I was dangerously close to buying Mario Kart (which comes out Friday), however I'm a bit reluctant to as I don't understand how the WiFi stuff works (I'm no techie!), is it free? Where and how can you log on and is it even worth it if you have to be in a building far from your computer meaning you'd have no way of contacting the people you'd be racing with prior to the game?

What craig said, exactly how does it work? I know you need to buy the wireless USB thing, to connect it to your PC for wireless broadband, right? Then again I probably have no idea what i'm talking about so why don't you explain. lol

Here, let me explain the Wi-fi connection, at least as I see it.

is it free? The answer is yes...Nintendo doesn't charge any fee for you to connect to their network...This in direct opposition to Microsoft, where you have to pay a monthly fee to be a member of X-box LIVE.

There are many ways to log onto the system...the easiest (from what I have heard) is to go to your local McDonalds. Nintendo has a partner ship with them...I'm pretty sure most stores (like coffee shops and such) with free wireless internet access work...My college has wireless internet setup throughout the dorms, so I can usually find somewhere to get on.

Basically you need a broadband/hi-speed connection to the net. You also need a wireless router (nintendo has a list of which routers work the best on their site. Nintendo also is selling a USB connector on their website, so if you don't have a wireless router, you can still access the service...

To sum these last two paragraphs up, the only price you would have to possibly pay would be for your home's internet connection...which you are already doing.

With regards to who you will race...you will pretty much never know...matches are set up completely randomly, so you never know who you are racing or where they are from... Friend codes allow you to search for people you know...if they are online and aren't in a match, you can choose to go up against them

I hope this helps clear you up a little Craig! (and HS2003!)

EDIT:

Quote:

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I know you need to buy the wireless USB thing, to connect it to your PC for wireless broadband, right?

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No! I would actually recommend buying a router...The USB connector is $40 here in the US...you can usually find a router on Ebay for cheaper...

Ahh that does help, thanks. The game looks amazing, but I think I might settle for AC first, then possibly acquire MK and MP(which will also have WiFi functions yay).

Quote:

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where you have to pay a monthly fee to be a member of X-box LIVE.

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Actually, it's a yearly fee of 50$ for an Xbox Live Gold account (the Silver Account is free).

Considering you get a hell of a lot more out of Live than just ad-hoc online play, $50 a year is pretty reasonable. Can someone invite you to play Mario Kart while you're playing another game? Come to think of it, can they invite you to play at all without using another device?

Quote:

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Can someone invite you to play Mario Kart while you're playing another game? Come to think of it, can they invite you to play at all without using another device?

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Irrelevant - why would you want such an annoying feature in the first place? I know that if I was playing something online, I wouldn't want to be bothered by game invites.

The DS Wi-Fi System

If you have a wireless router set up correctly at home, the DS will interact with it directly. Otherwise, you simply buy Nintendo's USB dongle, plug it into your computer and turn your computer into a Wireless Access Point - which means that to play online with the DS this way, you'd need to have the computer on all the time you were playing.

Irrelevant - why would you want such an annoying feature in the first place? I know that if I was playing something online, I wouldn't want to be bothered by game invites.
Do you even know what irrelevant means?

*sniffs* What's that smell? >_> Ahh it's an argument brewing in the near future. Cyke, if Boss doesn't want that feature it's his deal, you gave your negative side to the Wi-Fi, Boss is giving his positive side. See...people can have varying viewpoints.

I was merely pointing out that the fact that he alone considers game invites to be "an annoying feature" doesn't make my line of reasoning irrelevant.

I was going to post a Mario Kart DS topic.. about 3 days ago, but was too lazy to. ah well. perfect opportunity to share with everyone your Name and such, like Hiro did.

if you ever want to race against me, my name is QuickManX (woah how usual)

Friend Code
403786
858795 of course, if you havnt beaten like everything, dont race me unless you want to know a secret character or car or somthing. =)

I absolutely love the game, it plays so well I can't get enough. It handles much better than I thought it would what with me being used to controlling my Karts with the analogue; it's smooth and easy, and so much fun. ^.^

I'd tell you my Friend code, but I can't find it.

