Nintendo needs to recall their Crappy Straps

[Shoelace]

Basically what the title says. Nintendo needs to recall those stupid thin straps that hold the Wiimote. There are so many people that had there's break. There Plasma TVs are destroyed, laptops, etc. This is getting really bad and I think Nintendo should recall the controllers.

My controller flew into the wall. The controller works to the best of my knowledge. However, the pointer part is cracked, the battery thing doesn't close anymore, and the speakers are working. That's just great! I am going to email Nintendo to see if I can get that replaced because that was not my fault is the wrist strap breaks on the first freakin' time of need. The Wrist Strap is useless. They need to make much stronger ones.

Anyways, here is a video of the result 2 minutes after impact. Please tell me your comments on the video. Please!! And of course because it is Shoelace doing the video, it has to have a splash of comedy! :P

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35Dwkgjt4bo

[War Lord]

I'll be honest with you.
I think anyone who has lost control of their wiimote is a clutz.
The thing only can tell so much speed in movement, anything outrageous is not needed.
We've clocked at least 70+ hours on this thingg since I got it, and not once has someone threw a remote.

[goKi]

Read Nintendo's manual. They are not liable.

DO NOT LET GO OF THE CONTROLLER.

[Beldaran]

It is a design flaw, simple as that. Any other opinion is some sort of inexplicable attempt at apologetics.

[Tygore]

http://www.penny-arcade.com/images/2006/20061129.jpg

[Grasshopper]

Well, when people swing it this hard (http://www.kotaku.com/gaming/clips/clips-wii-remote-strap-breaking-217120.php), then it's going to break. My suggestion is find another wrist strap that you think is more durable. Nintendo has underestimated how hard their consumers are going to swing that thing. I don't see it as a reason to recall anything though. More than likely they will quietly slip more durable straps into later manufactured Wii systems, or just sell them at their store (http://store.nintendo.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&langId=-1&currency=USD&ignoreCrumbs=N&crumb1=%253CA%2BHREF%253D%2522javascript%253APassO n%2528%2527X%2527%252C%2B%2527SearchView%2527%252C %2527X%2527%252C%2B%2527Y%2527%2529%253B%2522%253E Search%2BResults%253C%252FA%253E&crumb1Ignore=&crumb2=&crumb2Ignore=&crumb3=&crumb3Ignore=&translateFrom=%C8%C9%C7&translateTo=EEC&usrSearchText=wrist+strap&searchText=WRIST+STRAP&selSrchType=&page=&view=&productId=117709&categoryId=58403&lastAction=ProductDisplay&orderTotal=null). I'm surprised the Wii Remote stands up to the punishment that I hear it taking.

Generally though, these wrist straps aren't any smaller than others. The small cords are roughly the same size no matter which lanyard you use. I have one for my Nintendo DS, and I have one for my digital camera, and both are the about the same size as the one that came with Wii. (My digital camera lanyard is a bit meatier) So you either buy/find another one and don't swing so hard, or make one yourself. You can also buy one of these (http://www.ebgames.com/product.asp?product%5Fid=802507), which is probably what I will pick up.

[Imprisoned]

Well I have some advice:

Don't stretch the wrist strap, let it be a bit loose

If it breaks, buy a NDS wrist strap (it's great!).

[AtmaWeapon]

I think the problem would be resolved if Nintendo would you know what screw it I'm just going to say STOP SWINGING THE CONTROLLER LIKE IT IS SOME KIND OF EXPLOSIVE DEVICE THAT WILL DEMOLISH YOUR GENITALS IF IT IS NOT MOVING AT ESCAPE VELOCITY. WATCH THE COMMERCIALS AND NOTICE THE PEOPLE ARE MAKING DELIBERATE, SLOW MOVEMENTS. THESE ARE SANE PEOPLE THAT HAVE CONSIDERED THE CONSEQUENCES OF SWINGING THE CONTROLLER AT SPEEDS THAT REQUIRE RELATIVISTIC CALCULATIONS TO GENERATE THE FACT THAT THE CONTROLLER WILL RELEASE NUCLEAR ENERGY WHEN IT PASSES THROUGH THEIR TELEVISION SET. IF YOU CANNOT COMPREHEND THE CONCEPT THAT "0.5 * MASS * (VELOCITY)^2 = IMPACT ENERGY" I HEAR NASA HAS LOTS OF OPENINGS FOR DESIGNING PHOTODEGRADABLE FOAM LININGS FOR SPACECRAFT YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN.

