IGN Article: Mario Kart DS Online Pros and Cons [Archive]

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Nesmaster

11-10-2005, 05:50 PM

Didn't see this posted, so here it goes:

http://ds.ign.com/articles/665/665635p1.html

Personallly I am not glad to hear this. Don't get me wrong, Mario Kart online is still gonna be a blast, but this seems much more butchered than what I had in my mind :/

Theres still other aspects of the game though, like what made the past entries great. I still cannot wait for this game. 6 days! http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v297/Nesmaster/59.gif

Drexel923

11-10-2005, 06:15 PM

Nesmaster

11-10-2005, 06:17 PM

While I agree that some of this news is dissapointing...I think theres still enough left to make it a good online experience. To me, I'm really buying the game as a single player game, so anything else is just a bonus. Plus, I can't really fault Nintendo since this is their first online game...but if they fail to improve or fix the problems in future games (Metroid, etc), then I'll really be dissapointed.

That's exactly what I was trying to say. The game would have been just as good without online, the mode itself is just not as meaty as I thought. Not even an add-a-friend option! :( (edit: yes, there is one, but I mean an easier way, and at least some way of adding random people you may have raced with)

boatofcar

11-10-2005, 06:19 PM

goatdan

11-10-2005, 06:27 PM

Thank you for posting that. I'll still be buying it, but it's good to know the limitations of online play, so I'm not too disappointed upon connecting. Most disappointing of all is the lack of computer drones in an online multiplayer game, not to mention the 4 player max.

I'm okay with the limited amount of people, I just am saddened by the fact that the game doesn't penalize people for disconnecting during a race. Especially because as the article pointed out, if it is a one-on-one race and you are going to win, if the opponent drops out you get nothing for your efforts. That sucks.

I do think that once I get a DS and this game, it will be fun to play in groups without worry of this happening, and I personally can't wait to take on people here over the wire... but I don't think I'm going to be too excited to play people that aren't "friends" online when they could just be disconnecting at the end of a bad race.

unbroken

11-10-2005, 06:28 PM

Hopefully they'll fix these problems in an update later, most of the stuff doesnt bother me except the 4 player max, 6 players would have been perfect. it would have been nice to have a chatroom or something where you could meet up with buddys and setup a race. all these are pretty understandable, especially since this is a handheld game.

PDorr3

11-10-2005, 06:45 PM

Ya alot of that is dissapointing, but its better than no online at all. Cant wait to play my friends and people from the forums on there (though it sounds like a pain setting up the game)
I will still be kicking ass in single player though, and thank god block fort is back!

Leo_A

11-10-2005, 09:05 PM

No online battle mode? Guess I don't have to worry about taking my DS online anytime soon.

suckerpunch5

11-10-2005, 10:42 PM

Ok, I've played this online a little bit, and people disconnecting from matches when they lose is a BIG problem. It sucks. So far, every time I've been winning near the end, the other people just quit. So you get absolutely no credit for a win.

I think it is spreading because new people, like me, have it happen to them so many times, that you start to feel used when you actually stay in a game. It's like, well, screw you, because everyone else is screwing me out of my wins, so right back at ya.

To bad. I really hope Nintendo can do something about this, cause it is really hurting otherwise very fun game play.

ubersaurus

11-10-2005, 10:56 PM

Nesmaster

11-10-2005, 11:39 PM

No online battle mode? Guess I don't have to worry about taking my DS online anytime soon.

Woah, back up.

People actually PLAYED the battle mode on mario kart?

I always thought it was a pale shadow of the awesomeness that is vs.

My friend and I had the most fun in MK64 and MKDD when we played battle mode. Some heated close battles. I'd take online battle over race any day :)

Scream And Fly

11-10-2005, 11:44 PM

So, we'll have lameass players turning their DS units off if they are losing a race and I'm about to win? That sucks!!! You'll get these people doing it all the time to deny the winning player the credit for a win.

Leo_A

11-10-2005, 11:53 PM

The best part of multiplayer in SMK and MK64 was battle mode. :)

ubersaurus

11-11-2005, 12:01 AM

The best part of multiplayer in SMK and MK64 was battle mode. :)

I disagree, because those heated 4-man races in MK54 were fantastic. Seriously, so hard to get much purer fun than that.

XxMe2NiKxX

11-11-2005, 12:07 AM

The only two things I don't like about this are the lack of chat and only four people at a time. Other then that, I think everything looks dandy.

suckerpunch5

11-11-2005, 12:34 AM

it seems obvious to me that we DPers should all swap Mario Kart user ID #'s, so we can actually play this game with people who won't be jerks and leave if they are losing.

Ok, I'll start. My "freind code" is 214807560536. To use my friend code, you must swear a blood oathe to never quit a game just because you are losing!

I look forward to playing Mario Kart with people who aren't jerks. Thank you, and good night.

Biff_McFresh

11-11-2005, 12:43 AM

The thing that troubles me most is the being able to quit and not be penalized. NONONO!!!!

goatdan

11-11-2005, 12:45 AM

Ok, I'll start. My "freind code" is 214807560536. To use my friend code, you must swear a blood oathe to never quit a game just because you are losing!

