Control Xlobby via Wii Remote

[Marbles_00]

Anyone controlling xlobby via Bluetooth? I have a neat idea, but there's no sense exploring it if xlobby (sorry, free version only) can't even be controlled by bluetooth. Don't know what is required? I don't recall a plugin, but could be wrong?

Any insight is appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[dalanik]

I am controlling it by mobile phone connected via bluetooth, but that's probably not what you had in mind You'd probably need a girder plugin or such...

[Marbles_00]

Well, my intentions are to use a Nintendo Wiimote controller to emulate mouse movements. This way its a cheap gyromouse. There's a bunch of software on the web to do it. I was thinking of a more integrated control with xlobby, but emulating a mouse will work just as good. Now I just need to find some nice mouse cursor graphics to compliment a HTPC setup.

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

Dont know about Wii (body of my current doll looks like marble statue of greek goddes so no need for the fit board) but ps3 seems to use bt in some propriety form. (not research, just asumption made by me cause ps3 controllers dont seem to be visible for pairing with other devices).

But incase wii is more open, i suppose u might be very well able to use some general purpose rs-232 plugin trough girder perhaps, cause allthough bluetooth seems rather complex with all those profiles, it basicly is just serial without wire. Majority of bt devices ive been playing with create COM-port tunnel when paired and have normal serial communications over it. So i would say if u find general enough rs-232 plugin and find some way connect devices before hand (script perhaps) u r well armed for this battle.

P.S.3. now that skirtfolk have their toy... dont u think its time to get more manly console?

[Marbles_00]

Thanks for the info Perv. Actually there are alot of Youtube video of individuals using the Wiimote as a mouse, sound effects editor, game controller (Halflife), to name a few. Basically there is some Bluetooth connection software that is capable of "seeing" the Wiimote. Then one can use interface software such as GlovePIE, WiinRemote, or widApp. Actually, you should look into GlovePIE, P3rv...I think he ported for a Playstation controller, but I'm not sure.

If using a homebrew IR sensor, or candles, or the IR Sensor bar included with the Wii, then you can get very precise mouse movements, just moving the Wiimote like its intended purpose.

P.S.3. now that skirtfolk have their toy... dont u think its time to get more manly console?

As for that comment...I don't really want to get into that debate, as it will be never ending. Both consoles have their pros and cons. PS3...superior graphics/Blue Ray built in. Wii...better interactive gameplay by far...and now if I can get the Wiimote to act as a gyration mouse...then even more of a plus. I'm sure there are other things which makes one console outshine the other, and vise versa. My only grief with the Wii right now is that I just picked up Rockband, and it would be nice to be able to download additional music, like in the PS3/X360 versions...but just trying to get through 63 songs...the way I'm playing...that in itself will be an endeavor.

[Marbles_00]

Here's a blurb of the GlovePIE documentation on the SIXAXIS (PS3 controller):

The SIXAXIS, or PS3 Controller, is intended to be a wireless Bluetooth HID device, which can also connect via a USB charge cable.

Unfortunately it is NOT a valid Bluetooth device, so it can’t connect to the PC via Bluetooth without rewriting the operating system. Rewriting the operating system is only an option on Linux.

So you can only use it with GlovePIE while it is plugged into a USB port with a USB charge cable. So it effectively becomes a wired controller instead of a wireless one.

If you don’t own a PS3, you will need to buy a USB charge cable. I bought a MadCatz one.

Hope that helps.

[S Pittaway]

Sounds interesting.

Here's a link to a .Net Managed Library for Nintendo's Wiimote - http://www.codeplex.com/WiimoteLib maybe you could knock up a wii pluging ?

Heres the original article http://blogs.msdn.com/coding4fun/archive/2007/03/14/1879033.aspx

It might be a load of bollocks but you never know...

[lar282]

this might help u aswell
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~johnny/projects/wii/


//Lasse

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

not my intension to get into debate either, because i could see myself getting wii too. I think war is rather between xbox and ps, wii just complements both.

too bad that app u mentioned seems to support USB only, id really like to integrate 6axis and dualshock to other devices.

Rockband, cool... ive been looking for that game but its so expensive. gotta pick it up when i see it discounted enough.

[Marbles_00]

Rockband, cool

Yeah, my finger tips are numb from strumming so much. I'm playing on medium level to unlock all the songs, and finding out it is a far cry from the beginner level. A buddy of mine plays on the hard and expert levels and sometimes even he has a problem keeping up. I'd love to see an actual artist play their own music on the game, just to see how difficult they would find it. There is supposed to be a cheat floating around to unlock the songs, but the ones I've tried don't seem to work. It's most likely for the PS2 version (since it is a similar port to the Wii version). But the game is such a blast...especially when you have a group of poeple, and everyone is into it.

To Pitt:
Thanks for the info...I'm not strong at plugin writing, but it is sparking my interest more...not only for this project, but for work in general...I should learn some basic programming.

