Got my DS Lite today...sigh...I dunno

[Arkay Firestar]

I got my DS Lite today in total-impulse/hurry mode because USPS brought my Hori Multi-Pouch (which I love btw) and my DS Lite protectors from Play-asia, and I started frantically calling around. Only one store, 15 minutes away, had one left in all of San Diego. Awesome. I managed to get it though. Anyways, brought it home and decided I would charge it fully first, since Nintendo told me to. Afterward though I decided the screen protectors would go on before first powerup, because I decided that even if it had dead pixels, I would live with them since I planned on using my GS replacement plan to get a black one when the time was right. Nevertheless, I was nervous about the protectors, what with all the goo-horror stories. Now, my brother is a computer engineer and I usually defer to him for the protectors and stuff like that, since he has applied many a one, but this time I felt daring and decided to do it myself. Upon the system fully charging, I got my tape and compressed air ready and tore into it.

Right of the bat, disaster. I fucked up the angle of the bottom screen and also left enough room on one side for the stylus, so i just grabbed some tape and lifted the corner to reapply when I noticed that as it was coming off, all the parts that had sealed with the screen left behind a milky kinda haze, like someone had blown hot air on the screen or something. I quickly replaced the touch screen protector onto its backing so I could take a closer look without feeling rushed. Using the cloth, I tried to clean it to no avail. For minutes, I agonized over the damn thing as I turned it this way and that in the light, wondering if this was the goddamn adhesive everyone was talking about.

Finally, I figured I would put the protector back on and just let it be fucked up, and lo and behold it was gone. I messed up again and had to remove it again, and noticed the haze had shifted again to where the protector had made contact, but the original pattern was gone...

So, my panic subsiding, and the third time the charm, I got the protector on properly (and with no bubbles too). Then the top one went on smooth as silk.

Unfortunately, my moment of triumph apparently triggered some instant counter-stupidity, because I reached for the plastic FRONTING to dull my fingernails pressure as I worked out bubbles, and it turned out to be the BACKING, or something to that effect, because there was teh stickzorz. I proceeded to panic the next few minutes about fucking up the FRONT of my protectors, but at least I figured I could solve the problem somehow. In desperation, I used scotch tape on the front repeatedly, and the goo was removed. Sigh, ok. Done. And it looked/looks pretty good.

I powered it up, and spent the next 10 minutes looking for dead pixels. None. Ok, lets try a game...Electroplankton, because it has a lot of solid and dark backgrounds. Ok...5 minutes...no dead pixels...Let's try Mario...5 minutes...no dead pixels.

My point, ladies and gentlemen, is that I spent the first hour or so, which is supposed to be a time of awe and excitement, literally panicking 30 minutes of the time, and straining my eyes the other 30 minutes in search of flaws. What has happened to me...I didn't used to be like this...I used to just be happy and have fun with stuff...now I obsess like Monk.

Anyways, my system looks great, seems like it has no dead pixels, the protectors are even, straight, and clean (and no bubbles!), and aside from a pin sized little bump on the top outer shell (likely the slightest defect in the molding...its like the tiniest thing you'll ever see, but mine eyes doth see it)...

But for some reason I'm just not that excited. Anyways, I'm off to lie in bed and try Phoenix Wright out (maybe opening a new game will get me excited)...

I think my plan to use my replacement plan to get a black one when they come stateside has destroyed my ability to love this white one...maybe in time, I will learn to love it...maybe I will never use the plan and keep this one...I just don't know...

Did any of you screw up your first moments with your DSLs? Or am I just a total douche? :(

[megaseadramon]

I went through 4 Ds lites because they had little white dead pixels on the side.
But once I played Castlevania DS, all my worries went away and all I could say was wow.

[Francis]

I did something similar to this with the PSP and DS lite, I didn't with the first DS though I was ignorant back then and I miss that feeling.

Sometimes I wonder if I'd even notice a dead pixel if it weren't for the whole PSP spectacle.

[tiredfornow]

can someone PLEASE tell me what the hell phoenix wright is like? the only place I have found that game is hastings, and I don't know if I want to buy it, I have metroid hunters, nsmb, and more but I really wanna know what the buzz is about phoenix wright.

[Steggy]

sigh, another person who fails to read directions/doesnt install a simple screen protector perfectly and then complains how the DS Lite isnt all that great...

