Tekken Producer Calls Wii U GamePad a "Distraction"

[Andy Chalk]

Tekken Producer Calls Wii U GamePad a "Distraction"

Not everyone is a fan of the Wii U's dual-screen design.

Back in early June, during the lead-up to E3, Nintendo raised the curtain [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/117604-E3-Nintendo-Reveals-Wii-U-Details] on the Wii U GamePad and how it's integrated screen would work in conjunction with the larger, primary television display. Nintendo big cheese Satoru Iwata described it as "asymmetric diversity in gameplay," which is a fancy way of saying that what happens on the main screen and what happens on the GamePad display will be different; as an example, Iwata described players using the GamePad screen to pitch and catch a baseball, while a more expansive field-level view is displayed on the television.

It sounds potentially groovy, but not every developer is in a rush to embrace the system. Tekken Producer Katsuhiro Harada went so far as to call it a potential distraction, which is why the upcoming Tekken Tag Tournament 2 probably won't dig too deeply into the two-screen style.

"Looking at the small screen and the big screen at the same time is pretty distracting for a fighting game. So we're thinking of making it useful as a way of having shortcuts," Harada told Eurogamer. "Or, by making progressing through the game more convenient. Or by playing alone on the GamePad screen."

It's easy to overindulge in new technology and systems just because it's there, but sometimes the smart move is to stick with what works rather than trying to impress the ladyfolk with fancy footwork. It's a tricky balance, further complicated in this case by the fact that Tekken Tag Tournament 2 will launch first for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 using standard controllers; if the Wii U control scheme is sub-par, fans can simply go elsewhere for their fix.

Tekken Tag Tournament 2 [http://www.amazon.com/Tekken-Tag-Tournament-2-Playstation-3/dp/B006KYYOSO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341856045&sr=8-1&keywords=Tekken+Tag+Tournament+2] comes out for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on September 14, while the Wii U version is currently slated to hit later in the year.

Source: Eurogamer [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-07-09-tekken-boss-brands-wii-u-gamepad-distracting-for-fighting-games]


Permalink

 

[Fappy]

"Or, by making progressing through the game more convenient. Or by playing alone on the GamePad screen."

Well that's kind of cool. If someone else wants to use the TV you can just switch the display onto the controller and everyone is happy.

 

[Li Mu]

I'm pretty sure that they did a very low tech version of this with the Dreamcast controllers.
It wasn't that impressive, so it will be interesting to see what the Wii does with it.
But given Nintendo's record when it comes to making utterly superfluous and idiotic controller crap I wouldn't expect too much.

Nintendo needs to realize that it's the GAMES we are interested in, not whether my controller can brush my teeth while I play SmashBros.
Hey Nintendo, remember those game things you're supposed to make? You know, the things which the entire Nintendo Wii was made to run? Yeah, those. Yeah, you're actually supposed to be focusing on making GOOD games. Not tech demos.

 

[ScruffyMcBalls]

I don't see why the control scheme needs to be different. Does a fighting game like Tekken really need to capitalize on a second screen at all? I'd like to see something like a record of button presses or a combo list show on the screen during gameplay, or something like a first person perspective if you really want something unique. But other than that, trying to think of anything else to do with the screen wound probably get in the way, best to just have it turn off during combat and use the controller much like we use an xbox or PS3 controller.

 

[evilneko]

Yeah, I can understand the distraction angle. The Tekken devs are free to ignore it if they want. Nintendo isn't holding a gun to their head....are they?

and how it's integrated screen

its. /GrammarNazi

 

[FantomOmega]

"Or, by making progressing through the game more convenient. Or by playing alone on the GamePad screen."

Well that's kind of cool. If someone else wants to use the TV you can just switch the display onto the controller and everyone is happy.

I respect Katsuhiro Harada for saying what most developers are afraid to say out-loud about this so-called "innovative" controller

I thought the "Picture-in-picture" function in most TVs made the Wii U controller completely redundant and the only "minus" is that you cant hear both screens at the same time.

Heck! some TVs even have Split Screen viewing!

The so called "positive" responses for the Wii U controller are positive by default for a REASON since if they diss a piece of hardware that may become successful it will look bad on their part, doesn't this remind you of the Wii and it's Wii-mote controller that got Sooo much praise from the 3rd party developers but was quickly forgotten since if you are a dedicated gamer that bought a wii there is a chance that you will buy NOTHING but Nintendo made games which cause 3rd party developers to shun the system regardless on how "revolutionary" the controller is!

 

[cikame]

So he didn't call it a distraction, he called it a distraction for fighting games.
Love journalists...

