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Android Based Video Game Console Kickstarter
- Thread starter HardOCP News
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I'm grunching pages 2-9 here, but this is a waste. Most android PHONE and even tablets can ALREADY hook up to your TV. They also use bluetooth controllers, and keyboards, and let you play games. This is a flat out waste of money. Also you can emulate android apps on your computer, so really, you just need to hook up your laptop to your TV. This has 0 use.
How much would that cost total?
Cost!
And the Ouya would still have a completely different front end and back end for the console. I doubt game devs are going leverage different tablets and controllers/kb+m for sake of end user convenience while developing their games. One system/One API consistent for everything. Androids fragmentation is already cumbersome as it is on the tablet space.
Think about the developers man... developers! I hope valve puts steam green light on this things, we'd actually have more control over what shit gets on their or not.
True, but this thing is getting a lot of support from top indie devs and game studios - so I doubt it'd be extremely niche. We'll see though. I'm just excited because of the endless, crazy shit you can do with this thing. It's open source tooLike using an Android tablet as a controller, idk. lol You're right, the hardware is crummy but sometimes limitations inspires more creativity!
We shall see..I do see it as a good EMU box, how long that can last legally before the big publishers destroy them legally however remains to be seen. While the big publishers can't directly sue them for basically allowing piracy, they can tie them up legally long enough to destroy any revenue.
Yea, I am cynical.
When taken in context of people who have massive PS2 collections and the PS3's removal of BC and their need to replace machines, and how its sales actually compare. No it actually isn't that popular anymore as far as new sales go. It doesn't compete and mostly just resells to existing customer base.
Really I think this is an interesting concept, I just see so many hurdles that I can't see it succeeding. Lets be real for a moment, the hardware blows. If it is comparing against the typical mobile device it is pretty good, but that is a pretty poor comparison for the type of device it is.The typical console gamer's have proven time and again they are fickle when it comes to the latest and greatest console and that is precisely what this is. Sure it is open for modding, but how big is that market really? Sure it is open for indi development, but so is the 360 and PC. Sure it is open to homebrew, but how long before it gets big enough to get the attention of the big publishers that bankrupt the company with legal fees? This all may sound overly cynical, but look at history. Now one potential I can see for it is as a Media box. If we can get some solid codec support and encoding/decoding capabilities where it can stream media as well as a PC, for that price I see major potential. The ability to use netflix, amazon, hulu and basically any stream site or downloaded media I choose would be huge. I dislike having an HTPC because of size and I know there are tons of people out there like me.
Viper87227
Fully [H]
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To buy a USB to HDMI adapter and a compatible BT controller would set me back around $50 anyway. At that cost, you are likely looking at some compatibility issues with the controller (aside from emulators and a very select few games that allow button mapping), difficult navigation (I don't want to stand in front of my TV playing with a touchscreen until my game is ready to go), and it ties up your phone in the process.
For an extra $50, I can have a device that I can plug into the wall and leave there. It has an interface designed to be use with a controller so I can turn it on and do everything I'd ever want to do from the comfort of my couch. Toss in game releases that will be optimized to work with their controller... seems worth it to me.
I'm not saying that our phones and tablets can't already do everything this can... but if this is done right it can make the process much more convenient and user friendly. Given that this comes at a modest $50 extra over a DIY solution, I can see the appeal.
Now that I know just how many suckers are lining up to throw money at Kickstarter, I'm going to get very busy concocting my own scam...
The thing seems to have no disk drive...it has one GB system ram and 8GB's flash storage--can you say "Internet connection required"? Can you say "tablet/phone games' platform" If you can, you can say, "Ouch!" (or was it OUYA?)
OUYA says, "We've packed this little box full of power."
I'm waiting on the "power" part. Where is it?
Actually, it looks like this thing is going to require some kind of much more expensive set-top box to go along with it. It's hard to say--never have I seen so many words saying so little. This is actually amazing.
I'm sure Kyle remembers "Phantom"... (Who could forget?) Even they didn't have the balls to take the scam public--only people losing money there were the people who could afford to lose it and made a business out of investing in risky projects. That's not what I'm seeing in these comments on OUYA site, however. Most of the comments are very naive and inexperienced. For instance:
Extras?
