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Nyko: Project Natal not a threat, but a 'challenge'
When Microsoft unveiled its controller-free camera technology dubbed Project Natal during E3 last week, you'd think that gaming peripheral makers might start asking President Obama for a bailout. But not so. At least not for Nyko. The manufacturer of third-party accessories, whose core business is unlicensed Wii products, doesn't see physical controllers going away anytime soon. In fact, Chris Arbogast, Nyko's director of marketing, has a hard time seeing casual gamers letting go of the Wii remote. "People in the casual market like feeling something physical to keep your hands aligned," he said. "When you grab the Wiimote and swing it, it feels like you're swinging a baseball bat, versus pantomining swinging a bat. I think that if you take all [the controllers] away and you're just pantomiming everything, there may be some disconnect with realism there." Obviously, working for Nyko, Arbogast has to stay positive. However, if Project Natal does take off, we wondered if the company has a Plan B. Arbogast said it might force Nyko to "think outside the box." "We'll have to think of other ways we can accessorize and augment the players' experience," he said. "Not with a controller anymore, but with other things to add to that camera functionality. It could be a whole new avenue of business that opens up for us because we'll be forced to challenge ourselves." Luckily for Nyko, Project Natal is probably a long ways off, with analysts saying it won't trump the Wii just yet. Until then, you can enjoy another innovation in camera technology: the Nyko DSi Zoom Case.
EA's Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 with Wii MotionPlus now shipping
It may not seem quite as impressive now that Microsoft and Sony have shown off their visions of a motion-controlled future, but Nintendo's Wii MotionPlus is still as good as it gets when it comes to consoles today and, as promised, it's now finally shipping alongside the latest Tiger Woods game. That may not be exactly what Nintendo had in mind when it first unveiled MotionPlus way back at last year's E3, but the first-party wares won't be too far behind, with its own Wii Sports Resort title (and requisite bundle) still on track for a launch late next month. If you're up for a little golf in the meantime, however, you can pick up the Tiger Woods game bundled with Wii MotionPlus for $59.99, or the standalone game (still playable with the standard Wiimote) for $49.99.
J Allard's 'Magic Wand' patent application for Microsoft puts Nintendo, sorcerers on notice
It's been awhile since we've heard from J Allard; the man who assumed responsibility for Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division (think: Zune and Xbox) in mid 2008 in an effort to unify the experience into a centralized package. Now Microsoft's CTO and CXO (that's, Chief eXperience Office) has co-signed a patent application for a "Magic Wand" first filed in November of 2007 and made public just a few days ago. The patent application reads very much like a Wiimote, hand-held controller,"The architecture can utilize one or more sensor from a collection of sensors to determine an orientation or gesture in connection with the wand, and can further issue an instruction to update a state of an environmental component based upon the orientation." It's worth remembering that Microsoft has been rumored to be working on such a controller since at least August 2007. Something they've apparently scrapped for a camera-based solution that will allow gamers to control the action with their bodies and hand-gestures without requiring a hand-held controller -- you know, if current rumors are true. How many days until Microsoft's June 1st E3 press conference again?[Via TechFlash]
Casmobot lawnmower is a slave to the flick of a Wiimote
Most of the time we see a Wii mote controlling something tangible, it's more for entertainment value like an airsoft gun or Rovio. The Casmobot lawnmower, developed by scientists from the University of Southern Denmark, is actually quite useful if you loathe outdoor chores. It can be steered into grass-cutting action via the tilt of the controller synced with Bluetooth. Alternatively, you can drive it for a lap around the border of the yard and then put it on autopilot to mow inside the designated zone. We wouldn't run in front of it while its in motion, though, it's probably not as forgiving of interruption as a roomba. Researcher Kjeld Jensen also suggested applying the same technology to your grandmother's wheelchair, but we really don't think she'd appreciate that. See it for yourself in the video after the break.[Via Switched]
