Topic: So I finally got to try out the Wii

[Ian Sane]

EB in my area finally got a demo unit so I gave it a whirl on Friday.  Excitetruck was the only game available.

ExciteTruck seems like a fun rental game.  Nothing really amazing but I enjoyed it.  I seemed to have a lot of difficulty keeping my truck on the damn road.  Either it's going to take some time for me to get used to the controller or the controller's sensitivity wasn't set very well.  It felt like the slightest movement sent me off the side of the road so I'm guessing the sensitivity was the problem.  Unfortunatley I only got to place one race as my brother was with me and wanted to get lunch and acted like a big assh0le to get me off the machine.

ExciteTruck doesn't seem like an ideal game to demo the system with.  I really want to try WiiSports which the EB guy was raving about.  While playing I never felt like the controller made the game better.  I honestly wanted to just play it with a Cube controller.  But then again that might just be because of incorrect sensitivity.  If the controls were smooth I would probably think differently.

So my first impression of the Wii is sadly very inconclusive.  I have to say though that Nintendo needs to rethink their plan regarding in-store demos.  They need better demonstrations.  A game like ExciteTruck would probably work just as well on a normal controller and since no one I know owns a Wii I can't play it as it is meant to be played.  There was also no indication that the demo was even playable.  I knew, because of this thread, to ask at the counter for the controller.  My brothers were there a week before (lousy snow prevented me from trying it sooner) and didn't play it because they saw no controller and didn't know to ask about it.  There was no sign or anything.  That might be EB's decision but Nintendo should do something about it.  People need to know they can try the Wii out.

[Smash_Brother]

ET is a piss poor choice to use as the demo game, but the problem is, Wii Sports would require a large amount of space and would likely still cause many injuries due to people whacking each other in the face.

I've played both for a decent amount of time and let me say that Sports is the game which REALLY sells the Wii. In fact, the sooner Nintendo gets demo discs out to Wii kiosks, the better. It's just a conflict of interests for them because they need to show off what the Wii can do but breaking the noses of the people around the player runs counter to their goal of showing you how much fun it can be.

Check out WiiHaveaProblem to see some of the more extensive damage done by callous use of the Wiimote.

[NWR_pap64]

Quote
Originally posted by: Smash_Brother
ET is a piss poor choice to use as the demo game, but the problem is, Wii Sports would require a large amount of space and would likely still cause many injuries due to people whacking each other in the face.

I've played both for a decent amount of time and let me say that Sports is the game which REALLY sells the Wii. In fact, the sooner Nintendo gets demo discs out to Wii kiosks, the better. It's just a conflict of interests for them because they need to show off what the Wii can do but breaking the noses of the people around the player runs counter to their goal of showing you how much fun it can be.

Check out WiiHaveaProblem to see some of the more extensive damage done by callous use of the Wiimote.

I'm guessing the reason they didn't go for Wii sports in the demo units was because they feel its pointless to demo a game you will get when you buy the console. I think Nintendo is banking on the hardcore to show off Wii sports to their friends and family, convincing THEM to go out and pick up a Wii.

Maybe they want Excite Truck to get a bit more time in the spotlight because it is bound to get ignored by the hardcore. ET is also one of the games Nintendo shows off as being one of massive appeal. I know in the Nick at Nite segments they showed off Excite Truck while in one of their commercials they show it off as well.

[couchmonkey]

Nintendo should be getting Wii Sports kiosks out there, I have to agree with Smash Bro, it's the game that proves the concept.  One could argue that it's a "tech demo", but it's an extremely good one.  Edit: Nintendo was absolutely in the right packing it in with the system, it turns every single Wii owner into a potential sales person for Wii.

[Ian Sane]

"I'm guessing the reason they didn't go for Wii sports in the demo units was because they feel its pointless to demo a game you will get when you buy the console."

That makes no sense.  If I'm playing a demo in store odds are I don't have a Wii and thus can't try out WiiSports.  If anything demoing it would be better for sales (not that it matters right now since the console is hard to find) because then you get the "I buy this system and I get THIS game that I've fallen in love with in the last few minutes FREE?!!" effect.  I remember as a kid playing Sonic the Hedgehog on a demo Genesis in a store and the fact that Sonic came with the console just made me want to get it even more.  What a WiiSports demo machine does is it tells the person using it that with one purchase they can do this at home any time they want.

