• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

In retrospective: Motion Controls

Killzone 3 with the Move was one of my favourite gaming experiences of this generation. I can only assume that anyone who says it's terrible for real gaming hasn't played this - even if you walk away prefering a regular controller, the idea that it's somehow bad or terrible is ludicrous, unless you've got Parkinsons or something.
 
Agent X said:
Octodad is going to support the Move.
Click to expand...

I want hardcore shooters, preferably more third person/tactical shooters that support the Move on PS4. It's the only way I like to play these games now. If MGSV ever got Move I would lose my mind.

I'm also hoping efforts to port the Move to PC result in legacy games being supported that way, though I haven't heard much on that front in a while.
 
One thing I don't understand about all the hatred for motion control is that we all have used motion control every day for years. Move a mouse a certain amount in the real world, your cursor moves a relative amount on the screen. Yes, it's particularly comfortable, but really...it's a form of motion control and it's obviously the superior way to operate in certain environments (particularly first person shooters).

I guess we're lucky that PC games never got on a kick of "move the mouse back and forth as quickly as possible to beat up your opponent," huh?
 
CyclopsRock said:
Killzone 3 with the Move was one of my favourite gaming experiences of this generation. I can only assume that anyone who says it's terrible for real gaming hasn't played this - even if you walk away prefering a regular controller, the idea that it's somehow bad or terrible is ludicrous, unless you've got Parkinsons or something.
Click to expand...

Move was very finicky with calibration, so it would not be surprising for someone to create an unplayable garbage scenario. Most people do not realize you're intended to rest the wand on you leg and make only wrist movements.
 
Kai Dracon said:
I will say one of the biggest crimes against comfortable console gaming is nobody saw the potential of a split hand controller after the Wii. Wii remote + nunchuck was amazing for comfort and relaxing while playing games, entirely apart from the subject of motion control.
Click to expand...

Fully agree. While I actually do like motion control, even without it, the Wii Remote and nunchuck is still my favorite controller, by far and away.
 
Kai Dracon said:
But the Wii U is built around incorporating the wii remote and many of their flagship Wii U games use it. They did not deploy a new iteration of motion+, but the issue here is I'm not sure there's a better technology for the living room yet.

Treyarch is still supporting wiimote control schemes in COD on Wii U too.
Click to expand...
The problem is that the Wiimote is pretty much an optional controller, and it will be optional in the few Wii U games save very few exceptions, and developers will aim for the larger installed base that players are guarantee to play, which is the GamePad. The Wiimote is doomed to be an optional controller without great games designed around it, like it happened to the Wii that, despite several hit and misses, still had great gems that made good use of the Wiimote.

You'll be lucky if other FPSs on the Wii U implement Wiimote controls besides COD games. Hell, I'm not holding any hope for Metroid Prime 4, if it someday comes to exist, to support Wiimote controls.

In way, I feel kinda "glad" that Nintendo is struggling with the Wii U, it definitively sounds immature I can't help but think "serves you right for abandoning the Wiimote for a glorified traditional controller"
 
Reallink said:
Move was very finicky with calibration, so it would not be surprising for someone to create an unplayable garbage scenario. Most people do not realize you're intended to rest the wand on you leg and make only wrist movements.
Click to expand...

I wonder if the new camera will resolve the calibration issues. Doesn't it have two eyes? This could correct drift.
 
Considering all that's happened and all that's on the horizon, Nintendo definitely changed UI for good. Every platform going forward now utilizes touch and motion. Kinect, Oculus Rift, Steam controller, the console controllers, tablets and phones, etc.

Nintendo may not have invented these UI methods, but they absolutely defined what it looks like and how developers use it. I'd argue that even mobile game wouldn't be what it is if it weren't for the Wii.
 
conman said:
Nintendo may not have invented these UI methods, but they absolutely defined what it looks like and how developers use it. I'd argue that even mobile game wouldn't be what it is if it weren't for the Wii.
Click to expand...

The DS was on the forefront of portable, cheap, accessible touch control too.

EDIT: I guess that's kind of what you were saying.
 
Pointer controls have a lot of great applications. They're flat-out superior to dual analog for FPS games and any game that requires a cursor or reticle.

Look at games like Call of Duty (yes, really), Sin and Punishment, Pikmin 3, Red Steel 2, and Resident Evil 4. Those are great examples of aiming, and I'd say the Wii U version of Black Ops 2 controls better than any other version because of it.

The cursor can also bring lots of new mechanics. Look at how grab stars and Yoshi's tongue are used in Super Mario Galaxy 2, particularly in the level "The Perfect Run". A whole game could be made based on this. The indie game Nyx Quest showed some innovative uses as well in another platformer.

