Kotaku
OK, at risk of starting a deluge of copycat messages into tips, here's another kit-bashed Wii wheel. The reason this is worthy is a) the engineers are remarkably honest about how bad it performs, and b) they sound like three middle school-age at-risk kids and I want to encourage them to stay off the mean streets by building Wii wheels.
"If anyone ever needs another wheel, doesn't mind it handling a little bad and looking ... hideous, just remember that if you look through all that leftover rubbish and you might just be able to save yourself a bit of money," writes Lee Brady, whose friend Colin engineered the wheel. Lee and Shane were, I dunno, QA leads.
These kids prove that half the fun of mods is spending all day making something that an extra $15 will buy (though I think these blokes are UK, by the use of "rubbish"). They're working on another, with breakthrough technology that allows use of the B button.
Lee writes:
"Colin (center) after hearing Shane (right) and I (left) had gotten our hands on Mario Kart Wii (with Wheel), wanted to make a second wheel... himself. He came to us a few hours later with that thing basically. Made of Polystyrene and a pole for the handle, and covered in masking tape, we laughed and tested it out. It actually handles ... pretty awful. And the measurements were so wrong the Wiimote kept falling out until Colin got some cardboard string to hold it in. We helped out and made some minor adjustments, but really, nothing could make this thing any better.Well, with that sales pitch, why aren't we all doing that instead of ponying up the $15 — WHICH IS ALL OF £7,50, GUYS.... Sheesh."We've already started on a Mock 2. [Does he mean Mark II? Mach II?-Ed.] Mock 2 is, so far, lighter, smaller and even white! (say it isn't so!) This version too can also be made with just random objects you find around your house. It even allows use of the 'B' button! (Yup, playing with the original was just one big party...)
Buy Another Wii Wheel? No, Make Another (Sorta) [Kotaku]
Comments
Do want.
:)
Nah, that's pretty cool and could have been done far worse.
Yeah these guys are UK. The skin on the Wii remote is from Offical Nintendo Magazine UK.
It's a cool little project, but did they HAVE to use brown tape? It's looks a little bit like...eww...
i fully endorse their "fuck the man" spirit.
It looks like a long bang of poo twisted into a circle with a wii remote in the middle of it
I love the shoelace shows character!
Looks like they wrapped the wiimote in feces.
Um...yea. Don't use brown tape next time. lol
These kids are surprisingly literate. I respect that.
Good lord, that wrist strap is dirty. I don't autoclave my wrists before I play some Super Mario Galaxy but I'm also elbow deep in filth either. I can almost smell the sickly mix of sweat and grime.
@Figcoinc: Haha... Hey, at least they arent out in the streets, killing people after watching the GTA4 trailers! Be thankful :-)
@rvcontre: Maybe they're the only people in the world who haven't been leaving their Wiis alone for months on end. That's the only way I can explain it.
I thought it was made of poo.
Some sort of attack on the real Wii Wheel or something.
@Banedon38: Kind of symbolism for a good wii game :P
it looks like it's made out of poo, maybe the leftover waste of all those third party games no one plays.
Hah, good for them, I hope it makes their day getting onto Kotaku and other sites.
@Banedon38: so it looks like the Wii Wheel?
Heh, the wii wheel is even cheaper than $15 here, its £6.99 :p
Although kudos (I think) for at least trying it... who knows they might get better at the home made stuff, and get into modding :D
Do we all look like that?
man that closeup pic looks like an infamous online gross out pic that i don't want to name in fear of the one person on earth who hasn't seen it googling it and being exposed
@Flawless101: We have something that's cheaper than it is in the US? Damn now the Apocalypse is gonna be all up in here.
@Malvolio the Magician: Yes, yes you do. I don't but you do.
Am I the only one who sees unintentional goatse there?
When I first saw it, I thought they made it out of small bits of soft pretzel. And I was prepared to commission them to make me a dozen.
Game accessories and snack food, all in one unit? Install a nacho cheese dispenser, and I'm all for it.
@Arnold Rimmer's Garden Strimmer: Ah it appears I wasn't :)
They don't want to pay 10 pounds so they'll use their own dookie.
FIGHT THE POWER!!
@Arnold Rimmer's Garden Strimmer: Oh god, I'm seeing it too :(
@Arnold Rimmer's Garden Strimmer: such a wonderful image to have come to mind when looking at game related articles although i do see the resemblance.
Looks like a turd.
My first impression when i looked at it was a circular poo. Still looks like one as well.
@Arnold Rimmer's Garden Strimmer: AAAHHHHH!! I hate you.
*Head catches on fire*
It's actually £8 for an extra official wheel, and totally worth it. Don't know what all the people who slate it are thinking! Good effort from those guys though - I kind of wish I was still in a position where I'd go to the effort of making something like that. But then again I kind of don't as if I work for the same amount of time it would take to make that I would be able to buy an official one and still have change. Looking at that though if feels like I'm missing out on a fun aspect of it all!
@MakTheYak: Oh. So it does cost more than the US. False alarm.
Is that poop?
Um, a free wheel comes with the game.
@Arnold Rimmer's Garden Strimmer: No. No you aren't.
@fadecy: I thought you were going to say they come from UK, cause everything in their faces screams British ! from the ears, to the teeth, to the overall shape of their young face ! Anyway, agreed, it looks like "caca"
Play wii with your poo!
If I make myself a wheel, I think I'll make it using an actual steering wheel. My brother does a lot of real karting. Perhaps I'll steal one of his actual wheels :p
Jeez. Clean the damn Wiimote strap. Do you have any idea how much bacteria is probably on that thing? - kids eat, then touch the strap, kids play in the sand, then touch the strap, kids wank, then touch the strap...
@Earthslide: Yes, but only one. If you have multiple people wanting to play with the wheel, you're kinda SOL.
How long before went get the logical Kotaku conclusion? A home-made Wii-Wheel Cake?!? Such folly must be encouraged.
@inn1t:
Yeah, it looks pretty gnarly to me too. It was the first thing that I noticed.
Wait, there were other improvised Whiils?
Such...tiny....hands
@fadecy: And the word "rubbish" didn't clue you in on that?...
He also said "say it isn't so" which in America- it's totally "say it ain't so"...
I need to make a crappy wheel...that should be a contest- best wii wheel...
It was funny the first couple of times but does everybody have to say it looks like poop?
It looks like poop.
Ha, keeping big brother out of it.
Ok. I'm making my own Wii-wheel which prominently features clear tubes, through which I will fill with actual poo.
@Bernard McGraw: Ok thats it! Get out of the car!
@Cchrist: ;__;
I honestly thought that Wii Wheel was made of turd. o_O
@inn1t: Well, if I follow your theory, when these kids wank, they're putting bacteria's on their engine, not on their hands ! That's why I wash my hands Before peeing ...
@Arnold Rimmer's Garden Strimmer: Totally goatsy deluge :D
That is just the most adorable story and photo. Good for them for making something, even if it turned out freaky-looking.