State Of The Gp2x Address

[TJFBryant]

The GP2x community as a whole has endured its seige of trolls, spammers, and haters for a while now.

I have been around this forum and community since the inception of the gp32 ( I am a damn relic). I have been reading some threads about the gp2x passing into handheld heaven. So why would ANYONE think that the Gp2x "lifespan" is running flat?

I heard the same "news" Prior about the Gp32, a full 2 years before the gp2x was even publically announced.
Its a load of hogwash.
What made the gp32 seem more invincible than the gp2x is simply the gravity of its ideal as a handheld. I mean come on, here you had (pretty much) a true open source home brew system, WITH commercial game backing by GAMEPARK themselves. It truely was a system for all retro, homebrew, and commercial gamers who enjoy gameplay over graphics.

Now the Gp2x has been around for a little while and I hear the complaints about firmware, control stick, quality construction, commercial game support, quality commercial games...etc. causing a "wave" of regret about purchases, and decreased community support??

Jesus freakin christ this Community built the Gp2x and Gp32 into what it is, was, and will become. The time

Let me put it to you straight.
The day the Gp2x looses its appeal is the day the last member of this community decides its time to ebay there Gp2x.
I am sorry fellow members but, The hardware and small software instabilities do not make a gaming system like the Gp2x weak, its the community as a whole. Its everyone reading this ridculous rant that has the choice to pick up and mod, develop, create, share and play with the Gp2x or put it aside and let ....SONY's PSP take over (lord help us all). I contributed my efforts on the Gp2x, GP32 side with my knowledge of modding for joystick control, and lighting situations. Now its your turn, I have seen some great things for the gp2x already.

Personally I sold my PSP a few weeks ago, purchased a DS lite for the WIFI gaming of Clubhouse games. Then decided to put the DS aside and pickup my Gp2x and Gp32 and play heretic, doom, payback, water and fire and my good old Super Mario brothers Nes emu.
Gp2x is where its at gentlemen and ladies, its this community thats the beating heart. And I love it, no matter who rants or complaints for the sake of arguement.

 

[TelcoLou]

Why the hell aren't you a mod?!?

Well said

 

[TJFBryant]

Telcolou,
I appreciate the kind words.
It would be a great honor to be a mod, but too many hands in the Cookie dough ruin the batch.
Shoot, Hando might even agree with me.
Thank you though

 

[DaveC]

The GP2x community as a whole has endured its seige of trolls, spammers, and haters for a while now.

I have been around this forum and community since the inception of the gp32 ( I am a damn relic). I have been reading some threads about the gp2x passing into handheld heaven. So why would ANYONE think that the Gp2x "lifespan" is running flat?

I heard the same "news" Prior about the Gp32, a full 2 years before the gp2x was even publically announced.
Its a load of hogwash.
What made the gp32 seem more invincible than the gp2x is simply the gravity of its ideal as a handheld. I mean come on, here you had (pretty much) a true open source home brew system, WITH commercial game backing by GAMEPARK themselves. It truely was a system for all retro, homebrew, and commercial gamers who enjoy gameplay over graphics.

The GP32 situation was different though. When the GP32 was out all we had was the GBA as a competing handheld. The GBA was too slow and had a tiny screen that was too low res to run emus very well. Flash carts were small in capacity and big on price. Really if you wanted the best handheld for emulation there was no better choice. PPCs were the alternative for fast full res emus but naff controls and high prices kept it at bay. The GP32 was "it" for good handheld emulation and ports.

Now it is much different. We have the DS that is very well liked for commercial games. If you don't mind losing resolution some of the emus are good too. Then there is the PSP. It is a CPU powerhouse. It can run PSX at full speed, something the GP2X can never do due to weaker hardware. It has a HUGE scene due to the amount of units sold. There are alot of emus and ports for the PSP, many of which are as good as or better than the GP2X counterparts. The hacked firmware makes homebrew a breeze. Now there IS a good alternative to the GP2X where before there wasn't for the GP32. Now for me I have a PSP and I am really not big on PSX. I don't like the scaling and ghosting screen, that is just me though and ALOT of people don't seem to mind. This fact that there is actually a choice has changed things from the GP32 days.

