Gizmondo To Have Official Homebrew

[supaimposter]

this is from another forum wrote by the president of gizmondo , this is definatly true as i heard this from another reliable source sometime ago.

Hello everyone !

I am the President of Gizmondo Studios, and am in charge of all games content as well as additional content for the Gizmondo hand held device.

I have been reading the board here, and am impressed with the passion shown for our device, and I have a proposal for you all.

We are seriously considering selling a HomeBrew SDK application, that will allow people to develop for the Gizmondo as well as share Home Brew apps amongst anyone that has turned their Giz into a HomeBrew/developer device.

How does that sound?

Also, we are planning on putting up a place (BBS) for people to share those apps amongst themselves.

In addition we will create a space to submit your applications for approval into the retail channel.

Basically, if you have created an application and or game that you would like to sell to the general public, it would go through our approvals process and testing, and if it is approved by us, we will sign a contract and make it available to all Gizmondo owners, not just those with the HomeBrew SDK installed.

I know this is a change in direction for us, but one that the new management embraces wholeheartedly.

I ask your patience in making this happen, as we have to get the SDK ready for release as well as put the seeding technology in there ( Augmented reality, GPS, Camera tech) etc..etc.etc..

This is something that I have been personally lobbying to happen for a very long time, and am glad that our new leadership has embraced the idea.

I will be happy to answer questions about our plans, and if you have any suggestions, please post them, a good idea is always welcome.

I do want to point out that I will not get involved in any of the flame wars in the financial section or divulge any insider information.

My main focus is about getting killer content on the device, and I don't care if it comes from someone in Fulham or a 15 year old kid in Iowa....I just want it for the Gizmondo.

I think that a more open policy with our devoted community is key to our success.

Toghether we can make this work !

Thanks for your time,

GizStudPrez - aka Eric Peterson




The advantage is that homebrew coders could end up getting well paid for their efforts.

 

[craigix]

Selling an SDK?

....

Sounds like they are now scraping the bottom of the barrel finance wise!

The whole thing sounds like the Zodiac situation, but worse.

It does not work unless you just throw open the flood gates with no strings attached.

Although since its wince, that might not be so simple.

Still, nice to see it happen, even if it is I suspect too little too late to save the device.

 

[supaimposter]

could be some competition for you craig, the giz could probably nail that psx and n64 emulation.
oh by the way im also very happy with my gp2x

 

[Nova]

Bullshit.

 

[Angel]

then they can incorporate the adware into the homebrew, genius. the giz is even more jiz than i expected.

 

[slygamer]

Augmented reality? Isn't that a boob job?

If he was the president and he wanted a homebrew SDK, it would have happened when he wanted it to happen. Presidents don't lobby for something. What they say goes.

And they're setting up a BBS to distribute these things? I'll have to break out my 9600 baud modem and start dialling up again. (not that I have a Gizm)

 

[craigix]

Heh, i don't think the giz is going to be around long enough to be any competition. (lets be honest, its on life support)

Plus its got a postage stamp for a screen, uses windows CE and has its fantasticly well thought out spam-the-user-with-adverts while they play system.

Giz - budget: 200million - commercial, 14 lackluster titles and sales of around 7,500 to 14,500 in just under a year.

GP2X - budget: nothing - open source, 200+ releases and 8000 sales in under 2 months.

Giz are trying a half way to homebrew approach (which sounds like they are going to shove adverts in the games to make money from them). Its just half arsed GP2X and messy.

Why not just get a GP2x, GP32 or Zodiac and have no messing about?

-Craig

 

[Angel]

well said. I can honestly say that from the very beginning, i had no inkling or anything of ever owning or trying or giving this system the time of day.

 

[supaimposter]

I think we will have to wait and see how this pans out, im a fan of both the gp2x and gizmondo, hope they both do well.
For some reason i just think the giz is gonna do well next year and dont forget that the reason the gp2x has sold so well is that GPH had experience with the GP32 and the GP32 had a scene already so everyone is just upgrading, TT have to start from scratch with the gizmondo.
There is some wild stuff coming out on the giz http://rapidshare.de/files/7347354/catapul..._video.avi.html

 

[jaycee900]

Plus its got a postage stamp for a screen, uses windows CE and has its fantasticly well thought out spam-the-user-with-adverts while they play system.

