Caanoo - The New Gph Console?

[Exophase]

Yeah, all of those 240x320 apps... You know, the ones pretty much nobody did, and you threw a temper tantrum about when it was suggested this might be a solution to the tearing?

Lots of people used it, you clearly don't know what you're talking about. And I didn't throw any tantrum, stop flamebaiting me at every possible opportunity.

Thank the lord. Ta ta, you shan't be missed!

Speak for yourself. I have a feeling I'd at least be missed more than you would be if you stopped being a total asshole on these forums.

There are numerous references to the Pandora, and how GPH should learn from them, throughout this topic which are what I was referring to. Maybe they are just a few very noisy Pandora zealets repeatedly posting and I have mistaken their views for a concensus?

Okay, let me try to better explain what I meant. The comparisons made are completely generic. People aren't saying that GPH should be more like OP, not that this device is supposed to be a Pandora killer. I'm sure people acknowledge that there's room for a less featured device at a smaller pricepoint.

The reason I posted what I did is because you're making it sound like if Pandora never happened people would be embracing this with open arms. I think most would not be very impressed. I'm actually surprised any are at all, but I'm not going to write off personal preference.

As far as the size if modifications were made goes I would rather have just an analogue stick and the device be as small as possible. I like that the Wiz has an extremely compact formfactor and would like the new system to follow in its footsteps in that regard.

That's fine, but I doubt that the typical GPH demographic is going to prefer an analog stick because it's bad for most emulators and other types of games the platform is known for, even some of the ones currently released.

Obviously the Pollux based hardware isn't going to be as computationally powerful as something along the lines of the Pandora and that will in turn limit emulator performance. However, I've never been one of these people who has wanted PSX or N64 emulation on the Wiz and when it comes to the types of native Wiz games I like to play it doesn't seem like the hardware has been a limiting factor at all. Additionally, how are we to know if GPH are already working on another system even further down the line that is substantially more powerful and would stand to replace these two as their successor?

There's absolutely no reason to believe GPH is working on something further down the line from this, but that'd be yet another reason not to bring this to market.

Pollux is not just "not very powerful", it's a null upgrade over Wiz. I don't see the extra memory or accelerometer as being enough to drive Wiz owners to purchase it. It's all well and good to consider this intended for new users, but Wiz was so niche on its own (and this removes its biggest distinguishing feature) that I don't see it offering enough new appeal to spike new sales. Instead it'll just look more dated, and moreover they won't be able to impress anyone with sheer MHz numbers like they may have with the Wiz because people know that story now.

With the Wiz userbase as small as it is it'll be difficult to get a lot of developers to target the Caanoo specific features and fragment their potential audience. You can tack on accelerometer input as an alternative source but you wouldn't design a game around it, and the extra memory doesn't go very far for meaningful "extras" either. Moreover, the changes will definitely cause compatibility problems, no matter how wishful anyone is that they won't. Even Vocamaster F300 isn't very compatible with Wiz and that's less of a mod.

 

[Jumpman]

I did referance Pandora several times in my post, but I wasn't comparing the Pandora's abilities to the GPH unit. If that's how it was seen, my apologies, that was not my intent.

I'm just looking for a new device to offer improvements over the last. NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS! GPH is all over the map. The Wiz improved on the 2X in controls and screen quality, but did nothing to improve the horse power. Now they remove the screen quality, and controls, and try something new. In my opinion, these guys are just rolling the dice with each new system until they it on a market success. That is just crazy.

Nintendo has been the most successful handheld builder of all time. Each new system offers something new, along with what worked well on the previous systems. Even virtual boy offered something new, and improved processing, just the wrong place at the wrong time.

So why can't GPH stick to what works, and then improve based on what the community would like and want. I'm sorry to say, but the caanoo will never compete with Sony and Nintendo. Neither will the Pandora, but at least that unit is trying to sell as best as possible to the community it is geared towards, GPH appears to say "FUCK YOU" to the niche market, we will do what we want and you will buy it anyway because you have no choice. Well that is a two way street, now I no longer need to buy there products, and to them I say "FUCK YOU"!

Chris

 

[Orkie]

Lots of people used it, you clearly don't know what you're talking about.

Whatever you say.

stop flamebaiting me at every possible opportunity.

You know, I could've sworn I haven't even addressed you directly in months.

Speak for yourself. I have a feeling I'd at least be missed more than you would be if you stopped being a total asshole on these forums.

