Feature: Solving the Wii's Control Problems Subscribe to this RSS feed
The Wii Remote is one of the most innovative controllers ever, but developers are still trying to figure out its complexities. Here's the problems we've found and the potential solutions we've figured out.
Ten years ago, when Nintendo introduced the N64 and its analog stick, the move created an industry-wide decision to use the analog (or control stick / thumbstick) to control three-dimensional movement in videogames. After the N64 demonstrated its superior "free-movement" controls in Super Mario 64, it didn't take Sony very long to introduce their own version of a similar controller; the Dual Analog, which later evolved into the Dual Shock.
At the time of its conception, the analog was a truly revolutionary step ahead for precise game control. To this day, that decision has stuck with the games industry, and nearly every single system since then has used analog control in one way or another.
Ten years later, the same company is doing the exact same thing all over again: Introducing a revolutionary controller with the potential to create a lasting industry-wide trend. This time, however, things are slightly different from the last. While the Wii remote has more potential to create a newer, more immersive form of game control than the analog stick did, it is also harder to implement in games. Motion-sensitivity in games wasn't unheard of before the Wii, but it is only now that an active movement is being carried out to truly make it a standard in videogame control.
While some developers have experimented with the Wiimote, most are still too obsessed with high-definition graphics to care about contributing to what could be the biggest shake-up in the industry in years. The developers who have contributed to this shake-up are still trying to figure out what fits best where, what works, what doesn't work, and most importantly, what is considered "gimmicky" and what isn't.
Red Steel: The first (but not last) game to suffer from Wii control woes.
Seeing as how most game journalists are only too eager to pounce on a Wii game and rip the holy hell out of its control scheme, citing it as gimmicky, I thought I'd try something a little different and a little more productive, and offer my humble opinions on what game developers should keep in mind while developing control schemes for their Wii titles.
Keep in mind that what follows is my opinion and my opinion only, and isn't necessarily correct. In fact, there's a good chance I could be completely off the mark here, but hey; the more people that contribute, the better chances we have of seeing some really innovative titles out next year. I'm aware that a lot of developers - especially those involved in Wii game development - look to the gaming community for ideas. It is to these brave innovators that I humbly present my ideas.
The Goal: Increased immersion
Every endeavor needs a goal, and in this case, the goal is to use the Wiimote and Nunchuk to make a game more immersive. To strengthen the line connecting the player and the game.
Back in my high school Psychology class, I learned that objectives are required to fulfill goals. In this case, there are several ways to achieve the desired goal, but keeping the rule that simple is good in mind, I have broken the goal up into two distinct objectives.
Objective 1: Paying attention to Detail:
If I do something with my controller, I want to see it reflected ingame. When I press "X" on my Dual Shock, I want to see my character punch, kick, jump, block, or do exactly whatever that button was intended to make them do.
Your bat movement before swinging in Wii Sports is the closest to 1:1 you'll see for awhile.
In the case of the Wii, it isn't that simple at all. When we swing our arm, we want to see the ingame character do the exact same movement with their sword. Some people are calling this 1:1 control, which implies that the ingame character's movements need to be mapped exactly to what the player does. This, of course, is far easier said than done, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was even impossible for the next couple of years, until developers get really comfortable with the Wii.
Keeping in mind that 1:1 control cannot be achieved at this point in time and that high-definition resolutions are impossible on the Wii, one needs to look to other options to provide the illusion of realism.
