Posted August 11, 2009 (edited) Siliconera.com - If you thought the Wii Balance Board was off the beaten path wait until you see Nintendo’s Wii Horseback Riding Saddle. We’re not kidding about this. The inflatable seat has a pocket for the Wii remote, which is used to sense movement via the accelerometers. Players hold the nunchuck to simulate holding the reins or, as the Nintendo patent describes, “a raised hand for balance as in Bronco riding, a lasso, a sword or other weapon, etc.” Here’s a better look at the device. The cushion may inflatable, made of foam or another material, but it seems like Nintendo is leaning towards an inflatable seat. “A one-way air valve of conventional design may be provided to allow the user to inflate cushion. Construction may be similar to that of conventional inflatable exercise balls. An advantage of an inflatable design is that it is compact to ship and store.” The patent, found in the European patent database, gives an example of a possible game. For example, the Wii main unit can display the back of a horse’s head and background of a trail, a field, a battlefield or other environment the virtual horse is being ridden through (see Figure 1A). The image may change in response to detected motion of the user. But, wait the seat isn’t limited to horesback riding! Nintendo says their inflatable seat can be used to simulate riding other animals. The patent lists “bulls, camels, elephants, burros, dolphins, whales” and imaginary creatures such as “dragons, griffons, unicorns, giant eagles” as possible mounts. Nintendo also suggests the seat can be used for vehicles too like “hang gliders or other aircraft, a magic carpet, a motorcycle, a jet-ski, a land or sea exploration vehicles." If a Zelda game ever comes out with a horseback riding mini-game or Mario Kart Wii 2 supports the seat controller thank Genyo Takeda, one of Nintendo’s lead research developers. His name is listed as one of the inventors on the patent. The first question comes to mind is "why?" Edited August 11, 2009 by Dante Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 11, 2009 the image aint showing up for me but unfortunetly id already seen it.... ..................... I;m finidng it hard to come up with a post that's not spam here... it's a pretty bad idea for a time when wii sales are going down.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 11, 2009 im actually glad i cant see those pictures Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 11, 2009 What will we need to play the next Zelda game? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 11, 2009 Inflatable seat is a bad idea... is this a whole new peripheral or just something that goes over the balance board? Because picture this... you buy your new peripheral, inflate it, then a few hours later it pops = useless peripheral, so what's the point? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 11, 2009 The first question comes to mind is "why?" Because they can. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 11, 2009 Inflatable seat is a bad idea... is this a whole new peripheral or just something that goes over the balance board? Because picture this... you buy your new peripheral, inflate it, then a few hours later it pops = useless peripheral, so what's the point? It's a cushion that the Wii Remote slots into. That's it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 11, 2009 Banbury Cross Wii confirmed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 11, 2009 This is a joke right? Alas, it is not. These are things that make me wonder how detached Nintendo has become. That looks horrible. And once it's seen, it can't be unseen. Suddenly, the vitality sensor is looking like a high-tech piece of gaming entertainment next to this. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 11, 2009 why are people so surprised? everybody should know by now that nintendo have a thing about coming up with the most stupid shit ever Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 11, 2009 Nintendo make these weird patents all the time, usually it doesen't actuallt mean a thing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 11, 2009 Siliconera.com - The first question comes to mind is "why?" Horse games are big in Japan. Not like Horse games are popular in Western Europe, ie Ponyz, My Riding Stablez and Imagine Horsez, but proper indepth sims where you preside over racing seasons and arcade games like these Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 11, 2009 Microsoft, i beg thee to release Natal ASAP and kill the peripheral market once and for all Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 11, 2009 Sounds like a bad idea but im guessing nothing will come of it. They are just trying things out, companys do this all of the time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 11, 2009 (edited) Microsoft, i beg thee to release Natal ASAP and kill the peripheral market once and for all I agree with this.. Nintendo are REALLY pushing their luck with this and hell the vitality sensor is easily the stupidiest thing ever too.. I can't think of a single way it can be put to good use. Sounds like a bad idea but im guessing nothing will come of it. They are just trying things out, companys do this all of the time. I agree they are in a position to try things out...but the wii is selling less and less and if they are not going to try a price drop then they need OTHER ways to sell the wiis.... clearly they think that expanding to these new niche areas will help... no nintendo.. Your console has lost so much creditbility... Edited August 11, 2009 by mcj metroid Automerged Doublepost Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 11, 2009 Microsoft, i beg thee to release Natal ASAP and kill the peripheral market once and for all Lol, no. It will in fact explode with peripherals that you scan into the console or even just for the sake of being holding something while playing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 11, 2009 (edited) Horse games are big in Japan. Not like Horse games are popular in Western Europe, ie Ponyz, My Riding Stablez and Imagine Horsez, but proper indepth sims where you preside over racing seasons and arcade games like these Either its for this, or Nintendo are patenting it before ubisoft make one to protect the consumer from such a peripheral. @ Vitality Sensor hate. A few months ago, I had to spend a night in the hospital, as you know, hospitals have been using the same technology that is used in the vitality sensor for years to check a patients heart beat. So, obviously I was hooked up to one at one point. I was watching the screen this thing was hooked up to, and seeing every time my heart beat and looking at over time how my heartbeat changed. Before then, I really didn't understand the Vitality Sensor, but I suddenly did. Actually looking at the technology working completely changed my mind. The thing is going to be perfect for gaming if used properly. My fear with it is that its just used in Wii Fit++ or whatever, to check resting and recovery heart rate. It needs to be used in a game made for Nintendo's hardcore audience. Its hard to explain how it could work in a game, but actually seeing the technology in action just makes you think "Games need to use this". Lol, no. It will in fact explode with peripherals that you scan into the console or even just for the sake of being holding something while playing. This. Edited August 11, 2009 by Emasher Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 11, 2009 Alot of great photoshops going around. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 11, 2009 Nintendo make these weird patents all the time, usually it doesen't actuallt mean a thing. I'm glad somebody said this, although it looks like it has been overlooked. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 11, 2009 I'm glad somebody said this, although it looks like it has been overlooked. Just like a year and a bit ago when they patented some odd pulse sensor thing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 11, 2009 You know Nintendo (and every other company in the business) submits patents like this all the time? 99% of the time nothing comes of them but they want to put it down in paper in case someone else does it successfully. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 11, 2009 You know Nintendo (and every other company in the business) submits patents like this all the time? 99% of the time nothing comes of them but they want to put it down in paper in case someone else does it successfully. This! You explained it better than I could. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted August 11, 2009 Just like a year and a bit ago when they patented some odd pulse sensor thing. You mean that odd pulse sensor that was talked about at E3 for a total of 2 minutes, then was put on the back burner? The same pulse sensor which has barely been talked about or acknowledged since? Because THAT patent has changed the world. All big companies spend lots of time on research, and this is then showed in patents, ideas or products. Some of these make it on sale, and many, many others do not. It's not like they pour their time and money into one idea. Whether or not this will actually materialise into anything, nobody knows. But, what it does show is another use for the controller. That's what is being patented here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
