Feature: Could the Wii U revolutionize sci-fi video games?
Who hasn’t, when they were a kid, imagined they were a space commander, whipping round a toy building brick as if it was some sort of high tech device? Or tapped away at the remote controller to send urgent messages back to the space base?
Okay, that was probably just me, but the Wii U has the potential to create an intense sci-fi experience in a videogame by bringing the player closer to the sci-fi world. How?
The Wii U’s touch screen has opened up a plethora of options for game developers that could enhance a sci-fi video game, turning a mere controller to a HUD device, a sensor scanner, or a communicator. Aliens: Colonial Marines is one sci-fi video game that shows developers’ creative juices are already running.
Last year, Randy Pitchford of Gearbox Software spoke about some ideas they were tossing around about how the Wii U’s controller could be implemented in the game. One of those was using the controller as a motion tracker that could track the locations of friends and foes. Players could do a sweep of the area which would involve them moving the controller to search for enemies who would show up as blips on its screen.
Another idea that Pitchford came up with was using the controller screen as a device that would unlock doors and codes, which would make for some interesting minigames. The touchscreen seems like it’s going to be a perfect match for unique in-play minigames. It would also be interesting to see the Wii U’s controller being used to scan objects in game with the results being shown on the touchscreen.
Should the new Star Trek game grace the Wii U, the controller could replicate some of the high-tech devices used in the show such as the screen being used as a GPS tracker or the mic for communication or receiving messages from Starfleet Command or the ship.
Little touches like that would create quite a special sci-fi video gaming experience; and hopefully, developers will take note and find more interesting ways to use the Wii U’s controller.
How do you think the Wii U’s controller will revolutionize video games?
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as a true gamer ( a anti hardlycore) i myself think the same thing but there’s a big BUT that’s 3rd party ignorance they still haven’t embraced the wii remote and pointer and wm+ so don’t hold your breath with the wii u pad
im hoping both wm+ with the pointer and the wii u pad are used fully im sick of waiting wm+ has somuch more to offer never mind the wiiu pad
Man! I couldn’t have said it any better. The developers lack of utilizing the highly potential wm+ this generation is disgusting. I really hope I don’t get a bunch of third party games that use the touchpad for a map or inventory.
I just finished playing Red Steel 2. Very Impressed with the use of the wii motion plus. Made the FPS feel refreshing again.
I hope for Red Steel 3 with realistic graphic, the modern setting of red steel 1, and more polished use of the wm+. And much more… In the meantime I would like to conduct a list called “WHY WEREN’T THESE GAMES DEVELOPED” see my next comment section.
WHY WEREN’T THEY DEVELOPED LIST – (Feel Free to add to the list.)
Time Crisis with Wii Balance Board
Wm+ Boxing Game
Elebits 2 w/ wm+.
Pilot Wings
Star Fox
Portal
Half the Mini games in Wii Sports resort could have been into a real game
Resident Evil 5 or Original Title using RE4 engine. The RE4 remake was so well done. It sold a million plus copies. Why not make another one?! Really disappointed in capcom for sleeping on the wii. Oh yea and for reselling the same game that could have been given DLC…
Original star wars game w/ wm+. If you played Red Steel 2 you can see how badass starwars game could’ve been built ground up for the wii. So obvious.
That’s what’s great about Wii U, it can utilize all of the Wii’s peripherals meaning not only could games have these ideas set out on this article but could also use Motion+, balance board. Maybe a mixture of them all, like the Wii gun they could build one that securely fastens the tablet to the Wiimote. And use the balance board as a kind of Time Crisis thing.
Industry developers are slow. They don’t know how to take advantage of their advantages. $30 million a game, and most of them are not something we’re asking for. If people beg a game, give it to them.
Holy crap, those Ideas are awesome! I know there will come a Star Fox game, just read this article, it would be perfect.
On the topic of Star Trek, a bridge simulator where multiple players did their job from the UPad and the big screen was the view screen would be amazing. Here’s hoping for multipe controller support.
And if all else fails, Endless Space, man. Endless Space.
Kirk to Enterprise. Repeat, Kirk to Enterprise. Beam us up, Mr. Scott.
But seriously, this could be awesome for that Star Trek game! Communicators, tricorders, etc.
I’ve got some ideas for this:
1) Make the GUI for the tablet look like the Enterprise’s GUI from The Next Generation.
2) Have a special skin/case for the tablet to make it look Trek-y.
3) Use technology similar to Siri to speak into the tablet and ask “computer” questions like they did in the TV series.
4) Tricorder or communicator.
5) Ship navigation?..
Metroid. Wii U controller. New visors. 360-degree scanning. Calling for Samus’ ship. Controlling Samus’ ship. Painting Samus’ suit. Hacking into space pirate drones. Posting achievements on Facebook. Using the controller’s built-in web browser to connect to a real-life database that acts as Samus’ HQ database. Online multiplayer action with live video chat option. Yes.
The Wii U and Metriod are a perfect match. I am totally for all those ideas. How about when you scan, the wii u screen not only shows the still shot picture of what you scanned but it displays the text on the controller and says it in the traditional female voice. (Maybe just read the highlights of the scan object. Saying everything aloud would be annoying) This would allow for a smooth transition in gameplay not stopping all the time. Hell, why not allow multiple scanning. Display the multiple still shots of what you scanned and select them later in a gallery format. Potential Time baby!
i don’t now if you remember the rumor that the new Nintendo would be a helmet an it was being developed specially to metroid… i think that the 360 was the original idea. But how could you combine the mp3 shooter with the wii U’s controler?
360 view!