SSX Blur: Analyzing the controls
by Zack Stern 
{ Mar 31st 2007 at 8:00PM }
With the Wii's focus on controls, how does a franchise like SSX handle the transition? Snowboarding -- and Wii-only SSX Blur -- lacks a direct relation to the Wii's motion sensitivity, but the game still translates to hand movements. The steering mechanic, which relies on Nunchuk twists, fits well; it even seems like it had always been a part of SSX.
The tricks, however, are mixed; simple remote flicks feel like a gimmick, while drawing shapes for Ubertricks only works some of the time. Overall, the controls work well enough to keep me playing, but I sometimes stop in frustration after consecutive, unrecognized moves.
As far as graphics, sound, and other review standards, those all hold up in Blur, but aren't my focus in this analysis. (Look up scored reviews for other opinions.) Instead, I'll further explain how Blur translates a thumbstick-and-button game into a tilt-and-flail experience.
Gallery: SSX Blur
I've been playing Blur since its release, unlocking all of the runs and many of the game's extra features. The steering controls feel natural; I just gently roll the Nunchuk to turn and push the thumbstick for a little extra movement. Blur lets users change the balance between the thumbstick and motion controls from being even to turning one up all the way and the other off. I ticked the default up slightly, emphasizing the motion while reducing the thumbstick.
Unlike basic steering, the tricks feel more detached from the game. Players flick the Remote in different directions to flip or twist. However, I often feel like I'm swinging the WIi Remote randomly for these basic moves; Remote flailing may be the successor to button mashing.
The precise Ubertricks -- which require drawing certain shapes with just the Remote or both controllers together -- sometimes work well and sometimes don't. I like the challenge of drawing hearts and loops in the air because it feels like an accomplishment when performed properly. (People who don't like drawing hearts in the air might as well eat kittens.) These shapes are far from the random flailing sense of normal flips and spins.
But even after many hours with the game, the Ubertrick recognition still feels too loose. Sometimes, I can't do a single trick after many successive attempts. Thankfully, Blur lets players practice these finicky tricks whenever paused, so I can re-learn them even in the middle of a run. Other times, the game credits me for a different Ubertrick that has similar shapes as the one I'm trying to perform. Maybe it thinks I'm close enough, and it wants to keep encouraging my spastic gestures.
Blur's gesture recognition is usually close, but it has enough disparity between my motions and its response to sometimes be frustrating. I still have fun playing Blur -- the physicality of the Wii complements action sports -- but it's a game I recommend with caveats. Hopefully the gesture recognition will be tuned in future games and isn't a hardware limitation of the Wii.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
JPElles @ Apr 1st 2007 2:44AM
I have had no problems with doing any of the ubers withing about 4 hours of gameplay.
I can do all ubers with out fail. The slolem is annoying. And some of the motions could be better but overall I loved it.
They got it 90% right as far as im concerned. It could be tighter I agree. But I have never had to go back and relearn the ubers.
Hunter @ Mar 31st 2007 10:21PM
I found that once I got my head around the fact that the trick does not occur until after A is released I was more consistant at Ubers. It then becomes a matter of timeing what I figure is happening is you hold A to tell the game hey I am going to draw a shape now releasing A tells it you are done. When you do it and do not release A at the right time your shape is not one it recognizes and the Uber fails.
Zach @ Mar 31st 2007 8:31PM
I rented it, played for a few hours, then sent it back. I thought the trick implementation was terrible, but the moving was incredible. The graphics are great, but the rest was just terrible....I have always loved the SSX games, this one was a huge dissapointment.
Shagittarius @ Mar 31st 2007 8:39PM
A good game transcends any control scheme to become more than the experience of simply interacting with it.
Its this statement that a game is more than your interraction that more than proves that motion controls are just the latest gimmik in games.
A better game is not going to be had through improving the control scheme, a great game transcends its control scheme. When your playing a game you never stop to think about the control scheme, your too busy being immersed in the role of your character.
The Wiimote doesn't make gameplaying more immersive it simply changes the nature of the interface. Instead of thinking 'which button do i push' your thinking 'which way do I move the controller' to make the action occur.
