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WiiU Game Pad- Possible uses? [roundtable]
 
So it seems people are still a little wary about what Nintendo's funky new controller is going to bring to the table. Many people are planting their foot firmly into the 'wait and see' camp regarding the potential of the device.

Nintendo have already showcased a few possibilities, but the what other untapped experiences could there be?


For example, I'd like to see the streaming ability expanded. We can already stream WiiU games to the tablet when the TV is otherwise occupied, so why not stream other things? More specifically, content from our 3DS units. The ability to play some of the 3DS's exclusive portable Virtual Console titles on a larger screen would appeal to many (I'm looking at you Stacheman!).

Or why not take it further? With the use of the TV as your top screen and the pad as the bottom screen, you can easily emulate DS/3DS games (although the 3D would have to be sacrificed).


So I put to Negative World, what are some of the creative possibilities you would like to see, either from novel use of the hardware or creative gameplay experiences?
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06/08/12, 02:13
 
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The first things that came to mind when I first saw it were "picking plays in Madden" and "use it as a Map/Subscreen." Those have been done a bunch already, haha.

We've also seen "use a scanner" type thing which is another good idea.

*Gimme a few minutes..*
*Thinking*

BOOM, got it:

1st person view in an otherwise Top Down world.
06/08/12, 02:26
@Mr_Mustache

That'd be neat. Saves having to constantly stop and change your view manually.

Fez on XBLA is a 2D platformer that unlocked a chunk of extra content when granted the ability to see the otherwise 2D world in first person. Your idea would have worked great for that.

Pick up the pad and simply move it around to peruse your surroundings. Sweet.
06/08/12, 02:29   Edit:  06/08/12, 02:30
Dungeon Master, Dungeon Master, Dungeon Master. In all types of scenarios and settings.

There are an incredible amount of asymmetrical possibilities. Tablet cloaked Predator vs. TV soldiers. Tablet trap-setter vs. TV spelunkers.

But what keeps coming to mind is some sort of card-flicking game. Sort of like Magic, but crossed with real-time action. So a bunch of monsters are coming towards you, you get a random shuffle of cards, and then you flick the Ice or Shield card at an incoming fireball, combine two Fire cards and then flick them at an ice monster to instantly melt it, combine the Poison card with an Area Effect card and shoot it out to cast a poison cloud, flick the Instant Hole card at the ground under a particularly nasty beast, and so on. With real-time results. I think that sounds really fun. Just like I always thought that a level-based WiiWare platforming game based on something like the swinging from the 3D Bionic Commando would have been fun.

But none of these possibilities will be realized, because publishers suck.
06/08/12, 02:51
I've said it before but...

Splinter Cell:

Sam Fischer on the Gamepad
Terrorists on the TV

Sam stalks terrorists.
Terrorists get scared.
06/08/12, 02:54
@Anand

I think we may see a lot of high tech TCG's. Like cards embedded with the same sort of tech as in the Spyro toys. You scan the cards and the battles play out onscreen.

And then publishers will make millions from selling booster packs of random cards. I can see them twirling their evil mustaches in glee now.
06/08/12, 02:59   Edit:  06/08/12, 02:59
@Shadowlink
Yeah, I thought about that possibility. It might happen, but it would be hella limiting!

NFC is pretty interesting. I haven't wrapped my head around it yet, though. Like the writability. That must have some cool applications.

Another potential usage is 'tablet-as-game-screen' for an NFC board game. No TV required.
06/08/12, 03:06
@Anand

I like to imagine that NFC gives the pads the ability to communicate and link with each other. And bringing five pads together results in the formation of a mini-Voltron.
06/08/12, 03:09
@Shadowlink

Oh geez, I totally forgot about the card scanning thing.

I don't think Anand was talking about actual cards as you are (but rather digital cards in a game), but I could totally see a popular card game taking off on the Wii U. Look at how much is sold WITHOUT a digital reader as such. Can you imagine Magic the Gathering, or something more like Yu-Gi-Oh or a BRAND NEW Pokemon Card game that scans in and works with the Wii U, and you can SEE (possibly predetermined, possibly not) battles / actions right on your TV screen?

My goodness, they're sitting on a billion dollar powder keg.
06/08/12, 03:09
@Mr_Mustache

Yup, I fully expect to see a new version of the Pokemon TCG to be the flagship title for this feature. Heck it might even get me back into the game if this gives us online play. I stopped collecting the original TCG because I had no-one to play with.

I want to re-create my awesome Water/Psychic deck.
06/08/12, 03:14
@Shadowlink

The thing I don't like about those games is how the black market? ruins everything. I hate that cards get so expensive, and then people buy them. There was a wrestling card game called Raw Deal than myself and TheOldManFromZelda played among other folks. I'm not sure if he ever went to a tournament, but I went with a couple other buddies a few times a month. Near the end, it got so freakin' hard to do anything, but their decks were JACKED with good stuff. I just played recently against another friend at our yearly Super Bowl Party, and my Chris Benoit deck DESTROYED him. I guess I built that one well enough (Benoit's deck has successful moves with an accumulation effect. The first successful move on a turn does +1, the second does +2 damage; hit 3 or 4 in a row and we're talking about some pretty big damage).
06/08/12, 03:22
@Shadowlink
Do you know what happens in the very first episode of the Japanese version of Voltron?
06/08/12, 03:23
@Anand

Shh! Don't say anything!

100% true, the guy at my comic store just loaned me Golion. Don't do it!
06/08/12, 03:25
*quivers*
06/08/12, 03:29
@Anand

Off the top of my head no....Why? (I haven't seen Voltron since I was about 5 or 6)
06/08/12, 03:33   Edit:  06/08/12, 03:34
I like the idea of using the tablet to write/type yourself notes, like in a Zelda game. You could put a little dot on the map that reminds you to come back later if something looks fishy.

It's a shame that there's no multitouch. It'd be cool to nagivate maps like you would on any other touch device (by pinching and zooming). That could be sweet for something like Metroid.
06/08/12, 03:48
It also has a censor bar on it... I'm sure someone can get creative with that right? maybe come out with a pen sized optical sensor and you wouldn't have to scratch up the screen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd3-eiid-Uw

maybe that can be taken to a new level with a portable sensor bar
Too bad they could put a sensor bar and/or camera on the back of controller

co-op level in a fps friend with controller is the sniper the guy with the tv is using motion plus/nunchuck

I wouldn't mind the Wii U being able to connect to a printer for any drawing games or for printing out any screen shots.

Using the camera and some software, quick data upload. Taking a picture of your credit credit to fill it out quickly. I realize nfc tech does this tooo right
06/08/12, 03:53   Edit:  06/08/12, 04:03
i just want to use it as an rpg inventory. im not really big on using it as a scanner, but maybe ill get used to it; who knows....

im terrible at making up game ideas, so i wont. i just hope they are creative and try hard NOT to use the gyro sensor. I hate when 3ds games try to force tilt gameplay on to me. sometimes i completely forget 3ds has motion controls.
06/08/12, 03:53
 
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