The Wii Mote: A revolution or a devolution? (catchy name eh?)

[Break]

I've played a wii at a mates house and found the controls to be shocking.
While playing Redsteel the Wii-mote never seemed to point at what I wanted to point and I felt like the remote was trying to piss me off when the cross hair jumped over targets or would just stay next to them.
And then when I complained about the controls I learnt that sunlight effects the receptors I nearly chucked a fit.

Yeah, you can't be facing anything that gives off IR light when playing the Wii. Perhaps you should give it another try, except ask your friend to turn down the sensor sensitivity. It might work if you try that. And remember that it's not supposed to work like a light gun, if that's what you were expecting.

The Wii was intended to be simple and imprecise. If it wasn't, it wouldn't be this hard to find one a year after it was released. I think it's quite an achievement for Nintendo to have created something this popular, yet still bring out games that real gamers can enjoy. Mario Galaxy got one of Edge's new tens, and Metroid Prime showed that you can still make a good, working FPS for it, despite Red Steel. That's a hell of a hard balance to strike, and Nintendo have managed it fairly well, even if they've had to concede their hardcore market to the likes of Sony and Microsoft. Still, as long as Miyamoto can keep doing what he's doing, I'm happy.

 

[the_carrot]

Are we not men? We are DEVO!

 

[Kaisharga]

Waggle is great when it works, but frustrating beyond measure when it does not. And the ray races aren't bad once you realize that you really, REALLY have to pay attention to your tendency to oversteer. Though, a little more analogical function in the turns would have been nice, rather than a simple ternary decision index.

Metroid Prime 3 is an example of waggle done right. Zack & Wiki is an example of waggle done horribly, terribly wrong. It's a range of quality, and it depends on a lot of variables, including but not limited to intuitiveness, reliability, atmospheric constancy, accuracy, and responsiveness. It can be pretty hard to keep those in mind when making an interface decision as a developer, but when it works it is glorious, like every time you had a pull-turn-push handle in Prime 3. And when it doesn't work right, it is Wii golf.

 

[eggdog14]

wiimote = bad for platformers

wiimote = decent for shooters.

I'd say its the EXACT opposite. Shooter controls suck, not nearly sensitive enough for accuracy. That and the standard controller is easy to learn.

It's much better for consolers. Case in Point: mario galaxy

 

[Kaisharga]

Man, I don't know what you're on, but the wiimote is very much sensitive enough for accuracy. If you are shooting inaccurately, it is because you are not aiming correctly. If your objection is that pointing at the center of the screen doesn't result in the cursor being at the center of the screen, then I believe NoA has a bit on their website about how to recalibrate such things.

On the other hand, the functionality of turning the character's head from side to side in a shooter is a little more dodgy a concept.

 

[Duck Sandwich]

One of the reasons I bought a Wii was for shooters - well, at least on-rail shooters. I was surprised when I heard that games like Marvel Ultimate Alliance would use the remote as opposed to a normal controller. They actually managed to do some things right. You could use combo finishers (ie, an uppercut, trip, stun attack, etc) as a stand alone attack, as well as a finisher for a combo. In doing so, they essentially made the wii remote function as 5 extra buttons (there were 5 "gestures" assigned to the remote that powers and combo finishers were assigned to) to make up for the remote's lack of buttons.

Of course, the Wii version had its disadvantages, due to developer stupidity/ unfamiliarity with the remote. For example, they mapped both block AND throw to the Z button and the "nunchuk shake", so you were screwed if you wanted to block, but an enemy was within throwing distance. Also, the powers were mapped to certain gestures, which was unchangeable. Lastly, many gestures had a delayed effect.

I rented Red Steel. I thought the controls were fine, save for the turning. Sword fights sucked, though. The game was fun for a rental, but anything more is an utter waste of money.

Also rented Sonic and the Secret Rings. Sega really fucked up there.

At this rate, the Wii is turning into the Gamecube when it comes to controls. There are those games that the controller just feels perfect for (mainly games made by nintendo), and everything else makes you wish you were playing on a different console (ie. Guilty Gear)

I think Nintendo should have bundled the Wii with a classic controller. That way, developers would see the wii remote as an option, rather than something they have to make a horrible crap control scheme around.

 

[SanitysRequiem]

I luckly don't own a Wii and sport an ACTUAL console

Yep...that's just about it.

Adapt people! Evolution happens, get used to it. 360 is just x-box 1.5, Wii is an actual NEW generation in games. You have to play different and think different. Wii is by far the best new console because you have to learn how to play new games, not just prettier versions of old games.

Seriously, anyone here played the Bleach fighter? That game is a blast!

 

[laikenf]

I think Nintendo should have bundled the Wii with a classic controller. That way, developers would see the wii remote as an option, rather than something they have to make a horrible crap control scheme around.[/quote]

That totally beats the purpose. I think that if you're up to it, you know, playing games differently, then the wii is for you; if you don't feel like doing new stuff with games and prefer to play games in a more traditional way then go 360. Here's one thing though, it takes time for the genral population to adapt to new gaming inputs. I remember a lot of people hating the SNES gamepad when it first came out (people even prefered the Sega Genesis one) little did we know that it would shape up to be the standard of gaming controllers. And yes I do think that motion sensing is a step in RIGHT direction.

