Fine Ham Abounds
Member
Well, I guess we've just moved from indie game development to indie console development. I'm not sure where else things go from here.
No kidding.
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GameStick - $79 2" Inch portable Android console. Rival to Ouya.
- Thread starter Card Boy
- Start date
Well, I guess we've just moved from indie game development to indie console development. I'm not sure where else things go from here.
No kidding.
DidntKnowJack
Member
Can't wait to grab my Game Stick and hit the P button.
flyinpiranha
Member
Yeah, I agree for the most part but that doesn't deter from the fact that console sales are better than they have ever been and at a higher price point (altogether over 220 million consoles sold and that's not including handhelds and last gen like PS2 that continued to sell well into this gen). Regarding 3DS and Vita I think their issues are more consumer awareness than anything. But I won't discount other gaming mediums like iOS/Android either, for sure. Same with the Wii U to be honest.
It's tough to say, economic climate, games availability and pricing ... it's really tough to say. If everybody had a job would there have been more consoles under the tree this year? I'm guessing, probably.
But there are so many factors at play and so many different ways to play games that I assume that there must be some crossover ... but at the same time there are more gamers out there than ever before so while it may look like one medium is being cannibalized it may be that the medium isn't offering what it used to for the price it used to and people are finding different ways to enjoy a hobby. With that it's not so much that people don't want a Vita or a 3DS or a Wii U, it's that they've priced themselves out of the market of what people want to spend and were used to spending.
I refuse to believe there is a viable patent for button labeling. I don't even know if a copyright would hold up.
Still, though, if you're going to do non-traditional button labels, why not just N(orth) S(outh) E(east) W(est), or up arrow, down arrow, left arrow, right arrow. Something intuitive.
Still, though, if you're going to do non-traditional button labels, why not just N(orth) S(outh) E(east) W(est), or up arrow, down arrow, left arrow, right arrow. Something intuitive.
Apparent Kickstarter "Android stick gaming platform" trend is companies try to find old-gen Android sticks from China. Use Kickstarter to backlog preorders and funds. Order items from China, install own android firmware hack with few custom apps, call it a day. Why always cheap last-season China sticks? They want to leave a cost headroom for controller accessory.
You can find similar sticks from 50-100$ just be CPU/GPU wise. Most cheap and Gamestick uses very old Mali400@Dualcore. Put your minimum to Mali400@Quadcore. It wont take long until Mali600 android sticks are available or go for Tegra3 today.
This is just one example and similar China sticks who knows how many is available.
iMito MX1 A4.1, 1GB RAM, 8GB Flash, CPU Rockchip A9@1.6Ghz, GPU Mali400@Quad-core, Bluetooth, wlan, GooglePlay certified.
Interesting but more like RaspberryPI hacker concept from South-Korea. They use good Samsung chipset and something like this with embedded wlan+bluetooth+case would be a quality alternative for China boards.
ODROID-U2 A4.1 (or Ubuntu), 2GB RAM, MicroSD slot (use any card you like), CPU Samsung Exynos4412 Prime@1.7GHz quadcore, GPU Mali400@440 quadcore.
My take is OUYA currently tries to deliver best hardware in current Android-game-console race. They have Tegra3 which is very good mobile chipset, way better embedded GPU than Mali400@Dualcore. Gamestick should atleast go for Mali@Quadcore SoCs (System-on-Chip) but they want to target too low price point.
All Androids support standard bluetooth gaming controller, you can even register PS3 dualshock controller. I use one when playing oldskool emulator games in my Android tablet. GreenThrottle controllers are available to any Android even Gamestick. It's not locked to their own Android Game Store service.
I don't like the idea of having separate GameStore, I want my purchase to be registered in Google Play store. None I believe offers a dual registration system. What if I buy better Tegra4/Mali600 hardware this summer or manufacturer stops running the app service? Apps registered in Google Play backlog would always be available to my gmail account. So be careful in Kickstart scene not everything glittering is gold.