Giz - budget: 200million - commercial, 14 lackluster titles and sales of around 7,500 to 14,500 in just under a year.

GP2X - budget: nothing - open source, 200+ releases and 8000 sales in under 2 months.

Giz are trying a half way to homebrew approach (which sounds like they are going to shove adverts in the games to make money from them). Its just half arsed GP2X and messy.

Why not just get a GP2x, GP32 or Zodiac and have no messing about?

-Craig

​

Giz it a rest about the screen, its a 2.8" TFT screen with a resolution of 240x320, GP2x has a 3.2" screen with a resolution of 240x320...anyone with similar mobile phone spec screens with a higher resolution will tell you which one looks the better, i would of thought any game fan esp those selling hardware would support all new comers. Though it does say its a handheld, having a screen that size with a shell to complement it puts it way smaller than the GP32/X2 which are lingering on the gamegear (carry in a case and not in your pocket method)
Its peoples comments on other threads that annoy me like 'oh its ugly built in battery' what!? have none of you actually used one or even read about it fully? At least its a rechargable lithium battery and we dont have to go buy some AA's every time it conks out.
Also another lack of research, thougth someone did say it, was the smartadds, yes they havent started yet, 9 months and counting..its unlikely for the foreseeable future they will start so, thats another argument out of the window not to get one..though if you did a little research you would have known if you stick it in 'flight mode' i.e no sms/gprs then it will stop any adverts reaching the console anyway...
And what aload of crap about putting adverts in games, you're just making up stuff for the sake of argument...
Yes we all know the sales, but that doesnt' stop it from being a good piece of kit, its something unique...I'm sure you cant have Sat Nav on your GP32/X2 or control a game using a built in camera, or have a game react to your situation to your real life postioning in a game...didn't think so.
I hope you noticed that while I'm defending the Gizmondo from those that have no knowledge or lack of actually using one, I'm not actually knocking the GP32/X2, i've actually owned a GP32 a couple of years back, a nice piece of kit and the same for the GP2X though to me my 1.5 PSP does everything so far seen on the GP2X, so to complement my PSP the Gizmondo does it nicely.

 

[Squidge]

Hmmm, I know exactly 2 people who would develop Gizmondo homebrew apps, and one of them is constantly saying how little time he has...

To me it sounds like a "Freelauncher" type application, and if people have to buy it, then I reckon it'll be a complete flop. A few developers may buy the SDK, but not many people are going to want to pay to use there homebrew, and without feedback, I reckon the developers will die off pretty quick.

Now, lets watch them do something absurd, such as making the homebrew SDK only be able to run with a certain compiler and linker to ensure you don't try and be naughty and access areas your not supposed to. Next, force the language to be something stupid like Pascal.

Then again, isn't the Gizmondo already only a collectors piece?

Hmmm, didn't Sony do something like this on the PS2? A slogan such as "write your own games and apps!" but really restricted, and only if you bought a certain piece of software?

EDIT: For anyone wishing to flame me, I *did* have a Gizmondo, and thought it was a real piece of junk. Took over a minute to reach the main menu screen, but had a handy "standby" mode. Unfortunately, the "standby" mode didn't even last overnight for me - by morning it had turned off and wouldn't turn on again without a recharge. You couldn't switch it on whilst it was recharging - you had to remove the power cable, switch it on, and then re-insert (but you couldn't do that until the battery had recharged to a certain percentage). Yes, it has a li-ion battery, but it seemed to be on par with 2xAA's in the GP2X, and I know which I'd rather replace when it dies...

 

[marks97]

Hey guys. Just setting the record straight on a few things from reading this post.

this is from another forum wrote by the president of gizmondo

Eric Peterson is the president of Gizmondo Studios and thats why he had to get the go ahead etc. This has been pushed for ages though. Its only since the new management it has gone through so quickly.

Plus its got a postage stamp for a screen

The screen I feel is big enough for what it does but I can understand where other people are coming from, especially if they are used to bigger such as the GP32 etc.

Took over a minute to reach the main menu screen, but had a handy "standby" mode. Unfortunately, the "standby" mode didn't even last overnight for me - by morning it had turned off and wouldn't turn on again without a recharge. You couldn't switch it on whilst it was recharging - you had to remove the power cable, switch it on, and then re-insert (but you couldn't do that until the battery had recharged to a certain percentage). Yes, it has a li-ion battery, but it seemed to be on par with 2xAA's in the GP2X, and I know which I'd rather replace when it dies...