Mostly you just shit on ideas, whine and seek awe. You really aren't missed where you are absent, and trust me, I know of at least one other place you have been known to pop up where you aren't at all welcome.

 

[Exophase]

Whatever you say.

At the very least, all of notaz's Wiz ports, MAME, and at least some current things using SDL but don't want to incur the very expensive penalty from GPH's rotation fix are using 240x320.

You know, I could've sworn I haven't even addressed you directly in months.

You've barely posted in months. I don't mean to say here that all you do is flame me, but you've started things with me on several occasions now...

Mostly you just shit on ideas, whine and seek awe. You really aren't missed where you are absent, and trust me, I know of at least one other place you have been known to pop up where you aren't at all welcome.

Come on, really? The only other place I've been known to pop up in that you're a part of is #gp2xdev but I've hardly been there in over a year now. I am a little saddened to hear you say that as I always felt I got along pretty well there - had some rough patches with vimacs at first but we worked things out.. the only person I remember having any kind of recurring problem with was you. It's all moot now but if I'm wrong - or if you're talking about another place - then I'd really like to know more because I can't sleep very well with the feeling that old friends secretly resent me..

Anyway. I don't mean to draw this out or anything and I'm sure someone is going to yell at me any minute now. But please don't accuse me of "seeking awe" because that's the last thing that has ever been on my mind. I post what I think and I write what I want. I need a different kind of attention than what a place like this gives me, something that you can't win with emulators or long boring posts. Praise from gp32x just makes me feel empty, and quite honestly, guilty.... meanwhile the more I try to form connections that are important to me, the more I'm ignored. So please, don't kick me while I'm down over something you misacknowledge.

 

[craigix]

Peter and Orkies suspicious reappearance probably suggests GPH are still stringing them along with various promises.

You would think this new Caanoo would have shown them that GPH don't have a clue what they are doing or give a shit about the Wiz scene.

But continue, I'm enjoying this thread immensely.

 

[sbock]

Is it possible to return to topic and discuss this well manned?
Is it possible that people who use obscene insults simply leave my thread?

Many thanks...

 

[quote]

You would think this new Caanoo would have shown them that GPH don't have a clue what they are doing or give a shit about the Wiz scene.

Like you, then?

Peter and Orkies suspicious reappearance probably suggests GPH are still stringing them along with various promises.

And how can you find this in any way suspicious? Peter and Orkie are known to have supported GPH in the past, sure. That doesn't mean they shouldn't be allowed to like a new console without some conspiracy theorist jumping on their backs.
They've devoted a lot of time and effort to this scene, and without them I doubt we'd be as far forward as we are today. The fact that you consider them to be open to some form of bribery is insulting and rude.

 

[sam fisher]

Peter and Orkies suspicious reappearance probably suggests GPH are still stringing them along with various promises.

You would think this new Caanoo would have shown them that GPH don't have a clue what they are doing or give a shit about the Wiz scene.

But continue, I'm enjoying this thread immensely.

Eh, since when did I leave? I am always checking the Wiz sections of the board. If you have come down from your kingdom of Pandora and noticed me posting it is because you've re-appeared in the Wiz section rather than me.

I haven't spoken to anyone from GPH for at least a year. I have also previously posted in this topic that I would have preferred the Caanoo to have an OLED display so I don't see why you think I am anything to do with the system. The first I have heard of it is this topic.

Interestingly, I have just remembered that at one point in you time suggested you would send me a free Pandora. Does that mean you tried to string me along with various promises in the same way that you claim GPH allegedly are :S?

 

[Orkie]

Hey, at least I'm not working for Sony or Apple any longer: it was really a bummer you found out about our plot to destroy the scene way back when Craig. I wish I could say I have spoken to GPH recently, but this is the first time I've heard about this thing - which is understandable, I'm sure you must remember the leaking of the Wiz photo very well indeed. I've certainly always taken what they say with a pinch of salt anyway, learnt my lesson when dealing with somebody else in the past.

Sorry sbock, though to use a childish defence, "They started it!".

 

[craigix]

Great story bro!

 

[quote]

Great story bro!

The fact that you can't come back with any sort of reasonable answer shows just how pathetic you really are.
Reported for spam.

Edit: Also, I think you'll find it's 'Cool story bro!'.
If you're going to use a meme, do it properly.

 

[quadomatic]

As far as the size if modifications were made goes I would rather have just an analogue stick and the device be as small as possible. I like that the Wiz has an extremely compact formfactor and would like the new system to follow in its footsteps in that regard.

