Wii developers talk shop

A recent sit-down with a group of Nintendo programmers uncovers the secret world of the Wii Shop channel's creation. Their goal was to create a product-centric experience that didn't present shoppers with too much information. Along the way, the team had to deal with economic issues, delays with server uploads, cross-cultural linguistics, and much more.

If the Wii Shop interface feels a little different than the rest of the Wii menus, that's because a team coordinator was nominated to do the design. With Nintendo's devs teams working on other projects, Wii Shop lead Haruhana-san asked Shigeru Miyamoto if he could borrow someone from another group to help with the design. The answer, of course, was no, and Miyamoto asked Haruhana to do it instead.

Reader Comments (17)

No wonder the Wii Shop channel has one of the worst user interfaces I have ever experienced. By far the wierdest/ugliest of the 3 new consoles.

I know that there is going to be some complaining about the friend code system in these comments. This oughta ease your bellyaching for a while if you are a lonely nerd who has no friends to share friend codes with except for the computer. Just go to www.friendcodes.com There, an easy solution. How come nobody seems to have heard of this?

There are many other sites out there where you can exchange Wii/DS friend codes too. Just Google "friend code exchange" and you will hit the jackpot. Just copy them and paste them into your favorite word processor and you will never lose them. Even if your computer burns out you can go back to the net for more. Some of it might be crap though.---------
"You Can Bet That On The Net, What Seems Like What You Want Is Not What You Get." - Judge Joe Brown

Wii Shop having the ugliest interface?

What??

All you have to do is click on the place you want to go. Then select which console, or new releases. And go.

How would you make it any better?

Simple. One thing I would love to see is more than a handful of selections before you have to press next and wait for a download.

A simple way to jump to specific titles would also be nice.

It is great, just needs some polish that's all.

True, but there isn't enough VC titles to warrant a search yet.

If I want "Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past" I just go to the Super NES section, and scroll down to it, click it, and click download.

When we get up to the 200+ VC titles, then I'd say it would be time for a search function.

I for one immediately thought of how when purchasing Wii Points it seems as though the "positive/yes/continue-like" response seems to switch sides... something that's resulted in my having to re-enter my CC info more than once when I'd proceed to the next screen and to proceed I'd have to click a button on the other side of the screen from where I just clicked to continue.

Anyone else feeling that?

The ordering points online is unwieldy due to Nintendo not storing any information and the tax structure that makes it necessary to enter county and other info during checkout. It could be improved, for sure.

"The ordering points online is unwieldy due to Nintendo not storing any information and the tax structure that makes it necessary to enter county and other info during checkout."

i thought so too at first. it would make it so nice and easy to buy more points - just like shopping at amazon. then i realized how many games we would drunkenly buy. if i have to buy more points, i have to get up, find my wallet, dig out my credit card, and then enter in all that info. that long process is quite the deterrent when we're partying, and serves as a nice unintended protection from over-spending.

"7. I for one immediately thought of how when purchasing Wii Points it seems as though the "positive/yes/continue-like" response seems to switch sides... something that's resulted in my having to re-enter my CC info more than once when I'd proceed to the next screen and to proceed I'd have to click a button on the other side of the screen from where I just clicked to continue.

Anyone else feeling that?"

YES! this happens to me every time I buy points! I am a very "come on! COME ON!! COMEONALREADY!!!!" kind of gamer, and tend to press the "confirm" button way too quickly in almost every situation in life - in this case, I have to re-enter my CC info as my penance...

Objection! There's a contradiction. You want people to impulsively buy VC games by only releasing a few each week and having them at a low price. Yet to confirm buying points you switch the confirmation button so that impulse shoppers have to re-enter their credit card info once again and that doesn't include the regular times. So what's your angle? You want people to spend money without feeling like they're losing anything but look out for them by not letting them buy their points recklessly? What are you going for loyalty?

hvnlysoldr,

That simply amazing. Bravo.

They can do whatever to the Shop channel, as long as they NEVER change the music. That song is insanely addictive. I think it has subliminal messages to make us buy VC titles

Earl

I have that song stuck in my head now... Thanks.

(I agree though)

I actually feel that, when it comes to actual "Network competence" the Wii Shop Channel beats the hell out of the other online compatible parts of the Wii

And now i know why

And i haven't felt the burn of buying new Wii Points because i still haven't run through the $30.00 worth that i bought right around launch. I still think i have 1100 of those points left...

1100 points? R-Type and Gradius. Or Splatterhouse and Zelda II?

Wow. Such an important feature was dumped into the lap of one person without any checks and balances? That's some quality interface design, there.

Sometimes, it just seems like nobody is even trying.

Wii developers talk shop

Reader Comments (17)

Posted: Apr 6th 2007 9:10AM tragetrage said

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Posted: Apr 6th 2007 12:06PM hvnlysoldr said

Posted: Apr 6th 2007 1:33PM (Unverified) said

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Posted: Apr 6th 2007 4:16PM Mr Khan said

Posted: Apr 7th 2007 3:34AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Apr 7th 2007 5:19AM BurntMeatloaf said

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