I am aware of the issue of people hitting each other with remotes but honestly I could do something stupid like that anywhere.  If I buy a hockey stick I hold it in my hands as if I'm playing hockey and will swing it around a bit.  If someone stupidly goes behind me or I don't pay attention *WHAM*.  It's just a risk Nintendo has to take I think.  DDR COULD be a potential hazard but it's in every arcade and Konami isn't getting hit by lawsuits left and right.  At Best Buy last year they had those awesome Star Wars replica lightsabres for demo use.  I grabbed one and started swinging it.  I could have creamed someone if they were stupid enough to get in my personal space.  

[Smash_Brother]

A DDR machine confines you to a specific space.

Someone swinging a toy lightsaber isn't supposed to be doing that.

Someone swinging a Wiimote around is using the product as intended.

For a brand new console, it wouldn't take much bad press before people started badmouthing it, calling it unsafe for use and how your children will knock each other's teeth/eyes out while playing it. ET was chosen because it's safe.

[Crimm]

I can attest I have taken a Wii Pointer to the face from someone playing Wii Sports baseball.

[Rhoq]

Actually, I think the reason Nintendo features Excite Truck at the playable demo kiosks is because it's the only game currently available in North America which is controlled solely with the Wii-mote. A nunchuck attachment is required for Wii Sports Boxing and every other Wii launch title. Adding a nunchuck into the mix would mean there is something extra that the store has to keep an eye on, plus replace if it were to break.

[Smash_Brother]

THDJ doesn't use the chuck, but it's the only 1st party title, yes.

[Rhoq]

Quote
Originally posted by: Smash_Brother
THDJ doesn't use the chuck, but it's the only 1st party title, yes.

I totally forgot about Tony Hawk. Technically, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz could be played with just a Wii-mote (as long as only the main portion of the game is demoed). But yes, Nintendo wants to showcase their own software and Excite Truck is the only game that can achieve Nintendo's goal (to demo the Wii with as little extra equipment as possible). I wouldn't be surprised if all Wii demos are limited to Wii-mote only titles in the future.

[trip1eX]

Nothing wrong with the controls in Excite Truck.  Must be the player.  

[decoyman]

I'm 99% certain it's NOT because one of the games in the Wii Sports pack requires the nunchuck. It's called a demo for a reason – the whole game doesn't have to be included. Just showcase a few sports – tennis, baseball and bowling, how 'bout.

I think the REAL reason they chose ET is because of space concerns. Not only is there the danger of someone getting whacked upside the head (there's a difference between smacking a stranger with the remote in a public place and smacking your brother with the remote in your house). There's also the problem with these stores being small, and having to use every cubic foot of wall space and display space to pack in products to sell. If they have to devote a sixth of their store to display games (a very realistic estimate, considering the sizes of game stores), it's not surprising that the game chosen to be displayed is one which doesn't encourage wild motions with the remote.

Really, though, I agree that Wii Sports is THE title that will get people excited about the Wii MUCH faster than Excite Truck. This is a tough situation Nintendo's got here.  

[Ian Sane]

"I wouldn't be surprised if all Wii demos are limited to Wii-mote only titles in the future."

I woudln't be surprised if that did happen but if it does I would consider it a huge waste of marketing potential.  If the demo units can only demo certain types of games then they're pretty much useless and Nintendo needs to think of something else.  Or put the demos in bigger stores like Wal-Mart and Best Buy where there is room.

I think they probably could just make a platform in similar size to the DDR platform.  You pretty much need that kind of space for a demo anyway.  You can't have the player jammed against the screen.  The player stays on that platform and then people will naturally not get in the way.  Hell it could be like 2cm off the ground and that alone would naturally keep people out of that space.

Regarding the controller parts I don't see why they can't find a way to permenantly fasten the two parts together for demos.

No one is going to buy a Wii for ExciteTruck.  It's just a PS3 or Xbox 360 game with weaker graphics and a control g!mmick.  And if they limit themselves to remote-only games that make no use of the remote not only will they not be showcasing the actual strengths of the system but I imagine that months and maybe even over a year could go by with no games coming out that meet these strict requirements.

I don't have an ideal solution but what they have now is broken.

"Someone swinging a toy lightsaber isn't supposed to be doing that."

What the hell do YOU think a toy lightsaber is for?

[Smash_Brother]

Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane What the hell do YOU think a toy lightsaber is for?

