Wii Gamecube Guide - Emio The Edge as Wii Arcade Stick

[alienjesus]

[quote="CRTGAMER"
I noticed the menu Select mode of the face buttons. As in the Japanese Playstation games, the far right Face Button (A Button) is the Okay or Select Command. Curious if it will be swapped to the bottom just like U.S. Duel Shocks.[/quote]


Very doubtful. Most Nintendo games on DS/3DS use A as confirm. It's the same for wii games designed around the classic controller, and was the same way back in the SNES days too.

[CRTGAMER]

I am not saying that good games do not exist for the wii. I am just saying there is nothing that makes you go out of your way to get it unless you are a Nintendo fan specifically and just have to play Zelda.

All consoles have fun games to play, even the Jaguar. I am just saying good enough to justify the purchase.

There is no way you can compare Wii's library with NES, SNES, N64, or even Gamecube. I personally play more gamecube on Wii than Wii games.

None the less there is some stuff I am interested in.

What do you think of boom blox? how does it compare to party?

and Which would you say I should pick out of the 3 metroid fps games, the Wii one or the first gamecube one?

what is the hidden controlling method for Nights?

I prefer Bloom Blox which I own, but that is based on reviews of the follow up Bash Party. As for the Metroids, I own the Wii Metroid Trilogy, Wii Metroid 3 as well as both Gamecube Metroids. Gamecube Metroid does offer a link to the GBA version so also worth looking into. Note that the Trilogy is dual layer, I play Metroid 3 on the single release disc which is less of a workout for the Wii Laser. Of all the Metroids, I like Wii Metroid 3 the best, it really is tailored for the Wii Remote which offers instant aiming on the screen. Check the reviews in this Thread index linked in the OP, I went into detail on this including the hidden controls discovered on Nights and Sky Crawlers.

[CRTGAMER]

Updated the Wii U Review with information on the two different bundle releases on the previous page. The Deluxe version definitely a better deal considering all the extras included.

http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=52&t=30455&p=640392#p640392

As I suspected, Nintendo Land is a pack in bundle for the deluxe model which will be black. Noteworthy of the Deluxe Bundle is both the Gamepad Stand and the Charger Stand which allows a hands free mini view screen of the tablet when the regular HDTV is tied up. Interesting that a Composite cable is not included, but a standard HDMI cable. The Wii Composite cable will fit the WiiU if one has a non HDTV. Looks like Club Nintendo Points are here to stay.

- Deluxe Digital Promotion - Consumers who purchase the Deluxe Set also will be enrolled in the Deluxe Digital Promotion, which lets Wii U owners receive points for each digital download and redeem those points for future downloadable content from the Nintendo eShop. The promotion is currently planned through 2014.

- Wii U Console Stand (Vertical Mount)

A VERTICAL Wii U stand in the Deluxe model.

I always wondered why newer Wiis went horizontal. Does it prolong the life of the laser versus the vertical setup? Are the discs less prone to a friction "scratch" from the pulling mechanism when being sucked in the slot in the horizontal position?

[CRTGAMER]

Art programs have been around in the past and even on game consoles such as SNES Mario Paint. On the PC and Mac there are Paint programs that also use the mouse. The mouse is accurate, but not really the perfect drawing tool. Try a Paint program and write your signature with the mouse. Imagine if you held a pen instead.



There were light pens used for drawing directly on the CRT as well, notably the FlexiDraw for the Commodore 64. Considering the fact that the computers of the day were only 8 bit and in the case of the C64 only 1mhz, the drawings were detailed offering a cad drawing quality. The lightpens worked accurately and with the direct draw approach were easy to use, until one would get a tired arm. The solution though labor intensive, would be to mount the CRT flush inside the top of a desk.



Drawing Tablets are also not a new invention either, with the Koala Pad for 8 bit computers and the Wacom Graphic Tablet for the Mac and PC.



Wii uDraw - THQ
Power of the pen for drawing and 2d platforming
THQ produced the uDraw for all three major game consoles. The PS3 and 360 versions are self contained with all the controls, the Wii Tablet requires the Wiimote to be plugged in. Scroll to the bottom of this post for using the uDraw on a computer as a Wacom.

The uDraw first was produced for the Wii in white, then later as a black version for the Wii, PS3 and 360. Only the Wii has a white UDraw tablet, but either Wii uDraw hardware is identical otherwise. The white uDraw matches the older Wii and gives an Apple Mac look about it.

The Wiimote plugs into a cord inside the housing in place of the Nunchuck. Since the Infra sensor is blocked by the uDraw Pad housing, the front of the Wiimote has to be lifted up to expose it to the light bar to start a uDraw program. Once a uDraw program is started, the Wiimote can be seated back all the way inside the pad housing. At this point the light bar is no longer used since the cursor is now controlled by the pen of the uDraw. Note that the uDraw will not function if a Wiimote is plugged into it after a program is loaded.

The pen still works if the Home button is depressed, but once the uDraw program is fully exited, the pen no longer works. A shame the Wii cannot multitask, imagine all the games that would benefit with the pointer pen tablet enabled.

There is a holder underneath for pen storage as well as a top "inkwell" pen holder. Unlike the wireless Wacom Bamboo Pens, The uDraw Pen is tethered to the tablet with a wire. Care must be taken, the tether cord is the electrical connection from the pen to the tablet.

http://www.fixya.com/support/t9214724-wire_pen_wii_udraw_studio_cut

When opening the unit with it turned over and facing front, this is the wiring diagram from left to right. 1= red/gold 2=blue/gold 3=blue 4=green 5=red 6=ground 7=green/gold note: 5 red and 6 ground are inside a shielded gray wire.

Just like the Sega Dreamcast controller, the cord feeds out from the bottom of the uDraw pad. A bit of a nusiance when it gets in the way, the cord is moved to the top on the PS3 and 360 versions. I am tempted to mod relocate the cord so it exits off the top.