 

[laikenf]

I think Nintendo should have bundled the Wii with a classic controller. That way, developers would see the wii remote as an option, rather than something they have to make a horrible crap control scheme around.[/quote]

That totally beats the purpose. I think that if you're up to it, you know, playing games differently, then the wii is for you; if you don't feel like doing new stuff with games and prefer to play games in a more traditional way then go 360. Here's one thing though, it takes time for the genral population to adapt to new gaming inputs. I remember a lot of people hating the SNES gamepad when it first came out (people even prefered the Sega Genesis one) little did we know that it would shape up to be the standard of gaming controllers. And yes I do think that motion sensing is a step in RIGHT direction.

 

[laikenf]

I think Nintendo should have bundled the Wii with a classic controller. That way, developers would see the wii remote as an option, rather than something they have to make a horrible crap control scheme around.[/quote]

That totally beats the purpose. I think that if you're up to it, you know, playing games differently, then the wii is for you; if you don't feel like doing new stuff with games and prefer to play games in a more traditional way then go 360. Here's one thing though, it takes time for the genral population to adapt to new gaming inputs. I remember a lot of people hating the SNES gamepad when it first came out (people even prefered the Sega Genesis one) little did we know that it would shape up to be the standard of gaming controllers. And yes I do think that motion sensing is a step in RIGHT direction.

 

[Katana314]

Maybe I didn't play far enough into Mario Galaxy, but from what I played, the entire use of the wiimote could easily have been replaced by a button. It would have been more responsive as well.

 

[Enigmatic_Apple]

Maybe I didn't play far enough into Mario Galaxy, but from what I played, the entire use of the wiimote could easily have been replaced by a button. It would have been more responsive as well.

Case in point. I mean for fucks sake Nintendo at LEAST give me the goddamn OPTION to press something else to spin! The Wii mote serves NO purpose. None. Nada. *****. Moan. Etc.

 

[Duck Sandwich]

That totally beats the purpose. I think that if you're up to it, you know, playing games differently, then the wii is for you; if you don't feel like doing new stuff with games and prefer to play games in a more traditional way then go 360. Here's one thing though, it takes time for the genral population to adapt to new gaming inputs. I remember a lot of people hating the SNES gamepad when it first came out (people even prefered the Sega Genesis. one) little did we know that it would shape up to be the standard of gaming controllers. And yes I do think that motion sensing is a step in RIGHT direction

Maybe, but there are games that simply cannot adjust to the Wii controls without turning into a wagglefest. For those kinds of games I'd take a classic controller over the wii remote. Take Guilty Gear for example - a game that requires really precise button presses and fast reflexes. With the Wii remote, you can either use the D-pad for attacks (which I hear is uncomfortable, never tried it myself though) or tacked on waggle motions. Any traditional fighting game (ie. Tekken), or game that requires quick, complicated sequences of button presses (ie, X,Y,A,Y,Y,X,Y,A) is going to be awkward to play on the wii remote.

Don't get me wrong. I like the motion controls when they work. I like when developers can take a game that was made on another console (Resident Evil 4), or a game from a series in which previous installments were on other consoles (Super Smash Bros.) and make them work/ improve on them with Wii controls. The things I disliked about Ultimate Alliance's control scheme can't be blamed on the Wii remote itself, but the developers.

Also, while my main reason for getting the Wii (besides first party games) was for shooters, I would like to see some actual motion sensing put to good use in more games. It just seems that we're not at that point yet, what with the majority of developers seeing the Wii as a way to throw some waggle crap together and make the most money for the least effort. I never really had any interest in Tennis games, but after playing Wii Tennis, I can't help but be disappointed because your Mii doesn't always swing the same way you swing, and they'll never do overhead smashes.

 

[Arbre]

However, and maybe it's just me, but I find it aggravating that if you stand too close to teh TV or waggle the remote the wrong way, it suddenly loses its responsiveness, making moot the point of having it in the first place.

No, it's not only you. I find the accuracy of the controller annoying on certain games. For example, the basic Wii Sport games, like golf and tennis, they're leaving a lot to be desired, and I don't get the praise such shovelware gets when you have to wave a stick, and get rewarded with not so genuine movements equivalents in game, which most could actually be completed with the use of two buttons at best.

Now, for me, the Wii, due to its controller, is especially indicated for arcade shooters. It is much more accurate when used to "point the gun". That's really why I'm on it. The rest? Sorry but no.

 

[Condorbeta]

The Wii mote is much more of a stepping stone for what is yet to come. Nintendo has developed the basics for motion control games, and will milk off the Wii for a while yet. But within 5-7 years we could see the next generation of games, in which Nintendo could very well have a very strong standpoint in the market because of much more advanced motion sensitivity.

All we can do is wait, while I enjoy my Sexbox-360 (oh fine, the Sexbox 360 that I get at CHRISTMAS) ;P

 

[RentCavalier]

Plus, doesn't the Wii basically counter-balance these issues by supporting a classic gamecube controller and allowing for a great number of games to be played on it?