Foreseen problem with the Wii... [Archive]

BIZILL

11-29-2006, 06:36 PM

I was toying around with the idea of getting the Wii for my young boys vs. DS lites. But the more I investigate the whole ordeal, I got to worrying...

I see in pics on the internet that the controllers are able to be tethered to one's wrist. But a child in haste, wanting to play some Zelda may be prone to neglecting to tether that bad-boy to his/her wrist. And with their greasy little fingers from eating popcorn and snacks, possibly even an occasional bugger hazard, I can just imagine those next-generation input/output devices eventually come crashing through daddy's 65" bigscreen.:eek:

Should daddy take the risk?

Hell, there will even be the occasional adult night centered around alcohol that may bear the same consequences....I'm scared.:(

szhleppy

11-29-2006, 07:35 PM

My vote? Do it Bill. Think about the fun rather than the worst-case scenario.

lanion

11-29-2006, 07:46 PM

I believe it will happen. Especially with games like Wii Sports Bowling, where the natural tendancy is to let go of the object you are throwing...

Lesson: tell your friends to use to freaking strap and don't go crazy, or force them to use a super high sensitivity so that they only have to move their hand a tiny bit to get the desired in-game effect.

Shizelbs

11-29-2006, 07:54 PM

Its already happened. There were 3 reported cases of such an accident as early as launch day. Apparently those wrist straps are pretty lousy. They have been failing too.

szhleppy

11-29-2006, 08:00 PM

Alright...maybe my first response was a little irresponsible after hearing the experts chime in. I would still be trying to find a way to make this work while minimizing the risk.

RuSsMaN

11-29-2006, 08:14 PM

Buy a 27" good ole tube TV for dirt cheap, and let them have at it. You can bag one for $150~, you'd pay that in a heartbeat for insurance on the big screen.

Cheers,
Russ

PolkThug

11-29-2006, 09:15 PM

I played the tennis game without any kind of tether. You could always just duct tape it to their hand.

mutelight

11-29-2006, 10:05 PM

I played the tennis game without any kind of tether. You could always just duct tape it to their hand.

Edward Wii Hands

bobman1235

11-29-2006, 10:25 PM

You don't have to swing the thing around wildly. YOu can just move it a tiny bit and get the exact same effect. I can see you being worried about kids, but if an adult is stupid enough to let the thing fly out of his hands at a fast enough speed for it to break a TV (as opposed to just fall onto the floor in front of him) than that adult was being a jackass.

BIZILL

11-29-2006, 10:36 PM

sheesh. these responses scare me. i think russ had the best idea. keep the wii off of the bigscreen and get a dedicated tv for the kids. an xbox 360 deserves the hdtv anyhow. but dad's 360 may be put on hold for a year or longer as it seems i need to PEBBLETEC my pool. her plaster is all fugged over. $7,000. i think the 360 will have to wait.

tommyboy

11-30-2006, 10:25 AM

Bizill, its probably better for you not to read this, you might have a heart attack...

http://videogames.yahoo.com/ongoingfeature?eid=494785&page=0

Thats not your tv, is it?:eek:

BIZILL

11-30-2006, 10:39 AM

"The problem isn't with the amply broad strap itself, but the considerably narrower section that connects the strap with the remote, which is prone to fray in some circumstances. The result is smashed remotes, smashed televisions, smashed windows, and unhappy (or, at least, somewhat red-faced) customers."

AHH, DAAANG.:eek:

BIZILL

11-30-2006, 10:41 AM

no stores, that i've visited, have the Wii available to test drive. don't know what to do just yet.

cheddar

11-30-2006, 11:19 AM

I hope you can set it up in a basement then. As it seems that those controller projectiles are heavy enough to take out anything breakable. I, personally, wouldn't want a kid to send it through a CRT they were in front of. And windows aren't cheap either.

I'm sure you could probably just go to the hardware store and get some good strap making material. Getting the kids to wear it consistently is another matter...

