Topic: OUYA—alternative console

[Abnormal Freak]

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ouya/ouya-a-new-kind-of-video-game-console

There's been a lot of buzz for this and it sounds fascinating. They already have close to $2.5 million raised, which is ridiculous considering this Kickstarter project hasn't been up for very long; I last looked at what was raised just nine hours ago and it's already gone up a whole million.

I'm not sure I'll donate anything to the Kickstarter project. It's $99 to have an early, pre-release console, which sounds tempting, but I gotta know just what kinda support this thing will get. With that kind of money raised so far, I'm sure a lot of developers, indie devs especially, will be all over this thing, especially since they don't have to pay any licensing fees. But it could end up being thousands of quality games that I just don't personally care to play. So it's probably safer I wait and see how things go.

I'm also curious what the commercial price will be, if it'll be any lower or about the same. If I can get this thing cheaper, all the better.

The promise of allowing hackers to do whatever the hell they want with the system sounds promising. Hopefully there will be a community similar to WiiBrew where lots of cool emulators and such are developed. This sounds like it could be the ultimate classic gaming machine if done right.

Oh, and game content will be largely free to play. Imagine that means this'll be a download-only console.

[Aridale]

sounds epic! when it gets closer to happenin Ill prolly do the 99$ one. Even if it tanks its still an open android based hd console with standard controls thats completely hackable. At worst itll be the best emu console ever

[Inccubus]

Seems pretty damn cool. I think I'll get in on this. Being android based is pretty convenient too since my preferred SDK is GM Studio and it has an Android module. At the very least I'll make a 99$ pledge so I can get the console.

[uzo]

1080p resolution, high quality wireless controller, and touch controls, all for only 99$?

I feel bad for laughing but I'll believe it when I see it. The technology for that stuff isn't THAT cheap yet.

[Inccubus]

That's not the cost of the console. Only a limited number will be available to those that pledge 99$ to their kickstarter. Plus the technologies you mentioned are already existing technologies and probably less expensive than you might think from a manufacturing point of view.

[Abnormal Freak]

It sounds like they're using components that have significantly gone down in price within the last half-year or so. The commercial product probably on't be any more than $100.

In the video, one of the key designers talks about making technology readily available to people and at a low price, and mentions a $100 laptop he helped design.

[Ratty]

Final Fantasy 3 remake a Ouya launch title.
http://gamingillustrated.com/square-enix-announces-final-fantasy-iii-as-ouya-launch-title/

Kind of an odd choice, but I'm just going to assume Square were planning the remake anyway and it won't stay exclusive to the Ouya for very long. I've had the DS version for a few years and played about 15 hours of it before losing the cart for a while and never starting back. It's pretty good for an 8bit RPG story but won't blow you away.

[Inccubus]

Getting a Squenix title is a big win for OUYA, but I doubt it'll be anything more than a port of the PSP version with enhanced graphics. Those fuckers need to give the 3D treatment to FF5 & FF6 already. That'd be waaay cooler.

[DragonSlayr81]

Getting a Squenix title is a big win for OUYA, but I doubt it'll be anything more than a port of the PSP version with enhanced graphics. Those fuckers need to give the 3D treatment to FF5 & FF6 already. That'd be waaay cooler.

^^^ This! Soooo this. I'd kill for a FFV and FFVI 3D remake. Hell, I'd kill even MORE for an HD remake of those games.

[Arma]

And they said it's gonna be the size of a Rubik's cube so it's like a home console with the size of a handheld, or smaller actually.
The idea sounds interesting. I certainly don't like to play videogames on my tablet, only someone with rubber fingers and wrists of steel could reach the controls comfortably and play for a long time holding a heavy tablet so a device that allows to play all that stuff on the tv with a more comfortable gamepad sounds better, there are couple of games I would like to try and it's cool they at least intend to make it free. This was the inevitable next step for mobile devices I guess, since tablets and cellphones can run games but they're not made exactly for that.

[Inccubus]

I have to admit that the concept sounds freakin' awesome. They definitely have the funding needed to pull this off. Plus the platform they chose will make it easy for small independent game companies like mine to work with.

[Havatchu]

Hopefully the mysterious shadow company that bought out OnLive doesn't scoop this up too.

[Lumi Kløvstad]

Hopefully the mysterious shadow company that bought out OnLive doesn't scoop this up too.

Actually, I think they volunteered to make an OnLive app for the console so you could stream games via the Ouya. Though with that rumor of OnLive's failure... that may not happen.