Wait For The Xgp Mini Or Dive Into A Gp2x?

[JaqMs]

I have a Palm Z22, which has a TINY 160x160 screen. You hear that DaveC? But guess what, there are a countless number of things that you can do with that resolution. It's all about the implementation. Plus, it doesn't hurt my eyes at all.

 

[semicolon]

I'd just like to throw my cents into the small screen discussion, even though I don't own the gp2x yet-

One of the big things that concerns me about the 2x is the size. I feel it's too large for what I want to do with it. I'd like to be able to throw it in a pocket without having to do a crip walk.

Everything about the size and controls of the Mini looks perfect for me. For portable gaming, the screen size looks A-Okay.

 

[shinneri]

Yeah right "crisper". They should make the screen 1/2", just think how "crisp" that would be, who cares if you could use it at lease it would be the "crispest screen ever" :rolleyes:

There is a balance between "crisp" and too damn small. The Mini falls in the too damn small catagory to me. The screen on the GP2X is plenty "crisp" for it's size.

I see absolutely nothing wrong with the Mini's screen, but I'm well aware of your position on such things, Dave. It's not worth discussing further.

 

[craigix]

I think that IF the XGP ever happens, by that time most GP2X emus will use both CPUs in one way or another - making them incompatable with the XGP.

Also, I think by that time most GP2X emus will be full speed anyway...

 

[shinneri]

I think that IF the XGP ever happens, by that time most GP2X emus will use both CPUs in one way or another - making them incompatable with the XGP.

Also, I think by that time most GP2X emus will be full speed anyway...

But the Mini will still remain tiny.

 

[Epicenter]

I think that IF the XGP ever happens, by that time most GP2X emus will use both CPUs in one way or another - making them incompatable with the XGP.

Also, I think by that time most GP2X emus will be full speed anyway...

Pretty unlikely. More programs will use the 940T in some form or fashion, but 'most' emulators using it is unlikely. Parallelizing code for the GP2X's otherworldly multiprocessor configuration is very tricky, and I can see most developers not wanting to get involved with it. At any rate, the benefits of using it are not usually so enormous that a faster machine (e.g. faster CPU, faster memory subsystem and faster graphics subsystem) wouldn't be able to make up for the loss of the 940T's assistance. They also wouldn't necessarily be incompatible-- look at PicoDrive, where the use of the 2nd processor can be flipped on and off at will.

Some things may be full speed, of course, like NES-- all that has to be done is some optimization. SNES emulation can get much faster once the graphics code in SquidgeSNES or NK-SNES is ARM9 ASM and not slow old C from an ancient emulator meant for another platform. But due to some of the strenuous tasks of SNES emulation in terms of graphics (e.g. transparency) it's unlikely that all games will ever run at full speed on the '2x. PSX-- well, I don't believe that will ever run at full speed on the system- but I don't wish to reopen THAT 20 page can of worms.

But I'm far more interested in new possibilities for the system, not just improving on what the GP2X and GP32 already did. The door is open for all sorts of incredibly intense 2D games, 3D games (ports or new ones), as well as emulation the GP2X and GP32 could never even attempt to run acceptably. As a developer such a thing is VERY interesting to me. I'm far less interested with just doing the same things on a new platform.

 

[JaqMs]

And remember, it's been about a year since the specs of the XGP/Mini have been released. The have a high chance of being changed or becoming cheaper.