Sansui

11-30-2006, 12:37 PM

I see in pics on the internet that the controllers are able to be tethered to one's wrist. But a child in haste, wanting to play some Zelda may be prone to neglecting to tether that bad-boy to his/her wrist. And with their greasy little fingers from eating popcorn and snacks, possibly even an occasional bugger hazard, I can just imagine those next-generation input/output devices eventually come crashing through daddy's 65" bigscreen.:eek:

Hell, there will even be the occasional adult night centered around alcohol that may bear the same consequences....I'm scared.:(

What's the possibility of coming up with a clear plexiglass shield to put in front of the TV during gameplay?

cheddar

11-30-2006, 12:44 PM

Yeah, like the ballistic glass shields in mythbusters...lol.

I think if we need 'shields' for the TV, the controllers and the restraint devices need some serious rethinking.

Maybe a wrist glove would be more appropriate than nunchucks...

BIZILL

11-30-2006, 12:44 PM

Demiurge

11-30-2006, 01:14 PM

Keep your Wii in your pants and go buy a XBox 360 big guy.

BIZILL

11-30-2006, 01:20 PM

my Wii is the cause of having to buy a Wii for the boys. but i'm still debating it or the DS lites. that way they'll each have their own and not fight over things.

dave, i'll keep waiting until i find a superb deal on one. then i'll be 'forced' to make that purchase. funk priorities. you're only young once. well....too late. but still...

lanion

11-30-2006, 02:04 PM

Reinforcing the strap on the Wiimote shoudn't be too difficult. GOOP is a very good consumer glue that is quite flexible, if you are able to apply it precisely without getting any on the controller itself. I don't think I will have any problems since I like my analog controls at high sensitivity. That being said, after a few drinks with some friends it might be fun to swing that tennis racket like Pete Sampras - and hopefully not kill anyone.

BIZILL

11-30-2006, 04:05 PM

BIZILL'S premonitions confirmed!

http://www.wiihaveaproblem.com/

PolkThug

11-30-2006, 04:22 PM

lol

Reminds me of the viral marketing done by Sega, anyone remember beta7? (http://www.beta-7.com/blog/)

Anybody with a broken TV is going to blame it on their Wii.

Demiurge

11-30-2006, 04:36 PM

The videos are quite amusing. Especially the guy who chucked one at the plasma mounted on the wall. :D

bobman1235

11-30-2006, 05:11 PM

I think my TV is more in danger when I'm holding a remote while watching a football game...

McLoki

11-30-2006, 05:15 PM

I purchased the DS Lites for my kids. Figured they would get more use out of them. They already have movies, games, books, and playing they can do at home. With the DS Lites they can have something to do while waiting in line or visiting people the parents like, but the kids would rather not see.

When we went to disney this year it seemed like every 4th kid in line had a handheld game system of some kind to pass the time while waiting in line for rides...

Michael

BIZILL

11-30-2006, 05:18 PM

true. they already have gameboy advances. the ds lites look better. marginally. psp costs too much to buy two of them. but the quality of games is much greater.

zombie boy 2000

11-30-2006, 05:18 PM

When we went to disney this year it seemed like every 4th kid in line had a handheld game system of some kind to pass the time while waiting in line for rides...

Michael

Wow... I can't imagine being that bored at Disney World as a child:eek:
Even in line. Aren't a lot of the lines part of the attraction now anyway? I seem to remember the line for the Haunted Mansion having its own things to see.

McLoki

11-30-2006, 05:27 PM

Wow... I can't imagine being that bored at Disney World as a child:eek:
Even in line. Aren't a lot of the lines part of the attraction now anyway? I seem to remember the line for the Haunted Mansion having its own things to see.
Average line was 1-2 hours per ride. that is a long time to weave back and forth through the turnstiles especially for kids.

We bypassed many of the lines so we didn't really have the problem - but I certainly felt for those who did have to wait.

Michael

zombie boy 2000

11-30-2006, 05:30 PM

OUCH!!

1-2 hours.... that seems almost criminal when you consider how much its costs to take the average family to the land of Disney. Seems like you'd only have time to explore a fraction of the park.

BIZILL

11-30-2006, 05:32 PM

that's why i'm glad my boys are still younger. legoland in california is descent, and not over-crowded.

zombie boy 2000

11-30-2006, 05:36 PM

Sorry for the derail Biz...

I'd go ahead and buy it. Monitor their playing for a few days (or with any new game). You'll get a feel for how likely such a scenario is to happen.

