Free Radical: Wii need more power

Wii News | Ninty machine lacking necessary grunt for TimeSplitters team.

It's emerged that the Wii won't be seeing a version of Free Radical's promising FPS, Haze, after the team behind the project cited a lack of "cutting-edge technology" in Nintendo's next-gen console. Ouch.

In a FAQ on the Free Radical site (apparently published a few weeks ago - we apologise for our lateness), the Haze team have admitted that they'd be interested in doing a Wii version, if only the console was packing a little more power. "There are currently no plans for a Wii version of Haze," reads the FAQ, before delivering a punch to the gut of Nintendo's machine: "Sadly, the cutting-edge technology we're using requires more power than the Wii has available. If we could, we would."

Fortunately, the game is set to appear on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC at an unspecified date in the future (you can read what we thought of Haze when we played it at E3 here), and obviously this doesn't mean future Wii projects from the studio behind TimeSplitters and Second Sight are completely ruled out. For now though, it's looking as though Wii owners may have to look to Samus for their FPS thrills.

Related Haze Content

Haze Review
30 May, 2008 Better than a nectar overdose?

Haze bargain round-up
21 May, 2008 Hazy on which retailer has the best offer?

Ubisoft confirms whopping install for Haze
20 May, 2008 Be prepared to twiddle your thumbs.

PagePrevious 1 23

62 Comments

deaf_echo

5 years ago

Lets just stop all the bickering and go play some paintball!!
No mouse. No keyboard. No joypad. And no Wiimote

ObsoletE

5 years ago

ugh the boot wrote

I don't understand what you mean? With a mouse you've got a target on the screen (which is always near the middle of the screen), as soon as you look up, down, left or right the screen automatically starts to pan in that direction, right? Well what's to stop the wiimote from doing the same thing? As soon as you look left or right the screen starts to move and it's up to you to put the middle of the screen to where you want to be firing?!

Basically just imagine by default the laser pointer is fixed to the middle of the screen (where you gun etc is pointing) as soon as you move the pointer the screen moves in the same direction. The pointer always stays in the middle of the screen. How is that not possible with the wiimote? Also with the nunchuck add-on would make it much more comfortable than using a keyboard.

that sounds like how i imagine it being like a joystick.

i see a laser pointer control method as having a static image, and you point at what you want to shoot, so if there's an enemy in the top right corner, you point there and shoot. like virtua cop, or duck hunt, which probably would've been a more appropriate example.

the difference between joystick (and the way you describe the wiimote as working) control and mouse control is the stop-time. if you are using a mouse, you point at what you want, and stop, and the sight stops there. with a joystick, the input is continuous, so once you've sighted on your target, there is a slight lag as the stick returns to the dead zone. if the pointer is used to direct the screen, then there will be a similar lag as you return your hand to a neutral point, probably a little worse than a joystick in reality, as it wont be as easy to define the dead point.

again, i hope this makes sense.

this is kinda frustrating to me actually, i'm not really having a go at the wiimote in general, i can see it having great potential, and if the Star Wars Lightsaber thing is real, wow. but i just don't see it working exceptionally well for FPS games. not without some major innovation, or compromise.

Jim Dash

5 years ago

When I think of it compared to Virtua Cop, it doesn't excite me that much, that style of FPS.

Not to say it won't be great on Wii, just wasn't a fan of virtua cop. Gave you a bit of a workout though, compared to moving your thumbs.

wobbler

5 years ago

Ugh wrote "Basically just imagine by default the laser pointer is fixed to the middle of the screen (where you gun etc is pointing) as soon as you move the pointer the screen moves in the same direction. The pointer always stays in the middle of the screen. How is that not possible with the wiimote?"

If the laser or wiimote has moved, how can it possibly stay in the centre of the screen? I dont think using the Wiimote will only allow "on rails" games but will be more like Lost planets aiming system where the cursor can move over the screen to aim but when it gets near the edge of the screen tilting or panning occur so you can look around aswell.

I really do hope that mouse support will eventually be introduced to the 360 as it certainlly has the power to run games that require a top notch system to run on PC, but a keboard and a mouse are two different things that don't have to go together exclusively and it 'feels' just as natural using an analog controller in one hand and a mouse in the other hand for aiming. I have started to think that MS wont be introducing mouse support for ingame use as it would show that the level of difficulty in FPS on consoles has been 'adjusted' to compensate for the less acurate aiming mechanism IMO.

Jellyfish

5 years ago

Keyboard and Mouse support for a games console is a lose/lose situation. There will always be whiners, and it seems to be a small minority that wants it, and I personally think they shouldn't even consider it. Console are more for the casual gamer than the PC is, so they don't need to be complicating games further by adding a different control method.