Somewhere deep in Nintendo HQ they are laughing at your stupidity for swinging the thing so hard. I play the blasted thing very frequently and so far I haven't lost control of the controller once.

DISCLAIMER: I'm not really all mad and stuff I originally had just one sentence of capital letters but then I've been studying for a Physics III final and I got to thinking about Wii controllers traveling at relativistic speeds and got carried away http://www.atmaweapon.org/images/emot/shobon.gif

[Fabiano the Spy]

Okay personally from somebody's point of view that doesn't have a Wii.


...

I agree with AtmaWeapon.
The thing is though, as a game player, I know from my personal experience, it can get intense, and as the game gets intense, so does the player. When the player focuses on killing the ninjas and are in a tense spot, they start to not focus on exactly how hard they swing the controller around, and focus more on the enemy.

So I'm completely neutral in this case.

[Beldaran]

Design flaw design flaw design flaw. It's a weak, shitty strap and if you don't stay within the confines of an unpublished and undefinable range of force it will break.

That's just shit engineering, that's what it is. It's shit engineering and it's from Nintendo. Learn to live with it. I'm sorry if it causes your religion to come crashing down around your ears.

I'm happy you've figured out how not to activate the design flaw in their hardware, but this does not make it any less of a design flaw. And it doesn't make people who encounter the design flaw "klutzes" or buttered up greasy morons.

Imagine if software were developed with this philosophy. If you found a bug you'd get a note from the developers saying "Don't be such a klutz. The program wasn't designed to be used that way."

And I still think that if this happened to a Microsoft product, a huge number of people who aren't saying anything about this would be vomiting their own shit from screaming so hard about Microsoft's horrible destructive console.

[ShadowTiger]

When I get my Wii, ... ... ...

Scotch tape.

I have sweaty palms. :p


Eh, I'd rather tie a few rubber bands around my hand and the wiimote. I have an excess of rubberbands anyway. I wouldn't swing it wildly, but who knows. Sometimes one's enthusiasm gets the better of them. :p

[MottZilla]

Why do you need the wrist strap anyway? I mean holy shit, have you people never swung a bat? Do you constantly drop shit? I mean come on. And if you KNOW the wrist strap sucks (which you do) make your own damn wrist strap. I swear you guys would bitch if we hung you with a new rope.

Here you've got a nice new system that is clearly in high demand yet you find the most retarded thing to complain about. Just my personal opinion. And Beldaran you're probably right about some people.

Also did it ever occur to you like it's been mentioned that a swing at a slower velocity gets the same exact response in the game? And this getting immersed and forgetting about how hard you're swinging it is a bunch of crap. You're playing a game, not on some real battlefield where people really do lose it.

So, if you want your Wii and Wiimote replaced, feel free to send them to me. I won't replace it, but atleast then you won't have to complain about the Wiimote. ;p

[AtmaWeapon]

Design flaw design flaw design flaw. It's a weak, shitty strap and if you don't stay within the confines of an unpublished and undefinable range of force it will break.

That's just shit engineering, that's what it is. It's shit engineering and it's from Nintendo. Learn to live with it. I'm sorry if it causes your religion to come crashing down around your ears.

I'm happy you've figured out how not to activate the design flaw in their hardware, but this does not make it any less of a design flaw. And it doesn't make people who encounter the design flaw "klutzes" or buttered up greasy morons.Oh I'm not arguing that the strap isn't fairly weak; but I fail to see the logic behind noticing that the strap looks like it may break under force and then throwing it as hard as you can at an expensive device while relying on the strap to save your electronics. It may be a design flaw but there's some user error involved here as well.


Imagine if software were developed with this philosophy. If you found a bug you'd get a note from the developers saying "Don't be such a klutz. The program wasn't designed to be used that way."

