In an interview with Mercury News, Miyamoto has reasserted that the company has plenty of ideas with the much-maligned Wii Vitality Sensor.
For those of you that don't know, the Vitality Sensor is a fingertip pulse oximeter sensor that connects through the Wii Remote and was announced by Nintendo President Satoru Iwata at Nintendo's E3 2009 media briefing. Despite this, no games were announced which are going to use this new device.
In the interview Miyamoto said:
Ideally we would have been able to talk about this in terms of the software implementation rather than just the sensor itself. I don't have any indication for you (of what we have in the works) other than to say that we have lots of very creative ideas. We understand the challenge before us, and we have met these challenges in the past. We just ask that people have confidence in us.
He also spoke of the challenges that face MS and Sony when it comes to motion sensor controllers:
One of the challenges is not just to create a natural controller, but how do you get it into the hands of the people? How do you do that cost effectively? I think we've accomplished that. We have sold millions of controllers at a good price point. And we have that delivery system successfully already implemented. For other companies starting from zero and trying to figure out how to get it out there at a decent price point is a big challenge.
Are you interested in Nintendo's Vitality Sensor, or is it one attachment too many?
[source officialnintendomagazine.co.uk]
Comments (50)
I wonder what they will use it for..
It's interesting, but it better have some 1st party software support.
To be honest the price of controllers for any system is ridiculous these days, the only reason I have extra Wii Remotes is because both Wii Play and Brain Academy came bundled with them.
I have faith in the vitality sensor, people are only nay-saying because no games were announced.
It'll be interesting to hear how people respond to this statement. This statement about "confidence" can be tied to other things concerning the company like say... the Virtual Console.
In Miyahon We Trust :3
Don't worry Shigsy, I have nothing but confidence in you and Nintendo. They won this gen, and I think they'll win the next. Regarding the vitality sensor though, i dunno, it wouldn't have been my first choice for a new peripheral that's for sure.
I could see some interesting things coming of it, but it would be nice to know a little more than that.
If there's good software attached, I'm in. You cannot have too many things to plug into a Wii Remote!
Oh I'm sure they'll make fun games with the vitality sensor.
My concern isn't with that. My hate for Nintendo right now is their pathetic, PATHETIC online system for both Wii and DSi.
I have a feeling this will fade away before it's released. Just make more titles like Wii Sports Resort and I will be happy with motion control.
The main point are the games and the job they fulfill. No good hardware without good games. The main reason, why the Wii was so successful, was not because of costs or hardware or anything, it was because of games like Wii Sports, that showed the people, how much fun the Wii is. Or training software like WiiFit, which was of use to people.
Unless they don't show any good and useful software using the Vitality Sensor, no one is going to care about it. It was a big mistake to show the device on the E3 without any software to back it up. This is something, Sony and Microsoft would do, but not Nintendo. Nintendo is a software AND a hardware developer, that is Nintendo's sword and it worked perfectly for both DS and Wii. And I don't know what they thought by showing us the Vitality Sensor without any software.
I'm not saying, this thing is stupid or doesn't have any potential, I'm just saying, they failed to show the potential.
Unless/until I see some game that I must have that uses the WVS, then it remains another (unneeded) wii peripheral.
I'm sorry, but the Vitality Sensor is a joke to me. I think they are just using it for Wii Shock.
I can see an opportunity for them on the horizon: Sexy Poker II. Add the vitality sensor, and voila: the first sexual orientation test in video game form.
...they might need to spend a bit more on the ladies, though, or it could end up only testing one's interest in bland sluttery.
i am very interested in it but i am not sure how it will work out i am curious on future games with it
I will trust you when F-Zero Wii is announced.
Don't worry Nintendo. As long as you keep the Virtual Console afloat, I'll always trust you.
i trust Nintendo no matter what,well unless they turn into political dictators,but that will never happen right?
back to the point,im actually interested in what the vitality sensor will do and i hope it makes for some very interesting games
maybe clip it on while playing Star Fox Wii if it ever comes out and then your pilot gets affected by how excited,desperate, or calm you are
@Koto going through meteor shower in Star Fox
Peppy: Relax man.............NOW DO A BARREL ROLL!!!
@Shiryu I'm with you on that one man. How come we haven't seen more of Captain Falcon's shenanigans?
makes me think of that game show that measured your heart beat, and if you weren't calm you lose
I'm skeptical, but hopeful. Who knows? Maybe they'll tack it onto an action game where you have to calm your heart to survive - and that can be a mean fit to pull off.
I have to say, I've spent 160 bucks for two controllers. Nintendo needs to focus on MotionPlus and not try to squeeze more money out of us on controller gimmicks.
I have confidence that they have some really cool ideas for how to use it--I'm just not sure how they could make an actual game using it
I once wondered about the big N's goofy ways, but recently I've been pleasently surprised. Particularly with new IPs (Wii series for example). They've been growing, just a bit slower than I'd like. The only thing that worries me about VS is the fact it's tethered to the wiimote.
I believe
I don't like this Wii Vitality Sensor... BUT, I think this is just one more a step for Nintendo for his real goal...
