Wii remote connection to a computer. Wheel for PC based on Wii Remote
In this post I want to talk about how I managed to connect the emulator of the GameCube and Wii game consoles (as well as the TriForce arcade machine) with the native controls of the Nintendo Wii game console.
Well, I think there is no need to explain in detail what Dolphin is and what it is eaten with, especially since the title already contains the answer to this question. Yes it's an emulator. Not just an emulator, but an excellent emulator. In fact, a unique project, because at the moment it is the only successful development to emulate a 7th generation console. Even if evil tongues say that Viy cannot be called a full-fledged console of the 7th generation, primarily due to technical backwardness, but you cannot escape the facts. Nintendo went its own way and, instead of radically updating the hardware, decided to equip its console with an “innovative controller.” And it was precisely in connection with this controller that I had many questions from the very beginning when I first heard about this emulator. Well, let’s say he learned how to display graphics and sound, but what about the controls? After all, not all games support the classic controller. Of course, thanks to crutches, we managed to find a solution. The main Viy Wimote controller was partly emulated by a mouse, and partly by specially recorded movements. By placing a specially created configuration file in the emulator folder and performing some manipulations in the control settings, it was possible to assign certain specific movements to certain keyboard keys that had to be performed in some games. This is for example shaking, turning, tilting, etc. Honestly, when it comes to such perversions, you have to forget about convenience. I personally have not completed a single game with recorded movements; it’s very inconvenient, although realistic. With the advent of the upgrade, the so-called WiMout Plus, control from the keyboard has become even more difficult, and sometimes even impossible. But for some popular games like Zelda, there are still additional “clicks”. Nothing is impossible.
But lo and behold! The developers have not forgotten about supporting a real LIVE Wimote! Those. yes, you can buy a WiMote and it will work with the emulator! In fact, the article will discuss how to make it work.
First, let's understand why this is all needed. These controllers are generally quite an expensive thing; if you buy everything you need separately, the amount comes out to about 5,000 rubles, which is almost more than half the total cost of the console. Where have you seen a gamepad cost half the price of a console? Well, on Nintendo WiiYu for example. And on Nintendo Viy it’s true that 5,000 rubles costs not just one Vimote, but the entire set, namely:
Wii Remote. That thing that looks like a TV remote control. She doesn't look like that for nothing. After all, Nintendo is now targeting your grandmothers and all sorts of housewives! Such people usually have difficulty perceiving something new and therefore the design of the controller is most suitable for the rapid adaptation of this layer of the population;
Nunchuk. This is a controller needed mainly for shooters sold separately! What? Bought a new Metroid, but you only have the standard control kit? Please fork out for one more thing!
She looks like this:
Touch panel is mounted next to the TV and is used to recognize the movements of the Wi-Mout;
Wii Remote Plus is a control add-on that improves your standard WiiMouth and adds a gyroscope to it, whereas a regular WiMote only has one accelerometer. Used in some good games, you can't play them without it.
Nintendo also released a lot of other crap in order to make money from the unfortunate suckers, but thank God it is not mandatory for purchase.
So, now we answer the question. FOR WHAT! FOR WHAT? Well, why buy all this, when if you really want to, you can buy Viy itself and play as much as you like without any hassles with emulators? Moreover, if your conscience does not allow you to buy games, then the console has long been hacked and you can safely download images and upload them to an external hard drive, launching from it. The answer is actually simple. Superiority. From time immemorial, emulators have been superior to consoles in many ways. And Dolphin is no exception. The main feature is the ability to render the image in honest FULL HD, and in addition, with anti-aliasing and anisotropic filters! Oh yeah! Do you keep an old tube TV at home specifically so you can play Viy? Throw it in the trash! Connect your computer to a huge FHD plasma via HDMI, launch Dolphin and enjoy a clear picture and without a hint of soap! Unlike PCSX2 (PS2 emulsion), Dolphin renders fair FHD in any game, while the first, due to the imperfections of the video plug-in, does not produce a clear picture in every game even with increased render values. Of course, in any case, it turns out better than the original pixelated squalor that the iron PS2 showed us, but it may scare away aesthetes. I hope the question has been answered. Now let's move from theory to practice.
