The Call of Juarez - A Proposal

T H E C A L L O F J U A R E Z
Wii

Introduction
The idea behind this proposal is not to promote the Nintendo Wii above the other consoles of this generation, but simply to think through the conversion of the game the Call of Juarez to the Wii’s unique control system in as interesting a way as possible – that is, utilising the controller to its full capabilities.

The conversion would of course require an overhaul to the graphics (which I won’t go into here), but possibly not a particularly extreme one and it would require little more than the reduction of a number of options, a built-in feature in PC games. At the time of writing, the full specifications and capacities of the Wii have not been released and its potential has only been represented through work-in-progress images.

Please, if you are familiar with the controller you may skip to the main proposal. If you are not I suggest that you read the explanations and the precedent FPSs section.

The Controller
This conversion relies heavily, as has been stated, on the capabilities of the Wii controller, or rather the pair of controllers – the “nunchaku” and the “Wii Remote”. These are pictured below (this image shows the button labelling and layout at the time of writing):

https://img232.imageshack.us/img232/...motenq3.th.png
Fig. 1 – The Wii Remote with Nunchaku attachment

https://img232.imageshack.us/img232/...llerbo6.th.png
Fig. 2 – the Wii Remote face and back showing “B” trigger button

As can be seen from figures 1 and 2 the remote has (at least for the moment) eight (8) buttons – the on/off button (which switches on/off the console), the large, prominent A button, the - (minus) button, the HOME button, the + (plus) button, buttons marked 1 and 2 and what is termed the B button (though no markings are visible here), which is the trigger on the reverse side. There is also a four-directional pad, called the D-Pad. Features not shown, or not shown clearly are the emitter (at the top of the remote, the black bar in fig. 1) and the attachment plug hole (at the bottom, though the plug itself is shown in fig.1).

On the nunchaku attachment there are two buttons, termed, for now, X (upper) and Y (lower). The nunchaku also features the Analogue Stick as its main feature.

Neither controller is wired to the console, though they are obviously connected by a wire between themselves.

The important thing to note is that each controller features motion sensitive hardware which detects angle and acceleration etc. The remote emits a signal which informs the console of where it is positioned in 3D space and where it is pointing on the display. This signal is picked up by a 30 centimetre sensor bar placed either on top of or below the display.

Precedent Games of the FPS Genre and their Uses of the Controller
(This information is not based on any specific sources, though I could certainly find some, also, it is possible that the details will change closer to launch)
In development for the Wii are a number of first person shooters. The first which springs to mind is Red Steel which uses the pointer of the remote to aim and translates this aiming into where you see your in-game gun pointing. The cross-hair is not locked, as is most common in FPSs, but instead can be moved about within the screen. When it strays to the edge of this definable area the player turns. The angle on which you hold the remote also affects the position of the gun on screen, so if you hold the remote on its side you see your character turn the gun to the same angle. The analogue stick is used to move forward and backward and side to side, the distance you push the stick determines your speed.

The nunchaku is used in a variety of ways. When you approach a door, you twist it, as you would a door knob and the door opens slowly, when you flick the controller you bash the door open. You reload your weapons by flicking it down. When in combat with your swords you use the remote to make gestures which are rapidly translated into animated attacks. You block using flicking actions with the nunchaku.

The second example is Metroid Prime 3: Corruption which is rather more traditional. The analogue stick is used for movement. Flicking the nunchaku up makes you jump and flicking it down curls you into a ball in which you can roll around. Locking onto enemies is done using the B trigger and you fire your weapon with the A button. Special weapons are accessed with the D-pad. More important is the method of aiming which differs slightly from Red Steel in that you can set it to an “expert mode” where your aiming is much more sensitive and more “mouse-like”.

