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Evastio
09-30-2012, 10:22 PM
Here's a video about what the Ouya is. (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ouya/ouya-a-new-kind-of-video-game-console)

And here's a picture of it:

http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Ouya-Android-Game-Console.jpg

So basically, it's an upcoming open source video game console made by Android that aims to make game developing much more accessible and much less expensive. All games will have free-to-play demos and will be downloadable instead of retail. It'll also be sold at $99 USD.

As for the controller, here it is:

http://www.articulostecnologia.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Ouya-controller.jpg"]http://www.articulostecnologia.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Ouya-controller.jpg

The action buttons being labelled as O, U, Y, and A make me chuckle for whatever reason.

Current titles that will be released for the Ouya (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ouya_software) include Final Fantasy III and Minecraft.

So what do you guys think about it? Also, are there any other details that you want to share about it? I barely know much about it myself besides what's on that video and what's on wikipedia.

Pike
10-01-2012, 12:56 AM
I have no idea how successful this is going to be but I'd like it, regardless. Partially because I like to collect this sort of thing and partially because I'm always cool with free games. (Even if you pay $99 up front. Reasonable, imo.)

Agent Proto
10-01-2012, 01:05 AM
It looks fake.

Bolivar
10-01-2012, 06:05 AM
Kinda mixed. I won't say I "hate" the thing, but my initial impression is uninterested. Whenever people talk about lowering the cost of developing games, they're also talking about lowering the quality as well. There's a lot of trash on the platforms like this. I think there's a sweet spot when games are small but not too small that makes for really quality experiences, but I've found it to be a very very rare sweet spot.

At the same time, I'm an Android user, I use Android on my smartphone and my tablet so any kind of expansion of the brand is something I look forward to. Unfortunately, I do not play video games on neither my smartphone nor my tablet and I've yet to be convinced that I ever would.

Pete for President
10-01-2012, 08:00 AM
I welcome the concept in this video game world where we've had pretty much the same competitors for almost a decade. A newcomer is always interesting.

However, I won't be convinced until I see some games. I'm sort of interested because of the fact that good games don't necessarily need a million dollar budget (Limbo, Where Is My Heart among others). But on the other hand I have my doubts when I look at the games currently in the Android market as an indication. There is a lot of crap out there. I fear the platform might not be taken seriously and drown in arcade-ish "I got 10 minutes to kill" games. That's just speculation though, any game examples that prove otherwise might get me interested.

Jiro
10-01-2012, 09:46 AM
It looks fake.

Agreed! It looks weird, but oh well. I am very interested in seeing how this changes the video game market!

Slothy
10-01-2012, 10:39 AM
Whenever people talk about lowering the cost of developing games, they're also talking about lowering the quality as well. There's a lot of trash on the platforms like this. I think there's a sweet spot when games are small but not too small that makes for really quality experiences, but I've found it to be a very very rare sweet spot.

I'm going to have to call bullshit on this statement for two reasons. First, a good game is a good game. Budget doesn't factor into how fun something is, only into how much you can do. Second, I don't know if you've noticed, but there's a lot of shit on every platform. In fact, I'd flat out argue that there were more good games during the last console generation when development was cheaper and development cycles shorter. We had more companies able to compete for that AAA end of the market, and they could do it a lot faster. And there was still a bunch of games that were complete shit. Having bigger budgets hasn't stopped the majority of games released on the 360 and PS3 from sucking. Just like every other console ever. But it sadly does mean that the people who could be making great games for them, but can't afford to now because the rise in development budgets over the last two decades has been completely ridiculous and unsustainable if it keeps growing at the present rate, aren't making good games for them and are left to either try and navigate the murky waters of XBLA or the PSN, or release for PC.

So long as the Ouya does a decent job of handling discoverability, I think we'll see most of the great stuff rising to the top. And if every game has a free component to it, it might actually be easier to find the good stuff than it is on current consoles.

Bolivar
10-01-2012, 07:29 PM
Vivi, you missed the entire point of my post. You're suggesting that I made an unequivocal, ideological statement that small games are always and inevitably worse. My post only dealt with the practical reality.

Yes, every platform has had good and bad games. But I've yet to encounter a single Android game that made me actually want to play it.

I've tried lots of genres and lots of developers, but I simply can't find a game that I wouldn't rather play on the other platforms its on, or just simply rather browse the internet or check my twitter feed since I'm on my phone/kindle anyway. I just don't have faith in the platform. I think it's well documented that the last few years of these kinds of platforms has allowed everyone and their grandmother to become a game developer and has created a sea of garbage. You can pick up the average retail disc game for PS3/360, or download a random game that has been approved for PSN and XBLA, and you'll at least be guaranteed to have a decent gaming experience with at least mediocre competent game design. But if you look at the utter trash precentage on iOS/Android, there's just no comparison. There are games that have risen to the top, but again, they really just can't interest me in the least bit.