The side of the pen has a two position rocker switch actuated with your finger or thumb. The pen tip is pressure sensitive with 256 levels of sensitivity and works in conjunction with the tablet. The Wiimote buttons offer additional and alternate controls.

http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/43008/udraw-gametablet-pictures-hands-on

The new uDraw has tilt controls added, and pinch and zoom functionality like on an iPad, Android tablet or Apple Magic Trackpad. The PS3 and Xbox 360 versions both feature control buttons and a direction pad. (the Wii version requires you to insert a Wii Remote) The stylus/pen is chunky and looks like it could take a bashing, plus it has 256 points of pressure sensitivity so, software willing, can draw precise pictures.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UDraw_GameTablet

The original uDraw GameTablet has a 4 by 6-inch drawing surface on which users can create free-form drawings and artwork, as well as play games designed specifically for the uDraw GameTablet, using an attached pressure-sensitive stylus pen. The stylus also has a dualfunction seesaw button that emulates the C and Z buttons on the Wii Nunchuk. The Wii Remote docks in the Wii's uDraw GameTablet, which draws power directly from the Wii Remote’s battery. The uDraw GameTablet also takes advantage of the Wii Remote’s motion sensors and tilt movement options, allowing users to control their characters by moving and directing them throughout levels of the game.

The tablet is similar in size to a WiiU touchscreen controller. There are contours underneath that work as handgrips. Though thicker then an iPad, the drawing tablet is very light. Both the uDraw and WiiU Tablets almost seem to be designed from the same blueprint, a close in size match. The Wiimote plugs in and fits smoothly right in the cutout of the uDraw. All the buttons on the Wiimote are easily accessible including the B button trigger underneath.

Drawsome Tablet
Ubisoft also came out with a Drawing Tablet. Only two pieces of software were made; Drawsome Artist and Drawsome Sketch Quest. Unfortunately Drawsome and UDraw hardware or software are not compatible with each other. The Drawsome set has a wireless tether free pen just like the Wacom Bamboo pen. It also has a spot to mount a paper drawing for tracing.





Even thought the pen is tethered with a cord to the uDraw, it is a better investment since there is a larger libary to choose from. Even so, the software is limited to nine titles and less are available on the PS3 and 360. Of the three consoles, this makes the Wii version the best choice especially for its exclusive uDraw games.



uDraw Studio
By Pipeworks Software and not sold separately, this is only available with the Wii older white udraw. A good selection of Art Tools to draw or paint with. Acrylic Brush, Air Brush, Chalk, Charcoal, Eraser, Paint Bucket Fill, Pen, Sponge, and Watercolor Brush. There are also different canvases to select from including Cardboard, Construction Paper, Drawing Paper, Newsprint, Notebook Paper, Paint Canvas, Watercolor and Wood. Each offer a different result in the drawing or painting.



The Wiimote mounted in the uDraw is put to good use as well.

UDRAW STUDIO
DPad Up/Down - Zoom In/Out
DPad Left/Right - Brush Size
A Button - Draw or Paint
B Button - Toggle Toolkit
- Button - Undo Last Action
+ Button - Redo Last Action
1 Button - Eraser
2 Button - Paint Fill
Home Button - Wii home Menu (Pen still works)

uDraw Studio Instant Artist
This comes packaged with the black uDraw and also sold separately. Same as the first edition Studio program, but with enhancements, a better menu layout and more options including games.



One of the games is played by tilting the pad to move a marble thru a maze. The path is painted by the marble showing the distance one takes.



The Wiimote button layout of Instant Artist is slightly different compared to the earlier Studio edition.

UDRAW STUDIO INSTANT ARTIST
DPad Up/Down - Zoom In/Out
DPad Left/Right - Brush Size
A Button - Draw or Paint
B Button - Toggle Toolkit
- Button - Undo Last Action
+ Button - Redo Last Action
1 Button - Brush Properties Menu
2 Button - Toggle Color Menu
Home Button - Wii home Menu (Pen still works)

Both drawing programs have a powerful replay feature where the drawing can be viewed all the way back to the beginning pen stroke. This is very handy with the scan back or forward to get rid of any mistakes. Pause the replay at any point and then continue the drawing or painting. A painting is limited to about 35 minutes of actual drawing time, a limitation of the console memory.



The pen sensitivity can be adjusted to either emphasize brush width or darkness of a drawing. Pressing lighter or harder to get the desired results. To get an idea why a drawing tablet is best for digital art, try "signing" your name with a mouse. The pen on the Drawing Tablet provides a more natural extension to using a pen or artist brush. The UDraw is not just for children's drawings and coloring. As in a real painting or drawing, the more you put into it the better the results.

uDraw Studio Screenshots: http://www.everybodyplays.co.uk/screens ... io/630/all

World Of uDraw site: http://www.worldofudraw.com/udrawgames/udraw-studio



David Kassan Painting

A Mouse, Trakball or Laptop Touch Pad requires a continual drag to move the cursor arrow around the screen. The uDraw is different, it places the cursor arrow exact on the screen in relation to the X and Y coordinates of the pad. Touch the pen at the top right and the arrow appears at the top right, touch the bottom left and the arrow instantly appears in the same matched position.

Due to the controlled instant placement of the cursor anywhere on the screen, some games can really benefit with this.

Both the above Art programs allow transfer of high resolution PNG or a lower resolution JPG from the Wii to a SD card. A few of the following titles also have this feature, however none have an import picture capability. A disappointment this prevents touching up an existing photo with the UDraw.

Of note the uDraw Studio program leaves a watermark on exported files. Fortunately the Instant Artist version on all three consoles did away with this.

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2011/02/udraw-brands-kids-creations/

I was less impressed with was that when you export your pictures from it via an SD card, it is emblazoned with a large uDraw watermark. Seeing my daughter’s hard work with a corporate brand on it seemed a little harsh. It is unimaginable for Photoshop or Paintshop Pro to do this, which I think is why I was so surprised.

