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Will Pointer/Wii U controls make 'AAA' FPS games any more appealing to you? [roundtable]
 
I know we have a lot of current FPS haterz around here (I might even include myself in that category), so I have a question for these folks: Supposing that the Wii U actually GETS the big FPS games that are coming to the other consoles, will Pointer/Gamepad controls make you any more likely to give them a shot?

Watching a Borderlands 2 preview (on X-Play) started me on this train of thought. What I played of the first game was decent, but I think that I would honestly have much more fun if I could actually aim and shoot my zillion weapons with the Wiimote. AND if I could seamlessly take care of all of the inventory/map/quest/customization shit on a nearby Gamepad-on-a-stand. We already know that Gearbox is open to Nintendo consoles. Hell, on that episode, Randy Pitchford pretty much did a PERFECT run on World 1-1 of Super Mario Bros. This seems like a natural fit to me, and a real enhancement, honestly. Of course, dual analog could be an option.

I mean, FPS games never really got much of a shot on Wii. The system had some decent ones, but none of the exclusives were unqualified successes, and the ports were never at parity with their big brothers. This could be the pointer-based FPS genre's real chance to make a case for itself. As far as I'm concerned, it already has, because, although I didn't LOVE any of the Wii FPS games, I DID think that the controls in many were near-perfect. With customization. And I genuinely believe that, with enough robust customization options (for example, I often set the vertical speed to almost zero, disabled scrolling, expanded the bounding box to the whole screen, reduced it to nothing, etc.), almost anyone could find a fun, intuitive control scheme which would be perfectly tailored to their playstyle. Even Stephen.

Back to the topic, RE6 could definitely hit the system, eventually. Would you wait for a well-done Wii U version? I personally never even considered getting the 360 version of RE5, partially because I thought the demo was abysmal and partially because of the existence of the Move-enabled PS3 version.

And then there's the biggest elephant in the room: Black Ops II. EVEN THOUGH the single-player demo of Modern Warfare 3 that I just played on 360 was utter horseshit, I still have some interest in this game. For all of the talk about the Vita version, Treyarch might have just given Wii U something of a killer app. A huge, free online game at launch with full Wii controller support and tons of modes, including a sweet co-op mode where each player has his own individual display of the action. Plus, Treyarch is saying the right things about the changes that they've made to the formula. AND they already have tons of Wii development experience. I'm actually... kind of considering it? That might just indict me as a fanboy, once and for all, but I really think it could turn out to be something special. Possibly even the best version of the game. Maybe even the preferred one? (Seriously, for how long are people going to be happy to pay for online play?)

But what would REALLY get me on board is a Nintendo-published/funded/resurrected TimeSplitters 4 from the remnants of Free Radical. My wishes for Nintendo to get Monster Hunter and support from Platinum have already come true. Just one more recommendation to go...

Seriously, I think that would be a brilliant move. It would be the most unique, robust, and well-suited-to-the-platform FPS game that they could pick. And if Bayonetta 2 caused such a ruckus, can you IMAGINE the tsunami of fanboy tears that the announcement would cause?

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09/24/12, 03:52    Edited: 09/24/12, 14:19
 
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I really enjoyed FPS on the Wii. Call of Duty: World at War was one of my favorites for the multiplayer. The controls were awesome. Same with Metroid Prime 3. I felt the controls for most games (at least ones you could customize) were on par with using a mouse and keyboard. If the WiiU used those same controls, with the option of using the Wablet's dual analog too, I'd be fine with that. If that's the case, I may never buy a FPS on the computer again.

I'm a terrible dual analog-er for FPS. I just don't have the finesse.
09/24/12, 17:42   
it all depends on the game for me, honestly. borderlands 1 and 2 would be terrible with IR i think.

Dont get me wrong, i loved certain first person games with it, such as metroid prime trilogy. Man those games were so amazing with it. A game about exploration and some combat would be great for it. I think a game like skyrim or oblivion would be amazing with IR aiming, but a hectic game like borderlands does not, IMO...

