The Wii-mote pointer

[...]

Surely if the experience varies person to person then it is a Wiimote problem? I do the action that they show me on the screen and it doesn't work as well as someone else... surely that's a design floor to some extent?

 

How can it be a wiimote problem if I and others don't experience the same problems? If you mean it's a problem specific to some wiimotes that might be faulty, then yes, I would agree. But what this thread seems to be stating is that the problem is a general design or programing flaw inherent to all wiimotes or the games in question. If that were the case, then everyone would have the problem.

 

It's like how some people some months ago said that the bell/music mini-game in Zack & Wiki was non or poorly responsive. I never had a problem with it, it responds perfectly. So it's not a design flaw, it's a person flaw, ie, the person operating the wiimote.

 

As for MP3, it works great, even the grapple that some people complain about, the grapple works fine with me. Every time. The morph ball jump works everytime too. What is more plausible here:

 

a) I have a super nunchuck/wiimote, the best in the Universe, forged by Chuck Norris himself?

 

or

 

b) I simply work it properly?

 

 

 

One thing I get is that some people have not got into their heads yet that the wiimote does not work 1:1. This goes for the opening hatches in MP3. If you just start turning it recklessly or too fast, of course it won't work. Because that particular move is not supposed to be a reckless waggle. Opening doors in The Godfather IS a waggle, even though the game tells you to twist it as if you were opening a real door, a simple waggle will open them too. Not so in MP3, where it's supposed to be a controlled twist, a REAL twist, like unscrewing the bolts of the bomb in Trauma Center.

 

 

 

 

EDIT:

Actually, only now did I notice that the third post of this thread is by the same person who created it.... Jamba, where he says:

The Wii calculates 2 signals from the Wii mote (one for each side of the sensor bar) and that is used to calculat the "closeness" of the pointer and the angle when you twist it (a function that works very well).

 

 

So, it actually "works very well"? So what are we complaining about?...

 

That's my problem though. I don't want to have to play a game and have to be thinking about moving the controller just right.

 

Hmm.... again, this is what I said about thinking or wanting it to be 1:1. It's not. Motion sensing requires precision, how else would it be motion sensing? Motion sensing without precision or timing is just waggle. You have to master any sort of controlling method. When you first started to use the special combos in Tekken didn't you have to think about them? They don't become second nature right away.

 

This is the difference between a kid and an adult playing Wii Sports, for example.

 

"Oh, but why are you talking about mastering the Wii? Isn't the Wii supposed to be more accessible, to be more second nature, intuitive? "

Yes, but what the hell? Are we hardcore or casual? I use those terms lightly, I don't really consider myself hardcore, but i don't consider myself casual either.

It's more intuitive but that doesn't mean we don't have to learn and interiorize its controls!

[Jamba]

Think of this as an LCD monitor with a really bad viewing angle. Sure, if some people sit in the right place then they can see it perfectly (like you and Hellfire), people sitting slightly off will have minor problems but the rest off us who sit at more of an angle (a few of us) will have noticeable effects. To me, that counts as a design flaw (notice that I'm not saying a production flaw).

 

People have already said that for me to do the pushy back and forth thing for MP3 that I have to have the Wii mote level. Why? Just because I sit in a slightly different place in comparison to my monitor, shouldn't change my experience. I am having to compromise the thing that Nintendo are trying to deliver (an intuitive control system) to play the game. Suggestions of me "not doing it right" shouldn't even have to come up.

[...]

Refer to the EDIT portion of my previous post about that "intuitive" stuff.

 

My sensor bar is on top of the tv (and the wiimote is at level with the bottom of the tv when I play), I don't really play exactly in front of it, I play lying down in my couch, sideways, just like I did with the GC. I really don't get the issues. My room is not custom made and designed by the cm to play the Wii.

[Jamba]

 

 

So, it actually "works very well"? So what are we complaining about?...

 

If you read my first post clearly, you would see that my main complaint is the depth perception with the remote, I actually find the twisting thing completely fine.

 

Hmm.... again, this is what I said about thinking or wanting it to be 1:1. It's not. Motion sensing requires precision, how else would it be motion sensing? Motion sensing without precision or timing is just waggle.

 

You talk about it as if I'm just waggling and hoping for it to work. I'm fine with having to make sure that I wave the remote in the right rythmn or twist it gently but I'm fucked if I have to do it at the right pitch as well, especially as there is NOTHING to infer that I should be doing so.

 

Please stay on topic of the depth perception though beacause this is my real complaint.

[...]

Ok, so you play at an angle to the TV, right? But do you play at a too wide an angle to the sensor bar too? If you do, that's your fault right there. Try turning the sensor to the place where you normally play. The manual says all those damn rules about it being level with the tv or the shelf, but that's just to make sure the signal from the sensor bar has no obstacles in its way. Use the sensor bar stand that came with it, so it's at a higher level from the base and turn it to you. Hope this helps.

 

 

 

 

 

You talk about it as if I'm just waggling and hoping for it to work.

 

That was just in response to what you said about not wanting to think about your moves or your placement of the wiimote. I stand by what I said, motion sensing without precision or timing is just waggle. You have to think about what you're doing, at least until it becomes second nature.

