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Revolutionary: The Perfect Controller, part 2
Game controllers have come a long way since we were holding a box with a protruding stick and tapping a single button. Now they're so packed full of cutting edge (yet inexpensive) tech, I'd half expect to see a Wii Remote and Nunchuk in the cockpit of the space shuttle* as a cost-cutting measure. As advanced as the Wiimote is, a lot of us have found a thing or two that could be revised about its design. I've gone to the most extreme reaches of my imagination, and come up with a design concept that I believe is about as radical a step beyond our current Wiimote, as that controller is beyond every console controller that came before it. And just like Nintendo's own design, my perfect controller would be based around technology that is already being used today in different applications.*Warning: The Wii Remote and Nunchuk's accelerometers will not work in space. NASA engineers, be advised to wait for the MotionPlus.
TeknoCreations' InCharge juices Wiimotes through silicone skins
It's a common issue, really. Having to peel that sticky, icky silicone skin from the Wiimote each time you try to swap out the batteries or plop it down in a recharging station is a real pain, but TeknoCreations has a better way. By utilizing a contactless induction charging system, its InCharge remote charger can actually reinvigorate Lithium Polymer battery packs that are encased within those newfangled silicone grips that the Big N recommends so heavily. The system reportedly offers a 25-hour battery life, and unlike contact-based chargers, the aforementioned dirt and grit won't gum up the juicing process. The InCharge Wiimote charger should be available real soon for $34.99, and for PS3 owners feeling all left out, fret not -- the company just received certification to go forward with a similar product for the SIXAXIS.[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]Read - InCharge WiimoteRead - InCharge PS3 certification
ITC to look into Hillcrest Labs' Wiimote patent infringement claims
Ruh roh. Those wildly flung patent infringement claims tossed out by Hillcrest Laboratories could have some merit, but even if not, it'll be the ITC making the call. The US International Trade Commission has given itself the green light to investigate the allegations made by the aforesaid company, which state that Nintendo infringed on four of its patents in order to make obscenely large quantities of cash with the hot-selling Wii. There's no telling how high (or low) this is in the agency's priority list, but we'll be keeping an ear to the ground for some sort of resolution, regardless.
RealMotion Pool Cue to help Wii pool sharks sink the stripes
Two things: first off, craptastic pool cue Wiimote accessories are already widely available, and secondly, couldn't you just duct tape a controller to your favorite real cue and achieve almost the same thing? Terrible ideas aside, RealMotion has just revealed that it will be shipping a RealMotion Pool Cue companion accessory for its upcoming title, American Pool Deluxe. Reportedly, the unit is a "meticulously crafted cue built specifically to take advantage of the Wii remote's accelerometer technology for real precision and fun," but we'll have to envision it until the company gets smart enough to distribute a photo. Or is it really that embarrassing?[Via IGN]
Mod that: 5 of our favorite Wiimotes
We can't lie. Seeing individuals come up with crazy things to do to gaming hardware is often the highlight of our day, when we're lucky enough to see a great piece of work. Below, hit up the link to check out 5 of our favorite Wiimote mods. #ninbutton { border-style: solid; border-color: #000; border-width: 2px; background-color: #BBB; color: #000; text-decoration: none; width: 100px; text-align: center; padding: 2px 2px 2px 2px; margin: 2px 2px 2px 2px; } .buttontext { color: #000; text-decoration: none; font: bold 14pt Helvetica; } #ninbutton:hover { text-decoration: none; color: #BBB; background-color: #000; } Click here to continue >> We're always talking about mods here at Wii Fanboy. Be sure to check out our retro mod gallery, as well as 5 of our favorite Wii mods and 5 of our favorite GameCube mods. Keep up with the modding scene by staying up to date with Wii Fanboy!
