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Now that E3 is mere moments away (June 2-4), Sony and Microsoft have been rumored that they will unleash their salvos at the Wii at the renovated/restored game industry convention.
While I think it's great news that the race in motion control has begun, I think the big companies have to step back a little and consider what their goals are. Why?
Story Time
It was a dark and stormy E3 2003, and I was helping out Sony with demonstrating the brand new EyeToy. It was a pretty elaborate setup with pyramid-shaped kiosks, spotlights, and a raised platform that always seemed to catch the toes of our more myopic patrons.
It was a pretty innovative peripheral, and being so innovative, it needed staff to demonstrate how the thing worked with EyeToy: Play.
After a couple hours of watching children, adults, and celebrities (I met Elijah Wood!) wash windows, break boards, and trip over the raised platform, along came a woman in a wheelchair.
[approximate reenactment]
"So, what does this game do," she asked.
"Well, you move your body in front of this camera, and you become the character in the game," I hesitatingly replied.
"Oh, I can't move my body very much," she said, as she started to lift herself from the wheelchair.
"I'll, uh, let's see what you can play. The Kung Fu game seems pretty popular."
"Okay, I'll try that." She shuffled onto the platform in front of the EyeToy.
I booted up "Kung Foo," and explained the rules -- tap the ninjas as they jumped out -- and stood back.
The game started; the first ninja attacked. One life lost. Second ninja. Two lives. Third ninja. Game over.
"It looks interesting," she said, as she shuffled off the platform.
"There's some other games, if you want to try them," I said, as she lowered herself into the wheelchair.
"No, that's okay."
A Moment Of Clarity
As she wheeled herself away, I felt a little ashamed. In my excitement towards a motion-sensing peripheral, I was unaware that not everyone has that much motion to spare.
It made me wonder about the future of such technology. Will the pursuit of a Minority Report UI alienate those less mobile and "fingery?"
Microsoft and Sony's rumored push to address motion-control to rival the Wii is admirable, but I always think about that lady in the wheelchair. Will they have her in mind?
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I tried to convince him that he should consider offering an option to allow normal controls, but he said certain actions couldn't be done on the controls and would ruin the gameplay experience. It was all or nothing for this person. That's fine for them I suppose, but very disappointing because the disabled benefit the most from accessible games. They don't take it for granted like most of us do.
As for the disabled, I'm sorry but I don't think we should cater all of our games to the lowest common denominator. They will always have PC games and portable systems should all the consoles jump to motion controls.
I do appreciate motion control for what it is, and recognize the technology as advancing several genres of games. Personally, I am a lazy gamer and don't find anything fun about waving my controller about - my arms get tired too quickly. What I really don't like is when motion controls get wedged into a game that doesn't warrant it. Many publishers feel that if the feature is availible, it better be in their game, so many developers are implimenting motion control for purely gratuitous reasons. I absolutely don't believe in dumbing down games to the lowest common denominator, but I also don't believe in adding a feature simply because it's availible, with no regard to how it will benefit the overall play experience.
Some motion-based systems work, and some don't. I think Nintendo is going the right direction taking steps to make motion-based gaming more accurate and user-friendly, especially with the upcoming WiiMotion Plus.
I know many people in wheelchairs who enjoy playing the Wii. The amount of physical movement varies among Wii games. That woman probably won't appreciate games like WarioWare: Smooth Moves, but she can play less-active motion games like point-and-shoot rail shooters. No need to get off the wheelchair for that one.
It drives me nuts how designing for the disabled comes across as a bother. I mean, how difficult is it to have captions in your game -- Ubisoft is the only publisher I know who's making it a standard -- or having the option to adjust motion sensitivity?
If PCs have this technology, why don't consoles?
@Ian
Nintendo does account for "the lowest common denominator" with the Wii, believe it or not; just ask any certification tester.
I look forward to the MotionPlus as well. As a pointing device, the remote is fine, but once you're off the screen, it's wackyland. I like motion control a lot, but I wonder if the technology is mature enough to detect subtle motion/gestures.
@Derek
I didn't "force the wheelchair lady to stand up;" she tried the game under her own volition and strength. She seemed curious in trying out a new piece of technology, and got up on the platform herself.
I could go into the design of the kiosk itself, and the limitations on what I was allowed to demo, but I wanted to focus on the idea of motion control itself.
The beauty of games, which is obvious to anyone, is being able to immerse yourself into a dreamworld of which you can't do normally. What a controller (with a limited number of buttons) does for interaction is simplify these scenarios into a common method for everyone. The more games get closer to imitating real life in their interaction, the more we are rewarding "normal" motor skills and alienating those people who may want to escape into a game and experience what they can't in their normal life. Guitar Hero is a great example of a "dumbed-down" game for the masses. If there were more buttons and strum bars on a single controller it would be daunting to play, but would be more true to a real guitar playing experience.
I suppose like everything it comes down to a case by case basis, and there are lots of forms of disability. Wii would be a better alternative to person who can't walk than DDR would. But Wii would be a worse option for someone with CP who can't control their movements as well. Even with the advent of motion control, for the most part to play games "properly" you have needed 2 hands, 10 fingers, and working eyes and ears to play a game. That doesn't make it right, or justify not addressing the issue, but it may be fair to say its nothing new, just a horse of a different color.
While games are designed for particular audiences, the controller is designed for almost everyone; It is the only method that people can interact with your "world." If the controller alienates a certain group of people, it means a lost audience.
The point of my piece was to demonstrate the direction motion control is heading, and that, as a method of input, it has to account for almost every ability and disability. If it doesn't, then it's just a novelty.
But, I think the market for intuitive motion controls for the majority of potential customers is too great to be ignored. I've met so many folks I would never have considered gamers (and still don't, I must say) who say they play the Wii because of the controls.
jesus..
the wii mote is a great example of how motion controls can do work fine. I don't understand why you are all complaining. I have played very few bad games that use the wii motions. Many others, specially from nintendo, performs great.
please, keep the eye toy form the comparison. It just doesn't make any sense.