. I fear the platform might not be taken seriously and drown in arcade-ish "I got 10 minutes to kill" games.

This is the real interesting development. As everyone prophesied the death of consoles and handhelds in exchange for quick 5-10 minute games of mobile devices, it will be fascinating to see how such games will survive in the arena where you NEED to hold someone's attention for more than 10 minutes to e successful, where the goal is to get the player hooked for two years until you release your sequel.

Hollycat
10-01-2012, 07:32 PM
At $99 I might end up buying one. The main selling point for me is whether all the games are gonna be games made originally for phones or if they make a bunch of exclusives.

Slothy
10-01-2012, 07:59 PM
Vivi, you missed the entire point of my post. You're suggesting that I made an unequivocal, ideological statement that small games are always and inevitably worse.

If that wasn't your intent then fair enough, but your post as written was pretty much stating that lower budgets mean lower quality. There wasn't a whole lot of room for interpretation in the wording you used.


Yes, every platform has had good and bad games. But I've yet to encounter a single Android game that made me actually want to play it.

I've tried lots of genres and lots of developers, but I simply can't find a game that I wouldn't rather play on the other platforms its on, or just simply rather browse the internet or check my twitter feed since I'm on my phone/kindle anyway. I just don't have faith in the platform.

But the question is, how much of this is a result Android itself (Android providing a low cost platform/OS for game development) and how much is due to the interface. Because I'll state unequivocally that a touch screen only interface is terrible for most games. There are maybe 2-3 genres that can use them well, but most people aren't making those games for them. But the Ouya isn't a touch screen only interface. A console, even a low cost one like this, is a different beast entirely and even attempting to make the comparison between the types of experiences people can create on a phone, and the types that they can create on a dedicated console is a bit silly. Obviously the console has more potential since it has a dedicated gaming control interface which is, essentially, a more refined version of the same type of interface we've been using for 30+ years. The two aren't that comparable.


I think it's well documented that the last few years of these kinds of platforms has allowed everyone and their grandmother to become a game developer and has created a sea of garbage. You can pick up the average retail disc game for PS3/360, or download a random game that has been approved for PSN and XBLA, and you'll at least be guaranteed to have a decent gaming experience with at least mediocre competent game design.

I'd have to absolutely disagree with this once again. You might fined a turd that's been a bit more highly polished due to the licensing process for current consoles, but most of what gets released is still a turd just the same. Licensing has never stopped the majority of games that are released from being mediocre at best. Hell, if Bethesda is any indication, licensing hasn't even guaranteed that the game you just bought will run on day one.


But if you look at the utter trash precentage on iOS/Android, there's just no comparison.

I really have to wonder if the percentage is as out of whack as you think. There's certainly more garbage on mobile platforms, but what do you expect? Most people and companies can't spend $15-20 million on AAA development. Of course there's going to be more games, and by extension, more bad games on cheaper platforms. But like I said, with the right discoverability features, combined with things like user reviews and, oh yeah, everything being free to some extent or another, would pretty much guarantee that the good stuff is going to float to the top. Hell the Ouya, unless I'm mistaken, is supposed to use it's own marketplace/download service so we don't even know how it's going to work yet.

It really seems like what you're arguing is that because you don't like gaming on Android, this probably won't interest you either because it's on Android. But Android is just an OS. How to best use it is entirely dependent on the platform running it. The Ouya is a different beast than a smartphone. Comparing it to smartphones because both run on Android is like comparing a tablet PC to a gaming PC because they both run Windows. The types of experiences the interfaces can offer are completely different.

Bolivar
10-02-2012, 04:06 AM
Whether or not the experiences will be different is speculation. I'm only talking about what I've already seen on Android/iOS and the "anyone can make a game" environment.

This isn't about there being a higher trash:decent ratio on Android than there is on PS3/360. This is about there not being a single game that makes me want to use my phone or my tablet for gaming.

Slothy
10-04-2012, 07:50 PM
Whether or not the experiences will be different is speculation. I'm only talking about what I've already seen on Android/iOS and the "anyone can make a game" environment.

Ok, sure, it's speculation. But it's me forming an informed opinion based on the simple fact that the Ouya has a more traditional controller and a different market than smartphones and tablets with touchscreens. Just because anyone can make a game does not mean that those games will all play like smartphone games (the lack of a touchscreen indicates that's very unlikely), nor does it mean what comes out for it won't appeal to you or that the best games will be impossible to find.

