IGN's hands-six-to-eight-feet-away-from WiiSpeak preview

by JC Fletcher { Oct 22nd 2008 at 3:20PM }

IGN's Craig Harris tested out the WiiSpeak microphone and voice chat functionality inside Animal Crossing at Nintendo's San Francisco office. His experience seemed much smoother and friendlier than my own, possibly as a result of improvements in the technology, a quieter environment, or a voice that is capable of normal human volume. Treehouse staffers told him that the voice chat has improved significantly since E3.

Conversations came in clearly enough from multiple positions in the room, though Harris noted a drop in quality when his interlocutors in Nintendo's Redmond office drifted far away from the mic, which seems pretty obvious. He was able to converse in a normal speaking voice from his position "six to eight feet" away. However, with no option to turn the music down or off in Animal Crossing, the game tended to drown out the voice output.

There was a mysterious "Use Headphones" option available in Animal Crossing, whose function is currently unknown. Harris speculates that it sends voice and game audio through separate audio channels, but maybe it just changes some preset audio settings to optimitze performance through tiny speakers. It's not as if you can plug a headset into the Wiimote or anything.

Gallery: Animal Crossing: City Folk

Ever since it was revealed back at E3, WiiSpeak has been the talk (both good and bad) of the town. Check out our hands-on time with the device, as well as the details you may have missed on the WiiSpeak Channel. Plan on picking one up? Then you might want to check out Game Night, where you'll surely be able to chat with your fellow Wii lovers in the future.

Tags: animal-crossing, animal-crossing-city-folk, microphone, voice-chat, wiispeak

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Sonic_13 @ Oct 22nd 2008 3:51PM

Overall Wii Speak is sounding pretty good. A lot of people were under the impression that you would need to shout in order to be heard, so I'm glad it was cleared up that a normal speaking voice is the best option.

I wonder what the headphones option will turn out to be. My guess would be that it has to do with something in game as opposed to actual real-life headphones. Perhaps your character puts on headphones which effectively turns off music and any background noises.

Also it is important to mention (because it was not stated above) there is an option to mute the microphone at anytime.

SonicisBlueberry @ Oct 22nd 2008 3:56PM

It is possible to listen to a tv through headphones, some tvs and most stereo systems come with a headphone jack right in them.

Anyways, I am fairly burnt out on AC but if they present some compelling content I still may pick it up.

Sonic_13 @ Oct 22nd 2008 4:11PM

A regular headphone jack on TVs, stereos, etc. would just pump all sound to the headphones instead of the speakers. An in-game option would not be able to change where the sound travels (i.e. sending voice through the headphones, but all other sounds through the TV).

Sonicisblueberry @ Oct 22nd 2008 7:08PM

Well I'm assuming it would change how it produces the audio through the output device much like when you select the headphones option in a PC title. I'm not sure of the specifics but it would most likely be a change in the treble, bass, channels used, etc.

Mr Khan @ Oct 22nd 2008 4:16PM

Some enterprising 3rd party (or a plain-old modder) will have a wireless headset up and running before summer of 2009, i think

Or else i underestimate those communities. It wouldn't be hard to sub the device out for a Wireless USB dongle that could transmit to as many as four local sets, but output the same sound to all of them.

Sonic_13 @ Oct 22nd 2008 4:24PM

Why do people insist on waiting for headsets instead?

This provides the same functionality except without the need to wear a device that blasts voices through only one of your ears.

Mr Khan @ Oct 22nd 2008 5:01PM

I really don't care, i'm satisfied with what we have, i was just thinking about it because it mentioned headphones

guttertalk @ Oct 22nd 2008 5:03PM

@Sonic_13:

Since I use the 360 chat, I can tell you why headsets are vital: to keep from disturbing other people in the house and to hear the chat clearly (my hearing, it ain't so good).

I often play late at night after everyone goes to bed, so I don't want loud chatter coming through the speakers. Likewise, my wife is often reading in the room, and I don't want to disturb her.

Also, I have kids ages 6 and 8. Kids at that age can't resist coming in and chatting, especially if they know there's a mic that they can talk into.

bug frawg @ Oct 22nd 2008 4:49PM

My tooth is turning blue, I wonder if removing this wire would help.......

In all seriousness, it's probably just the standard 'headphones' option you see on various games already.(I remember it being in several gamecube games too)

Patius @ Oct 22nd 2008 5:00PM

Why do people like headsets?

When you play alone, that background noise gets in the way.

Adam @ Oct 22nd 2008 5:45PM

I have used GolvePIE, and there are alot of things a wii remote can do with the port on the bottom, I wouldn't be surprised to see an attachment for headphones

Don @ Oct 22nd 2008 6:04PM

Why do people like talking????? I DON'T GET IT.

REAL *HARDCORE* gamers ONLY use their hands to play videogames.

heh.

TheOverlord#2 @ Oct 22nd 2008 8:04PM

It's probably just a Sound Option. Most video games nowadays have 3 sound choices: Stereo, Mono, and Headphones. I really hope that they can get a way to make the music quieter in-game whenever the game recieves regular voice signals so that you can actually hear people talk instead of mumbled voices.

I can't wait to get this game&mic and try it out. It sounds like there's some mystery surrounding it still. If headsets are revealed to work, i'll definitly use that, but 'til then, my AC:CF & WiiSpeak bundle will have to do.

icicle0424 @ Oct 23rd 2008 1:15AM

my tv has a headphone jack on the front... but I'd never sit that close to the tv.. I'll probably get wireless headphones before I get a game like the Conduit, as I don't want my 4 year old to talk like the 10 year olds I hear the 360 users complain about