What's An Ouya?

[Havok]

I see that it is a possible new console, but I'm not sure why or what it is all about.

Enlighten me please

[General Zod]

It's open source and it runs Android with free to play games, so it's probably going to be crap.

[Stark]

Is that the one that says all software on it must be free to play?

[Grumman]

Is that the one that says all software on it must be free to play?

The Kickstarter says the demo must be free to play - not the whole game.

[Stark]

I see, 'something' needs to be free about it. Sounds like a recipe for free to play and in-app purchases, but whatever. At least they stole a good controller design.

Gotta question their business savvy, though:

Do you realize what you've done? You proved consoles aren't dead. You shocked the world. And us!

??

[Zaune]

I see, 'something' needs to be free about it. Sounds like a recipe for free to play and in-app purchases, but whatever. At least they stole a good controller design.

That doesn't have to be a bad thing if it's done well, ie not giving the players who shell out real money an unfair advantage in PvP or locking up so much stuff behind a paywall that the free-to-play version might as well be a demo.

That said, I'm not convinced there's enough games that strike the right balance on what is and isn't paid-for content, run on Android and benefit significantly from a larger screen to make this thing worth shelling out for.

[Vendetta]

I see, 'something' needs to be free about it. Sounds like a recipe for free to play and in-app purchases, but whatever. At least they stole a good controller design.

That doesn't have to be a bad thing if it's done well, ie not giving the players who shell out real money an unfair advantage in PvP or locking up so much stuff behind a paywall that the free-to-play version might as well be a demo.

Free to play is very rarely done well though. The usual problem is that the paid items are simply too expensive, meaning that people will simply not buy them. It's the steam impulse purchase thing all over again. Microtransactions need to be just that, micro, so that people will regularly splash small amounts because why not.

They also need to be balanced such that they aren't pay to win. That means that the items purchased with real money need to be either sidegrades or if they are upgrades should be reasonably accessable using in-game currency, there should be no straight up cases of buying power (see: Premium ammo in World of Tanks, which straight up allows you to buy power).

I don't think many F2P games are truly there yet, and that means there isn't anyone to blandly copy.

[weemadando]

A $100 1080p output Android powered console.

This does not say new game console to me.

This says "media box".

[Beowulf]

I'm sure some people will end up using it as a media box. If decent games get ported onto it, I'm sure other people will use them to play games.

[General Zod]

I'm sure some people will end up using it as a media box. If decent games get ported onto it, I'm sure other people will use them to play games.

I think they're going to need some good exclusives to actually get people interested. If all they have is ports then there's no real motivation to switch hardware.

[Vendetta]

I'm sure some people will end up using it as a media box. If decent games get ported onto it, I'm sure other people will use them to play games.

I think they're going to need some good exclusives to actually get people interested. If all they have is ports then there's no real motivation to switch hardware.

I doubt they'll even have ports (of other console games). Big publishers would literally break out in hives at the thought of putting their product on an open system like this. What it'll have is a bunch of homebrew and indie stuff that few to no people will care about and ports of smartphone games poorly optimised for a controller.

Frankly, having a home console that's a big pile of F2P games wouldn't entirely be bad compared to the worst case scenario for this. I mean there are some PC F2P games that actually sound interesting that I would totally play if they were on consoles and supported all the actually good things that console games are just expected to do and PC F2Ps probably won't (voice chat, f'rexample, there are quite a few team based games like Super Monday Night Combat that are crying out for better communication tools that just come as part of the API on console)

[Stark]

If it can run a genesis emulator, I'd buy one.

[General Zod]

I'm sure some people will end up using it as a media box. If decent games get ported onto it, I'm sure other people will use them to play games.

I think they're going to need some good exclusives to actually get people interested. If all they have is ports then there's no real motivation to switch hardware.

I doubt they'll even have ports (of other console games). Big publishers would literally break out in hives at the thought of putting their product on an open system like this. What it'll have is a bunch of homebrew and indie stuff that few to no people will care about and ports of smartphone games poorly optimised for a controller.

Frankly, having a home console that's a big pile of F2P games wouldn't entirely be bad compared to the worst case scenario for this. I mean there are some PC F2P games that actually sound interesting that I would totally play if they were on consoles and supported all the actually good things that console games are just expected to do and PC F2Ps probably won't (voice chat, f'rexample, there are quite a few team based games like Super Monday Night Combat that are crying out for better communication tools that just come as part of the API on console)

But it's an open-source console which means the devs won't be forced to actually support any kind of standardization whatsoever. Which means it's going to be crap.

