Ouya - Android based open gaming console

[EvilDragon]

Wait - so it's an open and hackable console where you can't install games anymore once you had to open the already opened console?


Does this make sense at all but is their definition of 'open' simply 'The user can decide which games he want to install from our appstore'...?

 

[diligentcircle]

Yeah, this sounds about as "open" as the iPhone.

 

[mcobit]

I have the feeling, that stuff like this really should be clearly said, before you collect a ton of money from people who like the concept of "open" consoles

 

[Tobs]

Wait - so it's an open and hackable console where you can't install games anymore once you had to open the already opened console?


Does this make sense at all but is their definition of 'open' simply 'The user can decide which games he want to install from our appstore'...?

It's the definition of open that gets them sales!


There's enough truely open devices out there that we gain almost nothing from the Ouya being open (dev friendly doesn't need to be completely open), but "open" is becoming an advertising buzzword for "slightly less restrictive than our competitors". Sad times...

 

[Sugar_Kane]

Relax, Craig, she said all of your points were wrong, OK? what more proof could you possibly need than that!? Jeez...


Seriously though, even if these magic beans turn out to become a tangible product then all I can see happening is it becoming a platform for android piracy, a very small amount of people will be using their custom OS, especially if it's DRM laden. Who cares if a rooted device can't access their store? I can't imagine anyone crying about that, they'll just flash another rom and install .apks. I mean, this device, especially at this price, just seems like the perfect media-hub/emulation machine. Now, if that does happen, would they really be making enough out of the hardware alone to make this a success?

 

[diligentcircle]

I think I sort of mentioned this earlier, but toanyone who wants an open console and has a TV that can act as a PC monitor, just use a PC (either get a new one, low-end will do, or use an existing one); connect it to your TV as the monitor, then get some game controllers, maybe XBox 360 controllers, or heck, get adapters for your favorite controller of all time, or if you're really crazy, build in some custom ports of your own. Add a trackball to use as a mouse from your couch and a wireless keyboard, and you're all set! You have the ultimate libre gaming console. Play any games you wish, no restrictions at all, on just about any OS you wish (Windows, GNU/Linux, BSD, ReactOS, Chromium OS, and I think there's more).


Or you can use a Pandora with a TV-out cable.

 

[Mr_Loon]

I mean, this device, especially at this price, just seems like the perfect media-hub/emulation machine. Now, if that does happen, would they really be making enough out of the hardware alone to make this a success?

My thoughts exactly.


It seems likely that the DRM will be in the form of online authentication for software from the OUYA store, not sure why this would stop rooted devices from using the OUYA store. At their end it would be something like : User X has logged on to play game Y, we have a record that user X has purchased game Y so go right ahead.


Like a lot of people here, my main concern is that at approx $120 per order OUYA have under priced their hardware. What will they have left after shipping / packaging costs, wages, server costs, paying for software development of the Appstore, prototyping etc.?


Its great to see that they've had huge success on Kickstarter but when you analyse what they are trying to do even if they have a user base of 100K after the KS campaign has ended then that sort of figure is hardly going to have a great deal of appeal to a lot of Devs.


My suspicion is that they may well end up in a similar situation to the Pandora project, where due to insufficient funds they are unable to fulfil all their pre orders in a timely fashion, let's hope their customers are as patient as us Pandorians.


I'd love to see them succeed with this as they really would provide the most affordable way to bring 'open' gaming to the TV, I know you can use a PC for that but show me the $99 PC & wireless controller that can do that.


Edit : This is worth a read : Ouya reveal their secret weapon.

 

[quartercast]

Hmm, I don't know why OP are reacting in this negative way. I would think its more useful to see how they can learn from the experience. OUYA did raise $5 million after all.


For me it seems to be all about collaboration. Collaboration with an industrial designer, collaboration with nVidia, collaboration with key people in the indie game industry. They also must have collaborated with a graphic designer and copywriter to get those nice concept pictures and copy (is that provided by KS).


On KS, design and presentation are key. Substance doesn't seem to matter as much, indeed you only need an idea, some sexy renders and copy, and the good word of a few industry people to raise millions in dosh.

 

[TrashyMG]

I know you can use a PC for that but show me the $99 PC & wireless controller that can do that.

Well the thing is the price for me doesn't really matter much.. If I want something like this, I want it to be exactly what I want.. If I want a truly "OPEN" system that connects to my TV and has a controller.. I will build it my way.. wether it's some ARM based device or just a Mini-itx PC in a small form factor case.. Not to mention I already have two computers hitched to my DLP projector with 160" screen, with controllers.. why would I need anything else.

Hmm, I don't know why OP are reacting in this negative way.