[Mr Durand Pierre]

OP, I think you were the guy who got me all worried after my initial fuck-up with my screen protector. Not only did I poorly apply my touch screen protector, but I scrathed part of it off with my nail trying to remove it. I had to resort to trimming and using the top-screen protector. But up until I accepted defeat I, like you, was panicking for about a half hour trying to perfectly apply the damn thing. Then I read your post saying that a top-screen protector was worse than nothing at all (though I later figured out what you meant about the protector scrathing easier than the screen itself), so I was even more worried and searching the internet for awhile to see if I could find feedback on others who used a cropped top-screen protector on the touch screen. So I spent the whole day panicking about my protector and being worried about the touch screen until I finally decided to just cave in and play Ouendan. The story had a happy ending though, as the top screen filter works adequately as a protector and the day AFTER I got the DS Lite was when I really party'd down with it.

[Kapwanil]

can someone PLEASE tell me what the hell phoenix wright is like? the only place I have found that game is hastings, and I don't know if I want to buy it, I have metroid hunters, nsmb, and more but I really wanna know what the buzz is about phoenix wright.

It plays similarly to a well-written adventure game from long ago. Simple menus, simple interfaces, a mixture of detective skills and looking around for evidence combined with an interesting trial system that, while it does involve your needing to think from time to time, isn't necessarily difficult.

The one thing to worry about is whether or not you live for replay value. Since Phoenix Wright tends to be highly linear and whatnot and the fact that you're not going to miss much, if anything, the first time through, one playthrough may be all you need. It's something I'm keeping in my collection since I loved it, but it's not necessarily for everyone.

And yeah, just getting a new DS is interesting but not much more. What helps immensely is if you also picked up a few games that really work for you. Once I hit Meteos, Feel the Magic, Metroid Prime Hunters, Phoenix Wright, and a bit of the Nanostray I was in DS heaven, personally.

[espy605]

Is it just me, or are the people who have disasters in applying screen protectors also have a problem describing clearly what they did?

[dmaul1114]

I had no dead pixels and didn't bother fucking with screen protectors.

I've had my fat DS since launch and it has no scratches that are visible during gameplay.

As long as you make sure theirs no dust or dirt on the screen before playing a stylus game, only use the official stylus, and don't press ridiculously hard you're not going to have any major issues. Obviously if you have young kids playing the system you really want them as they aren't going to adhere to the above.

Add that to the DS lite having a more scratch resistant screen, and I didn't see the point. Plus, it's only $130 with sure fire price drops in the next year or two, so if it would some how get scratched up badly it won't break my bank to replace it anyway.

[dmaul1114]

The one thing to worry about is whether or not you live for replay value. Since Phoenix Wright tends to be highly linear and whatnot and the fact that you're not going to miss much, if anything, the first time through, one playthrough may be all you need. It's something I'm keeping in my collection since I loved it, but it's not necessarily for everyone.


I'd argue that doesn't matter much, since it goes for above retail on eBay. Even if you don't like it, or beat and want to dump it, you're guaranteed to make a profit.

I think there is another pressing in August, so that may change then. But I doubt it as the spring batch and the batch this month haven't knocked prices down or shown up in many stores.

[Hollow Man]

I agree with dmaul1114 100%. I tried screen protectors on my PDA and gave up. It is not worth the hassle. Yes, I already have some very light scratches on my touch screen after 2 weeks of play (which are so tiny that they're basically impossible to see), but who cares? It means I'm playing and enjoying it. I can't keep everyone away from my car either - if I want to drive it, some idiot's going to bump his door into mine and scratch the paint, and there's little I can do.

Arkay: remember, it's just a gaming machine! Enjoy it for what it is. I enjoyed the hell out of mine the first weekend. New Super Mario and Metroid were blasts for me, and I couldn't put them down. Just take a step back from your screen protector issue, relax, and enjoy your games!

Phoenix Wright is a good fun game, but it is a bit overrated. In terms of gameplay, it pales with some of the good old PC games. Why? because it's very linear, you can't examine items (at least in the first 4 chapters - I gather that changes for chapter 5), and it seems that at times items that should be somewhere aren't, but are later in the game (for no good reason). Also, there are times when you simply can't do anything, and then the game simply opens up the rest of the plot. It would be more fun to not get to these fake dead ends, and then have the game just hand you the solution. It's more fun to discover it yourself.

This doesn't mean I'm not enjoying the game a lot. The writing and character development make up for most of the $$$$ling problems I have with the gameplay. And it does get a bit challenging once you get near the end of chapter 3.

-HM

[wubb]

Don't know what to tell you. I was really excited the moment I popped my lite out of the box. Thing is sleek as hell, sexier than a PSP IMO. Thought about buying a fatty DS for $65-75 used (you can find them for that here on the trading board anyway) but I'm so happy I paid the extra scratch for the lite.

