Microsoft 'Wait and See' On Motion Controller 114
CVG is reporting that Microsoft has developed a 'wait and see' attitude toward the concept of incorporating motion controls into Xbox 360 games. Despite the popularity of the Wii, and the inclusion of the system in the PlayStation 3, Microsoft's Chris Satchell stated in an interview with the website that the company is still cool on the idea. Says Satchell, "There's no point building the hardware if nobody really wants it ... One thing I'm not certain of is that third-parties are super-excited about that motion control - or at least they're not showing it with the games that are hitting the shelves yet ... We're yet to see a really good game on Wii that really says 'OK that control kicked ass'." This is at odds with statements from Peter Moore from earlier this year, who stated that the company does have motion control plans in the works. CVG will have the complete interview up soon, which might give more context to his statements.
Hello, LucasArts... (Score:3, Insightful)
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Does anybody know if Wii has any sort of sword fighting at all?
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First, the RS demo ads were
The part where it shines is blocking. Assumi
Snow Crash (Score:2)
Yeah (Score:2)
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How in the hell would that work? (Score:2)
New moderation option (Score:3, Informative)
And thus you qualified for the new :
-1, overused [ctrlaltdel-online.com] not funny anymore joke
moderation.
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Why is that? Oh look - I can recreate your entire argument. IMO, the Wii-mote controller would probably be better for it. "In my experience, the Wii-mote's motion sensor kicks all manner of ass." See how vapid a post you made? Do better or stay home.
And yes, the sixaxis controller is terrible and will be discontinued shortly by Sony when they brin
um, what? (Score:3, Insightful)
ok, that's true.
But...wait what?
Clearly people want it, and clearly people have been finding the technology to be adding to the gaming experience on the wii.
What he really should have said is, 'well, nintendo is already doing a pretty good job of locking that down, so we're not going to bother competing'
Its one thing to have been all skeptical before it came out, but to claim now that nobody wants it is just plain bullshit. So you'd rather compete with the PS3, fine, its a more natural competitor anyways. Just try not to smear any more bullshit around than you have to, mmmkay?
Re:um, what? (Score:5, Insightful)
Comparing what Microsoft might do to the Wii is a little disingenuous. I suspect any motion-sensing controller for the 360 will look much more like Sony's SIXAXIS (or Microsoft's own old Sidewinder Freestyle Pro [wikipedia.org]) than Nintendo's WiiMote. Add to that the fact that this is inherently an add-on and add-ons generally don't do well (the only mid-life controller-functionality change I can think of that actually caught on was the PSX Dual Shock), and it really doesn't make much sense for Microsoft to do a motion-sensing controller right now.
It makes more sense for Microsoft to bide their time and spend the next couple years researching the technology rather than try to rush out a "Me too!" motion-sensing controller. The 360 is complementary to the Wii, and has the PS3 beat on controller functionality (rumble beats controller-form-factor motion sensing any day -- I'd much rather have rumble feedback for a racing game than the ability to turn the controller like a steering wheel, for example). The next Xbox is probably only 3 years away (2010), which gives Microsoft plenty of time to find the right combination of technologies for a truly next-generation control scheme (how about an EyeToy/Xbox Live vision camera input system that actually works?).
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I was not comparing the systems, but rather responding to his comment on its own terms. He was not saying that the remote-style controller was something people didnt want, he was saying that motion-sensing game controller technology was something people didnt want, and thats just asshattery.
I completely agree that xbox shouldnt ha
Re:um, what? (Score:4, Informative)
You're reading it completely wrong. Saying "there's no sense in building something if nobody would buy it" doesn't imply that Nintendo is selling something that "nobody buys." That wouldn't even make sense.
He probably said it to highlight that, at the time the Xbox 360 was conceived and designed, motion-sensing controllers were considered something that nobody would buy. And, honestly, you can't blame Microsoft for thinking that. Nintendo did a great job of creating a market for motion-sensing controllers that simply did not exist two years ago.
The other statement he makes about motion-sensing controllers is that third party developers aren't embracing it. And honestly, that also seems like an accurate statement to me... so far all the 'killer apps' on the Wii are made by Nintendo. Microsoft doesn't operate the way Nintendo does; while they make first-party games, the console requires third-party games to be successful.
I agree with the grandparent that, strategically, Microsoft's already in a pretty good position. It's been shown that the "killer Cell graphics" on the PS3 aren't much better than the Xbox 360 graphics have been the entire last year, and ditching the rumble-pack for a half-functional motion-sensor was a bad move on Sony's part (IMHO.) Microsoft can afford to bide their time right now and wait for the Xbox 3 (whatever it'll be called) to introduce whatever new controller model makes the most sense.
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I think it's more like if you released an Xbox 360 controller with motion right now, no one would buy it.