The Conduit gets MotionPlussed
Wii Sports Resort might not be the only title to showcase the Wii MotionPlus when the dinky add-on launches next spring. GameSpot went hands-on with The Conduit at PAX 2008, and revealed that the shooter will feature MotionPlus support. The Conduit is currently set for a March launch, so has this new information also inadvertently dated Wii Sports Resort and the MotionPlus?Whether it has or not, MotionPlus for The Conduit is Pretty Big News -- so much so, that we're afraid it may overshadow some of the other eye-catching details in GameSpot's report. These include: In the final game, High Voltage hopes to have a completely customizable head-up display, in which any HUD element can be dragged and dropped to different parts of the screen. There will be nine missions in total, with the singleplayer campaign lasting "about ten hours." Cut scenes won't be used; rather, the story will be developed through news or radio broadcasts, much like the Half Life series. Some projectiles can be guided using the cursor, which sounds a lot like the Nikita launcher in Metal Gear Solid, automatically making it ZOMGAWESOME. %Gallery-25003%[Via Go Nintendo]
Stix 200 Wiimote wannabe reviewed: it's just as awful as we imagined
Be honest here, GoLive2's Stix didn't stand a chance at being taken seriously, and even when one reviewer attempted to have fun with the unashamed Wiimote knockoff, he failed epically. The Stix 200 looks strikingly like Nintendo's accelerometer-packin' controller, though this 2D-only rip was seen as "a set of slightly unresponsive, highly inconvenient arrow keys" rather than an exciting new controller. The PC games that can be played with the device are equally dreadful, and while the 3D-capable Stix 400 might be able to make up for some of the 200's shortcomings, we can't wholeheartedly say it's even worth the effort to check out after reading this review.[Thanks, Robert]
Taking control of The Conduit
So The Conduit looks and sounds extraexplositastic, but how will it play? Answer: probably really nicely. First-person shooter controls are something the Wii has excelled at -- both Metroid Prime 3: Corruption and Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 boast buttery-smooth gameplay, and The Conduit looks no different.This video, narrated by lead game designer Rob Nicholls, talks us through everything we'll be able to meddle with in the game's control settings. Tweakable stuff includes turning speed, running speed, cursor sensitivity, the ability to turn while your cursor is off-screen, and the auto-center settings. The best bit of all, though? Adjusting your dead zone as you play. Very nifty.
Quantum of Solace has Zapper support, online multiplayer
For those of you who've been tracking Quantum of Solace over at The Stiq, you know that most of the worthwhile things to discuss about the game have come from the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions. Well, it would appear that Activision isn't leaving Wii owners out to dry, as some cool features are being utilized in the Wii version of the title. For one, there will be multiple control schemes. Gamers can use the tried-and-true Wiimote and Nunchuk setup, or they can bust out their Zapper and play with that. On top of that, Activision has also confirmed the game will feature online multiplayer, as well as 4-player split-screen local multiplayer, which is exclusive to the Wii installment.Activision is also hard at work to make sure the game is no graphical slouch. Seeing as how the engine behind the game is the same used in Call of Duty 4, we're sure Quantum of Solace will have some lovely visuals.
Samba De Amigo Wii Maracas get priced and dated
Samba de Amigo is barreling towards the Wii, and we all understand that it'll be a lot less exciting without the Wii Maracas. Thanks to Amazon's quick trigger finger, we now know that Sega's Wiimote accessories will go for $14.99 per pair, and if all goes to plan, they'll be shipping out on September 23rd. Of course, we'd suggest you pocket that and just craft your own wildly colored (and slightly gourd-shaped) Wiimote covers, but we understand not everyone was blessed with those DIY genes.[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]
Nintendo adds a little color to the Wii, just when we thought it didn't care
Remember a million years ago when Nintendo first introduced the "Revolution," later to be known as the Wii? It wasn't white, and it seemed multiple colors were a shoe-in for the shiny plastic console. Since then, Nintendo has sung a very white, supply-limited song with the Wii, and we're ready for some change. This is not that change. But at least Nintendo is acknowledging that, indeed, other colors do exist, and look just smashing when waved around in the air, in the form of fancy new pastel-colored Wiimote straps for Japan. They cost a few bucks each, or you can get the whole pack for $10. No word if they'll be heading Stateside.[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]
Nintendo jazzing up Wiimote wrist straps
While we're still waiting for that leopard skin Wiimote wrist strap of our dreams, Nintendo will shortly release green, blue, pink, and white straps in Japan. Other than helping to distinguish Wiimotes between multiplayer sessions, we can't really think of a compelling need for these non-threatening, pastel accessories, but perhaps they're a sign that matching controllers are on the way? That's probably a long shot, but it would be nice.For those of you with an interest in importing, these are scheduled to appear next month for ¥300 ($2.80) each, or you can snag the four-pack above for ¥1,000 ($9.25). For those of you who are too cheap for even that, you can make your own for nada.
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.
