How come the Revolution doesn’t support Bluetooth with controller extensions? I’m not knocking the decision not to (and maybe they still will at E3) but we live in a wireless world, especially a wireless gaming one that Nintendo helped create.
Infendo / An independent perspective
How come Nintendo didn’t use Bluetooth?
How come the Revolution doesn’t support Bluetooth with controller extensions? I’m not knocking the decision not to (and maybe they still will at E3) but we live in a wireless world, especially a wireless gaming one that Nintendo helped create.
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I'd rather have my controller extension thing tethered to my remote, it be maddening to lose half of your controller. Besides that my guess is it's simply because of cost and batteries. bluetooth ain't cheap, and you'd need batteries in both parts, along with the bluetooth tech. which would drain even more juice from the main controller.
Battery life, battery life, battery life.It should be obvious.~Carmine M. RedKairon@aol.com
I also believe bluetooth has latency issues, although I'm not possitive. Also, probably like the above posted I would imagine it also has to do with battery life.
Battery life, cost, latency, design. Any number of things. The real meat and potatoes of the system is the revmote. The secondary nunchuck joystick won't be as well developed b/c it's just an add on.
Nintendo is planning a game for and older audience that makes use of the nunchucks in a way that may stimulate players differently.
Personally, I find the cord as a nice thing. It has been a part of gaming for so long, and if we can keep the cord in such a cool manner as this, I'm all for it.
maybe the article is aimed for us to give negative feedback.anyway i find not using the bluetooth for the nunchuck the best idea.does anyone know if nintendo is using blueetooth for the freehand controller?if so then nintendo is using standards in a very creative way.. you know, bluetooth, wi-fi, dvd, sd cards, usb ports (storage devices and maybe mouse and keyboard)
The controller is wireless – its pieces don't need to also be wireless… that would defeat the purpose of the extension port (the controller acts as a power source to the extensions & having them attached makes it feel like one complete object). That's why!
I don't freaking want yet another battery to charge for each controller extension.Also the matter of the latency is a tough one.
Q: I'd rather have my controller extension thing tethered to my remote, it be maddening to lose half of your controller.A: Simple solution- Put both halves in the SAME PLACE.Q: It's wired because of cost and batteries, and Bluetooth would drain it more.A: So what if I have to buy 1 more battery? It's all about the convenience and comfort while you play. Q: I also believe bluetooth has latency issues, although I'm not possitive.A: If it has latency issues, it's not going to make a difference as opposed to a wired nunchaku because it'd just be 2 controller pieces communicating with the system- What did you expect? For the nunchaku to communicate with the remote, THEN the console? It doesn't necessarily have to be that way. Q: But Bluetooth only uses 7 inputs. That's mean only 3 players could play.A: In which case, you could hook up 1 WIRED nunchaku, and still have 3 WIRELESS nunchakus for a total of 7 connections.Q: Nintendo is planning a game for and older audience that makes use of the nunchucks in a way that may stimulate players differently.A: So a restrictive, short cord is part of the experience? /sarcasmQ: Personally, I find the cord as a nice thing. It has been a part of gaming for so long, and if we can keep the cord in such a cool manner as this, I'm all for it.A: Aww, you break my heart. Do you sleep with cords at night? I think you're too attached to your cords fetish.Q: maybe the article is aimed for us to give negative feedback.A: Nothing for me to be HAPPY about, that the Revolution controller is only half-way wireless, meaning you still have to roll up the cord after you're done.Q: "The controller is wireless – its pieces don't need to also be wireless… that would defeat the purpose of the extension port (the controller acts as a power source to the extensions & having them attached makes it feel like one complete object)."A: Extension ports are a way for the controller to power the addon and to give the addon a means to interface with the console. But if it were wireless, the addon could communicate with the console directly, and you'd just need to pay for a battery. Nothing terrible about that- and that addon battery could come packaged with a cord that lets you charge the freehand and the extension in the same charger base.