Neuros adds Wiimote support to the LINK
The Neuros LINK set-top was already plenty interesting when it was just a $300 riff on a storageless HTPC capable of full-screen Hulu and YouTube playback, but now that the company's gone and added experimental Wiimote support, we might just be smitten. It'll take some work to hook Ninty's stick to your LINK, but once you do content is just an arm-flail away. Video after the break.[Thanks, Joe]
WeeP5 makes other Wiimote gun mods cry home to their mamas
If your Wiimote-gun hybrid lacks a little bit of that "I would shut down an airport having this in my carry-on luggage" panache, we suggest you check out WeeP5, a toy MP5 chock-full of motion control. To be honest, we're most enamored by the setup of the above picture, as the modded armament rests lovingly over the heads of a young couple, against a picture of men in togas, and just under a VHS copy of The Lost World in German -- it's just so beautiful. In case you're wondering: B button is the trigger, A button is under the foregrip, 1 and 2 are on opposite sides near the front, the D-pad and Wii remote are jutting out of the left side, and the +, -, and home buttons are on the top just above the ammo clip. Hit up the read link for full DIY instructions.[Via Hack a Day]
Revolutionary: Wave of the Future
There was a time when innovations like the analog stick and rumble feedback were thought of as gimmicks that would never catch on. Some thought that 3D rendering would be limited to a few niche games, while the majority would stick to two dimensions. In the eyes of value-critical consumers, the Dreamcast looked like a crippled game box going up against the DVD-based, multimedia-rich PS2. But in time, all things change. Going into the next generation, buying a remote pointer-less console may seem ... well, pointless. There are a lot of change-resistant "hard core" gamers out there pouting over the inevitable evolution of their controllers, but there's just no denying it anymore. Motion-sensing controllers are the wave of the future.
Nintendo's Wiimote tapped for patent infringement by Hillcrest Labs
Nintendo just can't seem to keep its nose out of patent troubles, with its highly successful Wii now the target of a new patent lawsuit from Hillcrest Labs, which claims that its patents for "a handheld three-dimensional pointing device" and the gloriously vague "navigation interface display system that graphically organizes content for display on a television" which apparently predate Nintendo's own. At least we're not dealing with a complete patent troll here: Hillcrest Labs does have a product based on its technology, called The Loop remote (pictured left), based on what it calls "Freespace" motion control technology. It's fairly clear Freespace is a much different beast than the Wiimote, and we'd like to believe something so vague as a handheld 3D pointing device (a very un-new concept) isn't enough to best Nintendo in a court of law, but naturally Hillcrest is requesting Nintendo stop shipping Wiis to the States (that shouldn't be hard, huh Nintendo? Yuk, yuk.) and reward Hillcrest with unspecified monetary damages.
Wiispray turns Wii Remote into virtual graffiti spray can
If only Mark Ecko had a Wiispray when he was developing Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure, perhaps people the world would have understood his vision for a videogame-based, graffiti-tagging urban dystopian angst. Anyway, this Wii Remote turned into a spray can is the product of a student's thesis at Bauhas-University in Weimar, Germany. Martin Lihs crammed the controller into the can-like structure and plans (hopes?) to create a communal -- but not illegal -- virtual graffiti wall in which people can add their digital tags and keep it real clean, yo. Curious that he's using PlayStation-based triangle and square buttons, though.[Via SlashGear]
Wiimote used to control robotic arm, effectively this time
Sure, it's been done before, but that doesn't make the idea of a robotic arm controlled by a Wiimote any less exciting, especially when the arm is actually responsive. That feat is aided considerably by the fact that this latest setup was developed by an engineer from National Instruments, who made use of some of the company's LabVIEW hardware and a specially-designed Bluetooth adapter to control the arm at the flick of a wrist (or using the Wiimote's buttons). Check it out in action in the video after the break -- don't worry, no one gets hurt.
Microsoft working on 360 Wiimote-killer?