Wii Sqweeze: yet another limited-use Wiimote peripheral
A Wii Wheel for racing? Fine. A club attachment for golfing. Eh, okay. InterAction Laboratories' Wii Sqweeze? Puh-lease. Recently "demonstrated" by CEO Greg Merril, this goofball peripheral possesses a pair of rubber handles which "allow for shoulder abduction and adduction." Reportedly, the unit was shown off playing some sort of bow hunting game on a PC, though the company promises native Wii compatibility before its 2009 launch. Can we get a show of hands from people who'd actually buy this thing for more than $4.99? Don't make us phone in the quick-lipped auctioneer.
Ubisoft totally hearts MotionPlus
Nintendo kept the Wii MotionPlus a secret from everybody for as long as possible, a move that resulted in grumbling from certain third-party developers.That hasn't diminshed enthusiasm for the tiny add-on, however. During an interview with Gamasutra, Ubisoft Montreal CEO Yannis Mallat couldn't praise the MotionPlus enough (even though he admitted having some doubts at first), enthusing about how the peripheral would make gaming feel "seamless," and arguing that it could only lead to a more immersive experience. "It's one thing to have your brain interpolating what you're doing," gushed Mallat, "[but ] it's another thing to not need that interpolation work."Elsewhere in the interview, Mallat expressed his view that Shaun White Snowboarding was a "must-try" and described developing Dogz as "psychologically very exciting." Hmm.%Gallery-29887%
LucasArts mad about MotionPlus?
Despite it being arguably the best thing to come from Nintendo's E3 line-up, everyone isn't happy about MotionPlus. At the top of the list of disgruntled folk is none other than LucasArts. Why? Well, according to a blurb from the latest issue of Game Informer, which was transcribed by a GAFfer (the one with the Arkham Asylum reveal), third parties weren't privy to the info before Nintendo's press conference (if they read us, they would have learned about it a day beforehand). That's old hat to us all, though.The problem is that LucasArts specifically took the time to craft The Clone Wars: Lightsaber Duels specifically for the Wii. See, everyone wants a 1:1 lightsaber game and it would've been a fantastic way to market the game. We guess that ship has sailed ...%Gallery-27972%[Via CVG]
Nintendo doesn't have exclusive rights to MotionPlus
We're criminally forgetful around these parts, so usually refer to the Wiimote MotionPlus accessory as "that thing that makes the Wiimote work the way it should have in the first place." But as it turns out it may also someday be "that thing that makes the 360 controller or DualShock 3 work the way the Wiimote should have in the first place." InvenSense, the company behind the tech, says that Nintendo doesn't have the exclusive rights to it, and that other companies have expressed an interest. To be fair though, they don't name anyone specifically.So, Nintendo, out of curiosity: You invest in an addition to your console's primary feature and you don't even lock up the rights? How about you dig through Miyamoto's office cushions and buy the exclusivity, the company and a gold-plated hover-castle for them to work in? What are you saving for?
Underlying MotionPlus tech isn't a Nintendo exclusive
How very interesting. InvenSense, which is licensing its motion-sensing MEMS technology to Nintendo for that new MotionPlus add-on, has now stated that its Nintendo partnership is "not an exclusive relationship." InvenSense won't let slip exactly who else is courting them for the tech, but we have to think the usual suspects (Microsoft, Sony) are at least giving the gyroscopic technology a passing glance. Of course, InvenSense might be looking to folks outside the gaming space as well, and there's no guarantee Microsoft and Sony would even try for a Wiimote killer this generation, but if the Big Three don't all have robust motion-sensing controls of some sort ready by the time the next generation rolls around, it certainly won't be InvenSense's fault.[Via GamesIndustry.biz]
Latest Nintendo Power says 100 onscreen zombies in Dead Rising
According to the latest issue of Nintendo Power, Dead Rising: Chop 'Til You Drop might not be the slouch many are making it out to be. The magazine mentions that there could be up to 100 zombies onscreen at once. Aside from that, improvements include: Combat controls will mimic Resident Evil 4. Selectable difficulty level. Improved save system. Larger text! Overtime mode now part of the main game. Sounds like Dead Rising: Chop 'Til You Drop will be an option-rich good time. How many of you are looking forward to it?%Gallery-28028%
Wii Warm Up: What's 'very affordable' for you?
Iwata's interview yesterday definitely sparked some debate within our little community here, but it would seem a lot of you didn't exactly chime in with your own thoughts on 'very affordable.' So, what price point would you like to see Wii MotionPlus set at? Is $20 a sweet spot? Would you mind paying as much as $30? Weigh in!