whoa. bitchy mcbitch!a fanboy turning against his own kind.an alpha-male fanboy
Another KEY thing to consider is that if the controller add-ons have to be incorporated with wireless technology, they could get expensive fast.In an environment where you want developers to experiment with controller add-ons, where you want users to adopt them despite the added cost, and where both ruggedness AND precision are essential…Wireless controller add-ons make no sense. It's a senseless additional cost just to suit an irrational desire for everything to be TEH SH1NY without regard to cost, feasibility, or real world use.Besides, if you really want it, I'm sure a third party will make such a controller and charge a high price for it just for you. The rest of us will be happy that Nintendo isn't forcing excess gluttonous luxury down our throats, and forcing us to pay more for it, or charge our controllers more often for it.*ahem*FANBOY WARS!*ahem*~Carmine M. RedKairon@aol.com
Carmine is 100% correct. It's much less convenient for a multitude of reasons to have every add-on be Bluetooth than to deal with one non-short wire.
My wireless 360 controller has to be tethered at times. In that case as well as the prima dona effect of this one, the solution is to leave it open to 3rd party developers.Hey, a cord for extensions, big deal, wah wah. Imagine synching up 4 separate controllers with various extensions (there are going to be other extensions than an analog stick.) and controlling the communication, power on/off, time out, etc.
A: If it has latency issues, it's not going to make a difference as opposed to a wired nunchaku because it'd just be 2 controller pieces communicating with the system- What did you expect? For the nunchaku to communicate with the remote, THEN the console? It doesn't necessarily have to be that way. This makes no sense. Latency means that Bluetooth just isnt fast enough, it does not matter whether or not it would connect to the controller or the console bluetooth is just too slow, it sucks. I am not against the idea of both parts of the controller being wireless if they could keep the cost/complexity down, but not bluetooth, its old, slow, and on its way out.-Wolf
Wolf, supposedly the Revolution ALREADY use Bluetooth technology for the controllers. What we're debating is using bluetooth technology for the controller add-ons.~Carmine M. RedKairon@aol.com
I just hope the "secret" revealed at E3 will be something more substantial than just the recharging station for the Revolution controllers.
I don't think the revmote uses Bluetooth. Isn't it that Broadcom technology? Yea i'm pretty sure.It should be attached because having them be independant of each other for every game wouldn't work, i think. You'd be flailing your arms around and lose your coordination more often than you need to.
Again, battery life.
Last thing we need is another 60$CAD x360 controller for the supposed-to-be affordable Revolution system. Keep costs down wherever while providing the ultimate in tech. And that wire is long enough to not be restrictive; we're used to keeping our hands 2 inches apart, so anything extra is welcome.As for the idea of 3 wireless controllers and one wired one, lol, /sarcasm.
Hex the controller is bluetooth, but the nunchuck isit. i dont understand on why people are arguing about something they have not touch or seen in front of there eyes but have heard of or seen picture's i say judge it when its in your hands. oh by the way Rollin you have been making head- lines with the new mario bros. quote you posted. it was on g4 attack of the show. as for me nintendo stated that there controller is bluetooth just to remind people. but then what do i know im just a fan and i hardly post anything i just read people's post
This is the last time I check this website. There has been nothing but crap for articles here. Why would you have every thing wireless, so you can loose it all? Get some real news or shut down this crappy site.
You shut down your own life lol. If you don't like this site, then go away. Stop being such an attention whore by announcing how much you hate this site. No one is forcing you to visit this site.I don't really care if the attachment is wireless or not. It's not like it is really going to make a significant difference.c;
HexNice,got yelled at like a stepchild
is everyone at infendo stupid now?i could hear these same stupid ass questions on a forum full of 12 year olds. instead of asking why not bluetooth in an article, take the time to look it up and do some research so you dont look like an idiot.Why dont they have teh supah G2aphic? hazorx screw you infendo
bluetooth actually has very low power consumption and cost. however when it is actively transferring it is quite a battery drain, couple this with losing each appendage, the slight but still- additional costs, whislt not forgetting the possibilitiy of 9 wireless zones from the rev alone (or more if there are more than 4 revmotes in use) ( based onrev to revmote, and revmote to attachment- 2 per controller in other words, and of course the inevitable link to your router,, and we have a nightmare of potential interference and definite battery issues., pose questions, but not miopic ones.