Star Wars movie midnight showings?

The point is, yes, you're tempted to swing them around, but doing so in a store is still frowned upon while doing so in a store with a Wiimote is standard procedure for playing the games, hence why there will be a great deal more of it happening.

[zakkiel]

Anyway, you are correct: Excite Truck is not a proof-of-concept game for the remote. I'm betting MP3 will be the first real proof-of-concept, in that it will be the first game to make you think, "Wow, I really couldn't have this much fun with a regular controller." Although Madden apparently is so good, it already fills that role for sports fans. Wii Sports is awesome and necessary, but Nintendo needs that smash hit that absolutely relies on the new control scheme.

[RickPowers]

There's a pretty easy explanation for this.  Zelda sells itself.  Wii Sports sells itself (since it's included).  ExciteTruck needs a little help.

That said, I fully agree that showing Wii Sports would certainly lead to more hardware sales.  However, at this juncture, the hardware doesn't need the help either.  But ExciteTruck does.

[Viewtiful mario]

Well Ian, I must say your first Wii experiance was exactly like mine.  I hated exite truck when I first played it and knew it I would never buy that game no matter how many features it had, but I still gave the Wii a chance since I was impressed on how well the pionter worked.  When I got one, well, that was a different story.

As of now, it can't be too much of a threat because if someone decides to buy a wii now they won't be able to find one. by the time they get enought to satsfy the new demand... ah who am I kidding, they need to find a way to attatch the Wii mote to both a nunchuck and the demo unit because it seems all non racing games seem to use it.

Too many Wii games use it if you ask me.

[Shecky]

Ian, want a much better impression... Try _all_ the tutorials with the best rated truck in control (the first one IIRC)

It really makes a difference.

[trip1eX]

WiiSports is a better 'demo' of the system.  But no company can have people swinging the wiimote around in their store.  This would be a good question to ask Reggie though to get the official word.

ExciteTruck takes about 3 races to keep your truck on the road.  And you still might find yourself attempting to use the dpad to steer.  It's a really fun game.  It wouldn't nearly as fun with an analog stick imo.  

 

[Deguello]

I know Ian thinks his opinion is worth his own thread, but is there a general "I tried a Wii" thread that already exists that some mod more talented than I can merge this with?  And if not can we make this the one?

"g!mmick"

And Ian, I know I have been riding you pretty hard, but this shows two things.  1) You know there is a word filter.  2) You are consciously trying to subvert it.  I know a third thing.  This word is blocked because you used it too much in 2004 describing the DS and how it was going to fail and the PSP was going to beat it back when you cared about Nintendo's success in the market, but that's another episode.  Find new words, preferably words you haven't stripped the meaning of through repetition.

[IceCold]

So why don't we drop !t, shall we?

[Artimus]

I got my first hands on today too! I went to a mall tour thingy. Unfortunately it wasn't a great experience because I barely got to actually play. I played someone in boxing by my wiimote was screwy and only my left hand would work. Then we tried to play baseball but obviously I couldn't without a wiimote. So I had to give it up as it wasn't working (I say low batteries as the other bunch all worked). Then I got to play SMB which instantly had me agreeing with the criticisms leveled against it. It was just too hard to control vertically. Sadly I didn't get to play bowling like I really wanted (I passed on Excite truck as I'm not too interested in it). However, my actual impressions of that non-playtime were great (and if I could've had a working wiimote I would've enjoyed it I'm sure). The system still gets me as being so tiny, even though I knew how big it was going in. The wiimote was smaller than I though too. I found it and the nunchuck to be very very comfortable. I thought the graphics were crisp and clear (component cables) and I have no issue with them (I still think the Mii design is stupid, though, the same effect could've been achieved much more artistically). Everyone playing really seemed to be enjoying, too. An older guy was playing golf and oddly enough he was underplaying it at first. It wasn't until the lady came over and showed him how to do bigger motions that he really got it. Then another random older guy came over and they began discussing each shot as he made it! Was neat to see. I got a free wrist strap too (not the one you get in the box, this is white with Wii all over it and has a different type of end on it). I found it amusing, though, because they were double strapping the wiimotes!  

[GoldenPhoenix]

I'm going to have disagree in that I think Excite Truck is a great game to demo. The game is simple and intuitive to pick up and play with action right from the get go, it usually seems to hook people who have played it, and that IMO is what a game should be that is demoed.