If it looks likely, box it up and return it. Or explain to them that they can't play so "aggressively".

just my 2 cents

McLoki

11-30-2006, 05:48 PM

If they already have the advances, I would just go for the Wii.

We did not have either (a console or handheld system) so I went for handheld first. Once things shake out with the Wii, that may be next years gift for us.

Michael

BTW - Sorry for the derail...

BIZILL

11-30-2006, 05:50 PM

i derail all the time. we're all human.

still gonna debate. i'm OCD, by the way.

Mjr7531

11-30-2006, 06:45 PM

true. they already have gameboy advances. the ds lites look better. marginally. psp costs too much to buy two of them. but the quality of games is much greater.

The PSP games are or the DS games?

By the way, I've been playing with the Wii, it's not as easy to let go as you think. And they put up screens left and right about the wrist strap, I wouldn't worry about that.

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic

I hope that makes you guys smile

BIZILL

11-30-2006, 06:47 PM

sorry. i meant that the ds lite looks marginally better than the advance. the psp looks best, but more expensive.

Sansui

12-01-2006, 10:18 AM

can do easy. we have a lexan dept. at my work. i made a 1/4" lexan cover for my screen on my dartboard to protect the LED's from damage.

...but that would be a huge and expensive piece of lexan! 65" tv.

Why lexan? Because it doesn't scratch as easily? Do "they" make 1/8" lexan?

I was thinking more along the lines of "regular" plexiglass (less cost). If I remember correctly, light scratches can be buffed out.

tommyboy

12-01-2006, 10:33 AM

sorry. i meant that the ds lite looks marginally better than the advance. the psp looks best, but more expensive.

don't say you would buy the psp if it was cheaper just because the graphics look better. There is a reason why the psp is in far behind the DS in sales. And while the psp's price is a factor in its sales, its the games that makes the DS the clear winner(especially for children) IMO.

BIZILL

12-01-2006, 10:47 AM

agreed. i was thinking more of the type of grown up games the psp can handle vs. the ds. but at 8 and 6, my boys will lean toward the game genre of the ds.

McLoki

12-01-2006, 10:57 AM

agreed. i was thinking more of the type of grown up games the psp can handle vs. the ds. but at 8 and 6, my boys will lean toward the game genre of the ds.
If you will indulge me for one more derail. My kids are 7yo girl and 5yo boy. Would you say they are old enough (based on your experience with your kids) to play the more basic games on the DS and get enjoyment out of them? You said they have GBA's now - what games do they play and what would you recommend?

Thanks,

Michael

BIZILL

12-01-2006, 11:03 AM

don't pay too much attn to what they play. all games they play are g-rated. the time-tested games that include anything Mario will bring smiles. ds games seem like they have better graphics than the advance and there are dual screens. the bottom screen is touchscreen. they are not as strong as the advance and i hear they break easily when dropped, but they seem very cool. and if i'm not mistaken, you can use the stylus and write words/sentences and beam them to another ds from across the room. so my boys can send text msgs to each other warning that daddy is coming in to rain on their parade.....and to be prepared.

also, the ds and ds lite will play the gameboy advance games they already own.

Mjr7531

12-04-2006, 01:56 AM

Indeed the DS does play advance games. You can even pick what screen it's on. The games on the DS look far better than on the Advance, if you want to see what the DS can do, pick up Mario Hoops 3-on-3, it's developed by Square Enix and it looks great. Don't forget that the DS has about the horsepower of a N64, the specs are almost identical.

As for them being breakable, meh, I wouldn't worry too much, my DS light has taken a couple spills and it's fine. The big N put the system through drop-tests etc.

Sorry I keep this train off the tracks. I say, you only live once, go for the wii. Plus it's fun.

don't pay too much attn to what they play. all games they play are g-rated. the time-tested games that include anything Mario will bring smiles. ds games seem like they have better graphics than the advance and there are dual screens. the bottom screen is touchscreen. they are not as strong as the advance and i hear they break easily when dropped, but they seem very cool. and if i'm not mistaken, you can use the stylus and write words/sentences and beam them to another ds from across the room. so my boys can send text msgs to each other warning that daddy is coming in to rain on their parade.....and to be prepared.

also, the ds and ds lite will play the gameboy advance games they already own.

