Microsoft making Wii-like Controller -- Coming this Fall

[Docm30]

Upon close inspection of the image, it appears photo-shopped, though that could be a just a bad job on Microsoft's part.

 

[VirusType2]

Upon close inspection of the image, it appears photo-shopped, though that could be a just a bad job on Microsoft's part.

Thats what ... all they have is the sketch. Someone made that image. Its a photoshopped. All we have is a rumor at this point.

Now look at the 360 design. I do not see any attempt to evolve aside from very few insignificant minor tweaks. This is basically a full direct CLONE of the wiimote. Just look at the damn thing, it's pretty much a carbon-copy of it. Where is the evolution? All I see is copyright violation.

I have literally - a dozen remote controls and they all look the same. I don't really care. Besides I don't believe that it will look that similar. In fact I bevelie that is just a Wii mote with 360 buttons shopped on there.

I'd like to play the Wii style games with incredible graphics like the 360. One thing you can't take away is that the 360 came out a long time ago, it is still the leader when it comes to graphics, unless you have one of the brand new graphics cards, CPU's, and one of the very few PC games to use that power. Unfortunately, I have a feeling that they will do lame graphics mini-games with it though - like the Wii.



Forget it, I don't know why I care... I hate consoles and the politics of them. I also hate some things about PC games, which is what I use.

I just want to play video games that are fun.

 

[-Psy-]

This is lame.

 

[ríomhaire]

So you're going to have to buy another damn controller to play certain games? No one is going to develope a game that using this exclusively as it would be really retarded to make a game for the Xbox that uses only a minority controller when you could make a similar game for the Wii and have a far greater audiance available. Microsoft's best bet is trying to get devs to port Wii games to the Xbox for use of this controller.

 

[VirusType2]

So you're going to have to buy another damn controller to play certain games? No one is going to develope a game that using this exclusively as it would be really retarded to make a game for the Xbox that uses only a minority controller when you could make a similar game for the Wii and have a far greater audiance available. Microsoft's best bet is trying to get devs to port Wii games to the Xbox for use of this controller.

True, but it says they will sell the controller and a game, (or maybe a pack of games like Wii Sports) for the price of 1 game .. so the controller with game are like $50

You are right, unless a lot of people buy it, then nobody will make their game to be used for it.

I don't see any of the 3rd party games (like Bioshock, GTA, etc) using it, or even having the option to use it, at least not until it's really caught on. Way down the road, a game may have the option to use it, but I would be shocked if any of the older or recent games ever use it.

Expect Microsoft to create a bunch of smaller, just fun games, downloadable through their Live service, including freebies.


If it really comes out and catches on, the 360 will have an advantage over the Wii in that it has regular games that use the tried and true controller as well as games that use the motion controller.


I kind of want to play it TBH.

 

[Iced_Eagle]

I agree with VirusType2. MS obviously isn't going to all of a sudden have "Newton only" games. Neither do I see this getting into the AAA games (just another combination of systems you have to test with).

However, Xbox Live Arcade, smaller retail games, and XNA (when it goes live this spring) are going to be the key places to get games for this system.

Sure, the design is a pretty blatant "copy" of the Wii remote. However, how many ways can you really make that type of remote? Nintendo had a pretty spot-on design of it, and Microsoft is going to take essentially the shell and add on the components and hopefully make it better. MS does make some kick-ass gaming controllers this generation (360 controller pad is the best IMHO).

If you go back to what Nintendo said when they announce the Wii, they think this is the future of how games should be controlled. Well, Microsoft is looking at that option, but isn't willing to invest an entire console to see if it really is the future.

Also, AiM, the point I was making about Sony is that they had a really, really, really half-assed attempt at trying to cash in on the "motion sensing" craze. There's no denying the SixAxis is horribly beaten by the Wii's controller. But then again, it tried doing two things at once, so as they say it's a jack of all trades, master at none.

Microsoft on the other hand is going the slower approach, evaluating the field and seeing if it really is ripe. They are spending lots of time and money investing in the technology to make sure it works out alright, and not just make it a quick knock-off that someone announced and you want to add it to yours too. That's even more of a "Me too!" statement to do than what MS is doing here.

Again though, until probably E3 nobody is going to know more.

 

[Cole]

Heres the problem.....

You're a developer for the 360. You like this cool controller. You would love to make a game with awesome graphics and the controller. However... how many people have the controller and a 360? Not many. The amount of people with the new controller compared to the 360 will be very little. Therefor, your audience is small and the game wouldn't make much money.

You're a kid who is looking to buy a game for the 360. You're thinking about buying the controller... but wait.. theres only one game that uses it? And thats probably just a mini game? uh whats the point in buying it?

Unless Microsoft invests money to get a lot of developers to make some good games that use the controller, people wont buy the controller and developers wont voluntarily make costly games for the controller.

The only thing that could probably save this is Xbox Live Arcade.

 

[Nabobalis]

Heres the problem.....

You're a developer for the 360. You like this cool controller. You would love to make a game with awesome graphics and the controller. However... how many people have the controller and a 360? Not many. The amount of people with the new controller compared to the 360 will be very little. Therefor, your audience is small and the game wouldn't make much money.