Yeah, I'm sorry to be so harsh, but the author of this article should've had the journalistic integrity to think for more than 5 minutes, apply critical thinking, and do some actual research before posting.I'm almost of a mind to demand a retraction of said article and official apology… nah, lol.~Carmine M. RedKairon@aol.com
Battery life and licensing costs would be the main ones I believe.I would imagine the Revo controller is pretty "chatty" with the receiver. And if Nintendo adds a headset, it needs to communicate two waysI've used a BT mouse & keyboard and never had any latency issues.
"Simple solution- Put both halves in the SAME PLACE."-Yeah, up your arse, clown."So what if I have to buy 1 more battery? It's all about the convenience and comfort while you play. "Wrong, its all about affordable innovation that is appealing to the masses, not just the technophiles who don't care how much their "comfort and convenience" cost."If it has latency issues, it's not going to make a difference as opposed to a wired nunchaku because it'd just be 2 controller pieces communicating with the system-"Wrong again. It would need to communicate with the base controller as well or the console would not know which nunchuck went with which controller base."In which case, you could hook up 1 WIRED nunchaku, and still have 3 WIRELESS nunchakus for a total of 7 connections."Ok, so you are saying the unit must be completely free of wires to suit you and then you have a "semi wired" solution. That makes alot of sense. Make up your mind please.Not to mention, every controller has wires somewhere. This is electronic equipment after all. What about the charger should that we wireless too? How about the connection to the TV, should the AV connection be wireless? You set standard no one could meet."So a restrictive, short cord is part of the experience? /sarcasm"yes, part of the experience of whipping you silly with my nunchuk cord!"Aww, you break my heart. Do you sleep with cords at night? I think you're too attached to your cords fetish."Nice rhetorical crap response. I think you are too attached to your revolution hate to see any good in it so give it up already."Nothing for me to be HAPPY about, that the Revolution controller is only half-way wireless"Half way wireless? What a joke. What about the games that don't use the nunchuck? What about games that use the shell? No cables there. Are they still halfway wireless? Take your BS hate somewhere else please.
real world answer: probably just simple costs.fantasy world answer: Nunchaku have to be connected, right?crazy fantasy world answer: you need it to play Hitman (thinks piano wire).
I can't believe the comments on this thread. It completely blows my mind.1) Arguing the merits of Bluetooth isn't really the point. Maybe Bluetooth has latency and drains batteries, maybe not. The point is that the Nunchaku should be wireless. That's one of the first things I thought about when I saw it, "Wish the extention was wireless". Who cares how it becomes wireless bluetooth, wifi, or fanboy-verbal-relay.2) I can't imagine that battery life is the issue here. The same amount of data will still be transmitted wirelessly, thus the same amount of battery drain.3) It comes down to cost. Which is an acceptable argument under the right cicumstances.If the wired-extention is dirt cheap. So, cheap that they give specialty versions away with every other game and happy meals. Then, that makes the wire an acceptable sacrifice. But please don't fool yourself into thinking it is anything other than a sacrifice. The wire is not better.On the other hand, if it's just a one-type extention that doesn't change and costs $20 expect to see it upgraded to a wireless version ala DS Lite style.Either way, I think for the first time, 3rd party controllers and extentions could prove to be important. Imagine if Mad Catz decides to release a Glock 26c version of the revmote. Or a M4/M16 version. or a sword handle version. Or simply a wireless Nunchaku. Personally, I'd like to see a Hamburgler molded extention.
