Exophase
Nothing good will ever come of Exophase.
Wow, they actually closed at -1 backers for all of 12/15. That's really, really bad.
Smach Z will pose some serious competition to the Pyra
- Thread starter GoldenSun3DS
- Start date
GoldenSun3DS
Member
Wow, you're right
I think their major problems are:
1. Windows is behind a stretch goal, so people don't want to back unless it meets said stretch goal.
2. They don't want to show their current prototype because it's not the final version, making people skeptical and withdraw their backing.
3. They can't reveal benchmarks because the APU they're going to use isn't released yet by AMD, and so they can't say anything about it.
AMD needs to allow them to reveal expected performance levels, or it's going to fail and then AMD won't sell any of their APUs in the Smach Z, because there won't be a Smach Z.
4. 4G, but no phone call/texting functionality (Skype can't receive texts, and would be reliant on constant 4G connection)
I think if they added in a mobile chip (for basic and Pro) to allow you to use it as a replacement for phones, more people would want it. It can't add much extra cost because there's $20-$40 smartphones at Walmart with full calling/texting/4G/3G and 480P-720P screens with 512MB-1GB RAM.
Heck, it doesn't even have to be integrated if they could produce a small attachment that connects via USB, like a really slim USB drive.
I think if they fixed these 4 issues (and got some publicity), they'd get back on track.
Though, honestly, I just want a handheld gaming PC that runs Windows with decent specs (for mobile). If Smach Z failed and there was a variant of Pyra that had an x86 architecture, I'd totally jump ship to that.
pmprog
DNF (Did Not Finish)
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Surely the phone/SMS side can just be added in software? or is the 4G modem actually restricted somehow?
Unlike phone and SMS that also relies on a connection to the cell network?
GoldenSun3DS
Member
Well, calls and texts would take up your 4G data, and since unlimited isn't truly unlimited (slowed after ~21GB), that would mean that you'd randomly get calls disconnecting and be unable to send texts.
(I've actually had to occasionally switch to WiFi at home because of 4G suddenly becoming unresponsive)
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pmprog
DNF (Did Not Finish)
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What? Why would calls and texts use 4G data? I'm not talking VoIP solutions, I'm talking about using the 4G modem as an actual phone. You know, kinda like how every Android phone works...
With a heck of a lot less money...
While that stands true , I think a bit differently, I actually like them a lot and have backed one extremely successful handheld hardware campaign, which was all very transparent and delivered on scheduled time, heck I guess it was even before. The project is alive and kicking about 2 years later with a nice community and nice projects going about.
But what I love most about indiegogo, is that they accept projects from many countries including mine. Kickstarter will accept my money but not my project, so that is a no no no thing for me.
I can´t argue that it has been pictured as a plan B crowdfunding though unfortunately. This one project I stated got a copycat kickstarter campaign an year later with a very waaay toooo similar product and campaign display, used assets from our community without credit and so on, and got about an extra 0 on the backed money
They are already running below schedule and people on the comments are starting to rage though.
Which handheld do you mean?
erico
Advanced Member
I think I posted about it somewhere else, I don´t wanna sound like a fan boy but here is the good one:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/gamebuino-an-arduino-handheld-console#/
That is a beautifully done campaign on my books, clean, transparent, communicative and right on time. Of course I checked Rodot´s background before I gave it a go and he has solid experience into that way before and has done several homebrew handhelds before and some other nice projects. here his tumblr where a bit down you can see his many past attempts at a handheld and other related projects: http://r0d0t.tumblr.com/. Anyways, 35 euros is not something that would break the bank. The project amounted 33k euros out of 805 people.
Here is the first copycat that appeared sometime after Gamebuino´s success:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/903888394/arduboy-card-sized-gaming/description
At 49 dollars a piece, it amounted 430k dollars out of 7k backers.
You will notice his campaign is kind of heavily inspired by the former and while it dosen´t look bad, the form factor and having no sd card is a no-no to me.
You will also notice that the pre-preparation is kind of empty, Rodot had libraries and everything all set before his campaign even started, where here, it was kind of like promises instead of facts.
But what bothered me a bit is that they used games developed by the gamebuino´s community as if it was their own stuff without crediting people, and after a few guys took the time to let them know, they later added a reference to past campaigns, but not to the author, and that really is a total let down on my books, here the thread we discussed about:
http://gamebuino.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=3116
It is a good read, get the popcorn.
They were shooting for august 2015, which didn´t work and now they are shooting for january/february 2016 with people already complaining.
