Art programs have been around in the past and even on game consoles such as SNES Mario Paint. On the PC and Mac there are Paint programs that also use the mouse. The mouse is accurate, but not really the perfect drawing tool. Try a Paint program and write your signature with the mouse. Imagine if you held a pen instead.
There were light pens used for drawing directly on the CRT as well, notably the FlexiDraw for the Commodore 64. Considering the fact that the computers of the day were only 8 bit and in the case of the C64 only 1mhz, the drawings were detailed offering a cad drawing quality. The lightpens worked accurately and with the direct draw approach were easy to use, until one would get a tired arm. The solution though labor intensive, would be to mount the CRT flush inside the top of a desk.
Drawing Tablets are also not a new invention either, with the Koala Pad for 8 bit computers and the Wacom Graphic Tablet for the Mac and PC.
Wii uDraw - THQ
Power of the pen for drawing and 2d platformingTHQ produced the uDraw for all three major game consoles. The PS3 and 360 versions are self contained with all the controls, the Wii Tablet requires the Wiimote to be plugged in. Scroll to the bottom of this post for using the uDraw on a computer as a Wacom.
The uDraw first was produced for the Wii in white, then later as a black version for the Wii, PS3 and 360. Only the Wii has a white UDraw tablet, but either Wii uDraw hardware is identical otherwise. The white uDraw matches the older Wii and gives an Apple Mac look about it.
The Wiimote plugs into a cord inside the housing in place of the Nunchuck. Since the Infra sensor is blocked by the uDraw Pad housing, the front of the Wiimote has to be lifted up to expose it to the light bar to start a uDraw program. Once a uDraw program is started, the Wiimote can be seated back all the way inside the pad housing. At this point the light bar is no longer used since the cursor is now controlled by the pen of the uDraw. Note that the uDraw will not function if a Wiimote is plugged into it after a program is loaded.
CRTGAMER wrote:The pen still works if the Home button is depressed, but once the uDraw program is fully exited, the pen no longer works. A shame the Wii cannot multitask, imagine all the games that would benefit with the pointer pen tablet enabled.
There is a holder underneath for pen storage as well as a top "inkwell" pen holder. Unlike the wireless Wacom Bamboo Pens, The uDraw Pen is tethered to the tablet with a wire. Care must be taken, the tether cord is the electrical connection from the pen to the tablet.
Just like the Sega Dreamcast controller, the cord feeds out from the bottom of the uDraw pad. A bit of a nusiance when it gets in the way, the cord is moved to the top on the PS3 and 360 versions. I am tempted to mod relocate the cord so it exits off the top.
The side of the pen has a two position rocker switch actuated with your finger or thumb. The pen tip is pressure sensitive with 256 levels of sensitivity and works in conjunction with the tablet. The Wiimote buttons offer additional and alternate controls.
Rik Henderson wrote:http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/43008/udraw-gametablet-pictures-hands-onThe new uDraw has tilt controls added, and pinch and zoom functionality like on an iPad, Android tablet or Apple Magic Trackpad. The PS3 and Xbox 360 versions both feature control buttons and a direction pad. (the Wii version requires you to insert a Wii Remote) The stylus/pen is chunky and looks like it could take a bashing, plus it has 256 points of pressure sensitivity so, software willing, can draw precise pictures.
Wiki wrote:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UDraw_GameTabletThe original uDraw GameTablet has a 4 by 6-inch drawing surface on which users can create free-form drawings and artwork, as well as play games designed specifically for the uDraw GameTablet, using an attached pressure-sensitive stylus pen. The stylus also has a dualfunction seesaw button that emulates the C and Z buttons on the Wii Nunchuk. The Wii Remote docks in the Wii's uDraw GameTablet, which draws power directly from the Wii Remote’s battery. The uDraw GameTablet also takes advantage of the Wii Remote’s motion sensors and tilt movement options, allowing users to control their characters by moving and directing them throughout levels of the game.
