Ask Dan

Ask Dan was a feature on Nintendo of America's website that was created by Dan Owsen. Owsen would receive e-mails from Nintendo fans and would do his best to reply to them. Below are some of the questions and answers present on the site:

December 3, 1997
December 3, 1997 -- Welcome to the first Ask Dan for the new web site! First off, I wanted to say thank you for all the questions for Mr. Miyamoto. In my interview with him, I only got a chance to ask a few of them. I'll post those soon. Lately, I've been deluged with e-mail about the new site design. The response so far has been overwhelmingly positive, although many people have come up with some great constructive criticism that we'll certainly take into consideration. One thing that will not happen, however, is a return to the old look and departments. The Loud House, Product Lab, Newsroom and HQ are gone FOR-EV-ER! Everything that was in those departments has been or will be moved over to the new site design. We're adding new things everyday, so check back soon if you can't find something now. With that, let's get on to the questions.

''Q: WHY DID THIS ALL HAVE TO HAPPEN??? AND SO QUICK WITH NO WARNING! I cant stand the new look!! The graphics ARE cool, but they just don't have the same cozy and homey feel that I got when I wandered into NPS just a day ago. What horrible beast possessed them to change the site's look?? And what's with the "Nsiders"? It just doesn't have the same nice friendly sound that "The Loud House" had. I believe that this is the beginning of the end for NPS It has reached its golden age, and now is starting to fall, all marked with the new graphics. Please, if nothing else change the name back to "The Loud House" Thanks for your time --Flight16 (NSIDER name)''


 * A: Hey Flight, as one of our chat regulars, you of all people should have known that the web site was going to change! We've been talking about it for almost six months now. I think the new graphics are brighter, more colorful and more friendly than ever. They fit a lot better with Nintendo's image, which is FUN! The Loud House was over a year old, and was based on our slogan of the time, "Play it Loud!" That was two slogans ago! We thought it was high time for some change around here. The NSIDER was created to be the place for Nintendo insiders to get together and talk Nintendo. I know I'll see you there!

''Q: Hi, congratulations on your new web site, I think it is a great improvement. But I have a question: are there still downloadable sounds that you had on your previous site, like the Loud House? Because I really liked listening to music and stuff, I didn't find anything on that, but if there is, will you tell me where, and if you don't, I think you should make one. Also, I like the new search Code Bank, I think it makes it more convenient, but most of the time I type in a word, and nothing happens: like "Star Fox", or "Diddy Kong", the only successful one that has worked was "Turok", what do you think is wrong? --''


 * A: We haven't added the new downloads section yet. We're thinking about doing this in two ways. For the top games, we'll have a link to a downloads area from the game review. We'll also have exclusive downloads that are only available to registered NSIDER members. In the Code Bank, if you enter the name for a game that doesn't have codes, like Star Fox 64, it will now come up with a message telling you that no codes were found. We held off on revealing the Diddy Kong Racing codes, but since they're now widely available, we featured them in Code of the Week, and we'll add them to the Code Bank soon.

''The new site, I think, is better than the old one. But I was looking for a few games, but couldn't find some, for instance, Zelda 64. I think that there needs to be a site where you can search for a game, and info about that game or sites linking to that game would pop up. Other than that, I think it is a great place. --Rebecca Shaw ''


 * A: We haven't updated all of the old content yet, and there are some old previews and stories that we will not be converting to the new format. Instead, we'll create entirely new stories on those games. Zelda 64 is currently covered in our Space World ‘97 review, and we'll be adding more screen shots, movies and updates as they become available. We've also added a game list that links to the available articles on a game. Our eventual plan is to make the game list more like an index to the site that links to the content we have on a game, but that project will take some time to program and implement.

''Q: I have recently been angered to the delay of Zelda for the N64. Why has it been delayed again???? I mean if you don't know when a game is going to be ready don't give us a release date. If it's going to be out in Japan possibly by April 98 when do you think it will come out here in the U.S. ???? --''


 * A: If you've been a fan of Mr. Miyamoto's games, you should know by now that you can't rush THE MAN. He's simply going to take the time to make the game as good as it possibly can be, and it just won't come out before it's ready. Delays are always bad news, and we get frustrated by them too, but the good news is, the game will be great. If the game is in fact released in Japan by April 1998, I would say it might come out in the US by around July or August of 1998, but that's just my guess. From what I saw of the game at Space World, it will be worth the wait.

''Q: Hey Dan, I read on www.nintendo.com that one of the Mario Artist series comes with a special cartridge that lets you load video on it. Will the American version have this? Or will it be one of those nifty and tantalizing accessories that you show us from Japan but never makes it to the U.S.? --<--AJLarrea@aol.com>''


 * A: As far as I know, the Capture Cartridge will be available in the US. It hasn't been decided yet if it will be packed in with the Mario Artist software, or the 64DD, or what. A cost and release date for the system also hasn't been announced yet.

''Q: Just moments ago I came upon the 64DD portion of the Space World report and was amazed. The creative power that would be made available to gamers with that software is incredible. It seems obvious to me that the real applications for those programs would be the ability to import files from them into games. For example, you could render yourself in 3D by using the image capture device, move that file to a game like Zelda 64, and then play as yourself instead of Link. You could even design your own vehicle for F-Zero X. Are there any plans to do something like this? --''


 * A: Mr. Miyamoto did say that F-Zero X would be compatible with the 64 DD. He did mention that it may be possible to get new tracks, edit tracks and edit your car, although I don't know if that meant putting new texture maps on it. It hasn't been decided if Zelda 64 will be compatible with 64DD, but I doubt that it would be possible to put your own face on Link.

''Q: Hey Dan, I have a question. In Golden Eye there is a way to set off a Remote Mine without your watch. How do you do that? --''


 * A: Press the A and B Buttons simultaneously after you place the mine, and it will explode.

''Q: Umm well Duke Nukem 64 is out but I can't find it's home page. I need a site that gives you weapon specs, baddies, levels and the items in the game. Along with the story and some screen shots of course. Could you please put this on your ask dan section? I think a lot of Duke fans want to know the site too. --Brant Mackey "The Duke of Dukers" ''


 * A: Duke Nukem is up at:


 * http://www.nintendo.com/n64/dukenukem/index.html.


 * We'll be adding maps soon.