THe Wiimote is no better at immersing the player in the game than a traditional controller. IN fact more to the point beacuse the control scheme steps beyond the accepted and known controls it does more to remove the player from suspension of disbelief.
The Wiimote is a step backwards in the evolution of gaming, its a blatant gimmik that attempts to appeal to those who don't know any better, the casual gamers. Casual gamers are looking for an excuse to immerse themselves in the virtual worlds that hardcore gamers have been enjoying for years, but they fear the fact that it takes actual work to compete with the big dogs.
So here we come to the dumbing down of games to appeal to the mass market. Nintendo is the biggest negative to the game market since open liscensing on the atari 2600 destroyed the fragile game market back in the 80's.
Stay away from Nintendo, do your part to support quality games, not just gimmiks and the game world will be all the more healthy for it in the comming years. Blind Nintendo supporters are actually advocators of the watering down of the video game industry and ultimately will contribute to its decline.
Truely
ValdeZ Poole @ Mar 31st 2007 8:49PM
Mario Paper .. traditional controls with some wiimote shaking
Smash bros. .. Classic controller
Mario Galaxy .. same control transition as Zelda .. analog to move.. waggle instead of button press
MP3 .. analog to move.. wiimote as pointer.. controls will be broken just like every other fps on wii
Everything else.. shallow, mini/party games
It doesnt seem like the wiimote is the great revolution that nintendo pr tells you.
SynikaL @ Mar 31st 2007 8:50PM
^Where did you copy and paste that nonsense from?
-Kimosabae
SynikaL @ Mar 31st 2007 8:50PM
That was directed at Shagi.
-Kimo
Kevin @ Mar 31st 2007 8:56PM
Shaggitarius. I have news for you, not everyone is a hardcore gamer or "big dog." Not everyone wants to immerse themselves for hours in an involved game. Those that don't may want to game but they want short burst action.
There are lots of people who can't sit down to play games, they like to be active. The Wii is great for that.
The is not a step backwards it is simply a step to side. A new facet of gaming. You have you PS3 and 360. And there is a wii for the others.
Your rant is crap at best.
KC @ Mar 31st 2007 8:53PM
Shagittarius you're a dumbass. Typing multiple sentences doen't make you correct or intelligent. I've never seen anyone else around here write so much and say so little.
A quote of yours "The Wiimote is a step backwards in the evolution of gaming"
It isn't the remote, its the developer that makes the game. In this case EA. They simply didn't make the game intuitive enough.
Play Elebits, play MarbleMania, play some games from GOOD developers that know what they're doing.
Motion controls are a step in the right direction for more immersive gameplay.
Don't be a tool and bash things that you feel threatened by.
rokerovakero @ Mar 31st 2007 8:59PM
I love SSX since SSX Tricky, and this one ranks on the 1st place tied with Tricky. Everything is good and so different that might be the real sequel since the others just felt the same. If you have a Wii you NEED this game. If you are not very good with coordination you might not enjoy making the moves. And you are probably over 30... old people really can't move the same as when they were young...
KC @ Mar 31st 2007 9:01PM
"not everyone is a hardcore gamer or "big dog." Not everyone wants to immerse themselves for hours in an involved game. Those that don't may want to game but they want short burst action."
The funny thing is I'm a very hardcore gamer and like playing for hours at a time, yet go against Shagittarius' belief that the Wii sucks. In my opinion its the best console to come out since the Dreamcast. And I do play hours at a time, granted its a lot of multiplayer, but its still hours and hours of Wii gaming goodness.
Its my opinion. its Shagittarius' opinion that he doesnt like it, but man, there is a HUGE annoyance factor when he comes in Wii bashing every chance he gets.
Chris @ Mar 31st 2007 9:22PM
But who can hate a name as clever as shaggatarius?? It's like I'm watching austin powers, only I'm blogging! I can tell that guy likes to shag, just from his name! And on top of that, I get to read a bunch of wii-hate that seems to come from game play experience that consists of the demo at gamestop, and then a bunch of opinionated crap based on that loose experience. Shaggatarius should run for president!
