GoNintendo 'End of Day' thought - The joys of off-TV play

by **robometal cowboy** » 04 Dec 2012 06:03

GoNintendo 'End of Day' thought - The joys of off-TV play
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Man, it was unseasonably warm here today! I'm hoping for the same when I wake up. I like to work with the windows open! Not something you get to do much in the Winter in NJ. I hope all of you are having lovely weather as well! See you in a few, short hours.

Such a simple feature...such an interesting idea. Something we haven't seen any other console out there provide. The Wii U may have all sorts of motion controls, online features and touch-screen tricks, but there's one feature that seems to be trumping the rest. The Wii U's killer app could very well be off-TV play.

I live in a very game-friendly home. It's just Mom Brain and I, both of which play games. With that said, sometimes Mom Brain wants to play a different game than I do. Sometimes one of us wants to watch something on TV. We never, ever get into arguments about that stuff, but having off-TV play has given us even more freedom to enjoy the entertainment we want.

I played the majority of NSMBU in off-TV mode. I just found it so much easier to fire up the Wii U via GamePad, start up the game and play from the comfort of my couch. Mom Brain would usually end up watching something on TV while I'm playing, which made us both realize just how useful the feature is.

Late last week, a few friends stopped by to hang out. We're all pretty big Halo fans, which lead us to playing some Halo 4 online. Just before that, we were enjoying Scribblenauts Unlimited. Mom Brain didn't want to join in on the Halo action, but she did want to continue with Scribblenauts. We simply dropped the game to the GamePad, switched the input on TV and then we got into Halo. She enjoyed Scribblenauts Unlimited right next to us as we played Halo 4. Again, a very simple feature, but seeing it in action like that blows my mind.

What do you think of the off-TV play feature on Wii U? How much have you used it thus far? Has it already ended arguments over the TV in your home? Leave us a comment and fill us in!

by **FuPoo** » 04 Dec 2012 06:10

off tv play is amazing. family watches something on the television while i play sonic racing with my headphones on and online!

by **WesFX** » 04 Dec 2012 06:18

I've mostly kept the Wii U hooked up to the one HD set in the house, so yes I've run into situations where the off-tv play comes in very handy.

But more than that, not needing the tv in the first place often is quite a revolution. I wonder how Japan will take to it.

by **kevinxnelms** » 04 Dec 2012 06:21

The one thing I didn't like was how Nintendo Land isn't exactly bleeding with content that you can play without both screens. I didn't really fully appreciate the off-TV play until I got Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. With the release of Black Ops 2 happening the week before and my roommate picking that up on his PS3, the feature did indeed come in handy when we both wanted to be getting our game on.

...Unfortunately, I found that it often defaulted to that as well. Instead of the occasional "let's play Nintendo Land", he's just assumed that the TV is his for the taking.

But whatever, he's moving out soon. XD

by **wiiarebrothers** » 04 Dec 2012 06:29

When I play NSMBU, I play it on the TV. But I play on the pad when i'm in the bed

The game looks to good not to play on the TV.
Off-TV play is certainly revolutionnary. But I'm personnaly more interested in games, like Pikmin 3, which use both screens for a single-player adventure

by **WesFX** » 04 Dec 2012 06:42

@wiiarebrothers
Hmm...they were showing it off with Nunchuk controls earlier this year, so what makes you use that as your 2 screen experience example?

by **wiiarebrothers** » 04 Dec 2012 06:45

WesFX wrote:@wiiarebrothers
Hmm...they were showing it off with Nunchuk controls earlier this year, so what makes you use that as your 2 screen experience example?

If you use the Wiimote, the gamepad act as a map. But you can also just use the gamepad (see the WiiU gamepad page on NCL's website). But it's true that a map is not the most exciting example. That's why I want to see more of that.

by **joshb1983** » 04 Dec 2012 06:59

It's nice to play a relaxing game like Scribblenauts and watch TV at the same time.

by **Chosenoneknuckles** » 04 Dec 2012 07:13

Great feature - wish it was a mandatory system feature really [despite, yes, the likes of ZombiU].

My Wii U signal can't reach my bedroom, sadly for me, as I'm on the other side of the house. My lil sister's bedroom is right above our games room though, so it works there... [fiddlesticks!]

by **zyxion1** » 04 Dec 2012 08:00

I love watching my shows on Netflix while I play Batman Armored, Scribblenauts, or Sonic Racing. The fact that I can suspend the game and post to (whatever ) and jump back in the game is just icing on the cake. I've even set my gamepad up in the bathroom when I'm in the tub.

by **Swedish_Otaku** » 04 Dec 2012 10:30

I love it too. But the problem is, I can't be on the toilet or the balcony with it. =( My apartment is very small so I thought it would work everywhere easily but it doesn't because my walls are made of rock...

by **BlueRangerVegeta** » 04 Dec 2012 11:02

It seems like a really useless feature to me. I am surprised at how well received it has been. It just seems like such a useless feature because everyone has multiple tvs these days myself included. Even if we didnt this s what handhelds like 3Ds and Vita are for. I tried it with Tekken Tag Tournament 2 and just found myself missing the TV screen and touchscreen combo move buttons.

by **AyeHaley** » 04 Dec 2012 12:01

Although I love looking at NSMBU in 1080p...off-TV play and that crisp GamePad screen make it irresistable to play on GamePad only.

by **AtomicBean** » 04 Dec 2012 12:08

I love it. It's great for playing games late at night after everyone else has gone to bed.

