OK well clearly we are at odds. You enjoy the wiimote, and I cant stand it. No point arguing over it. My points arent going through and youve shown me nothing that changes my mind.
But, it isn't better. Its just different. People could learn buttons as easily as the Wiimote if they bothered to try. Its simply the fact that Nintendo have marketed it to be more user friendly that its gotten this reputation. I for one found the controls of the GameCube version of Twilight Princess much nicer on the GameCube than the Wii. Apart from the pointing to aim which was fair enough (yet nothing to write home about), the battle controls were tedious and if anything pointless - if anything its just more likely to cause RSI in youths than buttons do. And also on that note, I've found a lot of older people have trouble pointing and controlling the Wiimote, so it isn't by any means brilliant.
Again, you say that Nintendos games this generation have been 'excellent'. But I can barely think of any - aside from Zelda, Mario, Mario Kart (although I personally didnt like it) and Smash Brothers, 3 of 4 being just as good with the Cube controller. Mario Galaxy was alright but no better than Sunshine, and the main gameplay was near identical apart from a few gimmicky 'mini-game' style side parts, which were by no means revolutionary.
And you say that the controls are "more accessible to a lot more people", but the only people I can see this applying to is older people and younger children. Younger children shouldnt even be playing games if they dont understand them (even more so when they're playing games above their age rating - but thats a different discussion), they should be out in the real world learning, and are older people such a big thing that the market for the real gamers (and real spenders) should suffer? I have seen a drastic drop on quality immersive games this generation, and it is largely due to Nintendo's new 'ideas' and the other leading consoles trying to follow suit. And then theres the amount of shoddy games produced for the Wii, because companies are not fully commited into integrating the new system into their games, rather "tacking-on" the controls to a game that otherwise doesnt need them. I have played a few games that are on both the Wii and other consoles - and the Wii version is pretty much always the worse version - with its badly implemented controls and a huge decline in graphical quality.
Until we have controls that do exactly what you do, the Wii's control system is a waste of time. Do you really think waving your arms about like a lunatic is *that* much fun? I for one got very bored of it very quickly. Its all very unnecessary, and _less_ responsive and accurate to the old controllers I grew up with. If I wanted to play bowling *just like the real thing*, I'd just go out bowling and do the real thing, which is largely better anyway. I'm sick up of seeing games like "Beach Games" and "Fun at the Carnival", thats simulating things I could do in real life anyway. If games companies make less and less games like Tomb Raider and Final Fantasy, then where will gamers find their escapism?
And how about Nintendo's future? Unlesss they continue with Wii-stlyle (and DS style) games in future consoles, their backward compatibility will be all but lost, and I certainly won't be having multiple Nintendo consoles set up at the same time.
I wasnt intending that to be dishonest, just the way the post came out without my indentations made it look like I was relating it, while it was meant as more of a side note.
You say that Nintendo went for a 'better' controller. But in my eyes it isnt better - its the same thing as before just now people have to swing it instead of pressing a button. I've had no more enjoyment with the Wiimote than with any other console, in many cases it seems more of an annoyance than fun - badly thought out controls that seem to be used just for the sake of calling it revolutional. Although indeed there are cases where the pointer has been used nicely, the amount of shoddy controls I have seen far outweighs it.
Personally, being neither a child or an elderly person, I don't find normal controllers confusing in the slightest - no more than the wiimote itself. And I often feel that Nintendo's need to branch out to the other generations results in a lot of poor games that are just advertised well, and fed to the masses rather than the gamers - a smart move from Nintendos profits side of things, but a nasty one for people who actually enjoy good games. The quality of games on the Wii has not improved since the GameCube - the best Wii games I have played are on GameCube as well and are just as good.
I'm fed up of people calling the Wii controls 'better' because theyre different. They no great breakthrough, and theyre only good if you're into the niche games theyre built for. I havent seen a single Wii title that I could call a masterpiece that wouldn't have worked just as well without the Wii controls.
Notrandomly, I think you're missing his point.
When Miyamoto was praising Portal, I'm pretty sure he was praising the actual gameplay rather than the graphics. But the Portal system still need a powerful engine to work properly - something that the Wii isnt keeping up with.
I for one, owned a Wii and was very disappointed, as it is very gimmicky. I first imagined games where you would weild the Wiimote like a sword and it would move the same way as you do - but it was not to be. Many games just recognise two or three motions with the wiimote which trigger actions that you would be able to do with a button on any other controller. Even Zelda itself simply recognises the wiimote being swung, and to differentiate between a horizontal and vertical slash one must hold the Z button for one, and not for the other. This isnt really innovative, its just a way of disguising something they already had.
In fact, one of the few games I have played that attempted to use the Wiimote to its portential was Red Steel. It wasnt perfect but it *tried*. Swordfighting consisted of weilding the sword like a sword, and gunfighting had the nice little trick that if you held the wiimote sideways, the gun would be held sideways. However, the imperfect controls got the game slated, and I'm pretty sure the actual concpets were taken for granted.
