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DrJackson

Member
Oct 29, 2017
167
User Warned: Lazy dev rhetoric.
Sorry for ranting but how can Nintendo get a free pass for allowing such extreme loading times and wasting customers time?

Here's my problem: I love me some shmups and just got Skyforce Reloaded from a recent sale. A brilliant mobile port with tight controls on the switch and some seriously addictive shmup gameplay from a top down perspective.
Problem is when you die, which you do a lot on the insane difficulty, loading times are totally ruining the enjoyment. Game loop is load level (20-30 sec), die, load back to menu (20-35 sec), repeat.
I mean, I blame the devs for not allowing instant restart level option when you die. Atrocious game design for a title like this, when it's all about learning enemy/bullet patterns and grinding your way to the boss.
But wtf at the loading times! This ain't zelda or skyrim, it's a mobile port of a simple top down game ffs. It should load instantly like on phone. How is 60 sec+ loading acceptable for restarting level on any system?
Who's to blame here; lazy devs, poor nintendo quality control or switch hardware?
I only bought this game, super mario odyssey and mario cart so far. Was looking forward to playing maybe dead cells after, but if loading times is a general problem on this thing, I'll probably just sell it and use my phone.
I've tried to reboot the Switch, and it improves loading for a while, but a few levels later its back to shit.
I like the Switch but is it really that underpowered or what the hell is going on?
 

Deleted member 3017

User requested account closure
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Oct 25, 2017
17,653
The vast majority of my Switch collection consists of titles that don't load any slower than games on other platforms.
 
Oct 29, 2017
4,721
Some games are just rushed out and/or aren't coded well in general (or even for the platform).

So you've got inefficient code that has been hastly ported to the platform. Resulting in long loading times.
 

ckareset

Attempted to circumvent ban with an alt account
Banned
Feb 2, 2018
4,977
Switch load times might be better than other consoles to be honest
 

Prattle

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
995
Nintendo have teams whose main responsibility is to tweak and squeeze milliseconds off the loading times. And the blueprints of the actual machine.

Third-party Devs don't have that luxury, get the game out the door is the priority.
 

Urthor

Member
Oct 28, 2017
167
I mean the issue is that the switch has pretty shit read speeds from the memory card iirc and doesn't write the entire game.

Fact of the matter is the Switch is still functionally a handheld, there's not that much you can do when Nintendo intentionally chose the Tegra which is more than a touch behind in the GPU stakes for its platform. Oodles of oomph the Switch does not, and especially oodles of onboard SSD storage space are missing.

If loading times are an issue then your only real issue is to either put up the dough and play on PC, because most of the consoles have similar loading times.
 

JoeNut

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,482
UK
Based on your post it sounds more like the loading times for that particular game on switch are poor. I don't have that game but of the 8-9 games I have played on switch I've never noticed particularly lengthy loading times.
 

haotshy

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,572
I love when people blame Nintendo for third party game issues that are out of their control.
 

Renna Hazel

Member
Oct 27, 2017
11,556
I think this is more a problem with the game than the Switch. For me, the worst loading I have to deal with is the initial loading time for large scale games like BotW or Starlink. I haven't run into many loading issues otherwise and I have a lot of games for the system.
 

Eumi

Member
Nov 3, 2017
3,518
You're making claims about an entire console's loading tones based on a single port?

It's that game. Not the console.
 
Oct 26, 2017
9,827
This just sounds like an issue for that game in particular. I don't get why you're extending that to the rest of the Switch's library or what that has to do with its hardware. Most games I own on the Switch have the same sort of loading screens I have on my PS4 or XB1
 

cw_sasuke

Member
Oct 27, 2017
26,344
How old is the game ? If loading takes that much time it might get patches to fix the issue.
35secs seems to long for this kind of game.
Nintendo have teams whose main responsibility is to tweak and squeeze milliseconds off the loading times. And the blueprints of the actual machine.

Third-party Devs don't have that luxury, get the game out the door is the priority.
For smaller devs its usually important to get the game out - as you said. After that...depending on the sales it will get updates and fixes.
 

Deleted member 3017

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Oct 25, 2017
17,653
I know my sample size isn't big, it's just baffling that such a simple game doesn' load faster on their platform. Are devs allowed to release games in whatever state they please. There should be some qq imo.

Long load times isn't really the type of thing a platform holder is going to step in and prevent from happening. This isn't on Nintendo in any way.
 
Jan 10, 2018
6,327
how can Nintendo get a free pass for allowing such extreme loading times...

just got Skyforce Reloaded from a recent sale. A brilliant mobile port ...

But wtf at the loading times! ....

is it really that underpowered ...



A port so brilliant, it made you rage about Nintendo
 

cw_sasuke

Member
Oct 27, 2017
26,344
I know my sample size isn't big, it's just baffling that such a simple game doesn' load faster on their platform. Are devs allowed to release games in whatever state they please. There should be some qq imo.
You think games with 25 secs of loading times.... shouldnt be allowed to hit the eShop?

Does that sounds like a realistic scenario to you ? There is a reason why reviews and lets play videos exist.
 