The tablet is similar in size to a WiiU touchscreen controller. There are contours underneath that work as handgrips. Though thicker then an iPad, the drawing tablet is very light. Both the uDraw and WiiU Tablets almost seem to be designed from the same blueprint, a close in size match. The Wiimote plugs in and fits smoothly right in the cutout of the uDraw. All the buttons on the Wiimote are easily accessible including the B button trigger underneath.
Drawsome TabletUbisoft also came out with a Drawing Tablet. Only two pieces of software were made;
Drawsome Artist and
Drawsome Sketch Quest. Unfortunately Drawsome and UDraw hardware or software are not compatible with each other. The Drawsome set has a wireless tether free pen just like the Wacom Bamboo pen. It also has a spot to mount a paper drawing for tracing.
Even thought the pen is tethered with a cord to the uDraw, it is a better investment since there is a larger libary to choose from. Even so, the software is limited to nine titles and less are available on the PS3 and 360. Of the three consoles, this makes the Wii version the best choice especially for its exclusive uDraw games.
uDraw StudioBy Pipeworks Software and not sold separately, this is only available with the Wii older white udraw. A good selection of Art Tools to draw or paint with. Acrylic Brush, Air Brush, Chalk, Charcoal, Eraser, Paint Bucket Fill, Pen, Sponge, and Watercolor Brush. There are also different canvases to select from including Cardboard, Construction Paper, Drawing Paper, Newsprint, Notebook Paper, Paint Canvas, Watercolor and Wood. Each offer a different result in the drawing or painting.
The Wiimote mounted in the uDraw is put to good use as well.
UDRAW STUDIO
DPad Up/Down - Zoom In/Out
DPad Left/Right - Brush Size
A Button - Draw or Paint
B Button - Toggle Toolkit
- Button - Undo Last Action
+ Button - Redo Last Action
1 Button - Eraser
2 Button - Paint Fill
Home Button - Wii home Menu (Pen still works)uDraw Studio Instant ArtistThis comes packaged with the black uDraw and also sold separately. Same as the first edition Studio program, but with enhancements, a better menu layout and more options including games.
One of the games is played by tilting the pad to move a marble thru a maze. The path is painted by the marble showing the distance one takes.
The Wiimote button layout of Instant Artist is slightly different compared to the earlier Studio edition.
UDRAW STUDIO INSTANT ARTIST
DPad Up/Down - Zoom In/Out
DPad Left/Right - Brush Size
A Button - Draw or Paint
B Button - Toggle Toolkit
- Button - Undo Last Action
+ Button - Redo Last Action
1 Button - Brush Properties Menu
2 Button - Toggle Color Menu
Home Button - Wii home Menu (Pen still works)Both drawing programs have a powerful replay feature where the drawing can be viewed all the way back to the beginning pen stroke. This is very handy with the scan back or forward to get rid of any mistakes. Pause the replay at any point and then continue the drawing or painting. A painting is limited to about 35 minutes of actual drawing time, a limitation of the console memory.
The pen sensitivity can be adjusted to either emphasize brush width or darkness of a drawing. Pressing lighter or harder to get the desired results. To get an idea why a drawing tablet is best for digital art, try "signing" your name with a mouse. The pen on the Drawing Tablet provides a more natural extension to using a pen or artist brush. The UDraw is not just for children's drawings and coloring. As in a real painting or drawing, the more you put into it the better the results.
uDraw Studio Screenshots: http://www.everybodyplays.co.uk/screens ... io/630/all
World Of uDraw site: http://www.worldofudraw.com/udrawgames/udraw-studio David Kassan PaintingCRTGAMER wrote:A Mouse, Trakball or Laptop Touch Pad requires a continual drag to move the cursor arrow around the screen. The uDraw is different, it places the cursor arrow exact on the screen in relation to the X and Y coordinates of the pad. Touch the pen at the top right and the arrow appears at the top right, touch the bottom left and the arrow instantly appears in the same matched position.