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As for 3rd party coverage, i just think he's being disingenuous. Obv
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So in a game, you can move the controller up, down, left or right, and the game can receive those inputs as independent axes. You can also rotate left/right or up/down for input, as well (think MS Sidewinder Freestyle Pro, two axes for tilt).
well... (Score:2)
Third-Party Devs are doing a good job (Score:2)
The other statement he makes about motion-sensing controllers is that third party developers aren't embracing it. And honestly, that also seems like an accurate statement to me... so far all the 'killer apps' on the Wii are made by Nintendo.
Well, You need to keep in mind that Nintendo has probably had between two and four years of experience toying around with motion sensor concepts when the Wii came out. Most third-party devs got their first dev kits between Nintendo's announcement of the Wii and the launch, so they obviously can't yet churn out the same amount and the same quality of titles as Nintendo can.
But what they're doing isn't all bad, either. There are some really great third-party Wii games. Astonishingly, even EA seems to make
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Not to mention that you ignore the fact that the only killer app for the original Xbox when it was released was Halo - published by MS. They're not that different, you see?
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He probably said it to highlight that, at the time the Xbox 360 was conceived and designed, motion-sensing controllers were considered something that nobody would buy
Speculation ! What "there's no sense in building something if nobody would buy it" means, is that if they released one motion sensing wiimote-like, for it to be successful, several things that depends on each other would need to happen, and this is unlikely :
- 3rd party or good 1st party game that uses i
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Speculation ! What "there's no sense in building something if nobody would buy it" means, is that if they released one motion sensing wiimote-like, for it to be successful, several things that depends on each other would need to happen, and this is unlikely
Well, ok... but that still doesn't really change my point that the parent post had mis-interpreted what MS was saying. The specifics of what MS meant is besi
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Perhaps true, but then Nintendo did have a big head start on the rest. That said, the best use of the Wiimote I've seen was in The Godfather: Blackhand Edition, and I've been hearing good things about SSX Blur. Third-parties are definitely getting there now.
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Well of course it sells on Wii. I mean, do you get Wii without motion sensing controller? No, you don't. And that means it must sell if Wii sells (or perhaps Wii sells because of it.) But I wouldn't like motion sensing stuff on my XBox. I just want to lye down on my couch and just press buttons :)
No contradiction here... (Score:5, Insightful)
To not have any plans would be foolish, but to rush into a project like this would also be silly. So...I don't see the contradiction.
Microsoft's classic business strategy has always been to extend the best ideas of the first wave and sell an improved version of the idea to the masses anyway. (Just ask the first generation of Macs, Netscape, Lotus, etc.)
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You beat me to it.
Let Nintendo work the whole motion sensing thing out, while the XBox360 plays to the strengths that the Wii can't match at the moment. I expect it'll be 2009 or 2010 before developers have really figured out the Wii. Then, let Microsoft embrace-and-extend with the XBox720, if the Wii is even still considered successful by then. (I expect it will, but I can't
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Similarly, I'd like to see Nintendo stay away from online multiplayer until they think they can do it really well. They took the same attitude wit
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No one really wants it? (Score:4, Insightful)
"There's no point building the hardware if nobody really wants it..."
What part of the 6 million Wiis sold to date says "no one wants it"? I know I sure want it. My friends want it. My friends' parents even want it! Unless he's just talking about the "hardcore" market again?
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His statement is meant as I see it to say "do people who are interested in an xbox really want such a controlled including both the consumers and game developers." The Wii is if nothing else not geared to the same market and it forces such a controller on developers. Neither of these implies that xbox ow
Re:No one really wants it? (Score:4, Insightful)
Let's be honest here. It's the controller that *is* the selling feature of the Wii. If you don't think so, then you've obviously never played it.
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The price is also the selling feature for the PlayStation 2 compared to any of the "current" consoles. But people aren't talking about that like they're talking about Wii.
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But the Wii is selling much better than the GameCube (about 1/4th of GC lifetime sales already) which was $200, and it's selling to people who wouldn't have considered a game console before regardless of the price. Clearly it's the controller that is making the Wii.
Just without the price, even the controller wouldn't be enough to draw a skeptical non-gamer (or skeptical gamer for that matter).
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I have to admit, Nintendo's ads make me want to stab their marketeers slightly less. As opposed to implying that their product will
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If you look at the software sales data, the only company whose games are selling well for the Wii is Nintendo. By all accounts the hardware is selling faster than the Xbox 360, but the software isn't. It's almost as if
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If you look at the software sales data, the only company whose games are selling well for the Wii is Nintendo. By all accounts the hardware is selling faster than the Xbox 360, but the software isn't. It's almost as if Nintendo created the single game that people want to play on the Wii (and they're willing to pay $250 to play it).