Disney Princess: Enchanting Storybooks
Art program based on various Disney princesses. There is also Music and Search games.



Kung Fu Panda 2
Game based on the Disney cartoon. Draw the pen in different directions for different attacks.



Marvel Super Hero Squad: Comic Combat
This game at first seems to be an action game. It has a Real Time Strategy style of game play as in the classic RTS game, Command and Conquer. Coupled with the uDraw allows instant cursor movement on the screen.



Use the pen to click on the screen directing movement and attack. The characters controlled are usually a group of three selectable individually or as a group with the the Dpad. Drag the pen from one of the characters to an enemy for a launching a weapon such as missiles. The draw line can even be curved to guide the missile around obstacles. The pen can also be used to draw symbols on the screen for special weapons and features.

Draw an X - Place a bomb
Draw a Triangle - Place a decoy
Draw a Circle - Crush an enemy with dropped ball or rock
Drag Draw Line - Launch Weapon at enemy
Hold Pen On Character - Special Attack or Heal
Shake the uDraw Pad - Earthquake attack



Everything on the screen slows down whenever a special attack is drawn with the pen. The weapons draw aspect is unique, adds an element to the real time strategy game. It sort of reminds me of the WiiU game Wonderful 101 (Project P100) which has a similar weapons creation draw concept.



The voices in the game are portrayed by the same actors used in the marvel cartoon series. Dr Doom's voice is really over the top, instantly recognizable as the same voice actor from the Cow and Chicken cartoons. Very funny dialog in the video clips between each game level, all of which can be replayed by clicking a comic frame on the screen.

Penguins of Madagascar: Dr. Blowhole Returns
Mini games featuring the Penguins from the Dreamworks movie and Nickelodeon series.



Pictionary
Only natural to make this a uDraw game. The tablet a good match for this multiplayer party game.



SpongeBob SquigglePants
Various games featuring the Sponge Bob and memorable characters from the series. Live action video of Patchy the Pirate (Tom Kenny) who also provides the voice for Sponge Bob in the cartoon series.



The animation and mini games take a que from the Warioware party games. Quick bursts utilizing various controls.

Tilt - Move various objects by tilting the uDraw pad
Drag Draw - Move a character in a direction
Squiggle Draw - Freehand draw such as scribbling a signature
Tap - Tap to perform an action
Flick - To "throw" an object in a direction
Circle Draw - Used to spin devices or rotate handles
Waste Ink - Still trying to figure this out, tap the pen button?

There is also a 3DS version: http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/201 ... nts_3d_3ds




Dood's Big Adventure



Not a very good name for a title, but actually a good series of 2d platform games. Dood Adventure has mixed reviews, but I actually find it quite fun. It reminds me of the side scroller Rayman Origins, not anywhere near as good but novel in the jungle scenes and using the pen tablet as a control device.

Pen Panic
Place the arrow in front of your character and press the pen button to move or jump. Draw on the pad to make a jumping platform to bounce up. Draw the platform at an angle to jump sideways, draw another while in midair to jump further. When a punching bag icon appears, click to change to punch mode. Then click on an enemy to stun, run into the enemy to kill. Only a punch or platform icon can be used at a time, determine when to select to complete a level.

Pen Cursor Above Dood - Jump
Pen Cursor Left or Right of Dood - Walk or Run
Pen Cursor at Ladder Near Dood - Climb or Descend Ladder
Pen Bounce Icon Draw a Line - Draw Bounce Line
Pen Punching Bag Icon Tap on Enemy - Punch Stun Enemy



Roly Poly
This game could have been played with just the Wiimote. Movement is controlled by tilting left or right, hit the A or B button to jump or rapidly slam down to bounce higher. With the Wiimote installed into the tablet, this offers a larger overall controller with the button feeling more like part of an arcade panel. It is definitely not an Arcade button, but better then just holding a "TV Remote" to mash the jump button with my large hands.

UDraw Pad Tilt - Move left or right
A or B Button - Jump or Butt Bounce from air



Bubble Trouble
Draw your blown up character to make it thru a level. Just like a real balloon, your game character can pop with the slightest contact. Later levels have moving walls that need to be bypassed.

Pen Movement - Movement
Pen Button - Bubble Attack



Fan Frenzy
Another balloon level, but with a different and unique control. The pen controls where to place a mobile fan on the screen to blow your character around the screen. Press the pen button to turn on the fan. Enemies can be dispatched by chewing them up with the fan blades. It is not an immediate kill, this is done while blowing your character thru the course.

Pen Placement - Fan (Press harder to spin faster)



Create Mode
As you complete levels, stars are collected to purchase skins for your character, enemies and background balloon characters. Everything can also be painted freehand just like the Art Studio.



Additional Unsupported Games
There was an additional uDraw program that was canceled, UDraw Disney Animator. Perhaps there were other games that were developed as well? Market analysts blame the uDraw price with its specialized limited use and timing of the upcoming WiiU release as putting THQ to bankruptcy. The initial hardware investment on the PS3 and 360 is questionable due to the limitation of just three software titles.

I also blame the fact that THQ did not expand on the drawing tablet by not making the driver available for all games, notably point to the screen style games. Imagine all the Bejeweled inspired games such as Bejeweled 2, Luxor 3, Puzzle Quest or any of the Adventure style games utilize a point and click interface. Even worse are the drawing games not supported such as Create, Epic Mickey, Okami or THQs very own Drawn To Life; this game really would have benefitted with the drawing pad.

The uDraw also is available in two bundle packages; Disney Princess and Sponge Bob.

Worth It?
At the original $69.99 price, this peripheral failed with poor sales. However, one can find it on clearance new for $9.99! This makes for a small investment to get a "Wacom" style drawing tool for the big screen with the drawings that can easily be transfered to your PC. Though not as powerful as a high end Wacom, the uDraw holds its own to create fine drawings and playing a game in a new method. If you like stylus controlled games of the Nintendo DS or Apple iPad, definitely pickup the uDraw tablet along with the Dood Adventure game.

