Wii Warm Up: About a button

by Alisha Karabinus { Aug 10th 2008 at 10:30AM }

We've talked a little before about the placement of buttons on the Wii Remote, but what about the number of buttons? Do you think there should be a few more? What about fewer? That would probably mean more actions performed with gestures. Does it seem like buttons are still essential for most games? Waggling through menus doesn't really seem too appealing, after all.

Tags: buttons, motion-control

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

evilfoxhound @ Aug 10th 2008 10:50AM

The "A" button needs one next to it, side by side. Imagine the Wiimote vertically and there are two smaller buttons under the D-pad.

BlackDogAssault @ Aug 10th 2008 11:15AM

I second that. Call that added button the "B" button, call the former "B" "Z", and then Nunchuk + Wiimote could be N64 compatible.

vidGuy @ Aug 10th 2008 11:31AM

But what would you call the former Z button (on the nunchuk) ;)

Ghen @ Aug 10th 2008 3:46PM

y, definitely y

omghaha @ Aug 10th 2008 5:23PM

http://blog.mlive.com/manzero/2007/10/large_20071002ngai-croal-metroid-wiimote.jpg

but the - & + buttons should just be extra buttons

lonesomefolly @ Aug 10th 2008 11:04AM

is this an article? I think someone's been smoking too much off the happy pipe

Nathew @ Aug 10th 2008 11:26AM

slow news day, methinks.

vidGuy @ Aug 10th 2008 11:49AM

It's Wii Warm Up and there's one every day: http://nintendo.joystiq.com/category/wii-warm-up/

vidGuy @ Aug 10th 2008 11:17AM

No, the Wiimote is perfect the way it is. Any more buttons and the remote would have to be bigger to accommodate, making it difficult to grasp. Any fewer buttons and you would have to gesture for more actions.

@lonesomefolly - it's not an article, it's WWU. Ever been here before?

lonesomefolly @ Aug 10th 2008 12:54PM

No actually, I prefer their PSPfanboy; their articles are never the written equivalent of sitting back to wonder what do cloud shapes reassemble to.

So you are saying there's a no-content post once a day? That's interesting.

vidGuy @ Aug 10th 2008 2:02PM

It's for active discussion by commenters, discussion that doesn't break down into a flaming match by warring factions of fanboys. If you don't like it, fine, but it's a daily thing around here and is a welcome addition to the site.

SoshiKitai @ Aug 10th 2008 2:33PM

We're just more chill here. :P

Shaq-Fu @ Aug 10th 2008 11:47AM

Maybe a button along the right side of the 'mote, that way it gets my pointer finger into the action

vidGuy @ Aug 10th 2008 2:04PM

What finger do you have on the B trigger?

red13 @ Aug 10th 2008 12:13PM

Idk, the + and - buttons have always been kinda weird for me

Hamster @ Aug 10th 2008 12:13PM

These "new ways to play" are all well and good (sometimes....), but buttons are still by far the most accurate, precise, tactile, satisfactory and fun way to control games.

As Miyamoto recently said: "there are things that are accomplished better with buttons."

DAud_IcI @ Aug 10th 2008 12:53PM

I'd be really happy to see a Wiimote withadditional two buttons at the bottm. Namely a "three" and "four" button. Not much of a use with pointing/motion-sensing games, but it would erase the need of Classic Controller with SNES and most of the other games, what ask it...

Ethan @ Aug 10th 2008 1:04PM

Squeeze the Wiimote?

Mr Khan @ Aug 10th 2008 1:51PM

X and Y, in the kidney-bean shape of the X and Y buttons on the GC controller, nested right above the A button

I really think the 1 & 2 buttons should be reserved for Wiimote-on-the-side play, because it's a bitch to get to them in games that use them and the Nunchuk

Hamster @ Aug 10th 2008 2:01PM

Totally agree about the 1 and 2 buttons. I hate in when games use them with the Remote held in the normal way, even if it's just for an infrequent action like bringing up a map or something, it's still a total pain. It's so unnatural, uncomfortable and awkward to stretch your thumb down that far, you have to readjust your grip on the controller just to get to them, which is a massive controller faux-pas if ever there was one.

Abbii @ Aug 11th 2008 6:51PM

That's brilliant. I would even extend it to have the full B-A-X-Y Gamecube configuration. I think it does a nice job of making the A button the obvious feature for people who want to maintain the simpler gaming functions.

The 1 and 2 buttons are awful for regular play (i.e. not sideways). It's awkward to press them, but the bigger issue for me is accidentally pressing them with the base of my hand mid-waggle. I'm playing Bully right not and I keep pausing it in the middle of fights. It's driving me nuts! The + and - buttons are also awkward. They feel like the should be the start/select buttons but it seems like they aren't always used that way.