There were at least 2 more campaigns I know about an arduino handheld on kickstarter but they both flopped. For one good thing, after the arduboy guys mentioned gamebuino, there were a lot of people that came by sadly stating they never heard of of its campaign before and some jumped aboard. Specially since gamebuino is already available for a while and it even has a superb PC emulator done by master Myndale.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/gamebuino-an-arduino-handheld-console#/
That is a beautifully done campaign on my books, clean, transparent, communicative and right on time. Of course I checked Rodot´s background before I gave it a go and he has solid experience into that way before and has done several homebrew handhelds before and some other nice projects. here his tumblr where a bit down you can see his many past attempts at a handheld and other related projects: http://r0d0t.tumblr.com/. Anyways, 35 euros is not something that would break the bank. The project amounted 33k euros out of 805 people.
Here is the first copycat that appeared sometime after Gamebuino´s success:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/903888394/arduboy-card-sized-gaming/description
At 49 dollars a piece, it amounted 430k dollars out of 7k backers.
You will notice his campaign is kind of heavily inspired by the former and while it dosen´t look bad, the form factor and having no sd card is a no-no to me.
You will also notice that the pre-preparation is kind of empty, Rodot had libraries and everything all set before his campaign even started, where here, it was kind of like promises instead of facts.
But what bothered me a bit is that they used games developed by the gamebuino´s community as if it was their own stuff without crediting people, and after a few guys took the time to let them know, they later added a reference to past campaigns, but not to the author, and that really is a total let down on my books, here the thread we discussed about:
http://gamebuino.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=3116
It is a good read, get the popcorn.
They were shooting for august 2015, which didn´t work and now they are shooting for january/february 2016 with people already complaining.
There were at least 2 more campaigns I know about an arduino handheld on kickstarter but they both flopped. For one good thing, after the arduboy guys mentioned gamebuino, there were a lot of people that came by sadly stating they never heard of of its campaign before and some jumped aboard. Specially since gamebuino is already available for a while and it even has a superb PC emulator done by master Myndale.
fusion_power
Advanced Member
One of the things you should never do onto an KS campaign is something like "we can´t show prototype, NDA" -well, they did.
Fun fact, the word "SMACH" sounds very much like the german word "Schmach", which means shame/disgrace.
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First one on the comments section:
Kinda says it all. :rolleyes:
As for the Smach people, they shouldn't be planning a device based on a SoC which doesn't even exist (publicly, that is). I mean, if it was based on a CPU which was readily available they would be able to show a prototype based on a dev board of some kind.
Granted that would mean using an older SoC, which probably won't be able to run the latest greatest games. Gotta know your place, a small startup company cannot expect to create a device which can compete with the lastest cutting edge x86 devices.
That's what really sucks about x86. As soon as you put an x86 chip on a device then everyone will immediately compare it with desktop PC level performance devices. <_<
The Smach Z could've been a modest x86 device which admitted from the start that not all games would run with good performance, but many others will. There are several comments stating that even if the device could only run some of the less heavy indie titles it would still be a worthy buy. IMO, that's the market segment they should've targeted (not the spec hungry gamers which will never be satisfied).
erico
Advanced Member
Agreed, but would it be successful? In my case, I only buy and play old school indie games but I don´t think I would fork money for a x86 handheld without it being like the Pyra is.
Maybe if they get it to have some kind of spice, like let´s say, a handheld focused on PICO-8, then I think it would be really awesome.
http://www.lexaloffle.com/pico-8.php
Maybe if they get it to have some kind of spice, like let´s say, a handheld focused on PICO-8, then I think it would be really awesome.
http://www.lexaloffle.com/pico-8.php
WizardStan
Mega GP Mania
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- May 24, 2008
- Messages
- 16,731
There was a lot of discussion about that when choosing the SoC for the Pyra.
One of the points you mentioned, being able to run Windows, was simultaneously used as a pro and a con. Pro because Windows games would bring more users, con because getting Windows running is actually pretty hard (as opposed to getting Linux running which is substantially less hard), would cost more, and would bring more users that ED didn't have the resources to support.
Provided the ARM build takes off and ED makes back his investment then I suspect he can afford to expand enough to invest further in an x86 socket. Since the format is open it's also possible that someone else comes along and produces an x86 module. But in either case the Pyra needs to sell well enough to prove it can survive; it doesn't need to dominate anything, just sell enough to make money.
ElPoco
Hardcore Member
Something that people often seem to forget when talking about handheld x86 consoles is that PC games are meant to be played on a PC screen.
Even if you can get a 720p (or even a 1080p) screen on your handheld device, your screen will still be small and many UI items won't be readable and some stuff in game might be difficult to see correctly. For some games it won't matter for others it will make them very difficult to play. I think many people underestimate that problem.