BIZILL

12-04-2006, 03:21 AM

thanks for the info, mjr.

Sansui

12-11-2006, 11:56 AM

true. they already have gameboy advances. the ds lites look better. marginally. psp costs too much to buy two of them. but the quality of games is much greater.

No marginally about it. The DS Lite and original released one are a lot better! BTW, the DS's play all the Gameboy Advance games.

They also support direct connect (within about 100' of each other) on many game cartridges so the two can hook up and play the same game. With some of the games there's only a need for one of the players to have the game cartridge. The direct connect also supports Picto-Chat which is like instant messaging. They can draw and send pics to each other and/or use the "pop up" keyboard for text messaging.

A lot of the games support WiFi and a player can connect up with the Nintendo World server and play against/with other players. Many of the McDonalds is one of the businesses that have "open areas" where a player can connect to that server and play when they're not at home.

My son and I both have one of each and if it was either of us, we'd go with the Lite version. The screen can be set brighter than the orginal released one so it can be used in brighter light, the stylus is longer, the rechargeable battery last longer, and it's not as heavy or bulky as the original released one.

Just my two cents worth... ;)

BIZILL

12-11-2006, 02:16 PM

They also support direct connect (within about 100' of each other) on many game cartridges so the two can hook up and play the same game. With some of the games there's only a need for one of the players to have the game cartridge. The direct connect also supports Picto-Chat which is like instant messaging. They can draw and send pics to each other and/or use the "pop up" keyboard for text messaging.

this paragraph is what sold me. i've went ahead and gotten each son their own ds lite. played the wii yesterday for 5 hours straight. controller fell to the floor only once. thankfully not at my bigscreen! oh, and daddy got himself an xbox 360 with hd dvd add on. xbox live will be ready with two days when i get my wireless setup going.

Demiurge

12-11-2006, 03:02 PM

this paragraph is what sold me. i've went ahead and gotten each son their own ds lite. played the wii yesterday for 5 hours straight. controller fell to the floor only once. thankfully not at my bigscreen! oh, and daddy got himself an xbox 360 with hd dvd add on. xbox live will be ready with two days when i get my wireless setup going.

Yes! :D

Hey, check this shit out.....

http://www.youtube.com/v/6OMCwwTjvuM

HAHAHA

BIZILL

12-11-2006, 03:30 PM

seen that from another website. man, oh man, my boys looked almost as freaky as that chick whilst playing the boxing game! made me laugh.

Sansui

12-25-2006, 11:07 AM

this paragraph is what sold me. i've went ahead and gotten each son their own ds lite. played the wii yesterday for 5 hours straight. controller fell to the floor only once.

I'm happy I could help you out!

Good for your sons (and you)! I don't think they or you will be disappointed. I've got the first released DS in case my DS Lite quits working.

My son took his Wii to the family X-mas dinner last might and they played it for about three hours (the sports program). One 7 year old girl let one of my son's controllers fly but it missed the TV. After she had the (original) wrist strap in place there were no more accidents by anyone.

My son tells me that Nintendo has put out a recall for the original straps. You might look into getting replacements if that's true.

BIZILL

12-26-2006, 12:40 AM

there is a recall on the straps. but it won't affect me now. i'll probably get them the wii in a few months. today they opened their ds lites. the could not be happier. and i must admit, i messed around with the lites myself for awhile. they are nice! thanks to everyone for their comments and suggestions.

McLoki

12-26-2006, 10:13 AM

My kids are playing with their lites as well. So far they are very nice. The head to head feature of mario carts is a blast.

Michael

BIZILL

12-26-2006, 01:14 PM

i thought the point of the ds's was the fact they did NOT need a gamepack for each ds lite when playing head to head. i got a game that still states you need a gamepack for each lite to play vs mode. are there not games that only require one game for two ds lites gaming?

McLoki

12-26-2006, 01:34 PM

Mario Cart (the one I mentioned) only required 1 game pack for up to 8 payers. The person with the game pack can pick any car - the others only get one and the load time is pretty long. It is worth the wait though.

I am sure there are others that work that way as well. (The person with the game pack picks multi player and the others in the room pick download game)

Michael