[Jamba]

Will try that one but I'm not sure that I can do it to the point where the bar is looking directly at me.

 

Do you understand that I'm more complaining about the fact that we shouldn't have to think about this kind of stuff so much, that it should just work?

[Hellfire]

Sunlight can make the pointer go a bit mental. In all honesty, I can point my remote at the window and the pointer icon will still come up on the TV screen.

That's completly irrelevant. I could be pointing at Mars, just as long as I'm pointing to the sensor and it works, it works well. I already played with SOLAR BEAMS (it was Venusaur) hitting where I play, with all sorts of lights and nothing ever happened. It's theoritically possible if you have like, the batsignal pointing at your wiimote asides from that, no.

 

Surely if the experience varies person to person then it is a Wiimote problem? I do the action that they show me on the screen and it doesn't work as well as someone else... surely that's a design floor to some extent?

 

That's like saying regular controllers have design flaws because person X and Y can't pull of an Hadouken in Street Fighter, it's because they're doing it wrong. Some games might have designing flaws, but I never had any problems with the aforementioned ones.

[...]

Do you understand that I'm more complaining about the fact that we shouldn't have to think about this kind of stuff so much, that it should just work?

 

I understand, but I don't agree. Maybe some day, when this kind of control method is much more developped, with different, more advanced technology than the one currently used by the Wii, then your wish will be satisfied. But for the time being, you have to understand the Wii's limitations, because yes, it has them. Just like graphics have evolved to today's near photorealism, so will this kind of control method evolve. It's just too early, the Wii is the first of its kind. And I think it's a hell of a first one.

 

Windows has been around for over 20 years and it still is more faulty than an 80 year old's cock. New versions are released every 2 or 3 years and a month after release you get Service Packs, endless bug corrections, etc, etc. And the damn blue screen keeps appearing.

[Rummy]

i had this problem, but resolved it by letting the sensor bar overhang the tv a fraction. I think, for some odd reason, the top of our tv blocked the wii remote's view of the IR in the sensor bar. Try it, anyway.

 

I was under the impression that's how it's supposed to be anyway, with the black bit overhanging the edge, the silver bit lined with the edge.

 

I gotta agree to an extent, though I've never really felt myself as having problems with the wiimote(not got MP3 or Red Steel), and I also agree that such problems are probably easily rectifiable(such as if you sit at an angle, angle the bar to an extent too, make sure it's set right), but I do think that it shouldn't HAVE to be like this, because it's sod's law and there's gonna be someone somewhere doing it wrong. Then again, I don't think it's possible to ever truly avoid someone somewhere from doing it wrong.

I feel that the Wiimote control system was a brilliant idea, and it could have been done brilliantly, but as ... said it's a new idea and in its infancy(but i do believe it was rushed on Nintendo's part, in line with rushing out the wii), and it will simply be something that'll have to get better with time and experience. Though ... does give a good point that even when it's better, it still won't be good enough for some. Unfortunately, I can't help but think it'll be MS or Sony who will come along and do it better, leaving Nintendo in the dust, who'll then come up with some other brilliant new idea, and it'll happen over again.

[Hellfire]

I'm sorry but I don't have any fixed playing position, in fact in my hometown I play at an awkward level and everything works perfectly. You just need to point the damn thing.

[Emasher]

The accelerometer doesn't work very well with games that require precise movements such as some Wii sports and Wii play games and those bits in MP3. Sometimes it helps if you hold the remote flat.

[Hellfire]

I'm really beggining to think I have a super remote. NEVER did I think abiut holding the remote flat before you guys started talking about it. Unless when they told me to in Wario Ware.

[dwarf]

^ Now Hellfire, we get the picture that yours works fine, and for me it mostly does, but it isn't that smooth, and occasionly it misreads. It usually works wonders, but it really isnt fluent, no matter how super the remote is.

I haven't seen any corruption videos where someone does th door mechanism perfectly. Ok it doesn't need to be, but still.

 

And can you use 2 candles as a sensor bar?

[RossK]

when the batter strength is full its very responisve and accurate in my opinion , as it trails down i find it can get slower , maybe i just use too many cheap batterys ,,,,30 for 99p !!!

 

For people with wii chargers for the remotes do you think its worth it , i mean in the long run id proberly save money wouldnt I ? how long do they require to charge?

[Strange Cookie]

And can you use 2 candles as a sensor bar?

 

Yes, you can.

[Luke]

The main problem with it is the Pool-table-like game in Wii Play.

[steggy]

when the batter strength is full its very responisve and accurate in my opinion , as it trails down i find it can get slower , maybe i just use too many cheap batterys ,,,,30 for 99p !!!

 

For people with wii chargers for the remotes do you think its worth it , i mean in the long run id proberly save money wouldnt I ? how long do they require to charge?

 

I brought a regular battery charger that fully charges in 15-20 mins, it came with 4 2500mAh batteries and I brought 4 more for about £20 in total. They don't last quite as long as decent (duracell etc) disposable, but it's come in handy for me and my girlfriends wireless mice aswell as it does AAA's too. I'd reccomend getting two more batteries than you need that way it's easy to have some charged up ready for to swap over.