Using WiiMote on Windows PC

I was trying out using my Wiimote with software Bluesoleil 5.0.5.178 (5Mb data limit trial version) and my chessy Abe Bluetooth dongle. It worked out pretty well on my laptop, although I was slightly confused about the setup of my Wiimote.

Once the Bluesoleil 5.x got installed, you should activate your Wiimote like this:

• Right click on the bluetooth icon on system tray, and select "Display Classic View"
• Now hold both [1] and [2] key for a while. Bluesoleil should sense your remote and display an item called "Nintendo RVL-CNT-01" on the screen, and the mouse icon at the top row should be turned on.
  
• Right click "Connect" on the mouse icon.

Now your Wiimote is accessible on your PC, and you can access it using software like WiiRemote and so on.

I used the WiiRemote to test using my Wiimote as a cursor. Pretty cool the result. But this proves that Wiimote isn't a good pointing device without the sensor bar. The reason is that without sensor bar, Wiimote can only sense movement use accelerometer. So it can sense tilt and shake, but can't sense moving the whole Wiimote left and right. Still it's one more nice control device to play with.

I am still having just Super Mario Galaxy and Wii Sport

I wonder if I am such an exceptional case, but after all these months, I still only have 2 Wii games: Wii Sport and Super Mario Galaxy. In fact, I am at my twenty somthing stars, and I just paused the game after discovered a new galaxy. It's almost like I discover something new or catch new stars everytime I played Mario Galaxy.

But notice that I don't play Wii frequently. Based on my fuzzy memory, I play Wii once 2 to 3 weeks, and everytime played 1 to 2 hours. In this rate, by the time I get absoultely boring by Mario and Wii Sport, I should be able to pick up Zelda at 29.99 or other good stuff at 19.99, which is totally my plan. And I think this is totally cool, because I don't have too much time on game playing as I have other creative related hobbies to enjoy. Having too much Wii games will make me feel guilty of not fully utilizing the resources I put on purchasing the games, and I don't like that like of guilty feeling.

Or, I am waiting for eventually finding a way to soft mod Wii :-E

Progress is good

I am still playing Super Mario Galaxy, one of the only two games that I have (besides Wii Sport), and couldn't be more happy about it. One thing I love about Nintendo product is that somehow they managed to design level difficult just enough to get you hooked but not impossible to complete if you are willing to throw in half an hour to practice.

I usually don't have much time to play video game, and at the same time I am such an accomplishment freak. The feeling of accomplishing something is very critical to my entertainment experience. I can feel very bad if I found out that I wasted my precious time on some crappy low quality entertainment product, be it a bad movie, a bad song or a bad TV show. As for video game, if I cannot find fun within the first 1 hour of playing it (including the learning curve), the game is dead to me.

That's why Super Mario Galaxy, to me, is such a gem. The designer put in just enough new stuff in each level so that I find new stuff and yet not overwhelmed by learning new technique, and the multiple path approach allows me to explore alternative route in case I stuck at certain level on certain day. In fact, I found out that there are times when I am suck at jumping and spinning (platform action) in one day, but find that easy to another day.

Usually every time I turn off my Wii, I will have at least 1 world finished. Based on the fact that I only have time to play like 1 to 2 hours each week, I can see that the game will continue entertaining me for the coming whole year. Don't worry, after that year, I still have Zelda for Wii to finish. Guess I can grab the game for US$29.99 by then. Sweet deal.