20080421 Nintendo Wii Game Innovation Talk Thaweesak

Nintendo
Wii Game
Innovation

Thaweesak Koanantakool
NECTEC Tea Talk
April 21, 2008

Agenda
• The Wii Game
• Nintendo R&D spending
• Wii Remote
• Wii Console
• Nintendo’s Patents
• Research opportunities

2
Nintendo Wii Game Innovationy -- Thaweesak Koanantakool (21 April 2008)

Nintendo Wii Game Innovation -- Thaweesak Koanantakool (21 April 2008) 3

Spielberg and Miyamoto
Steven Spielberg is making a
return to video games.
Newsweek reports that the
legendary director has teamed
with Mario designer Shigeru
Miyamoto to create a new
action-puzzle simulator for the
Nintendo Wii. Code-named
PQRS, the new game ―neatly
blends the creativity of the
building-blocks game Jenga
with the charm of a Saturday-
morning cartoon. It runs on top
of a physics program that lets
you manipulate blocks with the
Wii remote as if it were an
extension of your hand.‖ You
had me at ―Spielberg‖ and ―Wii‖.

Elderly residents at the Sunrise
Retirement Home in Birmingham
(age 80-100) play Nintendo Wii
in the lounge.


By Dave Wischnowsky, Tribune staff reporter Published February 16, 2007, http://tinyurl.com/2a6nt2

At the Sedgebrook retirement community in Lincolnshire, where the average age is 77, something unexpected has been transpiring
since Christmas. The residents, most of whom have never picked up a video game controller in their life, suddenly can’t put the
things down.
―I’ve never been into video games,‖ said 72-year-old Flora Dierbach last week as her husband took a twirl with the Nintendo Wii’s
bowling game. ―But this is addictive.‖
…With an easy-to-use wireless controller that translates a player’s motions onto the screen, Nintendo believes it has found the
answer with the Wii…. ―This is pretty realistic. You can even put English on the ball,‖ Hahn said after connecting on a strike with the
Wii. ―INintendoplay Game Technology -- Thaweesak Koanantakool (21 April 2008) and doing something.
used to Wii Pac-Man a little bit, but with this you’re actually moving around 6

Wii on Big Screen
Nintendo announced an
interesting partnership with
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL)
where they are going to bring
Wiis on their cruise ships.

The Wii has currently been on
NCL's newest ship the
Norwegian Pearl and other
NCL America ships.

By the end of the month the
rest of the NCL ships will
have Wiis along with Wii Play,
Wario Ware: Smooth Moves,
Excite Truck and Wii Sports.


Wii on Big Screen
This is a pretty clever idea
since the Wii can replicate a
bowling alley, shooting
gallery and be a social party
system with only a little
room.

Wiis are going to be set up in
the atrium and played on a
neat-o mega sized video
screen. See how massive the
screen is past the break.


Nintendo Wii Game Innovationy -- Thaweesak Koanantakool (21 April 2008) 9

Technologies in the Wii Game
Console Wii Remote
• CPU (IBM Power PC chip) • 3-axis accelerometer
• GPU (ATI ―Hollywood‖) • IR camera
• Storage 512MB internal • Bluetooth (HID standard)
flash memory, SD card, • Vibrator
Game Cube, Memory card • Audio
• Wireless LAN (WiFi) • Nunchuck connection
• WiiConnect24 • Strap
• Bluetooth, for four remotes • Wii Remote Jacket
• USB 2.0 (2 ports) OS Features
• Sensor Bar (Infrared LEDs) • Remote ID on EEPROM
• Wii Optical-drive (12/8 cm) • Mii (Avatar of players)
• Interface for all Nintendo • News from the Internet
previous games and • Email
controllers • Shopping

Nintendo Wii Game Technology -- Thaweesak Koanantakool (21 April 2008) 11

Wii Remote (Wiimote)

Wii Remote with attached strap
Manufacturer Nintendo
Type Video game controller
Generation Seventh generation era
First available November 19, 2006
System storage 16 KiB EEPROM chip (16.3 KB)
Connectivity Bluetooth
SRP JP¥3,800, US$39.99, €39, £30

