OUYA Console Starts Shipping To Kickstarter Backers 110
First time accepted submitter Patch86 writes "The team behind the Android-based OUYA games console have announced last week that they have begun shipping their first consoles. As the console originated as a Kickstarter project the first consoles will be shipped to backers; the console is due to be released for general sale for the 4th of June with a $99 price tag. As the BBC notes, this is the first of a series of major new entrants into the games console market, with others on the horizon including fellow Kickstarter Android project Gamestick, Nvidia's CES surprise Project Shield, and of course Valve's 'Steambox.'"
Great... (Score:2)
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If it is trivial to you then you can code your own app.
The potential is there... (Score:5, Insightful)
I've heard people mention that the Ouya won't really be all that - but I disagree. For the first time in a while, we have a console designed for the tinkerer and independent developer in mind, and it should be interesting to see what it brings to the table. Sure, when it launches, it won't be all that exciting - but given the resources available to Android developers of late, there is a lot of potential.
Of course, potential and five bucks gets you a coffee at Starbucks - but perhaps the Big Three need to feel the nipping of an indie console at their heels to get their butts in gear on new genres, new stories, and fresh ideas.
Re:The potential is there... (Score:4, Funny)
fresh ideas.
We could give Mario a new hat!
Re:The potential is there... (Score:4, Interesting)
The problem with Steambox is going to be at least one of getting studios to port to Linux. It's not hard, but it does have a bunch of unknows to many of the studios regarding development effort and support- which is part of why they kept from doing Linux titles as much as anything else.
If Valve opts for something ARM-centric (Possibly a Cortex-A54 based device?? With the right GPU, it'd be in the "next-gen" space... Of course you could do an X86 machine and reach for the high-end; the problem there is expense and thermal profile on the console...) it's going to have a double problem in that ARM also adds a few additional rules to coding that X86 coding will let you slide on.
Ah, but it's got LOADS of potential as far as I'm concerned... I port games to Linux from Windows for studios...and I know the other gotchas there. >:-D
The Ouya does as well. NDK coding's not QUITE the same as Linux coding... However, I might have answers there as well...just not there enough to announce them yet.
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Is there a legal or technical reason why Valve can't focus on getting games to work under WINE?
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DeathSpank is the shit.
Re:The potential is there... (Score:4, Insightful)
While that's the ideal situation, I'm thinking a good chunk of Ouyas will probably just end up running emulators like MAME and such. After all, instead of playing on a PC or using touch controls, you now have a real controller and can play pac-man on your big screen.
Because really, what's the usual thing modded consoles run by homebrewers? Emulators.
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After all, instead of playing on a PC or using touch controls, you now have a real controller and can play pac-man on your big screen.
Couldn't you already do that with a USB gamepad and a TV with VGA or HDMI in?
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Sure if you don't mind a big noisy box sitting on the floor that still needs a mouse and keyboard, and the associated loading times and security updates that go along with it . . .
Big, noisy, etc. (Score:3)
Sure if you don't mind a big noisy box sitting on the floor
"Big"? They make PCs in smaller cases now. For example, I own an Acer that's not noticeably bigger than a launch Xbox 360. A Mac mini is about the size of a Wii. "Noisy"? How would a PC necessarily be any more noisy than a launch PS3 or launch Xbox 360?
that still needs a mouse and keyboard
I thought that's exactly what Steam Big Picture and controller-friendly games were supposed to fix.
and the associated loading times
I was under the impression that PC loading times tended to be even faster than console loading times after the first play because games are installed completely
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While that's the ideal situation, I'm thinking a good chunk of Ouyas will probably just end up running emulators like MAME and such
Or an xbmc box.
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The company actually encourages the users ability to personally change out the Ouya's hardware. Name any other video game console maker that's done this, I'll wait...
And that's exactly the reason why I foresee a hard time on gathering the main stream game developers attention. They want locked down, user hostile, opaque boxes that allows them to push any kind of crap embedded in the game on their users. They will not be allowed to do that on the OUYA.
