Thanksgiving and stuff over the last couple of weeks (and especially the Wii)

[giza]

Thanksgiving was pretty boring. I trained up to my parents' place on Thanksgiving day, and trained back the following morning since I had work.

I then spent the weekend after Thanksgiving working on my User Quota module for Drupal 4.7. It allows the owner of a site to set posting quotas for their users. Right now, I have an alpha version of the code on the site, but I have some more updates in mind, which will involve an API change.

Last week was okay at work. Dr. K prescribed something called "Trazodone" to help me fall asleep at night, to help reset my sleep schedule. It's helped me fall asleep about 2-3 nights out of the last week, which is better than I was doing before.

On Thursday night, I swung by omnibahumut's place and we played his Wii. I'm really impressed with the Nintendo Wii for the following reasons:

- Adequate supply!

- Reasonable cost ($250)

- Wireless controller that are really advanced. They are wireless (bluetooth), have infrared sensors for pointing at the TV (what you get resembles a laser pointer), vibration functions, and motion sensors that work on the X, Y, and Z axis. The controllers can also store data, such as your "Mii".

- "Mii". This is a graphical avatar which represents your player. Just like different users on a computer, this allows different people to have different preferences set for different games. This can also be downloaded to a controller for use on another Wii.

- Internet connectivity. It can connect to 802.11 networks with a variety of different protocols (I use WPA Pre-shared key with no problems), download updates, and interact with other Wiis over the Internet.

- Machine emulation. The Wii can let you play games from the NES, Super NES, Genesis, or Game Cube on it. I had some fun playing the original Sonic the Hedgehog, which was downloaded for $8.

- Controller sharing. Let's say you have 3 people wanting to play a turn-based game, such as bowling, but only 2 controllers. That's not a problem. When the game is started, the Wii will ask each player to signify which controller they are using.

- Physical size. The Wii about the size of a cigar box. Or, for those of you old enough to remember when 1x external CD-ROM drives came out, about that size. Additionally, it has a stand so that it can be placed on its side.

- Did I mention that the controllers have a "home" button which takes you to the system menu and lets you reset the game without having to get up? It also has a power button for the Wii, which means you can turn the Wii on and off remotely.

Finally, the overall uniqueness of the controllers and interface for the Wii is impressive. The interface takes full advantage of what the controllers can offer, such as the infrared pointer, and the vibration function when you mouseover a menu item. It's almost as though Nintendo hired some people from Apple.


As for the PS3, well... it's expensive... and it's hard to get. There's no way I'm spending $650 on a console. I feel rather let down by Sony, especially since I have only owned a PS 2 for the last 3 years.

I think at this point I'll buy a Wii sometime in January.

Comments

[andrew7782.livejournal.com]

Even better is I'm using my Wiimote on my PC as a joystick. Whee!

[kellic.livejournal.com]

Mii needs the ability to add ears and tails.

[electropaw.livejournal.com]

That's one thing I noticed when I first messed around with the Wii. It does look like something from Apple. They could rebrand it and call the console the Apple Wii :-P

[tosdragon.livejournal.com]

electropaw, they could call it the Pipin II for that matter. :)

Giza, don't feel too let down by Sony with that price tag. I've seen both the PS 3 and the Wii now as well, and Nintendo hit a home run in my book with the thing. Sony misfired on a couple fronts. Price, obviously, but secondly, they advertise backward compatibility with the PS2. I guess it works, but it is no better than running Photoshop in Classic on a G4. The games look stretched on the screen, and seem choppy, also they exhibit some oddball graphic glitches during them. With that being most of the current catalog for the PS3, and Nintendo cranking out titles like crazy for the Wii, it's not even a contest in my mind. That's just me thinking though, and thanks for the additional review.

Heck, the Wii is the first game system I have personally considered since the Super NES, and that I actually passed on because so many friends had them in the dorms!

[giza.livejournal.com]

Oh man? Emulating PS2 games poorly is a deal breaker for me. There's no way I'm getting a PS3 now. Thanks for pointing that out.

[cyriljackal.livejournal.com]

Developers hate the ps3, the people who sell it dont care to hate it, only 'certain people' will still buy a ps3 once they really get a look at the fact it does nothing better, and sometimes worse, than the 360. Plus they likely will be losing capcom games in a microsoft merger, and no exclusives besides final fantasy which may also be going multi platform means it's nothing to look at anymore.
Buh-bye sony.

[omnibahumut.livejournal.com]

PS2 doesn't emulate PS1 games perfectly either. In fact FF8 gets super glitchy at times. That was the most glitchy PS1 game I can recall playing on PS2. Most of the glitches weren't game crippling or anything. Just things that wouldn't display correctly, usually.

From what I understand the main issue is the upscaling to HD. But since you don't have a HDTV, you won't have those problems. Also they can update the PS3 to fix the more popular games- whether they will or not remains to be seen.

[tgeller.livejournal.com]

I saw (and played) the Wii at a furry party this past weekend, and was very impressed. And Rayman is *brilliant*.

Some of the messing around with Mii configuration had me rolling on the floor with laughter, unable to breathe. We played doubles tennis, "Normals vs. Freaks". The Normal pair looked like a gay Tom Cruise and some chick, while the Freaks looked like Brak and a bucktoothed Jocelyn Elders.

[dibranchia.livejournal.com]

I have been surprising my hubby lately. You see, a while back, I got a bonus thing at work, which was a credit card, but could only be used at participating stores....and I told hubby I was going to buy the PS2 (it had just come out with the smaller one). Impressed him a bit, I must say. I've played quite a few games on it, my fave being Burnout. (Go figure.) BUT, I really didn't play it a whole lot, turns out I don't really like the fighting/reflex games. Give me something to think on (which I now remember I liked to play the text based games on the TRS-80 WAAAY back when).

Then hubby came home with a DS and Animal Crossing...and Brain Age. I loved it and we ended getting me my own that weekend. I've loved it, and actually started going to EB Games and such BY MYSELF to buy out games. ;) AND I subscribed to Nintendo Power Magazine *gasp!* I am soooo coveting the Wii, and I think hubby's still in shock. [If I had a job we might even have one now.] It's quite odd when I realize hubby and I are discussing video games over dinner. Anyway, one thing I think Nintendo has done well, market to the people that don't want to do the 'shoot 'em up' games. The games I've seen from them seem to be so much more inviting than a lot of the other companies. And it's odd watching Saturday Morning Cartoons and seeing DS ads and then seeing DS ads for adults at night. I'm finding it quite cool!

[simbab.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I used to take Trazadone. It does knock you out. It's some kind of antipsychotic I think...that was the reason I had to take it. ;-) I've been taking these medications since I was about six years old, I'm well used to it by now.

These days I take Benadryl to counteract the effect of my Concerta ER for ADHD when I want to actually sleep at night.

[giza.livejournal.com]

> It's some kind of antipsychotic I think.

In larger doses it is. I'm taking a smaller dose. A bottle of 30 pills cost me like $2.60.

[cloudtiger.livejournal.com]

I wii'd my pants when it came out. ...like... all over the place.

But I never got one!!! I want one soooo bad, but you know, I had to prioritize, such as bills, food, gas, ...Final Fantasy XII... You know - the important stuff. :-D

[scs-11.livejournal.com]

Rob (my son) picked one up on opening day and really loves it. Watching him play, I can see why.

But those nice controllers . . . try to find one. Most of the reputable Internet sites say they're sold out until January, the stores say they're out and don't know when they'll get more, and the few sites that do have them have jacked up the price two-fold to three-fold. I think we're going to get him a gift certificate for some and have him hold back his wiiwii until then.

Sorry, couldn't resist.