For today’s entry, we’ll go a little more in-depth in regards to our thinking behind the controls for MUA2 Wii. We’ll also start to cover some other features exclusive to the Wii, continuing that coverage in the next Diary Entry.

When we began this project, we set out on a goal to take a game that was already a lot of fun to play (MUA1 Wii) and figure out how to improve upon the controls based on a maturing Wii market and what the new and experienced Wii gamer was looking for. That said, we’re very pleased with the results which improves on every aspect of the controls with the Wii gamer and MUA fan in mind.

Coming up on Day Four, we’ll talk more about some of the new and / or improved features added to the MUA2 Wii experience, including B.R.A.G., Profiles, and Auto-Spend.

Another pointer-based mechanic we use throughout MUA2 Wii is our Hacking mini-game. When hacking a computer system in the game, each player must navigate their spark through a simulated computer system, using the Wii Remote pointer to reach a designated exit point without hitting any walls (which degrade and destroy the signal).  Points are gained by finishing before others and by collecting tech-bits in the form of coins.  Careful though, some of the coins are placed in the more treacherous sections of the hack board.  Power-ups also let the player modify their partner(s) signal, causing it to grow, speed up, etc. The hacking boards become increasingly difficult as you progress through the game.  There’s even a special hack board among the bonus missions that only elite players will ever defeat.  Good Luck!

We added unique mini-game and boss mechanics that take total advantage of the Wii’s pointing capabilities as well.  Boss battles such as Yellowjacket, Man-Ape, and Absorbing Man rely on pointer-based mechanics to succeed.  For example, some boss battles utilize a pointer-centric addition which we call a “Lock-On Beat-Down” moment. This mini-game again leverages the Wii Pointer to help the gamer defeat some of the most difficult bosses in the game.  Find and expose the weak spots on the boss in this fast-paced comic-infused game of whack-a-mole!  Compete with your friends to target the most points as quickly as you can.  Points will flash your color if you are successful!

Pointer-based mechanics

One feature of the Wii controls that wasn’t utilized in the first MUA game was the pointer.  The pointer is such a unique and important part of the system that we wanted to use it to enhance the entire MUA2 experience.  We made sure every menu could be controlled naturally and easily with the pointer.  Some menus, like Civil War Choice and Character Select, were built specifically with the pointer in mind.  We also focused on using the pointer in natural ways throughout gameplay.  One great example is choosing your partner for power fusion (we’ll go into greater detail on Fusion on the Wii in the next Diary entry).

Allowing multiple players to manage their heroes at the same time was a feature that everyone requested and we’ve delivered in MUA2 for the Wii.  Nobody wants to take turns upgrading their characters each time you level up.  With our new split-screen Hero Details menu, up to four players can simultaneously upgrade and assign their powers.  This saves precious time, allowing you to get back into the action that much quicker.

Controls

The first thing we wanted to address from the original Wii title were the controls.  One of our primary goals for MUA2 was to utilize the unique properties of the Wii in ways that are natural and fun, while avoiding any excessive or unnecessary motions.  At n-Space we are no strangers to the Wii’s capabilities when it comes to motion controls.  As one of the only 3rd party developers in North America to work directly with Nintendo of Japan (Geist for the GameCube), we received very early prototypes of the Wii Controller long before the system was set to launch. Specifically, in October of 2005 we returned from a trip to Nintendo’s offices in Kyoto carrying controller prototypes #10 and #11, giving us a significant leg up over most developers when it comes to working with this unique aspect of the Wii hardware.

When the Wii was launched, we saw that there was no shortage of games relying on gimmicky controller movements and motions.  Every game wanted you to shake and swing, and every gamer embraced it because it was new.  As the Wii library matured, so did the expectations of the Wii gamer.  These days, players are looking for more creative and natural uses of motion controls, rather than simple waggles included for the sake of having them in the game.

We determined that an action game like ours needs simple and accessible controls that allow the gamer to repeatedly perform combos and powers without growing tired.  By mapping powers to the D-Pad and providing separate light and heavy attack buttons, we believe that any action gamer can pick up our game and immediately feel right at home.

Another control change we felt critical to the enjoyment of the game deals with camera control.  In the original MUA, simply rotating the Wii Nunchuk would turn the camera.  While we liked that particular behavior and thought it was useful, we wanted to avoid the downside where some gamers would find themselves inadvertently moving the camera at inopportune times.  We addressed this issue by adding a camera control button that must be pressed before the camera can be adjusted.  Pressing and releasing the button will simply reset the view behind your team, while holding the button allows the camera to be rotated by twisting the Wii Remote.

Copyright © 2009 n-Space, Inc.    All Rights Reserved.