I havent played a single Wii game that actually works well, in the way that I imagined. Id rather stick to buttons than a half baked control system.
Zelda, Smash Bros and Resident Evil 4 are probably the best Wii games I have played, and none of them gained anything from the control system.
I've got to say, it was very refreshing to hear Miyamoto being so modest.
Slashdot Mirror
OK well clearly we are at odds. You enjoy the wiimote, and I cant stand it.
No point arguing over it. My points arent going through and youve shown me nothing that changes my mind.
Again, you say that Nintendos games this generation have been 'excellent'. But I can barely think of any - aside from Zelda, Mario, Mario Kart (although I personally didnt like it) and Smash Brothers, 3 of 4 being just as good with the Cube controller. Mario Galaxy was alright but no better than Sunshine, and the main gameplay was near identical apart from a few gimmicky 'mini-game' style side parts, which were by no means revolutionary.
And you say that the controls are "more accessible to a lot more people", but the only people I can see this applying to is older people and younger children. Younger children shouldnt even be playing games if they dont understand them (even more so when they're playing games above their age rating - but thats a different discussion), they should be out in the real world learning, and are older people such a big thing that the market for the real gamers (and real spenders) should suffer? I have seen a drastic drop on quality immersive games this generation, and it is largely due to Nintendo's new 'ideas' and the other leading consoles trying to follow suit. And then theres the amount of shoddy games produced for the Wii, because companies are not fully commited into integrating the new system into their games, rather "tacking-on" the controls to a game that otherwise doesnt need them. I have played a few games that are on both the Wii and other consoles - and the Wii version is pretty much always the worse version - with its badly implemented controls and a huge decline in graphical quality.
Until we have controls that do exactly what you do, the Wii's control system is a waste of time. Do you really think waving your arms about like a lunatic is *that* much fun? I for one got very bored of it very quickly. Its all very unnecessary, and _less_ responsive and accurate to the old controllers I grew up with. If I wanted to play bowling *just like the real thing*, I'd just go out bowling and do the real thing, which is largely better anyway. I'm sick up of seeing games like "Beach Games" and "Fun at the Carnival", thats simulating things I could do in real life anyway. If games companies make less and less games like Tomb Raider and Final Fantasy, then where will gamers find their escapism?
And how about Nintendo's future? Unlesss they continue with Wii-stlyle (and DS style) games in future consoles, their backward compatibility will be all but lost, and I certainly won't be having multiple Nintendo consoles set up at the same time.
I wasnt intending that to be dishonest, just the way the post came out without my indentations made it look like I was relating it, while it was meant as more of a side note. You say that Nintendo went for a 'better' controller. But in my eyes it isnt better - its the same thing as before just now people have to swing it instead of pressing a button. I've had no more enjoyment with the Wiimote than with any other console, in many cases it seems more of an annoyance than fun - badly thought out controls that seem to be used just for the sake of calling it revolutional. Although indeed there are cases where the pointer has been used nicely, the amount of shoddy controls I have seen far outweighs it. Personally, being neither a child or an elderly person, I don't find normal controllers confusing in the slightest - no more than the wiimote itself. And I often feel that Nintendo's need to branch out to the other generations results in a lot of poor games that are just advertised well, and fed to the masses rather than the gamers - a smart move from Nintendos profits side of things, but a nasty one for people who actually enjoy good games. The quality of games on the Wii has not improved since the GameCube - the best Wii games I have played are on GameCube as well and are just as good. I'm fed up of people calling the Wii controls 'better' because theyre different. They no great breakthrough, and theyre only good if you're into the niche games theyre built for. I havent seen a single Wii title that I could call a masterpiece that wouldn't have worked just as well without the Wii controls.
Notrandomly, I think you're missing his point. When Miyamoto was praising Portal, I'm pretty sure he was praising the actual gameplay rather than the graphics. But the Portal system still need a powerful engine to work properly - something that the Wii isnt keeping up with. I for one, owned a Wii and was very disappointed, as it is very gimmicky. I first imagined games where you would weild the Wiimote like a sword and it would move the same way as you do - but it was not to be. Many games just recognise two or three motions with the wiimote which trigger actions that you would be able to do with a button on any other controller. Even Zelda itself simply recognises the wiimote being swung, and to differentiate between a horizontal and vertical slash one must hold the Z button for one, and not for the other. This isnt really innovative, its just a way of disguising something they already had. In fact, one of the few games I have played that attempted to use the Wiimote to its portential was Red Steel. It wasnt perfect but it *tried*. Swordfighting consisted of weilding the sword like a sword, and gunfighting had the nice little trick that if you held the wiimote sideways, the gun would be held sideways. However, the imperfect controls got the game slated, and I'm pretty sure the actual concpets were taken for granted. I havent played a single Wii game that actually works well, in the way that I imagined. Id rather stick to buttons than a half baked control system. Zelda, Smash Bros and Resident Evil 4 are probably the best Wii games I have played, and none of them gained anything from the control system. I've got to say, it was very refreshing to hear Miyamoto being so modest.