I have been here from gp32 times too. Homebrew is pretty steady compared to what it was. I have definetly noticed a slowdown in emulator and port releases and updates over the last 6 months though. I don't know why. Maybe it is the PSP, maybe real life, maybe the stick, not really sure. I have noticed many that were active have dissapeared. I remember the theory before was "it is summer everyone is out and not coding it is too hot" Then it was "it is close to the holidays everyone is busy with that" So I don't know what is going on.

I wouldn't say the GP2X is dead, the scene has just slowed a bit.

 

[ste_167]

The magic of the GP2X isn't strictly about the hardware, but what the community does with the hardware. The PSP is great little machine but I've not got the same feelings about it. I could happily watch someone smash a PSP up with a hammer, but if someone tried the same trick with a GP it would be terrible to watch!!

 

[sam fisher]

Why the hell aren't you a mod?!?

Well said

By definition, if he signed up that long ago, he should be

 

[krosfyah]

The magic of the GP2X isn't strictly about the hardware, but what the community does with the hardware. The PSP is great little machine but I've not got the same feelings about it. I could happily watch someone smash a PSP up with a hammer, but if someone tried the same trick with a GP it would be terrible to watch!!

Yeah, I know what you mean. The GP2x seems to have some intangible quality about it. Maybe it's because it feels like it's our own device whereas the PSP always feels like it's borrowed from Sony. I like my PSP a lot (actually I have two of them) but the little GPH handheld has much more character.

 

[Alex.]

Soul is what it has, collective soul

- Alex

 

[TJFBryant]

DaveC
I am sorry I only agree with your arguement in part. The hardware DOES indeed help process emulation ergo with the DS and PSP like you said, but I think STE 167 said it even better. It is what you can do with the hardware that makes it more appealing. Its the "heart" that is put into the coding and developing.

And how can anyone of us compare the DS and PSP to the GP2x when the PSP and DS are marketed towards completely different niche's. We (the GP2x Community) are in a completely different niche market. The PSP was not meant to be used for homebrew and Emu, the Gp2x was. Shoot, it was even marketed that way remember?

It is a different community now then when the gp32 was around fulltime, but I still see amazing stuff coming out for this system that blows my mind. I could only dream of having that skill that most of you guys have coding and developing new ideas for games, even ports are great. My only talent to contribute is on the hardware modding side and writing reviews and how to's. But at least I am apart of something greater than myself.

You all have good points to make, but I am sticken with what Alex said a moment ago..."Soul is what it has. Collective Soul." B) No one can argue that.

 

[epitaph]

Edit: Nevermind (off-topic post).

 

[DaveC]

DaveC
I am sorry I only agree with your arguement in part. The hardware DOES indeed help process emulation ergo with the DS and PSP like you said, but I think STE 167 said it even better. It is what you can do with the hardware that makes it more appealing. Its the "heart" that is put into the coding and developing.

And how can anyone of us compare the DS and PSP to the GP2x when the PSP and DS are marketed towards completely different niche's. We (the GP2x Community) are in a completely different niche market. The PSP was not meant to be used for homebrew and Emu, the Gp2x was. Shoot, it was even marketed that way remember?

It is a different community now then when the gp32 was around fulltime, but I still see amazing stuff coming out for this system that blows my mind. I could only dream of having that skill that most of you guys have coding and developing new ideas for games, even ports are great. My only talent to contribute is on the hardware modding side and writing reviews and how to's. But at least I am apart of something greater than myself.

You all have good points to make, but I am sticken with what Alex said a moment ago..."Soul is what it has. Collective Soul." B) No one can argue that.

That is what Skeezix said. It is not about specs. It is about community and hacking around for fun.

The PSP wasn't meant to do homebrew but it does do it and it does it well. I loaded mine up with some emus but I still prefer my GP2X. It just seems better suited for them to me and is more comfortable to play. I am not a PSX nut but if I was I would probably feel different about the PSP.