Like I said before though, it sucks that I can't even take the gamepad out of my own room without the signal dropping like a rock. Would be lovely to sit in the living room from time to time and still be able to play some...but I'll live.

by **Blodtryck** » 04 Dec 2012 12:16

BlueRangerVegeta wrote:It seems like a really useless feature to me. I am surprised at how well received it has been. It just seems like such a useless feature because everyone has multiple tvs these days myself included. Even if we didnt this s what handhelds like 3Ds and Vita are for. I tried it with Tekken Tag Tournament 2 and just found myself missing the TV screen and touchscreen combo move buttons.

Who - living by hisself - has more than one TV and why? :S

by **TheBitBlock** » 04 Dec 2012 12:27

I'm not really a fan of the whole "Play only on the GamePad" concept. The GamePad screen's quality doesn't really impress me. It's like we have our first HD Nintendo system yet half of the experience is still SD. I also don't like my home console trying to pretend it's a handheld system.

But if others like it, that's awesome.

by **metalpants** » 04 Dec 2012 12:29

This feature has been all too important for me since I'm saving up for an HDTV at the moment. With Nintendo Land I've been able to play games like Metroid Blast (ship only) Pikmin Adventure, and LoZ Battle Quest (archer only) among other games and it's been amazing! Trine 2 looks mind-blowingly gorgeous on the GamePad (though I really wanna see it on an HDTV). And I'd love to get like 5 other games but the TV is kind of important

. But yeah, due to unforseen circumstances I couldn't get the HDTV when I wanted (and still can't) so the GamePad's screen has been detrimental for me to experience Wii U

.

by **metalpants** » 04 Dec 2012 12:37

@TheBitBlock

I'm gonna have to disagree with the whole SD thing.

I hooked up the Wii U to my parents' old tube TV (thank God they're upgrading to HD this Christmas) and looking at the TV screen and back to the GamePad screen showed an incredibly noticeable difference. When I looked at the GamePad it was like a veil of blur was lifted from what I saw displayed on the SD TV. And it looked absolutely gorgeous and as if it was HD already. Maybe it doesn't show when compared to an HDTV, but it's DEFINITELY not SD.

by **stoopeed** » 04 Dec 2012 12:43

It's easy to see that this will be an endless (and pointless) discussion over the next 5 years:

When a game enables Gamepad-only play, people will complain about the unoriginal use of the pad.
When it uses the Gamepad cleverly, other people will complain about the lack of Gamepad-only play.

Woohoo.

by **Jerome** » 04 Dec 2012 12:45

robometal cowboy wrote:Such a simple feature...such an interesting idea. Something we haven't seen any other console out there provide.

Actually, that's not true. Maybe we haven't seen another console offer this with no additional purchase required, but Wii U is not the first console to offer off-TV play, PS3 is. Sony has been offering the same thing (in a more limited capacity) via Remote Play for several years now, first with PSP and now with PSVita.

by **gatorboi352** » 04 Dec 2012 12:47

Its an amazingly convenient feature, coupled with the TV control. I notice it's also quite the catch 22. On one hand, I want all games to feature it, but on the other hand it really limits the developer from creating a solid, deep 2 screen experience.

I suspect many non 1st party games will utilize Off TV play as they will be much more inclined to "port" over to Wii U throwing in an optional map/inventory Gamepad screen than to create a ground up from scratch 2 screen experience ala ZombiU.

It's definitely an either/or situation. Are you looking for a mandatory and unique 2 screen experience or are you looking for the convenience of gaming Off TV? I look forward to how devs both 1st and 3rd party tackle this as I suspect Nintendo will soon be looking to incorporate as much 2 screen stuff as possible into their core Wii U efforts. It seems like to me the 2 screen experience is the biggest thing they are banking on in-house for Wii U. It will be interesting to note how well it goes and is received by fans because if you recall, early on in the 3DS life Nintendo banked on the 3D aspect of the system and have since refocused their direction with it due to consumers simply not caring enough for it (how many of you simply turn off the 3D effect altogether on your 3DS gaming sessions now a days?).

It's a tough one to call! Do we want new original 2 screen experiences or the traditional PS360 gaming experience ported over with the luxury of Off TV play?

by **gatorboi352** » 04 Dec 2012 12:48

stoopeed wrote:It's easy to see that this will be an endless (and pointless) discussion over the next 5 years:

When a game enables Gamepad-only play, people will complain about the unoriginal use of the pad.
When it uses the Gamepad cleverly, other people will complain about the lack of Gamepad-only play.

Woohoo.

Pretty much exactly hits on the basis of my comment. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

by **Windsor** » 04 Dec 2012 12:53

Well, my little brother gets to play Soul Calibur V on PS3 -and- I get to keep hunting for Star Coins. This has never before been possible. On top of that, when his battle cries and "Ring Out"'s got to loud (Or I went through the forested area of the Soda Jungle, good lord I love that song), I turned down the TV's volume with the push of a button.

by **Jerome** » 04 Dec 2012 12:53

metalpants wrote:@TheBitBlock

I'm gonna have to disagree with the whole SD thing.

I hooked up the Wii U to my parents' old tube TV (thank God they're upgrading to HD this Christmas) and looking at the TV screen and back to the GamePad screen showed an incredibly noticeable difference. When I looked at the GamePad it was like a veil of blur was lifted from what I saw displayed on the SD TV. And it looked absolutely gorgeous and as if it was HD already. Maybe it doesn't show when compared to an HDTV, but it's DEFINITELY not SD.

Actually, the Gamepad's output would qualify as Enhanced Definition Television, or EDTV*. This is basically an enhanced form of SD that runs in progressive scan, and (as on the Gamepad) can run at slightly higher horizontal resolution (about 850 pixels wide instead of 640 or 720, but still at the same 480 pixels vertically.

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edtv

by **mshope10** » 04 Dec 2012 12:57

it's amazing and i could not got without it from now on.