Nintendo Wii Game Innovation -- Thaweesak Koanantakool (21 April 2008) Source: Wikipedia 12

Evolution of Wii Remote
2001 Project began for Nintendo GameCube, coinciding with development of Wii Console
2001 Nintendo licensed motion-sensing patents from Gyration, Inc. – One-handed
Gyropod concept
2002 Gyration brought in a separate design by Bridge Design
2004 Wii Remote ―Wand shape‖, ―nanchuck Attachment‖
2005 Ready for mass production

BridgeDesign Gyro Mouse –
works in the air


One-hand concept: “GyroPod”
• Gyration is a company that holds most of the
best motion-sensing patents.
• Nintendo licensed a number of those patents
from Gyration in 2001, and brought the company
on board that year to develop a one-handed
controller.
• Nintendo even became an investor in Gyration,
which is now owned by Thomson.


One-hand concept: “GyroPod”


Wave – Point – Rumble – Listen


Game controllers haven't changed radically for more than two
decades. How has that affected the industry?
Miyamoto:
The classic controller was something we had become fond of and
gamers had become comfortable with. It had many important
elements. But it also had come to dictate a lot of what went into
games—the way graphics were made, the way battles were fought
in role-playing games, the arc of in-game stories. They were all
being made to fit one standard. Creativity was being stifled, and
the range of games was narrowing.

There are examples of controllers that were made for specific
games such as Konami's Dance Revolution. And for a long time,
we thought that changing the interface would broaden game
design and loosen creative constraints on programmers. We were
also agreeing that we would start from the drawing board with
something entirely unlike anything we had made before.

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/nov2006/tc20061116_750580.htm

What were the biggest technical challenges in the controller
redesign?
Ashida:
The controller's wireless technology. It took two years.
Miyamoto:
Getting the infrared pointer to work took more than a year. It
worked just fine in the ideal environment. But bright lights and
sunlight interfered with its accuracy. And we had to test it in
rooms of all sizes. The final version wasn't finished until this
summer.

We also had reservations about adding a sensor bar to boost the
pointer's precision, since we wanted to make the setup as simple
as possible. Combining the different technologies to mimic 3D
space recognition took time.

By the end of 2005, it was ready for mass production. But we
were making adjustments up to the last minute.
Source: http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/nov2006/tc20061116_750580.htm

Inside the Wii remote

• Sparkfun Electronics (file)
• Three-Axis Accelerometer IC Data Sheet
(file)
• Popular Science Website on Wii Remote
accelerometer MEMS AXDL330
By Analog Device
• TechRepublic album [Quiz] (file)
• Technical information of Wii remote
http://www.wiili.org/index.php/Wiimote
• see inside Wiimote http://gear.ign.com/


Sensor Bar –
two infrared LEDs for Wiimote

Wiimote IR Camera


How the IR camera works for position
control


Wii Nunchuck
• Wii Nunchuk also features 3-axis acceleration
sensor. This was a product by
STMicroelectronics of Italy and France.


The Wii Console
Nintendo Entertainment System

Super Nintendo

Nintendo 64 System

Nintendo
GameCube


Evolution of Wii Console (1)
How did you approach the redesign of the controller?

Miyamoto:
We started work on the Wii around the time the GameCube went
on sale in 2001. [Internally, the Wii had the codename
"Revolution."] We started with the idea that we wanted to come
up with a unique game interface. The consensus was that power
isn't everything for a console. Too many powerful consoles can't
coexist. It's like having only ferocious dinosaurs. They might
fight and hasten their own extinction.

Ultimately, it came down to whether power should be a key
element of the console or not. We didn't think it was possible to
build a powerful machine for less than 50,000 yen ($450). Not
only would it use a lot of electricity, it would need a fan, which
meant it would be noisy. Moms would rise up against it. Plus, it
would take too long to boot up, like a PC, which isn't an ideal
toy.