Main Proposal
Firstly I’ll list my ideas for the control maps. These will refer to fig. 1 and the following explanation for the buttons:

Wii Remote
A – General interactions. Pick-up and hold objects/open/interact etc.
B – Fire right-hand weapon, draw weapon for bullet-time. Hold down with certain weapons and gesture to perform other actions.
1 – Pick up weapon in left hand, draw weapon (non-bullet-time)
2 – Pick up weapon in right hand, draw weapon (non-bullet-time)
- - Cycle weapon down
+ - Cycle weapon up
HOME – Open menu
D-up – Possibly hold to sprint (also for horses)
D-down – Hold to zoom
D-left – Pick up weapon in left hand, draw weapon (non-bullet-time)
D-right – Pick up weapon in right hand, draw weapon (non-bullet-time)

Nunchaku
X – Fire left-hand weapon
Y – Crouch
Analogue Stick – movement forward and backward and strafing left and right. Your speed is dependant on how far you tilt the stick.
Note – for the trigger buttons (X and B ) the handedness you set in the options menu will affect which weapon they fire. If you are left handed (hold the nunchaku in the right hand and the remote in the left) then B will fire left and X will fire right.

Next I will list the gestures I have come up with for the two controllers. Later I’ll go into a specific scenario to explain some more complex movements.

Wii Remote
1. Turning and aiming – this can be done in one of two ways. The first is to have a locked crosshair (as in most fps games). The disadvantage of this is that the sensitivity may mean that the crosshair would be moving constantly. Conversely, the aiming would be very sensitive and therefore good for seasoned players. The second option is to have a “sensitivity box”, that is an area of the screen within which you can freely move your crosshair. When you stray to the edges of the screen the player will begin to look or turn in that direction. The size of this area could of course be altered depending on the player’s skill or taste. The speed of turning would be dependant on how far and how fast you gestured outside the sensitivity box.

2. Flick down to reload weapon in that hand.

3. Pull back to enter quick shooter mode (where applicable) with the weapon in that hand.

4. Hold B and pull back to draw the bow. Release B to fire.

5. Flick while holding B to use the whip (when it is selected obviously).

Nunchaku
1. Flick down to reload weapon in that hand.

2. Flick up to jump.

3. Shove forward to kick.

4. Pull back to enter quick shooter mode (where applicable) with the weapon in that hand.

5. Tilt left or right to lean left or right. You will return to a normal position when it is detected that the nunchaku is being held at a normal angle.

More Complex Movements
1. Press and then hold the corresponding trigger button (B or X) and use a throwing action to toss dynamite. Simply hold both trigger buttons and use throwing action with both controllers to throw held objects (crates etc.)

2. Duelling – when prompted hold the remote vertically (and possibly hide the emitter to block the signal, this may not be possible however) then, when the timer has run out, raise the remote quickly and aim using the pointer, fire using the B trigger.

Short Scenarios and Descriptions of Gameplay
I am basing this scenario on a typical route through Reverend Ray’s level in the demo. It is assumed that you hold the remote in your right hand and the nunchaku in your left. The second part is based on the first and final stages of Billy’s demo level, where he finds the bow, crosses the bridge, jumps the chasm and fights the final three enemies.

Part I
You begin in the church, bible in your right hand. Using the remote’s pointer you turn and go to the small room on the left hand side of the entrance. You walk to the door using the analogue stick and open it when the icon appears with the A button. You walk in, pointing downwards towards the chest to bring it into view. Using the A button again you open it and automatically pick up the two pistols and box of ammunition. There is then a short cut-scene. After this you turn back and leave the room, turning left with the pointer to face the main doors. You then approach the doors and open them with A. Another cut-scene follows. If you are quick enough you turn with the pointer and click B and X to fire at the fleeing men, the controllers rumble with each shot. You walk over the body of the man you managed to hit and a message appears asking if you wish to take his gun by pressing 1 (to take it into your left hand) or 2 (to take it into your right). You press 2, and the fresh border gun appears in your right hand. This new gun is unloaded and so you flick down with the remote and Ray reloads.

After you walk down the main street for some way you are interrupted by four outlaws. The game pauses and a tutorial on “bullet-time” appears. Exit the dialogue by pressing one of the X or B triggers. When you do, time slows and two crosshairs appear on either side of the screen. By aiming with the pointer you manage to kill most of the men, but one is left. You pull back with the remote and enter quick-shooting mode to finish the job. You are again interrupted, this time by a scream. You hurriedly reload your left gun, by flicking down with the nunchaku, and your right by doing the same with the remote. After this you come under fire from behind and spin round by jerking sharply towards the side of the screen with the pointer. Another enemy is there. You press X to draw your left gun and this exits quick-shooting mode. You dispatch the enemy quickly firing from both guns.