What hardware things have you done out of curiousity? I have made some d-pad mods.

 

[b._.o._.b]

Really agree with TJFBryant, great comment. Couldn't agree more.
Too bad just agreeing makes a thread die soon and discussions, trolling and flaming will end up with enormous threads.

 

[deepmenace]

B)-->

Really agree with TJFBryant, great comment. Couldn't agree more.
Too bad just agreeing makes a thread die soon and discussions, trolling and flaming will end up with enormous threads.

lol. amen to that. that's why i'm on here just to agree.

i concur with the above.

i just love my gp2x, its sooo godamn old skool. the screen looks a state, i treat with little to no care. throw it into pockets and bags, have a completely disorganised set of sd cards. have 12 or so various manufactured aa rechargables floating around my room and pockets. It's been to Thailand, New Zealand and Portugal with me, a conversation piece when ever i whip it out.

to me its like that well used pair of New Balance trainers that have been a good friends to me. if it properly broke i get a new one but sorely miss the old.

 

[DaveC]

.. . a conversation piece when ever i whip it out.

:lol:

 

[Alex.]

.. . a conversation piece when ever i whip it out.

:lol:

"Is that a PSP?"

"I didn't know they made black GBAs,"

:rolleyes:

- Alex

 

[rememberthe8bit]

I don't like the scaling and ghosting screen, that is just me though and ALOT of people don't seem to mind.

Yeah, what is up with that? The scaling is interpolated AND the screen is SLOW ("Ridge Racer" should be called "Ghost Racer", or "Groggy Racer" ), that was enough of a reason to get a GP2X right there. (well, and XviDs are good too) Plus, PSPs have proprietary (well, they were) memory cards, and you have to hack them (the PSPs) to run homebrew (something I still end up doing anyway for friends and friends of friends). But, everybody knows about the PSP, whereas very few people even probably have a clue where Korea is. (I live in the good 'ole U. S. of A.)

By the way, I love how when I'm using my '2X, someone comes up to me asking, "zOMG!11! Is taht t3h PsP!?". OK, that was a little exaggerated, but the difference between the two is like night and day! (Again, my location probably falls into effect)

<Random Comment>
Why is there no "gp2x_console" smile-icon-type-thing?
</Random Comment>

 

[therealadmin]

By the way, I love how when I'm using my '2X, someone comes up to me asking, "zOMG!11! Is taht t3h PsP!?". OK, that was a little exaggerated, but the difference between the two is like night and day! (Again, my location probably falls into effect)

Dude, I hear ya. I can't stand it though. Its like when someone asks, "Hey dude is that a psp!?" I just want to set the gp2x down and immediately rip off their arms and beat them to death with them. No offense towards the psp, I mean I don't really like them. But its the fact that they assume, and don't take the time to realize a gp2x looks nothing like the psp, and we are not an instruction manual to tell them the difference between the two . But thats just my opinion.

 

[Zeladin]

don't take the time to realize a gp2x looks nothing like the psp, and we are not an instruction manual to tell them the difference between the two

Probably the same reason (according to Terry Pratchett) why people don't see Death. It's too disrupting to the natural order of things for another black gaming handheld to exist.

Soul is what it has, collective soul

- Alex

Its all about religion....


It also has linux, and beauteous AA batteries. It'll still run 200yrs from now.

Edit; Dramatic emphasis.

 

[rememberthe8bit]

By the way, I love how when I'm using my '2X, someone comes up to me asking, "zOMG!11! Is taht t3h PsP!?". OK, that was a little exaggerated, but the difference between the two is like night and day! (Again, my location probably falls into effect)

Dude, I hear ya. I can't stand it though. Its like when someone asks, "Hey dude is that a psp!?" I just want to set the gp2x down and immediately rip off their arms and beat them to death with them. No offense towards the psp, I mean I don't really like them. But its the fact that they assume, and don't take the time to realize a gp2x looks nothing like the psp, and we are not an instruction manual to tell them the difference between the two . But thats just my opinion.

Exactly. <_<

 

[reaper79]

Does anyone else miss the GP32 "tits"?