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Ouya Android console up for pre-order on Amazon

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Re: Ouya Android console up for pre-order on Amazon

#71
post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Pirating" SNES games? Where can you legitimately buy a SNES game that would give money to the creator?

You can give money to the former publisher's holding company's acquired trademark owner on virtual console.

It is worth noting that re-releases are coordinated by the copyright owner. Trademarks are not relevant here. It's also worth noting that most of the games you see that people actually want to play still have their copyrights held by relevant parties. Square-Enix re-releases the Final Fantasy series--and they still own it. Street Fighter or Mega Man re-releases? Capcom still owns it. Super Mario Brothers? Nintendo owns it. Phantasy Star? Sega still owns it.

Most of the games where copyright has bounced around are quite abandoned and not resold at all; in the "abandonware" situation I'd be much more receptive to the idea of emulation to play them. But those are generally not the games that most people pick up emulators to play.

Re: Ouya Android console up for pre-order on Amazon

#73
post #2

Nice, but does it have the cojones to keep up with Microsoft and Sony? Doubtful. I think this will be a niche console for geeks, because of one reason: Content. It's a vicious cycle. With no content, customers won't want it, and with no customers, content creators won't create any games or apps for it. Still, it looks very promising, I'm just unsure if developers will get content onto this thing.

I think you are right and it's not a big problem; there are enough geeks who do not get excited by the latest non-gameplay-but-great-graphics-fps (I rather play something like http://www.anodynegame.com/ any day). If that's enough mass to continue this console is the question. For geeks this thing is great; it looks good, it is small and cheap. I bought it via Kickstarter and I'll buy a few more, just to play with an…

Hey I made that game! My friend posted this link. cool. glad you like it.

(if anyone wants to try it, there's a demo at that website!)

Re: Ouya Android console up for pre-order on Amazon

#74
I'm actually pretty excited about the Ouya as an emulation platform.

In a similar thrust, those here who think that because it's an open and easy to develop for platform don't remember the lackluster sales of many prior platforms that lead into the market with emulation (which gave them huge libraries).

Most of the non-emulator software was quite frankly, lackluster. Those consoles counted their sales in the tens of thousands of units, not in the millions.

Re: Ouya Android console up for pre-order on Amazon

#75

Ouya is running a Game Jam for its first generation of games: http://www.killscreendaily.com/create/entries.php My impression is that they want to become the center of Indie Game development.

A game jam with a $99 entry fee. Imagine me making a really loud, really dismissive noise for about 3 minutes. But yeah, that does seem to be their objective. Hopefully they get their stuff together and put out a solid SDK and set of dev tools and simulator (their current release is at least a start).

Hi downvoters!

If you downvoted me because you object to my complaint about the entry fee, allow me to educate you. If you downvoted me because you think Ouya is awesome or you own Ouya shares, more power to you.

Anyway, a company like Ouya co-opting the game jam phenomenon (not to mention the term) for pure commercial, money-making greedy purposes is offensive. Allow me to explain in detail:

The events normally associated with the term Game Jam are:

a) free

b) not about prizes or competition

c) intentionally inclusive

For a few examples, just google 'game jam', or check out these pages:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_jam

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludum_Dare

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Game_Jam

The whole spirit and philosophy behind game jams is to encourage anyone and everyone to creatively participate in the creation of video games, regardless of commercial viability, tools used, race, gender, age, or creed.

In comparison, the Ouya game jam:

a) Required a $99 purchase of an Ouya console to enter - EVEN THOUGH - Ouya is supposedly an Android based platform and any functioning Android game should be able to run on the Ouya.

b) Included prizes and judges being handed out at the discretion of Ouya and/or Kill Screen

c) Required all games to be Ouya games, not Android games or simply 'games that can run on the Ouya'.

These are not minor distinctions. This is important. This is a corporation feeding off the efforts of the community without giving anything back (unless you count the pittance of a few prizes to be handed out to the 'winners').

The Ouya 'game jam' is a contest. And I have no problem with contests: They are a good way to promote interest in your platform. Microsoft ran multiple successful contests for XBox Live Indie Games called 'Dream Build Play' that produced lots of great games.

