Anyone want to make a Wiimote Mod? Armcannon ftw.

Pi_r_[]ed · Post by **Pi_r_[]ed** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 4:16 pm

I tried asking Ben himself, but he told me he probably wouldn't have the time, and instead redirected me to his forums, to see if anyone wanted to take up on this project.

From my email to Ben:
"Basically, it'd be a custom wiimote unit, that's shaped as an arm cannon from the Metroid series. The controls would be pending the release of Corruption, but most of it isn't hard to plan out now. The "fire" button would be a trigger, like a gun, on the INSIDE of the arm cannon, along with most of the buttons, like jumping and crouching. If visor changing is still the directional pad (with missiles on "down"), it and the plus, minus, and home button would rest on top of the arm cannon, so it can be accessed with the left hand. "

Anyone who'd want to take this up, go ahead and say so. It doesn't seem too hard, honestly. It's not a portable, so making it as small as possible isn't a concern. It's effect that's important.

Post by **Triton** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 5:01 pm

that would be pretty cool but more work than you would think. to make properly one handed controlls you would have to relocate almost all of the buttons which may or man not be esy i havent seen the guts of a wiimote

Turbo Tax 1.0 · Post by **Turbo Tax 1.0** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 5:27 pm

i might want to try this but not knowing the controls could be a big deal

Post by **Skyone** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 5:57 pm

Fit to whose arm scale, though? It could be easily made with a thin piping and some time, maybe a diagram would be more helpful.

I've had the liberty to take apart a Wiimote due to the fact my brother butters his hands up to play Wii Bowling. They aren't too bad.

Pi_r_[]ed · Post by **Pi_r_[]ed** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 6:35 pm

Turbo Tax 1.0 wrote:i might want to try this but not knowing the controls could be a big deal

Is there any way to include extra buttons, and have it so you can externally re-wire them to suit anyone's needs? Think like opening a hatch, and moving a few labeled wires around to change button functions. If we have "B" set to fire, but the final game ands up as the "A" button, just move a wire! Think like this:

I don't know what to call them, but they're not really triggers. More like, plugs? I dunno. I'm no tech wizard. That's why I'm not doing this myself.

Skyone wrote:Fit to whose arm scale, though? It could be easily made with a thin piping and some time, maybe a diagram would be more helpful.

I don't see why I couldn't give some measurements. Fingers, fore arm length, from X to Y, yeah... Although whats the hardest making a one-size-fits-most one can be? Piping was pretty much what I was thinking of, but It'd still be stylized around Samus's armcannon. That means it can't be just... a tube with buttons inside.

Rekarp · Post by **Rekarp** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 7:17 pm

heh a NES power glove for a Wii? Hmm if I wasn't sparse on cash and at college right now I would go for it....sigh. Still have to finish my NESp to.

Post by **Skyone** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 7:18 pm

I'll draw something up soon, it might be possible to have it adjustable if it's a big problem.

Post by **gannon** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 7:28 pm

I think a mutli-pvc pipe design would work, then you could use increasing sized pipe to thicken it/carve details into. Although you could also do the opposite and build up off of the tube with bondo/etc. for the details. If I was better at modeling/detail painting I might've attempted this.

josh · Post by **josh** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 7:48 pm

Great Idea! maybe instead of wires maybe a DIPSWITCH! also it would be Total AWESOMESAUCE if it was built in to a Full Body Varia Suit! but still if this project works it'll be AWESOMESAUCE material! (I Like the Word AWESOMESAUCE!)

Pi_r_[]ed · Post by **Pi_r_[]ed** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 8:17 pm

Dipswitch, yeah. But wouldn't you need a lot of them?

Post by **Skyone** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 9:02 pm

That's a DIP switch. What about the joystick, though?

Pi_r_[]ed · Post by **Pi_r_[]ed** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 9:21 pm

Well, with the dip switch, lets say we need 5 buttons, and include 8 as a safety measure (In reality, I think it'll be more than that.). Wouldn't each button (A, B, Z, C, etc.) need a dipswitch with enough switches on it for the amount of buttons on the arm cannon? So, in my example of 5:8, each button would need a dipswitch with 8 switches on it. Not only that, but each would need to only have one on at a time, right?

Joystick? I was thinking inside, if it ends up being roomy enough for one. Otherwise, I suppose it'd sit on the outside, with the directional pad, speaker, plus minus and home buttons, and Remote indication lights.

Knowing the game, and controller innovation, there might be a few puzzles that require seperate use of the remote and nunchuck. If they're both incoporated into one, I just figured for that rare situation that I'd switch back to my good ole Nintendo-standard Wiimote and Nunchuck.

EDIT: And if monetarily feasible, stronger vibrators. That'd be so sick, my whole arm shaking. Nice!

Post by **Skyone** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 12:44 am

Pi_r_[]ed wrote:Well, with the dip switch, lets say we need 5 buttons, and include 8 as a safety measure (In reality, I think it'll be more than that.). Wouldn't each button (A, B, Z, C, etc.) need a dipswitch with enough switches on it for the amount of buttons on the arm cannon? So, in my example of 5:8, each button would need a dipswitch with 8 switches on it. Not only that, but each would need to only have one on at a time, right?

Joystick? I was thinking inside, if it ends up being roomy enough for one. Otherwise, I suppose it'd sit on the outside, with the directional pad, speaker, plus minus and home buttons, and Remote indication lights.

Knowing the game, and controller innovation, there might be a few puzzles that require seperate use of the remote and nunchuck. If they're both incoporated into one, I just figured for that rare situation that I'd switch back to my good ole Nintendo-standard Wiimote and Nunchuck.

EDIT: And if monetarily feasible, stronger vibrators. That'd be so sick, my whole arm shaking. Nice!

It could be designed as a pole inside you grasp inside with the stick on top, like a flight joystick, with buttons on it. The Dpad can be atop the cannon, along with 1 and 2, - and + and home. B, C, and Z would be mounted on the back of the "flight stick." A Would be on top of the stick.

I dunno, just a thought. Might be cluttered, but I can't think of anything else.

Electric Rain · Post by **Electric Rain** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 2:41 am

Oh wow... guys... this has the opportunity to turn into something beautiful.

What if a group of us designed a working prototype, and then Nintendo wanted to use our design?!

That would be SO AWESOME! Too bad I don't have the money for a Wii, let alone the money for this project. This could be so great though... wow... *ponders off*

Pi_r_[]ed · Post by **Pi_r_[]ed** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 11:42 pm

Electric Rain wrote:Oh wow... guys... this has the opportunity to turn into something beautiful. What if a group of us designed a working prototype, and then Nintendo wanted to use our design?! That would be SO AWESOME! Too bad I don't have the money for a Wii, let alone the money for this project. This could be so great though... wow... *ponders off*

Yes, and next, a master sword controller! And then a Mushroom!

Seriously, attention from Nintendo would be sweet. I at least see a mention in Nintendo Power. Them using our design is a little far off, but I live close enough to pop in at Nintendo World and let them check it out. although I don't see why we couldn't continue this with other games. It's finding something that fits that's the trick. Metroid just happened to be a perfect match.