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RemoteSwitch Logo!
Inspiration
A few months back, one of our team members (Ananth) was in New York, playing video games with his cousin. It’s always fun to play video games, but it’s way more fun with more people. Remote Switch can solve this problem, because it can remove the physical barrier to entry when regular online play isn’t available.
What it does
RemoteSwitch is a purpose-built application intended to allow users to remotely control a device (specifically Nintendo Switch). This is intended to allow local multiplayer to be played online through a web portal (or an app). This ensures a broad range of users can access the service regardless of their device preferences or limitations. With RemoteSwitch, players don’t need their own Nintendo Switch console to participate, lowering the barrier to entry. This project can also work with other consoles; anything that connects to the internet will have access to play.
How we built it
Using Blender, we designed a custom remote dock case, which was then 3D-printed and assembled. The PCB dock was carefully integrated into the printed case, creating a functional and visually appealing hardware solution. This combination of software innovation and hardware customization brought RemoteSwitch to life. RemoteSwitch was built using Streamlit for all front-end modules, and Flask was utilized for the backend.
Challenges we ran into
When using RTMP, there are a few things you should consider:
- Many libraries available are old and outdated
- The few newer libraries tend to be incomplete, broken, or missing proper documentation
We did a lot of debugging research on RTMP technologies and used platforms like AI (OpenAI, Perplexity) to see if we would possibly find solutions to this.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
One of our biggest accomplishments was overcoming the technical challenges associated with integrating various technologies into RemoteSwitch. Despite encountering problems with RTMP libraries, we demonstrated adaptability by implementing an alternative streaming solution that maintained the core functionality of the project. Additionally, we wanted this project to be inclusive and show involvement around the community. We’re proud of creating a solution that has the potential to make gaming more inclusive and accessible for players worldwide, showcasing the power of technology to break down distance barriers.
What we learned
Through this project, we gained a deeper understanding of the complexities involved in building an application that integrates hardware and software components. We learned about the challenges of working with outdated or incomplete technologies, such as RTMP libraries, and how to use AI tools effectively to troubleshoot and brainstorm solutions. Additionally, we improved our skills in collaborative problem-solving, adaptability, and leveraging modern development tools like Streamlit, Flask, and Blender. This hackathon reinforced the importance of balancing innovation with practicality, especially within tight deadlines, and taught us how to prioritize delivering a functional prototype while planning for future improvements.
What's next for RemoteSwitch
The next steps for RemoteSwitch include refining the streaming technology to reduce latency and improve the overall gaming experience. We aim to revisit RTMP integration, explore updated libraries, and potentially contribute to open-source projects to improve streaming tools for broader use. Additionally, we plan to enhance accessibility by expanding platform compatibility, optimizing the web portal, and integrating adaptive controller support. Future iterations will also include community-building features such as matchmaking, player invites, and integration with popular gaming communities to enable larger-scale collaborations and tournaments. On the hardware side, we’ll explore mass production options for the custom dock to make it available to a wider audience. Long-term, we hope to collaborate with game developers and console manufacturers to officially integrate RemoteSwitch as a trusted tool for remote multiplayer gaming.
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