wiimote
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Make a tiny working Wiimote, in seven ridiculously difficult steps
If there's one complaint we hear about the Wii more than any other, it's that the Wii Remote and Nunchuk are just too big for most hands. Seriously, who does Nintendo think they're marketing these things for? It's nearly impossible to stretch our average-size hands around the vast expanses of white plastic.If you are one of the millions whose Wii experience is ruined by the comically oversized controllers, we encourage you to seek a solution in DHRECK's "Mini-mote" mod, which uses custom shells to shrink down the controllers to fun size. It's more attractive, more useful, and less likely to attract stray Woody Harrelsons than his previous "Hemp-Mote" mod, at least!The extremely detailed guide to taking apart and rebuilding the Wiimote and Nunchuk is intended to help people get started with their own projects. The "Mini-mote" and associated Nunchuk are just a tiny proof of concept.[Via Kotaku]
Get an early taste of what Dead Space Wii could be
With yesterday's announcement that EA's very creepy, very good Dead Space would eventually make its way onto Wii, it seems the community has been left with nothing but questions. Well, we can't answer any of those questions right now, but we can present to you the next best thing: a video of someone playing the game with a Wiimote. Head past the break to check it out.
Wiimote modded with terrifically minor results
Remember DHRECK, the modder who modded a Wiimote by covering it in hemp and calling it a day? Well, he's back, and this time he's made one that's slightly smaller than the original. That's right: not totally teeny, or miniaturized (it's not lethal, either) -- just somewhat smaller than an actual, unmodified 'mote. He's made some other minor cosmetic changes to it as well, and the results are attractive. Check the gallery of fantastic photos after the break. [Thanks, John] %Gallery-43817%
Unreal Tournament 3 deathmatches: now with 4-player Wiimote support
If you thought that Wiimote hack for Left 4 Dead was hot stuff (and you did, it's pointless to deny it), then you'll be just as stoked -- if not more so -- for this one. From the same Ryan Tani comes this, a setup that enables four gamers to gather 'round an Unreal Tournament 3 deathmatch and exchange blows via Wiimotes. A guide on how to pull this off yourself is forthcoming, but 'til then, we'd invite you to check out a demonstration vid of the author (and three lucky pals) enjoying the spoils of his labor after the break.
Wiimote weights, because you're a flabby mess of a gamer
At least, that's the thinking we imagine went on in the meeting when the concept of the riiflex was developed. And they surely don't get in the way of the buttons, as these 2- and 5-pound attachments promise "access to all Wii Remote functions." Well then, sign us up! While we're cutting down enemies in Santa Destroy, we can get totally ripped.Then there's the danger of adding pounds to your Wiimote. You know how there's always that person that gets a little too into bowling in Wii Sports? With this they're likely to throw a Wiimote through your TV, past the wall, and right into the neighbor's nice new car. Don't say we didn't warn you.[Via Engadget]
Riiflex Wiimote weights add extra mass, extra momentum
If you thought your flying Wiimotes weren't harmful enough stock, perhaps you'd like to add a little more inertia into the mix? Additional danger is probably not the idea behind Riiflex, snap-on weights for your controller that will come in 2- and 5-pound increments, but we think that will probably be the net result in many cases. After all, if a flimsy plastic Wiimote can pierce a television or mortally wound a small dog, what kind of damage could a 5-pound version inflict? We look forward to seeing pictures of the aftermath if and when these ever ship.
Real Virtual Skater: kickflip and nollie with the Wiimote
What you see in the video above is Real Virtual Skater, a hack which utilizes the Wiimote's guts in a small box attached to the bottom of a skateboard. As you can imagine, it lets you play as if you're actually skateboarding. The game the tech is being demonstrated on is Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. Our only concern is if anyone actually tried doing this in their living room, they'd break a few lamps. And a couple of tables. And the television.Head past the break for the video.