That's fine, but I doubt that the typical GPH demographic is going to prefer an analog stick because it's bad for most emulators and other types of games the platform is known for, even some of the ones currently released.

Remember how much people hated the digital joystick on the GP2X? I don't imagine an analog stick would get any more favor.

Obviously the Pollux based hardware isn't going to be as computationally powerful as something along the lines of the Pandora and that will in turn limit emulator performance. However, I've never been one of these people who has wanted PSX or N64 emulation on the Wiz and when it comes to the types of native Wiz games I like to play it doesn't seem like the hardware has been a limiting factor at all.

If you weren't seeking a hardware upgrade for emulating more systems, what was the Caanoo going to offer you over the Wiz? If GPH had implemented a better control scheme I could see some people showing interest. The price probably won't be agreeable though.

 

[craigix]

 

[Esn]

Great story bro!

The fact that you can't come back with any sort of reasonable answer shows just how pathetic you really are.
Reported for spam.

Edit: Also, I think you'll find it's 'Cool story bro!'.
If you're going to use a meme, do it properly.

Yeah, Craig could've been a bit more careful there.

And Peter R didn't seem to be overly enthusiastic in his first few posts in this thread, so I don't know why he was compared to Orkie.

Anyway, I think I'm going to stay out of this...

 

[quote]

 

[DaveC]

This thing is epic FAIL.

Analog stick? I had a Zodiac and playing emulated games designed for digital was horrible. Games were basically unplayable. Now I hear you say "who cares about emus this will be for new stuff". Yeah ok and it will sell for a handful of home brew games and GP32 ports GPH makes. Sure.

It looks like those red things on each side are some kind of auxiliary shoulder buttons.

Where are the speakers? Is this thing earphones only or does it use side facing speaker which sounds like shit. Dumb.

I guess the reason for this is because the Wiz didn't sell because it got crushed by the super cheap dingpoo. Newsflash : this will sell even worse.

 

[Exophase]

Remember how much people hated the digital joystick on the GP2X? I don't imagine an analog stick would get any more favor.

Theoretically, if you took an analog and digital stick with the same mechanical design the analog would be superior, since it could emulate digital by thresholding the value and still provide analog motion when you want it. This stick also at least LOOKS to be of higher build quality than the one on F100. But yeah, there's no way analog will be majority preferred for most emulators..

If you weren't seeking a hardware upgrade for emulating more systems, what was the Caanoo going to offer you over the Wiz? If GPH had implemented a better control scheme I could see some people showing interest. The price probably won't be agreeable though.

If I were to guess, GPH thinks that they'll be fine because no one minds (much) when Nintendo does it. ie, few complained about being forced to buy a DS Lite instead of an original DS. But that's becase DS Lite was almost universally agreed to only improve the design and not take anything away.

I don't think GPH is oblivious to the fact that sticks are bad for emulators, or they wouldn't have reverted to d-buttons on F200 and a real pad on Wiz. So GPH must really intend to position this as a platform primarily for new games. Here I think they're misjudging their market. If you were say, Sony releasing PSP2, and you were forced to choose between a d-pad or a quality analog stick then you'd want to choose analog because for modern 3D games analog is the preferred mode of input. And I'm sure GPH is noting this. The problem is that by and large any developers Caanoo gets will not have the kind of bigger budgets necessary to do quality 3D games, and Caanoo won't have enough horsepower (and will probably be limited by drivers) to support really cutting edge 3D graphics.

They do deserve credit for the accelerometer, because technically they are releasing the first handheld to combine gaming buttons (analog/face/shoulder) with one. But I would suggest that accelerometer control has been more of a mediocre substitute for analog on phone games than something really driving new kinds of gameplay outside of some shallow novelties. I think that GPH might be trying to mimic success here too, but instead of that of phones that of the Wii, which has put accelerometer/gyro control to very good use (bear in mind, gyros are way more expensive than accels, if you were curious about their omission). The issue here is that it doesn't work the same on handhelds because you have to move the display you're looking at, which means you can't do fast and complex gestures.

But I suppose we should wait and see if GPH has any interesting software titles up their sleeves before making any kind of major verdict on this.

EDIT: To be fair Odroid had gaming buttons + accelerometer but the gaming buttons suck.

 

[Sphinxter]

It's everything the F200 should have been!

 

[Exophase]

It's everything the F200 should have been!

And everything the F100 was.

</flameguards>

 

[quote]

It's everything the F200 should have been!

The F200 was everything the F100 should have been!