Re: Ouya Android console up for pre-order on Amazon

#76

"Every game on OUYA is free to try. We believe you shouldn't have to buy it unless you love it" That's pretty cool. Count me in.

Would be interesting to see how this affects the current console gaming markets..

I wouldn't expect it to. I don't see how anyone can expect it to compete with the major consoles. It won't (not to say it can't, just that it simply won't) run any huge AAA game titles, so it's completely irrelevant on that level.

I think it sits in its own niche. Budget gaming. A competitor for Nintendo's offering, perhaps. But certainly not a competitor for either Microsoft's or Sony's offering.

I think you're more likely to own an Ouya or both it and a "major" console. It would not replace them.

Re: Ouya Android console up for pre-order on Amazon

#77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A game jam with a $99 entry fee. Imagine me making a really loud, really dismissive noise for about 3 minutes. But yeah, that does seem to be their objective. Hopefully they get their stuff together and put out a solid SDK and set of dev tools and simulator (their current release is at least a start).

Hi downvoters! If you downvoted me because you object to my complaint about the entry fee, allow me to educate you. If you downvoted me because you think Ouya is awesome or you own Ouya shares, more power to you. Anyway, a company like Ouya co-opting the game jam phenomenon (not to mention the term) for pure commercial, money-making greedy purposes is offensive. Allow me to explain in detail: The events normally asso…

> a) Required a $99 purchase of an Ouya console to enter - EVEN THOUGH - Ouya is supposedly an Android based platform and any functioning Android game should be able to run on the Ouya.

The Ouya runs an additional API that provides a game menu similar to that of the Playstation's XMB or the XBox 360's Guide, as well as support for its controllers and hardware-specific features. Games for Ouya need to be able to support that API. Games not targeted directly to Ouya may not be able to adequately support the controllers and hardware.

(I do not have a dev kit, so I don't know the specifics.)

Re: Ouya Android console up for pre-order on Amazon

#78
post #49
post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Pirating" SNES games? Where can you legitimately buy a SNES game that would give money to the creator?

XBox Live Arcade. Nintendo's Virtual Console service. Re-releases on the GBA/DS/3DS. Not all games can be purchased this way and there is certainly a moral argument towards emulation to playing games that don't have such re-releases or were never released in an accessible market at all, but it is an observation that the ones people want to play can generally be acquired in this manner--your Chrono Triggers, your Fina…

People actually emulate a ton of games not available on virtual console. In fact, emulation is a pretty popular way for people to play fan translations of games that were never released in english (tales of phantasia, radical dreamers, etc.).

It's true that there are plenty of folks who pirate chrono trigger via emulation but there are also plenty who want to play the more obscure titles out there.

Re: Ouya Android console up for pre-order on Amazon

#79
post #78
post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

XBox Live Arcade. Nintendo's Virtual Console service. Re-releases on the GBA/DS/3DS. Not all games can be purchased this way and there is certainly a moral argument towards emulation to playing games that don't have such re-releases or were never released in an accessible market at all, but it is an observation that the ones people want to play can generally be acquired in this manner--your Chrono Triggers, your Fina…

People actually emulate a ton of games not available on virtual console. In fact, emulation is a pretty popular way for people to play fan translations of games that were never released in english (tales of phantasia, radical dreamers, etc.). It's true that there are plenty of folks who pirate chrono trigger via emulation but there are also plenty who want to play the more obscure titles out there.

I am aware, but I noted a defensibility for those cases, didn't I? I am, however, skeptical of any claim (not that you are making one, but such a claim in general) that they are a majority, or even significant minority, of the set of people who download and use emulators.

Re: Ouya Android console up for pre-order on Amazon

#80
post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can give money to the former publisher's holding company's acquired trademark owner on virtual console.

It is worth noting that re-releases are coordinated by the copyright owner. Trademarks are not relevant here. It's also worth noting that most of the games you see that people actually want to play still have their copyrights held by relevant parties. Square-Enix re-releases the Final Fantasy series--and they still own it. Street Fighter or Mega Man re-releases? Capcom still owns it. Super Mario Brothers ? Nintendo o…

Trademark should have been Copyright, you're correct. However, the creator of Megaman is no longer at Capcom, the creator of Final Fantasy is no longer at Square, Sega is no longer Sega, but owned by Sammy.
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