Due to the controlled instant placement of the cursor anywhere on the screen, some games can really benefit with this.
Both the above Art programs allow transfer of high resolution PNG or a lower resolution JPG from the Wii to a SD card. A few of the following titles also have this feature, however none have an import picture capability. A disappointment this prevents touching up an existing photo with the UDraw.
Of note the
uDraw Studio program leaves a watermark on exported files. Fortunately the
Instant Artist version on all three consoles did away with this.
Andy Robertson wrote:http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2011/02/udraw-brands-kids-creations/I was less impressed with was that when you export your pictures from it via an SD card, it is emblazoned with a large uDraw watermark. Seeing my daughter’s hard work with a corporate brand on it seemed a little harsh. It is unimaginable for Photoshop or Paintshop Pro to do this, which I think is why I was so surprised.
Disney Princess: Enchanting StorybooksArt program based on various Disney princesses. There is also Music and Search games.
Kung Fu Panda 2Game based on the Disney cartoon. Draw the pen in different directions for different attacks.
Marvel Super Hero Squad: Comic CombatThis game at first seems to be an action game. It has a Real Time Strategy style of game play as in the classic RTS game, Command and Conquer. Coupled with the uDraw allows instant cursor movement on the screen.
Use the pen to click on the screen directing movement and attack. The characters controlled are usually a group of three selectable individually or as a group with the the Dpad. Drag the pen from one of the characters to an enemy for a launching a weapon such as missiles. The draw line can even be curved to guide the missile around obstacles. The pen can also be used to draw symbols on the screen for special weapons and features.
Draw an X - Place a bomb
Draw a Triangle - Place a decoy
Draw a Circle - Crush an enemy with dropped ball or rock
Drag Draw Line - Launch Weapon at enemy
Hold Pen On Character - Special Attack or Heal
Shake the uDraw Pad - Earthquake attackEverything on the screen slows down whenever a special attack is drawn with the pen. The weapons draw aspect is unique, adds an element to the real time strategy game. It sort of reminds me of the WiiU game
Wonderful 101 (Project P100) which has a similar weapons creation draw concept.
The voices in the game are portrayed by the same actors used in the marvel cartoon series. Dr Doom's voice is really over the top, instantly recognizable as the same voice actor from the Cow and Chicken cartoons. Very funny dialog in the video clips between each game level, all of which can be replayed by clicking a comic frame on the screen.
Penguins of Madagascar: Dr. Blowhole ReturnsMini games featuring the Penguins from the Dreamworks movie and Nickelodeon series.
PictionaryOnly natural to make this a uDraw game. The tablet a good match for this multiplayer party game.
SpongeBob SquigglePantsVarious games featuring the Sponge Bob and memorable characters from the series. Live action video of Patchy the Pirate (Tom Kenny) who also provides the voice for Sponge Bob in the cartoon series.
The animation and mini games take a que from the Warioware party games. Quick bursts utilizing various controls.
Tilt - Move various objects by tilting the uDraw pad
Drag Draw - Move a character in a direction
Squiggle Draw - Freehand draw such as scribbling a signature
Tap - Tap to perform an action
Flick - To "throw" an object in a direction
Circle Draw - Used to spin devices or rotate handles
Waste Ink - Still trying to figure this out, tap the pen button?There is also a 3DS version:
http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/201 ... nts_3d_3ds Dood's Big AdventureNot a very good name for a title, but actually a good series of 2d platform games. Dood Adventure has mixed reviews, but I actually find it quite fun. It reminds me of the side scroller Rayman Origins, not anywhere near as good but novel in the jungle scenes and using the pen tablet as a control device.
Pen PanicPlace the arrow in front of your character and press the pen button to move or jump. Draw on the pad to make a jumping platform to bounce up. Draw the platform at an angle to jump sideways, draw another while in midair to jump further. When a punching bag icon appears, click to change to punch mode. Then click on an enemy to stun, run into the enemy to kill. Only a punch or platform icon can be used at a time, determine when to select to complete a level.
