linking to their pages. Thus, the way to see the linked page in question is to copy-paste the link into the browser's address bar.

Nesmaster

05-21-2005, 04:34 AM

yes i have

probbaly from the hipgear brand stylus im using, but i dont care much. theyre only noticable if the screen is dark and held the right way :P

ozyr

05-21-2005, 04:44 AM

THATinkjar

05-21-2005, 04:48 AM

Cauterize mentioned a special film you can buy to place over the touch screen. Even though I haven't scratched it yet, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I do. I need the film.

-hellvin-

05-21-2005, 04:59 AM

Nope, because I've never played it since the day I got it.

Julio III

05-21-2005, 05:33 AM

I have the grid type screen, i didn't even know there was another type of screen. I haven't scratched mine but occasionally am worried about it. After a short while of owning the DS i got past these worries because otherwise i couldn't play WarioWare or Project Rub (Feel The Magic) to completion. My touchscreen is still in perfect condition! I have come to the conclusion that they are very durable. However, almost every single display stand DS has a horrible screen that it a mess. On a couple i couldn't even see anything. Again, most of these demo units don't have styluses so game play is hard or i've seen some with metal styluses attached on a string to the display case! They are sure to do some damage. You can get screen protectors. They are in most of the "DS Essential Accesories" kits you see and you may be able to get them separately. I'm always thinking about it but i know i'm going to get dust or bubbles or something under mine when applying it and sometimes i feel the touchscreen isn't as accurate as i want and i don't want to lose accuracy

importaku

05-21-2005, 06:40 AM

Had mine since the japanese launch & its played nearly every single day.

The touch screen dosent have a single mark on it, & i have really given it some stick playing games over the months. Looks like i got lucky and have one with a super tough touch screen :D

Cauterize

05-21-2005, 06:41 AM

Jon I already told you! Get one of those protective films! :P

THATinkjar

05-21-2005, 07:17 AM

Jon I already told you! Get one of those protective films! :P

And I already told you: get one of those saucy rosies!

Sylentwulf

05-21-2005, 08:23 AM

I got one of the screen covers, I REALLY don't like how it looks, but I'm going to have to leave it on there. You'll just have to take my word, that I've been VERY careful not to scratch it, hardly played it at all, and as someone else said, if the screens dark and you tilt it the right way, it IS scratched.

THATinkjar

05-21-2005, 01:33 PM

jonjandran

05-21-2005, 01:46 PM

My kids have 2 and one is scratched to Hell and back from them playing Pokemon dash. But the other doesn't have a single scratch on it .

Hmm must be 2 different screens . I'll have to look. :hmm:

THATinkjar

05-23-2005, 04:51 AM

Turns out 4 protective films were included with my Mad Catz case (2 for each screen). Almost threw 'em away. now I don't need to persuade myself to buy some. Yay.

aaron7

05-23-2005, 03:43 PM

Do they make plastic screen overlays for them, such as a PDA?

Slate

08-02-2005, 12:22 PM

I've scratched my DS' touch screen. Twice. :(

OH WELL. At least it took 7 months, two days, and some hours.

Still, it works great..

FlufflePuff

08-02-2005, 01:11 PM

To scratch the screen I would have had to use it more than the 3 hours I stayed interested in Super Mario 64 (I'm probably the only person who really didn't like it). That, and I use a Q-tip when playing with it. Not only do I get perfect sensitivity with it, but it cleans the screen as I go. Just don't use a Q-tip on the bus or at work and you'll be fine :)

Jumpman Jr.

08-02-2005, 02:11 PM

No I haven't. But I am extremely carefull with the screen. I try to only use the touch-pad when its neccessary. And I never use my fingers or anything but the stylus. That... and I hardly play it.
I don't want it to look like the ones that they have on display at the stores.

Aswald

08-02-2005, 02:32 PM

Our local Radio Shack sells replacement screens and pens (Pelican) for the DS, so it is likely that YOURS will, too.

CanX

08-02-2005, 02:42 PM

Wario Ware will give you some scratches, but nothing major. The only way to see them is to postion it at an angle and actually look for them. Now my PSP has more scracthes than my DS.

JWKobayashi

08-03-2005, 05:23 PM

This reminds me of Mario Party on N64 destroying the analog sticks on the N64 controller.

Hell, that'll destroy both your hand/palm as well as the controller. Freakin' brutal.

Anyway, on topic: I've played my DS quite a bit since I got it back in February. My screen has nary a scratch that hasn't wiped off.

I *think* my screen is of the grainy variety. I'll have to check for sure when I get home. I didn't realize there were two variants. Interesting.

Famidrive-16

08-03-2005, 09:09 PM

I've had mine since the launch date, still play it regularly, and it's fine. I wanna try the q-tip tip sometime though...

digtempest

08-25-2005, 10:33 AM

Roth

08-25-2005, 10:37 AM

I've had my DS for awhile now, and there are no scratches on it. I think this is pretty good, seeing as how my four-year-old son plays it more than I do. It seems to be pretty resilient. That's a good thing... nice product.

WiseSalesman

08-25-2005, 11:12 AM

Our local Radio Shack sells replacement screens and pens (Pelican) for the DS, so it is likely that YOURS will, too.