You have to take into account the fact that Nintendo software devs have had a LOT more time to think about it and to experiment with it. It'll take some time for the 3rd party dev
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That's because, by selling to a different demographic, they are selling to people who are not used to hanging out in game stores, who are not used to buy one game every week or month. Given time, those "unusual gamer
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People want the controller, because it and only it can play Wii Sports. I personally think the pointing aspect of the Wii Remote will be the real gem of the system. I can't wait to see it sell when that is used effectively.
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People might not want motion sensing in a 360 controller, but they do want the Wii controller.
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What do you think they want? The lack of HD support?
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Re:No one really wants it? (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:No one really wants it? (Score:5, Interesting)
The Wii has a lot of hype and a lot of potential, but MS is mostly right on with the "We're yet to see a really good game on Wii that really says 'OK that control kicked ass'" quote.
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I havent been able to find one and I hear all these stories that its not all that good but then I hear that it is incredible, I dont know what to believe. Anyone played Dragonball? It looked like it had potential to be fun.
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It is just a lot of
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Try Rayman, Warioware, Trauma Center, or Cooking Mama. You have to go a little off-beat with the Wii, and the best use of the Wiimote right now is with short minigame-style gameplay.
If you don't find Warioware Smooth Moves enjoyable, then you're both crazy! It's the game that really shows off what can be done with the Wiimote.
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She was a big ssx fan on last gen systems and had high hopes for the wii version of that, but it only got mediocre reviews. Her dad is a golfer and liked toying around with wii sports golf, so I kept my eye on wii tiger woods but that didn't get reviewed all that well either. I guess now we have our fingers crossed for the upcoming prince of persia.
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Have either of you ever played the GBA or DS Warioware games? Yes, it's a collection of 5-second minigames, but the whole is quite a bit more than the sum of its parts. While in general I would agree about not paying for a bunch of mini games (why I won't buy any Mario Party title, Fuzion Frenzy, etc), Warioware is a special case. Especially since it's also a great demo o
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All I'm saying is this:
WarioWare ($50) - 5 hours of gameplay
Final Fantasy XII ($60) - 140 hours of gam
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The "Gamecube version" was a poor port of the GBA version. Aside from that version, Warioware has
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And you're right,
It's the opposite for me (Score:2)
Interestingly, it's the other way around for me. 10 or 20 years ago, I could spend hours every day playing Zelda or Monkey Island. Nowadays, I work, so I often don't have the time to finish games that have continuing storylines going for 60 hours or more. I lose track of them.
So I play Motorstorm or Excite Truck or Wario Ware because I can play a
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So, what game does she want? (Score:2)
Well, that's her loss then. Super Monkey Ball, Wario Ware and Rayman may "only" be collections of minigames (well, Super Monkey Ball has a pretty awesome main game, too), but they are great games.
So, considering that she doesn't want to pay for minigames and doesn't seem to like games like Zelda, I have to wonder: What games does she actually want?
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The only game i liked on the Wii was tennis. Bowling was ok, but i am not that into bowling (virtual or otherwise).
Boxing was terrible. (didn't try golf, but it looked ok).
Ultimately, i really enjoy playing wii tennis and do so about once a month at lan parties at a friend's house.
Other than that, i accept that i am not the target audience for the console.
that doesn't make me crazy.
Meanwhile, on the subject of motion controllers:
wii tennis is a good example of
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Okay, I have very limited experience with the Wii (no I won't wait at the store before it opens on shipment day in hopes of getting one), only Wii Sports.
But it only took a couple minutes with Wii Tennis, when I noticed that not only could I put english on the ball, but I could control how much english by how hard I twisted, tha
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someone recommended trauma center: second opinion. it's really blah.
warioware: smooth moves is crazy fun, but you need to get through the single player stuff before you can have fun with others (it's fun watching people try to do it and fun trying to do it
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As far as the article goes:
"One thing I'm not certain of is that third-parties are super-excited about that motion control - or at least they're not showing it with the games that are hitting the shelves yet"
Well duh. Other than Ubisoft, few manufacturers really started supporting it before the wii's successful launch.
"We're yet to see a really good game on Wii that really says 'OK that control kicked ass'"
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Either he's talking about the market for motion-sensing controllers at the time the Xbox 360 was designed, then you can't blame him for thinking that nobody would buy it. Nintendo created that market were none was before, and the Xbox 360 was designed long before they would be able to change something based on Nintendo's developments for the Wii.
Or maybe he's talking about the difficulty in getting an add-on to succeed in the console world. You could count on one hand the number of
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I don't want a motion controller
I do want an Xbox 360.
I'd say they still have a target market.
Motion Controllers (Score:2)
Well, if the "motion controller" is anything like the one in Dick's story, then I pretty damn well want one!