Martez @ Mar 31st 2007 9:32PM
Nintendo's hurting the industry by expanding it and becoming even more profitable? I'll be damned.
vidGuy @ Mar 31st 2007 9:53PM
"THe Wiimote is no better at immersing the player in the game than a traditional controller." The writer of this statement (doubt it's Shagi), has obviously never played Tiger Woods on Wii. FANTASTIC, immersive use of the remote.
I agree with the analysis of Blur - nunchuk control is awesome, Ubers don't recognize very well.
ValdeZ Poole, you obviously haven't paid attention, Galaxy uses the remote as a pointer to interact with the world around Mario. That's pretty damn creative, IMO.
jan_halmes @ Mar 31st 2007 9:57PM
The thing about Shaggitarius' blog that invalidates his otherwise well stated ideas is that traditional controls are not required for every Wii game. Even if the motion sensing/pointer controls of the Wii were a bad idea, you still couldn't fault Nintendo for trying them out, because they could easily stop developing games that require them at any time.
If gaming did in fact get worse because the Wii remote, the Wii remote would be over. See R.O.B. on the NES as an example. Failed idea, tried on two games, then scrapped.
So far, the sales of the Wii Remote based games would state that they are, in fact, a good idea. But if they weren't, we wouldn't be locked in to them. And even so, many 2nd party developers at Nintendo recognize they aren't right for every game, hence Fire Emblem Wii, Super Paper Mario, and (reportedly) Super Smash Bros. Wii all having largely traditional controls.
Any innovation in gaming must be taken in moderation. Not every game should have 3D graphics (I'm looking at you Castlevania). Not every game should be played soley online (Zelda online with no single player mode would be a huge downgrade). And not every game should have "Wii-mote controls". It will take some time for developers to figure out what games should and what games shouldn't be controled in this way. The Wii has been out for what, five months? I think it's a little quick to pass judgement on if it is a "de-evolution" of gaming, especially compared to it's competitors, which really offer nothing in terms of evolving gaming.
I like the 360 and the PS3, but they are not innovative systems. They are PC's you hook up to your tv and control with wireless Saturn controlers that have two analog pads instead of one. Cool, but riskless and not innovative.
Oops, I forgot about the "six axis" controls on the PS3. Now, if you want to talk about tacted on, gimmicky controls, look no further.
But back to the Wii, all we can say for sure is that so far, people like it. Any other assessment is going to have to wait.
vidGuy @ Mar 31st 2007 10:00PM
Oh, BTW, I own a 360 and a Wii, am more a hardcore gamer than a casual gamer, and have played about 200 hours on the Wii since launch. I think I understand the system a little better than some people who like to spread propaganda that they didn't even write.
accidental @ Mar 31st 2007 10:12PM
Shaggatarius, your rant is only as correct as the "quote" you based it on. The quote implies that a game is only considered the visual and aural experience, not the tactile (interface). A premise I believe is false. Take a good look at the DS.
Hunter @ Mar 31st 2007 10:24PM
I think a lot of the so called hard core are turned off by the Wii-remote because buttons have spoiled them. The fact is buttons tone down the level of coordination required. A lot of the so called hard core gamers are people who do not play sports because they do not excel at them, they excel at pushing buttons. On the Wii coordinatoin beyond your thumbs matters, someone who can not get their head round when to swing a full swing or what is going wrong when they bowl into the gutter everytime will get frustrated and give up. What bugs me about gamers is they blame the control.
I think this story should be continued with a look at the controlls in another EA game the Godfather. While other elements of the game suck the controls are solid and are more immersive because they for the most part directly translate your motions to onscreen actions you do stop thinking about what to do and just do it. For that matter in Wii sports how much do you need to think.
jordan @ Mar 31st 2007 10:26PM
whoever gives this game a bad review simply sucks at learning new controls and doesn't understand a good game when they see it... half these reviewers don't take the time to learn the controls, yes it does have a high learning curve, but after a couple hours, you can pull off uber tricks w/ ease, i just pulled off 17 uber tricks in one 2 minute 15 second run, if you don't learn the controls, you don't deserve to talk about or by any means review this game...
idioteraser @ Mar 31st 2007 10:51PM
Seems the complainers are forgetting what the word uber means. It shouldn't be easy to pull off. Also it's a frigging new control scheme.