And I still think that if this happened to a Microsoft product, a huge number of people who aren't saying anything about this would be vomiting their own shit from screaming so hard about Microsoft's horrible destructive console.This is a pretty bad example because it happens all the time in software. It relies on the assumption that at some point, a piece of software has no defects, and if you can provide a process to prove an arbitrary software project has no remaining defects you need to publish this very quickly because an entire industry depends on it. Usually a destructive bug in a piece of software comes about due to a user performing actions that no QA tester was able to think of which usually means it's a monumentally stupid chain of events. Sometimes you get a patch, other times you get a warning that the helpful email that tells you to boot into a DOS prompt so you can delete the virus explorer.exe is not so helpful after all.

However, we ARE talking about physical design here so it is likely some solution will come about. It is likely Nintendo will strengthen the strap and attach extra warnings to the Wiimote to remind people that sometimes straps fail and you need to keep this in mind when throwing your Wii controller at your TV screen at velocities that would leave a dent in diamond.

Here's (http://www.sportsstuff.com/towables/wego/) an interesting example of why I don't like jumping on the "incorrect usability = design flaw" bandwagon. The idea behind this thing is you climb on it and have it pulled by a boat, achieving altitudes of 30 feet or so. It comes clearly marked with the warning "Do not fly higher than you are willing to fall" yet 39 people managed to fall off of it warranting its recall.

If we were to hold the designers of consumer products responsible for anticipating every possible misuse of their product, nothing would ever get released. The strap is obviously a tad weak and I'm sure Nintendo is working on it, but I think it's a stretch to claim this is some kind of oversight on Nintendo's part. I'm more content to call it a gross overestimation of the average intelligence of a Nintendo gamer.

Now if you excuse me I need to get back to my pet project. I'm trying to modify a linear accelerator to move Wii controllers at speeds near c rather than electrons. It JUST MIGHT make that 7-10 spare easier in Wii bowling.

[Warlock]

Oh I'm not arguing that the strap isn't fairly weak; but I fail to see the logic behind noticing that the strap looks like it may break under force and then throwing it as hard as you can at an expensive device while relying on the strap to save your electronics. It may be a design flaw but there's some user error involved here as well.

That's exactly how I feel about this. I mean look at that video Grasshopper linked. That guy is swinging *way* too hard. Even a complete idiot should realize that thin little strap is not going to protect you against freaking lobbing your controller at the TV. Hell, I don't even use the strap half the time (unless I'm playing something really strenuous - Zelda you shouldn't need it at all) and I've never had a problem.

Either way, Nintendo doesn't need to recall the controller or the straps. If they *really* want to, they could offer a free replacement strap that is more durable on their website for people who have had theirs break, or who are worried about it breaking. They have to be cheap as hell to manufacture (like the DS styluses - I must have like 6 of those because I had to send my DS in several times and every time they sent me back a new stylus) so it's not like it's not within their power.

[Shoelace]

Yeah, I know. I was being a little sacarstic about the whole thing. If you watched the video you can tell I wasn't that mad (As I directed a comedy of the whole thing minutes after). After all, it was my friend's fault that he swung that fast in the first place.

What I was just saying is, Nintendo needs to make a better strap. A lot of people don't know that you can do things without having to do the full motion. I mean Nintendo did make the Wiimotes to do the full motion (Look at E3 presentition), but you don't need to do it in that motion. But then people watch those commercials of people don't the full motions too. O_o

Anyways, I don't do the full motion. Neither do my friends in Tennis and Bowling. But my friend did it that one time because it was 0-0 in the thrid inning and he wanted a homerun. lol

What I urge everyone to do, is make sure you tell your friends to not swing that hard, I should have told him that (even though he wasn't at all at first. He said he was just trying to hit a homerun).


Hell, I don't even use the strap half the time (unless I'm playing something really strenuous - Zelda you shouldn't need it at all) and I've never had a problem.

I don't either. With Zelda it is pointless. I do on Wii sports just in case, but I am a really careful person. It was just my friend that wasn't.

[ctrl-alt-delete]

*Sigh* I really wish Nintendo would make a new strap to shutup all of these morons who cannot hold onto a controller, strap or not.

I dropped a glass in my kitchen floor. I am contacting the company about a replacement, because it should have been strong enough for me to throw it at the wall and still not break. Also, I cut my foot on the glass, so they need to replace my foot as well.