More extras asked for.
This guy wants extras, too, and a Linux desktop:
It's kind of sad when people write "Tegra3+1GB RAM" = "powerful hardware." For a cell phone, maybe? My 3-year old graphics card ($150 when new) would eat that thing for lunch in terms of "power."
This quote sums it up as the "Rise and Fall of Ouya":
IMHO, 99.9% of the people pledging money for this have no idea what it actually takes to design and market a successful commercial console. Even with all of the success of PS2 behind it--years of success and billions of $ made from hardware and software sales--PS3 has been an uphill fight all the way for Sony. Sony is still fighting for the PS3 platform.
Of course, as with so many projects laying claim to "open source" as the product's redeeming feature, the illusion is that the software for this thing, if any is ever written, will be "free" because it is "open Source." Because people really do believe (well, some people, anyway) that software developers are chomping at the bit to write software for which they will not be paid. Yes, that dirty Microsoft and Sony are holding back the industry by forcing developers to accept pay for projects they'd much prefer to do for free!
Stuff like this just cannot be made up. Imagine--trying to sell a cheap, no-name gaming console in advance as though it was a social revolution... Only the very young might ever believe it for a split second. But as of a few moments ago, there were $2.5M-worth of dummies lining up to do that!
Hint: is there some problem with cutting off the funding at the ~$950,000 the Kickstarter has asked for? Is there a problem with waiting to see what these people do with that before committing to more funds? Apparently there is, which just goes to prove that the people throwing money at this project are not investors themselves--they are treating it as an excursion to the mall--they spend more $$$ and they get more console for their money. Trouble is, the OUYA developers have said nothing at all about that.
Just look at what the OUYA developers have said the console will consist of (quoted above), and then contrast that with the wishful posts so many have made that talk about consoles not even remotely related to the console OUYA has announced! Obviously, the console people are investing in, and the console people *think* they are investing in are two entirely different things. Tsk. Tsk. Caveat Emptor.
The thing seems to have no disk drive...it has one GB system ram and 8GB's flash storage--can you say "Internet connection required"? Can you say "tablet/phone games' platform" If you can, you can say, "Ouch!" (or was it OUYA?)
OUYA says, "We've packed this little box full of power."
I'm waiting on the "power" part. Where is it?
Actually, it looks like this thing is going to require some kind of much more expensive set-top box to go along with it. It's hard to say--never have I seen so many words saying so little. This is actually amazing.
I'm sure Kyle remembers "Phantom"...
(Who could forget?) Even they didn't have the balls to take the scam public--only people losing money there were the people who could afford to lose it and made a business out of investing in risky projects. That's not what I'm seeing in these comments on OUYA site, however. Most of the comments are very naive and inexperienced. For instance:Extras?
More extras asked for.
This guy wants extras, too, and a Linux desktop:
It's kind of sad when people write "Tegra3+1GB RAM" = "powerful hardware." For a cell phone, maybe? My 3-year old graphics card ($150 when new) would eat that thing for lunch in terms of "power."
This quote sums it up as the "Rise and Fall of Ouya":
IMHO, 99.9% of the people pledging money for this have no idea what it actually takes to design and market a successful commercial console. Even with all of the success of PS2 behind it--years of success and billions of $ made from hardware and software sales--PS3 has been an uphill fight all the way for Sony. Sony is still fighting for the PS3 platform.
Of course, as with so many projects laying claim to "open source" as the product's redeeming feature, the illusion is that the software for this thing, if any is ever written, will be "free" because it is "open Source." Because people really do believe (well, some people, anyway) that software developers are chomping at the bit to write software for which they will not be paid. Yes, that dirty Microsoft and Sony are holding back the industry by forcing developers to accept pay for projects they'd much prefer to do for free!
Stuff like this just cannot be made up. Imagine--trying to sell a cheap, no-name gaming console in advance as though it was a social revolution...
Only the very young might ever believe it for a split second. But as of a few moments ago, there were $2.5M-worth of dummies lining up to do that!Hint: is there some problem with cutting off the funding at the ~$950,000 the Kickstarter has asked for? Is there a problem with waiting to see what these people do with that before committing to more funds? Apparently there is, which just goes to prove that the people throwing money at this project are not investors themselves--they are treating it as an excursion to the mall--they spend more $$$ and they get more console for their money. Trouble is, the OUYA developers have said nothing at all about that.
