Pandora Developer Fund

[Awakening]

I have coded quite a lot before (including games) and now, thanks to the Pandora, I'm finally getting into C++. Got Code Blocks set up on my laptop and I've downloaded every SDL lesson and article by Lazy Foo and hopefully I'll get something of my own working this week (wish I could read and code on a Pandora, would be great on the buss). I'm about to start on a 2D puzzle game that I plan to release for free on the Pandora. I got a lot of plans for it, like using the stylus to play and a built in level editor. I'm hoping for a unique experience, at least I have not played anything like it.

I know there's an official developer fund going on but there's not a lot of info on it. I was wondering what sort of requirements there are to get funding and how much we are talking about. Like, would it be possible to get a free Pandora if the game is good? Of course I would have a playable game before asking for any funding.



The game will be called "Gravity Blocks" so keep an eye out for it in the Developers' Corner

 

[Sphinxter]

That fund is for people making the furniture, you're making something to set on the furniture.

 

[lulzfish]

So it's a hardware developer fund?
They should have been more clear about that.

 

[Monk]

Not when I ordered it bloody wasn't - it was for the people making "stuff to set on the furniture". The funding for the hardware and OS devs is supposed to be in the retail price of the Pandora.

 

[RobFord]

I was under the impression that it was a software dev fund.

As the payoff for the hardware devs, openpandora ltd, would be the success of the console. And if the pandora is anyway near as successful as it deserves to be the hardware devs should have plenty of reward for their hard, and much appreciated, work.

 

[Vorporeal]

It is, was, and always was planned to be a fund for software developers to promote software development for the Pandora. There's no need to create a monetary fund for the hardware developers - that money's the profit they make off selling the Pandora to all of us.

 

[Mithrildor]

Kewl, Awakening, Im currently learning to code in C++ (finished the tutorial on learncpp.com) and Im now learning from Lazy foo's SDL tutorial. Im going to make a puzzle/stragegy called Stacked Fortress where players can make there own fortress on a map by placing the blocks they get at start in a tactical way and then its the goal to destoy the power generator of the other. I need some more practice in paint and SDL and then hopefully I can start coding my first own game/large chunk of code. Coding is all new to me but I hope I can finish it.

 

[skeezix]

Who knows? ITs certainly not for us helping out with the machine, so is probably down the road stuff, or perhaps helping software contractors doing kernel work or the like in part.

But its probably not for people to learn how to code, since that woudl be pretty much every single person in the forum

Maybe Awakening is on the right track; if theres some in the kitty for apps like that, make yourself an app (on your own, no assumptions), and then maybe some can get tossed into a lottery and some few peopel will get some kickback to help their nezxt project.

Or maybe some prizes for gbax to help encourage platform apps/games.

Perhaps its a well defined process already, or perhaps it needs further definition..

But dont' go rabid

jeff

 

[Monk]

CODE
http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?showtopic=42725&st=0&p=621133&#entry621133

When ordering your Pandora you will be given the option to donate $20/£10 to the Pandora development fund.

This will give you access to a beta testing zone (where you can try software early) and the money donated will be used to reward Pandora software developers for their work.

Developers of course don't have to use this system, but I think it is a good way of rewarding them all. The Pandora team will throw in several thousand dollars to start it off.

Discuss...

Later that same day:

The money would be given to software which got the best feedback, not the most popular or the most downloaded.

For example:

Marwood ports MAME and it's poor quality, crashes, not everything works.

Withnail makes a music player from scratch with a superb interface, not ported, 100% original work.

Mame will get 100x more downloads and comments but the MP3 player would have got the best FEEDBACK.

It's all about the quality of the product I think, and we want to encourage unique and interesting development.

Sure Ports of slick GP2X stuff will get a good chunk of money, but so will other things.

Presentation and functionality etc. will be rewarded over quick and dirty ports.

Of course slick and sexy ports will be rewarded too.

Hows does that sound?

and

It is completely voluntary, but it establishes a good incentive for devs to come to the Pandora and make software - it also allows us to reward software which is essential but might not usually get donations.

It is something I think we need to bring the best to the Pandora.

A poor quality hacked port of something would still get some money, but with the lure of a lot more if they polish things up.

Sphinxter, you should remember this - you were involved in the thread.

 

[Vorporeal]

Kewl, Awakening, Im currently learning to code in C++ (finished the tutorial on learncpp.com) and Im now learning from Lazy foo's SDL tutorial. Im going to make a puzzle/stragegy called Stacked Fortress where players can make there own fortress on a map by placing the blocks they get at start in a tactical way and then its the goal to destoy the power generator of the other. I need some more practice in paint and SDL and then hopefully I can start coding my first own game/large chunk of code. Coding is all new to me but I hope I can finish it.

Out of curiosity, did you get this idea from Squidi's Three Hundred?

EDIT: Considering that the title of his idea is "Stacked Fortress" - it seems like you're taking this idea word-for-word from him. Give credit where credit's due. Seriously.

 

[Mithrildor]

Kewl, Awakening, Im currently learning to code in C++ (finished the tutorial on learncpp.com) and Im now learning from Lazy foo's SDL tutorial. Im going to make a puzzle/stragegy called Stacked Fortress where players can make there own fortress on a map by placing the blocks they get at start in a tactical way and then its the goal to destoy the power generator of the other. I need some more practice in paint and SDL and then hopefully I can start coding my first own game/large chunk of code. Coding is all new to me but I hope I can finish it.