An undocumented benefit is using the uDraw Tablet as a controller holder for regular Wii games. Unlike the PS3 and 360 versions, the Wii uDraw takes a regular Wiimote which maintains the existing gyroscope tilt function and button presses for all games. Some games can benefit such as Tilt style games or Sideways NES style control games. The tablet offers a better way to hang onto the Wiimote while tilting. Set the tablet on the table or lap simulated "Arcade Panel" mode. The Wiimote is locked in the pad housing for hands free game play while mashing the Dpad and buttons.

The DPad and Buttons are upside down if the UDraw is rotated sideways to work as a Wiimote Holder for Sideways NES style controlled games. It can be rotated the other way but at a loss of wrist support, not a big deal if flat on a table or lap. The Wiimote cannot be rotated 180 degrees around inside the UDraw housing due to the sloped cutout matching the bottom contour of the Wiimote. Perhaps a Rotozip mod later of the cutout later to get the proper wrist support?

http://www.giantbomb.com/news/the-udraw-fans-youve-never-heard-about/3999/

uDraw may not have become the phenomenon THQ was hoping for, but that doesn't mean it didn't find an audience of appreciative owners. If THQ doesn’t exist a year from now, it won’t be uDraw’s fault. But it may have been enough to teeter it, a $100 million bet that spectacularly backfired as THQ finally turned around creatively. The accessory launched in November, no one bought it, and THQ has 1.4 million unsold uDraw tablets in warehouses, now forced to ponder how to get rid of them. The device is responsible for turning what should have been a promising THQ financial quarter into a disastrous one.

But there are surprising uses for the uDraw, such as a controller for players with physical disabilities. "As a tool for therapeutic use I would recommend it if person enjoys drawing, it’s a simpler interface than software like Coreldraw," wrote assistive technology reviewer Kati Lea, after evaluating the original uDraw on Wii. "I don’t think I will be producing masterpieces but if it keeps the connections working between my hands and my brain I think it would have been worth the money (if I had bought it myself!)."

Connie Deng is a senior illustration student at the Art Institute of Boston, and I found her by through the World of uDraw community. "The commercial for it was pretty cool," she said, "and while it looked like it was for kids/folks that like to draw or make art, I saw a lot of potential for it to become a professional artist medium, like Adobe Creative Suite."

For example, since the uDraw connects to a television, the screen size is much bigger, which would allow Deng to have a closer view of her work without having to always zoom in and out, ala Photoshop. When the tablet showed up, she put the device through its paces and came away impressed for what it actually could accomplish, despite her experience with much more advanced (and much more expensive) tablets from companies like Wacom. Since uDraw places a limit on drawing time--35 minutes--Deng finds herself using the tablet on simpler pieces, despite her traditional attention to detail in her work. Often, she’ll leverage a uDraw for sketching and blocking, then bring what she’s worked on into software like Photoshop, Illustrator, or Corel Painter to touch up.

uDraw on a Computer
This section deviates from the Wii Thread, but additional uDraw information worth including here. The PS3 and 360 uDraw has a USB connector which allows it to be used as an inexpensive wireless Wacom Tablet for the PC and Mac. On the PC, the USB uDraw is recognized as a standard HID Game Controller. The arrow and all the face buttons immediately work, ready for any program that function with a game pad. However, a program is needed to read the pen location on the uDraw pad.

There are Wii Remote drivers for the PC, perhaps a Wii uDraw could be also be made to function on a computer?

http://brandonw.net/udraw/

Use a PS3 uDraw tablet on PC as a Mouse Tablet
The PS3 uDraw tablet accessory comes with a USB dongle which shows up as a standard HID device when plugged into a PC, so I threw together some documentation and a "driver" application to allow using it on a Windows PC as a standard mouse.

The tablet is broken up into an 8x5 grid of 256x256 each. As the tablet's resolution is 1920x1080 (which doesn't divide evenly), the last row and column are slightly smaller.

PS3 UDraw on a PC

The program above is only for Windows 7, it will not run in Windows XP or older Windows. Out of curiosity, I picked up a PS3 uDraw to verify and can attest the PS3 uDraw works well and quite accurate. The uDraw tablet buttons can be reconfigured as Mouse Click or the PC Keyboard Arrow keys. The Pen push sensor cannot be reconfigured, but it is just fine as the Mouse Left Click. The 360 uDraw is also supported with an additional driver and a 360 Wireless USB Receiver. PC Paint and Photoshop both work just fine with the uDraw. Though reviews state otherwise, I found the uDraw comparable to the Wacom tablet of which I own two. The uDraw also has the advantage as being wireless although the pen is tethered.

Note the last picture in the Quote above, the Absolute setting. As in the console studio art programs, an instant cursor arrow placement on the screen relative to the pen location on the uDraw! This brings a better response to certain games that are touch screen friendly.

PC Bejeweled 2
The game that is perfect for touch screens of a cell phone or iPad. The PC version normally uses a mouse unless one owns a touch screen tablet. The uDraw arrow placement is instant, however the "click" of the pen pressed down sometimes does not work in the game screen.

This is strange since the pen works just fine in any of the game menu boxes located on the side. The pen does have pressure sensitivity levels, an "analog" of sorts versus the digital press of a mouse button. This is easily fixed by setting the PS3 Home Button to operate as the Mouse Left Click.

Just like the retro Flexidraw Lightpen on the Commodore 64, the uDraw senses the pen location even when the pen is not touching the pad. This helps to add a quickness in movement when the mouse click is augmented by the PS3 Home Button on the uDraw tablet.

PC Zuma Deluxe
Normally played with a Mouse and can also work with a Trakball. The uDraw tablet offers another way to play and is quicker to respond in moving the arrow around. The pen press launches a marble consistently with no issues. The PS3 Home button on the uDraw pad can also be used. To make the frog jump to the other side, all four arrow keys on the uDraw can be set as Mouse Left Click.