Moving on some way. You have just shot the outlaw on the back stairs of the building from behind the fence. You then jump onto the conveniently positioned crate by flicking the nunchaku up and walk over it and drop down into the neighbouring yard. Ahead of you is a low pile of miscellaneous items which is just that bit too high to jump onto. You are then told to pick up crates using A and carry one over to the pile, putting it down with the A button. You then jump onto the crate, and from the pile to the stairs.

Inside the building is a small room, the door out of which is badly worn and damaged. You are told that you can kick by shoving forward with the nunchaku and do so to break open the door. You do the same to come out onto the balcony.

Skipping ahead again. You have negotiated the barn and jumped to the roof-top only to be interrupted by a rather insulting man. You now enter a duel. The game is paused while a message tells you to hold the remote vertically downwards and to flick it up again when the timer has run down. When the correct position has been detected the game resumes and the timer begins. When time runs out, time slows again and you flick the remote up, aiming using the pointer and firing with the B trigger. You dodge left and right by tilting the nunchaku in the appropriate direction. You win, but only just.

Part II
You are walking through the woods and are set upon by a wolf. You ready your whip and hold B while making a whipping motion with the remote to deal with it. You soon come to a farm, and are treated to some exposition. The next part will require you to crouch and move slowly to avoid detection. You hold Y and tilt the analogue stick gradually to creep forward, looking around with the remote’s pointer in the usual way and tilting the nunchaku to peer from around cover.

You eventually make it into the house and search through the rooms. You find a hybrid gun and some ammunition and eventually a saddle. This you pick up with A. Instead of trying to sneak past the farmer with the saddle you decide to throw it into the stable yard from the balcony where you can easily retrieve it later. You come out onto the balcony and face the yard. You then hold B and X and make a throwing motion with both controllers, tossing the saddle as far as you can over the fence into the yard.

You then sneak back down to the stable, retrieve the saddle and automatically put it on the horse. You mount the horse with A and move it as normal with the analogue stick. You hold the stick all the way forward and run for the broken part of the fence in the yard outside, steering the horse with the analogue stick and looking around with the pointer. As you come to the fence you flick up on the nunchaku to jump. You are then told that you can make the horse gallop by holding D-pad Up. You do so and make the second leap successfully, crossing the ravine with ease.

After some time riding you come upon a cliff which bars your way. You dismount and drop onto a rocky outcrop over which grow a number of trees. Using the same method with the whip and holding X you flick it out and catch onto the branch, shortening the line with X and lengthening it with B. You swing with the analogue stick and release the whip by pressing X and B together. You grab onto ledges and pull yourself up holding A and flicking up on the nunchaku.

After having snuck past a number of apache renegades and having stolen a horse you come to another group. You sneak through the undergrowth to get a clear shot and manage to take one down with a single round. You then run behind a large rock and lean out periodically to fire at the other apache. When he is dead you take his rifle and find that the other had a bow. A message then tells you that to draw the bow you hold down B and pull back on the remote, releasing the arrow by releasing the B button.

You then cross the bridge, avoid the rock fall and make a galloping jump over the last ravine. You then come upon three more apaches, two on a ledge near a camp-fire, the other in a shallow recess among some bushes. You cycle to the bow with the + button, confirming your selection with A. You then hold B and pull back with the remote. Time slows and you aim for the apache, releasing B at the right moment and killing him with one arrow, the view returning to normal when the arrow is released. You then draw the classic rifle you found earlier and sneak closer to the others near the fire. When you are close you hold D-pad Down to zoom and crack off two shots, the first of which misses. You then have a shoot-out with the apaches which you win after taking a few hits. You then take one of their horses are ride on.

What do you think?
That concludes the proposal; I hope you found it interesting and will leave comments below.