So, first, let’s dot the i’s with the question of cost. Nintendo took pity on the poor and released a special kit Wii U Remote Additional Set. This kit works with both Viy and ViyYu (not with the original games, but for backward compatibility, of course). It costs about 80 bucks on eBay, in our stores from 2500 to 3000 rubles. I ordered on eBay. Next is another snag sensor bar. The fact is that the original sensor bar is equipped with an infrared port, which you can only connect to Viy/ViyU, but not to a computer. And here our Chinese brothers come to the rescue by releasing a USB sensor bar. That's what you need. It costs about 5-10 bucks on eBay or about 700-1000 rubles here. The Chinese deliver from eBay for free, but it takes a long time. This thing looks like this and eats as many as 4 AAA batteries. A damn short cord for connection is included in the package.
Now let's move on to the issue of connection. To connect to the WiFi, you need a Bluetooth adapter and software for it. I had a stupid NONAME bluetooth adapter lying around for a long time and I made it work using IVT BLUE SOLEIL. Old and time-tested software. The recent problem was that Nintendo released a new revision of Wimotes, which categorically refused to work with the emulator and be recognized by drivers. To be honest, I didn’t have to dig far. Either this problem has already been solved in new revisions of the emulator, or I just started using the correct software from the very beginning, but I had no problems connecting and identifying the device, although its identification number exactly corresponded to that ill-fated new revision. Some instructions recommend using the Toshiba Bluetooth driver, but it did not recognize my adapter and seems to only work with Toshiba laptops and adapters.
A small step-by-step instruction:
1. Install Blue Soleil, connect the Bluetooth adapter to the computer and wait until it detects the firewood. Most likely a reboot will be needed.
2. If everything is ok, we see the Bluetooth icon in the tray, right-click and select “Display classic view”.
3. In the window that appears, press F5, pick up the WiMote and use something thin, like a small screwdriver, to press the synchronization button (if you have an old-style WiMote, then press 1+2 on it).
The device may not be detected immediately, but after a couple of attempts it will definitely appear and look like this: 
4. Click on the device and click “Connection”, while the synchronization button should be active and the LEDs should blink. Next, launch the emulator, click the Wimote settings button and select “Real Wimote” from the list. Click update. If synchronization is successful, your WiMote will vibrate and one LED will light up. If this happens you can breathe easy you did it! You can launch games and try to play, even without a touchpad, you can press buttons or play games that do not require an accelerometer. It may not be possible for an emulator/bluesoleil to pick up the device right away; here a certain amount of shamanism already comes into play. Sometimes everything goes right away, but sometimes it takes about 5 attempts to feel a pleasant vibration in your hand, symbolizing that the device has finally been picked up. In any case, if it’s picked up, it shouldn’t be disconnected, although I think it depends on the quality of the Bluetooth adapter.
5. A little about the touch panel, in fact, if it is too close, then the controls may be glitchy and in general everything will work badly. I initially tested in front of the monitor, of course, and was close. But all you had to do was get up from the table and move away - everything started to work perfectly! Of course, there are no problems with the TV either. You are usually at a fair distance from him and therefore this problem will bypass you.
Some advice for hardcore workers. Instead of a touchpad, you can try using candles or a Christmas tree garland, for example. This method unfortunately did not work for me. Probably the candles were somehow wrong. In general, everything was managed extremely sadly.
Well, that's all, I hope my instructions will be useful to someone. And remember, there are a lot of interesting games on Viy that have bypassed other systems, and despite the poor architecture and the company’s usual greed, the system’s library has turned out to be notable.
So, the underground WiiMote safely reached me within about one month. Honestly, for 10 dollars I expected something of such disgusting quality. Usually the buttons on Chinese joysticks start to jam, and they fail after the first fall. I remember the terrible gamepads from the first Xbox, which had to be replaced in batches. And I don’t even want to remember the terrible Gameboy -> Gamecube adapters. However, the copy of the non-original Wiimote that I received from tinydeal did not cause me bitter disappointment. I’ll tell you about everything in order.
