Ever since the Nintendo 3DS launched in North America, I'd always wondered what kind of experience I'd have with the often hyped StreetPass, a feature touted loudly both by our Japanese amigos and PR figureheads.
Prior to this week, I'd had a grand total of six StreetPass tags since the system's launch. I gave up on taking the system with me everywhere I went within two weeks, because I figured the population density just wasn't there.
Enter E3.
I knew going in that E3 would be the perfect place for filling the StreetPass gap, but what I didn't expect was that it'd also be the place to display some of StreetPass' glaring shortfalls.
When I walked into the LACC on Sunday to grab my media badge, I had 6 tags within minutes, as I was playing and clearing out my queue, another 3 showed up. I unlocked new puzzles, and was hopeful that I'd be able to complete every aspect of the Find Mii and puzzle-collection portions of StreetPass Mii Plaza by the end of the week.
I was told prior to heading to LA that StreetPass only stores ten tags at a time, and that I'd likely be going through and clearing them out quite often. This turned out to be true.
Since Sunday, my StreetPass count has skyrocketed to 115, with 95 individual Miis in my plaza, and the show hasn't even started yet. In two short days I've managed to complete 5 out of the 7 puzzles (with only a few tiles left to complete the other two), gather all but two hats, and surprisingly managed to make my 3DS battery last through both press conferences and the rest of the day.
While I've reached my target much quicker than anticipated, it should have been quicker still. Aside from the ten-tag-at-a-time limit, there also seems to be an issue of congestion.
I have no conclusive test proof of this, but many times today, my 3DS did not receive a tag but the one belonging to the person standing next to me did. I wonder, if a 3DS in StreetPass mode gets a response, is there a delay before it sends out another packet? There were quite a few discrepancies like this today for it to be merely a fluke.
Another thing of interest is that you'll get more tags while you're actively playing than you would when your system is in your bag sleeping away its battery power.
In testing this, my 3DS was open and clearing one of many waves of new tags, when I finished a wave, I got 6 new tags, but that 3DS beside me only got 4. Three of those tags were common between us, but the others were unique and different across the systems.
If anything, StreetPass is inconsistent. I'm not complaining because hey, I'm flying through all these challenges with a grin on my face and a hopeful optimism that everything I'm doing has a reason (it doesn't).
Fact is, the 3DS wasn't built for conventions where 70% of the population likely has one biting at the same bits and bytes floating through the air fighting for Mii supremacy. When all is said and done, my 3DS will likely go back in its cradle when I head home at the end of the week, satisfied by the orgy of tags, and wait another year for the swingers party that is E3.
Prior to this week, I'd had a grand total of six StreetPass tags since the system's launch. I gave up on taking the system with me everywhere I went within two weeks, because I figured the population density just wasn't there.
Enter E3.
I knew going in that E3 would be the perfect place for filling the StreetPass gap, but what I didn't expect was that it'd also be the place to display some of StreetPass' glaring shortfalls.
When I walked into the LACC on Sunday to grab my media badge, I had 6 tags within minutes, as I was playing and clearing out my queue, another 3 showed up. I unlocked new puzzles, and was hopeful that I'd be able to complete every aspect of the Find Mii and puzzle-collection portions of StreetPass Mii Plaza by the end of the week.
I was told prior to heading to LA that StreetPass only stores ten tags at a time, and that I'd likely be going through and clearing them out quite often. This turned out to be true.
Since Sunday, my StreetPass count has skyrocketed to 115, with 95 individual Miis in my plaza, and the show hasn't even started yet. In two short days I've managed to complete 5 out of the 7 puzzles (with only a few tiles left to complete the other two), gather all but two hats, and surprisingly managed to make my 3DS battery last through both press conferences and the rest of the day.
While I've reached my target much quicker than anticipated, it should have been quicker still. Aside from the ten-tag-at-a-time limit, there also seems to be an issue of congestion.
I have no conclusive test proof of this, but many times today, my 3DS did not receive a tag but the one belonging to the person standing next to me did. I wonder, if a 3DS in StreetPass mode gets a response, is there a delay before it sends out another packet? There were quite a few discrepancies like this today for it to be merely a fluke.
Another thing of interest is that you'll get more tags while you're actively playing than you would when your system is in your bag sleeping away its battery power.
In testing this, my 3DS was open and clearing one of many waves of new tags, when I finished a wave, I got 6 new tags, but that 3DS beside me only got 4. Three of those tags were common between us, but the others were unique and different across the systems.
If anything, StreetPass is inconsistent. I'm not complaining because hey, I'm flying through all these challenges with a grin on my face and a hopeful optimism that everything I'm doing has a reason (it doesn't).
Fact is, the 3DS wasn't built for conventions where 70% of the population likely has one biting at the same bits and bytes floating through the air fighting for Mii supremacy. When all is said and done, my 3DS will likely go back in its cradle when I head home at the end of the week, satisfied by the orgy of tags, and wait another year for the swingers party that is E3.