Why High Voltage dropped MotionPlus from The Conduit

by David Hinkle { Mar 10th 2009 at 1:10PM }

We've all been under the impression that The Conduit would feature MotionPlus, but it turns out that High Voltage has tried it, and decided to take it out of the game. Why, you ask? Well, High Voltage's VP and chief creative officer Eric Nofsinger tells 1UP that Nintendo provided them "with early hardware and good developer support," but when they put it into The Conduit, it "didn't really add anything for our primarily ranged combat."

Nofsinger also got a bit more technical, adding that High Voltage hoped MotionPlus "would allow for better off screen IR tracking." Instead, Nofsinger says the device "seems to lend itself more naturally for hand to hand combat" and that it "doesn't feel like an optimal fit for how we had designed our moment to moment gameplay." Well, that explains it.

Sure, we want as many features as we can get our hands on in a game, but if it doesn't improve on the experience and just feels tacked on for the sake of being a bullet point on the back of a box, it's not worth it. It looks like High Voltage agrees.

Gallery: The Conduit

Tags: fps, high-voltage, high-voltage-software, motionplus, sega, the-conduit, wiimote

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Roto13 @ Mar 10th 2009 1:45PM

It's what I've been saying since it was announced (or rumoured, I don't remember) that The Conduit would be using the MotionPlus. Why even bother?

Gun Barrier @ Mar 10th 2009 1:46PM

I didn't think that it would add anything meaningful.

intro94 @ Mar 10th 2009 2:26PM

After playing WAW and MOH i dont think the current controls have any issues whatsoever, motion plus is needed for boxing games or action ones.But for shooters, wii already has perfect controls,waay beyond any regular control.To me the only way to top wii controls on shooters would be mind control as it is.

dan @ Mar 10th 2009 2:55PM

Yeah, WM+ doesn't add anything when it comes to point-and-shoot. The Conduit won't suffer without it.

But if they should ever make a first-person swordplay game, you'll be damn right that they need it.

8-bit.artist @ Mar 10th 2009 3:47PM

exact same reason why dead space doesnt need wm+ either

Mr Khan @ Mar 10th 2009 6:24PM

Its mostly a balancing issue. They tried out a number of Motion Plus-powered Melee weapons, but it unbalanced the gameplay, and they don't have time to re-do everything just to incorporate it

Nic @ Mar 10th 2009 7:34PM

i could give a flying f*&% about motion plus. hey, high voltage! how about you add something meaningful to your game like...oh i don't know...local multiplayer!?!?!

i mean it's only been in every good FPS since goldeneye...on the f&^%ing 64! for f&*^'s sake

JXCgunrunna @ Mar 10th 2009 9:46PM

OMG CoD4/W@W doesnt have online splitscreen and halo 2 did. its the end of the gaming world. no. so maybe it will hurt sales some. my personal opinion is that if they can not do it right with the limitations of their engine or the hardware they are using, then dont put a halfassed version of it in. all or nothing.