Why do the complainers forgot the move to two analog sticks much less one analog stick and camera buttons?
Also it's SSX shouldn't be difficult at first because it's for hardcore gamers?
Seems a lot of newbies to the series nail the controls in a few hours which is what you should expect from any game while the hardcore piss and moan that the controls are broken.
1up got it's ass handed to it by other game reviewers and youtube users that showed they could pull off dozens of ubers in a row.
Rob @ Apr 1st 2007 1:23AM
I am loving SSX Blur. It's just a fun, honest game. The tricks were a SLIGHT challenge but I enjoyed overcoming that challenge. I have no problem nailing the Ubertricks. Though I wish I knew what the difference is between doing an Uber and an Uberriffic and whatever other tricks make the screen go black.
I just unlocked the... "Ultra super secret Platinum" tour. As fake as that name sounds, no, I'm not kidding.
vakerrokero @ Apr 1st 2007 1:25AM
"The Wiimote is a step backwards in the evolution of gaming, its a blatant gimmik that attempts to appeal to those who don't know any better, the casual gamers. Casual gamers are looking for an excuse to immerse themselves in the virtual worlds that hardcore gamers have been enjoying for years, but they fear the fact that it takes actual work to compete with the big dogs."
Ok. I don't get it. Are you somekind of industry analyst because you sound as crazy as those guys...
Silver @ Apr 1st 2007 2:04AM
"Stay away from Nintendo, do your part to support quality games" - Shagittarius
Ah, you mean "quality" like "Generic Alien_Gangster_SpaceMarine FPS Shooter XXII" that fills the bulk of the 360's catalog?
Thanks, I'll stick with the Wii. All Microsoft and Sony are giving us is the same old crap in shinier packaging. Apparently it's enough for the small-minded like you.
Dumdum @ Apr 1st 2007 3:35AM
maybe its just me.... but i liked the controls alot.
ill trooper @ Apr 1st 2007 4:13AM
I played this for a few hours and I was sort of confused by how I felt about it - I wanted to try the new control scheme, but after playing it, I just wanted to put aside the wii-mote and use something like the 'classic controller' to get more into it like I used to with SSX, SSX Tricky, etc. - I've read online that people are really feeling the controls, but it's not for me - this might be where I draw the line and just say 'Make it work with the classic controller, let's just get old-school PS2/Xbox and have fun in this snowbaord game." The controls are awesome for some moves (steering, jumping) but were inconsistant for me on others. I felt I couldn't repeat a move sometimes. Yes, I did the tutorial. I'm sure I would have figured it all out eventually, but I guess I just wasn't put in the right mood.
I'm not saying "they shouldn't have done it," I'm just sayin' I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped I would. Not everything has to use the Wii-mote.
And to all these guys:
"if you don't learn the controls, you don't deserve to talk about or by any means review this game..."
"All Microsoft and Sony are giving us is the same old crap in shinier packaging. Apparently it's enough for the small-minded like you."
"If you are not very good with coordination you might not enjoy making the moves. And you are probably over 30... old people really can't move the same as when they were young..."
Man you sound so fan-girly! Accept that some people don't like the game as much as you... It's OK. I still like my Wii, I just didn't like playing SSX with the Wii-mote. Some games are great on this thing, doing things not possible on other systems (Wii Sports, Elebits, even Smooth Moves' balance games, although the Sixaxis could do that I suppose) while others use disappointingly simple mouse/laser pointer control (Trauma Center... Why didn't you let me use a scapel or tool as creatively as Smooth Moves or Elebits?).
Bring on "Cooking Mama." I'd rather play SSX on my 360 or PS3.
Rubang B @ Apr 1st 2007 4:53AM
As a proud Wii owner, I would like to defend Shagittarius! Brace yourselves!