As for motion controls, I could take or leave them, in general. But they do have some fun uses. ExciteTruck is better with "loose" controls from motion, and it feels like an old school arcade (cabinet) game. Red Steel 2 is physically involving and better for it.

I'm really disappointed Nintendo made the GamePad their pack-in controller for the Wii U. We haven't expended all the possibilities for pointer controls, and they have a lot more potential to be tapped.
 
I'm in the camp where I wished that Nintendo would put out a Wiimote 2.
Seriously, the biggest issue with it is that because they shaped it to conform the 1 2 buttons to be A/B sideways, they couldn't have more than literally A and B be accessible. Which is fine for most games, but playing CoD I usually found myself wanting them to be a bit closer.

I seriously would love more games to have Wiimote controls. Fuck dual stick.
 
Split controller was very comfortable. IR aiming was great.

In the end, the traditional controller "won out" for me, as I returned to playing primarily on the PC, but that's more a result of the Wii dying and not getting new games than the controller's fault.

I like the Wiimote. I think the Move is fine, too, but there aren't any games for it.

Kinect is a piece of shit.
 
The opportunity and potential of motion controls remained largely untapped due to their inherent need for innovation. Developers tried instead to attach the control fundamentals to existing game mechanics. The results were mixed at best.

I think WarioWare Wii was a great example of how motion controls could deliver new and unique experiences. That being said, even Nintendo seemed to struggle to implement the control scheme in a meaningful way later in the Wii's life, so perhaps that ship has sailed.
 
I enjoyed Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition. Other than that Wii Sports was a blast back then. My Wii has been collecting dust for a good couple of years now :(

On the whole I disliked the Wiimote, and dislike motion controls in general.
 
If Sony told me that they were going to implement a requirement (or even just a really good incentive)to standardize PS Move controls, with an OS level API giving every game access to control customization on the same level as CoD BO2 U, I'd preorder one, right fucking now. As of now, though, I'm literally have no reason to even consider one.

Edit: Let's put it this way: I'm a PC elitist who loves my mouse and keyboard, and I loathe CoD.
But I buy the Wii/U version every year, because the Wiimote controls are that fucking fun.
 
Anybody who thinks motion controls are dead hasn't looked at the Oculus Rift and put 2 and 2 together. If the Oculus Rift is a success, and there's no reason to think it won't be, the return of motion controls is inevitable.

Nintendo's mistake may have been that they were ahead of the times. Although I think not following up on motion controls with their next console was a bigger mistake.
 
A lot of my motion controlled gaming sessions ended because I was to tired to continue, not because I'd had enough of the game...
 
H3XAntiStyle said:
If Sony told me that they were going to implement a requirement (or even just a really good incentive)to standardize PS Move controls, with an OS level API giving every game access to control customization on the same level as CoD BO2 U, I'd preorder one, right fucking now. As of now, though, I'm literally have no reason to even consider one.

Edit: Let's put it this way: I'm a PC elitist who loves my mouse and keyboard, and I loathe CoD.
But I buy the Wii/U version every year, because the Wiimote controls are that fucking fun.
Click to expand...

While I don't loathe CoD, I share your enthusiasm for the way they control on Wii/U. I'm going to be so disappointed if CoD stops coming to the platform. It might be the death of console FPS for me.
 
If done correctly, motion controls definitely have their place in gaming. Playing games like Resident Evil 4 Wii, Metroid Prime 3 or Pikmin 3 and directly comparing them to their earlier versions / prequels / competing control schemes goes to show that motion controls can make your life a whole lot easier. The trick is not to overdo it. For example, I also really appreciated motion controls in Twilight Princess, simply because they allowed using the sword while running with only one analog stick.

Overall, I guess the best thing to do is give people the option to play however they want. If you like motion controls, use them. If you prefer a traditional controler, use that. For this reason, I'm really hoping to see Nintendo make eg Zelda U compatible with Wiimote+ + Nunchuk, Pro Controller and Gamepad. Flexibility is king and nobody can blame you for giving people the choice of their favourite method of control.
 
Let me put it this way, for me at least:

Motion controls for digital commands = miss, complete and utter miss. This is where the waggle comes in, as well as gestures.

Motion controls for analogue commands = hit and miss, Skyward Sword's swimming is analogue control but it felt very awkward.

Motion controls for aiming = Utter bliss. Of course it depends on the developer, but it does have an inherent advantage over other control schemes.

Motion controls for multitasking = Hit, fast movements allow for more things to be done at once.

Motion controls for local multiplayer/Party titles = Absolutely wonderful. They really change the atmosphere of the living room, for me at least.