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]
Left 4 Dead PC Wiimote hack for the gamer who has it all, hates zombies
Sometimes inspiration hits when you're shooting zombies -- and often times, that inspiration is in the form of new, better ways to shoot zombies. Since this sort of thing (shooting zombies) is one of our passions here, we were pretty psyched when we ran across this video. Summoning all of his worldly resources -- including GlovePIE, PPJoy, and about a gazillion lines of code -- this guy is able to rock Left 4 Dead PC in split-screen mode with two Wiimotes. He's even added shake controls for reloading and spinning 180 degrees. The only catch? As it stands, the only way to power the sensor bar is by turning on the Wii -- a condition that should be remedied shortly. Hit the read link for instructions and code, and be sure to check out the video after the break. [Via Nowhere Else]
Wiimote and skateboard hacked into a controller, Gator not impressed
Real Virtual Skater is a controller mod that sees a Wiimote liberated from its case and placed inside a box strapped to the underside of a skateboard. Thanks to The Bluetooth, as the player gleams "the cube" (or his "living room", as the case may be) all his movements are used to control his avatar in the magical world of Tony Hawk Pro Skater. Just the thing for a kid that already has the board, the Vans, the Jams, a Lance Mountain t-shirt, and a JFA cassette -- but no real desire to leave his parent's basement. Technical details are few, but we do have a chest-pounding video of the thing in action after the break.[Via Feng Gui][Thanks, Pegasus Unicorn]
Wiimote strike 'killed' dog, saved by neighbor's mouth-to-mouth
A Michigan woman nearly killed her dog when she accidentally struck it in the temple with a Wii Remote. Kathy White was playing Wii Sports' bowling with her daughter when she made the motion to roll her virtual ball and, as she puts it, hit the dog and "killed him instantly." The dog, Ozzy, was not moving or breathing. She called her neighbor -- who we're guessing must have some veterinary training -- and she revived the dog using mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Ozzy was then taken to the real vet, who diagnosed the dog with "severe brain swelling" due to cardiac arrest. We've heard of Wiinjuries before (both possibly real and fake), but this is the first instance of potential "caninicide" we're aware of. Check out a television news report regarding the incident after the break.[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]
Wiimote + pens + coffee cup + office putting toy = deadly coil gun turret
Inside a mild-mannered toy golf cup, the kind that pop the ball back at you when you sink a putt (and make you go walk for it when you miss), lurks a lethal weapon -- a tiny rail gun just waiting to serve. Modder Jay took one of those induction coils to build himself a small but fierce turret, also using a little inspiration from the Serv O'Beer, an ioBridge module, two ballpoint pens, two wooden spoons, a coffee mug, and -- the pièce de résistance -- a Wiimote liberated from someone's console. By twisting the controller left or right the weapon rotates accordingly, honing in on threatening textbooks and launching a screwdriver bit with deadly force. Alas, you can't fire the turret by pressing a button on the controller, but that's said to be entirely for safety reasons -- we wouldn't want some poor kid trying to play a little My Horse & Me and accidentally shooting themselves in the back. Update: Jay commented to let us know that he's posted the source, meaning making your lethal weapon is that much easier -- and open! [Via Make]
Wiimote kills dog, neighbor brings it back
Ozzy is one lucky pup. When the White family got a Wii this Christmas, it was all fun and games until little Ozzy's life was in danger. See, the dog was hanging around the humans, watching them bowl in Wii Sports, when he jumped up in the way and caught a Wiimote directly to the temple, killing the dog instantly. The Whites called their neighbor Pene over and she gave the dog mouth-to-mouth, saving its life. Over the next few weeks following the incident, Ozzy has thankfully started to mend and be his old self again.There's a video of the segment shown on the local NBC affiliate after the break. Cute doggy, wouldn't you say?