Can you recount the scene at one of those early meetings?
Miyamoto:
It was 2003. We got game designers and engineers together to
discuss the future of video games. We talked about what specs and
features a console should have. But we knew we would get nowhere
if we didn't get moms' approval. So we thought about what might
convince moms to buy this for their kids. When that happened, we
talked about basic concepts and goals, not about the technical
specifications of the console. This was the Wii's first major step.
We decided on the basic technology for the console in late 2004,
early 2005. By then, we had come up with the remote controller's
wand shape and the nunchuk analog controller attachment. We also
decided on the motion sensor, infrared pointer, and the layout of
buttons.
We tested all kinds of technologies for the controller. We made
working prototypes and tested them on games to see how they
might be used.

Was making a console that would cost $250 or less the goal from the start?
Miyamoto:
Originally, I wanted a machine that would cost $100. My idea was
to spend nothing on the console technology so all the money
could be spent on improving the interface and software. If we
hadn't used NAND flash memory [to store data such as games
and photos] and other pricey parts, we might have succeeded.

To answer your questions, yes, we set out to design a console
that would sell for less than 25,000 yen ($211). It was a tall
hurdle. But unless you start off with a target, you can't control
costs and you'll inevitably lose money. Also, we thought a low-
cost console would make moms happy.


So moms were a key target audience for this console?

Miyamoto:
Our goal was to come up with a machine that moms would
want—easy to use, quick to start up, not a huge energy drain,
and quiet while it was running.

Rather than just picking new technology, we thought seriously
about what a game console should be. [CEO Satoru] Iwata wanted
a console that would play every Nintendo game ever made.

Moms would hate it if they had to have several consoles lying
around.
Ashida:
We didn't want wires all over the place, which might anger moms
because of the mess.


Did you ever worry about the Wii's inability to match the realistic
graphics and high-speed processing power of rivals' machines?

Miyamoto:

We had to compromise on graphics and give up on a powerful
chip. Many of our employees initially wanted high-definition
graphics. But they agreed with us that graphics wouldn't matter if
the games weren't fun to play. That said, the Wii is much faster
than the GameCube.

As new chip technology becomes available, we'll consider less
power-hungry varieties that don't cost too much. And once high-
definition TVs take off, we'll consider the merits of better
graphics and more power.


Game console market in USA, 2007

http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2008/01/31/video-game-consoles-2007-wii-ps3-and-the-death-of-microsofts-xbox-360/


March 2008 Sales in USA
Hardware March 2008
1) Wii - 721,000
2) Nintendo DS - 698,000
3) PSP - 297,000
4) Xbox 360 - 262,000
5) PlayStation 3 257,000
6) PlayStation 2 216,000
Software March 2008
1) WII SUPER SMASH BROS: BRAWL - 2.7 million
2) 360 *TOM CLANCY'S RAINBOW SIX: VEGAS 2 - 752.3K
3) 360 ARMY OF TWO - 606.1K
4) WII WII PLAY W/ REMOTE - 409.8K
5) PSP GOD OF WAR: CHAINS OF OLYMPUS - 340.5K
6) PSP CRISIS CORE: FINAL FANTASY VII - 301.6K
7) WII GUITAR HERO III: LEGENDS OF ROCK - 264.1K
8) 360 MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL - 237.1K
9) 360 *CALL OF DUTY 4: MODERN WARFARE - 237K
10) PS3 ARMY OF TWO - 224.9K
Source: NeoGAF


Inside Nintendo Wii Console
• Popular Science Inside Wii Console
• TechRepublic web photo album (file)
ATI Hollywood

WiFi Module
IBM Broadway

Problems with the Wii game controller


Nintendo’s
email to
users


Wii Remote Research Opportunities
• Research Projects using Wii Remote
by Johnny Chung Lee,
HCII – Carnegie Mellon University
• Finger tracking
• Head tracking
• Multipoint electronic whiteboard