Robobotnik, let me help you out...from the main menu, click on NINTENDO WFC, then click on FRIEND CODE, then on CONFIRM FRIEND CODE. Your code should show up here... If I remember correctly, you need to connect to the wi-fi service first inorder to recieve your code. Hope this helps!

I might get a DS and Mario Kart for Christmas, so I can't wait to use the Wi-Fi.

Whoops, forgotten I'd posted in this. Anywho:

Quote:

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Do you even know what irrelevant means?

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Yup. So I probably shouldn't have used it to describe your comment. My mistake.

However, you're using game invites alone to justify paying $50 a year over a completely free service? Your reasoning may not be irrelevant, but it certainly is poor. You may be getting what you pay for in either case, but with benefits that shallow, what's the point?
And then we get to this:

Quote:

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I was merely pointing out that the fact that he alone considers game invites to be "an annoying feature"...

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Me alone? I'm quite sure I'm not the only one who would be/is bothered by them. Example:

"I think I'll play some Halo..." *log on*
3... 2... 1...
"JOIN MY GAME!!" "PLAY HALO 2 INSTEAD, n00b" "SCREW WHAT YOU'RE DOING THERE'S THIS BIG BURNOUT EVENT ABOUT TO START GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE NOW" ad infinitum
"...I just want to play Halo, dammit!"

Alright then - if they're so wonderful: convince me. Or, y'know, if game invites only invite you to play a match with the same software (i.e. You only get Halo 2 invites when playing Halo 2), you could have made that clearer.

By default, you only receive invites from people on your Friends list and only for games that you own. They're also nothing like you describe, consisting entirely of a little box that pops up at the bottom of the screen that simply says "Keth has invited you to play PGR3" (yes, abbreviated game title et al), and disappears a few seconds later. Live also offers a host of other features that are not offered by NWF, such as Live Arcade, Marketplace, updates and other downloadable content (read: extra maps, skins, game demos, trailers, etc).

MKDS gets the job done, but saying it's better value than Live is unreasonable. It's also kind of dumb when you clearly have neither used Live nor know anything about it.

okay, let's not rip on NWC yet...I mean it has only been around for a couple weeks now...Nintendo has the same opportunites to do stuff that Live does...

Right now, Nintendo has its priorities right...Let's make something that is free and easy to use and can be set up anywhere...cool...

The Saff returns!

With Mario Kart DS friend code:

365132
460435

The name's Saffronic.

Meet ya online, suckas.

Question.

If you're in a place with a wireless internet connection, and you're downloading the game from somebody else...

A) Can you still connect to the internet?
2) Would you have the same friend code as the person who has the actual game or would it be completely different?

Thanks if you can answer these 😀

~Shadowed Spirit Sage

nope, those are two different types of gameplay...you either play it locally with someone near you (cartrige or not) or you play it on the wifi(cartrige required)

Just brought Mario Kart DS, and I'm online ready.

My username is Dane and my friend code is:

030126
189149

If you really want to race me, just poke me in FlashChat, because I'm always in there if I'm online.

Recently got the game myself...for Christmas ^^.

My name is Full Metal
My friend code is:
326479
280786

I'm online quite commonly on AIM and MSN, so drop me a line and I'll definately roll out and test our skills on the road. ^^;

~T2K

I've yet to try it out online, but next week i'll probably go to McDonald's everyday and get online. So be prepared. ^_^

Got it today - nickname's THS (what else? =P) and my friend code is:
043011
926264

Shan't be online too much ;til I've learnt the tracks and whatnot first. 😡

Well i bought it and set it up.
Name:TransFAN92
Friend Code:
489688
544765

EDIT: Fixed friend code

I should have bought this instead of Sonic Rush...is the computer AI more tougher than Double Dash? Once I get the game I'll post my code...

