Our New Machine, Pandora

[Squidge]

Hmmm, how about do something radical; ignore dpad and analogs completely, and use a accelerometer instead?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5Vj3Foppk0

 

[realyst]

I'm not quite warmed up to the DaveC modular approach. It seems like it would scatter development for it too much. The beauty of a console is it's static hardware. You can develop for it and test it out in the world without having to worry about isolating a large chunk of the populace.

I'm not of the mind analogue is all important either. And the c-stick, for you N64 fanaloonatics, can easily be added as touchscreen functionality. Or, here's an idea, the keyboard and all it's 30-odd button glory.

Analogue is nice, but certainly shouldn't lead to the design being more fragile/awkward. 6 Buttons is excessive. I have a P990, it's great and all, but it's huge. You need more buttons, use the shoulders or a combination of shoulder+button, etc... Or at the very least have two flat buttons next to it that would serve as sometimes-buttons.

And before even thinking about Saturn emulation, perhaps they should get it working proper on the PC first. Ask the makers of Yabause how easy it is(hint: it wasn't just hard to make games for).

We can't forget that it's -impossible- for this thing to be a replacement for all your consoles of your nostalgic pasts, and make toast too. It has to fall within a happy medium. That means that you have to give up some of those things from the past(do you N64 fans even remember how huge and odd that bloody controller -WAS-?? Do you really want a portable system that looks like -that-????)

Turnip's original non-6-btn version was nicely though out and fairly interesting. I wouldn't mind seeing a console like that if styled well enough.

As for pencil eraser buttons...a button the size of a pencil eraser would still be comfortable enough if rounded, though I do get what you were saying.

I think we should all remember that the best way to experience playing an old console is to play the console itself or hire Ben Heck if you need it to move.

 

[saehn]

Frylock: (to Shake) So it's a battery.
Shake: Yes it's a battery... try twelve batteries, and it's heavy as hell. But it is also cool as crap .

 

[Yrx]

I'm not quite warmed up to the DaveC modular approach. It seems like it would scatter development for it too much. The beauty of a console is it's static hardware. You can develop for it and test it out in the world without having to worry about isolating a large chunk of the populace.

I'm not of the mind analogue is all important either. And the c-stick, for you N64 fanaloonatics, can easily be added as touchscreen functionality. Or, here's an idea, the keyboard and all it's 30-odd button glory.

Analogue is nice, but certainly shouldn't lead to the design being more fragile/awkward. 6 Buttons is excessive. I have a P990, it's great and all, but it's huge. You need more buttons, use the shoulders or a combination of shoulder+button, etc... Or at the very least have two flat buttons next to it that would serve as sometimes-buttons.

And before even thinking about Saturn emulation, perhaps they should get it working proper on the PC first. Ask the makers of Yabause how easy it is(hint: it wasn't just hard to make games for).

We can't forget that it's -impossible- for this thing to be a replacement for all your consoles of your nostalgic pasts, and make toast too. It has to fall within a happy medium. That means that you have to give up some of those things from the past(do you N64 fans even remember how huge and odd that bloody controller -WAS-?? Do you really want a portable system that looks like -that-????)

Turnip's original non-6-btn version was nicely though out and fairly interesting. I wouldn't mind seeing a console like that if styled well enough.

As for pencil eraser buttons...a button the size of a pencil eraser would still be comfortable enough if rounded, though I do get what you were saying.

I think we should all remember that the best way to experience playing an old console is to play the console itself or hire Ben Heck if you need it to move.

But if the modular approach were used with typical USB, it would have benefits even if they never made any modules!

But yeah, Saturn isn't going to happen, I guarantee it.

As for the buttons, GP2X was pushing it in terms of comfort for me, and my hands aren't particularly large. And for my friend Sam, it was impossible for him to enjoy it. If the buttons are as small as pencil erasers, that would be a huge problem. But luckily, we have some designers that at least play games and know when something will be uncomfortable.

 

[Julius]

Hmmm, how about do something radical; ignore dpad and analogs completely, and use a accelerometer instead?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5Vj3Foppk0



Certainly wouldn't hurt to have one of these build in, but the precision lacks quite a bit.

 

[eridium]

In my oh so humble opinion, I do not think the design should get too complicated. I think the GP2X has some great aspects that should not be veered too far away from. A dpad, 4 buttons, 2 shoulders, Start, Select is a good basis to work from. Add to that the touchscreen and keyboard and you have a lot of extra functionality. Maybe add an analog stick/nub if space allows. KISS design is a good way to go.

