Miyamoto will see what he can do about accommodating left-handed gamers better

[Wii]

Miyamoto will see what he can do about accommodating left-handed gamers better

 

Being a left-handed gamer isn’t so easy. A lot of titles don’t accommodate such users too well, making it difficult to play.

 

This is something that Shigeru Miyamoto seems to understand. And he told Kotaku that he’ll talk to his teams about seeing what can be done.

 

Miyamoto stated:

 

I’ll talk to my teams. What’s interesting is that when we were working on the Wii with the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, I was certain that I was going to start playing with the Nunchuk in my right hand and the Wii Remote in my left hand. But ultimately I didn’t, because partly I found it easier to play with the Nunchuk in my left hand and move the control stick with my left thumb partly—because I think that’s what my body has learned to do.

 

And so with 3DS it’s a little bit of the same. If there are games that involve actual writing, we always include a left-handed mode, but when it involves a combination of a stylus and a control stick, we usually do that where you’re controlling with the control stick in your left hand and you’re using the stylus with your right hand. Or if it involves something with the stylus with tiny movements we’ve usually done that with the right hand. But it’s a thing that fairly simple to adapt to so I will go back to my teams and consult with them. Maybe we’ll issue a patch.

 

http://nintendoeverything.com/miyamoto-will-see-what-he-can-do-about-accommodating-left-handed-gamers-better/#more-164072

 

I'm a left handed gamer but have never really found it a problem until the Wii and DS came along. Even then it was only a few titles that gave me any problems such as Okami, drawing the symbols. Even pointing in FPS with the Wii remote took a little getting used to.

 

In fact I always thought it was an advantage being left handed with traditional controllers. I think movement is better controlled with your good hand. Maybe I just got used to it at an early age and don't know any different or better. The same as how I play golf right handed but if I had had left handed clubs maybe I would have been the next Bubba Watson or Phil Mickelson.

 

The free Brain Training game we got, they could start with that. As someone else here mentioned I don't understand why I should have to turn the gamepad upside-down.

[Mandalore]

never really found it a problem until the Wii and DS came along. Even then it was only a few titles that gave me any problems such as Okami, drawing the symbols. Even pointing in FPS with the Wii remote took a little getting used to.

 

Same, it's only when you have to start writing or waggling/pointing that it becomes a problem. As far as I'm concerned, the only solution is stop making stupid gimmicky controls. Simply reversing the controls (like Kid Icarus) isn't a good solution when you're hard wired to move with your left hand and aim with your right from am early gaming age.

[Dcubed]

The free Brain Training game we got, they could start with that. As someone else here mentioned I don't understand why I should have to turn the gamepad upside-down.

 

The reason why they make you hold the Gamepad upside down is because you had to hold the DS upside down originally (in order to put the touch screen on the left and the top screen on the right).

 

The game already has a left handed option built into it, so not accomodating that with the Gamepad set up would make it un-usable.

 

When the full DS VC comes out, what they could do is offer a screen option that straight up swaps the screen positions in book mode games; but it would have the side effect of making each game's built-in left handed mode option completely useless (making it potentially confusing for a lot of people...)

[Cube]

When the full DS VC comes out, what they could do is offer a screen option that straight up swaps the screen positions in book mode games; but it would have the side effect of making each game's built-in left handed mode option completely useless (making it potentially confusing for a lot of people...)

 

Pressing the right stick swaps the screens. So, @Wii, a fix is already in the game.

 

Anyway, my problem with using a stick for movement and a stylus at the same time is that I have to use both with my left hand.

[Wii]

Ah very good I didn't realise that. Simples!

[Dcubed]

Pressing the right stick swaps the screens. So, @Wii, a fix is already in the game.

 

Oh derp! I forgot that was already in there, stupid me :p

 

Anyway, my problem with using a stick for movement and a stylus at the same time is that I have to use both with my left hand.

 

It's unfortunate, given that pretty much all of your muscle memory tells you that character movement is done via the left hand. I can't really think of anything they could do to solve that though... for newcomers, the set-up of having the functionality of the sticks being swapped wouldn't pose a problem though...

 

What would be cool is if they had this handidness swapping done at an OS level; so when you set up your NNID/Mii, you select your handidness as another option and the console automatically swaps the functions of the sticks, d-pad/face buttons, L/R buttons, on-screen touch icons etc of every single game.

 

That way you get a chance to learn the left-handed setup from scratch when you first start playing with the console

[Cube]

With Kid Icarus, the thumb stylus from the original fat DS was the best solution for me.

[f00had]

Am I the only one that holds the Wii remote in their left hand? I hate it when motion control games are designed just for right handed people, feels very awkward e.g. Just Dance, Legend of Zelda and Punch Out.

 

As for 3DS games the only game I can think of that actually uses the stylus for controls is Kid Icarus Uprising and you can just use the ABXY buttons or circle pad pro for left handed controls... I've never really found it a problem. There was one game I played which didn't have left handed controls, it was Super Monkey Ball for DS and there was a fps mini game in it which only let you move with the d-pad.

[bob]

I hold the mote in my left hand. Never had a problem with it.

 

Didn't Zelda have an option to switch to a left handed Link?

[Cube]

I hold the mote in my left hand. Never had a problem with it.

 

Didn't Zelda have an option to switch to a left handed Link?

 

Link has only been right handed in the Wii version of Twilight Princess, Skyward Sword and the Master Quest on Ocarina of Time 3D.

 

It was changed for the Wii games because it would be odd controlling a left-handed character with the Wii Remote.

[Wii]

Am I the only one that holds the Wii remote in their left hand? I hate it when motion control games are designed just for right handed people, feels very awkward e.g. Just Dance, Legend of Zelda and Punch Out.

 

As for 3DS games the only game I can think of that actually uses the stylus for controls is Kid Icarus Uprising and you can just use the ABXY buttons or circle pad pro for left handed controls... I've never really found it a problem. There was one game I played which didn't have left handed controls, it was Super Monkey Ball for DS and there was a fps mini game in it which only let you move with the d-pad.

 

I hold the mote in my left hand. Never had a problem with it.

 

Didn't Zelda have an option to switch to a left handed Link?

 

I could never do that if the nunchuk was attached. And that's coming from a lefty. I think movement is too ingrained in the brain to change now. If it's Wii remote only I'm happy enough with either hand.