I think that we should make a DP 'friend code' thread when the game comes out, and have everyone post in it what theirs is, and also agree not to drop out if we're losing races. If anyone does, just report it on here, and we can take them off our friends list.

I'm actually really excited about this. I get a game that I really like and I will finally get to play some of you online! My router is one of their "best models to have" on their site, so now I just need the damn Mario Kart package to come out!

PDorr3

11-11-2005, 12:47 AM

But is the game interface made well so that 4 of us can easily join a room together?

Also I think there is a max of 36 friends, so pick wisely ;)

goatdan

11-11-2005, 12:51 AM

How it sounds to me is that you can choose to either play against your friends or 'anyone'. So, to play people on here you just pick your friends and go that way.

I think that after I get this for a while, I might attempt to arrange a 'league' on here, where at certain times certain people would get together to play. It has some cool ideas. And luckily for all of you, I am not really that good at anything but the original Mario Kart ;)

suckerpunch5

11-11-2005, 12:57 AM

a friend thread sounds awesome. With a lot of cool online games coming out for DS (animal crossing, to name one!) this could be a lot of fun.

Nesmaster

11-11-2005, 02:10 AM

the code thread sounds like a great idea. I'll post mine when I get the game, and I hope everyone else who buys the game does as well, so I can add all of you :P

goatdan

11-11-2005, 02:22 AM

I just started that thread here (http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=73931) because I noticed some people already knew their friends number. I'll maintain a list at the top of that so that we can all see everything easily.

Feel free to post in that thread whenever you can. I can't wait to join up on the 28th or 29th! :)

NintendoMan

11-11-2005, 10:13 AM

The best part of multiplayer in SMK and MK64 was battle mode. :)

Yes, for SMK and MK64 battle was great! For MKDD it sucked, FLAT OUT SUCKED, at least compared to the previous versions.
I mean come on, just a flat gamecube lid with no obsticles looks pretty from above, but playing on it is just ridicilous. (Unless you don't care about winning)
Now, the actual racing in MKDD is just unbelievable in my opinion. I love it, and the 2 players to a cart is a good change of pace, and strategy!

NintendoMan

11-11-2005, 10:18 AM

So would it be possible to set up some kind of tournament between us DPers. I know you couldn't set it up over the Mario Kart DS server itself, or through the game. We could even do something like a $5 entry fee or something for it. (That would make the pot a little sweeter)

goatdan

11-11-2005, 01:10 PM

Ok, I'll start. My "freind code" is 214807560536. To use my friend code, you must swear a blood oathe to never quit a game just because you are losing!

After seeing this, I started the friend code thread believing (incorrectly it appears) that everyone knew this. Did you already manage to get a copy of the game? Could you drop by that thread and explain how to pull it out, or reply here and I'll copy it there.

Thanks!

Cauterize

11-11-2005, 01:45 PM

Hmmm interesting...

Mario Kart DS does not allow for specific match-ups. Let's say I want to play my friend MrKori and only MrKori in a one-on-one race. The only way I can do that is if I make sure that he's the ONLY person on my Friend's List (meaning, I've physically deleted everyone else), and he's logged on and searching at the same time under the "Friends" search setting. You also can't force a two or three player race. The server will automatically give up and let two or three players race if it can't find a third or fourth player to match up, but players don't have the option to go ahead without the additional racers.

I do believe strongly there is a way behind/around this...

As xbox users might know, there is some software called Xlink Kai, which allows xbox users to connect to each other WITHOUT xbox live, through the System Link on a few games.
Currently, The software can also be used for PS2, Gamecube and PSP...
The software has rooms and channels for each game, with users you can buddy and so on...
It works the same way for PS2 and GC, however im not sure how the PSP one works as i havent read into it/or tried it (as i dont have a PSP (yet!))
I used this for some Halo 2 gaming against my mate in the next town from me a month or so ago... worked a treat.

I do believe this will be accessible to the DS at one point, maybe even a new piece of software...

Why?

Well... The WiFi card or the WiFi dongle that will be supported, both need a PC/Mac to give the DS access...
So surely we will be able to modify the signal/data being sent and recieved to the DS, making sure we connect to a certain person in particular...
In a way, a DS Firewall or something, blocking users you dont know from hooking up to you.

Currently, the way we would have to erase friends to spar with them is just ridiculous

If nintendo doesnt develop something like this then there foolish!

suckerpunch5

11-11-2005, 02:14 PM

yeah, I got an advanced copy of the game for review. THe way you get your "friend code" follows.

From the game main menu select "Nintendo WFC"
Then select "Friend Code"
Then select "Confirm Friend Code"

at this point, you will see a 12 digit code displayed, and that is your "friend code."

To add people to your friends list:
From the game main menu select "Nintendo WFC"
Then select "Friend Code"
Then select "Register Friend Code"

at this point, enter the 12 digit code you want to add to your friend list.

that's it. It is pretty simple, once you have the game. It probably doesn't make sense until you cans go throught the game menus though.

snes_collector

11-11-2005, 06:06 PM

The 36 mixium worries me. I probably won't be getting to game untill Jan. and by then most DP users would have their friends list filled up. Besides I don't think I'm too popular on this board, so must people probably wouldn't want to play me anyway. Just a thought.......