You can find similar sticks from 50-100$ just be CPU/GPU wise. Most cheap and Gamestick uses very old Mali400@Dualcore. Put your minimum to Mali400@Quadcore. It wont take long until Mali600 android sticks are available or go for Tegra3 today.
This is just one example and similar China sticks who knows how many is available.
iMito MX1 A4.1, 1GB RAM, 8GB Flash, CPU Rockchip A9@1.6Ghz, GPU Mali400@Quad-core, Bluetooth, wlan, GooglePlay certified.
Interesting but more like RaspberryPI hacker concept from South-Korea. They use good Samsung chipset and something like this with embedded wlan+bluetooth+case would be a quality alternative for China boards.
ODROID-U2 A4.1 (or Ubuntu), 2GB RAM, MicroSD slot (use any card you like), CPU Samsung Exynos4412 Prime@1.7GHz quadcore, GPU Mali400@440 quadcore.
My take is OUYA currently tries to deliver best hardware in current Android-game-console race. They have Tegra3 which is very good mobile chipset, way better embedded GPU than Mali400@Dualcore. Gamestick should atleast go for Mali@Quadcore SoCs (System-on-Chip) but they want to target too low price point.
All Androids support standard bluetooth gaming controller, you can even register PS3 dualshock controller. I use one when playing oldskool emulator games in my Android tablet. GreenThrottle controllers are available to any Android even Gamestick. It's not locked to their own Android Game Store service.
I don't like the idea of having separate GameStore, I want my purchase to be registered in Google Play store. None I believe offers a dual registration system. What if I buy better Tegra4/Mali600 hardware this summer or manufacturer stops running the app service? Apps registered in Google Play backlog would always be available to my gmail account. So be careful in Kickstart scene not everything glittering is gold.
I'm interested in that Archos unit. It's should work as a great Rom box for my emu's. Could also be a great Streaming/Media player and best of all it has access to Google Play. If it has bluetooth connectivity like most android devices it should offer more controller options than the one it comes with, like a Wiimote/Classic Controller, Nyko's Playpad, and the iCade/8-bitty.
AgentP
Thinks mods influence posters politics. Promoted to QAnon Editor.
That is true for just about every labeling scheme. Besides compass labeling (which most morons don't even know), what is intuitive? hit "B" quickly, don't look down! At least primitives like squares and triangles are culture independent.
Trogdor1123
Member
omg if this is where gaming is going...
No they don't. Their controller has B on the right and X on the left. His suggestion is reversed.
Requires HDMI+ I think its called, and only modern recent TVs have them. If you have an HDTV thats more than a year old you are probably out of luck.
Supermanisdead
Member
Looks pretty cool actually. I'd get this over an Ouya for emulator games. I like the style of that controller, but PLAY = LOL. Please fix that.
My HDTV is maybe 2 years old at this point, idk if it can run power through HDMI, but hopefully there's a mini USB wire as well for power.
My HDTV is maybe 2 years old at this point, idk if it can run power through HDMI, but hopefully there's a mini USB wire as well for power.
Dynamite Ringo Matsuri
Member
Damn. A system in a device the size of a USB stick? This would have blown my god damned mind 10 years ago
Quoting for emphasis.
At that point, this thing is only slightly more appealing than its no-name Chinese coutnerparts on DealExtreme. Why bother?
CrunchyFrog
Member
makes me wonder why noone has tried the compass rose, N S E W. Simple and intuitive *runs to patent office*
You could do the compass letters, simply arrows (up down left right), or even letters in place of directions - U D L R. That of course assumes a DS style diamond layout. Plus, free poor-man's d-pad thrown in when you explicitly base the buttons on directions.
If you didn't want to do arrows in the style of -> for right, you could also do four triangles pointing in the direction of the button, so |> for right.