[Vendetta]

Also a brave new world for malware writers. The Google Play store is already lurgied up to the eyeballs with people targetting phones and tablets.

[weemadando]

If it can run a genesis emulator, I'd buy one.

Genesis emulator and SCUMMVM are good starts.

[Beowulf]

I think it's probably assured that someone is going to port a genesis emulator and SCUMMVM to it. Along with NES/SNES emulators. Probably not going to be on their store, but it looks to me like it won't be difficult to sideload them on.

As far as malware goes, I don't think it'll be a great target. Most malware now wants to steal stuff from you. Bank credentials, contact details, etc. Sure, some will be ye old botnet trojan, as well. *shrug*, but it's Android, and I'd imagine the store is at least semi-curated (pull games that are more than just games).

[Stark]

They're already on Android platforms, but I guess given Android that's no guarantee it'll work.

But I'm totally serious, I'd love an emulator box. Even better if it can torrent; that'd replace my PC almost entirely.

[TimothyC]

I wonder if this will spur on the XMBC on Android development.

[Executor32]

The Ouya uses a Tegra 3 processor (same as the Nexus 7 and the ASUS Transformer Prime) and the controller has a large touch surface in the middle (basically a touchscreen, minus the actual screen). Assuming a given app doesn't have issues with high-resolution displays (I'm looking at you, Robot Unicorn Attack!), any Android app should work on it just fine. That includes emulators for every console up to the N64/Playstation era, even ScummVM, and there are several torrent clients available. I use aTorrent, personally, because it doesn't suck.

[Sarevok]

The Ouya uses a Tegra 3 processor (same as the Nexus 7 and the ASUS Transformer Prime) and the controller has a large touch surface in the middle (basically a touchscreen, minus the actual screen). Assuming a given app doesn't have issues with high-resolution displays (I'm looking at you, Robot Unicorn Attack!), any Android app should work on it just fine. That includes emulators for every console up to the N64/Playstation era, even ScummVM, and there are several torrent clients available. I use aTorrent, personally, because it doesn't suck.

You would be surprised how incompatible Android devices can be. Just getting them to run on most phones properly is a hassle. Some apps would work on this console out of box but I strongly suspect others would require some work by the developer. In short if you install a random Android app on this it's going to be a matter of luck whether it is fully functioning or not.

[TimothyC]

It seems that the killer feature for me XBMC support might just be on the way.

[someone_else]

Fuck! nearly 5 fucking millions and still 25 days to go?

But it's an open-source console which means the devs won't be forced to actually support any kind of standardization whatsoever. Which means it's going to be crap.

Depends, if they leave the door open to Linux OSs... I mean there are distros designed to emulate successfully ALL PAST GAMING CONSOLES AT ONCE (not on ARM devices, but still), so as long as the hardware isn't total flabbergasting crap and allows other OSs than Android, you'll see cool things from this.

Hell, would be about time Linux has its own console.

and the controller has a large touch surface in the middle (basically a touchscreen, minus the actual screen)

touchpads, they are called touchpads.

They need something like kinect to let people play touch-based games on a TV screen though.

[Stark]

I think that's a little beyond the people who said 'we proved console gaming isn't dead'. :v

[someone_else]

Mh, that does not have to be done intentionally. I bet that if they don't, then someone will come out with hacked ROMs like the ones to hack proprietary gaming consoles into playing pirated games.

And if their firmware is less-than-military-grade, it will get hacked into allowing linux in. Somehting with these stats is extremely juicy:

Tegra3 quad-core processor
1GB RAM
8GB of internal flash storage
HDMI connection to the TV, with support for up to 1080p HD
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth LE 4.0
USB 2.0 (one)
Wireless controller with standard controls (two analog sticks, d-pad, eight action buttons, a system button), a touchpad
Android 4.0

[Stark]

And the first 30,000 units they move don't actually make them any money. The dichotomy between 'omg haxx' and 'big name titles we promise' will be interesting to follow.

Let's just hope they find actual investors so they can end up producing anything. I mean, we all know entertainment is moving away from the TV - that's why you should invest in this console!