I really want to see them do more with this control scheme evolve further. The Wiimote was a great starting point, but there is so much more to be done with it than just that. Oh well, at least it is still an important part of the Wii U so there's still hope.
 
I never understood why people have so much hatred for motion gestures as button presses. For me it feels no different than pressing a button. There's no discernible lag or failure to register when they're implemented properly, such as using the spin move in Mario Galaxy or the shield in Skyward Sword, and depending on the application it can be more fun or more intuitive than pressing a button. Pointer and tilt controls are excellent as well. I hope Nintendo builds upon the Wiimote and Nunchuk design in the future.
 
Freezie KO said:
While I don't loathe CoD, I share your enthusiasm for the way they control on Wii/U. I'm going to be so disappointed if CoD stops coming to the platform. It might be the death of console FPS for me.
Click to expand...

I even, *gasp* enjoy the nunchuck shake to reload. Feels satisfying to slap the air real quick to grab a new magazine.
 
i liked my Kinect. the Dance Central series, Kinect Sports 1 and 2, Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012, The Gunstringer, Fable the Journey, Kinect Disneyland Adventures, Child of Eden, Wreckateer, Fruit Ninja Kinect, Haunt, and Double Fine Happy Action Theater were all great. they had some issues here and there, but theyre enjoyable games. i dont get the hatred.
 
Pointer controls were good in some ways but came with some negatives. Motion controls, on the other hand, often left me frustrated about not being able to reliably perform simple actions that were easily done via button presses.

My overall verdict on Wii's controls:

thumbs_down_gladiator.gif
 
Helped a little in some games but was negligible to REALLY BAD in most games. I'm a pass on motion controls, they are simply terrible in nearly all situations.

And yes, that includes Skyward Sword, worst real Zelda game.
 
With the exception of MP3 (or FPSs) , I can't think of another example where motion controls did a game (or genre) any good.
 
FranXico said:
Next gen hype is upon us, and the Xbox One still bundles the Kinect as a core component of console, so this got me thinking...

What about the Wiimote? It was integral to the Wii, heck, that was what the console was about... How did the Wiimote revolutionize gaming? As far as I recall, most games that used it best basically used it as a split wireless controller.

The Wii had a good 3 years of massive popularity, with motion controls integral to the console, but did the wiimote really revolutionize gaming?

If it did, how, besides how it influenced both Sony and Microsoft?

If not, why would Kinect 2 make a difference where the Wiimote did not?
Click to expand...


I was absurdly excited about it and stood in line for hours just to get a Wii at launch. I quickly came to the sad realization that I hated motion controls. The Kinect and Move only solidified my distaste for the concept.
 
JasonMCG said:
I know that's the technical definition, but using the Wii remote as a pointer doesn't constitute "motion controls" to me.
Click to expand...
Motion controls in the most technical sense can mean aiming as well.

Plus, if you are simply arguing tilt, flying or 3D titles, moving samus's aircraft was fantastic in NintendoLand because of motion controls.
 
I actually like motion controls, specially considering the Wii (and Wii U's) pointer control. We need a new Metroid using the Wii remotes ASAP. The Nintendo Land attraction is a joy to play and I want a full game now.

I also like to fine tune my aim on Wind Waker with the gyroscope. Takes a few minutes to adjust to it the first time, but after a while it feels so natural and makes aiming more fun and more intuitive and accurate.

People like to moan and whine about it, but I think it is great. Somethings can greatly benefit from motion controls and I'm glad Nintendo went that route with the Wii, even if it took them a while to get it right with Motion+.
 
JasonMCG said:
With the exception of MP3 (or FPSs) , I can't think of another example where motion controls did a game (or genre) any good.
Click to expand...
Boom Blox 2? Kororinpa? Wii Sports (Resort)? Godfather? Zack & Wiki? Red Steel 2? Wario Ware: Smooth Moves?

I would like to add NMH although the implementation is really basic but it made the battles more visceral for me.

Nunchucks said:
Helped a little in some games but was negligible to REALLY BAD in most games. I'm a pass on motion controls, they are simply terrible in nearly all situations.

And yes, that includes Skyward Sword, worst real Zelda game.
Click to expand...
SS is my less liked 3D Zelda, yet I can safely say the controls worked well for the most part.
 
I was never keen on motion controls from any of the three console makers from the start really, but my girlfriend loves Dance Central. I've never played the games since I'm not a karaoke or even a dancing sort of guy, but I have to say that I was pretty impressed that the thing seemed to work and the technology never frustrated her even in her small bedroom where she has her TV. She has all the disc based games' songs up to DC3 and bought probably $30 worth of DLC as well when they went on sale before.