Alright, take this one with a huge grain of salt, but MTV News is reporting that Microsoft is secretly developing a Wiimote-like motion controller for the Xbox 360. The source says that the new unit has been under development since August, and that a new unified interface is being developed by Rare, which has missed a few deadlines. The idea is to match and exceed the capabilities of the Wiimote, so the controller reportedly features four face buttons, an analog stick, a microphone, and possibly integration with the Xbox Live Vision Camera. However, it doesn't seem like things are going all that smoothly -- the source says the project is a "colossal clusterf***," and that Microsoft is scrambling to figure out how to get the thing out by the end of the year. Interesting -- but several other major 360 developers wouldn't confirm anything, so until we hear something for real, interesting is about as far as it goes.
U.S. Military using Wiimote-controlled Packbot to disable bombs
We like the way the U.S. military thinks. One of the Wii's biggest flaws is the painful stretches of downtime between its bigger releases, causing dust to settle on Nintendo's minuscule console and cobwebs to form on our Wiimotes. What better way to get more mileage out of our neglected gyroscopic peripherals than to use them to blow up actual bombs and landmines?This must have been the thought process of those techno-wizards at iRobot, who have modified their Packbot model to be controlled by a standard Wii remote. It seems they discovered that Nintendo's motion-sensitive controller doesn't just lend itself to instinctive, natural interaction with games like Wii Tennis, but also with maneuvering rifle-mounted, explosive-detonating robots -- just remember to always use the wrist strap. Impaling a TV screen while hitting the Wii Bowling lanes is embarassing, throwing the reigns of a gun-toting war machine is just plain irresponsible.
Nintendo to sell Wii Wheel separately in Japan
What's the only thing better than a plastic wheel attachment for your Wii remote? Plastic wheels for all your friends' remotes, of course! Unfortunately, each copy of Mario Kart Wii only comes with one of Nintendo's revolutionary necessary new Wii Wheels.Japanese gamers shouldn't worry, though, as Famitsu (machine translation) reveals that Nintendo will be offering additional wheels for sales at the bargain price of 1200 yen (about $11). No word on whether Americans will get the same chance, but with the market for useless plastic attachments for the Wii remote being what it is, we imagine a similar deal will come stateside eventually.[Via SiliconEra]
Wiimote peripheral patent diagrams are hilarious, unsettling
It's as if they prophetically knew that the controller market for their new system would be flooded with useless peripherals by money grubbing accessory manufacturers -- at least, we hope that's the case. We hope that Nintendo wasn't being serious when they drew up diagrams for an early patent application to show how the Wii remote would attach to other peripherals, as we assume that one of the oldest and most well respected video game companies on the planet would know better than to try to plug a controller into a skateboard, teddy bear, or rocking chair.We imagine they ran out of ideas after the docking station and zapper peripherals, and that the rest of the diagrams were just filler. If not, when can we expect a release date on Michael McDonald's Television Shooting Simulator? Gallery: Wii remote peripheral diagrams
Camy's Light Sword Wiimote holsters Jedi things up a notch
With all the Wiimote couplings currently making the rounds, we're bound to see a few lightsabers out there. Of course, this is where Camy's Pro Gear Wii Light Swords come into play. The colored plastic Wiimote holders are available in three "ultra bright" colors -- including the red "Dark Knight," which we're almost positive is a copyright infringement. Nevertheless, the swords will cradle your Wiimote lovingly, with ample room for the IR signal to make its way to your console. Should you desire, you can flip a switch and light up the night sky with your fear-inducing -- yet rather stubby -- laser blade. Sure, we've seen similar, but these come in green. The swords are slated for a May / June release, no word on price.[Via IGN]
DIY head-tracker takes Wiimote hacking to dizzying new heights
DIY virtuoso Johnny Chung Lee has already more than proven himself with his Wiimote whiteboard and finger-tracking hacks (to say nothing of the famous $14 steadycam), but he now looks to have vaulted himself into a whole new league with his latest project, which uses a Wiimote for a full-on VR head-tracking system. As with his other recent hacks, the Wiimote and a sensor bar substitute swap their usual positions, with a pair of IR-equipped safety glasses stylishly getting the job done in this case. Toss in some custom-made software (available at the link below) and you've got a setup that's sure to make anyone's jaw drop. Whatever you do, be sure to hit up the video after the break (and watch 'till the end), as the image above certainly doesn't do it justice. [Via Hack a Day]