The Wii Mote came without packaging, just wrapped in a bag, but comes with a silicone case, just like the originals. The silicone case, by the way, smells very strange - not even like plastic, but like wet dog meat. Not only I noticed this, but also my work colleague, who was sitting a meter away from me. The appearance is no different from the original, the only difference being that the Nintendo inscription on the back of the Wiimote is missing. The material from which the remote control is made is apparently very cheap, I hope that this will not affect the operation of the buttons (for example, there is a phenomenon when they begin to jam). Well, now about the good stuff. I tested my copy in two Wii games, namely Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz, which is a kind of benchmark for games whose gameplay is based on the operation of joystick gyroscopes, and Wii Sports, which uses both an accelometer and gyroscopes. And navigating through the console menu served as a test for the pointer, to which there were no complaints at all. Tennis from Wii Sports went great. It was great to remember the old days when everyone ran to the store for a new Nintendo console after seeing only this collection of sports mini-games. In general, thanks to the Chinese remote control from the online store tinydeal.com, I have a desire to regularly play Wii Sports. With the help of Tennis and Golf, I determined the accuracy of the acceleration of the swing with a club and the correct angles of inclination of hits with a tennis racket. No differences from the original joystick were found. And playing Super Monkey Ball with a Chinese Wii Mote, I almost beat the most difficult level from the tenth world. In general, apparently, the filling used here is exactly the same as in the original, with the exception of the speaker. I found it a little louder than the original (at the same volume level).
In conclusion, I want to say a few words about durability. Of course, we are not dealing with the original, and therefore the quality of the collections is probably not so good. This may affect the life of the device. For example, a friend of mine’s Wii Mote, ordered from the dealextreme online store, failed within the first year of use. However, he played with it very often. If you take this joystick as a secondary one, for example, for when friends come over, then you don’t have to worry. Besides, 10 dollars is not such a big amount (about three times cheaper than the original).
If you are the proud owner of a Wii game console, you can expand the capabilities of your accessories. For example, you can use your Wiimote remote as a mouse on your computer. If you haven't bought a console yet, but you want to try playing and experimenting, you can buy the Wiimote separately. However, I must warn you that the price of this device is steep.
So let's continue. The main feature of the Wii Remote is that it uses the Bluetooth protocol for communication, which allowed craftsmen to adapt it to their needs. Your desktop computer probably doesn't have a Bluetooth port installed. However, you can purchase a special Bluetooth adapter at any communication store. I bought my adapter about three years ago from the Chinese NONAME. The adapter looks like a regular USB flash drive and also connects to a USB port. The adapter usually comes with a small CD with drivers. But, on my Windows 7, the Bluetooth adapter worked without installing drivers.
Let's assume you already have both a Wiimote remote and a Bluetooth adapter. It's time to learn how to use them together. The operating procedure is as follows. First, connect the Bluetooth adapter to the computer. If necessary, install the necessary drivers. If everything is done correctly, an icon with the letter will appear in the notification area B.
Go ahead. Prepare your Wiimote remote in advance, right-click on the Bluetooth connection icon and select Add device. A dialog box will appear Adding a device. It's time to connect the game console to the computer. Press two buttons on the Wiimote remote at the same time 1 And 2 . You will see that the blue LED indicators will begin to blink - signals are being transmitted for Bluetooth communication. Look carefully at the open dialog box - an entry should appear in it Nintendo RLV-CNT-01. This is the Wii Remote ID. You need to select the found device and press the button Further.
Finally, we see the last installation window, which states that the process of adding the device to the computer has been successfully completed. You can click on the button Close to close this window. We won't need it anymore.
Please note that the device search process takes a limited time. If you hesitate and do not press the buttons in time 1 And 2 on the remote control, you will receive a message that the computer did not detect any device. Don't be alarmed, there's nothing wrong with this. Run the device search procedure again and try to press the buttons quickly.
Second phase. Using Wiimote in Applications
The first stage of connecting the Wiimote to the computer is over. Let's proceed to the second stage. First download the WiimotLib archive, which contains the WiimotLib version 1.7 library, reference information, examples for programmers, and the test application WiimoteTes.exe. This is exactly the program that interests us.
The Wii Remote should still be paired with your computer, as indicated by the LED indicator being on. Launch the program WiimoteTest.exe. A program window will appear on the screen Multiple Wiimote Tester, in which you can test the operation of the buttons.
The operation of the program is simple. You press various buttons on the remote control and see the results of your actions in the program. The picture shows that I kept the button pressed B, and as a result, there is a checkbox next to this button in the program. Please note that this program can also test other Wii controllers: the Wii Fit Balance Board, the Classic Controller, the Nunchuck, and the Guitar Hero Guitar.
If you succeeded, then please accept my congratulations. Now you can use the Wiimote on your computer for a variety of purposes. This will be discussed in the next issues. If you can't wait to try out your remote in programs, then visit the Wiimote Applications page, where various applications using the remote are collected.
