Aonuma: Wii U Gamepad Disrupts Gameplay

We realized that having something on the GamePad and looking back and forth between the TV screen and the GamePad actually disrupts the gameplay, and the concentration that the game player may be experiencing. You have your car’s GPS system on your dash. If you had it down in your lap, you’re going to get into an accident!

Eiji Aonuma, Producer of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, via Wired

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Do you agree with Aonuma, System Wars? Incidentally, I actually liked the Gamepad's implementation in Twilight Princess HD for inventory managament. When it comes to games where the Gamepad plays a more prominent role though, like Star Fox for instance, I'm with Aonuma. In another Wii U title, Fatal Frame, I was actually looking forward to using the Gamepad like a camera. Thought it'd be more immersive and shit. But switching your attention between two different screens constantly is a gimmick that grows old quickly.

I think it might be a technical issue. Other games skipped the gamepad screen altogether in order to devote full resources to the game. Tropical Freeze comes to mind. I wouldn't doubt in the least if this was the same thing.

If anything, I think this shows how much of a technical marvel Star Fox is by doing 60 fps with 2 screens without cloning.

Yes, finally they admit it...lol.. all this prompt in game to look at gamepad is disrupting gameplay, been saying it for a long time...hopefully a sign that NX will use traditional controller. :P

I liked it in TWWHD. :/

Watch. Instead it'll be a even bigger screen or some sort of harness you attach the gamepad to so that you only have to glance down slightly to see the second screen. Like a Baby carrier, but instead its a controller.

It works great for the 3DS but that's because the screens are inches apart from each other.

No shit.

I like how they use it in Zelda Breath of the Wild, it just uses Gamepad for the Gyro and the screen for if you need help.

I completely agree. I played TP HD with the pro controller, because I couldn't stand looking down at the pad.

@Renegade_Fury: Im the same way when i read my guide, i hate looking down at the book. I wish i could upload my guide into the game. Itd be a groundbreaking feature that hasnt been done before.

The gamepad carries more value as a remote-play and primary display screen (making it a literal portable console) than secondary screen.

@bunchanumbers: lol we'll see soon enough. :P

Wow, seriously? That shit was obvious the first time they revealed it. They are only figuring this out now? No wonder Nintendo is struggling.

After playing Deus Ex: Human Revolution, besides using the sniper rifle, I must be the only person not all bothered by looking down at the screen for AT LEAST looking at maps and menus.

I loved the gamepad for sniper rifle aiming. Plus it made the hacking minigame a blast too.

It surprises me that this is still an issue, early Wii games had an option for GamePad only off-TV play. Then with the whole Pro Controller thing the GamePad was supposed to be less necessary. Then that Star Fox bullshit happened. Good to know Nintendo finally got a clue. Just too bad they didn't have a clue before Star fox shit the bed.

I thought it was great for WW HD and TP HD. Does this mean BotW won't have this functionality? Would be disappointing if true.

Took them long enough to figure out that the gamepad was extremely unpopular to both gamers and developers.

I personally loved it for this purpose and preferred it over using my TV, it wasn't that portable though outside of having it in my living room, I could maybe sit 20-25 feet away without issues, but that was enough to just comfortably sit snuggled in my sofa and enjoy some good games, I didn't have to hog the TV in case someone else wanted to use it or I could watch something on the TV while I played a game, which was great. I really disliked the games that forced you to play on a TV, like Zombi U or Affordable Space Adventures.

Damn, that's awesome.

Listen to this man Kimishima. Much respect for a high caliber Nintendo dev to admit the drawbacks to the Gamepad and how it can hinder the gameplay experience.

Keep the gamepad simple Nintendo.

@nintendoboy16: Deus Ex used the Gamepad so well. I especially loved being able to alter the map and hacking on the Gamepad screen.

Just hold the gamepad in the air the whole time. Problem solved.

If your arms get tired, that's because you're weak. 8)

Please Understand.

Gamepad support on the Zelda remakes (WW and TP HD) were actually really good. So it's somewhat baffling that they choose to remove the second screen for a game like this new Zelda, which is heavy on inventory items.

