I just had an interesting conversation with an internet friend who has owned a Wii for a while, had put it away... and is now preparing to bring it back out again for Mario Galaxy.

The discussion started because he wanted some Wii-Remote playing tips. In essence, he was afraid at sucking at Mario Galaxy.  Basically, he'd used the system to play with his girlfriend a couple times, and then basically given it to her, because she liked it a lot.

What he described seemed nearly identical to the 60%+ of people who try a traditional "hardcore" game and aren't very good at it. They get frustrated, decide they don't care enough, and quit. I have the benefit of "training" with a traditional controller for 20ish years now. Which is why it was particularly frustrating -- both for this friend and, I instantly realized, for me -- to suddenly, after twenty years of getting good at video games, stink again.  I've been playing games for nearly twenty years, and now I can't even play Zelda right. I definitely had that thought, when I first began playing Twilight Princess, and I definitely struggled with TP in a way that I definitely wouldn't have if I had simply used a regular controller. 

I don't mean this as an insult to my friend, or to myself, but rather as a simple thought as a focal point of discussion: with the Wii, traditional gamers are forced to learn how to ride the bike again. And it is, as I said, perhaps even more scary than having to learn it the first time. I am certainly not immune to this myself. 

I generally assumed that's why people really hate the Wii anyway, it was the same way when they moved away from pad's to joysticks... i knew a lot of people who complained about Joysticks because they were used to pad gaming.

So, what you're saying is hardcore gamers are afraid and frustrated by something new.

I was warned I would suck first time playing, I sucked first time playing. Wasn't exactly a bother for me.

The controller is not huge change and doesn't take long to get used to.

Anyone who says otherwise is just making excuses.

As someone who's competed a tournament level in several fighting games, it's like learning to use a joystick. It takes a bit longer to learn, but man is it worth it. I've been playing Ocarina recently and after TP, aiming with the analogue stick seems incredibly slow and cumbersome. It's also like switching between PC gaming with a mouse and keyboard and console gaming. All it takes is an open mind and some mental flexibility.

Yeah, I don't see it as a big deal, but you're right with 'hardcore gamers' not wanting to re-learn how to play video games due to a new controller.

But, just as the N64 controller was bashed, the thumb stick is a huge success.

And, just as I believe teh NES ushered in the first major directional pad (from the previous joystick Atari as the major source), people cried at first, but loved the new way of handling a game.

All I know is while it took some getting used to with MP3, it's sick in a great way now. I've played thousands of hours of Halo1/2, but MP3 feels more natural.


I guess this is why people at my school network refused to play Halo 1 when asked on Halo 2... it was harder for them to play, and once they played Halo 1 with us again (teams) and got royally owned, they quit back to Halo 2, something that I believe requires LESS SKILL.

Less Skill.... if you don't have the skill for the controller (yet) hardcore gamers don't want to spend the dissatisfying time to invest in learning it.

The last 10 years has been the "instant-satisfaction era of video games".

Anyone think that age could possibly be a factor in this? I'm sixteen, and the learning curve in Zelda wasn't too bad in terms of the controls. We all know we learn at a slower and slower rate as we age, and I'm pretty sure Bod is a bit older than me. Plus, Bod's been playing with a traditional controller for almost twice as long as me.

Nah, I'm 24 and I'm better with technology, learning games and adapting than I was at 16. I'm supposedly getting 'old' now that I'm gaining years.

My girlfriend, having never played Mario64, picked it up last weekend for the first time and managed to get to the top of the first level without dying at all, which was sick to me. She's 21.

She also picked up RE4:Wii and played through the first scene without dying, which also impressed me. I guess being female really doesn't have any bearing on capacity either.... not that I'm saying it never did. Just saying I was impressed.

Yeah I think this is really the problem.

Some folks just ain't adaptable. I got a cousin who still doesn't understand analog stick controls preferring to use digital pads. He won't even TRY a 3-D fighter preferring a 2-D fighter instead like old SFII & MK.

I adapted quite well & it didn't take me long. I have no problem sucking because losing at a videogame ain't like losing in life. There's always multiple opportunities to get better and there's no judgment involved. Just practice until you get better. The fun's in the journey.

I can switch between the old NES standard control, the old Joystick control, & the new Wii control seamlessly. Sometimes the new control made things easier. At the very least fresher.

It took me no time to catch on Zelda: TW.

Be adaptable in all areas of life and things become MUCH easier. I wonder if Words of Wisdom will take that quote into her lexicon for future quotables. 'Cause that statement is surely words of wisdom.

I'n 31 by the way to answer that age argument from above. 

John Lucas