the whole "wii is a gimmick/I love okami!" hypocrisy is classic gaf.
Not really. It's one thing to have a game with a drawing gimmick, it's another to base an entire system around such a gimmick.
There is no way to love the okami brush strokes and yet denounce similiar gameplay in Wii/DS games with a controller more fitting for it and not be hypocritical.
And gimmick is what people call creative ideas that they didn't think up. It's actually become a common practice in the game world to do this, outside of consoles even. In PC online games I play, someone will come up with a clever build or trick, which everyone denunces as a gimmick. That is until it becomes common practice because it works. It's just one of those modern phrases of bullshittery. Like how professionalism and being proffesional means you're a liar in a suit.
In the recent EGM, the developers said they considered an Okami port to the Wii and DETERMINED IT WOULDN'T WORK -- that the experience would be inferior, in their estimation. That's because the gameplay in Okami in NO WAY revolves around the Celestial Brush -- the primary mechanics are Zelda-style exploration and platforming. The Celestial Brush *is* just a gimmick and comprises one ancillary mechanic. You could take away the brush and replace it with a Zelda-style tool system and while the game would lose something, it wouldn't ruin it by any measure. On top of that, will wiggling the Wii would be an improvement, the brush is already implemented well on the Dual Shock, rendering the upgrade for a tertiary play mechanic marginal. On the other hand, the nunchuck isn't exactly a great option for traditional controls if impressions from the last Nintendo event are to be believed -- and I'm sure Clover knows better than we do how suitable the Wii controls are for more traditional 3D gameplay models. In this case, they feel they aren't.
It's easy to like Okami and hate the DS/Wii because Okami is a very traditional work of game design at its core, and in no way relies in the "drawing" mechanic for its appeal beyond an amusing and well-integrated gimmick. The real fun is the sense of participation in its well-realized world: the exploration, puzzle-solving, combat, and interaction -- all of which could be accomplished without the Celestial Brush. Conversely, most DS/Wii-specific games make the scribble/waggle the CORE mechanic, which is really detestable to those of us who prefer more traditional, epic content.
A "gimmick" is what I call any shallow mechanism that gussies up a control action without justification for the added complexity. A "gimmick" is a controller action that could be handled in a more simple fashion, but instead relies on some gestural metaphor to create appeal. There's no fundamental difference between waggling a wand for a a sword strike and pressing the A button, nor is there any real reason to trace a circle with a complex controller motion instead of selecting a tool with a button and pressing it outside of the novelty of performing an unorthodox action. It adds a little charm, but other than that, it is a pure GIMMICK.
And I have no problem with these gimmicks as long as they play a purely tertiary role in game design. They're cute when done properly, as in Okami. But when you base entire games around them, well, then they SUCK.
Well one major difference here is that I think the brush strokes in Okami add more to just a little to the game and are more important to the game than you imply. I am using brush strokes more than I am jumping so far. The whole painting thing is one of the first things I liked about Okami. I also think that without the brush strokes the game might just be a Zelda clone with cool art. The brush strokes tie the entire concept of the game together.
Also, wiimote controls wouldn't complicate brush strokes. I think they would make it easier. It would take the three inputs currently for painting, and shorten it into two inputs. Also, you could have more precise control perhaps and be able to expand the brush stroke element and add more depth.
There is also a difference between swinging a sword with a wiimote and just pressing a button. The obvious difference is feel, and that actually is a great difference. Added feel is added immersion, added control and just a general different experience. Would you say using an analog controller to aim in a monkeyball Shooting minigame is the same as aiming with a gun in House of Dead/Timie Crisis? You're just moving a crosshair in either game essentially, but the entire feel and experience is different. Also, judging by the small snippet of turning a lock in Metroid Prime 3, the things you can do with a wiimote are more than just waggling instead of button pushing. If the Wiimote can detect you twisting your hand and pushing in towards the screen like that... well thats a whole new ballgame of 3d control.
I also don't know how Okami would not work with the wiimote if Mario Galaxy works with the wiimote and nunchuk.
So..
A "gimmick" is what I call any shallow mechanism that gussies up a control action without justification for the added complexity. A "gimmick" is a controller action that could be handled in a more simple fashion, but instead relies on some gestural metaphor to create appeal.
Fun is the justifcation for 'gimmicks'. Added feel and enjoyment are justification. There is no neccessary added complexity. A button push is binary, devs are outright stupid in handling this. They often keep adding buttons and button assignments so players can do more things instead of combining the more varied input of an analog stick with one button. So, now they have a Wiimote to represent real life 3d movement into game 3d movement. If the controller is precite enough, there would be a difference. Sure you could accomplish a sword swing with one button. That sword swing will always be the same. On the wiimote, it will be different. You want to make the button swingin more different? You add more buttons, but each is a canned procedure. One button is a regular swing that always swings at the same angle, one is a circular swing always at the same angle and same difference. The wii mote can do a circular swing that could also have variations in angle and height. I don't know if devs will be doing this or not, but that is a huge difference.
Gimmick --> Implementation--> Standard
Thats how it works. You will call it a gimmick now, then people will implement it, then impliment it better, then it will become standard because it offers more in some way or form.
edit: clean up typos later, I got to find some nyquil
