Received Email From Lik-sang

[Neptune]

Hi *******,

We are very sorry for this and are aware of the issue.
We regret to inform you that the unit you have is not faulty.

Unfortunately, this new "behavior" looked like a fault when first
discovered, even to us here at Lik Sang. Gamepark have made an official
statement in the meantime and published the new settings for programmers to
amend their software, so there is probably not a lot that can be done to
'undo' this hardware change.

This is a official confirmation from Game Park
=================================================
We changed LCD from Samsung to Taiwanese brand very recently, which means
that some skilled amateur developers (some users of the GP32 BLU) need
to get revised setting value of the firmware to comply with the LCD
of Taiwanese brand if Game Park makes the setting value open to them,
which is our idea to resolve this issue.

Simply speaking, Game Park original software and games have nothing to do
with this issue as you may understand.
==================================================

We do absolutely understand the impact of this recent change to the GP32
hardware and regret being unable to change Gamepark's mind. There is not a
lot that can be done as all GP32 systems manufactured in the future will be
equipped with the new LCD display type.

We at Lik Sang does of course also understand that this is a hard blow to
the GP32 community and that it happened in the middle of the Christmas
rush doesn't make it any better.

We hope it can be solved in a timely manner.

More info about this issue and what is going on can be found at
http://www.gp32x.de/board/ and we know that the GP32 community is
working hard to find a solution.

But we wish to show our gratitude to our customers
(after all, you are what makes us exist), so if you still feel that
the GP32 you bought is not to your pleasure, we will except a return
of your GP32 BLU to us.

So as a affected customer of this problem, you will have two options to
solve this.

==============================================
(1) Keep the unit as it is and monitor the community forums closely.
http://www.gp32x.de/board/ I am positive that this will be solved.
==============================================

==============================================
(2) Ship the GP32 with all items back to us, with our DHL account and
get a refund. (Confirm this email and you will receive an RMA number
and instructions how to proceed)
==============================================

Once again we are truly sorry that this happened in the middle of the
Christmas rush We know it have taken some time to process all this,
and that some of you may already have received several replies regarding
this issue.

This is the final statement on how the GP32 problem is going to be handled.
So please confirm with a (1) or (2) option to this email and you will be
processed ASAP.

Best regards,

*** ***
------------------------
Lik-Sang.com - Alternative Gaming Community
Pacific Game Technology (Holding) Limited

This is really funny seeing as some commercial boxed games are glitchy also.

 

[catmince]

If mine was acing weird, i'd still keep it. a mostly working gp32_console is better than no gp32_console

 

[cozmic]

This is the end

 

[RatchetMan]

This is disgusting. I cannot believe GamePark have done this. It is a real kick in the teeth to the community that has kept the GP32 going for so long. Some of the homebrew titles will never work on the new BLUs as they are no longer being developed and do not have source code available. A sad day indeed for the gp32.

 

[cozmic]

If we want to save the scene we have to mass email them.

I think it's the only option.
Only we have the power to make or break Gamepark inc.

Gamepark then has 3 options:

1) make a different firmware that fixes the problem.
2) start building compatible devices and repair faulty ones.
3) Get be puked out by us (the customers)..get negative publicity and go bankrupt.

Let's hear your reply's now...

 

[Huxley]

I can understand Gamepark's decision to go with a (presumably) cheaper LCD manufacturer but they really should have developed a new firmware to cope with the differences before releasing it to an unexpecting market.

I'd certainly support a well organised campaign to get Gamepark to take action.

 

[PiNa1971]

I also received above mentioned email. I am glad Liksang gave all customers opportunity to send "faulty" devices back.

IMHO there is no other way but live with it. GP is not gonna make any changes. If they decided to change LCDs they had a reason.

 

[cozmic]

Let's make a poll?

The question could be:

Should we all contact Gamepark induvidually
(but coordinated concerning the content of the letter)
In which we write that where not content with the way things are going.

 

[PiNa1971]

IMHO Poll has no sense. Yeah it's clear that we, as a community, have some kind of power, especially with skilled coders, who are able to solve current situation.

But once it's solved (if it is even possible to solve it - say by Bios hack/patch for example) it's gone for good and we all can continue to benefit from having this amazing gadget.

If it is not possible to solve it, then it's gonna by a problem for sure. Still hoping for the best, anyway.

BTW: From buisness point of view LikSang as #1 worldwide dealer has much more power to force GP to produce fully working units again, but as you all can see from their email, their negotiations with GP failed and therefore I dont see any further chances for us as a community. Sad but probably true.

 

[Squidge]

I wouldn't panic just yet, there is something in the pipeline that *may* fix the fault for all affected programs on the new BLU's. I can't say any more than that because that's all I know.

Keep an eye on #gp32dev for more info (but don't pester people about this fix - it may never surface, but if it does, it's likely to be here first).

 

[ralp99]

my god --

never have i heard such a thing before.

like it or hate it (and I can't imagine there's anyone that likes it - except probably masochistic coders who enjoy ridiculous new challenges! oh but is there any other kind??) it's just another chapter in the incredibly bizarre gamepark saga, that won't soon be forgotten..

here's hoping my FLU doesn't kick anytime soon...

 

[Tobriand]

Well, Craigix does say the screens are brighter... should a fix become workable, available, and the general impact on performance be negligable once it has been applied, then in reality, the new units will be better than the old (at least, assuming things like, say, overclockability are not affected adversely).

This does not lessen my intensely strong opinion that it should not have been up to those among us with very good coding skills to do, but rather Gamepark. Once more their suicidal marketing/PR skills rear their ugly heads.

On the plus side, Lik Sang are being very decent about the whole thing, which is nice, methinks .

 

[Huxley]

This does not lessen my intensely strong opinion that it should not have been up to those among us with very good coding skills to do, but rather Gamepark. Once more their suicidal marketing/PR skills rear their ugly heads.

​

Exactly. Gamepark argue that commercial games remain uneffected but we know this not to be true (Pinball Dreams). I thank Gamepark for such a wonderful little open source device but DAMN their public relations suck.

 

[aapje89]

"We changed LCD from Samsung to Taiwanese brand"
<_< , yeah right "a taiwanese brand", just a cheap crappy lcd

 

[worldwriter]

there is no sense in e-mailing them unless you speak Korean... as you will notice by their documentation and their website... no one at Gamepark has a good grasp of english. Your english e-mails telling them how rotten the new lcds are would probably be posted as positive consumer feedback on their engrish site...

 

[catmince]

LOL so true.

This really makes me laugh each time i read it

" Several changes for our contents has been made.
1.Members
For the members of our site we will be send Newsletter. By joining membership with your E-Mail address you can get all the news for our products.
2. Title
Board for GP32 Title has been opened. You can get informations of our game titles.
3.Q & A Board
Q&A Board has been opened. You give you instant answers of your Question for each part of GP32."

 

[c0ncept]

I don't really understand exactly whats causing this problem but could one of the existing firmwares be re-written to fix it?

Paul

 

[Jekyll]

I don't really understand exactly whats causing this problem but could one of the existing firmwares be re-written to fix it?

A firmware could definitively be rewritten to not contain the bar in the FW itself. (as i understand)
Time will tell whether it's possible to write a FW that fixes games which have that bar-bug