GDC 08: Wii Fit inspired by Miyamoto’s weighing scale

Some people like to look at themselves in the mirror. Others like to step on their weighing scales frequently. Thing is, we haven’t heard of a video game that drew its inspiration from the former scenario. As for scales…well, Takao Sawano had a little story to tell about Shigeru Miyamoto‘s scale and Wii Fit. “Weigh” the facts carefully after the jump.

We all have our own idiosyncrasies, such as knocking on wood or chewing on pencils. The difference between most of us and Shigeru Miyamoto is that his particular quirk – weighing himself on a scale – actually led to the Nintendo Wii exercise title known as Wii Fit.

The game’s peripheral designer, Takao Sawano, revealed this enlightening tidbit during the 2008 Game Developers Conference. He spoke of Miyamoto as having had fun “just weighing himself and collecting his weight data.” Sawano also said that Miyamoto wanted to incorporate his weighing ritual into an actual Wii game.

Ironically, Miyamoto’s team doubted the viability of the Nintendo designer’s idea. Undaunted, Miyamoto reportedly advised his team members to “always approach their projects with the belief that they are selling a million seller. Otherwise, the end result will be something that’s average at best.” Fortunately for the fans of the best-selling title, the team members listened.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering about the inspiration behind the group of sensors on the Wii Balance Board, Sawano said he got that idea from seeing sumo wrestlers use two sets of scales to weigh themselves. The original concept of two sensors eventually gave way to four, with technology borrowed from that of the old Nintendo 64 controller’s rotary encoders.