Wii all need to put ourselves in Shagi's shoes for a minute. The way I understand it, he's just worried that if Nintendo gets too much support and sells too many consoles and gets too many games, "hardcore" games will take the backseat to wacky casual minigames. Now when you consider yourself hardcore by his definition of the term, this is a pretty scary idea. As jan_halmes mentioned above, not all games should be 3-D, yet the majority of games are these days. Because 3-D was the "next big thing (NBT)" back in the day, many developers stubbornly assumed that 2-D gaming was dead. In a similar fashion, "hardcore" gamers are concerned that if this "waggle gimmick" is considered the NBT, the majority of games in the future will be based on weird waggle schemes and have gimped graphics. To him the success of the Wii represents an industry-wide shift in focus from games he likes to games he doesn't like. I can understand and respect where he's coming from even though I'm the exact opposite gamer. The B in Rubang B might as well stand for Bizarro Shagittarius.
The way I see it, I'm as hardcore a gamer as you can get. Right now I own 8 Wii games, I've rented 2 more, borrowed 3 from friends, and played 3 more at demo kiosks in the mall. I've already had my grubby hands on 16 Wii games (35.56% of the 45 listed at Metacritic as of this typing) and I'm completely loving it.
I'm not too worried about the casuals taking over, because as far as I can tell, they already did and nobody noticed. I can't enter a Best Buy without seeing a crowd of people around Guitar Hero 2, and I can't walk by a Wii kiosk without seeing a crowd of people around Wii Sports. Random strangers don't stop dead in their tracks and stare at games like Halo 3 or GTAIV or Final Fantasy M, but they do exactly that when they see people playing virtual guitars or swinging virtual rackets/bats/clubs. Games like DDR and Karaoke Revolution are taking over too, but this is good. They're expanding the market. Every time you show somebody a game and say "You wanna play? All you have to do is dance, sing, play the guitar, or swing the remote like a tennis racket!" you've created a new gamer. They're not all going to become casual and go download Bejeweled afterwards. Now they're interested in games. Each person who realizes that games can be fun and aren't just for nerds is one more person who won't vote that games are deadly porn. Some of these people will go buy a Wii, but some of them will do some research and depending on what they want out of games they might decide to get a 360 or a PS3. Both Sony and Microsoft have gone on the record saying that Nintendo's market-expanding tactics are helping everybody.
In conclusion, Wii shouldn't be so hard on Shagi. Times are hard for him, and he's not one of us.
Besides, the Pokemans outsells everything ever, and we're not drowning in Pokemans clones.
hpkomic @ Apr 1st 2007 5:35AM
Are people really having this much trouble with Blur? It took me a few hours to get used to it, and frankly the controls really compliment the game. Ubers are fun to do, it's just a matter of being able to relax as you play. It just takes practice, but it seems too many gamers out there are after instant gratification and don't like the idea of learning how to play. It's fine if you don't, but if you don't make the effort, why would you trash something others do with little difficulty?
I don't know, I've had no issue with the game, so it's hard to understand where people are coming from.
Sidepocket @ Apr 1st 2007 7:39AM
Blaming the Wiimote for bad "waggle" games is like drunk drivers blaming the stearing wheel for the accident they just caused.
The Wiimore is not a problem, there are two reasons why some Wii Motion control games are bad:
1) User end. This even happens on button games. I know people who think Halo or Resident Evil 4 controls are shit, but then someone else think they are the best. Its all on skill and perception.
2) This is the big one, the developers coding. See buttons are eazy, because we have had years of experience coding that. Motion Control requires jesture reconition, something that has been under developed for awhile in computing. It works, but has a 20% failur rate, look at Brain Age. Give it a year or two, this rate will seem like nothing.
Good example, Excite Truck VS Motorstorm. They use the exact same controls, yet the Motorstorm control is sloppy while Exicte Truck is very smooth and accurate. It really depends on how well they coded the I/O to the gameplay.
So stop blaming inatamate objects for your problems. What next? "BAAAAAH, I keep on getting shot in the chest and dying when I run out in an open feild...ITS LIVE'S FAULT!!!!"
