The Wii-mote pointer

[Jamba]

Now, we all love the Wii and I can safely say that the Wiimote works pretty well in most situations. However does anyone else think that the depth perception for the pointer is rubbish?

 

Any time this control method is used for a game, I instantly cringe, waiting for the imminent event of it hampering my playing experience. For me this has happened endlessly in Red Steel and caused serious problems in Trauma Centre and most recently, it has started to be the only thing bad about MP3. I mean cmon, I love this game but I have had genuine trouble getting through doors because of those fucking pump lock handles.

 

Anyone else share my annoyance?

[Konfucius]

Is that actually measured by the pointer, I thought an accelerometer was responsible for this.

 

Anyhow I also had this issue, not too many times but still it seems you've had to get the speed right, not too slow, not too fast, otherwise it wouldn't recognize it.

[Jamba]

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).

 

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. I wouldn't mind so much if that was meant to be part of the gameplay and you could overcome it with skill but its blatantly not. It actually got worse, the more MP3 i played!

[Cube]

Is that actually measured by the pointer, I thought an accelerometer was responsible for this.

 

Yea...stuff like the doors in MP3 are done with the accelerometers. If you hold the remote flat it should work with no problems.

[Maiky-NiSuTe]

jup it sucks i know but should this not be in the tech talk?

[Hellfire]

I don't remember any games where I had problems with it. How the hell can you have problems with it in MP3 is beyond me.

[darksnowman]

Its kind of a problem, but maybe its as much the developers getting used to how to get the Wii to fully understand what you're doing as much as anything. I can't remember any cases of this kind of action in RedSteel but I know exactly what you are talking about in Prime 3. Its a motion that somehow both immerses you more into the game, but yet brings you back out of it because its not 100% reliable. I found its just something where you have to work with the Wii a bit, and you can activate those locks ok.

[Shino]

I admit it I initially had problems with it in MP3, the thing is the pointer has to be pointing directly at the TV while you are doing the action, or else it stops completely the animation and you have to retry it.

[david.dakota]

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.

[dwarf]

Well its because it isn't 'like a glove' freedom. If it doesn't flow naturally don't put in in.

If those moments in MP3 moved freely it would be fine, but you have to be measures and forceful instead of using one quick motion.

 

Doesn't usually detract from games that much.

[Jamba]

I think that the whole set up with your tv and the way you sit dramatically changes how this control system handles. It would explain the mixed response here.

 

Oh and in Red Steel, it was aiming your weapons. My Wii didnt seem to think that I was pushing quite close enough to the screen all the time even when I was at arms length and practically falling out of my chair. :/

[darksnowman]

Ha, yeah the zooming in RedSteel, I remember now. That was difficult to do sometimes, I just put that down to it being a launch game. The locks in Prime 3 are a dream to use compared to the zooming in RedSteel!

[Hellfire]

I really don't understand I never had any sort of problems with it, maybe it has something to do with the bar's positions. Also, of course you have to point the wiimote to the IR sensor that's the whole point lol

[...]

The fact that Hellfire and I never had these problems just shows that this is a person problem, not a wiimote problem.

[Strange Cookie]

Hmmm, have to choose Hellfire's and ...'s side here. I never had problems like this. It all works fine and dandy for me, from MP3 to Red Steel, Eledees or any other game that uses that technique.

 

*touches wood*

 

It's all in the wrist. :wink:

[Patch]

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.

 

Same here. Moving the Wiimote too close to the TV caused the sensor bar (on top of the TV) to lose where it was. Works fine now though.

[Phube]

It works quite well in Eledees!

[Aalborg]

I think my wii-mote is on the brink of death.. It often loses contact with the Wii and yesterday it went berserk while i was in the menu on Mario Kart (with the GC controller) suddently menus startet appering without me pressing anything.. I looked at the wii mote an all the lights were flashing.. hmmmm

Only way to "kill" it was to take out the batteries..

[Hellfire]

I think my wii-mote is on the brink of death.. It often loses contact with the Wii and yesterday it went berserk while i was in the menu on Mario Kart (with the GC controller) suddently menus startet appering without me pressing anything.. I looked at the wii mote an all the lights were flashing.. hmmmm

Only way to "kill" it was to take out the batteries..

 

That kinda seems like the the batteries are dead :P

[Maiky-NiSuTe]

playing in day light does make it work less well

[dwarf]

Is it true that you can use 2 candles as a sensor bar?

[Hellfire]

playing in day light does make it work less well

 

That's a myth. Unless you're playing in the top of a skyscraper at noon maybe.

[darksnowman]

That's a myth. Unless you're playing in the top of a skyscraper at noon maybe.

 

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.

[Din]

Doing that zoom aim in Red Steel was crap and annoying. So was most of the game though...

 

I liked opening the locks in MP3. Never had any problems with it that I can remember.

[Jamba]

The fact that Hellfire and I never had these problems just shows that this is a person problem, not a wiimote problem.

 

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?