The startup time is still similar im affraid. The new battery is 100 times better though and service pack A fixed most problems with the Giz (Service pack B is also near completion I believe). My battery in my Giz now lasts as long as a PSP one does, if not longer. Depends on usgae etc. Service pack also fixed the standby issues for the majority. I seem to remember a few people still had some hastle when it first came out though. As for the turn on while charging, thats now fixed as well.

I hope this will be good for the Giz. It will probably never be as well suported as the GP32 but hopefully we can get some extra stuff for our units which can never be a bad thing. Who knows one day, it may have a bit of a cult community like the GP32. Hope I have not affended anyone as that was not my intention.

Cheers.

 

[DaveC]

Giz it a rest about the screen, its a 2.8" TFT screen with a resolution of 240x320, GP2x has a 3.2" screen with a resolution of 240x320...anyone with similar mobile phone spec screens with a higher resolution will tell you which one looks the better, i would of thought any game fan esp those selling hardware would support all new comers. Though it does say its a handheld, having a screen that size with a shell to complement it puts it way smaller than the GP32/X2 which are lingering on the gamegear (carry in a case and not in your pocket method)
Its peoples comments on other threads that annoy me like 'oh its ugly built in battery' what!? have none of you actually used one or even read about it fully? At least its a rechargable lithium battery and we dont have to go buy some AA's every time it conks out.

​

That is fine but wrong. The GP2X screen is 3.5" not 3.2" Nice try.

Yeah and have fun trying to find a replacement for your lovely Lithium battery when TT goes tits up. I will always be able to get some AA NiMH batteries.

Besides, the gizmondo just plain sucks.

 

[DaveC]

Hmmm at didn't Sony do something like this on the PS2? A slogan such as "write your own games and apps!" but really restricted, and only if you bought a certain piece of software?

​

Actually it sounds more like the Zodiac homebrew model. That is you can write a HB app but you still need to get it signed by TT to make it work on non DAA enabled gizs. Meh.

 

[Squidge]

Besides, the gizmondo just plain sucks.

How is that constructive is any shape or form? I don't think you've ever had one (and most likely don't want one) but a comment like that is hardly useful to anyone.

 

[jaycee900]

That is fine but wrong. The GP2X screen is 3.5" not 3.2" Nice try.

Yeah and have fun trying to find a replacement for your lovely Lithium battery when TT goes tits up. I will always be able to get some AA NiMH batteries.

Besides, the gizmondo just plain sucks.

​

My mistake 3.5" screen, was a simple mistake, it was hardly to have an unfair comparison going on there!

I'm sure enough battery's will be available to last it, after all the sales are hardly great, if it goes tits up I can buy loads of batterys on the cheap to keep me going.

If thats the best you can do 'just plain sucks' no wonder the world is going the way it is, this generation needs their heads knocking together.

 

[hagisbasheruk]

you still need to get it signed by TT to make it work

Well that is if you want TT to sell your program for you, but if you dont then TT doesn't need to sign it for the rest of them who have the SDK it will work fine without the TT signature.

 

[DaveC]

you still need to get it signed by TT to make it work

Well that is if you want TT to sell your program for you, but if you dont then TT doesn't need to sign it for the rest of them who have the SDK it will work fine without the TT signature.

​

But not everyone will have the SDK. That is how it was with the zodiac, anyone with dev status could run anything but for the non-coders it had to be signed to work.

 

[DaveC]

I'm sure enough battery's will be available to last it, after all the sales are hardly great, if it goes tits up I can buy loads of batterys on the cheap to keep me going.

If thats the best you can do 'just plain sucks' no wonder the world is going the way it is, this generation needs their heads knocking together.

​

You can't really do that with lithiums. If you store them unused they deteriorate quickly. They like being charged.

And I didn't feel like typing the long list of why I don't like the giz.

 

[craigix]

It gets better, they want to charge people to run homebrew!

Oh dear.

They don't seem to get it at all.

And their response to this?

'We are in it to make money'

I think there are bigger and better scenes to join

-Craig