First WiiU Problems: Not Knowing Which Screen To Look At

Kotaku- I have a Wii U, so I shouldn't be complaining. I'm not. I'm observing. And my observation is this, my friends: observing a Wii U game is a brand-new skill I have not yet mastered.

When I play this new console, I'm looking at the wrong screen half the time! Or I think I am. Maybe I am. I just don't know.

[Wizziokid]

If it bothers someone that much use the pro-controller, I can't wait to use the new gamepad though

[jujubee88]

That's the problem with the Wii U
With the PS VITA, I know EXACTLY which screen I am looking at all the time.

Fact.

Sorry, but the PS VITA is just better at that. :)

[Transporter47]

Vita is better at being Portable which is what it is, WiiU is better at being a home console, just leave it at that. Stop comparing the two.

[jujubee88]

@Transporter47
Thanks for the reply. I am just trolling.

I actually hope people have enjoy their Wii U and harbor no feelings of ill-will toward anyone based on what they buy and/or support.

:)

[WrAiTh Sp3cTr3]

No.

[guitarded77]

Oh no!!! First world problems... how do we survive such hardships?

[dark-hollow]

A clever game designer will know how to utilize the Wii u screen so you won't turn your head up and down in every given moment.

Bad game design: If you put too much emphasis on the Wii u touchreen in a fast paced game is probably not a good idea, like forcing you to switch weapon on H&S game via the touch screen which will be too distracting.

Good game design: if you make looking at the Wii u display a requirement in a certain situations to add a sense of fear and tension in horror games. Or having the ability to switch weapon/organize your inventory in a slow paced games, borderlands 2 would be perfect for the Wii u.

So bottom line its up to the developers to make the Wii u gamepad an enhanced experience or a hindrance.

[Schawk]

People have been gaming on 2 screens for years on the DS without a problem. I cant wait to get the gamepad myself it looks awesome, you can even play a family member a multiplayer game using a screen each and you dont even have to be in the same room, i like that idea

[barb_wire]

Bit different when on a DS the other screen is less than inch from the main screen. I can see being a bit disconcerting sitting on a couch though. Just need to retrain your brain or get the pro controller.

[Schawk]

If your good with your hands and eyes it shouldent be a problem. i myself know i wont have a problem with it.
im realy interested in being able to play multiplayer games in 2 seperate rooms on the one console with the one game, using only one tv

which no other console can do

[Sp1d3ynut]

Schawk, I don't think it's been confirmed that's a feature of the WiiU...at least the way you're obviously thinking. I know it's logically "possible"...but I don't see any developers using such a feature, outside of Nintendo.

[ronin4life]

Bah, double post...>.<;;

Well, as for the usage of two screens, you are going to be holding up the gamepad like another controller just above your knees several feet from the tv which should have its center at eye level... within your field of vision should be both the screen and the tv.

[ronin4life]

@Sp1
CoD Blops 2 is confirmed to have this feature. Other than that I don't know.

[Sp1d3ynut]

@ ronin4life

So basically, one person gets to play the game on a 6" screen, while the other person gets to play on a screen 10-25 times larger? Who wants to do that? You'd be better off with splitscreen on the same TV, which is why I say most devs won't utilize the feature...it's just dumb.

Not to mention, according to early reviews of the hardware, like this excerpt from 1UP...

"Unfortunately, the signal isn't nearly as strong as I'd hoped. Simply walking into the kitchen, which put a single interior wall between the console and tablet, was enough to cause the on-screen image to stutter momentarily before dropping the connection entirely, despite a distance of only about 10 feet."

...seems to kill the idea of playing in another room altogether, which is what Schawk is talking of doing.

Nintendo should have licensed BlueTooth, obviously.

[Amondel]

Lol? You really dont have a clue about (optimal/)viewing distances. For instance my main TV is 51" so it's quite difference to play with half of the 51" from it's optimal distance (12-16feet, where my couches are) than with full 51" and the other playing on 6" screen from 1,5-2feet you dumbfuck. -_- Sorry for whatever, im drunk as fuck and english ain't my native language.