It's kind of dumbness, because they didn't managed to do that forever on the PS/3 - and I suspect that PS/4 will have a lot of drag on the market, as it will have to compete not only with new consoles as the OUYA (finally s
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You got it about 1/4 right. Developers DO want a known platform to write software for. Having to develop games for open platforms where you don't know how much memory, how much disk, what graphics card, what version of the O/S, etc etc etc is a major pain. And guess what... most GAMERS also like a locked down machine. It's not "user hostile", it's dependable. I game on a PC, rather than a console, but when I run a game, the last thing I want to do is hassle with my computer. I'm there to play, not mo
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I hate to say it but you're right. When I buy an XBOX 360 game, I know I can take it home and it just works.... most of the time..... uhm..
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Throwing away an already selled and advertised feature because it would be, perhaps, used to breach the system is user hostility, no matter what. :-)
Now and then Sony does something on my PS3 over a update (that I must do or will be kicked out from the Network) that pisses me off someway. Last time a controller stop connecting to the console. And NOT, I'm not buying that "It's an unlicensed device".
When I brought that console, it was advertised that it can run Linux and use Bluetooth devices. Now, it does n
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Maybe they need to build in a support framework as well to address this. The system knows how much RAM, CPU, GPU etc. so just have different ratings internally that developers can target.
Rated for Rhino systems = 1 spec
Rated for Velociraptor systems is a faster spec
Etc
If the consoles send this info back then devs will know the current market, the trends and the marketplace can let players know if a game is supported on their system or if they need to upgrade it.
Most games will get made for the current middl
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The company actually encourages the users ability to personally change out the Ouya's hardware.
Hooray, now you need an ouya with xCPU or xGPU or xRAM to play particular games, it's just like a PC!
Name any other video game console maker that's done this, I'll wait...
None, that's what PCs are for. Consoles are consistent platforms, the developer knows exactly what hardware he/she is targeting.
Not saying one or the other is better, both PC and Console gaming are popular and have their place but when you have millions of possible configurations obviously there is complexity in supporting that at the application, operating system and driver levels. I would think consistency
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What is it that's unique about Ouya that will make it different though? Why would it not be 'same old stuff' gameplay on Ouya? We've had open platforms for decades and more recently accessible on tablets and smartphones, but everybody just claims to want something that isn't mainstream - without having any idea what that might be.
Sure accessible platforms like hacked XBoxes, Playstations and Wiis, jailbroken iDevices, iPhoneLinux, PS3 Linux, etc sound great and everybody ponders the possibilities but when i
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So where's the new genres and ideas in the indie market?
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How to pronounce Ouya (Score:3)
It was Twix cookie bars (using "Oh Yeah" by Yello) or Kool-Aid soft drink mix.
But based on seeing various trailers posted by the Ouya team, it's closer to /u:j@/ "OO-yuh", or like Japanese "uuya". (I can't show proper IPA or kana here because Slashdot uses a strict character whitelist to avoid abuse of bidirectional override characters [slashdot.org].)
Curious (Score:4, Insightful)
We recently talked about the 'Ouya' console — a conceptual Android-based gaming device that's had a massively successful Kickstarter campaign. While most people are excited about such a non-traditional console, editorials at 1Up and Eurogamer have expressed some more realistic skepticism about the claims being made and the company's ability to meet those claims.
Sooooooo ... when do we own up to spreading FUD about this Kickstarter campaign? I mean, look [slashdot.org] at some [slashdot.org] of the highest rated comments.
;)
Well, I'm glad I got on board. Also glad I got in on the RFduino early on! I'll let you know how it handles when I get my hands on it
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In all seriousness, I wonder if their games library will be available for generic Android devices. When it comes down to it, the games library will make or break this thing. I don't play enough to justify buying one, but I'm definitely rooting for them from the sidelines.
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In all seriousness, I wonder if their games library will be available for generic Android devices. When it comes down to it, the games library will make or break this thing. I don't play enough to justify buying one, but I'm definitely rooting for them from the sidelines.
