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The Wii Remote (also called the "Wii-Pointer" or, affectionately, the "Wii-Mote") is the controller for Nintendo's next generation console, named Wii. It has received attention for being unlike the controllers for any other popular gaming console. Nintendo reps have noted that the controller is still considered a prototype, as the possibility for major and minor changes exist.
Remote control design
The primary controller for Wii is not based on the traditional gamepad controller design of current gaming consoles, instead assuming a one-handed remote control-based design more familiar to the non-gaming public. This was done in part to appeal the console to a broader audience. Named the "Wii Remote" (often referred to as the "Wii-mote"), the controller communicates wirelessly with the console via short-range Bluetooth radio, with which it is possible to operate up to 4 controllers as far as 10 meters (approx. 33 ft.) from the console. The controller's symmetrical design allows it to be used left-handed or right-handed. The Wii Remote can also be turned on its side and used like a NES controller.
Power Source
The current design of the Wii Remote uses two AA batteries as a power source, which can power a Wii Remote for 60 hours using just the accelerometer functionality, and 30 hours using also the pointer functionality. For the Wii remote a direct recharging option has not been revealed. According to an interview with Nintendo industrial designer Lance Barr, limitations of the Wii Remote's expansion port make it unlikely that it will be used for internal battery charging. Nintendo of America's Senior Director of Public Relations, Beth Llewelyn, has stated that Nintendo "hasn't quite figured out what to do about power for the Remotes".Memory
The Wii-mote features 6KB of "non-volatile" memory. IGN Wii speculates that this "throwaway" memory may be used utilized for the internal speaker revealed at E3, or to store custom settings for the controller.Colors
Color variations at launch time are currently unknown; Nintendo has said that they are waiting for feedback before they confirm any of the colors. At E3 2006, Nintendo displayed white, black, and blue controllers.Functions
Sensing
The Wii Remote is also able to sense movement and orientation. Sensors in the Wii Remote allow it to sense linear motion along three axes, as well as tilt. The controller features has an optical sensor, allowing it to determine where it is pointing. This can cause some detection problems when bright or fluorescent lights are in the area, requiring the controller be calibrated to the sensor bar (see below). This is presumably because the controller uses the LEDs in the bar as a reference point.In addition, a sensor bar placed near and parallel to the display screen allows the Remote to be used as a pointer up to 5 meters (approx. 16.5 ft.) away. The bar itself is about 20 centimeters in diameter and features two sensors, one on each end.
This allows players to mimic actual game actions, such as swinging a sword or using a flashlight, instead of simply pushing buttons. An early marketing video showed actors miming such actions as fishing, cooking, drumming, conducting a string quartet, shooting a gun, sword fighting, and performing dental surgery.
Despite the controller's similarity to light guns, which are only compatible with standard-definition cathode ray tube televisions, Nintendo has stated that Wii and its controller will be compatible with all televisions including digital projectors.
Controller feedback
The Wii Remote also provides basic audio and force feedback functionality. At the 2006 E3 press conference, it was revealed that the Wii Remote has its own independent speaker on the face of the unit. This was demonstrated by a developer as he strung and shot a bow in Twilight Princess. The sound from both the Wii Remote and television was altered as the bow shot to give the impression of the arrow travelling away from the player. On July 14, 2006, IGN reported that despite having showed off the technology at E3, Nintendo has yet to provide developers with means to access the internal speaker functionality.Personalization
In an interview with Kotaku, Shigeru Miyamoto mentioned that, as it is hoped that every player in the household will ultimately have their own Wii Remote, one of Nintendo's ideas for the Wii Remote is the creation of personalized user profiles which are tied to individual Remotes.Controller expansions
The Wii Remote also features an expansion port at the bottom which allows various optional attachments to be added to the controller. The following attachments are currently known:
Nunchuk
The first attachment Nintendo revealed (in tandem with the controller itself, at the 2005 Tokyo Game Show) is a unit featuring an analog stick and two trigger buttons. It connects to main Wii Remote via a short cord, and its appearance while connected to the main controller has led it to become dubbed the "Nunchuk" controller. Like the Wii Remote, the Nunchuk controller also provides three-axis motion-sensing. Nintendo has confirmed that a Nunchuk controller will be bundled with the Wii console.The two shoulder buttons, named Z1 and Z2 respectively, had been reshaped and renamed since the Game Developers Conference. The top shoulder button, now called C, is a good deal smaller than the lower shoulder button, now called Z. The C button was oval shaped, while the Z button was a more traditional (and slightly larger) square.
Classic Controller
Nintendo had previously announced a controller "shell" which will resemble a traditional game controller, often referred to as a "classic-style expansion controller". As described at the time, the Wii Remote would slot inside this shell, allowing gamers to play games using a traditional-style gamepad, while leveraging the remote’s motion sensing capability. According to Satoru Iwata, it would be meant for playing "the existing games, virtual console games, and multi-platform games".During E3 2006 Nintendo introduced a Classic Controller, which plugs into the Wii Remote via a cord, similar to the Nunchuk controller. The classic controller showcased contains no space for the Wii Remote to slot inside, as previously described, but does contain notches on the backside, presumably for clipping the controller to something else. The purpose for these notches remains undisclosed.
The Classic Controller features two analog sticks, a D-pad, a, b, X, and Y buttons, L and R analog shoulder buttons and a Z button located next to the R shoulder button. Despite press material which indicates a Z button next to the L button (referred to as 'ZL'; the Z button on the right side referred to as 'ZR'), hands-on accounts from E3 have reported that the most recent design has no Z button on the left side. It also has a set of -, Home, and + buttons like those on the Wii-mote, with the - and + buttons labelled 'Select' and 'Start', respectively.
Wii Zapper
Nintendo has showcased a gun-like "Zapper" shell for the Wii Remote. The Wii Remote slots into the "gun barrel" of the shell. The shell features a "trigger hole", as well as an analog stick on the top of the handle. The controller expansion was reported by various gaming websites to be utilized for a Duck Hunt sequel.
References
Nintendo hardware | Game controllers | Wii | Pointing devices
"Wii Remote"