Out of curiosity, did you get this idea from Squidi's Three Hundred?

EDIT: Considering that the title of his idea is "Stacked Fortress" - it seems like you're taking this idea word-for-word from him. Give credit where credit's due. Seriously.


Dude, what are you talking about , I ve never heard of that squidi dude thing lol. And whats wrong with the title Stacked Fortress? Thats just a name. Maybe Ive read that webbie once, but I cant remember it at all. Anyway I will be checking the webbie right now.

Ive read his idea and a his idea doesnt even looks alot like mine:

1. His idea is more about puzzling and less about strategy.
2. He has a tetres dropping blocks.
3. He uses some sort of king.

Stack is a normal word:
QUOTE

stack (stāk) Pronunciation Key
n.

1. A large, usually conical pile of straw or fodder arranged for outdoor storage.
2. An orderly pile, especially one arranged in layers. See Synonyms at heap.


Fortress is a normal english word too.
QUOTE

for⋅tress
   /ˈfɔrtrɪs/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [fawr-tris] Show IPA
–noun
1. a large fortified place; a fort or group of forts, often including a town; citadel.
2. any place of exceptional security; stronghold.



You dont have any evidence I stole his idea, I thought the idea up a week ago, but apperently someone else had a similair idea too, but if you forbid me to make that game , I will make something else.

 

[Vorporeal]

Chill, christ. It was just incredibly similar (you have to admit that), and I was just making sure you weren't trying to pass of someone else's idea as your own. I see now that I was wrong.

 

[Mithrildor]

Yeah , I saw that the the idea was somehow similair too, and I indeed I freaked out after you said I stole the idea, but I just dont like when people say that I did that thing that I didnt do.

Probably I wont even make this game , because I fail at the coding and art making.... , but for now I will change the name to: Block Stronghold.

And btw I looked around a bit more at Squidi's website and he has some really kewl ideas.

 

[Vorporeal]

Yeah, he does. I'm actually currently looking into writing the ASCII 3D one.

But back on topic... Yeah, the dev fund is software. I doubt that they'd be using the dev fund money to give out any free Pandoras. It would more likely be paying developers who write good software as a way of reimbursing them for the time they spent writing a game that was released for free to the community.

 

[Awakening]

Kewl, Awakening, Im currently learning to code in C++ (finished the tutorial on learncpp.com) and Im now learning from Lazy foo's SDL tutorial. Im going to make a puzzle/stragegy called Stacked Fortress where players can make there own fortress on a map by placing the blocks they get at start in a tactical way and then its the goal to destoy the power generator of the other. I need some more practice in paint and SDL and then hopefully I can start coding my first own game/large chunk of code. Coding is all new to me but I hope I can finish it.

Sounds interesting, a bit like Tower Defence maybe but with the players attacking each other?

I must warn you though. Making a game is a lot of work, even simple ones. And it's not all going to be fun. Most people never get further then a prototype, because that's the fun part. I say, start out very small and go from there.

But back on topic... Yeah, the dev fund is software. I doubt that they'd be using the dev fund money to give out any free Pandoras. It would more likely be paying developers who write good software as a way of reimbursing them for the time they spent writing a game that was released for free to the community.

Well, if the size of the sum is about that of the price for a Pandora then it doesn't really matter if they send the cash or the hardware now does it? I have no idea of how much they intend to offer each developer and if they would accept something fully running but compiled for Windows . I've not pre-ordered and I have no idea how far I'll get on my game before they release batch 2. I intend to buy a Pandora and release my game anyway, but I might work harder on it if I knew there was some kind of payoff in the end.

 

[PoisonedV]

the dev fund was a bad idea in the first place. i wouldnt be surprised if they lost track of it by now anyway

 

[Awakening]

the dev fund was a bad idea in the first place. i wouldnt be surprised if they lost track of it by now anyway

If they/we want the Pandora to do well then it's in everybody's interest that good software is developed for it. Having a fund for developers is a great idea for this purpose if you ask me. At least to support the developers who produce good quality software for free. If this is incentive enough for devs to polish their creations I think it will affect the sales of the Pandora in a positive way.

 

[hobbyman II]

I think you will find the dev fund will do several things, most likely as follows

1) ...fund competitions
2) ...provide funds for "big name" ports (ie incentives to induce people like 2d boy to convert games to Pandora)
3) ...fund people making larger or more popular games in ways that will help with the quality (ie paying for gfx/music/level designers,sound fx)
4) ...pay for licences for commercial games and their porting (talking older stuff that needs a dedicated port)
5) ...pay authors for promotional software to enhance Pandoras library
6) ...buying needed software for popular devs
7) ...paying for hardware to be sent to interested devs
8) ...developing and distributing dev kits and language packs
9) ...developing dedicated languages for the Pandora (I seem to recall Craigix talking about a BASIC compiler port for one)
10 ...paying voted bonuses to popular authors to encourage them to write follow ups or make more level packs

etc

not that they would necessarily do all these things, but being able to encourage more in the way of new titles/ sequels/ ports of really great games is all to the good, yes?

 

[Chip]

Primarily #1 and #7.

 

[Sphinxter]

CODE
http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?showtopic=42725&st=0&p=621133&#entry621133

Sphincter, you should remember this - you were involved in the thread.
I did but obviously oh so wrong, thanks for the refresher.