CorySchmitz
Junior Member
Should've made the buttons like this lol. Innovation.
Not that I expect this micro-console to take off, but people got used to shapes on the Playstation controller buttons and those are even less intuitive.
EDIT: Beaten of course
I got the system in 1996, just under a year after it launched. I remember it taking me at least a week to get square and circle straight without second guessing myself.
Freshmaker
I am Korean.
why are these "consoles" a new thing in kickstarter :E
China is full of these already:
Because the internet is full of idiots who instead of doing any research, plop down $20-60 on an idea so that lazy greedslobs can then resell these Chinese sticks for 2x their actual value to the people who already donated money to them for the privilege of being taken even more.
Demoncarnotaur
Member
That controller looks awful.
Anyways, Ouya may be interesting, I hope things turn out for it.. as for this, I bet its a rushed cash in on Ouya's success, so I have no care for it. That said, if more machines pop up like this I bet it will mean more android games with controller support.
Anyways, Ouya may be interesting, I hope things turn out for it.. as for this, I bet its a rushed cash in on Ouya's success, so I have no care for it. That said, if more machines pop up like this I bet it will mean more android games with controller support.
Supermanisdead
Member
well, something like this or ouya will be more well-known and have support of devs and customer support. final fantasy 3 is already being worked for ouya controller and we could possibly see more support if it does well.
How is that different than playing any other major console for the first time?
I think this will kill it early...
Noisepurge
Member
but Ouya is way different, they custom built that thing and have atleast planned a release structure for the games. Games have to be made for Ouya. This and the chinese USB Android PC's are just mobile hardware without anything custom.
Ouya has a browser and other media capabilities along with new games
(i dunno, i did not pre-order one)
Freshmaker
I am Korean.
Ouya is different since they actually put effort into this.
The other thing is just someone asking for cash so they can buy cheap Chinese hardware then resell it at double the price to the people that put up the money for their initial investment.
Supporting the latter is beyond stupid.
Haunted
Member
Ticks?
Sick-T?
While your excited i will just plug my S3 into my tv with a HDMI adaptor and laugh
Supermanisdead
Member
like a 150 million other people, i already have a ps2 and have played most games that interested me.
This.
The only people who would buy a ps2 in 2013 is someone who stays in a growing economy.
OUYA is a real thing with real expertise and real money behind it. (The Kickstarter was just a brand building exercise, their capital is coming from investors.) These Android sticks are a dime a dozen. And according to what I've read, none of them are as useful, durable or functional as the advertising would have you believe.
Pretty much. The business model is basically just using kickstarter to build up a bulk order for these cheap ass Chinese sticks.
CosmicQueso
Member
While you're spending whatever money you are on your S3 (much more than $99 I'm sure), I'll just pick up my $99 OUYA and plug it into my tv and laugh right back at you.
Your point is?
Freshmaker
I am Korean.
The gamestick is a POS version.
Heres a demo of it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=uw9YJIIw1e8
One of the prototypes has power being supplied through the USB port on the back of the TV. He even goes through the UI and loads up Shadowgun which seems to have very little load times and lag.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=uw9YJIIw1e8
One of the prototypes has power being supplied through the USB port on the back of the TV. He even goes through the UI and loads up Shadowgun which seems to have very little load times and lag.
Please elaborate, I'm really curious how you came to this definitive conclusion.
Freshmaker
I am Korean.
Fits the general model. Mass produced Chinese stick, offers nothing new. There's no real plan behind it other than raising funds to buy enough from China to fill orders.
It's just a cash grab.
hah, as soon as he said that lightbulb went off for me too! *runs faster*
ipukespiders
Member
I have an android phone, but only a couple of apps (and none of them are games). How does the android market handle multiple devices? If I buy a game, can I use it on all devices that it is compatible on? If so, at the same time?
efyu_lemonardo
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the firmware would have a built-in interrupt that forces you to stop playing and bitch on the forums once an hour