Patent shows Wiimote was originally a GameCube peripheral
Some new images and details on Nintendo's patent for the Wiimote have surfaced on the net and they show that the original idea was planned for the GameCube. The Wiimote was to attach to the console via an adapter, much like the WaveBird's. But, as you all know, the GameCube ended up going the way of the dodo, and so the Wii was born. The image to the right shows Mario playing tennis, which is where Nintendo originally got the idea for Wii Sports, we assume, but there's more. Past the break, you can see more diagrams showing how the Wiimote would work with the GameCube, if you're into that kind of thing.%Gallery-14911%
Patent reveals Wii Remote began life as GameCube add-on
What's so interesting about the above image? Is it that the man (?) has no eyes? Is it that he's not using the strap on the Wii Remote? No: it's that this isn't a patent drawing for the Wii Remote at all -- it's for a GameCube controller. The original Japanese patent was submitted by Nintendo in 2006, around the time Shigeru Miyamoto admitted, "[Wii] is based on GC."Now we know its controller was, too, by way of the US Patent and Trademark Office's database, which also contains related drawings. One shows what this line-art person is playing (a tennis game with Mario) and the other is the proverbial smoking gun: a Wii remote and receiver connected to a GameCube, which is, in turn, connected to a TV with sensors attached. Check them out after the break.[Via Siliconera]
CES 2009: Hands-on with Nyko's replacement Wiimote, The Wand
It's common knowledge that the Wii's third-party games generally pale in comparison to Nintendo's first-party efforts. But it seems as though that same observation will no longer be true about the system's controllers when Nyko rolls out its Wiimote replacement, The Wand, in April or May of this year. We took the controller for a spin (and a twist and a wave) earlier today at the company's CES booth.
CES 2009: Nyko's Wiimote imitator is lawsuit-proof
It's genius, really -- Nintendo sued Nyko for making the Kama Wireless Nunchuck too similar in design to Nintendo's own. But there is no way Nintendo would ever even suggest that Nyko's "Wand" looks at all like the Wiimote, out of respect for the Wiimote. Nyko has replaced the clean lines and muted color scheme of the Wiimote with an odd-shaped body, weird, jagged D-pad, and brightly-colored, square buttons. In addition to the garishness feature, the Wand has one rather cool ability: when connected to compatible extensions, Wiimote functions can be transferred to the extension. For example, their pistol grip for the Wand rumbles and has a real B button on the trigger, rather than a mechanical lever that pushes the Wiimote's B button -- not to mention that there's an A button on the back.They also introduced the Charge Station EX, a revision of the popular Charge Station that adds battery level indicators, and a Kama Charge Kit that includes a rechargeable Kama Wireless Nunchuck and a rechargeable battery pack for the Wiimote. Pictures of all of these new accessories are in our gallery! All are expected to be in US stores this April.%Gallery-41092%[Via press release]
Nyko brings Wand Wii remote, Charge Station EX and Kama Charge kit to CES
What would CES be without a little video gaming, huh? Thanks to Nyko, we won't ever have to find out (at least in 2009), as it's bringing a smattering of new Nintendo Wii accessories to the desert. Kicking things off right is the simply titled Wand, which is said to be the "world's most advanced alternative to the Wii remote." Aside from doing everything the Wiimote does, the April-bound device also features the firm's Trans-Port technology, which "enables control and vibration feedback to be electrically replicated on a compatible attachment accessory." Up next is the Charge Station EX ($34.99 this April), which improves upon its successor by adding a LED battery indicator and a "new sleek look." Finally, the Kama Charge Kit is an all-in-one charging solution while simultaneously stores and charges both the Wiimote and Kama controllers in one unit. All the fine print is hosted just after the break.
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]
Realistic Zapper mod is impressive, also sort of scary
Say hello to your new little friend, the "WeeP 5 Advanced Zapper," a mash-up of a toy MP5 gun and Wiimote innards (you can see the painted IR sensor just below the muzzle). The WeeP 5 is the work of Instructables user THeOReos, who was left disappointed by the range of gun shells available for the Wii (WHAAAT?!). It's just the ticket if you want your Zapper-compatible games to feel extra authentic, and we'd rather enjoy using it to drop bad dudes in Ghost Squad (though it may not suit Link's Crossbow Training).THeOReos is confident this works well, and has posted a full step-by-step of the building process here. We lack the patience or skillz to make our own, but don't let that put you off building one and sending it to us!%Gallery-35024%[Via Hack A Day]