Even if you can get a 720p (or even a 1080p) screen on your handheld device, your screen will still be small and many UI items won't be readable and some stuff in game might be difficult to see correctly. For some games it won't matter for others it will make them very difficult to play. I think many people underestimate that problem.
erico
Advanced Member
You are super right on that. Developing games to be played on a PC and then porting to phones already proves this nightmare.
ptitSeb
Serial Porter
PowerGod
Forum Addict!
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That's one of the reason why I can't understand what coolness there is streaming a PC game to a portable device...
GoldenSun3DS
Member
If text on the Pandora was hard to read, it's because the resolution (480P) was too low.
Either that, or you have really bad eyesight and should seriously check if you need glasses.
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ptitSeb
Serial Porter
Ah yeah, sorry, you know better then me of me course.
Exophase
Nothing good will ever come of Exophase.
Yeah okay, go ahead and load this on your phone: https://www.google.com/search?site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1920&bih=946&q=wcsaga&oq=wcsaga&gs_l=img.3..0i24.6155.7344.0.7715.6.6.0.0.0.0.189.681.3j3.6.0....0...1.1.64.img..0.6.677.IwCQi3qnzug#imgrc=sYsGp0TQkr9gQM%3A
And tell me that you have no discomfort at all reading the text while holding the phone at a distance that'd be reasonable for the Smach Z. And don't lie.
I think I posted about it somewhere else, I don´t wanna sound like a fan boy but here is the good one:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/gamebuino-an-arduino-handheld-console#/
That is a beautifully done campaign on my books, clean, transparent, communicative and right on time. Of course I checked Rodot´s background before I gave it a go and he has solid experience into that way before and has done several homebrew handhelds before and some other nice projects. here his tumblr where a bit down you can see his many past attempts at a handheld and other related projects: http://r0d0t.tumblr.com/. Anyways, 35 euros is not something that would break the bank. The project amounted 33k euros out of 805 people.
Here is the first copycat that appeared sometime after Gamebuino´s success:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/903888394/arduboy-card-sized-gaming/description
At 49 dollars a piece, it amounted 430k dollars out of 7k backers.
You will notice his campaign is kind of heavily inspired by the former and while it dosen´t look bad, the form factor and having no sd card is a no-no to me.
You will also notice that the pre-preparation is kind of empty, Rodot had libraries and everything all set before his campaign even started, where here, it was kind of like promises instead of facts.
But what bothered me a bit is that they used games developed by the gamebuino´s community as if it was their own stuff without crediting people, and after a few guys took the time to let them know, they later added a reference to past campaigns, but not to the author, and that really is a total let down on my books, here the thread we discussed about:
http://gamebuino.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=3116
It is a good read, get the popcorn.
They were shooting for august 2015, which didn´t work and now they are shooting for january/february 2016 with people already complaining.
There were at least 2 more campaigns I know about an arduino handheld on kickstarter but they both flopped. For one good thing, after the arduboy guys mentioned gamebuino, there were a lot of people that came by sadly stating they never heard of of its campaign before and some jumped aboard. Specially since gamebuino is already available for a while and it even has a superb PC emulator done by master Myndale.
I'm actually amazed, that the outrage about this shameless copycat project with uncredited stolen community work of the original project isn't greater in the thread you've linked.
The comparison to the Indiegogo project proves that Kickstarter is generating more money and scams alike.
Since I'd mostly play Linux native indie titles, Win98 classics via WINE and 16-32bit Emulators that are not very hungry for expensive hardware nowadays, it would have been interesting enough if the controls are good, although being able to slide a keyboard from underneath it would have been a major improvement of the idea (the Smack isn't anything else than just an idea and not real after all).
erico
Advanced Member
Goldensun3ds, it has nothing to do with the resolution but with the text graphics/font size.
It happens on pc->androiod/iphone or anywhere the size of the display is different, size, not resolution.
While resolution change could also make it worse, it is how the games were coded for their original target.
It even happens on TVs, like I once saw a news show made for a 1080p playing on a smaller screen size 720p and the interface and text was practically unreadable unless kissing the screen.
Meanwhile, I recommend ptitSeb to check if he needs glasses couse it might help him NOT read such posts...
I once thought it would be nice to have the post counts so people can clearly see members that have been around a long while, I guess it didn´t work here.
It happens on pc->androiod/iphone or anywhere the size of the display is different, size, not resolution.
While resolution change could also make it worse, it is how the games were coded for their original target.
It even happens on TVs, like I once saw a news show made for a 1080p playing on a smaller screen size 720p and the interface and text was practically unreadable unless kissing the screen.
Meanwhile, I recommend ptitSeb to check if he needs glasses couse it might help him NOT read such posts...
I once thought it would be nice to have the post counts so people can clearly see members that have been around a long while, I guess it didn´t work here.
