Where Wiz Seemed To Really Go Wrong...

[marzsyndrome]

...was not having backwards compatiblity with GP2X software.


Which I don't seem to get. The Wiz is essentially an upgraded GP2X, right? So what did GPH change so far beyond recognition that it necessitated whole new re-codings/re-compilings of the software to ensure it would run on a newer model? It's a darn shame because there's certain emulators and interpreters - not to mention commercial efforts such as Payback and Vektor - that still haven't been Wizified.


Sure, "Wizzing" a program can allow it to ackwnoledge the higher speed/Mhz functions, but I doubt stuff like Raw2X or Handy need to worry about needing better processors. I just wish I could actually use them! >.<

 

[Exophase]

The SoC, which has the CPU, display hardware, and several peripherals is totally different on the Wiz. The hardware is not compatible between the two. Most GP2X games access hardware directly. Software that traps and emulates the hardware accesses is not inconceivable, but at the very least is outside the scope of GPH's capabilities.

 

[hardyx]

The Wiz is compatible with the GP2X sofware... if you used only the official SDK and dynamic libraries, like GPH said. But the programmers use another libraries faster and optimized like minilib and the GP2X hardware registers. The result is that 90% of the software is not compatible. But is possible to make software that works in both with only one binary. Picodrive has a executable that works in GP2X and Wiz, I think.

Fenix/Bennu games works in both too. They use a compiled bytecode (like Java) that you can execute in many machines with a runtime.

 

[senquack]

I'll probably try to add compatibility into Open2X, no promises but it is an idea I want to try at some point.

 

[snakebyte]

Check the difference between GP2X and Wiz in this download site

GP2X 1688 files - 6.058 GB
WIZ 389 files - 2.8GB

It's impossible that in one full year there were released very few games.

And most ports are done from GP2X version... for example nobody ported the openttd ver 1.00 to Wiz directly... but only the old 0.52 ver from GP2X.


Why did this happen?

 

[Reo]

The Wiz would also be more appealing if it didn't have the screen tearing bug from the start.

 

[Nova]

The Wiz would also be more appealing if it didn't have the screen tearing bug from the start.

That was so overhyped though. I didn't notice it for months until someone asked me if I saw it. And I still haven't bothered to install the fix because it just plain isn't noticeable.

 

[jbrodack]

I'd say the screen tearing and lack of a large amount of power over gp2x were the reasons I never got one. Also, with Pandora coming out I'm sure that's another reason why people didn't get as much into it.

It didn't go far enough over the capabilities of the gp2x or have the appealing price of the dingoo. Still, its a nice device for people who don't have a gp2x it just didn't offer all that much over gp2x for devs and users.

 

[u9i]

Reo, jbrodack, the tearing was fixed pretty long ago. I don't know why that is still in discussion.

snakebyte, you are comparing numbers for a system that is, what, 3-4 years, to one that is 1 year old. Of course the older one will have more files. For a useful comparison the question really is, how much did the GP2x have after 1 year.

 

[geise69]

Reo, jbrodack, the tearing was fixed pretty long ago. I don't know why that is still in discussion.

snakebyte, you are comparing numbers for a system that is, what, 3-4 years, to one that is 1 year old. Of course the older one will have more files. For a useful comparison the question really is, how much did the GP2x have after 1 year.

There was a pretty big boom in the hand held market around the end of 2005. PSP's were finally running unofficial programs to allow homebrew and the GP2X finally came out. Also the DS was getting quite a bit of homebrew as well with Flash Carts being made for the system. There was also the Tapwave Zodiac and the Giz, but that was it. The GP2X at the time was the only open handheld running linux that was not to expensive. It was a great way for Dev's to mess around and with something that was fairly new. So tons of stuff were being released every week from what I remember. There just wasn't as many options available as there are now. I really don't think that the Pandora really had that much of an affect on the Wiz's sales either. Most who pre-ordered a Pandora already hated the GP2X or just wanted something newer and more powerful to mess around with. Two years later they finally do. It's a shame that the Wiz isn't sparking the interest the GP2X did cause that was a great time seeing stuff released on a regular basis. Even the lovely GP32 was still having stuff released.

 

[migo]

I'm actually curious why the GP2X got better suppor than the Zodiac. I never even heard of the GP2X until the F-200 was out, and that's when I started looking into getting a GameBoy Micro. PalmOS had a massive software library already and stuff was getting developed for that, so why not the Zodiac?

It's rather interesting that GamePark/Holdings has been the 3rd most successful competitor to Nintendo after Apple and Sony, but that seems to be dying out. I wonder if like the home console market, there's only really room for 3 handheld systems.