Replacement SCREENS? How does THAT work? Is it something I can install myself, or what?

Gamereviewgod

08-25-2005, 11:44 AM

I honestly don't know how someone could unless a younger kid gets a hold of it. I've used my extensively with no issues, including my fingers.

ozyr

08-26-2005, 12:43 AM

I still find this topic funny. I've had my DS for months now, and have played with it a lot!!! Not a single scratch on the screen - even when looking at if from an angle. And I played the hell out of Feel the Magic and Wario. Guess I got one of the better ones! ;)

EndlessChris

08-26-2005, 01:28 AM

Ok team, here's the million dollar question. How often do you use the thumbstrap to play?

This is the primary culprit in most scratching incidents I've encountered. The plastic for the thumbstrap just isn't durable and wears down slightly. When I played Mario 64 I could feel the screen scratching as I played. It was disgusting.

Luckily, Nintendo replaced my Nintendo DS completely (It had a D Pad malfunction they couldn't fix) and I did notice the bottom screen looked more grainy than before. Good to know its more durable, but still, for now I play my DS with a Q-Tip, and if I ever use the thumbstrap I wrap some non abrasive cloth around it.

I need a screen protector, but those Pelican ones are disgusting.

JJNova

08-26-2005, 03:39 AM

A side question: Is there a hardware/screen difference between the new color DS w/out the demo and the original DS with the demo? Do the games loads faster, weight difference, etc...between the two? I have looked at both boxes and can't tell a difference besides the color and demo.

There is no difference between any of the DS colors, except for the Shonen Jump special edition (Red) and the iQue version (In China, it looks like the Titanium one in the United States)

Both of these have had an update that rejects the passme. So if you are into Homebrew, Emulation, Linux, WebBrowsing, or any other DS Hacks, you might want to stay away from these versions. The makers of the PassMe claim to have a version working with the Shonen DS (Red) but they have yet to release it. Claiming that they are working out the "kinks".

DS' are also Region Code Free, so you may import any of the colors and still play your game releases on a DS from other countries, or just import the games and play them on your DS.

Just remember to select the language you prefer at initial start up ;)

WiseSalesman

08-26-2005, 08:43 AM

Hey, I just bought a DS yesterday. Couldn't take hearing about them anymore! LOL

Anyway, I wanted to let everyone know that Hori, who make some fantastic damn video gaming accessories, including the Gamecube's SNES-style pad, has come out with the screen protectors for the DS. $7 gets you one protector for each screen, as well as a special shammy cloth so that you can make absolutely certain the screen is completely clean before applying the protectors. Let me tell you; these things are top quality. The one for the top screen is designed to not only protect, but reduce glare and fingerprints. The one on the bottom is an incredibly clear, yet quite heavy damn piece of plastic. I don't see how the screen could EVER get scratched through it. I did have some problems with some stubborn bubbles, but that's probably more due to my lack of finesse and coordination when it comes to things like this. Also, I tested it, and if you really are worried about the bubbles, it's very easy to attach some Scotch tape to the corner of the screen protector and pull the protector right off, and then reapply it. And, they leave NO sticky residue on the screens at all.

I give this product a 4.5 and, quite frankly, I'd reccomend it to anyone who owns a DS. I was worried about scratching for a very long time, as I'm one of those people that tends to constantly snap the ends off of my pencils when writing, and I was sure I'd be sending nintendo a "Gouging is Good" letter in no time.

digtempest

08-26-2005, 10:31 AM

It doesn't seem that Nintendo is offering the free Mario 64 DS game with a purchase of a DS. Nice trick. Lower the price, but don't offer the free game.

WiseSalesman

08-26-2005, 01:33 PM

I wasn't aware that Mario 64 had EVER been offered with it, at least, without an additional cost. I know the metroid prime hunters demo was, at one point, but that was always know to be a limited edition thing...sort of launch exclusive.

K3V

08-26-2005, 02:22 PM

It doesn't seem that Nintendo is offering the free Mario 64 DS game with a purchase of a DS. Nice trick. Lower the price, but don't offer the free game.

You can still get it at WalMart online. Or Amazon/ToysRUs has a $130 package with SpiderMan DS and a starter kit.

alec006

08-26-2005, 05:09 PM

Already a mini scratch on mine.So easy to scratch.

Lone_Monster

08-26-2005, 05:21 PM

Well, I've had the DS since the day it came out, and unfortunately,

Yes, I do have scratches. And one's semi-deep. It sucks, it's annoying, and it's pissing me off. I also have some light scratches, a bunch of 'em, that only show when looking in a certain direction.

But the worst of all is this LITTLE WHITE SPECK UNDER MY TOP SCREEN.

ARGH, I HATE IT.

WiseSalesman

08-26-2005, 07:13 PM

I just noticed, while playing a Metroid Prime: Hunters Demo that an EB employee, er, "borrowed" for me that I have an "always on" pixel. The damn thing is just always red. It's not too annoying, and I've heard there are actually programs to fix this, which flash the screen a set of colors eventually "snapping" the pixel back to normal. Any ideas on this? Should I take it back and get a new one? Or should I just wait see if I can't get it to snap back on its own?