Sounds like "hardcore" gamers to me. Such pussies. -,-;
t_m @ Apr 1st 2007 8:26AM
WII CONTROL WEAKNESS:
The wii is great at sensing smooth, continuous motions.. which is why its great for steering, etc..
However its not good at sensing a single, specific motion in the middle of a long sequence of moviements. The reason? People don't PAUSE or RESET between movements like buttons do. Even in a quick sequence of button presses, the buttons always "reset".. whereas when people are making gestures they tend to all merge together.. making it hard for the wii to sense when one gesture ends, and another begins.
IS ACCURACY IMPORTANT?
Only to a point. A game with accurate button controls isn't necessarily better than a game with inacurate motion controls.. it depends how much you gain from the motion imersion compared to how much you lose from the inaccuracy.
SO far, many hardcore gamers and reviews have dissed the wii for lacking accuracy.. however EVERY casual gamer i've spoken loves it.. because its much more imersive and satisfying to pull off a motion move than a button press.
Its similar to the link between graphical quality and style. A game with poor graphics, but great style CAN be more imersive than a game with great graphics and a generic style. But not always.
WILL IT IMPROVE?
Of course.. Look back at the first analogue stick games.. they al had control and camera issues that make them annoying by today's standards. Look at early reviews of Quake and Terminator: Future shock, where even professional reviewers couldn't cope with "mouselook". Look at the early console "dual analogue" FPS games, that all had control and accuracy issues.
All these got worked out in the course of a year or two (or more in the case of console FPS controls).. but for some reason Wii devs are supposed to nail it first try???
CHALLENGE FOR JOYSTIQ:
Put a Wii gamer vs gamecube gamer (or can u use the gamecube controller on Blur?) with Blur and Tricky/SSX3 respectively.. put them in the halfpipe and get them to try to nail a set of tricks.. record the results and make a vid of them side by side..
..lets see for sure how, when and why the Wiimote affects trick accuracy.
Geo @ Apr 1st 2007 9:19AM
I called Skip out on his 1up review of this game on their boards. He would never admit how much time he put into the game, and then locked the thread when he ran out of answers. If your interested,
http://boards.1up.com/zd/board/message?board.id=show&message.id=135441
Anyway, I think the controls are great. The steering whips a donkey's ass, and the ubers are extra satisfying to pull off. Took a few hours to truely nail them. I think the uber training should have given you more clues as to what you are doing wrong. All the tricks have a rhythm. I couldn't get the Z uber for a while, because I was trying to pull it off too fast. Once I got the rhythm, they all became much easier. Except the Treble Clef looking one. I can almost never pull that off.
5.8 million on compilation slopestyle. Beat that beeches!
mike @ Apr 1st 2007 10:41AM
I have Blur, and oh know, it has a learning curve! The wiimote isn't 100% perfect all the time, but for me that adds to the experience. I have had very little problem with ubertricks, and thought I can't hit them every single time, I feel like I've accomplished something when I do. Steering with the numchuck is awesome.
I think you young folks (I'm 31 so probably an elder here) are too used to everything being about the minutia of pressing a button. You still have that option- get a ps3 or xbox360. I'm not sure if the Wii is the future of gaming, but I'm having a good time playing it.
Zoob @ Apr 1st 2007 11:18AM
Two Points:
1) Blur: It appears as if I am one of the select few who was able to pick up blur without any difficulty. After just a few hours of gameplay I was steering smoothly and pulling off Ubers consistently. The only thing that I struggled with at all was the Slalom events, but with more practice, I even got that figured out (go backwards on skis!). Overall, SSX Blur is definitely my second favorite Wii game to this point (just behind Zelda).
2) The Wii itself: I have mixed opinions about the Wii, and motion controls as an overall concept. Are motion controls the future? It would appear so. However, it is important that we don't leave the past behind. While some games are improved by the use of motion controls, some games just need the classic button input to function properly. It's just the way of things. Look at the DS. While there are many many games on the DS that creatively and successfully use the systems touch screen to enhance gameplay, there are a sizable number of games that are comprised completely of button control (like mario kart). Developers are not weighed down by the presence of the touch screen, but are free to use it as they please.