 

[Terramax]

So he didn't call it a distraction, he called it a distraction for fighting games.
Love journalists...

This.

What's with the Escapist getting more and more like the Sun?

Regarding Tekken: any try fighting fan will want to play it with an arcade stick. Chances are they'll buy it on 360 or PS3 earlier in the year, and play it with their hori. Can't see this game selling too well on Wii U.

 

[draythefingerless]

"Or, by making progressing through the game more convenient. Or by playing alone on the GamePad screen."

Well that's kind of cool. If someone else wants to use the TV you can just switch the display onto the controller and everyone is happy.

I respect Katsuhiro Harada for saying what most developers are afraid to say out-loud about this so-called "innovative" controller

I thought the "Picture-in-picture" function in most TVs made the Wii U controller completely redundant and the only "minus" is that you cant hear both screens at the same time.

Heck! some TVs even have Split Screen viewing!

The so called "positive" responses for the Wii U controller are positive by default for a REASON since if they diss a piece of hardware that may become successful it will look bad on their part, doesn't this remind you of the Wii and it's Wii-mote controller that got Sooo much praise from the 3rd party developers but was quickly forgotten since if you are a dedicated gamer that bought a wii there is a chance that you will buy NOTHING but Nintendo made games which cause 3rd party developers to shun the system regardless on how "revolutionary" the controller is!

its a touch screen in your hands . that MIGHT make some difference to your analisis, if you think about it.

 

[Mr. Omega]

Well, the actual quote saying it's a distraction for fighting games is true. And yes, the quotes taken in the wrong context in titles are getting out of hand. But anyway, there's still the Pro Gamepad or whatever it's called, so it's still playable.

I actually find it refreshing that a developer is using restraint on this new bit of tech. Just because you can use something doesn't mean you should.

 

[GloatingSwine]

So he didn't call it a distraction, he called it a distraction for fighting games.
Love journalists...

On the other hand, it's easy to extrapolate from that point that it will also be a distraction in any other high-attention games. FPS, for example, if you put something on the tablet that the player needs frequently (a radar or minimap for instance) then they will become much more vulnerable if they try to use it.

This is a problem for most games, actually, the second screen is only useful for things you didn't really need anyway, so you might as well put them on a menu screen.

 

[FantomOmega]

"Or, by making progressing through the game more convenient. Or by playing alone on the GamePad screen."

Well that's kind of cool. If someone else wants to use the TV you can just switch the display onto the controller and everyone is happy.

I respect Katsuhiro Harada for saying what most developers are afraid to say out-loud about this so-called "innovative" controller

I thought the "Picture-in-picture" function in most TVs made the Wii U controller completely redundant and the only "minus" is that you cant hear both screens at the same time.

Heck! some TVs even have Split Screen viewing!

The so called "positive" responses for the Wii U controller are positive by default for a REASON since if they diss a piece of hardware that may become successful it will look bad on their part, doesn't this remind you of the Wii and it's Wii-mote controller that got Sooo much praise from the 3rd party developers but was quickly forgotten since if you are a dedicated gamer that bought a wii there is a chance that you will buy NOTHING but Nintendo made games which cause 3rd party developers to shun the system regardless on how "revolutionary" the controller is!

its a touch screen in your hands . that MIGHT make some difference to your analisis, if you think about it.

So if Apple got authorized by Sony and Microsoft to release a app that allow you to play games with the Ipad on their consoles WITHOUT the need to buying a specific device that you may already have (and not just for gaming too), how about making this software compatible with ANY tablet device.

If the Vita was cheaper and was BUNDLED with a PS3 the fight would already be lost for the Wii U controller

 

[OldNewNewOld]

If this misleading titles keep going on, I'll have no choice but leave the Escapists.
Sorry, but this is really getting out of hand, especially with anything Nintendo related.

He said it's a POTENTIAL distraction IN FIGHTING GAMES.
You so called journalists should try something called "reading comprehension". It actually helps. Seriously.

So he didn't call it a distraction, he called it a distraction for fighting games.
Love journalists...

On the other hand, it's easy to extrapolate from that point that it will also be a distraction in any other high-attention games. FPS, for example, if you put something on the tablet that the player needs frequently (a radar or minimap for instance) then they will become much more vulnerable if they try to use it.

This is a problem for most games, actually, the second screen is only useful for things you didn't really need anyway, so you might as well put them on a menu screen.

On the other hand, putting the ammo, health and minimap information on it could also work on better immersion because a real soldier needs to keep count of his bullets and doesn't have a map in his hands all the time.

