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Nintendo's Miyamoto On Innovation, Wii Ambitions
Edge Magazine is running an interview with Nintendo game designer Shigeru Miyamoto about some of the company's recent projects, such as Wii Music and Wii Fit. Miyamoto talks about his ambitions for the titles, as well as the difficulty in continuing to entertain players by surprising them. He refers to Wii Music as "music software" rather than a game, and says the primary intent was to bring music to families and assist in music education. The conversation then turns to where Nintendo can go in the future; Miyamoto discusses integrating new technologies into popular game franchises, and the dilemma Nintendo will face when designing its next console — do they stick with updated versions of their innovative controllers, do they return to a more standard build, or do they bring a completely different input device to the table?
Frankly, comparing it to a game where the choice is (Play Guitar Track) or (Don't play guitar track) seems silly. This is much more a game that is trying to get you to think about composing music, and seeing the ways different sounds work when combined. It has an entirely different reason for existing than a symphony orchestra playing Beethoven.
Much like I would never compare Wii Fit to running a mile every day, I wouldn't compare Wii Music (or any other rhythm game) to playing music; think of them as a way to expand your thinking, and to perhaps add more breadth to the things you care about. It's sharpening the saw in game form, basically.
Just because you don't like the truth, does not make it false.
The Wiimote and nunchuck (as well as the other Wii controller accessories) are the biggest innovation in console user interface since 1985, when the NES introduced the horizontal controller form factor that has dominated consoles since then. Nintendo would be making a huge mistake if they went backwards on controller design.
Well, it seems like you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.
I could "go into a lengthy diatribe about" the many brilliant ideas in Wii Music, but instead, I'll respond to your vaguely sketched out MIDI criticism, borrowed by none other than the IGN reviewer who stated far in advance of the game's release that he was dying to tear it apart, and who also posts those rather juvenile rants about how Nintendo doesn't make enough Zelda games, etc.
This will, however, require some quick digression into the question of the point of this game. This isn't a game with pre-recorded tracks that you simply try to play through in glorified Simon-Says style, as in Rock Band styled games. Instead, the entire objective of this game is to take a familiar tune and rearrange it into something new, or take it into a musical domain far removed from its original settings.
For the uninitiated, here's a very quick rundown of what you do:
The possibilities are endless, and here's why, at last, something like MIDI is necessary for this game: you can't use prerecorded parts like other rhythm games, and you need to allow the user to do anything with the notes played, with dynamics, bending, and other touches depending on the instrument.
Perhaps they could have used even better MIDI voices, but the actually sound very good if used properly in a creative arrangement. Here are three very different videos, from three different authors, created with Wii Music: surely there is no mistaking the MIDI roots if you listen closely, but overall the sound is amazingly good for a game that is so open-ended.
Frere Jacques Every Breath You Take Sukiyaki
It is a good thing that Beethoven is long dead because he would not ever wish to hear the game's lifeless version of Ode to Joy.
Hmm...something tells me that were he still alive this wouldn't be a problem.
PC + Wii = most every major title and genre covered
When I want "good graphics and a complex story line", I fire up the PC... it absolutely destroys the PS3, X360 and Wii for those kinds of games - sure, I have to wait a few months for the games to hit the PC, but so what? I end up paying less for the game, and get a superior experience. The only counter I've heard to that is that "I'm not patient enough to wait for titles to hit PC". I am, so that's moot for me.
On the other hand, when we have people over (usually drinking alcoholic beverages), we fire up the Wii. It's unbeatable in this environment. Never has a gaming device (that I know of) taken the social aspect so far. It's hard to express in words the awesomeness of playing drinking games with the Wii. I am neither a senior citizen or mentally deficient, and I think the Wii is fantastic... but thanks for lumping me in with those groups!
That said, there ARE "mature" games on Wii - just not as many as the PS3 or X360. Plenty of them in fact; more than enough to keep me interested in it for those kinds of games... The PC however eats them all - it's hard to deny that fact.
The PS3 and X360 are good systems, I like them my self - but one need not own either them to experience all the best games that come to market. That's why they can't get a foot up on the Wii.
So, ummm..... I think my point is that you should probably just get over it. The Wii is popular. People like it. It's making gaming a socially acceptable pastime, where it used to be the domain of the geek only. You're entitled to your opinion, but don't act all indignant when people don't agree, and offer their counter points.
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Though I know next to nothing about Wii Music, I do know that this reviewer isn't very good.
The bizarre statement "archaic, amateur MIDI" is only slightly less weird than the concept of deriding an "Ode to Joy done in MIDI".
I take it you, and this reviewer do not know what MIDI is. MIDI is only a protocol for describing musical events. It has no sound of its own.
All professional recording studios make extensive use of MIDI for driving sampled or modeled instruments or for syncing and for hardware controllers (e.g. those exciting desks full of sliders and knobs).
I guarantee you that most of the music you listen to, even live stage music, is driven by MIDI.