Motion controls need to be treated the same way. When a developer begins making a game, they need to decide very early on if their game will work with motion controls. If not, they should not try to force it, because that is when it starts to become a gimmick, and detracts from gameplay. The Wii has a classic controller, and developers should not be afraid to use that if they need to. Heck, the most anticipated Wii game of the year, SSBB, isn't even going to use motion controls, but the Classic controller instead. Nintendo made this decision because they recognized that for a game like Smash Brothers, accuracy of input is extremely vital, and this sort of accuracy can only come from the pressing of buttons
Motion control will not go away. It IS the future, but it is NOT the exclusive future. We will always have the classic button input as a fallback control scheme if necessary. I expect the next generation of systems to be dual control schemed, with a controller for motion input, as well as an advanced classic input controller.
Mr Khan @ Apr 1st 2007 11:49AM
@ Rubang B (pertaining to Pokemon Clones)
I don't know, look at Spectrobes and Monster Hunter
Even with the Wii though, hardcore games will never die. You'll have Metroid Prime 3 and Super Mario Galaxy using the system well, but they'll come right in alongside Wii Sports and Brain Academy
oh, and ValdeZ, 1/2 the reason MP3 was delayed was to tweak the controls and get them down pat
Finn @ Apr 1st 2007 11:55AM
It's intereseting... I have this game and would give it the exact same critques... at least I would have until I brought it over my cousins house last night. It was his first time playing it, and without seeing the tutorials, and just with me simply explaining the controls, he could immediatly to uber, after uber. I don't know how he did it, but he did.
There are tons of videos on youtube of people doing the same thing as well. So I guess with this game, you either got it... or you don't. And for me and the writer of this article, we both clearly don't.
Finn @ Apr 1st 2007 11:58AM
HEY Geo... if your still reading this. I'm the guy who started that thread. It's sad how skip can't take critisism and locked the thing, I was just trying to not give him a reason to lock it, but it didn't make a difference in the end, and I should have just done what you did
maylon @ Apr 1st 2007 12:19PM
Shag was just trying to piss all of you off with that bit of rhetoric, he couldnt possibly mean that. Well done Shag!
Geo @ Apr 1st 2007 2:05PM
Hey Finn,
I is (was) quite a newb to that place, and didn't realize that it was ruled with an iron fist. I didn't mean to get your thread locked by not treading lightly around skip's feelings.
To ask you a question though, as you say, you got it or you dont, meaning that the success of the controls depends on the end user. Does that make the game worse or better? For example, we all know what a benchmark of gaming SF II was. I still think its a great game, although I cant pull off half the moves and combos some people can.
n3rrd @ Apr 1st 2007 2:44PM
I don't understand people some times. I've enjoyed what little time I've spent with my Wii (and it is very little time games are interesting me less and less lately).
I read a comment a few posts up saying we must not leave the old stuff behind, but why did we leave 2d behind? If it catches on, the old stuff will be left behind.
Sunjammer @ Apr 1st 2007 3:17PM
So people actually think the Wii has some kind of built in gesture recognition, and if "it" fails in one game, all other games attempting it are doomed?
Newsflash, gesture recognition programming is 100% in the hands of the developers. All the wii supplies you with is raw data. What you do with it is your problem.
On a sidenote, i own Blur, and i've been playing it a good bit recently. To put things into context i didn't dig any of the previous SSX games. This one just feels good (nunchuck steering). The right hand trick controls are seriously wonky though, but you can't blame EA for not trying. I personally found ubers to be way easier to pull off if i use gentle controlled large movements, and don't ever hit the A button after i've started moving my arm. I can nail the basic tricks pretty much every time.
Also Shaggitarius has no sense of scope or frame of reference. Big words, nothing to say, and falls apart like a house of cards given a moment's inspection. I've played games since the C64, i own every console since the NES. I love games to death. If your balls really need a boosting because some new console does something differently, you're in the wrong scene buddy. I *praise* the Wii "gimmick", because it puts a little less predictability into the games. It gives games a whole different quality that makes me want to try the most ridiculous shit. I picked up SSX almost squarely because i wanted to feel the nunchuck steering, much like i've been seriously tempted to pick up Red Steel just to *know what it feels like*.
