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GCW Zero - new retrogaming open source handheld!
- Thread starter Vitacat
- Start date
What??? GCW = Game Consoles Worldwide. It's the company name. So his IRC handle is the company name. Not the other way around.
I think you press Start+Select for menus. Also, this device is not using Android. Please read the OP for details.
KS now over $124K.
SnakeSlashRO
Banned
Wow this device has really been taking off the last 4 days!
Fess
Member
Seeing this many devices supported without cartridge slots or disk drives makes me question if this thing is legal? How can we know that the original game creators and hardware manufacturers will get credited or funded? Is there a Virtual Console type of shop with licence fees for the devs where they choose which games should be available etc? or is the plan to just let everyone create their own ROM dumps without any way to check if they're just downloading ROMs from the internet?
clay_ghost
Member
? All devices of these kind have no checks. part of the resons they are so popular sadly......
Fess
Member
That's what I thought. I would rather have a store to buy the games legally, and in the case of slow releases(aka Virtual Console) an external device with lots of connectors for cartridge units and disk drives. I have plenty of the supported hardwares and love these types of games but I don't have any ROM dump device, just a bunch of cartridges and diskettes. Basically a worthless piece of hardware for people like myself. There are zero games for it. :/
Edit: Actually, now that I think about it. Isn't it wrong to lure people into donating for the device by running demos of Super Metroid and Castlevania IV etc when the cost of actually getting these games onto the device legally is like 10 times or more getting them on something like Virtual Console?
Fredrik & clay_ghost,
This device is not right for you guys. Please move on.
You bet! KS is now over $127K!
This device is not right for you guys. Please move on.
You bet! KS is now over $127K!
lunchwithyuzo
Banned
Fuck Virtual Console, I pledged to this thing last week.
Fess
Member
I'm a retro nerd and this is said to be a retro gaming handheld, how is this not a device for me?
The only problem is that they assume that you either already have all the equipment to make ROM dumps or that you're a pirate. Awful assumptipn if you're going after the retro lovers imo. They could atkeast preinstall the games they show demos of. Launch it as s 30-in-1 retro gaming device, kind of like the C64DTV, and leave it open for hacking or adding external devices to get other games on it.
Marty Chinn
Member
I really hope Killer Instinct runs well on it. I would love to have a portable version of it. I love having the arcade board but I hate having to hook up the HDD all the time. I also fear the day the HDD dies. I would love if someone would post a video of it.
Are you truly interested in getting a GCW Zero, or are you just trying to make a point about legality of ROM usage et al?
This device is what it is. If it's not right for you then don't buy one. Otherwise please don't use this thread to argue about ROM ethics etc. Thank you.
Ask the Youtube guy who posts the challenge videos, Nick Nillo (i.e. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3GJKDj85b0). Maybe he'll do a KI one for you. Only thing is that I don't think the MAME port is optimized yet for the GCW Zero, so even if KI runs it could take some time before it runs at good speeds. But I really don't know.
The guy is right though. This device would clearly be better if it were 2 ft deep and $700 to accommodate all the extra media interfaces and with a $400 a month subscription fee to be paid to every software publisher in existence just in case the user is downloading evil, evil ROMs so they get the royalties they deserve.
Otherwise this handheld has just no value at all to TRUE retro gamers like him.
Otherwise this handheld has just no value at all to TRUE retro gamers like him.
GCW announced its first indie game developer, SeattleTek. Their game Beast & Blades is coming to GCW Zero!
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects...rce-gaming-handheld/posts/390361?ref=activity
http://www.seattletek.com/beastsnblades.html
See a video of the Android version of the game here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my8LVAJSDSI
OMG, LOL
And Tom Baker is THE Doctor. =)
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects...rce-gaming-handheld/posts/390361?ref=activity
http://www.seattletek.com/beastsnblades.html
See a video of the Android version of the game here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my8LVAJSDSI
OMG, LOL
And Tom Baker is THE Doctor. =)
Then stop being so fucking dense about what this handheld is made and marketed for.
I'm hoping this thing gets popular enough that the emulation quality can improve to get closer to PC level of accuracy. I'm not really expecting bsnes to run on it, but at least a newer version of SNES9x should be possible. 1.53 is pretty close to bsnes accuracy-wise except for a few edge cases. I can run that on my 4s with SNES9x Ex+, which recently came out, though some special chip games don't run fullspeed with 0 frameskip.
I'm not sure how good pico drive is accuracy wise, but maybe someone will port Genesis Plus GX, which is the best open source 16bit Sega emulator. I see that gambatte has a Dingux port, which is the most accurate GB/GBC emulator around. I wonder if that supports per game color palletes like the PC version.
I'm not sure how good pico drive is accuracy wise, but maybe someone will port Genesis Plus GX, which is the best open source 16bit Sega emulator. I see that gambatte has a Dingux port, which is the most accurate GB/GBC emulator around. I wonder if that supports per game color palletes like the PC version.
clay_ghost
Member
=( I was just telling him what I think.still semi interested in the devices but its not my priority now. Can I stay =)
MvmntInGrn
Member
Met its Kickstarter goal. Great news!
Ah sorry, meant to say Linux. This does look a lot better than the Dingoo I tried last year.
thechristoph
Sir!
You're getting a device, not software.