PC Bookworm
Another game that works better with instant placement of the cursor arrow. Again the uDraw performed flawlessly working the game as a touchscreen.



Konjak's Chalk
A draw type of game that works very well with a pen and tablet. Draw a line connecting spheres thru an object to destroy. When a ship appears and shoots, draw a line from the bullet back to the ship to destroy. Sometimes two bullets must be drwan back to the target. Tha game also has Bosses that require multiple hits thru drawing attacks.



Mouse Left Click - Draw
Mouse Right Click - Move Character to pointer location
Keyboard WASD - Move Character independent of pointer

The WASD independent movement is sweet, allowing a "Twinstick" style of gameplay, move one direction with the keyboard while shooter drawing in another with the mouse.

I reconfigured the uDraw PC driver setting suitable to this game.

uDraw Pen Press or PS3 Home - Draw
SELECT and START - Move Character to pointer location

With the PC driver, the uDraw gamepad defaults to the Keyboard Arrow keys with no option of the WASD layout. Not a big deal, since the uDRaw emulates a game controller. There are Game Controller to Keyboard Emulators of which I have very good sucess on Flight Simulators. Since Hatswitch emulation is needed, JoyToKeys does not work. However JoyCursorTool works just fine, I set the Gamepad to the WASD keys.

JoystickCursor Tool - http://www.deinmeister.de/jct_e.htm



I notice a slight delay of the draw routine whenever I press one of the DPad buttons that emulate the keyboard to move. At first I thought it was the uDraw, but turned out the Mouse also has that slight delay when the PC keyboard is pressed. Perhaps due to according to the site the game is made with a game maker program, not built direct from code. My PC is 2.16 GHz so I suspect just the coding of the game itself has the delay when polling both the keyboard and mouse. For movement, Right Click on the Mouse or pressing the START SELECT (for left hand control) of the uDraw tablet is the workaround. This moves the character wherever the pointer is set on the screen.

Thanks to AppleQueso for pointing this Freeware game out. The site also has another drawing type of puzzle game called TripLine.

Konjak CHALK: http://www.konjak.org/index.php?folder=4&file=9

Other PC Games
Any mouse controlled game can also benefit with a swipe of the uDraw pen. There are tons of Flash games that can be played with the mouse pen arrangement. In addition not only dedicated PC games such as Command and Conquer or Sims or Point To Click Adventure Games, but also emulated games that use a Mouse or Trakball. Try various MAME Arcade games such as Reactor, Centipede or Spinner controlled games such as Tac Scan. Keyboard controlled games can also be made to work with a mouse to keyboard emulator program.

The PS3 Instant Artist has an interesting feature not available on the Wii version. Similar as an iPad or cell phone view mode, a picture can be pinch zoomed and scrolled with just two fingers. Finger Painting can also be done by holding the Draw button on the uDraw tablet while dragging a finger, no pen needed! Since the uDraw can detect the fingers just like a Touch Screen, imagine the potential via future homebrew programs for the PC.

THQ uDraw tablets from left to right: 360, PS3 and Wii uDraw tablets

The Wii has the most uDraw software and the only white version of the uDraw tablet. The Wii uDraw tablet is taller and a little less wide then the PS3 and 360 versions. For protection against scratches, any of the three uDraw tablets can fit inside a pouch made for a 10" Netbook.

Wii UDraw - Instant Artist - Studio - Doods Big Adventure - Sponge Bob.jpg (255.66 KiB) Viewed 18228 times

[CRTGAMER]

Tournament Of Legends



Mix Soul Calibur and the mythology from God Of War. Coded by High Voltage Software utilizing the Engine from their Conduit series and backed by Sega and exclusive to the Wii console. The result is a game that should have been killer, turns out to be an average beat em up. Tournament actually started out in a completely different flavor.

http://www.vgchartz.com/article/7409/gd ... f-legends/

Last year at E3, we saw a new Wii exclusive title from High Voltage Software called Gladiator A.D. At GDC, we met up with High Voltage again and they showed us a nearly complete build of the game, now titled Tournament of Legends. However, the name is not the only thing that has changed. For instance, the game used to have this gritty, drab, Colosseum feel to it, but High Voltage has decided to use a more colorful, toned-down setting (see the comparison below). This was probably a good move considering the Wii does not do 'realistic' very well. It also gave the developers a lot more room to work with because they were not locked into the 300 or Gladiator world.

Graphics
With the mythology theme, the backgrounds look decent. The Atlantis level has the Kraken arms flailing about teasing on dragging a warrior into the abyss. The fighters are drawn adequate, each having their own unique weapons and armour. On the floor in front of each fighter is a "lighted" ring that shows the swing radius of their weapons. This helps in just standing clear of an opponent and moving in for a hit.



Controls
Interesting use of both the Wiimote and Nunchuck to swing punches. A novelty which wears quickly though. Luckily a Classic Controller is supported which is better suited. Controller response is not perfect but up to par with other 3d fighters. Since the DPad is utilized for movement, a Tatsunko Capcom Arcade stick is the best route. A PSX Arcade stick can also be used with a Mayflash Adapter.

As in other fighters, Special Moves are available. Each character has their own Special Attacks and Combo Moves related to their character. Two Player support is also included.

Bad Points
The controls are adequate but the lack of a few important aspects really kill this game. First is the camera angle, an isometric view of the fight. One fighter is further away then the other. The camera will switch sides putting the winning fighter closer to the screen. This gives an instant cue who is winning with an over the shoulder closer in view, but it can also be off putting.

Sideways movement "rotating" around an enemy is accomplished by moving the stick left or right. Movement toward and away from the opponent is done by pushing the stick up or down and not sideways. Remember that reverse of the camera when a fighter starts losing or winning? When your opponent gets switched to the other side, the up and down of the stick also gets reversed! Up that was move forward now becomes move backwards and Down that was moving backwards becomes move forward. Certainly a confusing mess over sticking to traditional and intuitive move the stick the same direction of the fighter.