Wiimote repurposed for multi-point interactive whiteboard
While certainly there's been no shortage of Wiimote hacks, the number of genuinely useful ones has been considerably more limited. It looks like you can now add one more to that list, however, as Johnny Chung Lee (he of the Wiimote finger-tracking hack) has now upped the usefulness even further with a makeshift multi-point interactive whiteboard. There's a bit more involved with this one than just a Wiimote, however -- namely, an IR-emitting pen (or two), which the Wiimote tracks while relaying all the necessary information back to a PC. That, as the video after the break shows, allows you to turn any surface into a multi-point whiteboard with the use of a projector, or turn any LCD screen into a touchscreen, of sorts. Best of all, Johnny has kindly provided the necessary software free of charge, so hit up the read link below if you want to give it a shot.[Via Hack a Day]
Joystiq hands-on: Link's Crossbow Training (Wii)
Reaching back to the glory days of light guns, the Wii Zapper steals the name of Nintendo's classic NES controller, but the two are fundamentally different. The previous light gun used a mechanic to essentially see what was on-screen, so the gun sight actually corresponded with the action. The Wii Zapper instead is just a plastic shell to hold a Wii Remote and Nunchuk. The Wiimote pointer continues to work through IR triangulation; players can't sight down the new attachment.I recently played the Wii Zapper pack-in, Link's Crossbow Training, and was surprised at how good the Wii Zapper felt and how well the game responded. Shooting from the hip -- sometimes literally -- I maintained good control over the on-screen cross-hair. I still prefer the precision of a light gun's sight, but knocking down Zelda-themed bad guys in a series of game scenarios was still fun.%Gallery-8658%
Joystiq hands-on: Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)
Hello, I'm Zack, and I had never played Smash Bros. until today. I don't know if that should be a confession or proclamation. Let it be both. Let the flaming begin.Super Smash Bros. Brawl felt frenetic. To me, it seemed like too much was happening on-screen to play with precision. But apparently people wring ever moment of control out of this fast-paced game. Just not the first time they play.In my games, Brawl always had a lot going on. A power-up poured out 2D sprites lifted directly from Advance Wars. Another caused a Nintendog to briefly paw playfully at the screen, for no reason other than to annoy us. I just laughed at the puppy as I was knocked off the platform to my loss.I like my fighting games with more of an immediate sense of cause-and-effect and without this power-up focus. But I could see the appeal of Brawl. It had so much happening that I was always entertained. And the sense of humor and strangeness -- Mario versus Sonic in a fighting game -- also hooked me.%Gallery-8530%
Joystiq hands-on: Wiimote Jacket
Just in time for the winter, Nintendo has offered a free Wiimote Jacket to keep its controllers cozy. And by "cozy," we mean, "potential-lawsuit free." All of the demo controllers at Nintendo's "Fall Media Summit" had been fitted with the silicon sock. In my use, the extra layer added bulk, but the result felt about the same as -- and occasionally better than -- an unprotected controller.The sleeve attaches tightly to the sides of the Wii Remote, only adding a few millimeters around the waist. More thickness at the bottom -- perhaps for pounding in that annoying straighten-the-papers WarioWare game -- adds about another centimeter of girth.But the bulb-shaped top is significantly bigger than the naked Wiimote. Its spongy feel should absorb a lot of energy; I could imagine unintentionally hitting a table or younger sibling without causing injury. I was concerned that the bigger shape would ruin horizontal, NES-style games, but I ended up liking it a little more than the plain Wiimote. My left hand has always felt cramped next to the D-pad, and the Jacket gives it more to hold.The Jacket also includes a port cover for use without the Nunchuk. I was mildly annoyed by moving the flap to plug in attachments, but gamers could cut that part off of their own Jackets. (See the gallery for a closer view.)We've shrugged at Nintendo's 18-million dollar move seemingly to preempt American lawsuits. But even minimalist-preferring adult gamers may like the cover's extra size.%Gallery-8512%
