A Wii post on educational gaming

  Wii fun 
  Originally uploaded by delta_avi_delta.

Derek's begged/borrowed/stolen a Wii to start looking into what edugaming possibilities there might be. To be honest, the educational possibilities for the new games console, Nintendo's Wii, are probably more likely to meet with success than those ambitions to have the gaming platform become your home entertainment hub. Using a 3foot experience tool for the 10foot 'sofa web' is as likely as... well, it's not likely in the McIntosh household. Desperate Housewives and Eastenders will also take priority over plasma screen
internet, whether Steve Jobs launches Apple's iTV or not this week.

John Kirriemuir has lost no time in trying to find some educational uses for the Wii, and pointing to some areas where the interfaceless Wii might have advantages over regular consoles and computers for learning while gaming. It certainly seems a hit with even the youngest gamers.

Others suggest that using the internet (Opera) browser and some Flash games on the Wii is fun enough. Apparently the Wii responds in such circumstances much like an interactive whiteboard. You can even watch online video on your Wii with SofaTube. As much fun as the gamplay seems to be the creation of your visual representation on the games, your 'Mii' avatar. Librarians across New Zealand clearly have little to do in the wee hours and have been busy creating their own visuals - the art and design potential is huge, especially when more options get hacked into the Mii creator. In the meantime you can swap and share your Miis online.

The uses for the Wii as an extension of your computer continue with an iTunes clone, Dot.Tunes. Installed on your PC you can then navigate to your iTunes library through the Wii browser. Finetunes does the same. Why you would want to do this I'm not sure - maybe between games :-q or getting fit with the Workout with Wii. If you're not injured by the Wii, that is - remember to wear your straps (very funny). There's also a hack if you want to use your Wii remote control with your Mac - via Bluetooth - effectively turning your Mac into a MacBook Pro.

The most useful idea I've seen, from the blog where some of these ideas come from, is the GoogleMap Wii Friend Locator, MapWii. This mashup helps you hook up virtually with people you can play with. The equivalent of someone in Tokyo chapping your living room door to see if you want to come out and play. Very cool social-media-meets-gaming karma.

I can't wait to get playing on it myself at LTS's Consolarium, where I discovered the equally popular DS Lite. The Wii seems far from perfect with a lot of the good stuff coming from hacked web-based tools, but something must be sticky about it since the number PS3s being sold is really dropping off - some are even trading in their PS3s for Wiis. Hopefully it's only a matter of tie for Nintendo to integrate some of the best ones to the system.

The source for much of my Wii goodness is Shiny Media, with whom I had a cup of tea in London and great debauch fun in Paris. They're paying a guy to play with the Wii and write about it on WiiWii.

Comments

[Karyn Romeis]

I have never taken to game consoles. The controls have always seemed totally counter-intuitive to me... until now. On our last day before the Christmas break, we had a bit of a team day and one of the guys brought in a wii. Halfway through the morning, having just CLEANED UP at tennis, I sent a text to my husband saying we have GOT to get one of these.

I see great potential for a piece of kit that can be mastered (more or less) by a complete "non-swimmer" within minutes.

[John Kirriemuir]

Great posting - lots of links to interesting stuff you have there.

[Tom Barrett]

Hi Ewan - a while back I came across a demo of the Nintendo Wii controlling Google Earth too using a GlovePIE script! Looks a lot of fun!

here is the link to the vid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkPem-RU9XM
and blog
http://coulston.googlepages.com/wii

I would love to use these with foundation children and in early years.
Tom

[John Kirriemuir]

Hi,

Blog and website changed and merged, so that rambling Wii review of mine now lives at:

http://www.silversprite.com/?p=205

Cheers,
JK