Blue Submarine No. 6
Member
Noisepurge
Member
GCW will probably form out to be the company name, as it is, and we will be calling it just the "Zero". And i'll get a black one. You should see my Dingoo, it's in shambles and a white colour would probably make it twice as skanky
also YES, made it!
cyberheater
PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 Xbone PS4 PS4
Looks like it's funded. Well done 
clay_ghost
Member
Great job. May buy after it officially goes on sales next time,especially if there is an good n64 emulator 
thechristoph
Sir!
I am officially stoked. I checked the kick starter page first thing when I got to work and let out a big YES!
BronsonLee
Member
Dingoo spiritual successor? Nice.
Fess
Member
I just think it's annoying and a missed opportunity if they only go after the crowd that already have the games on their PCs, the hardware looks great but having a digital download shop or a solution to load old carts/disks to it would truly make it the ultimate retro handheld for every retro lover. But the modding scene will probably fix it so maybe I shouldn't be so negative.
Most of the emulators for the Zero thing are just continuations of ones that people already developed for various Dingoo devices, so ROM dumping hardware or lack thereof is a completely separate issue that existed well before this device launched. There are hardware soutions for that, if you care to look.
Apart from that, most of the homebrew games for Dingoo are freeware or donationware. It's really a machine for tinkerers, hobbyists, and emulation enthusiasts, not a new handheld launch for the general public.
Marty Chinn
Member
How do you propose they do this though? Are you talking about them having to go and make licensing deals with Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, EA, Activision, and every other publisher in existence?
Are there any lighter/smaller handhelds like this in existence or coming out?
The Gameboy Micro caught my interest at 80g, but I think the ability to save/load states is essential to true mobile gaming. The Xperia Play is at 175g, and the Dingoo is at 110. But I hear the Dingoo has some issues so I'm wary about dropping about $90 for it.
The Gameboy Micro caught my interest at 80g, but I think the ability to save/load states is essential to true mobile gaming. The Xperia Play is at 175g, and the Dingoo is at 110. But I hear the Dingoo has some issues so I'm wary about dropping about $90 for it.
Honestly, once the first stretch goal is met, and every system comes with USB support, couldn't the retrode theoretically be made to work with it? That would satisfy your concerns about piracy by allowing you to load your own carts directly into the system's memory.
gingerbeardman
Member
I'm totally into the concept and the device, but I have concerns about the software and apps.
Hmm, I can't put it into words too well. I just worry that the general level of the software isn't going to be good enough to make the device shine.
The blog says they're still working on TV out, Mass Storage and so much more, not to mention the various emulators at varying levels of "competition". Yet the device going to be with backers by March.
The device is only going to be as good as the scene around it and - despite great results on Kickstarter - is a user base of 1,000 devices really going to keep all the developers interested enough so that they stick around?
Plus, there have still been no answers to questions aboutimport charges and many other outstanding matters, which leaves me concerned.
Am I thinking about this too much?
Hmm, I can't put it into words too well. I just worry that the general level of the software isn't going to be good enough to make the device shine.
The blog says they're still working on TV out, Mass Storage and so much more, not to mention the various emulators at varying levels of "competition". Yet the device going to be with backers by March.
The device is only going to be as good as the scene around it and - despite great results on Kickstarter - is a user base of 1,000 devices really going to keep all the developers interested enough so that they stick around?
Plus, there have still been no answers to questions aboutimport charges and many other outstanding matters, which leaves me concerned.
Am I thinking about this too much?
I would assume so.
Fess
Member
It's probably tricky, but Nintendo managed to get games for all important platforms on VC and they're always finding ways to not spend money ;P Nintendo's own games is another story though, I don't think they're too keen on helping a potential competitor with something like this. Just a thought thugh, the awesome C64DTV can be modded to accept an orginal 1541 diskdrive without too much hassle, not the same thing but the idea to get emulated hardware to accept original game disks is pretty awesome imo. That's somethng I would gladly fund. Maybe a universal reader device with exchangable cartridge slot adapters in different sizes and shapes plus disk drive ports would work?
Fess
Member
That's a great idea! Perfect solution. Is there an universal device for Commodore drives too? If so I might go from mr negative to actually funding this thing
The graphic would be misleading then. You can't go down all the pipes at once.
Isn't the support already there anyway? The streach goals are just to have the adapter/HDMI cable included in the purchase price instead of being things you purchase seperately.
True enough.
The Mini HDMI cable would only cost them what $2 each or something at most? Same with the adapter and the pouch? They are only at about 1000 systems right now and if they hit the streach goals they will be at what 1200, 1500 systems? There's more then enough money to pay for all 3 with each approx 25k streach goal.
Ruud_Luiten
Member
dingoo is awesome, some batches are bad though...
For handheld retro gaming there's Dingoo and Gemei variants, GP2X/GPWiz/Caanoo, Pandora (higher end), Game Gadget (Blaze's ultra fail entry from last year), Neo Geo X (which by now is probably hacked completely open), and a whole bunch of Android devices from JXD, Yinglips etc. There's also the Revo K101 which is a GBA hardware clone rather than an emulation device. And of course GBA/DS flashcards, PSP custom firmware.
I'll probably pass on the Kickstarter campaign, but I'll pick one of these up if the platform manages to build up a decent install base and decent support. I do wish this thing had more of a gaming-centric interface, though. I couldn't care less to having icons for a clock and a terminal on the menu of a gaming device, personally.
gingerbeardman
Member
I guess the difference is this thing will run its own apps, not just games. So you Nat be able to control the icons. As long as the nerdy (I day that as a programmer myself) stuff isn't forced upon us. I'll probably also wait to see if support pans out.