SCREWIS  wrote:

 

For the record, I'm using this CS rep's response as a reference.

 

1. Nintendo is aware of the Maka Wuhu glitch in Mario Kart 7.
2. There currently aren't plans to fix this.
3. Fixing said patch would give early adopters an unfair advantage.

 

So...wait.  Why can't the game be patched via a mandatory system update?

The software in the cartridge cannot be modified with a system update.

SCREWIS  wrote:

 

Didn't a system update essentially patch Ridge Racer 3D very early in the system's life?

Yes, in this case, there was a 3DS system update that introduced a bug, which happened to cause Ridge Racer to malfunction.  Later, Nintendo fixed the bug and issued a new update.  Since the bug was in the 3DS firmware, not the software on the cartridge, it was possible for Nintendo to fix the bug.

I suppose; however, how much testing can you do.?  If you test too much, it no longer becomes cost effective to develop the games.  It would help if Nintendo had some beta testing program (i.e. free testers) like other video game manufacturers.  It would also help Nintendo had some way of updating software after release.  It's nice that Nintendo at least figured out a way to fix a save file corrupted by the Skyward Sword glitch.

Either way, the games are going to get released with some bugs.  Every game does.  Even rigorous beta testing with thousands of users will not catch all the bugs.  Sometimes you have to do some really weird stuff to uncover the bugs.  You have to admit, the Maka Wuhu glitch and Skyward Sword glitches are not encountered unless the player does something unexpected.

At least VVVVVV is downloadable content and could be fixed with a software update.  It looks to me like this game was just thrown together from a bunch of third-party software.  I'm sure Nintendo didn't test this game well at all.  It is quite expensive for having such a blatant issue.  I agree that this was pretty bad.

You do know that there are bonus level that you can unlock without having to go through the whole game, right?

I don't have much to say, but fixing this glitch (if theoretically possible) gives the early purchasers an advantage mostly in the way of time trials, from what I presume.

They could just do a system update, BUT it just fixes the glitch on the system so if you played the game on another unupdated system it would work on there but not the updated ones very simple fix this way.

LINKMASTER221  wrote:

 

They can fix it. Yes, it's true you cannont alter the software on the cartridge, but you can have it so that the system will read the update software on the 3DS and override any on the cartridge, that's what an update feature is all about. Nintendo has stated that the 3DS has this ability.

Where did Nintendo state that the 3DS has this ability?  Do you have a link?

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/326683/3ds-getting-dlc-functionality-via-november-update/

Nintendo of America boss Reggie Fils-Aime has confirmed that the upcoming November update for 3DS will add the framework for the sale of DLC.

 

"In terms of what the next system update will allow, it will allow developers to sell add-on content, and whether that's for a physical game or a digitally released game," he confirmed in a recent interview with Games Blog.

 

"In terms of how it will work, it's up to the developer whether they want to make it to buy new levels, new items--all of that is up to their imagination. Essentially, what we're doing is creating the framework for those transactions to happen."

 

The 3DS' eShop, he went on to say, is already a strong platform and 3DS is already Nintendo's most connected console.

 

"The digital business on the 3DS is very strong, and it's not only the gaming content we're making available through the eShop, but the video content we're making available through Nintendo Video. So, it's already a robust environment and the Nintendo 3DS is our most connected device ever, which is great," said Fils-Aime.

This article implies that the cartridge has to be designed to accept changes or new content.  It does NOT imply that the DLC feature will allow Nintendo to make arbitrary changes to the functionality of any 3DS cartridge game.

Yes, the update is not out yet. It will sometime soon though (around April I believe since that's when it will be needed for Fire Emblem). But the point is, Nintendo can fix it. Maybe not at this second, but they could at least say "We are working on fixing it when a future update becomes available." Instead, we get "We have no plans of fixing it." Just pointing out the means of them being able to fix it is there, but their support for game balance is not.

Based on Reggie's description, it appears that they are going to use option 1 (the way the Xbox 360 works).  This means that the game has to support the update.  Mario Kart 7 probably was not designed to support this.

I understand what you are saying about how the PSP works, but I am under the impression that Nintendo is not going to implement it this way.  I guess we will have to wait and see.