All the buttons can be customized which is a nice plus, unfortunately the movement controls cannot! This is insane, most other 3d fighters would use the triggers for sideways movement and the Dpad to approach or move away from the opponent. As if that was not bad enough, the very worse feature is there is no jumping or ducking in Tournament Legends. A real world fight would not have an opponent leaping up as in Mortal Kombat, but that is part of the fun in a video game fighter.

http://www.gamecritics.com/brad-gallaway/tournament-of-legends-review

A Pleasant Reminder of Days Gone by

Tournament of Legends is most certainly a fighting game, but it's one that hearkens back to a different time—specifically, the early '90s. In those days, the fighting genre was the hottest thing in the industry. On any given day during any given week, a trip to the local arcade might very well have revealed a brand-new title (or three) vying for a piece of the fist-flavored pie that Capcom had baked. It was a wild time, full of innovation and crazy ideas. Of course, not every game was successful (or even good) but that spirit and energy were quite exciting. That same energy and willingness to be different is present in Tournament of Legends.

Worth It?
So is Tournament Of Legends worth getting? There are certainly many better fighters so probably not. Just to get more use out of the proprietary Classic Controller Tasunko Capcom Stick for the Wii might justify in buying this title. Get the game only due to a completely different style in a fighter and the obscurity of the title, which if it can be found an inexpensive price used. Maybe its not a complete wash due to the uniqueness of the Mythology themes. Just be prepared for poorly executed design in the movement control. Once you can overcome this, its not a bad game at all. Now if there was an unlock to allow both fighters to battle the background huge monsters, I can only imagine some great Boss Fight type of battles drawing inspiration from God Of War. One could only hope.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Nice uDraw review, CRT. I have a Wii one with the pack-in game and Pictionary. I'd like to pick up Dood's Big Adventure if I find it cheap.

Believe it or not I also have a Koala Pad, though I never knew what it was called until I saw this post. I don't have the software though, so my copy is more or less useless.

[CRTGAMER]

Nice uDraw review, CRT. I have a Wii one with the pack-in game and Pictionary. I'd like to pick up Dood's Big Adventure if I find it cheap.

Believe it or not I also have a Koala Pad, though I never knew what it was called until I saw this post. I don't have the software though, so my copy is more or less useless.

Try Frys, they carry uDraw games for ten bucks.
http://www.frys.com/product/6423022

Thanks for the feedback. I own a Koala Pad and the Flexidraw Pen for the C64. The Koala pad was okay but only was on or off in the pen draw, no sensitivity levels. Both the Flexidraw and uDraw has a nice undocumented feature while pressing the writing tip of the pen.

On both pens I can push in the pen tip (not covering the end) and "airbrush" in a drawing while keeping the uDraw pen an inch off the tablet or in the case of the Flexidraw off the glass of the CRT screen. Adds an interesting element in spraying in the paint. I'm trying to see what PC games might use the "spray the bullets" function.

[CRTGAMER]

Xenoblade Chronicles
The Gamestop Exclusive that might not have had a US release
This game though popular in Japan was not scheduled for a US release. Fans went nuts demanding a world wide release, even formed a website pushing Nintendo to reprint the game for other regions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenoblade_Chronicles

In an interview on the French television station Nolife, Mathieu Minel, the marketing manager of Nintendo France, stated that Nintendo of Europe was unable to show Xenoblade Chronicles at E3 2011. Nintendo of America denied it since they are not planning to sell the product locally. In response, on June 22, 2011, users on IGNBoards started a campaign called "Operation Rainfall" to persuade Nintendo of America to localize Xenoblade Chronicles, along with fellow Wii RPGs The Last Story and Pandora's Tower.

Operation Rainfall - http://operationrainfall.com/about/

Many were disappointed that the game became an exclusive only sold at Gamestop. Eventually it became available at other retailers though in limited quantities. With the WiiU console now in the market, this diminishes chances that Xenoblade will get a reprint on the Wii. Due to its popularity, maybe this game might eventually see a newer HD release on the WiiU?

http://www.gamesradar.com/rarest-and-mo ... gen-games/

Rarest (and most valuable) current generation games
Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii) Mint - $89 Used - $77

Of all the games on this list, this one might be the only one with a justifiable price. Xenoblade Chronicles has been heralded by many as the last great Wii game, and any English localization was hotly anticipated for years after the game’s 2010 release in Japan. When fan demand (specifically the “Operation Rainfall” movement) finally spurred Nintendo to release the game stateside, two years had elapsed, and the already-limited release had very little fanfare. If you were astute enough to pick up a copy, you should thank your lucky stars--because this one is likely going to increase in price indefinitely, whether you've opened and played it or not.

History
Xenoblade Chronicles is recent to the US as a title for the Wii. However the series have been around all the way back to the very first Playstation, the PS1. The series continued with additional releases on the PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS and the newest incarnation on the Wii. There is speculation the next in the series will appear on the WiiU.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xeno_(series)

The Xeno series is a series of Japanese role-playing video games. All games in the series have been developed by Monolith Soft and directed by Tetsuya Takahashi, though the games have been published by several different companies, including Square, Namco, and Nintendo.

Initially envisioned as a six-part series started with the game Xenogears, the series could not be directly continued due to the developers leaving Square, who held the legal rights to the property. This lead to an exodus of the development team to Namco, where the Xenosaga series was started, not as a direct sequel or prequel, but as a new series with thematic connections. This too was envisioned as a six part series, but instead was cut short to only three parts, after the completion of Xenosaga Episode 1, Episode II and Episode III. After the ending of the Xenosaga series, Monolith Soft was bought by Nintendo, and a new Xeno game, Xenoblade Chronicles was developed and released. In January 2013, Nintendo announced a new game by Monolith Soft, yet to be titled, but many journalists in the industry speculate to be connected to the Xeno series due to similarities of the game's trailer and involved staff.