Awesone games: Wii Sports. Others: None. (Score:2, Insightful)
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Some DS games use the touchscreen extensively, some a little, some absolutely none.
(Before you ask me to source, there are three happy examples off the top of my head, in given order: Clubhouse Games, Tetris DS, Izuna).
Before that, remember PS2's pressure-sensitive buttons? I can't recall any games beyond MGS 2 & 3 that really took advantage of them. Personally I thought THAT was going to revolutionize gaming.
What's neat about th
Re:Awesone games: Wii Sports. Others: None. (Score:4, Informative)
Yeah....
We all know Wii owners certainly AREN'T playing
Wario Ware
Rayman
Trauma Center
Excite Truck
Madden 07
Elebits
Cuz, you know, Wii Sports is the only game on the Wii that puts motion controls to great use. Yup. Keep telling yourself that.
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I'm enjoying WarioWare and know several people who do too. I'm enjoying Rayman and know several people who do too. I'm enjoying Elebits and know people who do too. Guess what? People still play and enjoy games even if they don't score 100% on some review site. Keep waiting for your 100% game though, and let your consoles gather dust in the meantim
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Oh, and the new Sonic game is pretty slick too.
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Think back a short time ago, it's early 2004, and Nintendo has just announced a little portable with two screens and a stylus. I just about beat my head against the wall with laughter, I thought it was such a rediculus idea. The comments ranged from anger, to pitty, to Nintendo doomsday scenarios. Not a single positive comment. Come holiday 2004: a few people bought it, played it for 2 days, and tucked it safely away for later. Fast forward to April, 2007... it's the best selling c
well for one (Score:2, Informative)
what? (Score:2)
That being said, what? "There's no point building [it] if nobody really wants it" modified quote. Without even leaving the gaming paradigm, only the hardware/console one. Let me list the following: Games Explorer, DX10 vista exclusivity.
Since when did microsoft care what people wanted? They make something and decide that people want it. Sounds like they can't figure out how to wiggle in between patents and make a license free motion controller or were told where they could
There's a good chance that I'm wrong, but... (Score:1)
FPS controller for masses! (Score:2)
First Person Shooters. Standard game controllers SUCK. Big time.
Wii is my first console. After some Zelda bow shooting action, I have tried Xbox360' Prey & Gears of War. Controls are ... "terrible" - that is only word I can come with. Gears of War are not that bad - A+motion is great - but targeting is awful. Prey has totally stupid control scheme - totally unplayable.
I was initially complaining that WiiMote targeting is much harder compared to mouse. (Some might say realistic - the same problems
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The only problem with Wii FPSs is that developers have gotten off on the wrong track with the turn/look conrol system. Bounding box turn/look systems are terr
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The nunchuk as well contains several buttons. And then there's always the possibility that a game will come with it's own 'version' of the nunchuck, specifically designed for the game.
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Still that doesn't make suddenly targeting any easier in Gears of War. The standard controller is good - but not for shooters.
To get most out of such games - you still need a "point and shoot" type of controller. And in fact such controllers were developed quite some time ago: I am pretty surprised that "next gen" consoles do not offer anything like that while providing FPS games at launch.
If not MSFT itself, then probably some courageous game producer/publisher might bundle such "gun" controller wit
Tennis. Oh My God. I Must Have This. (Score:3, Funny)
Half an hour of Wii's Tennis game and OH MY GOD, I MUST HAVE THIS GAME. NOW. I haven't been able to play tennis for real since I injured my knee, but...
* It gave me the kind of workout I used to get from playing tennis.
* Waving the wand around as if it was a racquet Just Worked.
* Playing my usual agressive net game Just Worked.
* It took me 5 minutes to get a Mii that looked like me.
Damn, how long is it going to be hard to get a Wii? Even the sucky name doesn't spoil it.
Microsoft: if I didn't already know that you guys wouldn't Get A Clue if you did a Clue Mating Dance in the middle of Clue Mating Season covered in Clue Pheromones I'd be jumping up and doun making a monkey of myself yelling at you in the hope that you'd Get A Clue.
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"not invented here" (Score:2)
But hey, put your head back into the sand, for all I care you can miss the train - again...
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How times have changed (Score:1)
"How can the Revolution sell without HD visuals?"
"There will be a new version released two years later. Just like how Nintendo puts out new versions of its handhelds."
"And what about that motion controller?"
"You cannot sell a console just on teh strength of a controller! Nintendo is just being desperate."
Bill Gates would say: http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3151063 [1up.com]
"There's room for innovation here, but moving that controller around -- it's something that's not mainstream for most games. It
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Did Sony license rumble for the PS3? No. They would rather sell the PS3 without rumble before giving in. Platform makers want everyone to pay THEM, not the other way around.
Say what? (Score:2)
So there's people scrambling for HDCP in their Xbox 360s?