So apparently the Japanese Wii Music site has been steadily publishing a series of videos that highlight many of the instruments featured in the game. After perusing a few, I've come away with what I consider to be an actual understanding of Nintendo's philosophy regarding the title.
Believe me, I was revolted along with the rest of you when I watched the E3 Wii Music performance, peering from behind half-closed eyelids while recoiling slightly from the screen. I think it has to be attributed by the sheer garishness of the performance itself—an embarrassing mish-mash of PR figureheads and otherworldly drum-pantomimers. Blocking that spectacle from my mind, I find that these simple video demonstrations of each instrument are easier to relate to.
I recommend checking out out the violin and harp videos in particular. The crux of Wii Music in is the pantomiming of actions that are associated with these instruments. It's in creating the physical sensation of playing an instrument, not in the nitty-gritty details.
Imagine, if you will, listening to one of your favorite songs. Perhaps you may find yourself aimlessly air-guitaring along with it, or striking phantom drums that hang as specters in the ether. This is exactly the sensation that Wii Music seeks to evoke. You don't really care that you aren't hitting the notes when you pantomime to a song, all that matters is that it feels like you're involved in playing the music.
Surely we can appreciate the simple joys of playing pretend? Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to say that people should discard their Guitar Heroes and all convert to Wii Music apologists, but expecting Wii Music to adhere to the conventions of typical music games does it a disservice. You are not trying to complete tasks or obtain high scores. This is not a game in the traditional sense. It is a toy—one where you get to see how it would feel to play a harp or a violin. You engage in the motions and experience the sensation, without having to learn or be actively challenged.
For many gamers that's simply Not For Them, which is perfectly alright. It's a difficult notion to adjust to in this day and age, that of a video-toy. I can at least see the point now, though. I really do recommend checking out the videos on the site; the publicly highlighted items like drums and flutes are either too flailing or too static to really appreciate the nuance of instruments like the violin and harp. Those two gave me a much better understanding of why this kind of software deserves to exist.
Believe me, I was revolted along with the rest of you when I watched the E3 Wii Music performance, peering from behind half-closed eyelids while recoiling slightly from the screen. I think it has to be attributed by the sheer garishness of the performance itself—an embarrassing mish-mash of PR figureheads and otherworldly drum-pantomimers. Blocking that spectacle from my mind, I find that these simple video demonstrations of each instrument are easier to relate to.
I recommend checking out out the violin and harp videos in particular. The crux of Wii Music in is the pantomiming of actions that are associated with these instruments. It's in creating the physical sensation of playing an instrument, not in the nitty-gritty details.
Imagine, if you will, listening to one of your favorite songs. Perhaps you may find yourself aimlessly air-guitaring along with it, or striking phantom drums that hang as specters in the ether. This is exactly the sensation that Wii Music seeks to evoke. You don't really care that you aren't hitting the notes when you pantomime to a song, all that matters is that it feels like you're involved in playing the music.
Surely we can appreciate the simple joys of playing pretend? Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to say that people should discard their Guitar Heroes and all convert to Wii Music apologists, but expecting Wii Music to adhere to the conventions of typical music games does it a disservice. You are not trying to complete tasks or obtain high scores. This is not a game in the traditional sense. It is a toy—one where you get to see how it would feel to play a harp or a violin. You engage in the motions and experience the sensation, without having to learn or be actively challenged.
For many gamers that's simply Not For Them, which is perfectly alright. It's a difficult notion to adjust to in this day and age, that of a video-toy. I can at least see the point now, though. I really do recommend checking out the videos on the site; the publicly highlighted items like drums and flutes are either too flailing or too static to really appreciate the nuance of instruments like the violin and harp. Those two gave me a much better understanding of why this kind of software deserves to exist.