And if you are familiar with programming in C# and are interested in trying your hand at writing your own programs using Wii controllers, then perhaps I will post a series of articles on this topic on my website for developers developer.alexanderklimov.ru.
This entry was posted on January 10, 2010 at 16:51 and is filed under . You can follow any responses to this entry through the feed. You can, or from your own site.
The primary controller for the Wii game console is the Wii Remote (sometimes called the "Wiimote"). The Wii Remote's main feature over its competitors is its motion detection, which allows players to control game characters and on-screen objects by moving their hand, or by "pointing" at objects displayed on the screen. This is ensured by the operation of the accelerometer and the photosensitive matrix. In addition, various devices can be connected to the controller, thus expanding its capabilities. The Wii Nunchuk is an additional controller shaped like an airplane control stick. Connects to the Wii Remote, contains an analog stick, two non-analog triggers, and a built-in acceleration sensor.
With a wireless Wii Remote in your hand, any game is very easy to master, and the fact that the very movement of the controller in space affects events in the game world gives an unprecedented degree of interactivity to what is happening. The game seems more real, tangible, physically participating in game events, you experience indescribable excitement. Since most Wii games support the ability to connect four Wii Remotes at once, any meeting with friends can be considered a potential party.
We remind you that attempts to repeat the author’s actions may lead to loss of warranty on the equipment and even to its failure. The material is provided for informational purposes only. If you are going to reproduce the steps described below, we strongly advise you to carefully read the article to the end at least once. The editors of 3DNews do not bear any responsibility for any possible consequences.
The Nintendo Wii turns five this year. Small, but still an anniversary. Nevertheless, it is still successfully sold, and multi-million dollar sales over the past years once again confirm that the product turned out to be extremely successful. It is curious that the console, neither then nor even now, was not distinguished by any mind-blowing graphics and physics in games, and compared to the Sony PS3 and MS Xbox 360, its technical characteristics look rather faded. The secret of success lies in a new model of human interaction with the game through the use of the Wii Remote - a controller that can determine its position in space and thus provides completely different possibilities for controlling the game world than traditional gamepads with a bunch of buttons.
However, sooner or later, any technological novelty becomes boring and first becomes familiar, and then becomes morally obsolete. If you are tired of the Wii (although how can anyone get bored with Wii Sports?), then you can give a second life, if not to the console itself, then at least to its wonderful controller, which we will connect to a PC running Windows 7 and experiment a little. Anyone who is already interested in this topic is unlikely to find anything new in this article. In addition, some projects are no longer supported by enthusiasts. However, those who have never thought about this possibility should be interested.
The Wii Remote connects to the console using Bluetooth, which means there is nothing stopping you from connecting it to a regular computer. Naturally, you must have a Bluetooth adapter. You can use standard Windows 7 tools to connect the controller. Right-click on the corresponding icon in the tray and select “Add a new device” (the same can be done through the control panel in the “Devices and Printers” section). On the Wii Remote, at the same time, you need to simultaneously hold down buttons 1 and 2 or press the small red button, which is located next to the battery compartment. All four LEDs will begin to flash synchronously. Within a few seconds, Windows recognizes the controller as Nintendo RVL-CNT-01.
There is a possibility that the Wii Remote will not work entirely correctly with this connection method - for example, it will constantly disconnect, or even not connect at all. In this case, you will have to use the paid IVT BlueSoleil software suite version 6.4.249.0 or a newer version. After installation and reboot, the BlueSoleil icon will appear in the notification area. Right-click on it, select “Bluetooth Neighborhood Explorer” and in the window that opens, launch “Search for Devices” or press F5. Again, simultaneously press buttons 1 and 2 on the controller, and after a few seconds it will appear among the recognized devices. All that remains is to double-click on the joystick icon to finally establish communication with the controller. In the same way (hold 1 and 2, double-click on the icon) the Wii Remote will need to be connected in the future. You can view the connection status by selecting the appropriate item in the menu, which is called up by right-clicking on the device icon.
First of all, to check the functionality, you will need to download the archive with the WiimotLib library, which contains the WiimoteTese application. This is what needs to be launched after unpacking. If the controller is not connected correctly, it will generate an error. Otherwise, you will see a window that shows all the current Wii Remote activity. Wave the controller, press buttons on it - all this will be displayed in the program window. By the way, for diagnostics you can keep it running constantly. If all the numbers in Wiimote Accel and IR are frozen, something has gone wrong.
