Using Wiimotes to play lightgun games on PC

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Calavera
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Using Wiimotes to play lightgun games on PC

Post by Calavera »

I've been wanting to do this for some time. I tried it years ago but for some reason couldn't get it working and never really messed with it anymore. It works great in Dolphin for Wii lightgun games but I wanted to be able to use it with stuff like Time Crisis,Virtua Cop and Lethal Enforcers. I looked into it again and the solution is very simple!

First of all your computer needs to have a bluetooth receiver and you are going to need a sensor bar. A USB Wii sensor bar can be had on Ebay for just under $10. Then you will need a piece of software called "Touchmote". After installing and launching Touchmote you just need to sync the Wiimote you are using and you now can use your Wiimote as a mouse or to emulate an Xbox 360 controller.

For example on ReDream (Dreamcast emulator) I had to set it to mouse cursor mode to get it to work properly. But in MAME it works better in the Xbox controller emulation mode. Touchmote also allows you to customize all buttons on the Wiimote/Nunchuck/Classic Controller to anything you want.

It is really cool to finally be able to play old lightgun games with a gun controller instead of the mouse. I forgot to mention a Wii gun is highly recommended. You can obviously just use the Wiimote on it's own which is step up from using the mouse. But for the full lightgun experience you need a Wii gun.

This is the one I have. The Nyko Perfect Shot
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I bought mine back when the Wii was still current and it was $15. It is a pretty nice gun controller but it is literally just a plastic gun that holds the Wiimote. When you pull the trigger it pushes the B button in on the Wiimote. The only bit of electronics in it is just passthrough so you can plug the Nunchuck into the bottom of the gun. Years later I picked up another one at Goodwill for $0.99.

It is much better than the official Wii Zapper.
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I always thought that was a stupid design. It doesn't even really look like a gun and having the nunchuck mounted at the back of it seems inconvenient. I'd much rather plug it into the bottom of the gun then have one hand to shoot and the nunchuck in my other hand to move around.

So has anyone here ever used Wiimotes on a PC for old lightgun games? To me it is one of the best ways to play these old games on a modern display since the large majority of lightguns won't function on a flatscreen television.
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Dr. Zoidberg
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Re: Using Wiimotes to play lightgun games on PC

Post by Dr. Zoidberg »

I haven't used a Wiimote on PC for anything. Using one as a lightgun seems like a pretty cool idea.

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ian
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Re: Using Wiimotes to play lightgun games on PC

Post by ian »

Dr. Zoidberg wrote: Wed Sep 28, 2022 9:29 pm I haven't used a Wiimote on PC for anything. Using one as a lightgun seems like a pretty cool idea.
You never played half life 2 with a Wiimote?

It's just one of those things you put on a bucket list like playing Soul Calibur with a fishing rod.
If I should Die Hard Arcade before I Alan Wake.
PREY the Lords of Lore my Soul Calibur to Take
-Two Interactive.

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Dr. Zoidberg
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Re: Using Wiimotes to play lightgun games on PC

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Nope, never done that.

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ian
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Re: Using Wiimotes to play lightgun games on PC

Post by ian »

What about final fantasy 7 with a Dance Dance Revolution mat?
If I should Die Hard Arcade before I Alan Wake.
PREY the Lords of Lore my Soul Calibur to Take
-Two Interactive.

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Dr. Zoidberg
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Re: Using Wiimotes to play lightgun games on PC

Post by Dr. Zoidberg »

Nah.

I finished Dark Souls using Kinect.

Maybe.

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Skynet
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Re: Using Wiimotes to play lightgun games on PC

Post by Skynet »

Eventually I'm going to add lightguns to my arcade machine but I'll be going down this route instead
https://www.gun4ir.com/

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melancholy
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Re: Using Wiimotes to play lightgun games on PC

Post by melancholy »

Only crazy thing I’ve done with a Wiimote on PC is program it to play and beat Majora’s Mask with Skyward Sword controls.

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Calavera
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Re: Using Wiimotes to play lightgun games on PC

Post by Calavera »

Skynet wrote: Thu Sep 29, 2022 6:32 pm Eventually I'm going to add lightguns to my arcade machine but I'll be going down this route instead
https://www.gun4ir.com/
Let me know how those end up working out. Are you going for the GC2 or GC45? I personally like the GC45 as it is the same as the old Namco Guncon.
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Skynet
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Re: Using Wiimotes to play lightgun games on PC

Post by Skynet »

Calavera wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 1:14 am
Skynet wrote: Thu Sep 29, 2022 6:32 pm Eventually I'm going to add lightguns to my arcade machine but I'll be going down this route instead
https://www.gun4ir.com/
Let me know how those end up working out. Are you going for the GC2 or GC45? I personally like the GC45 as it is the same as the old Namco Guncon.
A mate of mine bought an absolute shitload of broken wiimotes for making this himself. When he does that I'm going to try to jump onboard. We toyed with the idea of just 3d printing a lightgun shell with my printer, but that will take god knows how many days. He said he might prototype with a toy gun then go from there, so I'll probably get involved when he starts it. Will post back if/when we do it :olol:

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