 

[Exophase]

I'm actually curious why the GP2X got better suppor than the Zodiac. I never even heard of the GP2X until the F-200 was out, and that's when I started looking into getting a GameBoy Micro. PalmOS had a massive software library already and stuff was getting developed for that, so why not the Zodiac?

It's rather interesting that GamePark/Holdings has been the 3rd most successful competitor to Nintendo after Apple and Sony, but that seems to be dying out. I wonder if like the home console market, there's only really room for 3 handheld systems.

Because Tapwave dumped Zodiac and went under sooner than GPH stopped selling GP2X's, and because GP2X was riding on the popularity of GP32. That's all I can really think of. They say the analog stick on Zodiac isn't that good for emulators but I can't imagine it was much worse than that awful digital stick on GP2X F100. Looking back, I can't believe the platform even gained traction, but I guess I have a different perspective now that so many better platforms have come out.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and Zodiac was way more expensive for less potential CPU power and Palm probably had a pretty bad reputation by this point. And all the false promises.. everyone remember FirestormZ? Yeeeah.

 

[jbrodack]

I wouldn't consider GPH a competitor to Nintendo or any of those companies. They are however the most successful of the little companies. For all they've done wrong they have done a lot right. They have stayed within their means which is most important to their still being around. Some of these small companies get too ambitious and end up bankrupt when things don't work out. While many of us wish they go for a strong SOC the fact that they stay with modest established hardware means they can keep putting out new systems plus they have an established audience both in their home country and abroad. The mistakes they have made are ones they can afford to make. With pandora they may have to work harder but as long as they don't really mess up they should still have their own niche.

@geise69 yeah 2005 was a pretty exciting time for homebrew systems. I had been looking at the gp32 earlier and decided to wait for the gp2x when I heard of that. It was exciting to think of being able to run any software I wanted on a portable console and without anyone trying to stop me.

 

[Nova]

I'm actually curious why the GP2X got better suppor than the Zodiac. I never even heard of the GP2X until the F-200 was out, and that's when I started looking into getting a GameBoy Micro. PalmOS had a massive software library already and stuff was getting developed for that, so why not the Zodiac?

It's rather interesting that GamePark/Holdings has been the 3rd most successful competitor to Nintendo after Apple and Sony, but that seems to be dying out. I wonder if like the home console market, there's only really room for 3 handheld systems.

Because Tapwave dumped Zodiac and went under sooner than GPH stopped selling GP2X's, and because GP2X was riding on the popularity of GP32. That's all I can really think of. They say the analog stick on Zodiac isn't that good for emulators but I can't imagine it was much worse than that awful digital stick on GP2X F100. Looking back, I can't believe the platform even gained traction, but I guess I have a different perspective now that so many better platforms have come out.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and Zodiac was way more expensive for less potential CPU power and Palm probably had a pretty bad reputation by this point. And all the false promises.. everyone remember FirestormZ? Yeeeah.

To be perfectly honest, I owned the Zodiac and I owned the F100. And I preferred the stick on the Zodiac infinitely more than the F100. The emulators on the GP2x were more powerful, but time and again I returned to the Zodiac.

This is why I always rely on personal experience. Sure, in theory the F100 had better controls. But in practice, the zodiac's syrupy smooth analog stick was so much more of a joy to use.

Of course, I don't play Street Fighter, so hitting diagonals was never a big thing for me.

 

[axiomprime]

...This is why I always rely on personal experience. Sure, in theory the F100 had better controls. But in practice, the zodiac's syrupy smooth analog stick was so much more of a joy to use.

Of course, I don't play Street Fighter, so hitting diagonals was never a big thing for me.

I still think the NeoPocket's stick kicked some serious arse when it came to one-on-one beat-em-ups. It'd have to though, most of the games on it asked you to do things like fwd>bck>hlf-crcle-away>hlf-crcle-twds+A to so a super-special move.

Why can't we have sticks like the Neo-Pocket but simultaneously analogue and digital? It might be pricey (and slightly annoying to hear a bunch of microswitches while performing analogue maneuvers) but it's no engineering feat.

 

[Nova]

Yeah the NGPC stick was fantastic. I don't think it'd be any good for 3D games though, which is what GPH probably wants to achieve.

 

[Exophase]

Yeah the NGPC stick was fantastic. I don't think it'd be any good for 3D games though, which is what GPH probably wants to achieve.

In that case they'd better start presenting some 3D games soon >_>

 

[migo]

How many commercial games have there been for an GP/H handheld? It seems they just rely on emulation for the most part, and also as ESL learning tools.