Well, this exists [wikipedia.org] and according to this kickstarter post [kickstarter.com]:
As of 7:59 p.m. PT, there are already 104 published games on OUYA (all still free to try), like Final Fantasy III and some new surprises we think you’ll love: Beast Boxing Turbo, Stalagflight, Knightmare Tower, and even one called Save the Puppies. There are already a few entertainment apps, too. You can watch the TV shows and movies you already own with XBMC and Flixster, or watch games streamed through TwitchTV.
Man, I remember doing so much crap on my Dreamcast -- years after it failed. I hope this console is like a Dreamcast with the original intent of being open to homebrew and messing around!
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If they get Amazon Instant Video support, I'll likely buy one.
If not, well, I already have an HTPC. And I can play games on it, too. But I don't.
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Did you actually note the date of the article you linked too? (I know you typed it out, that doesn't mean you stopped to think about it.) It was nine months ago - and things do change over time. You also seem to have failed to note that the article is about the functionality of the device - something largely currently unknown *as it has just started shipping*.
Your comment should have been moderated "-1 Fanboy".
No shit (Score:4, Insightful)
The concerns I've Oyua have not been of non-delivery, well other than the Kickstarter haters that claim everything on there is a scam. The concerns I've seen are over functionality. Will it really go anywhere? Will anyone care? Many fanboys just seem to take it for granted that when it comes out, tons of stuff will get released for it and everyone will want one. I'm more skeptical. I think it'll be a toy that the backers and a few others play with for a bit, and then it gets set aside. I don't think it will compete well with smartphones and traditional consoles.
I've seen no plans for how they intend to attract big game publishers and that is what you need if you want to get many games on the platform, and games is what will sustain it long term. It is all well and good to crow on about open source but when you take a look at the number of OSS games, and the quality thereof, it is not very impressive. So to sell it to the masses and keep it rolling, you need more games and I've not seen any indication of what their plan is for that. It seems to be just "Release it and everyone will make cool shit for it!"
History is littered with failed consoles that can testify to that not being the case. Goes double for something that is smartphone level power, which will leave many people saying "So why not just use my phone?"
The challenge was never shipping the thing. They got plenty of money so that was easy, I mean it uses off-the-shelf components internally. It is just standard electronics design, testing, and assembly. The challenge is getting it to sell on the mass market, to be an item of interest that people keep buying, and buy successors to.
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I wish these used Python games not Android (Score:1)
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It's not just as easy to do so with Android?
Besides - nothing stops you from running Python on an Android device. I do.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKrlPS8J0fA [youtube.com]
if you hate java, unity etc.. then why not.
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http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=pygame+android [lmgtfy.com]
What a Scam? (Score:5, Insightful)
I'm still waiting for my ouya to ship and I was a kickstarter backer. Apprently they missed the DELIVERY estimate of march 28. They also only shipped about 250 units to hand picked high profile people for review while everyone else gets the shaft. They've had my money for a long time now, other people have ouya, where's mine?
You ... should probably just stop using Kickstarter. If you get upset when people miss deadlines, if you get upset when a fledgling company tries to build press, if you are not interested purely in helping something that otherwise wouldn't happen happen then do not use Kickstarter. Do yourself and the people trying to use Kickstarter and Kickstarter a favor and stop using it!
They have horrible communication and leave everyone in the dark unless they donate thousands of dollars. We started their company and they can't even email us back when we send an inquiry as to what is going on with our units. Horrible company. Horrible PR.
They're a small company, you want them to spend money on a call center or the device?
Horrible console because it REQUIRES a credit card to use.
That's not quite true, it sounds like it requires a credit card to download video games [ausgamers.com] ...
just bad. very disapointed. It'll be an emulator box for me, that's about it.
So it's "just bad" and you're very disappointed despite never having used one or held one in your hands? They tried something bold and they succeeded. You should be happy about that. You don't understand what Kickstarter is and I hope this experience teaches you a valuable lesson -- stay off Kickstarter, it's not a goddamn store.