The simplest way to use the Wii Remote from a PC is to replace the mouse. To do this, you will need to download the WiinRemote application for Windows or DarwiinRemote for Mac OS X. The mouse emulation mode is launched by pressing the B button on the bottom side of the controller. You don't have to make any special settings.
However, the most classic application for interacting various non-standard controllers with Windows is the GlovePIE program, originally written to work with the P5 Glove. In fact, this is a rather extensive system that converts any signals from any controller into commands understandable to the OS. This conversion is controlled using scripts with a fairly simple syntax, so writing your own script is not very difficult. If you’re lazy, you can use Google to search for something like “glovepie script program_name.” Enthusiasts have written a sufficient number of them, but there is no one place where they can be easily found. To get started, try, for example, scripts by Joseph Coulston.
There are also developments in emulating controllers of old set-top boxes for use with emulators or, for example, scripts for controlling a media player. Kits are also available for using the Wii Remote in some popular games. In general, let the seeker find. To use the script, just run the program and paste its text into the editor field on the first tab, and then click on the Run button. The Wii Remote should already be connected. The script can be edited and saved (File → Save), and in the future simply open it (File → Open). Some ready-made scripts are laid out as a text file with the .PIE extension; they open in the same way. You just need to take into account that there is some delay between the movement of the joystick and the reaction to it, albeit a very small one.
Among PC projects for the Wii Remote, one cannot fail to mention Wiinstrument. This cross-platform program can emulate a drum kit or simply play samples. For full operation you also need a Wii Nunchuck. There are two options for operation: either by pressing the buttons the desired note or sound is played, or it is possible to imitate the work of the drummer’s hands with the controllers, switching between the drums using the buttons. It’s quite suitable as a simple entertainment, and it’s very easy to get used to the program - after 10 minutes you can already tap simple rhythms.
Our compatriots also distinguished themselves in the field of non-standard use of the Wii joystick. For example, Dmitry Bryukhov proposed a more convenient way to use the Wii Remote as a steering wheel for racing simulators and wrote a small utility to simplify the work. The idea, of course, is far from new - special plastic accessories in the form of that same steering wheel costing five dollars have long been produced for the original console.
It is proposed to use the universal joystick emulator PPJoy, which can be downloaded. After installing the driver, launch PPJoy Joystick Driver → Configure Joysticks from the main menu and click the Add button. In the window that appears, in the Parallel Port list, select Virtual joysticks and click Add. Let's wait until the driver is installed, and then select the newly created joystick and click Mapping, and then Next.
In the wizard we set all the settings as in the pictures below.
Before starting the game, you need to enable the WiiController.exe utility (\WiiController\WiiController\bin\Release\), change the sensitivity level as desired and click Start. Once a connection to the Wii Remote is established, the battery level and current coordinates in space will be shown. Now you can launch your favorite racing simulator, which, of course, must support the steering wheel. In the control settings, you need to select the PPJoy Virtual Joystick 1 controller. To turn left and right, you will need to turn the Wii Remote in the appropriate direction, and distribute the remaining functions between the buttons as you wish. Actually, that’s all - you can start playing.
Finally, the last project worthy of attention is a Nintendo Wii and GameBoy emulator called Dolphin Emulator. Moreover, the emulation is implemented quite well, as long as the computer is powerful enough. The emulator is even better in some ways than the original Wii - you can enable image smoothing and filtering, reduce pixelation, display images in Full HD and with stereo support thanks to NVIDIA 3D Vision. The most important thing, of course, is the ability to simultaneously connect up to four Wii Remotes (with Motion Plus and Nunchuck). Most likely, you will also need a Sensor Bar. The project is constantly improving and developing - bugs are eliminated, productivity is increased, and new features are added. Overall, definitely worth a try.
We can probably end here, since the number of projects that use the Wii Remote as a controller for something is very large, and there is no point in listing them all. The most colorful and easy-to-implement examples are collected above. There are extremely interesting projects for which you will have to, at a minimum, buy or make your own pointer with an IR diode, or even take up the tools. Anyone interested in this topic is recommended to visit the Wiimote Project website, as well as search on or Google Code. If you don’t have a controller, you can easily buy one - in Russia, a set of Wii Remote with Nunchuck will cost 2-3 thousand rubles, but it’s better to look for OEM analogues, for example, on Dealextreme. Happy experimenting!