You are right Nick, It would be cool if both halves were wireless.I also think that it wont be that big of a deal.I don't think it will really effect my enjoyment of the games.My problem with wires is with them getting tangled up and with people tripping over them.What I want to see is games that would let you use two revmotes at the same time, for duel wielding in a FPS for example. Playing that way would give you two wireless controls.I definitly agree with you about 3rd party controllers/extentions proving important.I am soo glad that wireless technology has came as far as it has. When I was a kid I got the wireless controllers for the NES and they were complete and utter crap. They hardly worked at all.In fact, it was because of my bad experience with them that I held off on getting a wavebird for so long.I kept hearing how good they were and they finally released it in platinum, I gave in. Now its my favorite controller.
That last post was from WolfWolfpod at g mail dot com
That the extensions should be wireless is hardly a foregone conclusion, Nicholas. I don't think they should be wireless, and I don't think I'm fooling myself at all. Two main reasons.1. Difficulty in setting up who needs which piece for multiplayer games (imagine 4 people playing a game, a couple of them getting up to get a drink or something, coming back to the living room and… uh oh… which one is my nunchuck and which one is yours? Kind of a hassle to have to figure it out again.) 2. More pieces to lose. I know that saying "just keep the pieces together" might seem like it solves that problem, but that's often a lot easier said than done, especially when kids are involved. You guys realize that there actually will be young kids playing games on the Revolution, right?I think tying the extensions to the main controller just makes life simpler, and it's not like that wire is tying you to the television set the way a normal controller wire does.
Anony, Interesting points but…1)"imagine 4 people playing a game, a couple of them getting up to get a drink or something, coming back to the living room and… uh oh… which one is my nunchuck and which one is yours?" Wouldn't the exact same problem arise if you're just using Revmotes? However it gets solved there, it could be solved with the extention. Try placing it where you were sitting. Regardless, there would have to be some easy method of associating an extention and Revmote. It could be as player number switch. I'm player two!2) "More pieces to lose."But wiring the extention doesn't solve this. There will be games where you don't use the extention attachment. Once you unplug the wire, isn't it just as easy to lose? Besides couldn't Nintendo make a cheap plastic case to hold them in when they're not in use. It wouldn't cost more than the case a game goes into.
Oh, and one more comment. Like Wolf/Anon said above, I don't think it will be that big of a deal that the extentions are wired. But at the same time, it's not that big of a deal that GameCube controller was wired. I still bought a WaveBird and always used it. If I could choose between a wired and unwired nunchaku, take a guess which one I would take.
It's a matter of keeping it unified, i think. If the nunchuk and remote are tethered, they feel like a unit. If they aren't, it feels like you're juggling 2 devices with a patting-head-rubbing-tubby effect. Losing pieces and wireless fidelity aren't the issues.But i think in the future, certain games will require the nunchuk to be seperate, for sword slashing games and such. For the time being, it's perfectly fine.
I think photos and video we've seen of people slashing with the Revmote have been greatly exaggerated. If you do a full body slash from above your head all the way down to your waist, you wouldn't have very fine-grained control for non-slashing motions. It would be like setting your mouse tracking speed all the way up and trying to make very small precise movements.
"But wiring the extention doesn't solve this. There will be games where you don't use the extention attachment. Once you unplug the wire, isn't it just as easy to lose? Besides couldn't Nintendo make a cheap plastic case to hold them in when they're not in use. It wouldn't cost more than the case a game goes into."If you're not playing a game that uses the extension, you'll probably put it away. If you're working on a game that does use the extension, you won't put it away. If the stuff is just sitting on the table, it's a lot easier for it to get lost than if it's put away by the console or wherever.
