Nintendo Wii Fanboy

I'm not gonna lie. I'm such a dork I'd totally buy that.

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FINALLY we'll see the promise of Punch Out fulfilled.

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for 9.99, sounds like a protect your wiimote type thing...

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Wouldn't a glove like that be redundant? On account of that the nunchuck already has it's own accelerometer and it would be very akward to use the pointer on the Wiimote while it's strapped to your wrist.

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The power glove would be perfect for a boxing game... But then you have to buy another wiimote, that how they get ya.

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or you could use the eyetoy on the ps3

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9.99? no wiimote type thing is going to cost that

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Super Duper Mario is right... at 9.99 it is more than likely a little sock like carrier to protect your controller.

a gamestop employee should check the 6 digit SKU number in the system too see if it is a first or third party accessory. Gamestop employees will know what i mean... the first two numbers... you know...

can anyone confirm?

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Would you need an additional wiimote for a boxing game? The nunchuck would work fine, wouldn't it? Same would go for a drumming "game" that the nunchuck wouldn't be easy to hold in that scenerio.

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@USF Ray,

Depends on how the game is done. The nunchuk does NOT have the same motion technology as the remote. The nunchuk can detect motion; for example, the player shakes it to reel in the fishing line in Zelda or to reload in Red Steel. But it cannot detect it's place in 3D space like the remote can. It also cannot detect the angle at which it is moved, the speed, any of the more advanced things the remote can do.

Have you ever had a see-through controller, or one that you've taken apart to see the "rumble" mechanism? All it is is a weight that is connected to a rotating shaft at an asymmetrical point. As the shaft turns, the weight turns, but because it's heavier on one end then the other it creates a vibration in the controller casing.

The nunchuk works the same way, at least in my understanding, except that it's your motion that turns the weight, and thus turns the shaft, which is registered as "motion". It doesn't know anything except that the nunchuk is being moved.

So this could be used to perform a punch, but it would just be a punch: there would only be one action associated with the nunchuk's motion. To be able to do different punches (hook, uppercut, jab), you would need two remotes.

In drumming games, you would need a second remote to be able to hit various drums and cymbals. Shaking the nunchuk would result in only ONE action.

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Take a look at the full picture
http://gonintendo.com/wp-content/photos/324AM190606_power_addlow.jpg
it can be used for mopre than just boxing games.

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http://gonintendo.com/wp-content/photos/324AM190606_power_addlow.jpg
The image above shows more games than just bowing.

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In reading a little about accelerometers (the only motion sensitive mechanism in the nunchuk) I've found that some are a piston shaped object with a spring detector that senses movement and/or pressure.

Simple accelerometers are used in pedometers (step-counters) to determine when the person wearing the device makes a motion large enough to be counted as a step. That should give you the idea of how cheap and simple these accelerometers can be.

While the technology is different than I had previously read about, the result is the same. Unless there are other sensors in the nunchuk we don't know about, it's motion will only be mapped to one action (per scenario - like a single button).

So the nunchuk adds 4 available inputs
-analog stick
-C button
-Z button
-motion "button"

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@Super Duper Mario

All the power glove for the wii would be is a glove, just an ordinary glove, with a slot on top for the controller, like in the picture shown, in which case 9.99 is about the right price (for a pair anyway), so theres still a chance it is that, but I agree it could also be some sort of sock thing as .ed said.

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vidGuy,

when I played Red Steel, the game knew when i was moving my left hand forward, backward, left, right, up, down, and turning it... so that info doesn't seem to apply to the nunchuck.

also Phil Harrison satated that both the Wii remote and Nunchuck will have full motion sensing, withthe Remote also having an accelerometer (for swinging etc) plus the pointer as well.

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.ed is right, vidGuy, the nunchuck can sense the direction of motion. This is used in many games where swinging up on the nunchuck does a diferrent thing than swinging side to side. In think Avatar uses both of those motions to do different things as well.

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Hmmm, wii.nintendo.com says "The Nunchuk controller and the accelerometer contained within it are the next leap in gaming."

So if it knew more than one direction, it must have multiple accelerometers (one to detect each direction).

The Nunchuk has full "motion sensing" (it can sense motion) but not 3D spacial awareness like the remote has. The remote reads from an infrared grid that the sensor bar emits for that ability.

Nintendo has said that the nunchuk is cheap to make. All the expensive tech is in the remote.

So I guess a boxing game could work by throwing a left jab if you move the nunchuk forward, a left uppercut if you move the nunchuk backward, and a hook if you move it left. To the right could be used for blocking.

But that's a far cry from what the remote will let you do (1:1 motion is possible, even though it would be extremely tiring).

Thanks for the info though. Since you've demoed Red Steel, what did you think about the feel of the remote? When'd you see it, before or after it's last changes (longer and thicker remote, specificially)? I'd love to hear your first-hand impressions... I'm dying for some honest info.

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vidGuy,

you are correct, that the remote is the only one that has the spacial awareness, and this is tied into the functions of the sensor bar.

as for Red Steel, I played it for almost a half hour at E3, going through the "demo" 3 times, each time trying different tatics, and playing off of the enemy AI, which is really impressive.