VariantX

Member
Oct 25, 2017
16,880
Columbia, SC
OP that's like me saying the PS4 has shit loading times because of mercenary kings or is underpowered because of the insane slowdowns that occur while playing broforce or mighty no.9. You cannot shit on a platform because of a single experience with a single title. You would need this to be a widespread thing across the majority of titles to make that assertion. And even then we're not even factoring in what the games are trying to do when you do load them.
 

sandworms

Member
Oct 7, 2018
137
Wtf? I've had a switch since launch and around 40 games and have never had a problem. Never even heard of people having a problem with long load times.
 

Renna Hazel

Member
Oct 27, 2017
11,556
I know my sample size isn't big, it's just baffling that such a simple game doesn' load faster on their platform. Are devs allowed to release games in whatever state they please. There should be some qq imo.
It's probably best to read a quick review or watch a youtube walkthrough just to get an idea of the load times. As most here have stated, they're not usually long, but if it kills your enjoyment of the game it wont hurt much to pull up a youtube video for future games. I don't think you'll run into this problem often though.
 
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OP
DrJackson

DrJackson

Member
Oct 29, 2017
167
You think games with 25 secs of loading times.... shouldnt be allowed to hit the eShop?

Does that sounds like a realistic scenario to you ? There is a reason why reviews and lets play videos exist.

Nintendo makes a lot of money from the e-shop. Are the not responsible for the quality of the products on the store in any way?

Honestly, as soon as I read '' lazy devs '' I decided to stop reading

Why? Is at least trying to optimize loading times to much to ask?
 
Oct 26, 2017
9,827
Nintendo makes a lot of money from the e-shop. Are the not responsible for the quality of the products on the store in any way?

Why? Is at least trying to optimize loading times to much to ask?
They're not responsible for the loading times of a third party title and controlling that sort of stuff would more or less limit the support that they get

Assuming that they're already not trying to optimize loading times or have the resources to do so
 

cw_sasuke

Member
Oct 27, 2017
26,344
Nintendo makes a lot of money from the e-shop. Are the not responsible for the quality of the products on the store in any way?

Why? Is at least trying to optimize loading times to much to ask?
How do you know they didnt try to optimize the loading and game in general on whatever budget they had for this port ?

Nintendo has guidlines every Switch developer has to follow - that Quality assurance on their part....not making sure that every small title has loading times of less than 10 seconds. This isnt some key 3rdParty showcase title - but a low(er) budget mobile port.
 

Derachi

Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,699
I only bought this game, super mario odyssey and mario cart so far.
There's a lot to be annoyed with in the OP, like using "lazy devs," or having a sample size of a single obscure game, or claiming that Nintendo is getting a "free pass for wasting people's time" by allowing a game with 20 second load times. But the thing that annoyed me the most? They spelled Mario Kart with a C. Come on, now. It's right there on the box.
 

Phoenom

Avenger
Oct 28, 2017
1,301
I despise loading times but I've seen very few cases on Switch. Plus the instant sleep/wake helps alleviate the worst offenders.
 

Segafreak

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,756
I wondered about this, is there any load times comparison with other platforms? Carts are supposed to load faster right?
 

test_account

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,645
Jeez. I stay away from the physical support then. Anyway I find incredible this thing it's considered a marginal issue. That's an awful practice by R.
Honest question, how would it be possible for Rockstar to get around that issue? The Bluray drive on PS4 (not sure about the Xbox One, but i guess its similar) only has a transfer rate about 26MB/s. Thats too slow for streaming.
 

Deleted member 10737

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Oct 27, 2017
49,774
i must be very lucky cuz i haven't encountered any bad loading times out of the 23 games i have for my switch. i guess the initial load time for botw is a bit on the long side but that's understandable.

> Third party makes a shit game
> "Fucking Nintendo"

Like clockwork.
lol, basically
 
OP
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DrJackson

DrJackson

Member
Oct 29, 2017
167
It's probably best to read a quick review or watch a youtube walkthrough just to get an idea of the load times. As most here have stated, they're not usually long, but if it kills your enjoyment of the game it wont hurt much to pull up a youtube video for future games. I don't think you'll run into this problem often though.

Yes, I usually do this, so I probably have to admit that a lot of my frustration here is on me.

How do you know they didnt try to optimize the loading and game in general on whatever budget they had for this port ?.

I don't know, just find it curious it loads so much slower on switch.

But the thing that annoyed me the most? They spelled Mario Kart with a C. Come on, now. It's right there on the box.

Ooops! The shame..
 

Minsc

Member
Oct 28, 2017
4,118
I wondered about this, is there any load times comparison with other platforms? Carts are supposed to load faster right?

Many of the Wii U > Switch ports see around a 50% shorter load time than they had on Wii U for starters.

Skyforce must be a horrible port for such long load times, because on iOS there's no load times at all. Sucks, and surprising, but like mentioned if it's something that you might be worried about going forward you can always look for a video of gameplay with the loading screens or try asking.
 

Robochimp

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
2,677
If there is any company out there that hates load times it's Nintendo, just look at their history with proprietary media.

Unfortunately they've reached a point where they had to move on.

Breath of the Wild has some fairly long load times but they're no worse than what you experience on the other consoles.
 

Pablo Mesa

Banned
Nov 23, 2017
6,878
I love how anything that happens on a single isolated scenario is instantly blamed on Switch, paint with an broad brush, and sprinkled with "its Nintendo's fault too".

what do you expect? Iron Claw Nintendo back just so everyone else can bitch about how bully and mean Nintendo is for forcing certain standards or rules out of other developers?
 
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