Gdc Update

[Game_over]

Hey what's up this is Game_Over giving you guys an update at the Sony bloggers lounge before I head off into Suite Night and get trashed, I've been talking to some of my fellow devs and they are just soo overwhelmed with the whole Idea of all of these different forms of support from all three big companies almost simultaneous support for independent/homebrew/community driven games. When I told some of them about the GP2X and the upcoming pandora... some of them have actually heard of the GP2x; I've met a couple ex-naughty dog guys who heard of the Pandora on accident while searching for the online music service on the wiki; how funny is that! Anyway I've had some Amaretto Sours and a martini already. I'll update more later. Who ever is still around at One of the hotel parties please update. more to come.



Note: I've made it there yesterday as part of the last three days, normally CA's get there the sunday night before anything goes down. Hopefully I'll premiere a Pandora title at GDC:09.

-Game_Over

 

[dockthepod]

Ah damn, wish I was down there. My work is a ghosttown these week, everybody at GDC

 

[Game_over]

I forgot to mention you should add the Zune to the list of competition with the Pandora....hahaha.



You can now create game with XNA for the Zune (best played with on the s80)

 

[atomicthumbs]

heard of the Pandora on accident while searching for the online music service on the wiki

My strategic placement of the Pandora on the Pandora disambiguation page has come in handy!

(it's right below the music service and the management system)

 

[Game_over]

This is shaping to be one of the more disappointing GDCs in-terms of it's become a notion of "Selling your product" over "learning new development techniques". I'm off looking at Square-Enix's session on the "White Engine".
It still is an awesome GDC experience and I got so much free stuff. I was hanging out with my friends from Sega and Sony last night, San Francisco was on crowded all night long from pubs to clubs to hotels.

I can't wait for the prototype of the Pandora.




Any Questions?

 

[fusion_power]

Any Questions?

If you really have "friends" from SEGA and SONY, ask them what they could do with the Power of the Pandora. I'm ordering 1 Exclussive premium 2D Sonic game and maybe 1 premium 3D Sonic game. Plus 1 new and outstanding Phantasy Star Game.
(I never had a Playstation so I have no clue, what game from SONY could find it's way onto the Pandora )

 

[icurafu]

Sony's more likely to sue anything involved with the Pandora.

Never forget.

 

[Game_over]

Any Questions?

If you really have "friends" from SEGA and SONY, ask them what they could do with the Power of the Pandora. I'm ordering 1 Exclussive premium 2D Sonic game and maybe 1 premium 3D Sonic game. Plus 1 new and outstanding Phantasy Star Game.
(I never had a Playstation so I have no clue, what game from SONY could find it's way onto the Pandora )


My friends are have been in the industry for at least 6-10 years each (not very long) but they are working with very powerful technology and since day one so the "power" of the Pandora is not really the thing they are going "hmm" about. They are honestly excited about the fact that this is just another way that enthusiast, which all four of them started to be before getting to where they are, can possibly teach themselves in an open and portable environment; how to execute their ideas and make there own games. Keep in mind that things like "LittleBigPlanet", "XNA Game Studio", and "Wii-ware" are pretty much the mainstream spark that has yet to ignite the fire. EVERYONE here is high on those three platforms and many still don't know about this idea that this community has took advantage of since 1998 (during the actual realization that there is an industry in video games); Allot of the devs that was here all had either the Apple II or the Amiga, and the C64. The idea is not new, but in there heads it took us this long to get to where they have feel that "I can make a game, make money, inspire my audience to make a game, and bring a new since of creativity in the industry and continue the circle".

Sony's more likely to sue anything involved with the Pandora.

Never forget.

That's not entirely the case and that's mainly due to the fact that Sony is too big of a company for you to generalize that they are sue happy. Only a portion of the company gives you weight to that point. There legal team, yes you got a point (lawyers make the bulk of money not just by representing someone, group, company, in a case initiated by the company of developer; but make it by voluntarily looking up thing that seem like it may be unethical). Can't really fault them for protecting what's theres. In the US, a company that holds patents and copyrights and even trademarks it is required of you to defend yourself of violations or else you will loose that documented protection, period.

Although I'm not entirely a fan of SCEE's Legal team as they killed Lik-sang in the name of the PSP, but I'm in America.

On to the point, Piracy is a huge thing that all Dev's are worrying in GDC. That's the number one reason, the media has the cute little articles and columns asking "Are PC Games Dead???" every year. As big of a problem it is, none of my friends said anything about the Pandora being "A pirates haven"; they just displayed there thoughts just for what it is, as another piece of hardware for game hobbyist...but this time it's open just like the good ol' days.



GDC has been over for a while I'm packing and flying home in like five hours

 

[Ravnos]

In the US, a company that holds patents and copyrights and even trademarks it is required of you to defend yourself of violations or else you will loose that documented protection, period.

Trademarks are the only thing that requires such defence. Copyrights and patents are not required to be actively defended for those protections to remain valid.

