Well they haven't announced the Mouse+Keyboard controls yet... but I think that would be the easiest.

Has anybody tried hooking up a USB Keyboard to the Wii to see if it can be used at all?

I wonder if the old GCN keyboard works?

That is one scary looking monstrosity!

Is that real?

Classic Controller support is fucking fantastic. Definitely ups my excitement for the game.

Yeah it was made for the Phantasy Star Series... you know, the only game that Officially supported the modem for the Gamecube.

That's what I meant. I ordered it yesterday. They offered free shipping, but it said that it wouldn't even ship until next week! I went ahead and paid the $4.50 for regular shipping and I just got the confirmation that it shipped this morning.

What's the deal with the Wii friend codes? Does it just mean that we can send messages back and forth, and your Miis will show up from time-to-time in my Mii parade? Or does it allow for online play and which games support that?

Right now it's only for sending messages back and forth and Miis for the parade, etc. Some of the games may have a feature to import friend codes from your address book, but some may not. I think I read that Mario Strikers did does, but, don't quote me on this. As we really don't have anything online in the US as of today, it's still a little up in the air.

I believe you can trade homemade Elebits levels as well. Mario Strikers is already online in Europe.

Pokeman Battle will be online gameplay. That comes out this month.
Mario Strikers will be online gameplay. That comes out next month (in U.S.)
Batallion Wars 2 will be online. That comes out in Sept (U.S.)
Big Brain Academy will use Wii Connect for score comparison via internet.
Madden '08 will be online in August
Fifa '08 will be online
Super Smash Bros has been said to be online almost since it's announcement

However most of these will use unique friend codes (game to game), instead of the Wii code.

I think online kinda sucks without a headset/mic. I like to play with my online buddies and be able to chat.

Reportedly, Nintendo is trying to patent some sort of online invitation system. So maybe they'll improve their ridiculous situation.

Part of Nintendo's problem is that they want to always be innovative and different, so they shy from ripping off the other consoles even if it's a really good idea.

Just shamelessly borrow from Xbox Live. Or partner with Gamespy or a similar existing matching service.

I haven't turned on my Wii in 2 weeks

Well, they did steal the Rumble idea from Sony right? and they lost that lawsuit... or was it the other way around?

No, there was another party involved, Immersion I think, that took Sony and Microsoft to task (IIRC). Nintendo's rumble tech was developed in-house and was never part of that lawsuit.

in house prior to the Dual Shock, btw.

Common misconception, but the N64 rumble pack predated the PS1 dual shock controller.

Didn't they have to pay off Sony because of it though?

No, Sony had to pay off some other company for ripping off their technology for the Dual Shock Rumble.

Nintendo developed their own that was different enough not to infringe (or they paid the company off early on and it didn't make news).

Ok... I had it mixed up then.

I believe that was the case. They developed their own, but still had some minor fee to license the tech which they paid before they released it, hence no lawsuit.

It came out bundled with Starfox 64 and Sony brought out the Dual Shock later.

According to Wiki:

Rumble Pak (Japan): April '97
Rumble Pack (US): May '97
Dual Shock (Japan): Late '97
Dual Shock (US): May '98

I still have yet to see a Wii in stock anywhere. Is this still a problem everywhere?

I've yet to see one either.

You can find out where they'll be by reading speedy1961's posts. If the wii is listed in his ads he gets like 2 weeks before they come out, then the wii will be there. I'm just hoping that there isn't a need to show up at a store at 5am anymore. CC will have them in stock on Sunday and will give out vouchers if people are waiting in line at 9am (store opens at 10).

I'll have to drive 50 miles to go get one this weekend. makes the round trip over 100 miles. My buddy said I can buy it online the day they come out but I don't want risk it not working. So if I can't buy it Sunday at 1201am then i'm off to KC at 7:30 to wait in line.

Several of my friends have wiis and I've played several times but my friends are usually busy or not home when I want to go play so I'm gonna HAVE to go get one myself.

It's my Father's Day present to myself.