Wii Don't Need No Crappy Controls!

Although I am excited about the Wii and its many gameplay possibilities, I will be the first to admit that there are going to be some serious obstacles with games on it. Already we are seeing the hype fade, and some issues with controls are appearing for Splinter Cell: Double Agent, and Metal Slug Anthology. I think we are going to have to go through a “learning” period, as developers get used to the idea of motion controls. So listen up developers, because this one’s for you. By taking some things we have learned from the DS, here are five things to remember to keep the Wii controller interface fresh and above all, fun.

Don’t force it
Motion controls aren’t always necessary. This is the first and most important lesson you must learn, just because you are developing for a system that sports a groundbreaking motion sensing system, you aren’t required to develop your interface around it. Any DS owners out there will know exactly what I’m talking about. This rule will apply most to ports (Splinter Cell: DA) and re-releases (Metal Slug Anthology). First of all, if you are porting a game that uses the traditional pad-stick-button-trigger combo, don’t forget that the Wii can use the Gamecube controller. You don’t necessarily have to require your consumers to buy it, but I have an inkling that Wavebirds will be extremely easy to find, and that Nintendo will probably release a Wii-branded Wavebird, so lots of people will have them. I’ve heard that the new Smash Brothers game will utilize the Gamecube controller. Just because it’s from the previous Nintendo console, doesn’t mean we’ve forgotten how to use it. As for re-releases like Metal Slug, if I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times: Add all the new features/control interfaces you want, but always, ALWAYS leave the original version intact and unadulterated. This applies to you too, XBLA.

Give your controls the time they deserve
Forget what you’ve learned about making a good controller interface. It used to be a couple of game producers could sit in a room for a couple of hours with a controller and bang out a simple, easy to use control system. They could even start with one of the many standard templates we’ve learned to love. But alas! No more. Be prepared to spend a significant amount of time in planning, developing, testing, tweaking, and retesting your control system, at least, if you want your game to be good. Controls need more attention if you are going to want to develop a fun, easy to use way to control your game. After all, that’s what it all boils down to. A game is only as fun as it is to control.

Variety is the Spice of Life
Torn between several ways to control your game? How about you just include them all and decide on a default way to control your game. Giving gamers more ways to control your game is never a bad thing, just keep in mind that each different motion control method will add development and testing time to your project, but not a whole lot. Also, if possible, a non motion control alternative wouldn’t be a bad idea. Simple button press commands won’t require as much testing time, and will provide even more choice to your gamers. A step above that would be to allow us to remap the button presses as we see fit. Why don’t all games do that? Providing choice is always a good thing.

Think outside the box
Obviously if you want to make a game on the Wii, you are ready to do something new and creative. You are doing something new and creative aren’t you? Regardless, don’t let yourself be caught in control conventions. I understand the Wii hasn’t come out yet, but eventually, we will start to see standard ways to use motion control. Don’t be afraid to try new things, like 2 Wii-motes per player (Remember the drum playing promo video?), or what about a party game where gamers must swap nunchucks? How about packing in special Wiimote holders to make your controller feel like its video game counterpart. It won’t be long before we see a gun game that comes with a pistol grip that snaps onto the Wii-mote. I know my ideas aren’t that great, but if I was a creative type I wouldn’t be a gamer, I’d be a game maker. My point remains however, that this console was made to encourage creative development, so be creative in your controls.

Don't reinvent the wheel
This is one of the first things you learn as a developer. As you develop and create games, use what you have learned in previous projects as a basis for your current project. AiLive has the right idea. I'm not saying their middle-ware solution is for everyone, but the idea is the same. Motion controls are a completely different animal than traditional controls, so you should not underestimate their importance or development time. By adding on to your own modular interface libraries, you can cut down on development time in the future, and use code that has been tested many times over. Really this advice applies to any kind of development/programming. But it's important and practical.

So there you have it. Five lessons you must learn. Now go make me a game!