Well at least that's what I think, first they (Nintendo) got your arms (Wiimote + Nunchuk), then got your legs... (Wii Balance Board), after that they upgrade your arms (Motion Plus) and now they got your status (Wii Vitality Sensor)
Arms + Legs + Status = Nintendo ON (next gen?)
I hope all this is getting somewhere.... =D
The only thing I could possibly think of it being used for would be to gauge your heart rate on Trauma Center if you are the patient, which would be no fun at all. And why would a game need to monitor your heart rate anyway? It's not like they get your adrenaline pumping that fast.... Maybe they want to incorporate it into Wii Fit 2?
Make a game first, we'll see if I'll give you any confidence.
Yes i would use motion controllers from Sony, No i wouldnt pay 60$plus for a remote because Sony is expensive. Think of it this way, a ps3 remote already cost just as much as a retail Wii game.So im assuming that a motion ps3 controller would be in the 60$/80$ price range.
As far as that wii sensor goes, It really doesn't interest me.
I'll reserve judgement till I see some software. But I am getting a bit tired of all these peripheral's.Seriously if I wanna have a gaming session these day's, playin a few different games ,then I need a boxful of controllers next to me.Enough now Nintendo.Give me games ,not gadgets.Save the C**k probe for Wii2.
BIT.TRIP (heart) BEAT
I guess we'll get a lie detector game called something like Wii Don't Lie. That'd be cool.
He ALSO said that HE sees limited future for digital distributions for games in the future TODAY. So whats does that mean for our Downloads.
I'll wait and see...
I'd love to see its use in a horror game.
If your pulse is calm and relaxed the game starts throwing more and more scares your way to get the blood racing!
SupermarketZombies, that's a great idea!
Miyamoto mentioned video games could be used for relaxing. I'd like to see how he does that...
and how many weirdos are gonna try putting this thing on the end of their p.e.n.i.s.?
Oh trust me, LoopyLuigi. Many have already thought of that.
What people are failing to see here, is that yes the vitality sensor seems like a "gimmick" attachment for your nintendo wii controller, but the real usefulness of something like this can't be overstressed enough if implemented properly.
There's way, WAY to much stress in this day and age, and anything that helps relive stress is a good thing. Miyamoto is right on the money for a game that helps you relax, as it is much needed.
Also horror games like SupermarketZombies said is indeed possible. Just imagine playing a Resident Evil Game on Wii with the sensor and it directly effects how well you aim your gun with the Wii remote.
If your to stressed your aim is off, if your more relaxed and calm, it's easier to aim. The possibilities are endless.
A funnier use would be to attach it to your middle finger and say in Mad World 2, you flip em the bird, and you flip them the bird in game in real time, and get a surge of health when you do.
Oh man how many times have we game players flipped the bird at a video game in anger. Well there's something to tap into (Lol).
But seriously, I'm pretty sure everyone at Nintendo sat down at corporate after the disaster that was Virtual Boy and said "never again" to themselves. They probably have it in big red Japanese Letters on a giant poster or something at the office.
So here's hoping this actually works as I think Miyamoto is betting on it working. Until then I'm going to reserve my judgement until I see some titles shown using this thing, and then decide if it's worth picking up.
Regards
Karch
I don't even know what it does. "Fingertip pulse oximeter?" WHAT is that?
I'm certainly not going to like it. I probably won't get any games that use it unless they make a Mario game for it. Then I'll HAVE to use it.
But I think it looks incredibly stupid.
You wouldn't come up with something weird like this as a console peripheral unless you had some good ideas on how to use it. I trust them.
absolutely not, i hate peripherals at the best of times. This is the epitome of 'what other gimmicky "health" related garbage can we shovel feed to the millions'.
I've never had a problem with the Vitality sensor
#23: "I have to say, I've spent 160 bucks for two controllers. Nintendo needs to focus on MotionPlus and not try to squeeze more money out of us on controller gimmicks."
^ This
You just know it's going to be used to wellbeing software, so as a gamer I can't say I have faith.
Well.... I am not shure just how good of an ad-on to the Wii this will be. However I believe that Nintendo will give us a good reson for why they made it. But if it will be more sucsesfull than wii-motion plus (hardly), or made only for casual gamers (like wii- balanceboeard at the start).
The only thing to do, is to wait and see
If games could tap into a persons heart rate, it could tamper with the mind; as an example, while playing a scary game, the game elements could be adjusted based on that person's fright response, either to calm the person down or push them beyond the edge (hint: broken controllers = more hardware sales!). Like when you're fighting a boss and you've both got one hit point left. Or you're trying to win a race against somebody in Japan. Heart thumping away at rapid pace. In the same way an old school puzzle game might have increased the odds that you'll get a bomb the closer the blocks are stacked near the top, an action game could play your emotions like a violin, solely based upon the level of adrenalin in your blood.
Having tried all their other peripherals and add-ons I wasn't convinced by the Wii Zapper or Wii Wheel or Wii Balance Board, and I'm not really convinced by Motion Plus either so far, so I don't see why I should believe this is going to be any different.
Not convinced.
Well, the MotionPlus is the real deal of all those you listed. The Wii Wheel is 2nd best. Balance Board is cool, but barely any games use it. The Zapper altogether sucks.
You know what I would rather have then this? A a wiimotion+ nunchuck.
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