Xenoblade Chronicles is an RPG with a huge world to explore. The game starts out with a video of two colossus battling. The giants are locked at a standstill, presumably needing something to free them. With a mystery of the Giants clashed at a standstill the game starts.



In a strange setting, the game world is inside one of the titans called the Bionis. You start off at the foot of the Bionis working your way up. Seeing the Bionis way up in the sky shows how huge this world can be. It also invites curiousity in what lies ahead in unlocking the secrets as new sections are explored.

Classic Controller
This is the best way to play the game. I do like the Wiimote for certain games, but the regular analog controls have a very distinct advantage in Xenoblade. The right stick has instant camera control, very handy for looking around and controlling direction movement while on the run.

CLASSIC CONTROLLER
Left Analog - Move
Right Analog - Camera
DPad - Attack Menu and Menu Palette Navigation
ZL - Adjust Camera with A, B, Y
ZR - Party Commands with DPad
L R - Target, with ZR to select nearest enemy
A - Talk, Action Button
B - Jump, Cancel
X - Menu Palette
Y - Trade
- - Map
+ - Pause Cutscene, Show Tips

Seriously this is the game that justifies a Classic Controller purchase. Even better, get a Playstation Duel Shock Adapter such as the Mayflash Classic Controller Adapter to enjoy the game without the Nintendo analog stick stops.

PLAYSTATION DUEL SHOCK
Left Analog - Move
Right Analog - Camera
DPad - Attack Menu and Menu Palette Navigation
L2 - Adjust Camera with O, X, ∆
R2 - Party Commands with DPad
L1 R1 - Target, with ZR to select nearest enemy
O - Talk, Action Button
X - Jump, Cancel
∆ - Menu Palette
▢ - Trade
Select - Map
Start - Pause Cutscene, Show Tips

Of note on the Menu Palette. It works as a Task Bar showing icons at the bottom to select from. This is in the game play screen so it can be left up while exploring. However, it has to be exited to use the buttons for attacks or interacting in the game.

Real Time Attack
As not a big fan of RPG games, I have held off in buying this game. I do like a few such as PS1 Final Fantasy VII and Dreamcast/Gamecube Skies Of Arcadia, but mostly prefer more of an instant action in disposing of an enemy. The select an attack mode in itself is rewarding, just the wait and watch sometimes gets to me. Xenoblade answers this with a very nice compromise.

Remember the earlier "Take your turn and wait" concept in strategy warfare games? Dune followed by Command and Conquer took the take the turn mode into real time. Now this same concept makes a play in a RPG. Xenoblade allows FULL CONTROL in moving your character and adding attacks during an actual battle. Select the type of attack or heal continuously in real time until an enemy is dispatched. This really adds to the pace of the game, yet maintains the classic RPG of selecting the response icons.

Audio and Visual
Unlike most US releases of Japanese games, the translation and voice acting is done very well. A very nice feature is the option to hear the original Japanese voices with English subtitles. I wish more import games would have used this capability, sometimes the mood of the game is enhanced Dreamcast Shenmue 2 Japanese dialog comes to mind.



The "open world" settings are really spectacular. There are paths, but different areas to explore. When up high on a mountain overlooking the lake, I have almost a feeling of the vistas in the game ICO. The faces on the game characters are a little blurry. Its not bad, just seemed to not match the detailed environment. One thing I like about traveling is the different paths, but also the capability of instant jump to an area by clicking from the map. This really helps a game along, avoiding having to repeatedly run up that mountain or section of town to complete a quest.

Cutscenes are also done well, these should not be bypass clicked. Especially the clip right before the first Boss Mecon Metal Face battle, really a shocker. I don't want to give it away, but the emotion draw in the video shows how great this game is.

Spoiler in the video clip!

XenoBlade Cut Scene

Break Topple Daze Chain Attack
Many enemies can be killed more quickly by using the three stages of attack. To do this the group has to have enough affinity. This is basically a group powerup tied from helping each other. Once the Affinity is charged up enough, a Chain attack becomes available where each in the group takes their turn to hit with their specialty. When a B icon attack appears on the screen, this works as a Quick Time Event. Press the B button when the red circle shrinks down to the size of the icon.

Unlike most RPGs, all your game characters automatically become "fully charged" after a battle. If you lose a battle, your skill level drops but not your energy which goes all the way back up to your current level. No more hobbl;ing into another enemy.

Battle can build up your skills to become stronger as well as have more powerful attacks, useful as later enemies are also more powerful. When I first started the game, I held off attacking various creatures. One resembled a rabbit so I saw no reason in harming it. Wait a minute some of those rabbits were carrying wooden clubs on their tails!



Note that I can walk right past most enemies. The randomness of battles is almost non existent in Xenoblade. This allows the open world sandbox style, pick your fights or just explore. There is one Boss I was stuck at getting killed too quickly. Even though the game basically could not continue until dealing with the boss, I simply strayed off and killed other enemies first to build up my game character skill level.

Monado Sword
The red sword featured on the cover has unique capabilities which offers a different aspect of the game. It has all the expected enhanced attacks one expects in the weapon of choice in a RPG. What makes it special is during key moments in a battle, a look into the future to see a possible outcome. A short slow motion in game video is shown, during which you can still spin around simultaneously to get ready. Knowing a monster's attack thru the look ahead allows for a different strategy in dodging or attacking.



Speaking of time, Xenoblade goes from day to night changing what one can see. for instance the Bionis Colossus in sky really show up at night sparking light reflections of places yet to explore.

Quest
As in any good RPG, Xenoblade has numerous side quests. From collecting items to delivering goods. Crystals can be collected from defeating monsters and while traveling. The crystals can be taken back to the Residential Area to create the gems in the furnace. The Gems are used as a form of powerups for weapons and skills. Multiple quests can be done at the same time often back tracking as items are found. Collecting items can also be done in advance, even before a character in the game needs it. More then a few times I collected items that did an "auto complete" of a quest when talking to various residents later on. Assisting other characters help to establish stronger bonds or Affinity.