Just look at what the OUYA developers have said the console will consist of (quoted above), and then contrast that with the wishful posts so many have made that talk about consoles not even remotely related to the console OUYA has announced! Obviously, the console people are investing in, and the console people *think* they are investing in are two entirely different things. Tsk. Tsk. Caveat Emptor.
Dr. Righteous
2[H]4U
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2007
- Messages
- 3,163
Wow, Wow, Wow.
And Android is; dare I say it? ............................... L i n u x
Will the haters now admit that Linux has a place in this world now? That's right; your latest gaming console.
And Android is; dare I say it? ............................... L i n u x
Will the haters now admit that Linux has a place in this world now? That's right; your latest gaming console.
soulman901
Gawd
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2004
- Messages
- 642
Now that I know just how many suckers are lining up to throw money at Kickstarter, I'm going to get very busy concocting my own scam...
The thing seems to have no disk drive...it has one GB system ram and 8GB's flash storage--can you say "Internet connection required"? Can you say "tablet/phone games' platform" If you can, you can say, "Ouch!" (or was it OUYA?)
OUYA says, "We've packed this little box full of power."
I'm waiting on the "power" part. Where is it?
Actually, it looks like this thing is going to require some kind of much more expensive set-top box to go along with it. It's hard to say--never have I seen so many words saying so little. This is actually amazing.
I'm sure Kyle remembers "Phantom"...
Extras?
More extras asked for.
This guy wants extras, too, and a Linux desktop:
It's kind of sad when people write "Tegra3+1GB RAM" = "powerful hardware." For a cell phone, maybe? My 3-year old graphics card ($150 when new) would eat that thing for lunch in terms of "power."
This quote sums it up as the "Rise and Fall of Ouya":
IMHO, 99.9% of the people pledging money for this have no idea what it actually takes to design and market a successful commercial console. Even with all of the success of PS2 behind it--years of success and billions of $ made from hardware and software sales--PS3 has been an uphill fight all the way for Sony. Sony is still fighting for the PS3 platform.
Of course, as with so many projects laying claim to "open source" as the product's redeeming feature, the illusion is that the software for this thing, if any is ever written, will be "free" because it is "open Source." Because people really do believe (well, some people, anyway) that software developers are chomping at the bit to write software for which they will not be paid. Yes, that dirty Microsoft and Sony are holding back the industry by forcing developers to accept pay for projects they'd much prefer to do for free!
Stuff like this just cannot be made up. Imagine--trying to sell a cheap, no-name gaming console in advance as though it was a social revolution...
Hint: is there some problem with cutting off the funding at the ~$950,000 the Kickstarter has asked for? Is there a problem with waiting to see what these people do with that before committing to more funds? Apparently there is, which just goes to prove that the people throwing money at this project are not investors themselves--they are treating it as an excursion to the mall--they spend more $$$ and they get more console for their money. Trouble is, the OUYA developers have said nothing at all about that.
Just look at what the OUYA developers have said the console will consist of (quoted above), and then contrast that with the wishful posts so many have made that talk about consoles not even remotely related to the console OUYA has announced! Obviously, the console people are investing in, and the console people *think* they are investing in are two entirely different things. Tsk. Tsk. Caveat Emptor.
Actually for something like this, the goals and pricing are reasonable which is why I threw $100 at it. Xbox and PS3 and Wii are still out of reach for many people and something like this would put a console within their grasp that can play new games on without having to buy a tablet that doesn't have the same power or a phone which will end up costing them more. Plus the games will be much cheaper due to it's model of doing away with the retail space and publishing fees although I would think they need to charge at least 10% - 15% for paid content to generate revenue to continue operations which is fine by me.
If $50 is too much for a controller, just hook your PC up to your tv. Most TVs have VGA in, and you can get a VGA card, or on a laptop 90% of the time you already have a VGA port. Then get a $15 saitek controller, and you're golden. Max cost $40. Now, if you must have a dedicated box for your TV, then fine it might be worth it. Still you're going to get to play Angry Birds or Battleheart or fortunes of war or other mediocre games...hooray!