I'm not saying it would work with every FPS game, but if the game was made around that from the ground, such "immersion breaking" would actually build up the immersion by forcing you to play more strategically and unable to just blindly run trough your enemies lines.

Also, most games will probably keep the minimap on the main screen, while place a big map on the controller with extra info.

Developer should try and learn from the Wii. Instead of forcing the motion control in every game, just ignore them if you don't have a place for it. So use the controller screen just when you really think it will add to the gameplay. I hate it when people blame Nintendo because the third party developer are lazy and don't know how to use it. Nintendo added them just another choice, one more tool to work with. I doubt Nintendo is forcing them to implement bad decisions.

My main point is, the controller screen could be the second coming of Christ, but it could also be the coming of the Anti-Christ to gaming. It's all in the hands of the developer. If they use it good and don't use it just so that they say "well, we included it", it will be good. But if they us it for the most unreasonable shit, it will suck. The gamepad has a lot of potential for good and for bad.

 

[draythefingerless]

"Or, by making progressing through the game more convenient. Or by playing alone on the GamePad screen."

Well that's kind of cool. If someone else wants to use the TV you can just switch the display onto the controller and everyone is happy.

I respect Katsuhiro Harada for saying what most developers are afraid to say out-loud about this so-called "innovative" controller

I thought the "Picture-in-picture" function in most TVs made the Wii U controller completely redundant and the only "minus" is that you cant hear both screens at the same time.

Heck! some TVs even have Split Screen viewing!

The so called "positive" responses for the Wii U controller are positive by default for a REASON since if they diss a piece of hardware that may become successful it will look bad on their part, doesn't this remind you of the Wii and it's Wii-mote controller that got Sooo much praise from the 3rd party developers but was quickly forgotten since if you are a dedicated gamer that bought a wii there is a chance that you will buy NOTHING but Nintendo made games which cause 3rd party developers to shun the system regardless on how "revolutionary" the controller is!

its a touch screen in your hands . that MIGHT make some difference to your analisis, if you think about it.

So if Apple got authorized by Sony and Microsoft to release a app that allow you to play games with the Ipad on their consoles WITHOUT the need to buying a specific device that you may already have (and not just for gaming too), how about making this software compatible with ANY tablet device.

If the Vita was cheaper and was BUNDLED with a PS3 the fight would already be lost for the Wii U controller

what point exactly, are you trying to make? cause it seems to me youre saying that nintendo was the smart one by incorporating this idea first. so what was the point of saying that?

also, can you imagine how completely complex it would be for any iOS device or android to have an integrated involvment in ps3 and xbox games(a la ZombiU).

theres the framework issue, theres the integrated netcode structure issue. theres compatibility issues(the ps3 and the xbox are built in different ways than android and iOS). there is the issue of developers WORKING on this. the PS Vita has the most close comparison to the WiiU out there(with the PS3), and even then, you cant do half what you can between the WiiU and its controller(see again, ZombiU). So if Sony wouldnt bother doing it inhouse with their own custom made portable console, you can imagine how hard it is with androids n iOS.

That isnt to say, they wont implement more compatibility friendly stuff in their next gen, but even if they do, again, Nintendo is doing it first, so we come back to the question. What was the point you were trying to make?

and i fail to mention how much nintendo is trying to invest on 3rd party games. need i remind you that nintendo was an investor in 3rd party before the Wii came. its murky controler was what threw them off(amongst other things).

 

[gigastrike]

Glad to know there are people out there who don't feel the need to shoehorn things in just because they're there.

 

[Li Mu]

Why you say Nintendo, when it's Nintendo that makes the best games in the industry?

Get informed.

I would have to politely disagree with you.
Nintendo's recent releases have been dull rehashes of the same things they've been releasing since the 90s.
Nintendo's shares have dropped 15% over the last 6 months alone!
Now of course, stocks and shares do not show the quality of gaming. But it does show us that gamers really don't seem to think that the majority of Nintendo games are worth buying.

I used to love the N64. IMO it's games were far more varied and enjoyable than the current Wii crop.
OOOH ANOTHER MARIO GAME! SUPER MARIO SUNSHINE WORLD IV!
LEGEND OF ZELDA 42; SKYWARD ISLAND OCARINA OF SPOONS

And yes, there is nothing wrong with milking a successful franchise. Hell, soon we'll have "Call of Duty 87; Same Old Shit". But it would be nice to see Nintendo trying their hand at making something which isn't yet another Kirby game and actually brings something new to the table.

Rather than make games to fit your new motion gizmo, how about making a great game and then develop the gizmo to enhance it?