Well I couldn't resist. I went and played today. Some guy named Dadine totally ruined me. I had one the previous set of four, then he comes along and slaghters me....bad. Oh well. More practice I do need. >_> My friend code is...476803 638874 name is Cypher, but I might chnge it. Anywho, i'll probably play some onlnie tomorrow so yea, hopefully we can find each other.

Edit: Transfan, your code doesn't work, it says it's incorrect. *shrugs*

Oi it won't connect to my router, even though the dumb thing is only a few feet away...*grumble*

It did say something about the WEP but my connection has it disabled and when I did enable it, my wireless didn't appreciate it much.

good luck with that tornadot...I had my dad, who works with networks and such daily, try and sent our router up at home...and he failed...

I'll give it a few more tries at it and then I'll give up. I have limited patience...

Just got to Mickey D's, thats what I do. That's what i'm about to do actually.

Eh the ones closeby aren't partnered up with the Big N...

Are you series? I figured if the three in my tiny town were, the ones wherever you are would be for sure.

Ahh, forgot to post my friend code ^^;

528341
065707

I've had this game for two weeks. Unlocked everything...twice.

253465
094016
Thunder1

BLARGLE.

I have the game, tried for nearly two hours trying to get it to work with my wireless router, went to the WiFi site to try to figure out what the hell is going on with it and why it's not working and where I could find the WEP key thing....

When I find that according to Nintendo WiFi, the one version of our wireless router hasn't worked with the system.

Just a tiny bit annoying. Otherwise, the game is freaking awesome, though I've gotten my butt kicked numerous times by friends and CPUs. Darn you 150cc for being too difficult for lowly Tricia! ;_; I like the new item additions they have, and the new levels are excellent 😀

~Shadowed Spirit Sage

My Nickname's Pach, and my avatar's that of Baby Mario on a Yoshi.

Friend code is:
034423
560466.

214812
512813

I just started playing the game today. Here's my code:

442445
784225

My nickname is Zedian. I probably won't be playing online much until I actually know what I'm doing, though.

Currently using a friend's DS and Mario Kart...

So take this friend code:

103142
031455

Name: Fire.

Only temporary... *sniff*

EDIT YO!!

Got my DS and MKDS back. So please use the friend code back on the first page. =D

Okay, I know. I'm late to the party.

Tawm
369434
522702

Added you all.

I now find that the hard CPU players on 150cc setting are no match for me. Now I play mostly online, though the disconnects are frequent and this greatly offends me! }:O

And my emblem... It's been an excellent closeup image of Tails for some time, but I plan to change it today to include Sonic standing and Mario dying. If it will fit into 32x32. Most Sonic sprites fit into 25x25, and Mario... I haven't used sprites from Nintendo characters before.

Ummm...ok I lost my DS so if you happen to race a Jamima character and they really suck it's not me. >_>

Let's not lose this topic, shall we?

But I was wrong, all Sonic sprites take up more than 25x25. =p I got one sprite from Sonic Advance 3 in my emblem, race me and see it.

And I figured out that whole disconnection thing for WFC. It turns out that after ten minutes of connection time, the bastards drop me from the server. It takes at LEAST fifteen minutes to get in a good 4-race match. But, if others have this problem, shorter tracks, like SNES Mario Circuit I, Yoshi Island, and Baby Park help to prevent that. Then I still get disconnected after the fourth race.

Guys you need to re-register me 😯

378032
032347

Here's my code:

077386
907423

Name: Spite

Add me if you like, 'cause I don't have any friends yet. BTW, where do I get one of those emblems you download? I made one awhile ago, but it's just a crappy Sonic shadow I made on the DS. I heard you can download them somehow onto your DS.

Added you, Spite. Best chance for a race is to pop in to Elitechat and asking.

As for an avatar downloader, to the best of my knowledge there never was one. There was an avatar created where you uploaded a picture and it changed the texture for the avatar's resolution and you then copied the bits of colour yourself in the emblem creator, but the site with it was down last time I checked.