I also think the nunchuck could use a slight redesign. It's shaped in a way so that it's very awkward for me to distinguish between the two buttons. I think a configuration like the xbox 360 shoulder buttons with the lower button shaped more like a trigger might work better. Gasp, did I just say something good about Microsoft?

I also think it's a really sweet idea to use two remotes like in the Samba di Amigo videos, but with the left-hand one still having a analog stick. It could be a pain, but having the Wii Motion Plus capability in both hands would be worth it! They could even make remotes where the botton configurations could be switched out like with that one-handed controller (http://benheck.com/06-05-2008/you-can-now-pre-order-the-access-controller). Then people wouldn't have to buy different controllers for the left and right hands, and game developers could come out with their own button configurations if the existing ones didn't work for them.

klepto88 @ Aug 10th 2008 2:01PM

All games should support an alternate gamecube controller configuration. The wiimote is not fun to use when playing for more than an hour or so.

PiemanPieman @ Aug 10th 2008 2:29PM

"All games"

So you want to play Wii Sports with a GameCube controller now?

klepto88 @ Aug 10th 2008 2:38PM

Well, actually I don't want to play Wii Sports at all. And I'm talking about real games... SMG for example.

PiemanPieman @ Aug 10th 2008 2:48PM

"game (gām) n.
1. An activity providing entertainment or amusement; a pastime: party games; word games."

You couldn't use the star bit shooting mechanic with a GameCube controller.

vidGuy @ Aug 10th 2008 10:27PM

You couldn't do the blue grab stars nearly as well without a pointer either.

Amiculi @ Aug 10th 2008 2:29PM

My primary wish is that the D-pad and A button were slightly closer together, it's often awkward to reach a direction in games where you need A and B consistently. Shooters, for example, where they use the directions for things like reloading, changing weapons or activating things.

I also wouldn't mind another button on the underside above or bellow the B trigger akin to a second shoulder button.

Overall I don't have too much issue with the Wiimote's design but a lot of games have to go to so much effort shoehorning the controls in place that sometimes I just wish there was a bit more available for the advanced player to make use of.

Honestly, I just wish a lot more games would support a Cube or Classic controller in addition to the 'mote 'n' 'chuck when it's blatantly obvious they ran out of buttons to make use of in a comfortable manner. It's not that I disagree with the system's mission statement, I just like a game to play well and having to use 1 and 2 and all four directions of the controlpad for in game functions during a fast paced situation is just stupid.

PiemanPieman @ Aug 10th 2008 2:28PM

Any addition of buttons looks to me like it'll introduce problems. The way you hold the thing is from the right side. I feel any buttons that move the A button around impact the comfort of the hold. Buttons above the A button mean you can't as easily get to the D-pad. Buttons below the A button seem to easy to hit with the back part of my thumb. Buttons added down by 1 and 2 take away from its NES controller functionality for me. I say leave it alone and don't fix what ain't broken.

mrtee073 @ Aug 10th 2008 2:47PM

I love the Wii Remote... It brings me back to my pre-teen days of hours playing the NES!

I agree that the 1 & 2 buttons are hard to get used to. And always feel like a, "throw-in" control for some games.
The length of the remote feels a little bit off when you use it like the original NES controller for VC games. But I do enjoy the blast of nostalgia I get using it. :-)

samfish @ Aug 10th 2008 5:20PM

Make the area around the A button jut out a little...like putting a circle over it. Then put reasonably X and Y kidney shaped buttons around the A button, a lo the GC controller.

zchry @ Aug 10th 2008 9:19PM

I think it's perfect. Really. No lie.

More buttons would make it less intuitive. Less would encourage even more waggle. Moving them around would just throw people off and make others angry.

I know you think the + and - buttons are in bad places/inconvenient/suck/whatever, but they really aren't that bad, and moving them would cause half of you to argue over their new placement.

ZombiePikmin @ Aug 11th 2008 1:56AM

I know its off the subject but i want a nunchuck that can vibrate and doesn't feel so hollow.

Ghen @ Aug 11th 2008 3:25PM

I just want to use a 2nd wiimote for better control, heft, and no cord.

Ng0zT @ Aug 11th 2008 10:45AM

i think the + and - buttons shoul be up by the A button and the power button should be centered to keep with the symetrical and both-handed design. oh and an eject button right next to the plug would be nice!

schmix @ Aug 16th 2008 4:04AM

OK . the 1 & 2 Buttons are pretty awkward when played in normal mode. But as they are not used very often (in SMG never, me thinks) it is not a big issue to me. But the d-pad on the wiimote should have been replaced by another analog stick. This is also the only complain I got concerning the DS. Man, I hate d-pads.