[Sp1d3ynut]

Amondel, if you're replying to me, I have no idea what you're going on about. Maybe if you weren't drunk...and spoke English natively...and weren't a rude imbecile above all...you'd have a better understanding of what myself and 'ronin4life' were discussing. This about playing the same game, in TWO DIFFERENT ROOMS, as opposed to splitscreen, when it's obvious the WiiU controller does not do well at long distances, and through walls. Yes, splitscreen sucks...even on a large screen (I too game on a 51" Samsung, and I've always HATED splitscreen). My point is, it would still be better, than the WiiU option, splitting it unevenly, and with the WiiU controller having a dodgy connection.
The next time you call someone a "dumbf**k"...make sure you're looking in a mirror.

[Thepcz]

tut, soccer moms
it would only be a problem if both screens are showing the exact same thing at the same time. but i doubt that ever happens.

the controller screen would be for in-game info, menu, hud, alternate views etc.

sounds like the person who wrote the article is a newbie. possibly a soccer mom lol

[zebramocha]

Yeah,but the problem with the tablet in comparison to the wiimote is,easy of use,the wiimote implementation in games are some what based of natural motion where as the tablet use is not that intuitive for casual,not say it's impossible for them but it's not easy either.

[helghast102]

lolkotaku

[Schawk]

@Sp1d3ynut
I watched sonic allstars racing developer interveiw today its on google, i heard mention of it on the video , we already know it works on COD because you can play local multiplayer with a screen each and the gamepad is wireless.

So i can be in a different room from the tv and still play local multiplayer with the gamepad and the other player using the tv and wii mote.

seems logical you have a screen each why would u have to be in the same room for local multiplayer with a family member in the same house, after all the gamepad is wireless.

and this is something developers will use it isent a big deal, its multiplayer with a screen each this is one of the wiiUs trump cards

[StrawHatPatriot]

That's the problem, dual screen gaming isn't always needed, but it can still work but only in the manner of the Nintendo DS where the screens are like right near each other.

[edonus]

Kotaku like the current gen of core gamers have demonstrated many times that developing new skills is truly a lost art.

[bitboi]

yea it's like "ohh noes! I have to do something different than using the controller the way I've been using it for years. It's now a problem!"....I guess people forget what it was like the first time they used analog controls.

[josephayal]

This is Bad
Can i cancel my preorder at gamestop?

[bitboi]

lol,your brain might get confused!!!

[Toman85]

But Kotaku loves Xbox SmartGlass so why bother with this article.. Its the same there but there you have two controllers, one for actual gameplay and smartglass for a map :p

Try play a game with a tablet on left hand and controller on the right!! Doesn't make any logical sense at all

On Wii U everything is on just one controller, amazing.

[mamotte]

You know, I'm a web designer. I have to maken menus, images, banners, things that move, etc. and it's my work to make people to see where I want'em to see. If people dont see important things, it's my fault. So, really: This problem is a design problem, if the game isn't intuitive enough to show you where you have to see, it's not a "second screen problem"

But we're talking about kotaku here. Maybe them didnt even try.

[Amondel]

Kotaku.. SIGH...

[RFornillos4]

the problem is not the console. the problem lies on how the developers are smart and creative to make use of the gamepad. and we should emphasize that the gamepad's use is really optional to the devs. if they want to use it simply for inventory management/map, that's their call. if they want to use it extensively (like ZombiU), then that's also their call. in the end, it boils down to how the devs use the gamepad, and to use it with functionality in mind.

pretty sure we'll have games that poorly implement this, and game that excel in using the gamepad. it's no different with Wii's motion control, or when PS3's Move and XBox360's Kinect was implemented. I'm only mentioning motion control since it revolutionized the way games are played as opposed to the standard controllers which have been around for a long, long time).

@mamootte, i completely agree with you. this is a design problem and not the console's problem.