Pen Cursor Above Dood - Jump
Pen Cursor Left or Right of Dood - Walk or Run
Pen Cursor at Ladder Near Dood - Climb or Descend Ladder
Pen Bounce Icon Draw a Line - Draw Bounce Line
Pen Punching Bag Icon Tap on Enemy - Punch Stun EnemyRoly PolyThis game could have been played with just the Wiimote. Movement is controlled by tilting left or right, hit the A or B button to jump or rapidly slam down to bounce higher. With the Wiimote installed into the tablet, this offers a larger overall controller with the button feeling more like part of an arcade panel. It is definitely not an Arcade button, but better then just holding a "TV Remote" to mash the jump button with my large hands.
UDraw Pad Tilt - Move left or right
A or B Button - Jump or Butt Bounce from airBubble TroubleDraw your blown up character to make it thru a level. Just like a real balloon, your game character can pop with the slightest contact. Later levels have moving walls that need to be bypassed.
Pen Movement - Movement
Pen Button - Bubble AttackFan FrenzyAnother balloon level, but with a different and unique control. The pen controls where to place a mobile fan on the screen to blow your character around the screen. Press the pen button to turn on the fan. Enemies can be dispatched by chewing them up with the fan blades. It is not an immediate kill, this is done while blowing your character thru the course.
Pen Placement - Fan (Press harder to spin faster)Create ModeAs you complete levels, stars are collected to purchase skins for your character, enemies and background balloon characters. Everything can also be painted freehand just like the Art Studio.
Additional Unsupported GamesThere was an additional uDraw program that was canceled,
UDraw Disney Animator. Perhaps there were other games that were developed as well? Market analysts blame the uDraw price with its specialized limited use and timing of the upcoming WiiU release as putting THQ to bankruptcy. The initial hardware investment on the PS3 and 360 is questionable due to the limitation of just three software titles.
I also blame the fact that THQ did not expand on the drawing tablet by not making the driver available for all games, notably point to the screen style games. Imagine all the Bejeweled inspired games such as
Bejeweled 2,
Luxor 3,
Puzzle Quest or any of the Adventure style games utilize a point and click interface. Even worse are the drawing games not supported such as
Create,
Epic Mickey,
Okami or THQs very own
Drawn To Life; this game really would have benefitted with the drawing pad.
The uDraw also is available in two bundle packages;
Disney Princess and
Sponge Bob.
Worth It?At the original $69.99 price, this peripheral failed with poor sales. However, one can find it on clearance
new for $9.99! This makes for a small investment to get a "Wacom" style drawing tool for the big screen with the drawings that can easily be transfered to your PC. Though not as powerful as a high end Wacom, the uDraw holds its own to create fine drawings and playing a game in a new method. If you like stylus controlled games of the Nintendo DS or Apple iPad, definitely pickup the uDraw tablet along with the Dood Adventure game.
An undocumented benefit is using the uDraw Tablet as a controller holder for regular Wii games. Unlike the PS3 and 360 versions, the Wii uDraw takes a regular Wiimote which maintains the existing gyroscope tilt function and button presses for all games. Some games can benefit such as Tilt style games or Sideways NES style control games. The tablet offers a better way to hang onto the Wiimote while tilting. Set the tablet on the table or lap simulated "Arcade Panel" mode. The Wiimote is locked in the pad housing for hands free game play while mashing the Dpad and buttons.
The DPad and Buttons are upside down if the UDraw is rotated sideways to work as a Wiimote Holder for Sideways NES style controlled games. It can be rotated the other way but at a loss of wrist support, not a big deal if flat on a table or lap. The Wiimote cannot be rotated 180 degrees around inside the UDraw housing due to the sloped cutout matching the bottom contour of the Wiimote. Perhaps a Rotozip mod later of the cutout later to get the proper wrist support?