Right… cause if you're playing with it in hand but no wire, it will be so easily lost, but if you're not playing it goes into the magical world of organization.I can't beleive that was ever proposed as a serious argument. I can see it now at NintenHQ.Engineer 1: "Hey look I made a nunchaku extention!"Engineer 2: "Hmmm… Wouldn't it be cool if it were wireless."Engineer 1: "Yea, I thought about that but I was afraid some kid would loose it while playing. You know it could fall out his hand."Let's be rational. It's wired because of cost. The question is just how much does it save? I'm guessing a whole heck of a lot.
Basically, it appears some would prefer it wired and other would prefer it not. Obvioulsy nintendo can't please every gamer, so odds are good they will let the cost factor settle the issue. Clearly a wired version will be cheaper. And whoever said wireless won't use more batteries because the same data will be transmitted knows very little about electricity and radios. A wired connection used FAR LESS power to move data than a wireless or bluetooth connection. Not to mention that an additional bluetooth transceiver in the controller, along with 4 more in the console would easily increase the price by $20-$30. I'm sure nintendo will end up cutting alot of $20 corners to get the unit to a nice mass market price. The wire is probably just one of many. Personally, I would prefer a wireless nunchuck attachment, but whats really important is that you are not wired to the console. The wire between the peripherals is completely trivial.
Hey Michael,I said that wireless nunchaku won't really effect battery life, and I stand by it.Sure, I'm not an expert on electricity at all. You don't have to be. One just needs to remember that whether or not the nunchaku is wireless, the data it produces still has to be transmitted wirelessly to get to the Rev. The only difference is the path it takes (directly from the Nunchaku or through the wire to the Revmote wirelessly to the Rev).I'm eagerly anticipating the Revolution. I think it's going to be awesome, but I don't expect it to be perfect. I'm a huge fan on Infendo too, but I could think of a dozen ways to improve it.
"I'm not an expert on electricity at all. You don't have to be."Well apparently you do if you this is so hard for you to get. The only difference is the path the data takes, that's true, but one path is much HARDER to take than ANOTHER path. All paths are not equal. It's easier/cheaper at this point to go through wires than through the air. What you're saying is similar to saying that because New York and LA are always the same distance apart, travelling between the two by foot should take the same amount of money and time as going by plane.Also, about losing the pieces, I wasn't trying to say why they DECIDED to keep the extensions wired, I'm just saying why I think they SHOULD be, so your hypothetical engineer conversation is pretty moot. Yes, it is easier to lose pieces if they are perpetually separated than when they are usually connected. And when the extensions are disconnected from the remote because they're not being used in a game, they are MORE LIKELY (but not necessarily, obviously) to be put away. But keep up the blatant exaggeration, you rock at it.
Amending my last post, what I mean to say is that if the extension transmit wirelessly by themselves, you've got more transmitters, which means more money. The cost of the transmitter is not based on the amount of data that goes through it, it's a fixed cost. So 8 transmitters sending x units of data costs about twice as much as 4 transmitters sending x amount of data, even if x doesn't change.
I don't know how to respond other than to say that I always said cost was a legitimate factor but battery life wasn't. It seems like you finally agree.
Nicholas,How can battery life not matter if you need to buy an extra one for the nunchaku? That's already two batteries instead of one.
Not only do you have to have a battery in each part of it. You also have to consider that you have two different wireless senders. It takes much less power for the analog stick to send information via a wire to the controller, and only have the controller be wireless, than to have both the controller and any attachment both sending wirelessly.
Well, an extra battery is a cost issue, but not an issue of battery life. If anything, having two power supplies extends the life of each power supply. They will only have to handle part of the same load.I'm assuming that it only takes power for the wireless transmitter to transmit/receive data not to exist. So, even though there would be two wireless transmitters, they would each be transmitting half the data. Thus, consuming half the power. Thus, battery life isn't an issue.The argument is really silly though. In my mind, it's clear that it would be better for the extention to be wireless. I feel certain that this is something Nintendo even considered at some point. I also am convinved that it was simply an issue of cost. However, it likely wasn't a matter of just the cost of transmitter in the extention but also the cost of having the console coordinate between more devices.