A great feature is the ability to instantly change the time of day. Not only for asthetics, but sometimes a character or event takes place at a certain time. No more waiting, simply move the clock to the right time without any penalty.

Cover Art and Preorder Book
I hate Eco cases due to the holes inside. The one time it has an advantage is showing the hidden reversible cover. Due to the eco holes, the disc holder has more flex which tends to death grip a disc. The flexing also can put dent marks on the paper cover underneath. I filed down the teeth of the holder just enough to prevent risk of damage to both disc and cover from that flexing. Taken further, swapping the case with one without the holes is best.

Inside game case sleeve cover art


There is also an Art Book now out of print that was available only as a Gamestop preorder. Some were lucky to get this, the rest of us can at least view the pages online.

http://www.siliconera.com/2012/03/28/lets-open-up-the-xenoblade-chronicles-art-book/

If you reserve the game at GameStop you’ll get an art book as a bonus. Nintendo sent one of these over to us, so let’s check it out! The art book’s 20 pages are printed on heavy and glossy paper so these scans aren’t perfect, but hopefully you’ll have a better idea of the bonus item.

The book is made of pretty sturdy cardstock. It's actually a lot nicer than I thought it was going to be. I would have liked to see some more images like on the front of the cover, but most of them look like they were taken directly out of the gameplay.

It's very glossy, with thick pages. The pages are less like paper and more like cardboard. The characters on the front cover are embossed, and there's inlays on all the inside pages (you have to hold it in the right light to see it).

If only the US had an opportunity to obtain the 200 page book as in another country.

http://www.ign.com/wikis/xenoblade-chronicles/Artbook

Nintendo of France announced that they were offering a free Xenoblade Chronicles 200 page Artbook. The first 1000 customers who registered their copy of the game at Club Nintendo were eligible to receive this offer.

Fans in North America also received a bonus for their loyalty. Anyone who preordered the game via Gamestop received a free 20 page art booklet.

Gamestop sent out an Email to all customers who had bought the game thru Gamestop (automatically was registered with customer Gamestop Power Rewards Card) for a huge buyback of Xeonoblade and Metroid Trilogy. Still some controversy if Gamestop reprinted the game or just cycled Wii cases from other games in their inventory. Based on what Gamestop offered for the used games, I am leaning towards the refurbish repackage route.



Boss Guide: How to beat Metal Face
The first boss is a real pain, until one learns the Chain Attack and selects the proper attack.

http://www.gamezone.com/products/xenobl ... metal-face

Xenoblade Chronicles Walkthrough Boss Guide: How to beat Metal Face
After taking out the Mechon horde scattered around Colony 9, you'll finally come face to face with their leader, big bad Metal Face himself. Luckily, you aren't expected to completely decimate this foe, just wear him down a bit.

Start off the battle just attacking randomly. Don't waste any of your charged up arts on this guy, he simply can't be damaged at this point. After a bit of this charade, a cutscene will start up, showing Fiona getting destroyed by the Mechon jerk. Shulk goes into beast mode at this point, returning to the battle with a newfound resolve. Prepare to use your first chain art!



Chain Attacks require 3 bars of party affinity (the blue bar in the top left of the screen). Luckily this battle begins with the gauge fully filled. Select the blue Chain Attack icon from the command bar (center of the bar, d-pad down towards it) to begin the assault.

Start by using Shulk's Stream Edge art to break Metal Face. Follow this up with Reyn's Wild Down, which topples a broken enemy. After this, use any of Dunban's attack arts to help inflict some serious damage! With Metal Face down, use Shulk's Monado Buster to lay down the final blow. Metal Face will escape, but somehow, we doubt it's the last we'll see of him.

Monado Papercraft
I discovered and posted a Papercraft SX64 some time ago, found a Papercraft Monado Sword. Even though the preorder book can be hard to find, at least anyone can have their own sword.

http://www.papercraftsquare.com/xenoblade-chronicles-monado-free-papercraft-download.html

This paper craft is designed by tenpepakura. The Monado contains Zanza’s essence. When Arglas found it, Zanza took his control and the control of Bionis. It is told that the sword was originally used by the Bionis to battle against the Mechonis. When the battle was over the Monado disappeared.

Originally titled Monado: Beginning of the World, the game was retitled Xenoblade in January 2010 to honour Tetsuya Takahashi, “who poured his soul into making this and who has been working on the Xeno series”.

Website: http://tenpepakura.cocolog-nifty.com/blog/2012/04/post-aedd.html
PDF Papercraft File: https://www.sugarsync.com/pf/D6267049_9203051_46799


c_monado_v1.pdf

[CRTGAMER]

Hello. I just read your guide on how to run PAL GameCube games on an NTSC system and have a question. Is it possible to burn the contents of the old Action Replay necessary to properly display the game on an NTSC television onto a mini-CD for the GameCube to read? Would that work and if it would, would I still need the code entry device as well? I really, really want to be able to play "Doshin the Giant."

Thanks for the guide and your time. I've included the link to your guide below should it help you:

viewtopic.php?f=2&p=537000#p537000

Welcome to Racketboy!

I do not know of any DVDR/CDR method, would be a trick making a bootable NTSC converted Doshin game. I have converted PS2 games from PAL to NTSC with the PS2 PAL2NTSC YFIX program, but never looked into Gamecube games though. Perhaps there is a utility program that works with Gamecube games?

There are actually two different boot discs from code junkies that can do the conversion as stated back in the guide. Both are expensive online, but these are the only two methods that I am aware of.

Only the older Code Entry Action Replay and the Older Freeloader will properly convert PAL 50Hz Gamecube games to NTSC 60Hz.

[2killahmockinbird]

Thanks for taking the time to answer my question! I suppose I'll just have to buy an old Action Replay off of eBay.