You're a kid who is looking to buy a game for the 360. You're thinking about buying the controller... but wait.. theres only one game that uses it? And thats probably just a mini game? uh whats the point in buying it?

Unless Microsoft invests money to get a lot of developers to make some good games that use the controller, people wont buy the controller and developers wont voluntarily make costly games for the controller.

The only thing that could probably save this is Xbox Live Arcade.

Thats the problem to me. How successful are new attachments for consoles? Only an amazing hyped up game will get that controller into a huge amount of homes. Unless money is spent on that there to me is a big chance of this failing miserably. Plus it looks a bit award so far. Will have to test it first tho.

 

[Iced_Eagle]

I wouldn't expect full-blown retail projects. Expect XBLA and XNA games first ,and once the audience grows, then you can get the potential for full blow games.

This will come with a controller/game bundle to start, and they can keep track of sales numbers for that package and it will tell you how big the audience is obviously. I'm sure there will be lots of bundles for the forseeable future for the controller to get people to buy it.

 

[Nabobalis]

I wouldn't expect full-blown retail projects. Expect XBLA and XNA games first ,and once the audience grows, then you can get the potential for full blow games.

This will come with a controller/game bundle to start, and they can keep track of sales numbers for that package and it will tell you how big the audience is obviously. I'm sure there will be lots of bundles for the forseeable future for the controller to get people to buy it.

It makes sense to start small and build up. But maybe something big to really get it going at the start? Big retail project and then support it with XBLA and XNA games after the retail project and hopefully that would cement the controller. I mean adding support to some games already out might help it too.

But I don't know what I'm talking about most of the time.

 

[A True Canadian]

New games that require this controller will no doubt become bundled with it.

I'm thinking along the lines of Guitar Hero (came with it's own guitar controller), Rock Band (came with its own instrument set), etc.

But the only thing that puzzles me is why design it to look EXACTLY like the Wiimote? Why would they not go in the same direction as the Guitar Hero and Rock Band games and design the controller to match the game?

If it was a shooting game, then why not design it to look like a gun? If it was a golfing game, then why not design it to look like a golf club? With the limited number of games likely to be released with this technology, wouldn't this be the direction to go in? Especially when the controller has to be bundled with the game to begin with.

 

[Nabobalis]

New games that require this controller will no doubt become bundled with it.

I'm thinking along the lines of Guitar Hero (came with it's own guitar controller), Rock Band (came with its own instrument set), etc.

But the only thing that puzzles me is why design it to look EXACTLY like the Wiimote? Why would they not go in the same direction as the Guitar Hero and Rock Band games and design the controller to match the game?

If it was a shooting game, then why not design it to look like a gun? If it was a golfing game, then why not design it to look like a golf club? With the limited number of games likely to be released with this technology, wouldn't this be the direction to go in? Especially when the controller has to be bundled with the game to begin with.

But that requires alot of effort. They got to design each controller for the game. Plus it pushes cost of all the games up. Not many people will like that. If they had a standard controller that could be adapted for all those games it would be more of a success.

 

[_Z_Ryuken]

The simple rectangular design is VERY modular. Instead of designing it to be other devices, simple and cheap psuedo-devices can be housed around it giving it a different appearance.

 

[Iced_Eagle]

Just a small note, but Sony is also planning on introducing it's own dedicated Wii-like peripheral (not their shit SixAxis).

I wonder if Nintendo is going to introduce a 360/PS3 style gamepad now so everyone is equal! haha

 

[_Z_Ryuken]

The thing Microsoft and Sony have failed at though is these controllers will not at all be backwards compatible with any game that requires 3D movement, and they still need to sort out what to do for a "nunchucku" attachment.

 

[VictimOfScience]

I wonder if Nintendo is going to introduce a 360/PS3 style gamepad now so everyone is equal! haha

Man, the Classic Controller they already have is just about the coolest controller out there imho. So close to the SNES design, but with even more form, function, and downright charm!

 

[Iced_Eagle]

The thing Microsoft and Sony have failed at though is these controllers will not at all be backwards compatible with any game that requires 3D movement, and they still need to sort out what to do for a "nunchucku" attachment.

You guys are getting a bit confused.

This is NOT (I repeat, NOT) going to be the main control function of the 360 or PS3! That is, there is NO reason to go back and make these "backwards compatible". Right now the controllers are going to be used for mini-games and such like that. Games are still going to be first and foremost developed for the gamepad and it will stay that way more than likely.

Hell, maybe they don't need a Nunchuck attachment because they aren't planning on doing games like that. Maybe they already have one and it will be bundled with the controller. We don't know any details since this is all still Rumor and Speculation.

VoS: While it's true, as I've said before, sometimes you need to move out of the past and go forward. Sure the Classic controller does have some nostalgia and such, but I would much rather prefer a 360 style pad over it any day of the week.

 

[_Z_Ryuken]

I'm not confused. I am just realizing this controller won't have anywhere near the functionality or desire that the Wiimote has, and the people whom MS and Sony want to sell it too think the Wiimote is just a gimmick anyway. Total failure.

 

[Nibwoddle]

*vomits hideously*

This is just ridiculous. Someone should burn Microsoft on a stake. Oh, wait, they make computers...:dozey: