http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 1:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 1:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 2:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/
One think I think could change is adding a summary of the ideas the Engadget staff has in mind. To be fair, this does happen on occasion, and they often link to past content (as in this post), but it should be right there at the forefront. Let the comments take it from there.]]>Aug 22nd 2009 3:07AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/People say what they would like to change in a product in comments sections on normal articles.
If Engadget still have to do them, then at least have a update article, summarising the rare good suggestion that get buried huge quantity of in "make it cheaper"/"make it less rubbish" comments.

Also, I would make the motion tracking less rubbish, and give it away free in Wii branded cereal.]]>Aug 22nd 2009 6:59AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 8:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/
-Built in
-Add a nunchuck/ext port to the bottom
]]>Aug 22nd 2009 3:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/
I definitely agree with 'built in' though. Also:

- it would be nice if you didn't have to let it calibrate every so often (yes I realise that's probably impossible with this hardware)

- in the golf game if you press B when it's pointing exactly downward, sometimes it thinks you're swinging the opposite way from how you actually are - don't know if that's a game bug or a hardware limitation, but basically I'm getting the impression it's still not perfect.

In the next system, it might be good if they used a different technology (not camera, please, something else more likely to work reliably) that didn't have these limitations. As far as this technology goes, MotionPlus pretty much does what it's supposed to, almost all of the time (see above), so it's a pretty decent effort imo.]]>Aug 22nd 2009 6:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/
It might make sense to sell new remotes with everything built in, but I've spent enough money on extras for the Wiimote as is.

If Motion Plus was built in all of the Wii Wheels would be worthless as well as many other add-ons.

I find that Motion Plus works quite well in Wii Sports Resort, but as for other games like Virtua-Tennis they could a little more improvement. I don't seem to have much issue with re-calibrating, and when I do have to it takes 2 seconds.]]>Aug 23rd 2009 4:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 1:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://hackmii.com/2009/02/why-the-wii-will-never-get-any-better/]]>Aug 22nd 2009 2:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/
/sarcasm]]>Aug 22nd 2009 1:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 4:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 1:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/
Of course, you might smash your TV; your call.]]>Aug 22nd 2009 6:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 23rd 2009 2:55AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 1:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/
1. There is no reason this should be an add-on. I mean it's great that they gave original users the opportunity to upgrade, but they should have at least released a "complete" remote at the same time for new users.

2. This should have been the tech from the start.

3. There is no reason a complete Wii Remote set (Remote + Nunchuck + MotionPlus) should cost $72.91 (Amazon's prices as of today). That's just sick. Then all the other crap...
]]>Aug 22nd 2009 3:02AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 3:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/
Even if the Wiimote was, say, half an inch to an inch longer, big deal. ]]>Aug 22nd 2009 3:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 4:34AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/There is actually quite a bit of technology in the Wiimotes. The Wiimote by itself has an infrared camera (you may know the sensor bar is nothing more than a pair of IR LEDs), accelerometers, bluetooth, and a rechargeable battery. The Nunchuck has more accelerometers. The Wii Motion Plus adds gyros to sense angular motion. Sure, it probably doesn't cost Nintendo nearly $73 to make (they have to make money somehow), but don't try to compare them to other controllers that are basically just buttons and joysticks.]]>Aug 22nd 2009 9:41AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 11:01AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 12:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/I agree, but it couldn't have been the remote tech from the start because the form of gyroscope it uses only recently became available at a reasonable price for them to make money. Yes, they should make a new one with it built in, and probably will, but at least they tried to make up for it to the early adopters.]]>Aug 22nd 2009 4:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 23rd 2009 5:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 1:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 4:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/]]>Aug 23rd 2009 8:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/
It really is highly overblown, only bring (mostly) accurate relative rotation measurement. It does read this info better than the previous sensor read translation though. But due to the limitations of relative measurement, they have to have you point at the screen periodically to establish a forward reading. If this isn't done, the rotational position drifts, which is annoying.

Also, since the rotational sensing is so much better now, every even in Wii Sports Resort uses rotational sensoring as its primary input. Translation barely used at all (pointing is still used). For example, with both the frisbee and the swordfighting, the hands (hilt of the sword) don't move at all, it just pivots around one spot.

But the biggest annoyance has to be the drift. This means that the input is again most suitable only for minigames, where the drift over 30 seconds is minimal. But over minutes it would add up to be a problem.

All in all, it added good fidelity on the rotational axis, at the expense of a rather large controller, $20 per player and still didn't really solve the problem that motion input just isn't suited for many kinds of gaming due to lack of precision and how it tires you out.]]>Aug 22nd 2009 1:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 1:24AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/
I'd never bowl without it, because it feels risky, but in other minigames, the strap is an impediment.]]>Aug 22nd 2009 1:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 3:00AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 7:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 3:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 1:30AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 1:31AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 1:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/
So he's right in that way. But I don't think any system of the 3 is going to sense z movement with enough precision to make it possible to make a game that revolves around z movement sensing.]]>Aug 22nd 2009 1:58AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 2:55AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/
You can't just do reflection time across the whole pixel array because you can't scan the pixel array quickly enough to measure distances of a few mm or even cm accurately enough. You would have to scan the entire pixel array a billion times a second just to get 30cm (1 foot) accuracy of distance. Last I checked, even 100,000fps was considered a lot and rather expensive.

No, more likely it works like radar or lidar, where it emits pulses and receives pulses which represent reflections across the entire range the sensor "sees", and the time between the peaks outging and incoming are measured, giving a single distance measurement which tells how far away the most bulky part of the viewed object is.

I'm sure Natal could tell you moving your whole body forward and back (perhaps doing the hokey pokey), but then to have it tell when you move just your hand forward and back using reflection time seems rather unlikely.]]>Aug 22nd 2009 3:08AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/
But maybe not. Maybe the point of doing the 48-point joint map is than they can measure the distance at those 48 points, which seems like it could be done 30 times a second.

So, I think maybe each point could be located in 3-space 30 times a second.

Although I don't expect the results to be prefect, they're going to have to deal with a certain amount of wrong data. And the visual recognition to find the joints in the first place will still be a challenge.

But I'm a lot more believing of the feasibility of this now than before.]]>Aug 22nd 2009 7:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 1:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 1:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 1:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 1:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 4:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 10:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 23rd 2009 11:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/22/how-would-you-change-nintendos-wii-motionplus-add-on/Aug 22nd 2009 1:45AM