Keyboards and mice should stay on the PC where the belong and leave poor consoles alone

wobbler

5 years ago

nikack wrote

... they don't need to be complicating games further by adding a different control method.

Naughty Nintendo, trying to bring in a different control method.

ugh the boot

5 years ago

wobbler wrote

If the laser or wiimote has moved, how can it possibly stay in the centre of the screen? I dont think using the Wiimote will only allow "on rails" games but will be more like Lost planets aiming system where the cursor can move over the screen to aim but when it gets near the edge of the screen tilting or panning occur so you can look around aswell.

I think obs explained it pretty well. The way you're looking at it is like a virtua cop style where you've pretty much got a target which you move within the screen, what i'm talking about is actually moving the screen itself whenever you move the wiimote. The thing obs said about deadzones makes sense cuz with a mouse you come to a complete stop when you move it over to the required position but if you were to point a device there it would need to move your hand back into the neutral position (wherever you configured the pointer to be at the center of the screen). I can see this being quicker than a joystick but also slower...it would depend on the individual user and how responsive they were to the actions on screen. I can imagine there being some real crack shots with this sort of method.

The problem with a mouse and keyboard setup is that you have to put them both down on something to be able to use them properly. This usally requires some sort of table or flat surface to put the mouse and keboard onto. I play all my games from the comfort of my bed! If I have to use a mouse and keyboard to play the game....then I won't bother! So even if you had a mouse in one hand and an analogue controller in the other...you would still need to put the mouse down on a flat surface. I think the wiimote will be allround one of the best ways of controlling FPS.

I also hope they never bring mouse and keyboard support to 360 games as it would be unfair for people not using that control method.

At the end of the day....FPS will still come out on consoles and a control pad will be what will be used to play them....so i'm happy.

wobbler

5 years ago

^ Fair enough, and I supose I will have to get used to the idea that if I want to play 1st or 3rd person shooters I will have to get the PC version. It would have been nice from my perspective to have a choice though since the 360 is such a great piece of hardware.

ugh the boot

5 years ago

I guess the only way to compromise would be to only allow for 1 control method when you're online but options when playing single player. e.g only control pad when playing multiplayer and choice of mouse/keyboard, gamepad or wiimote etc when playing story mode.

ObsoletE

5 years ago

as much as i like Mouse/Keyboard for FPS games, with the current focus on online consoles, i don't see many offering it as an input anymore, since a player using a mouse will beat a player using a control pad anyday (or should).

i think i mentioned it earlier, but Red Faction 2 on PS2 supported mouse/kb input, even on multiplayer, but due to the limited number of ports, only 1 player could use them, and they could easily slaughter the others no problem.

it's similar to when people started using the mouse in Doom, and keyboarders were convinced of hacks because they simply couldn't keep up with the turning.

MrAndyPuppy

5 years ago

I thought the way the wiimote worked was that you pointed to a spot on the screen - similar to being able to put the mouse cursor anywhere on the screen or a light gun in a game - while using the thumbstick on top to direct your motion. Isn't that what they were demo-ing with Zelda?

Zarnoss

5 years ago

I remember playing the Dreamcast online with keyboard and mouse on Unreal tournament....untouchable.

I reckon every console FPS should have an option to plug in a keyboard and mouse,especially when Vista comes out and we'll be playing against PC users on xbox 360.

EDIT:ooh just slipped in before me MrAndyPuppy

.
It's been a while since I've seen it but doesn't that metroid vid of the guy with the wiimote show him looking around in-game with the wiimote?
I remember that redsteel vid and that definately looked like the'virtua' cop sort of FPS.

ObsoletE

5 years ago

MrAndyPuppy wrote

in which case, it's essentially a control-pad control scheme, with the fine aim mode (that most console FPS games have) permanently on? (albeit, much more responsive.)

i can see this being pretty cool actually, although i imagine the learning curve for it would be quite high, you'll need to get used to controlling 3 things at once, rather than 2.

i still don't think it would be as responsive as a keyboard/mouse, but when mastered, would be considerably better than a control-pad.

another case of "wait and see"-itis.

PagePrevious 1 23

View as forum topic

Add Comment

Like this news?

Share it with this tiny url: http://palg.nu/1NC

| More

Haze

Pre-order or buy:
PALGN recommends: www.Play-Asia.com

Australian Release Date:
  22/05/2008 (Confirmed)
Standard Retail Price:
  $119.95 AU
Publisher:
  UBI Soft
Genre:
  Shooter
Year Made:
  2007
Players:
  1

Read more...