 

[fusion_power]

The Homebrew-Scene just needs more good Games. If Homebrew Games are better than commercial games, then nobody needs to pirate commercial Games. Maybe some Day, the big Game Companies want to pirate Homebrew Games and not vice versa. B)
I'm not a coder and I don't have a clue of Game Development. But even a person like me can do good looking Graphics for 2D Games these days. So I think there are enough talented people out there who can do amazing things with their Skills. I think they just need a platform like the Pandora. I really want to know what these People could squeeze out of the Pandora if they have the chance to do this.

 

[efegea]

The Homebrew-Scene just needs more good Games. If Homebrew Games are better than commercial games, then nobody needs to pirate commercial Games. Maybe some Day, the big Game Companies want to pirate Homebrew Games and not vice versa. B)
I'm not a coder and I don't have a clue of Game Development. But even a person like me can do good looking Graphics for 2D Games these days. So I think there are enough talented people out there who can do amazing things with their Skills. I think they just need a platform like the Pandora. I really want to know what these People could squeeze out of the Pandora if they have the chance to do this.

If a person have enought talent to do a good looking game, he/she will not be doing a homebrew game, he/she will be working on a software company. Like Coleophysis, the autor of the graphics of Camelot Warriors.

 

[gaterooze]

If a person have enought talent to do a good looking game, he/she will not be doing a homebrew game, he/she will be working on a software company. Like Coleophysis, the autor of the graphics of Camelot Warriors.

I know devs who do work at big studios, but do homebrew in their (limited) spare time.

 

[efegea]

If a person have enought talent to do a good looking game, he/she will not be doing a homebrew game, he/she will be working on a software company. Like Coleophysis, the autor of the graphics of Camelot Warriors.

I know devs who do work at big studios, but do homebrew in their (limited) spare time.


Well, now that you say that, yes, coleophysis also do homebrew in his spare time. You are right

 

[Game_over]

In the US, a company that holds patents and copyrights and even trademarks it is required of you to defend yourself of violations or else you will loose that documented protection, period.

Trademarks are the only thing that requires such defence. Copyrights and patents are not required to be actively defended for those protections to remain valid.


That is true, I miss wrote that, I think what I'm getting at is that they are going to actively be in defense of that since in most cases they may have all three. I'll give you an example, Sega's Crazy Taxi, they have patents to there map and pointer positioning system that has been cloned in a number of titles such as The Simpson's Road Rage, they also held the trademark and copyrights to the title.

The Homebrew-Scene just needs more good Games. If Homebrew Games are better than commercial games, then nobody needs to pirate commercial Games. Maybe some Day, the big Game Companies want to pirate Homebrew Games and not vice versa. B)
I'm not a coder and I don't have a clue of Game Development. But even a person like me can do good looking Graphics for 2D Games these days. So I think there are enough talented people out there who can do amazing things with their Skills. I think they just need a platform like the Pandora. I really want to know what these People could squeeze out of the Pandora if they have the chance to do this.

If a person have enought talent to do a good looking game, he/she will not be doing a homebrew game, he/she will be working on a software company. Like Coleophysis, the autor of the graphics of Camelot Warriors.


That's not entirely true in some cases creating a homebrew game is the initial jump start that gives them that
extra something, that will make there portfolio stick out before even getting a job or even just an internship.

If a person have enought talent to do a good looking game, he/she will not be doing a homebrew game, he/she will be working on a software company. Like Coleophysis, the autor of the graphics of Camelot Warriors.

I know devs who do work at big studios, but do homebrew in their (limited) spare time.


I know devs who do rapid prototyping or concepts create homebrew for systems they are not even targeting.

We as a community needs to do more to create great content and maybe work together to create games for the Pandora. If there is this surge of creativity that we can spark while we are sitting at are desk and wishing Craigix to hurry the hell up. Wishing the certified "GP Gurus" here to make updates to their ports, emus, and games; while dreaming about how you are going to put all the ROMS you have created from your game collection unto the Pandora, and have the nerve to complain about something not running at fullspeed. I'm curious what stopping the 74% of you here to not pick up a book on C/C++ and looking up the OpenGL ES 2.0 spec, and getting prepared to making a contribution that no matter how crappy the quality of the work maybe, it will make Engadget say "hmm, This community is the end-all-be-all community that would thrive tenfold of what the Amiga/Dreamcast/Early GP scenes has ever done. This is probably not the best written though, but this is how I feel. Enough waiting, lets crack that pen open and get to work.

 

[Prophet]

QUOTE
I'm curious what stopping the 74% of you here to not pick up a book on C/C++ and looking up the OpenGL ES 2.0 spec, and getting prepared to making a contribution


Do you really want a list?

Thing is, there's a lot of adults here. With lives, families, jobs... And not all of us are programmers. Theoretically I could do what you say (especially since I once studied C about 10 years ago) but in reality I don't have the time or the energy. So I would never expect everyone to become a dev, and you shouldn't either.

