Fellow bombfolk,

On purchasing the wii motion plus and skyward sword, I have naught to conclude but it's a sham. Does anyone else feel similarly? On perusing the blagoshere, I've only heard scintillating reviews, but in my admittedly short period with the game, I've found it unplayable. The loftwing parts especially--despite performing the diving/swooping motion outlined in the tutorial, I am entirely unable to gain altitude. Besides that, I have to recalibrate the wiimote every 5 minutes or so. Perhaps one of you fine fellows whose knowledge and experience exceeds mine can provide some insight into the problem. Is it relevant that I bought my wii on launch day? Was the wii technology updated at some point? Is my machine simply incompatible with the new motion plus technology?

I think I know your problem with the loftwing. I had the same problem in a demo I played a couple of weeks ago. The game never tells you (except in the help menu) that you have to "flap" your wiimote to gain altitude. If you don't do this then your loftwing will soon get in the bottom of the screen and never manage to leave the clouds. It's really confusing in the begining. If you want a lot of height then you have to make one or two flap motions witht he controller.

The recalibrating is needed if you point your controller in the wrong drection when going in to aim mode for example. I think it's nice that they have a button that quickly can adjust aiming.

Was that helpful?

You raise it up and then snap it down, emulating a bird flapping. It does not explain this very well.

@Dogma: Good observation. My assumption that the problem was with the technology was likely premature. Indeed I had no idea a flapping motion was required. Much obliged.

@ultraspacemobile: Enjoy your now impoved loftwing experience! ^^

Also, would you believe that it doesn't even require the sensor bar? It truly only uses the gyros.

Please say you talk like that in everyday speech. I have this awesome image of what you sound like in my head.

@TobbRobb said:

Please say you talk like that in everyday speech. I have this awesome image of what you sound like in my head.

@ultraspacemobile said:

@Dogma: Good observation. My assumption that the problem was with the technology was likely premature. Indeed I had no idea a flapping motion was required. Much obliged.

Remember, it's never your own fault. Blame the tech

@TobbRobb said:

Please say you talk like that in everyday speech. I have this awesome image of what you sound like in my head.

@ultraspacemobile: The controls aren't as bad as you say. You are just an extreme case. However, M+ doesn't feel like that much of an improvement and it still doesn't register every movement. Idk why Nintendo didn't continue to use the GCube controller.

The flying is one of the things that works 100% perfectly.

@mac_n_nina: I heard from less-than-credible source that there is something of a difference between the M+ attachment and the wiimote that comes with M+ integrated. Do you think this has anything to do with my need to frequently recalibrate?

@mac_n_nina said:

@ultraspacemobile: The controls aren't as bad as you say. You are just an extreme case. However, M+ doesn't feel like that much of an improvement and it still doesn't register every movement. Idk why Nintendo didn't continue to use the GCube controller.

I would have much warmer feelings towards the Wii in general had Nintendo given players optional gamepad controls.

@ultraspacemobile said:

@mac_n_nina: I heard from less-than-credible source that there is something of a difference between the M+ attachment and the wiimote that comes with M+ integrated. Do you think this has anything to do with my need to frequently recalibrate?

Don't listen to stupid people and just use more skill, silly

@ultraspacemobile: I can't answer that since I only have Wii Motes with the attachment. Idk why but I want to say that the Motes with it built in are better, but like I said idk. Also I don't find myself having to recalibrate only when the game starts. You are talking about placing it on the flat surface right and not about re-centering it?

@RobertOrri: I would too. I like Wii since I've always been a Nintendo dude, but the motion controls are poorly executed in most titles. I would have liked to just use the GCube controller as it's personally my fav controller. I prefer it even to the 360 controller.

@Dogma said:

I think I know your problem with the loftwing. I had the same problem in a demo I played a couple of weeks ago. The game never tells you (except in the help menu) that you have to "flap" your wiimote to gain altitude. If you don't do this then your loftwing will soon get in the bottom of the screen and never manage to leave the clouds. It's really confusing in the begining. If you want a lot of height then you have to make one or two flap motions witht he controller.

This. I demo Nintendo products for the holidays, and the bird flying demo requires MUCH more assistance and information to get anyone started. The demo is really bad because it doesn't really give you any information, and the game isn't much better, unfortunately.

Jesus if I hadn't read this thread I might never have known that I need to flap to gain altitude, and I'm 20+ hours in. The game NEVER explained this. I've been jumping off and on my bird to gain altitude, and it was really frustrating. Goddammit. Same deal for equipping items to minus, the game never explains you need to hold it down in-game to switch them, instead in the menus it tells you to Hold down and release the - key to select an item, which only gives you a description. Was driving me mad until I googled it. How can the game be so obtuse in some areas and so handholdy in others?

I knew about the flapping ... I'm five hours or so in and I'm sure it told me. Strange.

But I concur, the Motion-Plus controls aren't amazing. I'd be fine with Twilight Princess waggle controls ... but there are moments when I like it. General enemies, like the Deku Baba, are too frustrating, but sword fighting with goblins is cool. I'm looking forward to fighting Stalfos. There's good and bad sides, but it's what makes the Zelda stand-out.

Calling it one-to-one controls is a lie, and the bird flight should be handled with the control stick (I'm playing as Link, the rider, not the fucking bird!), but I have't had this much fun with my Wii since Wii Sports at launch. Serious.

I knew about the flapping ... I'm five hours or so in and I'm sure it told me. Strange.

@PandaBear said:

I knew about the flapping ... I'm five hours or so in and I'm sure it told me. Strange.

This. The damn game tells you when you FIRST GET ON THE LOFTWING. It utterly bamboozles me when people are having problems with games that explain things fairly clearly. I've seen this happen in plenty of situations, and it makes me wonder if people care about the game they are playing, trying to speedrun, or are inept at reading or paying attention.

@neoepoch: I had to look this up since you insist that the game tells you this flat out. I am very careful when it comes to tutorials so I really had hard to believe that I missed it. When you get on your Loftwing together with Zelda she says, and I quote...

"Tilt your wii remote up to gain altitude"

That is the only thing she says regarding gaining height. This refers to swooping up and down in smaller doses not getting that direct gain in altitude you get from flapping the controller. She do tell you that you can check the instructions by checking the help menu (and there it is written) but I cant find where Zelda herself tells you to flap your arm. Are you sure you really saw this?