Maybe I am just not good enough with IR aiming? Slower games are fine, like metroid, but i had a hard time with COD on wii.
09/24/12, 18:03   
Yes. That seems like the perfect setup, having wiimote + nunchuck pointer, with the gamepad on the stand showing the map and information.
09/24/12, 18:10   
@anon_mastermind

Obviously I'll have to try it to know for sure, but I feel like pressing a button to have a map or score overlay is less intrusive than having to look down at a screen on a stand.
09/24/12, 19:42   
Yeah, if we can get someone who has played Pikmin 3 to comment, how does it feel?
09/24/12, 19:48   
They didn't demonstrate that at E3.
09/24/12, 19:54   
@anon_mastermind

I don't have much to go on, since I played a boss battle and barely used the map for it, but it didn't strike me as much different than when some games put the map on the lower screen on the DS.

I suspect some people will like how it doesn't stop the flow of the game to check the map, and others will resent having to look away from the main screen at all. And the second group will complain. Loudly.

Best solution? Offer both.
09/24/12, 19:57   
As an FPS hater, I'm going to have to say, "No." My dislike of the genre has nothing to do with input choices. I'm glad y'all will have a greater variety of games on the Wii, but I probably won't be buying one, no matter what controller is supported. It's just not my scene.

As an on-topic side-note, weren't there were a couple Wii games that offered a variety of input options? I hope the programers give you lots of options!
09/24/12, 22:07   
I don't know if it would actually make me start caring about FPS and I doubt I'd run out and buy a COD game or anything, but it could get me interested in games I'm on the edge of taking the plunge in.

@Stephen I honestly don't think this is a big issue, half the buttons in the normal FPS I have played are for choosing weapons (Zelda solved that with pointer), melee combat (waggle is fine for this), um... I dunno, a grenade or something, etc.

As for having to interfere with aiming um... if a person was switching out weapons, engaging in melee, or throwing a grenade in real life... they couldn't continue aiming their gun perfectly while doing so. That doesn't even make sense.
09/24/12, 22:27   
Edited: 09/24/12, 23:06
I totally forgot BO2 will support Wiimote controls. It's gonna be fuckin' amazing.
09/24/12, 23:01   
@carlosrox

Weird I didn't even think it would. Crazy.
09/24/12, 23:02   
@warerare
Same here. Completely unexpected. But Treyarch have proven they give an actual shit unlike IW and others.
09/24/12, 23:05   
@carlosrox

I am just about to add Black Ops to my rental queue with blockbuster, considering adding the Wii version instead of PS3 to check out the controls.
09/24/12, 23:12   
@Zero

Having reload matched to waggle (like in the RE Chronicles games) shouldn't be an issue for Stephen. You're not shooting whilst reloading anyway, so you can use the animation time to realign your cursor.

Melee on the Nunchuck waggle again doesn't interfere with aiming and is much faster and more intuitive than pushing a button.

Action/Sprint on the A button, duck & grenade on Z/C on the 'chuck, weapon change on the D pad or +/-....

Then we have 1 and 2. Actually the more I think about it, there are a TON of button inputs, and more than enough to cater for most if not all shooter actions. I know I never had an issue in GoldenEye. Toss in customisation on top of that....


Stephen be crazy.
09/24/12, 23:33   
09/24/12, 23:39   
Haha, I like how this thread has turned into an indictment of Stephen.


Seriously.
09/24/12, 23:51   
09/24/12, 23:55   
@Anand

It doesn't have to be that way!

He just has to be less wrong.

@kriswright

lulz. Is that a new one, or just an old one that I don't remember?
09/24/12, 23:56   
Edited: 09/24/12, 23:57
@Shadowlink

It's an old one that I never posted. I think I was having some problem with the image, but it looks alright to me.
09/24/12, 23:59   
I suppose Wiimote aiming would make the genre more inviting to me. I dug the controls for Metroid Prime Trilogy, as well as Red Steel 2. Even though the FPS genre doesn't interest me much, generally speaking.

IR aiming is awesome for third person shooters, though. I think Resident Evil 4 proved that well enough.
09/25/12, 00:14   
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