Basically, just post how you would like to see a game's controls mapped to a system with a different controller. Of course the Wii is one option, but it's not as though all controllers are the same. The DS and the PSP both have fewer buttons than current systems, or even the systems they were based on. So how would you have a game controlled on any system, where you can't just map the buttons directly?
And you can be as specific as you want.
I'm going to start with GTA on the Wii, either a port of the PS2 games, or an original game. Now that may seem impossible, but if you count the number of functions on the game, and the number of buttons on the Wiimote, nunchuck, including the d-apd, it can be done.
For the buttons, I count twelve seperate functions, not including movement and camera control (I just won't list the buttons, since they are mapped differently on the PS2, Xbox, PC, and PSP).
On foot/In vehicle:
1. Run/Acclerate
2. Jump/Reverse
3. Fire/Fire
4. Enter vehicle/ Exit vehicle
5. Phones or Property/Radio
6. Aim/Handbrake
7. Previous weapon/Look left (turn left in hover aircraft)
8. Next weapon/Look right (turn right in hover aircraft)
7+8. Look behind
9. Crouch/Horn
10. Look behind/Toggle vehicle missions
11. Switch views/Same
12. Menu/Same
Yet the Wii does have twelve buttons: A, B, C, Z, 1, 2, -, +, and the four d-pad buttons.
So the point it to figure out which to map to which.
First of all, of course the analog stick would control movement, and the Wiimote would be for aiming and camera control. Now I wasn't a fan of the bounding box at first, but a video of the upcoming Gundam game showed me it could work. The box would be fairly large, unless you are aiming, and you can use the menu to make the box visible or not. Plus regardless of the situation, - would switch views, and + would naturally open the menu.
Second, is the mapping on foot. Running and jumping would be mapped to C and Z, since those are most related to movement. Firing would be mapped to B, and aiming to A, since that worked for Zelda. Up on the D-pad would be entering vehicles. Left and Right would be switching weapons. Down would toggle crouching. 1 would answer phones, buy property, or any similar functions. 2 would be to look behind (unless some gamers use that more than I do; then it would be mapped to down, and crouching would be mapped to 2).
Third, is mapping when aiming, or going into combat mode, which does have slightly different rules than just on foot. You can't switch weapons when aiming, so here you would use left and right to control the size of the bounding box, so you can adjust it for the situation. Also, down would reload, without having to leave aiming mode, or run out of ammo. If the weapon has a zoom scope (or just an item with it), C and Z would be zooming in and out.
Fourth is vehicle mode. This is a bit more complicated, since looking behind is a thirteenth function. So I would have two modes, that can be swtiched from the menu. Regardless of which mode, C and Z would be accelering and reversing, B would fire (regardless of looking to the side, or ahead if the vehicle allows it), A would be the handbrake, and Up would exit the vehicle.
For the first mode, you would use the bounding box to look left right, or behind. Left and right would switch stations bach and forth. Down would be the horn, and 1 and 2 would both toggle missions.
Yet that wouldn't work too well for a helicopter, so the second control would have the Wiimote be camera control. Left and Right would look left and right, with down looking behind. 1 would switch the station. 2 would have to be both the horn and mission toggle. So tapping or holding it would be the horn, and double tapping would toggle missions.
Well that's my suggestion for one game, what about you and your choice of game?
A flashy-first game is awesome when it comes out. A great-first game is awesome forever.
Plus, just for the hell of it: Kelly Brook at the 2008 BAFTAs