Again, you're trying to argue this as though just because it runs on Android it won't interest you because you don't like games on smartphones. You might as well argue that because you might not like games on a tablet running Windows 8 that you wouldn't like PC games running on Windows. If you can't see why the comparison is a bit silly then I really don't know what else to say to you.

Bunny
10-05-2012, 12:36 AM
That is one ugly controller.

Quindiana Jones
10-05-2012, 12:59 AM
More importantly, it doesn't look especially comfortable.

G13
10-05-2012, 01:34 AM
This seems like a cool idea, but I'm not expecting much from it to be honest.

Pete for President
01-23-2013, 08:16 AM
Dug up this thread because these guys from the Netherlands got their hands on a dev kit and show it around a bit. It's in Dutch though, and there's not much games shown or anything.

OUYA Hands-on (http://www.gamekings.tv/videos/ouya-hands-on)

Some surprises in the hardware department (at least to me) were how small the actual console is and there's a little touch screen in every controller which can double as a mouse for browsing and stuff.

I'm not convinced, but who knows.

Red Mage Coffman
01-23-2013, 04:34 PM
I just need to see more... evidence.

Other than that, color me interested as I'm poor as dirt! Cheap gaming? Count me in! I'll probably end up picking one up. Sometime later in life.

Shoeberto
01-23-2013, 04:57 PM
Dug up this thread because these guys from the Netherlands got their hands on a dev kit and show it around a bit. It's in Dutch though, and there's not much games shown or anything.

OUYA Hands-on (http://www.gamekings.tv/videos/ouya-hands-on)

Some surprises in the hardware department (at least to me) were how small the actual console is and there's a little touch screen in every controller which can double as a mouse for browsing and stuff.

I'm not convinced, but who knows.
This was all pretty actively pushed with the Kickstarter info so it's not really anything new. I'm mostly happy that it appears to be exactly what was advertised, considering the iffy success rates on big-name Kickstarter projects. I'm still not sure I'll get one - not in the first revision, at least - but it remains a damn cool concept and I'm glad it appears to be going so well.

Formalhaut
01-23-2013, 05:05 PM
Ouya. Sounds alot like Booya!

Either way, it's a strange name.

Evastio
04-01-2013, 05:54 PM
If I should've made a new thread instead of reviving this one, feel free to close it.

So the Ouya is finally out, and people have been posting footage of it in action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQtr7Xxicd0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2KZcc-XzWc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np1R-e60aS0

So, has anyone here gotten one yet? If not, what do you think of it based on videos and others' reports?

I think it's pretty neat so far (especially with it being really easy to make games for and modify) and I hope it's successful.

Bolivar
04-01-2013, 08:28 PM
Pretty cool, it certainly has that shiny new toy feel to it.

FFIII looks pretty good, but it doesn't seem like the sound was updated quite enough for the living room experience.

the_best_noob
04-01-2013, 10:12 PM
Personally, I think it's gonna flop within a few months.

XxSephirothxX
04-02-2013, 04:05 AM
I've heard pretty bad things about the controller, unfortunately--that it just doesn't feel very good.

It's wild how brazenly they're supporting emulation. They won't be handing out ROMs themselves, but their current stance seems to be "you can do whatever illegal shit you want to with our console," which will probably rack up some sales but also piss off other companies like Nintendo. Whether that really matters, though, I don't know.

Pike
04-04-2013, 02:33 PM
I've heard bad things about the controllers as well. Still, for a mere $99 it's worth a shot IMO.

Slothy
04-04-2013, 03:27 PM
It's wild how brazenly they're supporting emulation. They won't be handing out ROMs themselves, but their current stance seems to be "you can do whatever illegal shit you want to with our console," which will probably rack up some sales but also piss off other companies like Nintendo. Whether that really matters, though, I don't know.

The whole point is for it to be an open platform so I can't imagine why (or even how frankly) they'd prevent people from emulating. As for what other companies think of it, it'll matter about as much as it does on the PC. Not one single bit.


I've heard bad things about the controllers as well. Still, for a mere $99 it's worth a shot IMO.

I think if the worst thing you can say about a $99 console is that the controller doesn't really measure up when you've got Microsoft and Sony selling their controllers for around $60 then I don't think I'm all that surprised really. I'd be curious to see if anyone gets other controllers running on it actually. It might not even be that hard to hack in support for any old USB controller.

Quindiana Jones
04-04-2013, 03:30 PM
Yeah, I'm pretty sure it'll take all of three minutes for someone to figure out a way to get a 360 controller running on it, at least. :D

Dr. rydrum2112
04-04-2013, 10:32 PM
Anyone know if there are other FF's or RPGs that are going to be released on it (other than the DS version of FF3)?