[CAG 79]

Are you not able to take care of your system that you needed to get some screen protectors? My wife and I both use the DS Lite on a daily basis and there isn't a single scratch on it.

[Hollow Man]

Heh, if you play a game like Trauma Center, you're bound to get some kind of tiny scratch on it sooner or later. That thing can be furious in the later operations - I've been dragging my stylus around like crazy trying to zap things. And if a tiny piece of dirt just happens to get caught - poof, a scratch.

But it's no big deal. You can't see them unless you tilt the thing in the light just so and stare.

-HM

[jkam]

I don't see the point in screen protectors...while a good idea in theory they just tend to create more of a problem. I used to be crazy about keeping my handhelds immaculate. I always thought I would keep my handhelds forever but the oldest one I have now is an SP w\ the brighter screen. I am still careful with them but I gave up trying to make them look pefect when I got a DS and a PSP. Just enjoy the system.

[King]

I have been using clear vinyl from Walmart as my screen protector ever since the DS has come out. It cost me about 3 bucks, is simple to apply and take off, it sticks on the screen, and it leaves no sticky residue.

[Arkay Firestar]

Honestly, HORI screen protectors do not affect touch sensitivity, ensure that it is less likely you will accidentally scratch your screen, and let you use just about anything to wipe your screens clean. For 6 bucks...why not?

A lot of you misunderstood the tone of my post. What I was basically saying and asking others if they had a similar experience is that I was so aware of all the possible issues, so anal about making sure I didn't screw the system up myself, that that first moment of awe you're supposed to get with a new system, the same awe I got with the phat DS, was lost.

My screens are perfect right now...the screen protectors are perfectly applied, and there are no dead pixels. My case is perfect. I even still had an ALS GBASP case from way back when that ONLY had enough room for the SP, but now ONLY has enough room for my charger, so its perfect. I played Phoenix Wright for 2 hours last night on screen brightness #2 and finally started to enjoy the thing.

The whole point was that I kinda got carried away with perfection. Some of you took the opportunity to berate me for my screen protector application skills, or me somehow not liking the lite...thanks?

[pimpinc333]

I have Hori Protectors on my PSP, Both Fat DS's, and now my DS Lite. They work great and applying them is simple. Also like OP said it's only 6-8 Bucks and makes me feel more comfortable just incase in my moment of not taking perfect care of my handheld something happens.

Also I have had my PSP Hori Screen Protector on since day 1 and I still don't have a scratch on the screen. My friend's PSP that doesn't have a protector on the srceen is pretty scratched up even though he takes care of his stuff really well also.

[King]

Damn nothing is perfect, you need to chill out and enjoy you DS Lite.

[Hollow Man]

Arkay,

You have to go back to your original post. You told this long story about how much of a pain it was to get your protectors on, that at the end explain how you're just not that excited about the Lite. Many of us are stating that if you hadn't bothered to go through all that trouble to try to apply the protectors, you might have simply enjoyed your Lite purchase from the get-go.

-HM

[racthamp]

I just use the Palm V pda screen protector (cut it down to exact DS lite screen).. no problem at all.. somehow the school bookstore are selling each package of 12 for $1.. and they have a bunch.. i wonder i fi should get more..haha.. not sure why

[hootie]

I hope you enjoy Phoenix Wright as much as I do. I bought it thinking I could get lots of money...but I tried it and it is now my favorite game.EVER. There's no way I will ever trade/sell it no matter what. PW is the reason I kept my DS and then the reason to get a Lite. Case 1 is basically a tutorial. Wait until you get to the next Cases....SO MUCH FUN!:D There's a sequel coming out early next year, and I am definatly getting it!

[Apossum]

I've never used a screen protector for a DS...there's no point.

the bottom screen is VERY scratch resistant. I had my regular DS for almost a year, with heavy use and even let my 8 year old nephew use it regularly. it had one mark from when I pressed too hard while playing Wario Ware. you couldn't see it unless it was tilted at an angle in the light. ONE tiny mark.

the top screen was fine because I closed it after every use.

JUST SAY NO to screen protectors on a DS. it's not going to scratch, ever.

[Arkay Firestar]

Its amazing how fast things went from looking like id fucked up my lites screens to now it looking like there arent any protectors on at all...looks frickin awesome IMO.

And I am enjoying PW a lot...just started case 2...nice to see the gameplay expands and becomes more complex after the tutorial :)