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Yes. YES. 1,000 times yes. If you have customers, you REQUIRE a customer service department, a department that services customers, by definition. Don't get me wrong, I agree with the rest of what you said. It's just that if you have customers, you'd better treat them right or they won't be coming back. I understand that they're a small group and a new startup, but business is business.
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See, the problem is, you are NOT a customer. There are currently zero OUYA customers right now. You, and all the other Kickstarter participants are investors. Kickstarter is community funded investment. You are investing in a company that is trying to get a product off the ground, expecting a fully functional customer service hotline 2 months before it launches is ridiculous both for you as an investor and the company.
Basically, if you want customer service, buy products from established companies, or wait
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If you're only happy dealing with fully fledged companies, then maybe you should rethink your use of Kickstarter as you'll probably be
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If you see yourself as an investor then why did you put money into a project that yields you an ROI of 0.00%?
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Ridiculous. I'm sorry, but do you have any idea how much it actually costs to hire a bunch of customer service reps? As a small company, each new hire not directly related to the creation of the device is less money making sure the device gets made at all. They have been operating on a small amount of money as it is relative to what it was they were trying to do. Cutting it even thinner for something as superflous as being able to personally baby each contributor about the status of their individual unit is
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You are NOT an investor at Kickstarter, please do not call people that.
It is a *donation*, plain and simple. Kickstarter has rules that say that those asking for donations should try to keep their promises, but there is *nothing* (besides banning them in the future) they can do if someone fails to deliver, or just walks in to bank and cashes out and moves to their choice of warm place.
As an investor you usually get shares with voting power in the company, or interest for your loan - with Kickstarter, you do
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I don't say this isn't possible - fraud is fraud even on Kickstarter. But could you please provide citation to the case?
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I'd like to note that the "March 28th" date the fellow's complaining about is when they said they'd start shipping the things, which they totally did. It turns out they're shipping them as they get them, which they were up front about. People seem to be complaining that they don't know when THEIR specific unit is coming... seems silly to me. Dev units shipped out in the same way. It turns out they're shipping them out as fast as they can, not holding them in a warehouse until they have enough for everyone.
major entrants? (Score:2)
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NVidia not a major entrant? Heh...what drugs are you on and why aren't you sharing?
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NVidia not a major entrant? Heh...what drugs are you on and why aren't you sharing?
I have to second you on that.
NVidia has been strongarming, bribing, consulting and cocksucking any dev who would publish on the Android plattform. In fact there is propably a direct causality between nVidia not providing chips for the next gen consoles, Shield as a tech demo popping up(which is a bit of a laugh since we have been using tablets/phones with a PS3 controller for over a year now; add in an HDMI cable...yeah, you get the picture) and Ouya having no trouble whatsoever getting a lot of Tegra3 SoC
Ouya Review (Score:2, Informative)
This (mostly negative) review insinuates that the Ouya is, as of now, only half-baked, but has potential:
http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/4/4180242/ouya-review
Re:Ouya Review (Score:5, Interesting)
Why not just allow games to be sold normally?
Every game is free to download, but then dumps on your head a load of nags, pop-ups, and pleas for upgrades or in-app purchases â" some games are $4.99, some are $15.99, others just constantly implore you to donate $.99 so the developer can have a beer. Worst of all, it makes buying things impossibly easy â" you enter a credit card when first setting up your Ouya, and there are often no confirmation boxes or checks against you spending thousands of dollars. Oh, you hit Upgrade because it's right next to Play and the controller's laggy? Perfect. Thanks for your money.
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Why not just allow games to be sold normally?
Make chapter 1 free to play, then nag after the player completes that. It's really not much different from a console game rental or a PC game demo.
Oh, you hit Upgrade because it's right next to Play and the controller's laggy? Perfect. Thanks for your money.
If accidental purchases are that easy, it'd be a problem. I seem to remember another platform with in-app purchasing requiring a password or something similar.