People make it seem as though the wiiu gamepad is like controlling fcking NASA.

@Heirren: It is for them.

I loved the Gamepad in Xenoblade Chronicles X, they implemented it very well.

The alternative they've gone with in the new Zelda with just the controller isnt any better.

One of the few things I didnt like was how relegated things like health consumables and delivery of information to 'frozen' prompts and menus. Alot of stops, pausing that just disrupts flow of the combat and approach to exploration.

I liked it in the Zelda ports on Wii U, but yes, it's an ill conceived controller otherwise.

Major Nintendo developer admitting the gamepad is a load of cold wank that is actively clubbing seals.

Get rekt @charizard1605

Starfox played like shit. It's time to take the gyro shit and the tablet bullshit out back, and put a slug in it.

I disagree that the gyro bullshit was nearly as offensive as the contrived tablet bullshit. The gyro was the one part of that I could see being ok with some polish. They had to literally withhold important information and lie to the player on each screen to make that bullshit important.

No, it's fucking stupid for shooting in comparison to a point, an analog, and fucking especially a mouse. I don't want hold anything up and move it around, the other things, I can naturally be in a comfortable position and either glide or move my wrist. The gyro is just needlessly silly for something that isn't nearly as accurate as any of its alternatives, and **** the gyro parts in Luigi's Mansion 2, that game is a colossal bore in so many other ways, but some of that fucking garbage that Nintendo made me sit through made me want to drop kick babies.

Gyro by itself works for shooting fine, and is faster and more accurate than dual analog. However, I think the problem here is with how big and unwieldy the Wii U Gamepad is, it makes gyro uncomfortable because of its size, shape, and weight.

That was my No 1 complaint with the stupidity of the gamepad. Its one thing to have the option its another to make it mandatory. For anyone who has an HDTV its a great annoyance when a game forces you to look at a miniature screen instead of a larger screen. I am glad someone at Nintendo admits the stupidity of the entire system.

In bizarro world.

Try using gyro for aiming with a half decent controller. DS4 for instance, or do it on 3DS and handhelds. It works, and it works very well.

I literally hate it, every time.

Then I use like games with actual good game mechanics, and not absurdly large hit boxes, just you know ones made to compensate for analog, and I go, yeah this plays better on an analog. Splatoon only works, because the hit boxes and the way ballistics work in that game aren't like actual proper shooters. If you had to play Halo or like Battlefield with that shit, it would be a nightmare.

@jg4xchamp: To be fair, I wasn't thinking much of shooters themselves. I had stuff like Zelda's aiming or Mario's aiming (both on 3DS) more in mind when I said that. Those are worse on Wii U than they are on 3DS, too.

Yeah, probably wouldn't work as well with Halo or CoD, though.

Yeah it wouldn't work for anything that requires precision, as some tacky little add on it's rad for like Nintendo plebs that game in a bubble. Shit is a game design atrocity, unlike the work of excellence that is Fallout 4.

It's about time someone over there figured it out.

Yeah gyro is shit, but they need to bring back the Wii mote because the IR pointer was actually amazing, except for third and first person shooters. Exceptions being, they were ok for the prime games and Re4 (though that's a fluke because you don't control the camera and reticle and the same time). For stuff like Sin and punishment, elebits, boom blox etc. it's great.

Or Mafia 2

Fallout 4 is probably fine, you just discovered the poverty that is how shit Bethesda's actual game systems are, plus Bethesda with the bioware wheel? LOLokay.

Mafia 2 is the fucking worst. It's like the anti-Super Metroid. Gaming's worst achievement.

It's not

Fallout 4 was more than fine in the first few hours Chaz played. :)

Nah, I was bitching about it from the beginning. I remember complaining about the combat and writing, and mems suggested that I use VATS, and I did that and then I said, and this is the most I ever said about it, 'Okay, combat gets better with VATS, maybe now I can get into the game.'

I never actually praised it because I never actually liked it.

I think using it for inventory management is great.

You told me you were having fun and liked the atmosphere on Steam.

I do like the atmosphere. Even now. And I already said- I did have fun with VATS.