This chapter describes restrictions related to the Circle Pad Pro accessory, one of the peripheral devices available for CTR systems. Although the Circle Pad Pro communicates with the system via infrared communication, restrictions apply to its use independent of those in chapter 2.14 Infrared Communication Between Nintendo 3DS Systems. If your application uses the Circle Pad Pro and does not allow for infrared communication between two systems, there will be no problems as long as you observe the restrictions given in this chapter and in section 4.5.2 Special User Operations of Circle Pad Pro in the Safety volume.
Note that there is no Circle Pad Pro that supports the SNAKE or FTR systems.
Most of the restrictions in this chapter arise from the fact that it is an external device not included with CTR retail systems. Therefore, if an application is running on SNAKE, Circle Pad Pro-related restrictions in this chapter do not apply. For that reason the applications below are not subject to the requirements in this chapter.
- SNAKE-only titles
- Applications that support the C Stick and/or ZL/ZR Buttons when running on SNAKE, but don't support the Circle Pad Pro when running on CTR.
Nintendo still recommends that the above applications comply with certain items. See section 2.15.4 Calibrating the Circle Pad (R) for details.
The manual for the SNAKE system describes how the parts of the Circle Pad Pro for CTR correspond to the C Stick and ZL/ZR Buttons on SNAKE. It is therefore acceptable for Nintendo 3DS applications that use the Circle Pad Pro to display the various terms for parts of the Circle Pad Pro when running on SNAKE.
However, SNAKE-only titles must follow the rules described in future releases of the Terminology documents, and use the user-facing terms from those Terminology documents.
2.15.1 Prohibition Against Game Content that Requires the Circle Pad Pro
The Circle Pad Pro is not necessarily packaged together with the CTR system. Requiring the Circle Pad Pro for advancing through an application is therefore prohibited, because not all users will necessarily own one.
Furthermore, we recommend that you provide a way to advance through an application without the Circle Pad Pro in the event that it becomes unusable (due to the battery running out or for another reason). If specifications make it difficult to advance through an application due to a sudden inability to use the Circle Pad Pro, you may handle the situation by returning to a scene that can be restarted without problem or by switching to a menu or an options screen. Make sure that the HOME Button and POWER Button do not become unusable if communication with the Circle Pad Pro is lost.
2.15.1.1 Prohibition Against Forced Use of Circle Pad Pro
Guideline Item |
Use of Circle Pad Pro must not be a condition for progress in an application.
|
---|---|
Software to Be Tested |
Applications that support Circle Pad Pro.
|
Test Method |
Play through all modes of the application from beginning to end without the Circle Pad Pro connected.
|
Pass/Fail Determination |
Passes if game progress is possible without any blocking problems.
|
2.15.2 Checking the Battery Level
Applications must provide a means of checking the remaining battery level of the Circle Pad Pro because there is no way to display this information on the Circle Pad Pro accessory itself. However, there is no need to constantly monitor the battery level, because the Circle Pad Pro can continue to be used for approximately one day after a low level is detected. Therefore, the application must check the battery level at least once at some point after the Circle Pad Pro is first connected, and before the application closes. If the application finds that the battery level is low, it must notify the user. Applications do not need to constantly monitor the battery level and instantly display a message when it is low.
When you detect that the battery level is low, one possible method of notifying the user is to display a message that states “Circle Pad Pro battery low.”
There is no need to immediately check the remaining battery level if the Circle Pad Pro is initially connected while the Circle Pad Pro calibration applet is running. The first time the Circle Pad Pro is connected in order to be used in the application counts as the point it is "first connected" for the purposes of this guideline.
When checking the remaining battery level, check the value of the batteryLevel member of the ExtraPadStatus structure. If the value is zero, this indicates the battery level is low.
2.15.2.1 Notifying the User When the Battery Level is Low
Guideline Item |
Applications must check the battery level and notify the user if the battery level is found to be low (the batteryLevel member of the ExtraPadStatus structure is 0), at some point after the Circle Pad Pro is first connected and before the application closes.
|
---|---|
Software to Be Tested |
Applications that support Circle Pad Pro.
|
Test Method |
Take a Circle Pad Pro that is customized for connecting to Debugger and connect it to PARTNER-CTR Debugger. In each application mode that uses Circle Pad Pro, adjust the remaining battery life to make the battery level low.
|
Pass/Fail Determination |
Passes if a message is displayed at least once indicating that the Circle Pad Pro battery level is low.
|
2.15.3 Circle Pad Pro Disconnection
We recommend that you provide a way of letting the user know when the Circle Pad Pro is disconnected. For example, you can display a message that states, “Circle Pad Pro disconnected.” We also recommend that you guide the user to a scene where the Circle Pad Pro can be reconnected and, when automatically detecting reconnection, notify the user when the Circle Pad Pro has been reconnected.
No required guideline items.
2.15.4 Calibrating the Circle Pad (R)
If your application uses the Circle Pad Pro, you must implement a sequence for calling the Circle Pad Pro calibration applet that Nintendo provides as a library applet. This applet is used to calibrate the sensitivity of the Right Circle Pad (Circle Pad (R)) built into the Circle Pad Pro. Note, however, that just as with the Circle Pad on the CTR system itself, calibration is not required at every startup. We therefore recommend that you provide a way to call up the calibration applet as an option rather than performing calibration every time the system is started or the Circle Pad Pro is connected. Also, this applet is provided so it can be called when the user feels it is needed. We do not recommend that applications call this applet for any purpose other than for calibration of the Circle Pad Pro.
Note that the C Stick on SNAKE is automatically calibrated by the system when the user closes the system and the application enters Sleep Mode.
A message such as the one below is displayed when the Circle Pad Pro calibration applet is called on SNAKE, so if your application is running on a SNAKE system, Nintendo recommends transitioning to Sleep Mode if the system is closed while the calibration applet is running.
2.15.4.1 Implementing a Feature for Calibrating Circle Pad (R)
Guideline Item |
The Circle Pad Pro calibration applet must be called inside an application in order to calibrate Circle Pad (R).
|
---|---|
Software to Be Tested |
Applications that use Circle Pad (R) in support of the Circle Pad Pro.
|
Test Method |
Connect the Circle Pad Pro and play through all modes of the application from beginning to end.
|
Pass/Fail Determination |
Passes if there is a scenario used to call the Circle Pad Pro calibration applet.
|