Nintendo’s Patents
Google Patent Search results: View
Operating device with analog joystick
US Pat. 5984785 - Filed Jan 9, 1997 - Nintendo Co., Ltd.
... Kenichiro Ashida; Shigeru Miyamoto; Yasunari Nishida, all ol Kyoto, ...
PilotWings, It's a Festival of Flight, Top Secret Password Nintendo Player's ...
Cartridge for game machine
US Pat. D377488 - Filed May 2, 1995 - Nintendo of America, Inc.
United States Patent Ashida [54] CARTRIDGE FOR GAME MACHINE [75] Inventor:
Kenichiro Ashida, Kyoto, Japan [73] Assignee: Nintendo of America, Inc., Redmond, ...
Function expansion device and operating device using the function expansion ...
US Pat. 6241611 - Filed Jul 1, 1999 - Nintendo Co., Ltd.
... Kenichiro Ashida; Shigeru Miyamoto; Yasunari Nishida, all ol Kyoto (JP) ...
OTHER PUBLICATIONS Super Mario 64 Player's Guide, Nintendo of America, 1996. ...
Controller for a game machine
US Pat. 5207426 - Filed Aug 6, 1991 - Nintendo Co. Ltd.
[54] CONTROLLER FOR A GAME MACHINE [75] Inventors: Yoshihiro Inoue, Kyoto;
Kenichiro Ashida, Amagasaki, both of Japan [73] Assignee: Nintendo Co. ...
Game cartridge
United States Patent Ashida ... GAME CARTRIDGE [75] Inventor: Kenichiro Ashida,
Kyoto, Japan [73] Assignee: Nintendo of America, Inc., Redmond, Wash. ...
Controller for game machine
United States Patent Ashida [54] CONTROLLER FOR GAME MACHINE [75] Inventor:
Kenichiro Ashida, Kyoto, Japan [73] Assignee: Nintendo of America, Inc., ...
Information storage cartridge for electronic game machine
US Pat. D458643 - Filed Feb 2, 2001 - Nintendo Co., Ltd.
us D458,643 s Ashida (45) Date of Patent: ** Jun. ... (75) Inventor: Kenichiro
Ashida, Kyoto (JP) (73) Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd. (JP) (**) Term: 14 Years ...
Game machine
United States Patent Ashida [54] GAME MACHINE [75] Inventor: Kenichiro Ashida,
Kyoto, Japan [73] Assignee: Nintendo of America, Inc., Redmond, Wash. ...
Operating device for an image processing apparatus
US Pat. 6461242 - Filed Apr 9, 2001 - Nintendo Co., Ltd.
... Kenichiro Ashida; Shigeru Miyamoto; Yasunari Nishida, all ol Kyoto (JP) ...
Nintendo Power, vol. 46, PilotWings article (1993). Nintendo Power, vol. ...
Connector plug
US Pat. D381628 - Filed Oct 2, 1995 - Nintendo Co., Ltd.
United States Patent Ashida [54] CONNECTOR PLUG [75] Inventor: Kenichiro Ashida,
Kyoto, Japan [73] Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd., Kyoto, Japan [**] Term: 14 ...
Stay up to date on these results using the patents RSS feed on Kenichiro ashida nintendo.


Game-related Patents


Game-related Patents (filed in April 2007)


Orientation-operated cursor control device


Device and method for cursor motion control
calibration and object (Jun 7, 2000)


Optical pointing device (Dec 6, 1988)


Hand-held trackball computer pointing device


Standards


Wii Remote Research Opportunities
• Research Projects using Wii Remote
by Johnny Chung Lee,
HCII – Carnegie Mellon University
• Finger tracking
• Head tracking
• Multipoint electronic whiteboard
• See video collection of JohnnyLee’s research
• Source code and tutorial
• http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~johnny/projects/wii/
• http://blogs.msdn.com/coding4fun/archive/2007/03/14/1879033.aspx
• WiiLi Wiki
• WiiBrew Wiki
• Making USB C# Friendly
• P/Invoke Wiki
• Applications Using This Library


Future game control?


Concluding Remarks
• Innovation is “business” and “market oriented”
• Technology is the “solution to the innovative ideas”
• Research management, IP Policy, Contracts
• System reliability
 Nintendo’s lessons from its Wiimote problems
• Low cost, no High Definition video, cannot play DVD
movies, no BluRay HD – but it is a winner
• Wii Remote is so innovative and open that many
people can do other innovative research using Wii
Remote.

• Enjoy the game….


Enjoy the game..
Don’t wear the same outfits


Thank you for your attention…
join http://www.wiimoteproject.com/


20080421 Nintendo Wii Game Innovation Talk Thaweesak

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