Who has doubts about the Wii controller

saguy · 17 May 2006 at 10:46

I really want to like the Wii but I have serious doubts about the long-term comfort of using the controller. The dual controllers have to held in a certain position for it to work with the sensors placed on your screen. This is fine as long as you are standing (as everybody was doing at E3) but I cannot see it being comfortable for long sessions while seated as you would have to hold your arms out pointing towards the screen. I suspect there will be a lot of casualties of repetitive strain injury due to the posture required to use the controllers. Even a bog standard controller has serious RSI effects for many power gamers.

I will be waiting a while after release before purchasing. I was looking forward to a new games platform, but the PS3 is too expensive, 360 games to similar or the same as PC and I suspect the Wii may be bad for my health and graphically underwhelming.

Needles · 17 May 2006 at 10:50

I think that the Wii will be one of those kinds of consoles you pick up and play for a while and if your hands start to get sore save your game and turn it off for a while, you don't have to try and complete your games in one go

, but joking aside it probably would get uncomfortable after a while, but hey it all for the love of gaming no pain no gain ( feel the burn lol )

DaveyD · 17 May 2006 at 10:58

I do think there may be a couple of issues with RSI in the future, as they're certainly not going to be suitable for 100% for the people out there, as some peoples hands are just too big or small for them.

I think the Wii is going to be a more casual and social gaming experience, which is another thing it will probably outdo the 360 and the PS3 at I think.

Graphically underwhelming, perhaps, but if the gameplay is anything like they're hyping it up to be, then I'm not going to care, It would be nice for it to have ultra amazing graphics, but It's going to be a cheap console, and you can't have everything really.

Snow-Munki · 17 May 2006 at 11:00

also bit worried how much space do you need to play it with ?

say you had 3 other mates in a smallish living round, might cause a few accidents

Syph · 17 May 2006 at 11:00

I think the marketing videos have given people concerns - but remember that the videos are exaggerated to emphasise the freedom and imersion that the controller provides.

There's a couple of videos and interviews that do debunk this 'myth' somewhat - a Red Steel video which shows a guy playing the game sat on his sofa with not-so-exaggerated movements. There's also a few interviews; such as Engadget's with Miymoto who explains that the Wiimote can be used with very little movement due to its sensitivity.

A good point Miyamoto raised was that the games may make people begin to move more freely whilst playing as people become more involved. Lets face it: how often have you tried to look round the side of the monitor playing a PC FPS, or ducked when someone fired at you, or moved your body when turning a sharp corner in GT4?

Nismo · 17 May 2006 at 11:05

Syph said:
Lets face it: how often have you tried to look round the side of the monitor playing a PC FPS, or ducked when someone fired at you, or moved your body when turning a sharp corner in GT4?

Me and my mates used to know a lad who we called V-Allen, V standing for virtual. He always moved about when playing games, and actually fell over when he first played the flying bits in Shadows of the Empire on the N64

I'm sure the Wii remote will take some getting used to, no matter how much they market it as being 'intuitive'.

DaveyD · 17 May 2006 at 11:07

Snow-Munki said:
also bit worried how much space do you need to play it with ?

say you had 3 other mates in a smallish living round, might cause a few accidents

That probably would be an issue, but I guess the way they allow you to configure it will let you be sitting down all the time, or just having it to your side instead of having to step about and wander across the room.

Hopefully they think of that anyway.

Snow-Munki · 17 May 2006 at 11:19

hmm do you think all games will have the option to use a standard controller instead ? don't they use original gamecube controllers aswell, which is cool

Nismo · 17 May 2006 at 11:22

Snow-Munki said:
hmm do you think all games will have the option to use a standard controller instead ? don't they use original gamecube controllers aswell, which is cool

No, there will be some games that you will have to use the remote with, after all, that is the primary control method.

I would be surprised if they didnt give you the option in some games though, and let you use the GC style 'shell'

Incidentally info on that seems to be very sparse, think I have seen one photo of it, and I've never seen it on display alongside the console or other controllers.

saguy · 17 May 2006 at 11:25

It's not the movement I am worried about, it's the posture. It will be the strain of holding the controller towards the screen for 2 hours. I am prone to RSI. I can only use an Xbox controller for short periods and I am not even a heavy console gamer.

Warbie · 17 May 2006 at 11:45

I'd be suprised if you couldn't play all the wii games sitting down, resting you elbows on your lap.

Syph · 17 May 2006 at 12:00

saguy said:
It's not the movement I am worried about, it's the posture. It will be the strain of holding the controller towards the screen for 2 hours. I am prone to RSI. I can only use an Xbox controller for short periods and I am not even a heavy console gamer.

Do you not hold any pad towards the screen anyway? The only difference I can see is that you will actually have to move the controller.

Besides, if you have RSI, you wouldn't play it for 2 hours (safely) anyway. All games are supposed to be played with a 30 minute break.

As I have already said it's been made quite clear you don't have to dive about the room when you play on the Wii. You don't have to have flailing arms.

Snow-Munki · 17 May 2006 at 12:14

Syph said:
As I have already said it's been made quite clear you don't have to dive about the room when you play on the Wii. You don't have to have flailing arms.

but what if you are getting shot, can you hide behind the sofa

lordrobs · 17 May 2006 at 12:24

Syph said:
I think the marketing videos have given people concerns - but remember that the videos are exaggerated to emphasise the freedom and imersion that the controller provides.

Exactly, in reality I bet instead of all this arm waving you could just as easily rest your controller hand on your knee and just point it for the most part.

punky_munky · 17 May 2006 at 16:51

Syph said:
As I have already said it's been made quite clear you don't have to dive about the room when you play on the Wii. You don't have to have flailing arms.

So I can't roll up in a ball and hop around to play Metroid?

Nixeh · 17 May 2006 at 16:58

i just cant wait to pistol whip my friends with it whilst playing some racing game or something.

Though my mate who trawls on here and will remain unnamed *cough*Maniac618*cough*

reckons that cause it has motion sensor someone will bring out a game that involves certain wrist activities that would be frowned upon in public

fini · 17 May 2006 at 17:00

punky_munky said:
So I can't roll up in a ball and hop around to play Metroid?

only if you video it and post it here

fini

Moonpie2 · 17 May 2006 at 18:16

lordrobs said:
Exactly, in reality I bet instead of all this arm waving you could just as easily rest your controller hand on your knee and just point it for the most part.

Quoted for truth !!

WatchTower · 17 May 2006 at 18:32

I've seen people playing the Wii on a video and they seem to be having a blast. So I arn't to worried. I bet a traditional pad will be around as well in time.

Werewolf · 17 May 2006 at 18:42

if anything i'd think the chancess or RSI would be lower with the wiimote

As the range of movement is likely to be larger/less repetative