Patrick Klepek wrote:http://www.giantbomb.com/news/the-udraw-fans-youve-never-heard-about/3999/uDraw may not have become the phenomenon THQ was hoping for, but that doesn't mean it didn't find an audience of appreciative owners. If THQ doesn’t exist a year from now, it won’t be uDraw’s fault. But it may have been enough to teeter it, a $100 million bet that spectacularly backfired as THQ finally turned around creatively. The accessory launched in November, no one bought it, and THQ has 1.4 million unsold uDraw tablets in warehouses, now forced to ponder how to get rid of them. The device is responsible for turning what should have been a promising THQ financial quarter into a disastrous one.
But there are surprising uses for the uDraw, such as a controller for players with physical disabilities. "As a tool for therapeutic use I would recommend it if person enjoys drawing, it’s a simpler interface than software like Coreldraw," wrote assistive technology reviewer Kati Lea, after evaluating the original uDraw on Wii. "I don’t think I will be producing masterpieces but if it keeps the connections working between my hands and my brain I think it would have been worth the money (if I had bought it myself!)."
Connie Deng is a senior illustration student at the Art Institute of Boston, and I found her by through the World of uDraw community. "The commercial for it was pretty cool," she said, "and while it looked like it was for kids/folks that like to draw or make art, I saw a lot of potential for it to become a professional artist medium, like Adobe Creative Suite."
For example, since the uDraw connects to a television, the screen size is much bigger, which would allow Deng to have a closer view of her work without having to always zoom in and out, ala Photoshop. When the tablet showed up, she put the device through its paces and came away impressed for what it actually could accomplish, despite her experience with much more advanced (and much more expensive) tablets from companies like Wacom. Since uDraw places a limit on drawing time--35 minutes--Deng finds herself using the tablet on simpler pieces, despite her traditional attention to detail in her work. Often, she’ll leverage a uDraw for sketching and blocking, then bring what she’s worked on into software like Photoshop, Illustrator, or Corel Painter to touch up.
uDraw on a ComputerThis section deviates from the Wii Thread, but additional uDraw information worth including here. The PS3 and 360 uDraw has a USB connector which allows it to be used as an inexpensive wireless Wacom Tablet for the PC and Mac. On the PC, the USB uDraw is recognized as a standard HID Game Controller. The arrow and all the face buttons immediately work, ready for any program that function with a game pad. However, a program is needed to read the pen location on the uDraw pad.
There are Wii Remote drivers for the PC, perhaps a Wii uDraw could be also be made to function on a computer?
The program above is only for Windows 7, it will not run in Windows XP or older Windows. Out of curiosity, I picked up a PS3 uDraw to verify and can attest the PS3 uDraw works well and quite accurate. The uDraw tablet buttons can be reconfigured as Mouse Click or the PC Keyboard Arrow keys. The Pen push sensor cannot be reconfigured, but it is just fine as the Mouse Left Click. The 360 uDraw is also supported with an additional driver and a 360 Wireless USB Receiver. PC Paint and Photoshop both work just fine with the uDraw. Though reviews state otherwise, I found the uDraw comparable to the Wacom tablet of which I own two. The uDraw also has the advantage as being wireless although the pen is tethered.
Note the last picture in the Quote above, the Absolute setting. As in the console studio art programs, an instant cursor arrow placement on the screen relative to the pen location on the uDraw! This brings a better response to certain games that are touch screen friendly.
PC Bejeweled 2The game that is perfect for touch screens of a cell phone or iPad. The PC version normally uses a mouse unless one owns a touch screen tablet. The uDraw arrow placement is instant, however the "click" of the pen pressed down sometimes does not work in the game screen.
This is strange since the pen works just fine in any of the game menu boxes located on the side. The pen does have pressure sensitivity levels, an "analog" of sorts versus the digital press of a mouse button. This is easily fixed by setting the PS3 Home Button to operate as the Mouse Left Click.