Hornet
Supreme [H]ardness
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18,873 Backers
$2,358,115
I'm curious as to what people expect out of it.
Don't get me wrong, I have supported some Kickstarter project where the outcome is definitive, like a video game for example, you know what you're getting.
But as far as a video game console is concern, wouldn't its success actually depends on the game devs supporting it?
I don't even care about the gaming potential. It looks like it would be a sweet media playback/emulation dedicated box.
By the way, do not underestimate the "poor people" market. There is a very large population of people that cannot afford things like an Xbox + wireless adapter + live subscription + $60 games. That crap adds up fast.
Something like this is great for a low income family gaming wise. Lots of comments here just scream "first world, middle class problems".
By the way, do not underestimate the "poor people" market. There is a very large population of people that cannot afford things like an Xbox + wireless adapter + live subscription + $60 games. That crap adds up fast.
Something like this is great for a low income family gaming wise. Lots of comments here just scream "first world, middle class problems".
mojang, inxile, and semi secret to start off with. Their games may not be hardcore but a shit load of people still player them, so that rubric is kind of meaningless.
cappyboats
Limp Gawd
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- 146
I'd be really surprised if anyone got more than a Raspberry PI stuffed into a cardboard box.
Not buying it at all.
Not buying it at all.
Developers, developers, developers, developers!
Ashbringer
Supreme [H]ardness
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I don't anyone expects it to out perform anything. Though be careful, next generation Xbox 360 will likely be using an ARM processor. Also traditionally game consoles never came with the latest graphics and cpu technology. They came with whatever is the most cost effective. You want the latest graphics on a TV then just hook up a PC to your TV.
Actually, according to rumors there are going to be two iterations of the Xbox.
One powered by ARM meant to be a media hub type device (like the OUYA/AppleTV) that will be cheap and made for casual games and media streaming.
Some time after this there is going to be a full fledged Xbox 720 using higher end hardware.
All makes sense if you think about it because if Microsoft was designing only ONE console powered by ARM this would be quite pointless as the CURRECT Xbox 360 would still be a lot powerful. Plus, you really think a ARM based console would be powerful enough to run all these next-gen engines/games?
Even running Tegra 4 it would still be slower...not to mention the fact that they are already working on the design most likely using hardware that's already out.
Viper87227
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Well, I've already got an HTPC, so i've got a computer hooked to my TV anyway. For those that don't though, anything beyond a laptop seems silly, and a laptop has the same problem as a phone, that being that 1.) its not a dedicated box and 2.) its not designed to be navigated start-to-finish with a controller from my couch.
I've got a handful of emulators on my HTPC and I never use them, because I have to rely on having a mouse to launch the emulator, roms, etc. I can't do it with a remote or controller, and I don't want to keep a mouse hooked up to that PC just for that purpose. I also don't want to have to stand around near the TV and fiddle with it to launch games. If this thing ends up capable of being a 100% controller operated emulator box, for $100 I wouldn't think twice.
I'm not backing the project, I do have my reservations, but I see it's potential in a world where convenience comes at a premium. Once it out, if development takes off, I'll get one. The cost is not a concern, only the content.
mastaBlasta
Gawd
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If you were right then smartphones would have about as much of a user base as cellphones back in the 80s. You would see iphones about as often as you see ferraris. But the opposite is true, and apparently lots of people can afford $100/month data plans.
I don't think this console idea is fully thought out. Sounds like a bunch of guys got together in a room and went like "man if I could make my own console, I'd put this and this in it, and it'd be like totally awesome, and I could plug my toaster in it and make toast from my smartphone, and watch the bread change color right on the tv. We should do it brah, we should totally just do it!"
D
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MavericK
Zero Cool
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Wow, Wow, Wow.
And Android is; dare I say it? ............................... L i n u x
Will the haters now admit that Linux has a place in this world now? That's right; your latest gaming console.