Also, there are other ways to contribute besides programming. And I disagree about the quality of homebrew not mattering. Not everyone really has that calling or talent to be a good programmer, and I think those that do are the ones who become devs, and rightly so.

 

[Game_over]

You missed my intention...

I fully understand the people with little to no time on their hands, I was directing that more towards the people who do and maybe think about making games and want to learn. More motivative than being offensive.

You are correct programming is not the only way contribute to this community people can beta test, or just simple show how cool their system is to there friends helping it grow. There are a bunch of ways to contribute.

I stand the idea that you can use the Pandora/GP32/GP2X as an education device for game development and other areas of Computer Science. I was getting at, if someone made, for example, their first homebrew game, it may be crappy in quality; however, that's not the point. The point is they made something and they can build upon that, the "quality" of the game is only going to get better. Game Development in general is done in iteration right? What I wrote may not have been accurate but I thought my intentions were clear.



Oh yeah....if you guys haven't check out the IGF finalists alot of them was done by 1-4 person teams, I would love to see these type of games on the Pandora, no?

http://www.igf.com/02finalists.html

 

[Adventus]

While I support the intentions of your post, its not quite so simple. Generally organising coherent and productive teams in nigh on impossible.... especially when no money is involved. Its pretty well established in the game development world, that 100 people working on a job is not 10x more productive than 10 people. Also people who produce good homebrew generally like to have complete creative freedom, which is, in essence, what sets it apart from commercial products.

I definitely agree with you about the bitching some emu/homebrewers receive, especially when its not backed up with a suggestion or idea. Simply saying "its crap" doesn't help anyone.

Still on the whole, I would relish some more community involvement (not that this community is bad by any means).

 

[Game_over]

While I support the intentions of your post, its not quite so simple. Generally organising coherent and productive teams in nigh on impossible.... especially when no money is involved. Its pretty well established in the game development world, that 100 people working on a job is not 10x more productive than 10 people. Also people who produce good homebrew generally like to have complete creative freedom, which is, in essence, what sets it apart from commercial products.

I definitely agree with you about the bitching some emu/homebrewers receive, especially when its not backed up with a suggestion or idea. Simply saying "its crap" doesn't help anyone.

Still on the whole, I would relish some more community involvement (not that this community is bad by any means).

Thank you, I couldn't agree with you more. That point about 100 people is not 10x as productive as 10 people, while well established, it's been the number one point to take away from this conference this year. There where journalist from 1up who even brought up the contrast that "this year, there has been an excellent year for independent games; all of which are creating games just for the love of the game. All of which put in their own money into these games and expecting to get no money in return. By contrast, for example, all the boys had to really show over at Epic Games was the tech of a Giant cube of meat rolling around a Gears of War level".

Another huge thing that I personally took away from GDC this year is that in all honesty...the big companies are running out of ideas, they look at all these small dev teams, and see the almost if not professional quality in their work, they are beginning to act as those big record labels snatching up and signing all those indie/garage bands. Weather this is a good thing is entirely up to your point of view. We all know that the mainstream genesis to this practice is when Valve hired the Narbacular Drop team to do portal; they did a good job and this is an example of when this practice is done right. When you are bringing people with complete creative freedom into such a closed portion of the industry and protecting their creative freedom. I'm sure you all know how this can be abused and done wrong with other companies.

I know my old school over at UAT has/is buying some GP2Xs, learning how to use them and going to create a customized class on opensource homebrew, they have one for GBA and Gamecube dev when Nintendo donated some devkits to the school which is not often done buy them, outside of Digipen. but that's getting a little off topic.

To give you another example of the practice, James E. Silva created the game Dishwasher: Dead Samurai, using the XNA Game Studio, he did everything by himself, after discovery Microsoft did a profile of him at their conference and snatched him up.

I love all this creativity.

 

[Alex.]

I know my old school over at UAT has/is buying some GP2Xs, learning how to use them and going to create a customized class on opensource homebrew, they have one for GBA and Gamecube dev when Nintendo donated some devkits to the school which is not often done buy them, outside of Digipen. but that's getting a little off topic.

I remember someone (a university staff?) talking about that a while back. Do you know any details about how that worked out?

 

[fusion_power]

You are correct programming is not the only way contribute to this community people can beta test, or just simple show how cool their system is to there friends helping it grow. There are a bunch of ways to contribute.

While years of various coding-lessons in school I've found out, that I have no talent in coding, not Pascal or C or Assembler or whatever. ^^""" I've tried it hard but I think I haven't the right genes for coding. Would be cool because I have more time than most of the coders here. But at least I have the "skill" to find bugs in programs, even when I'm not searching for it. And I can do a little bit GFX stuff. Nothing special but I like good old 2D Jump'n Run graphics with alot of Parallax-Layers. And sometimes I have some crazy Ideas :lol:
Yes, I think everyone can do a little bit for the Homebrew Comunity.

P.S.: impressive IGF works. I like this one: http://www.kokoromi.org/fez looks like It would be great for Pandora to. ^_^