To Lar:
That guy has a few videos on uTube. He seems to be one of the pioneers behind the Wiimote/PC combination. He also seems to be a guru at reverse engineering the technology for the Wii at least, and most likely for other consoles as well. Thanks for his website, the most I've been seeing are the uTube videos.

[Thisshouldbeme]

I've used the wiimote on the pc before, but never thought of integrating it into xlobby. I will have to give it i a shot. I have used the wiimote and glovepie to play house of the dead 3 before it ever came out to the wii. It's quite easy to set up. Let me know if you need any help.

Also, for those PS3 users out there, there is a way to get your sixaxis connected to your computer without being permanently connected to it by usb: http://forums.ps2dev.org/viewtopic.php?p=65745#65745 . I have yet to try this out. I am going to purchase a seperate dongle for my HTPC to try it on. I wanted a way to controll the emulated games without having to purchase a seperate controller for the pc.

[scottw]

Wow COOOOl idea.

I would have never thought of trying this but after just watching some of the videos this could go real far. I mean just to be able to use it as a "gyro" mouse is great but combined with being able to use all of the other buttons too, like the + and - as volume buttons and the control pad as Next/Previous song skip thru bluetooth in another room

Anyone know if it is "seen" by girder, it may not need to be??? You may be able to use Xremote which will let you map the keys for different apps based on what screen you are on in XL. For example my remote has the Fast Forward and Rewind buttons so when I am on my music screen the fast forward and rewind buttons skip thru and go back thru songs and when I am on my movies page the fast forward and rewind buttons fast forward and rewind the movie

Stupid question....when you pair this with the pc does it still work on the Wii without having to re-pair it??
Also anyone know the bluetooth range on this??

Another cool thing is using this with games you could have all of your emulators setup and upon launching a game you can have GlovePIE load the appropriate script for whatever kind of game you are playing...whether it be a racing game using the wiimote as a steering wheel or the typical controller layout.

Oh man my head is spinning

[Marbles_00]

Stupid question....when you pair this with the pc does it still work on the Wii without having to re-pair it??
Also anyone know the bluetooth range on this??

For the first question, what I've been told is that the controller will sync to whatever device it sees first. So if your using it with your computer and it is synced with it, it will not see your Wii when you turn it on, and vice versa. I was going to use the Wii IR sensor bar, but that when I was told, if the Wii is powered on, the controller will sync to the Wii, and I'll never get it to work with the computer. Oh well, I'll just have to be the romantic and bring out the candles, for and increased WAF...only if she knew the real reason .

As for the range, your limited by the transmission power of the Wiimote. So I would imagine only a few meters at best. One way around this is to have a tablet in a remote room, with a bluetooth dongle (or built-in) running an xlobby client then set up the appropriate events...well, you get the idea . Actually, you wouldn't even need to run an xlobby client. All that you would need is a GlovePIE script to run xsend commands to the xlobby machine.

[scottw]

For the first question, what I've been told is that the controller will sync to whatever device it sees first. So if your using it with your computer and it is synced with it, it will not see your Wii when you turn it on, and vice versa. I was going to use the Wii IR sensor bar, but that when I was told, if the Wii is powered on, the controller will sync to the Wii, and I'll never get it to work with the computer. Oh well, I'll just have to be the romantic and bring out the candles, for and increased WAF...only if she knew the real reason .

Cool...got it, but I assume that once you power down or put your PC or put it in standby you can then use the remote on the wii again without re-pairing it, right??

Are you using this currently ??? Just curious what you have it controlling so far

[Marbles_00]

No, I think you would have to restart the Wii to gain control of the controller.

I haven't tried any of it yet...I'm still waiting on the bluetooth dongle. So everything I'm thinking of, besides viewing all the uTube videos, is pure speculation. A guy at work has tried using the Wiimote just to controll the computer as a mouse for fun, and using GlovePIE, and he's the one that indicated the sync issues. Now thinking, I don't remember if he said it would sync to the first-come/first-served bases, or if the Wii powers on, it assumes control of the controller regardless. He said it worked great.

The nice thing is that there are already a couple of Wiimote scripts with the GlovePIE download that will get you going with basic funtionality. I'm going to look at it more and see if the scripts can be written to send xsend commands. That would at least give you tight, yet basic integration with xlobby. Then get it to work with Girder for complete control like you said...though looking around, I'm not sure a plugin for girder exists right now.

*EDIT*
Just viewed a video that indicated that the player was ~400' (most likely ~100 feet...it makes more sense the way the fat guy runs...as one comment...there's no way he ran 1 1/3 football fields in 10seconds) away and still was able to bowl. Mind you it was still in a line-of-sight between controller and console.

*EDIT yet AGAIN*
Two comments from that utube video:

I believe it, my friend went everywhere in his house while I reported Wii response form the basement (in Zelda).

He couldn't find a spot in the house it wouldn't work in, that is through at least two floors and walls plus the distance.

tried this in my house (which is a fraternity, so lots of rooms and stuff in the way between walls) and I was able to get it to work from 100+ feet away.