There are different markets for different types of players. My girlfriend basically only plays four games, Persona, Katamari Damacy, Dance Central, and for some reason if we go to an arcade its all about Tekken even though she just mashes constantly. And of course the plethora of iOS games out there. If Harmonix was doing a Dance Central game for launch I'm sure I would get her an xbone at launch and if they do one down the line I'm sure she'll want one then as well. She has even just assumed DC4 would be coming and thought I'd just be getting the new xbox since I have the old one. Their new game doesn't really interest her as much now that she knows what it is, maybe when it comes out and there's a store demo or something so she can try it out she'll want it.
 
Originally Posted by Joe4Man

A lot of my motion controlled gaming sessions ended because I was to tired to continue, not because I'd had enough of the game...

balohna said:
You might have bigger problems.
Click to expand...

Have you tired playing Kung Fu Live?? Game is great fun but you'd better bring your sweat towel. Or what about The Fight Lights Out? You're gonna need a you're A game brother!
 
Derrick01 said:
Motion controls were nothing but a gimmicky fad that mostly died before it did irreparable damage to gaming.
Click to expand...
After the Wii, motion tracking sensors were adapted to a vast amount of electronic products beyond the gaming world even. It prompted Sony to include a gyroscope in the dual shock 3, to later follow it up with a Wii Remote knock off. And MS to buy an entire company to imlement them in the 360 (rather poorly).

Today the Dual Shock 4 has integrated motion sensors, MS packs their console with the 2nd iteration of Kinect and every smartphone includes a gyro. It will interesting for you to take some time and explain exactly after the above how it can be classifyed as a fad. It superfitially seems that way because Nintendo bailed out of the console that was at the fore front of motion gaming too early.
Derrick01 said:
It was a massive step backwards in game control and thankfully it did not catch on outside of casual shovelware. Kinect 2 will be the last breath for that garbage in gaming, but it will still be somewhat useful for OS stuff and Apps. It's just in gaming uses that it will permanently die.
Click to expand...
Regarding the bolded. I think the truth is far from that. Let me explain. VR seems like the most obvious venture to increase inmersion in gaming, and to work properly it is heavily tied to motion gaming. So the knowledge amased since the Wii's introduction is been put to good use when chasing this dream. That validates more than enough the existence of motion gaming.

In relation to "not catching up", which is already answered above. I asure you that if a Wii Remote type of device was implemented in either the 360 or PS3, then in this next round you would definitly be seen an improved device packed in with the next gen consoles.
hey_it's_that_dog said:
The Wiimote had massive potential in everyone's imagination but amounted to clumsy gestures rather than 1:1 use most of the time. Gestures are indisputably inferior to buttons and sticks in my mind due to their lack of reliability.

I thought the Wii would mean we could finally have a 1:1 controlled sword fight in first person against an AI or human opponent. It quickly became clear that the tech wasn't up to it.
Click to expand...
For a lot of gaming applications 1:1 motion tracking is not necessary to have a rather good controller experience. Taking your 1:1 sword fighting game as an example. Having a swing replicated 1:1 woudn't be 100% exploited in gameplay scenarios because many issues. One of them is not having an advanced enough display technology to go in hand with that kind of motion fidelity. So for that sword fighting game it was more than enough to have the controller sense for example, a low, a mid and a high swing as well as direction. And we ended up having that.
hey_it's_that_dog said:
For what it's worth, I had fun with Boom Blox and Metroid Prime 3. However, I still don't feel like I need pointer controls in a console shooter, even though they are objectively more nimble than stick-based aiming systems. The added precision (for a single player game) is not worth the additional effort and mild reduction in comfort for me.
Click to expand...
Im provably wrong here but i asume you don't game much on a PC? Because that's one of the strong points of the Wii Remote. It seats in the middle of a traditional 2 handed controller and a mouse in terms of confort and precision. More precise than the traditional controller and more confortable than a mouse/keyboard combo.
Stone Ocean said:
Considering motion gaming is already "out" and touch is the new "in", I think it's pretty safe to say it was nothing but a fad.

We did get some cool things out of it though. I still think that the Wii's pointer was a great idea.
Click to expand...
See my response to Derrick about the "fad"qualifier.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

  • Poll
~ Retrospective GotY | 2010 ~
Poll 
19
298
touchfuzzy replied
Resident Evil Mercenaries Retrospective
Opinion Analysis Trailer 
1
319
Generic replied
GTA IV Is A Masterpiece | Retrospective Documentary
Analysis Retro Trailer  2
96
1K
Himuro replied
Naughty Dog 40th Anniversary Retrospective
Trailer  2
58
2K
alabtrosMyster replied
Inverted controls
2
80
2K
Ellis replied
Top Bottom