Games on the Wii are just different. I don't put them in the same ballpark as the 360 or PS3. I don't get what you're so scared of.
Rubang B @ Apr 1st 2007 3:50PM
Mr Khan, are you seriously drowning in Spectrobes and Monster Hunter? That's 2 games. I could stack them on your mouth and you'd still be able to breathe.
Rubang B @ Apr 1st 2007 3:59PM
Hahaha, so I'm reading that locked thread over at 1Up, and wow, the reviewer is actually a dick and talking down to Wii owners like they're idiots. I'd say he was already TOBIAS!
That fake review for NBA2K7 (on page 3) is hilarious though.
Rubang B @ Apr 1st 2007 4:04PM
Hahaha, and then the thread ends like this:
now you're fucking done.
this is the wrong day to get pissy with us.
-ap
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http://andrewpf.1up.com
SynikaL @ Apr 1st 2007 4:58PM
Yeah, I just read through the thread and I have to agree, Andrew was immature, unprofessional and just being a plain idiot. It was pathetic. He completely dodged any meaningful questions and just threw a hissy fit at the end. I just lost some respect for 1up.
-Kimosabae
351 Ranger @ Apr 1st 2007 7:52PM
people are always scared to try new things. think about when everyone traveled around by horse and buggey. these things called automobiles appear one day, and i'm sure people probably thought, what the heck is that? i don't like that because it's not what i'm used to. well...look at where we are today.
a gen from now or two...motion controls will be right next to button controllers and considered the norm.
remember, nintendo created the button controller we all knew for the past 20 years as well. (atari joystiq vs nes controller.) I'm sure people thought that was stupid...but look where we are today.
damn you nintendo, damn you to hell.
jan_halmes @ Apr 1st 2007 6:43PM
To n3rrd, if you left 2D behind, I suggest you check out Jump Ultimate Stars, New Super Mario Bros, both DS Castlevania's, the Disgaea series, the upcoming games Super Paper Mario, Castle Crashers, etc etc.
2D never died. Like 2D animation, it is alive and well. It's just not the dominating force any more. But 2D games still sell and are still being produced.
ill trooper @ Apr 2nd 2007 6:11AM
"45. people are always scared to try new things..."
...Ah, but please don't forget that NINTENDO was also scared, afraid to take the risk of making a costlier machine that could handle HD res with this awesome controller. It's a shame to me that the thing is doomed to look a crunchy, a little 'less-than-HD' as it's hooked up the all the new HDTVs people will be buying over the next 3 years.
Don't fire up the ol' 'Gameplay>>>Graphics' contraption, I subscribe to that school of thought myself, but don't mistake that mantra for 'Good Graphics make Good Gameplay Impossible.'
They can and DO co-exist.
Rubang B @ Apr 2nd 2007 7:08AM
Hey ill trooper, we're talking about new things here. Since when was better graphics a new idea If I recall correctly, every system ever has had better graphics than its predecessor, Wii included, as it is more powerful than the GameCube or anything else from the 6th generation. If anything it took some real balls to opt out of the graphics arms race and focus elsewhere, which has never been attempted before. That was a new idea.
If the Wii cost more than $250, it wouldn't be selling like free heroin.
Rubang B @ Apr 2nd 2007 7:11AM
I swear I typed in that question mark in my post where it belongs, but it disappeared.
Geo @ Apr 2nd 2007 7:42AM
Im glad you guys found the same humor in that 1up thread as I did.
Brett Paci @ Apr 2nd 2007 8:41AM
You'll find mine on Ebay real soon. Its half baked. It looks great, and feels great when you're just flying down the mountain. But SSX is all about the ubers. I had no problem pulling them off in SSX, Trick, 3, and On Tour (whose graphics were half baked.) But in Blur, they just don't work.
Scuba Owl
www.ScubaOwl.com