The Wii controls I played with were the ones that first debuted that day withthe speaker, the longer remote, but i think it was made thicker after that... cant confirm from memory if it felt thicker than what others later reported as being "thick".. but it felt very right, kind of like when you walk down the tv aisles of stores just grabbing all the remotes and then go "oh this one is awesome" ...it was like that fromthe start, there really isnt anything i would have changed. and i have 8" slim hands (for those keeping score, and the ladies) cough! ...anyway, the nunchuck and remote took no time to get used to, even control wise.. a brief glance at the control screen was all i needed.. the game feels very natural, as they all do, with motion controls and buttons being exactly what you would think they should be. pushing doors by literally pushing the door with your left hand, gun in your right. the nunchuck analogue stick is used to advance, back up and strafe left or right, and i think C was duck down, and Z get up.
shooting was withthe B trigger and very rewarding withthe guns kicking differently depending on the weapon armed (think goldeneye64) and turning corners was done swiftly, and nececarrily so, as the enemies arent as forgiving as other FPS. in this game the only time they wait to shoot is if theyhave a good hiding spot... which is actually often because they will actively look for cover just liek you.. if you stand and shoot, they might, but only if they overpower you in numbers. you can even chase guys.

looking arouns was theonly thing that took slightly more time getting used to, but only because its so new. you move the remote and the cursor moves, when it gets towards the edge of the screen, the screen moves with it.
some people criticized this choice for control, saying that the camera should be locked to the remote, but if they had done the latter, the camera would be insanely shakey because no one has a steady hand.. and seriously, your eyes arent on the tip of your gun, so i think they made the best choice. and there is also a free look option to lock the camera to the remote and look around fast, best of both worlds.

all in all i was NOT disappointed like many reviewers were.. but when you read those reviews, there are clues that they didnt actually play the game, with alot of them not even touching on a lot of the obvious AI nuances (mentioned above) that anyone who played it would definately take the time to speak on , even if for a moment.

swordplay. this is supposedly redone to mimic more of your own movements now, but when i played it you could stab and slash diagnollay or vertically and sideways. the nunchuck was used to parry attacks from the opponent (computer controlled) and the battle was not short, even the third time i played he suprised me. and its not a button masher (Crazy swinger?) as you have to make calculated stikes.

other cool things?
the whole beginning is awesome, the environtment is more interactive than the bar on the tanker in MGS2 (think shooting everything in sight and having it react)... i even shot out a window at a standpipe in an alley and it racted to the bullet with a pinhole burst. so the environments are as interactive as they say, if not more, papers fly off tables, furniture breaks, glasses shatter, paper windows and walls perforate and light peers throught the holes.

its going to be an awesome new experience for everyone, just writing this has me energized about it again.

hope this provides some more insight than 'reviews' have.

.ed

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looks like i went off more on red steel than the remote...

Remote - has good weight, but would be considered light by most people, but not cheap feeling at all.
buttons are similar in gummyness to GB micro, but don't stick out too far. power button is flush with remote. port at bottom is strong, when you see it clearly, you will know what i mean. i was worried things could snap off but i am confident in nintendo's quality and choice of materials.

nunchuck - lighter than i thought it would be, but no batteries would have it feel lighter in respect to the remote anyway. C and Z stick out more than you's think, with one denting out, the other denting in on thier tips, a nice asthetic and also allows creators to use the buttons with more purpose rather than just one being above the other. sensed side to side and forward movements easily but it was me that was in error if it didnt sense right, as i was mis informed on how to use it on my first try by the guy in front of me who kept dying.... go figure.

the cord is long between them. long enough to hold one out and the other on my chest. i found fully extending your arm is ok, but holding the remote nearer to your eye like a rifle worked best for me.

i cant complain. it's just so new and right.

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vidGuy, I really don't think the nunchuck is as limited as you are thinking. If it can sense forward/backward, left/right, and up/down then it can also sense combinations of those, and it isn't an on/off thing either. I highly doubt Nintendo would ever use a non-intuitive strategy like "right to block" "back for an uppercut" when they could just sense that the nunchuck was moving forward and up at the same time and call that an upper cut.

I think that Avatar uses basic directional movements so that none of them are in any way similar. That way you don't accidentally jump while trying to stab or something like that.

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Thanks so much .ed. That was some great info. I'm really excited for Red Steel, everything in it just breathes new. The visual style looks amazing. It's good to hear some impressions on the mechanics, too, since that stuff's so hard to find.

Cabbage, I'm glad you and .ed have calmed by fears about the ability of the nunchuk. My earlier posts seem very confident because that's the information I've found EVERYWHERE. I'm glad you two corrected me, because now I know that the whole controller setup will be used to its full ability.

I consider myself more educated about the Wii than most gamers, and I was still underestimating its controller. I'm glad Nintendo's marketing campaign is going to be all about the hands-on experience, because we can talk for an enternity about graphics or controls, but when it comes down to it it's really about the experience.

Once again, thank you both. It's very refreshing to have a discussion without the anger I see elsewhere.

Now, when's this thing going to be in my living room? :)

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@ Cosmos

While the nunchuck does have its own motion sensing abilities, one could use the nunchuck's analog stick to move the character around in the virtual world.

The remotes would be used to represent fist punches, and the the nunchuck to move and maybe use items (C & Z)
... Hulk anyone?

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As for FPS controls, I know I won't like moving the wiimote to the side of the screen to turn. How are you supposed to shoot and turn at the same time?! Couldn't it just be designed to turn at variable speeds based on the position of the wiimote? The screen wouldn't be fixed to the remote, and it would be a smooth motion as far as moving the screen. I recently did an experiment in flash based on this idea.

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