As for the vertical mode issues, it's tough to build a machine to handle that without making it more complicated or having somewhat awkward controls. One suggestion, if they use a sliding screen idea similar to the ones floating in this thread. It would not be very difficult to design the slide screen to also rotate 90 degrees. Then, your controls and hand orientation remains the same, no extra buttons needed.

Not complicating it will also keep the price lower. $340 seems a relatively reasonable price to me. You probably will not get an overly large group of early adopters, but as word gets out that it is as solid and versatile device as so far proposed, people will buy it. Even the naysayers. As soon as they read about how much fun people are having or some rockin' new app that let's it do something they wanted it to do, then they will fork over their pennies like the rest of us.

And while I am at it, my proposal for the device name: The Précis

Well, that's my nickel, or two and a half pence for those in the UK.

-eridium

 

[craigix]

The final design probably will have 2 analogues and one digital, but it's all neat and tidy

 

[Javacat]

The final design probably will have 2 analogues and one digital, but it's all neat and tidy

:wub:

 

[Magic Sam]

 

[X-Code]

Interesting... It's going to be similar to my original design :lol:


( I mean that it'll have a screen, buttons and so on )

 

[Eolair]

The final design probably will have 2 analogues and one digital, but it's all neat and tidy

Did this design before I saw Craigix post. But it only has one analog. Oh well, at least I had fun :lol:

 

[X-Code]

It's a very nice design, what worries me now, is where these two new sticks will get located...

Behind the unit?... Under the screen?, one under the dpad and another under the buttons on the opposite side?... Where the triggers would have been?.... ( Yes, I'm an innovator )

I need more info, I'm hungry for info... :lol:

 

[Squidge]

Cue DaveC and his "analogs are complete pants and no good for vertical mame games" ?

Also, you can hide analog controllers under the keyboard. Once you need them just flip a switch and a number of keys disappear, and the analog joystick pops up!

(ok, maybe not )

 

[X-Code]

Heh!, that sounds like one of James Bonds' new gadgets :lol:

Edit: Hmmmzzz... Analog above, D-Pad under, D-Pad acts as buttons in vertical mode... I need a beer I think

 

[Orkie]

Cue DaveC and his "analogs are complete pants and no good for vertical mame games" ?

Think DaveC will become the equivalent of JaqMs for this thing?

 

[Vimacs]

isnt he already?
Its pretty much the opposite of what he wants us to want, i love it.

 

[lubidog]

@Craig-excellent news! We should all be happy!!! And have you been persuaded yet to go for the more expensive soc?

Hope so!

 

[Turnip]

In that design, the sticks are too far away from the other buttons, thus making it uncomfortable to play with. The module idea is an interesting idea, but for it to work properly, it would need to be thought out extensively, and it would also cost more. IMHO, Turnip's design, with its own flaws, is a better alternative to the modular system.

-God Ginrai

It is only a concept. And by the way you need to think of the TRUE SCALE of the unit. The unit is fairly small so while the dual analogs look far away in actuality they are probably about the same as a dual shock. Again just a concept, that is no where near final.

Turnip's design is not practical. It looks ok until you get into the reality of scale. The scale is wrong. If it actually came that way the buttons and controls would be very tiny and not very practical to use. Pressing buttons the diameter of a pencil eraser is not realistic. Dual analog, D-pad, 6 buttons, start/select etc all on one unit is just not practical, there is not enough room.

*snip*



Have you seen the DS buttons? Those are smaller than a pencil erasers and work splendidly.

 

[javaJake]

Will this new GP2X cousin support IM, web browsing, and maybe *gasp* remote access clients such as SSH or VNC?

Should be able to do [IM, web browsing, SSH, and VNC] easily enough, yep

What's wrong with Firefox? I assume 128MB should be enough..

:blink:

Holy
Smokes
!

Great, now December looks like a year away... :lol:

 

[Rivroner]

The final design probably will have 2 analogues and one digital, but it's all neat and tidy

Great news !!!

Cue DaveC and his "analogs are complete pants and no good for vertical mame games" ?

Also, you can hide analog controllers under the keyboard. Once you need them just flip a switch and a number of keys disappear, and the analog joystick pops up!

(ok, maybe not )

Thanks for the info