Ehh....I would say that Android is Linux in about the same capacity as OSX is Unix. Maybe slightly moreso, but have someone use Linux and then use Android and see how similar they think they are.
serpretetsky
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that doesn't really make sense, android IS linux. What do you mean? Have someone use a bash terminal and then try android? I mean... then you're still not using linux i guess, then you're just comparing it to a bash terminal.Ehh....I would say that Android is Linux in about the same capacity as OSX is Unix. Maybe slightly moreso, but have someone use Linux and then use Android and see how similar they think they are.
Have someone compile just the linux kernel and nothing else with it? Yeah, you would have a completely unusable system. I suppose that would be pretty different from android.
SkribbelKat
Supreme [H]ardness
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Ehh....I would say that Android is Linux in about the same capacity as OSX is Unix. Maybe slightly moreso, but have someone use Linux and then use Android and see how similar they think they are.
A kernel...
is a kernel...
is a kernel...
right?
Android is not Linux, it's just a Java based user-land actually. Android uses the Linux kernel but it is not "GNU/Linux", which is laymen for Linux. "GNU" encompasses all of the user-land tools (ie. bash) and glibc. Yes, just using "Linux" when referring to the Desktop OS is politically incorrect but it's easier to say it (Stallman can kiss my ass about semantics), and it sounds better too. Linus doesn't like calling his kernel "GNU/Linux" either.
They've fought over that a few times.
Krenum
Fully [H]
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Wow, Wow, Wow.
And Android is; dare I say it? ............................... L i n u x
Will the haters now admit that Linux has a place in this world now? That's right; your latest gaming console.
PS3 Ran off a version of Linux. It has for a while now.
Master [H]
2[H]4U
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OK...with the 3 million that they've now made I see NO reason why this thing now can't have more storage/RAM.
They have no excuse now to not have more.
But it won't happen and the CEO will now mysteriously own a new Porsche.
Already starting to dislike this company based on my assumption that'll become fact.
They have no excuse now to not have more.
But it won't happen and the CEO will now mysteriously own a new Porsche.
Already starting to dislike this company based on my assumption that'll become fact.
SkribbelKat
Supreme [H]ardness
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I kinda doubt that it'll take even one million to open a Google Nexus 7 and move the circuit board into a case that doesn't have a screen so yeah, new cars for the CEO.
Every company will SAY this but the number that actually listen to any suggestion is slim to none. They just want people to FEEL like they might make a difference or that they're part of the "process".
They have their design both externally and internally finalized I'm sure and none of it will change no matter how much money they have or how many suggestions are made for the same thing.
You have to remember...this is a company created to make money, as all companies are...so if they don't ABSOLUTELY have to change anything to meet their original design goals they aren't going too.
What this Kickstarter WILL help with is moving the company to larger and more expensive offices and will help make FAT bonus checks for the people in charge and slight raises for everyone else.
If you don't like the hardware as it is and hope that Kickstarter will help change this you're in for a rude awakening.
awsiemieniec
Gawd
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Add poll:
By the time the Days To Go expires, how much funding will the Ouya project have been pledged?
A: $5M
B: $7M
C: $10M
D: > $10M
I'm in the B category myself. My kids mostly play the Wii for Netflix. I'm interested in that part (Media playback) alone. It puts it as a competitor to the Roku, and others.
By the time the Days To Go expires, how much funding will the Ouya project have been pledged?
A: $5M
B: $7M
C: $10M
D: > $10M
I'm in the B category myself. My kids mostly play the Wii for Netflix. I'm interested in that part (Media playback) alone. It puts it as a competitor to the Roku, and others.
I'd say its more of the latter with the way things are going
you do realize that that money is people paying for the product and not just free money, correct? They can't just add specs or they'll go bankrupt because the cost of the device will cost more than what they sold it for. I really, really hate people that talk out of their ass.
serpretetsky
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do you mean in the same way that debian/fedora/gentoo are also not linux? I'm not being sarcastic, i'm just claryfing.Android is not Linux, it's just a Java based user-land actually. Android uses the Linux kernel but it is not "GNU/Linux", which is laymen for Linux. "GNU" encompasses all of the user-land tools (ie. bash) and glibc. Yes, just using "Linux" when referring to the Desktop OS is politically incorrect but it's easier to say it (Stallman can kiss my ass about semantics), and it sounds better too. Linus doesn't like calling his kernel "GNU/Linux" either.