CRTGAMER wrote:Just like the retro Flexidraw Lightpen on the Commodore 64, the uDraw senses the pen location even when the pen is not touching the pad. This helps to add a quickness in movement when the mouse click is augmented by the PS3 Home Button on the uDraw tablet.
PC Zuma DeluxeNormally played with a Mouse and can also work with a Trakball. The uDraw tablet offers another way to play and is quicker to respond in moving the arrow around. The pen press launches a marble consistently with no issues. The PS3 Home button on the uDraw pad can also be used. To make the frog jump to the other side, all four arrow keys on the uDraw can be set as Mouse Left Click.
PC BookwormAnother game that works better with instant placement of the cursor arrow. Again the uDraw performed flawlessly working the game as a touchscreen.
Konjak's ChalkA draw type of game that works very well with a pen and tablet. Draw a line connecting spheres thru an object to destroy. When a ship appears and shoots, draw a line from the bullet back to the ship to destroy. Sometimes two bullets must be drwan back to the target. Tha game also has Bosses that require multiple hits thru drawing attacks.
Mouse Left Click - Draw
Mouse Right Click - Move Character to pointer location
Keyboard WASD - Move Character independent of pointerThe WASD independent movement is sweet, allowing a "Twinstick" style of gameplay, move one direction with the keyboard while shooter drawing in another with the mouse.
I reconfigured the uDraw PC driver setting suitable to this game.
uDraw Pen Press or PS3 Home - Draw
SELECT and START - Move Character to pointer locationWith the PC driver, the uDraw gamepad defaults to the Keyboard Arrow keys with no option of the WASD layout. Not a big deal, since the uDRaw emulates a game controller. There are Game Controller to Keyboard Emulators of which I have very good sucess on
Flight Simulators. Since Hatswitch emulation is needed,
JoyToKeys does not work. However
JoyCursorTool works just fine, I set the Gamepad to the WASD keys.
JoystickCursor Tool - http://www.deinmeister.de/jct_e.htmI notice a slight delay of the draw routine whenever I press one of the DPad buttons that emulate the keyboard to move. At first I thought it was the uDraw, but turned out the Mouse also has that slight delay when the PC keyboard is pressed. Perhaps due to according to the site the game is made with a game maker program, not built direct from code. My PC is 2.16 GHz so I suspect just the coding of the game itself has the delay when polling both the keyboard and mouse. For movement, Right Click on the Mouse or pressing the START SELECT (for left hand control) of the uDraw tablet is the workaround. This moves the character wherever the pointer is set on the screen.
Thanks to
AppleQueso for pointing this Freeware game out. The site also has another drawing type of puzzle game called
TripLine.
Konjak CHALK: http://www.konjak.org/index.php?folder=4&file=9Other PC GamesAny mouse controlled game can also benefit with a swipe of the uDraw pen. There are tons of Flash games that can be played with the mouse pen arrangement. In addition not only dedicated PC games such as
Command and Conquer or
Sims or
Point To Click Adventure Games, but also emulated games that use a Mouse or Trakball. Try various MAME Arcade games such as
Reactor,
Centipede or Spinner controlled games such as
Tac Scan. Keyboard controlled games can also be made to work with a mouse to keyboard emulator program.
CRTGAMER wrote:The PS3 Instant Artist has an interesting feature not available on the Wii version. Similar as an iPad or cell phone view mode, a picture can be pinch zoomed and scrolled with just two fingers. Finger Painting can also be done by holding the Draw button on the uDraw tablet while dragging a finger, no pen needed! Since the uDraw can detect the fingers just like a Touch Screen, imagine the potential via future homebrew programs for the PC.
THQ uDraw tablets from left to right: 360, PS3 and Wii uDraw tabletsThe Wii has the most uDraw software and the only white version of the uDraw tablet. The Wii uDraw tablet is taller and a little less wide then the PS3 and 360 versions. For protection against scratches, any of the three uDraw tablets can fit inside a pouch made for a 10" Netbook.
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