Initially, I never worried about the idea of what would happen to my Wii u in a decades time. After all, it is a robust piece of hardware. However, I have started to have some concerns start to seep into my mind over the over-intrusive implementation of the gamepad into vital aspects of the console's design. For starters, the Wii U gamepad has a shit battery. This means that 90% of the time when you want to use the console you must plan to use it beforehand and charge the goddamn gamepad. But it has also proved to be the number one point of failure on all Wii U consoles (from personal observations). The concerning aspect of this is that without access to a gamepad one cannot access such necessities as the options menu, let alone the fact that the DS game used to launch haxchi will not boot without a gamepad (or .xml modification). So I have started to wonder, for all the good the gamepad allowed, from the easy inventory access in the WW and TWLP, and the oh so glorious gamepad only missions in Super Mario 3d Worlds (Fuck that shit), do I now have to start future proofing my Wii U for a gamepad free future to not only enable haxchi but to use the goddamn options menu? Is this going to be the final nail in the coffin for those of us who own and want to preserve our Wii Us? are those who don't future proof the Wii U going to suddenly have a useless piece of plastic and metal because of the gamepad dying?
The gamepad was arguably the biggest reason the Wii U died. It was too expensive, it had limited development use for a gimmick to sell hardware, it had a crap battery life, it was big and ugly, etc. But now the bitch keeps on bitting?
I hope I have just overlooked something obvious about the Wii U scene, but is this a legitimate concern? If so, how do we start completely unshackling our Wii U's from the gamepad?
Edit:
I have decided to start compiling a few steps that can help others uncouple their Wii U from their gamepad as much as possible if they so choose.
1: Grab the fork of the HBL that supports controllers other than the gamepad. Pretty sure it's the one on this page.
2: Edit the meta.xml for your Haxchi DS game to make it work without a gamepad. Or install Haxchi Direct. Alternatively, just install CBHC which does not require a gamepad.
3: Edit the meta.xml of some Wii U games that require the gamepad when launched, even though the games can be played partially or even fully without the gamepad.
Wishlist:
4: Allow for the system settings menu to display gamepad info on the Tv screen by default, or without gamepad only button combo like swapdrc/swapdrclite.
5: Allow for the system settings menu to be controlled by the Wii U pro controller, Wiimote, and classic controller. Similar to the Homebrew launcher controller mod.
As far as things stand now, swapdrc will allow those with a broken gamepad screen to access the system settings menu on the TV screen, so long as the gamepad controls still work.
Credit:
-Peninsula
The gamepad was arguably the biggest reason the Wii U died. It was too expensive, it had limited development use for a gimmick to sell hardware, it had a crap battery life, it was big and ugly, etc. But now the bitch keeps on bitting?
I hope I have just overlooked something obvious about the Wii U scene, but is this a legitimate concern? If so, how do we start completely unshackling our Wii U's from the gamepad?
Edit:
I have decided to start compiling a few steps that can help others uncouple their Wii U from their gamepad as much as possible if they so choose.
1: Grab the fork of the HBL that supports controllers other than the gamepad. Pretty sure it's the one on this page.
2: Edit the meta.xml for your Haxchi DS game to make it work without a gamepad. Or install Haxchi Direct. Alternatively, just install CBHC which does not require a gamepad.
3: Edit the meta.xml of some Wii U games that require the gamepad when launched, even though the games can be played partially or even fully without the gamepad.
Confirmed:
Affordable Space Adventure
Amiibo Tap Nintendo's Greatest Bits
Animal Crossing Amiibo Festival
Art Academy Home Studio
Art Academy Sketchpad
Captain Toad Treasure Tracker
Disney Planes
Dr. Luigi
Dreamals
Hyrule Historia
Kirby and The Rainbow Curse
Mario Vs Donkey Kong Tripping Star
Mini Mario and Friends Amiibo Challenge
Nano Assault Neo
Nes Remix
Nes Remix 2
Nintendo Land
Nintendo X Joysound Wii
Ohayou Beginners Japanese
Pikmin 3
Project Zero Maiden of Black Water
Rabbids Lands
Severed
Splatoon
Sonic Lost World
Squids Odyssey
Starfox Guard
Starfox Zero
Super Mario Maker
Sword and Soldiers II
Tank! Tank! Tank!
Wii Fit U
Wii U Panorama View
Yakuman Houou
Likely:
Zombi U
Affordable Space Adventure
Amiibo Tap Nintendo's Greatest Bits
Animal Crossing Amiibo Festival
Art Academy Home Studio
Art Academy Sketchpad
Captain Toad Treasure Tracker
Disney Planes
Dr. Luigi
Dreamals
Hyrule Historia
Kirby and The Rainbow Curse
Mario Vs Donkey Kong Tripping Star
Mini Mario and Friends Amiibo Challenge
Nano Assault Neo
Nes Remix
Nes Remix 2
Nintendo Land
Nintendo X Joysound Wii
Ohayou Beginners Japanese
Pikmin 3
Project Zero Maiden of Black Water
Rabbids Lands
Severed
Splatoon
Sonic Lost World
Squids Odyssey
Starfox Guard
Starfox Zero
Super Mario Maker
Sword and Soldiers II
Tank! Tank! Tank!
Wii Fit U
Wii U Panorama View
Yakuman Houou
Likely:
Zombi U
Wishlist:
4: Allow for the system settings menu to display gamepad info on the Tv screen by default, or without gamepad only button combo like swapdrc/swapdrclite.
5: Allow for the system settings menu to be controlled by the Wii U pro controller, Wiimote, and classic controller. Similar to the Homebrew launcher controller mod.
As far as things stand now, swapdrc will allow those with a broken gamepad screen to access the system settings menu on the TV screen, so long as the gamepad controls still work.
Credit:
-Peninsula
Last edited by oxitran,