The software arguement is invalid, because those problems actually occur, and the company would never replace the product for somebody using it for something it was not intended for.

I think the real design flaw is that the controller cannot measure swings at a higher rate. If I am going to throw my controller at the TV as hard as I can, smashing it and the controller to bits, I damn well better bowl a strike.

[mikeron]

Grip strength and kinesthesia do not come to mind when I think of the average Wii owner.

[Shoelace]

I was just saying that the straps are really useless. There have many, many cases of the straps breaking and it has only been two weeks. Nintendo needs to make thicker straps because there will come a day when the controller flys into a two-year old kid's head and it could have been prevented by a stronger strap.

I mean nintendo should have thought of that since they are the ones that made the commercials and presented it. Anyways, I just suggest you tell eveyone not to do it that hard because of the straps. People feel safe with the straps when really they shouldn't.

[Pineconn]

So then why is the controller strap necessary? (Not directed at anyone - just a general statement.)

Everyone should agree with me saying that they dropped something in their life before, be it a pencil, a water bottle, or a brand new fridge. Everybody drops things; we can't continuously think, "Don't drop it!" because we have other things on our minds. There is no way I would be able to constantly focus on holding the controller tightly while playing a game.

Now, the design of the strap is to catch flying controllers. We know that some have failed doing so. Nintendo knows that if someone's Wiimote flies through their home theater system and causes $10,000 damage, Nintendo will get sued for not having a strap or such. Be happy with what you've got; if you're not, wrap duct tape around your strap if you want.

It is obviously common sense to not let go of the controller. But isn't common sense to not drop hot coffee on your lap? Isn't it common sense to not eat nothing but fast food? (Yes, I'm directing those toward the McDonald's suits). But people are either dumb enough to let go of it, or else they'll make an honest mistake. People are not klutzes if they drop stuff.

So my point is a) Nintendo should have tested their strap thoroughly b) Nintendo or a 3rd party will likely have a new strap for sale/free in the future c) strengthen your strap if you're worried about its breaking, and d) don't wildly flail your controller!

BTW I'm not taking sides on this debate. I'm rather neutral (if you read my post, you'd have seen why).

[beefster09]

Just get some lanyard and wrap it around the crappy strap. That should solve the problem.

[MottZilla]

Actually Nintendo is more likely to be at fault by having a wrist strap which implies safety. Forinstance by shoveling the sidewalk if someone slips they can sue you because it implys safety or some bullshit rather than if you hadn't do anything.

Either way, it's NOT too much to ask to hold a damn object and not chuck it at expensive electronics.

[Executioner of Deities]

how can you all be so engrossed in such a moronic debate? Its a cheap strap...bleh, end of story.

[AtmaWeapon]

how can you all be so engrossed in such a moronic debate? Its a cheap strap...bleh, end of story.Oh yeah well why don't you make a better thread to distract me from my studies!

*edit* Don't make me throw my Wiimote at you!

[Executioner of Deities]

Sorry atma, I dont have a wii, so I guess my topics wouldn't be nearly as distracting for you.

[Warlock]

http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/08/jumpin-jinkies-new-wii-straps/

Reggie = The Flash :D

[AtmaWeapon]

Countdown until some moron breaks THIS strap with his mongoloid arm movements designed to help him karate chop carbon polymer rods in half with his bare hands.

Page 2 snypa

[SUCCESSOR]

My dad pointed out the comercial from back in the 90s that had a cockroach crawling (as if) across the TV screen and people threw remotes and other objects at it and broke their TVs. Same league of stupidity I think.

[erm2003]

Well you asked for it. Nintendo has officially announced the recall of all the weaker versions of the Wii straps. You can go to this site to fill out a form to request your replacements.

http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/strapreplace.jsp

[Gerudo]

i saw a newsbit on FoxNews yesterday. they were showing people getting REALLY rowdy with this thing. it's a fucking game controller. as fast as they were whipping it i'm not suprised that it broke. the one person they interviewed said most of the people that this happened to most likely had a drink or two, or got hyper-excited.

you can't hold a car from a blade of grass, people. duh.