Well in my case, I don't care for their DRM on a "open" system and how they may be profiting from freely available applications.

 

[quartercast]

Oh, I thought OUYA was all about free games remaining free, open hardware, etc?

 

[Klumpen]

Or you can use a Pandora with a TV-out cable.

Since the OP only runs with battery, this isn't an option.

 

[TrashyMG]

Or you can use a Pandora with a TV-out cable.

Since the OP only runs with battery, this isn't an option.

plug it in?

 

[SNESFAN]

Wait - so it's an open and hackable console where you can't install games anymore once you had to open the already opened console?
Does this make sense at all but is their definition of 'open' simply 'The user can decide which games he want to install from our appstore'...?

Yes there is closed source drm keys on the device that will get wiped using the platform standard "oem unlock feature" that is part of the process. You can be sneaky and reinstall those keys manually so you can reflash it to stock. I had to go through that process on my xperia play. Ive gone back to stock and re-unlocked it several times, but in the end a unrestricted system image and non stock bootloader was my preference.


There is not much i cant reinstall from the original image on a aftermarket os image, only some media channels are not accessable after changing the image. The media peovided on stock such as games etc are still installable through (sony's) official solution. No trickery needed, just copy/paste.


I predict this to be similar, once rooted you will lose access to their drm protected channels for media /games but you can always put the android market on it and download stuff that way in addition to all the other software distrobution points... open android like whats on the pandora. The games themselves from that channel may or may not be reinstallable depending on if the app developer chooses to use those keys to validate authenticity.


They said they wont lock down the device from side loading apps that dont require root access. In a form that is open, not 100% open, but much more open than say the iphone. Not to mention them allowing you a process to gain full access to the hardware out of the box especially unlike iphone.


I cant see open source and drm go together well without doing exactly what they are doing to protect ip of app developers. Do you have a alternative solution that is at least attempting to prevent piracy? (I know nothing is inpregnatable from piracy if there is enough drive)


Sent from my MB612 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Trip]

I love the fact that most of the things people on this forum are saying about the Ouya are the same things that people said about the Pandora.


Personally I think the Ouya will succeed for the same reason that the Pandora has lasted so long; the community that has grown around it in a very short amount of time.


Also the price. Most people wouldn't have taken a chance on the Pandora if it had been priced any higher than it originally was. If that price was set too low is up for argument, but It did get more people to take a chance on something that didn't even exist at the time.


I'm actually really disappointed by the response of this forum; most of which laughed at the idea of the On-Live service too, but that seems to be doing ok.

 

[quartercast]

^ I second that. I think there might be some sour grapes going on here

 

[vcoleiro1]

^ Agreed

 

[Exophase]

I love the fact that most of the things people on this forum are saying about the Ouya are the same things that people said about the Pandora.

This whole comparison is really superficial. Although you are right about some things - in hindsight Pandora should have received more criticism, especially on its $330 price tag it now can't satisfy orders for. I have always been against taking preorder money to fund production (much less R&D, and OUYA appear to be starting with much less than OPT did), especially preorder money in the millions, and I would have been more vocally opposed to OPT doing it if I weren't under the false impression that that wasn't what they were doing. Of course with KS this is the whole point of the service, risk and consequences be damned.


But the big difference here is in what they're trying to do with this. Yes, we could argue about the price feasibility and risk they're taking in being able to deliver this, but they may very well be able to pull that off and lots of people will be able to get their cheap Android box. But OUYA doesn't want to give you a cheap Android box, they want to give you a new home console with a successful library of free-to-play, DRM protected games from the tiniest indie studios to the biggest AAA $60 console-quality offerings. And they probably expect to make a fair amount of money doing this, and if people really are buying them to use them as cheap Android boxes without spending a lot of money on OUYA games (or that's what they end up being used for because the games aren't materializing) then OUYA will have failed to meet its designed purpose. A purpose which shares nothing in common with anything OPT tried to accomplish.


It's going to take more than a Pandora-esque niche-like community to make OUYA deliver on its stated purpose.

 

[craigix]

^ I second that. I think there might be some sour grapes going on here

All we're doing is pointing out from our own experience that what they want to do isn't feasible at $90. (and that DRM does not = 'open').


I don't remember dozens of pages of people being suspicious about onlive on here, they showed up at


a trade fair with working real kit and let people use it, it worked, they went to market.

 

[DisgruntleElf]

Well as they say turn about is fair play. When Product 3 hits KS the OPT will be facing its fair share of criticisim with the OUYA team leading the offensive charge.

 

[notaz]

Yeah and that won't be hard for them I imagine, I can already see news postings like: "after failing to fully deliver their first device to people who ordered 4 years ago, the people behind pandora device announce X".