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If you have a sensible phone/tablet(one that has HDMI out and Bluetooth in) then a lot of indies would propably be best purchased for Android.
I didn't kickstart the Ouya thing but I will definitely get one for putzing around. Hell, just put XBMC on that thing and it has already earned its keep. Put DosBox on
Powerhouse Brands Should Be Scared (Score:1)
Steam's entry seems more likely to get market share over the longer term, but all these options together make it clear that a TV-connected computer is available to run whatever you want, to any market that will pay. The financial barriers to entry are disappearing, and I t
The value of entry barriers (Score:4, Interesting)
The financial barriers to entry are disappearing, and I think that's wonderful.
In a comment to the last Steam box story, CronoCloud explained to me [slashdot.org] that after the North American video game recession of 1983, console makers have traditionally used financial barriers to entry as a way to sort out original, entertaining games from the sort of me-too crap that was plaguing the Atari 2600. Ability to surmount barriers to entry has been correlated with ability to produce a game that isn't a "hello world" or a clone of some 1980s arcade game.
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But since they propably don't have to jump through a lot of hoops to publish(like a couple of 10k$ to publish a patch on XBLA), a lot of devs will release inane crap. It all boils down how hard the Ouya people will watch that their rules are enforced. And even if that works out you will need some sort of review site to find good stuff. Sure as hell didn't work on Google Play.
But then again if
Time is money (Score:2)
But at least you won't know what you are missing.
Of course people would know. "I am missing the consistent fun I had on one of the big three consoles, where the presence of my favorite franchises meant that I could just pick a game and enjoy it. Even though game demos aren't costing me any money, they are costing my time, and time is money."
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But at least you won't know what you are missing.
Of course people would know. "I am missing the consistent fun I had on one of the big three consoles, where the presence of my favorite franchises meant that I could just pick a game and enjoy it. Even though game demos aren't costing me any money, they are costing my time, and time is money."
Fair enough. But franchises don't guarantee you fun either.
A lot of games need a lot of time investment before they become truly fun. The latest specimen of that breed that I encountered was Elder Signs: Omen. I had read about it, got interested and installed it. Took me 2 hours to figure out properly. That's two hours more than I would give a demo.
But demos is not what the Ouya is about. It's about try-before-you-buy. Their model would have mandated that I would have gotten the first campaign of Elder S
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Laggy? Not enough raw power? (Score:2)
Bring it on.
If I want a platform that has 50% FPS, then I'll go with one of the majors. I think Nintendo didn't learn the right lessons from the Wii and DS - they could've cornered niche markets of non-hardcore gamers, but failed to execute after years of visionary leadership.
Let's see some really innovative games that torture the myth that games require bleeding edge hardware power and a hefty investment north of $500. iOS really opened up the casual market, now it's time for the console to shine again.
Kickstarter skeptics (Score:2)
It is easy to be KS skeptic - because all these ideas are risky, people doing it for first time, underestimating risks, schedule, etc. etc. People *love* to say "I told you so", because, well, then we can say we can see the future a little bit (thus ensuring our survival a little longer).
While not all stuff on KS (and other crowdfunding sites) makes sense to me, I personally think these are great tools to get and/or test out lot of good ideas. In age when investors look for fast buck, when "that another soc
I dont expect this to live long (Score:2)
They need to come out of the gate with must have games that all the kids talk about.If they dont get some pro developers on board the oyu will die a quick death. Games sell consoles, not the other way around.
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I am a long time gamer and hardware/software nerd. I like the idea of a new console, but this not live long. I just dont see a market. The big three have their new consoles coming out which means the previous gen will be around $100.
I don't know that the PS3 is going to hit $100 any time soon, and you have to pay monthly to get the Xbox to do the same stuff Ouya does included in the $100 price, so there are still several good reasons to buy an Ouya. On the other hand, there's a couple months yet before the general release, and then probably some time before I can actually buy one without backordering, and something else could be announced before then.