How will the Gamebuino avoid the fate of the Hackvision ?

[jonnection]

Hello all

I've been hanging aound here for a couple of weeks. I really like the Gamebuino, I think Rodot & Myndale and whoever else have done fantastic work. The Gamebuino has more going for it than any other Arduino-based gaming system I've seen. Its early days and looking pretty good.

... and yet ...

I do not (at least yet) see why it would avoid the trajectory of other similar projects (high initial excitement, lack of follow-up software, decline). The Hackvision (arduino+tvout) is a couple of years old, had some pretty decent games made for it and is already as dead as a dodo.

My doubts boil down to two things (that partially have been discussed on this forum before):
1) there is no incentive, monetary or otherwise, to actually finish ("ship") a game
2) core libraries and tools require still a lot of work, and may take too much time to evolve, resulting in decline of enthusiasm. I took a look, at least the gfx core needs alot of work.

I propose that:
1) we come up with a joint goal (Gamebuino game disk 1 / Gamebuino magazine etc whatnot) with a deadline and/or incentives to kickstart the game development and promote teamwork. We'll select a few game types (platformer, wolfenstein maze, arcade, pseudo 3d road game) and form teams around those concepts. This could also result in game code that can be reused to produce more games with less effort. Copyright and whatever ridiculously small monetary benefits would be shared among the game disk team members. I'm ready to contribute my alpha sprite routines, parallax scrolling, GIMP C-array export plugin & pseudo 3d road stuff, but not unless there is a goal and a team
2) Rodot "recruits" more people like he did with the SD card loader and Myndale to get the gfx routines optimized and audio tools (tracker on PC) working ASAP so that we can get all these gifted artists making kickass videos on the YT to attract a wider audience

These seem like pretty drastic things to say. I have nothing but highest respect for Rodot in pulling off such an amazing project. This is just the scenario that has been growing in my head as I've started digging into this - but I may well be wrong with everything I say, I may be thinking too far ahead, or repeating things that everyone already knows and has discussed.

Comments ?

[adekto]

wel on number 1 we are working on an rpg with a bunch of the community which is going pretty well

not sure how the sales on hackvision was but we got a decent upcoming install base
already we got people working on allot of arcade games

the idea of a magazine sounds nice, may want to ask the few bloggers here to collaborate on that

not sure u mean on the number 2 all tools are standard and open source, a full custom IDE is possible but not for the monent

[HTel]

Portable console, depends on the screen. Happens to be easy to program, Hackvision is exposed. Come on, this list could go on forever! Guess what, I am going to come up with a list of 256 items that explain why Hackvision<Gamebuino. Not gonna post it (type type type), but I'm sure it could stand up.

[HTel]

At least we have 1.8 million people who know about the gamebuino: Vsause3 posted a video; wait till 1:34: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chfIDmgB0x0&list=PLiyjwVB09t5z0bPvETnsK-nvYMVq0oDBT | Awesome Custom Consoles and MORE!! -- Game LÜT #23

[treflip]

I like that you made the comparison at least. I'd rather look at the possible outcomes than stick my head in sand!

I don't know about the hack vision but like the other guy said gambuino is portable and for me anyway replaced my beloved gb sp (at least for the moment).

The second thing that comes to mind is the simplicity of gambuino it's built basically from a nokia 5110 screen, arduino, and some buttons. Plus the community behind it is what really drew me into it. Similar to arduino- the difference behind it in comparison to Texas Instruments or pic or even altera was the ease to get help when something was in question. Texas instrument has a lot of resources but there support for their mcu's failed in my experience with their community.

Gambuino may not make it but it's so simple to code and fairly cheap so even if it goes underground I wouldn't mind just making games and sharing them with my family. I could stay busy for awhile!

[DFX2KX]

I like that you made the comparison at least. I'd rather look at the possible outcomes than stick my head in sand!

I don't know about the hack vision but like the other guy said gambuino is portable and for me anyway replaced my beloved gb sp (at least for the moment).

The second thing that comes to mind is the simplicity of gambuino it's built basically from a nokia 5110 screen, arduino, and some buttons. Plus the community behind it is what really drew me into it. Similar to arduino- the difference behind it in comparison to Texas Instruments or pic or even altera was the ease to get help when something was in question. Texas instrument has a lot of resources but there support for their mcu's failed in my experience with their community.

Gambuino may not make it but it's so simple to code and fairly cheap so even if it goes underground I wouldn't mind just making games and sharing them with my family. I could stay busy for awhile!

Teh GB community will likely always be pretty small, but there's nothing wrong with that. If some of us go on to learn more C/C++ and say 'this is where I started' then I think Rodot would agree (Though I hate to speak for him) That it had met or even surpassed his expectations.

[treflip]

As some added notes, I tried comparing the Gamebuino with the GCW Zero and here's a few areas of interest to me.

1st the GCW Zero has all the hardware for gaming but is too close to programming for a smart phone. The margin of difference between the two is very small and the reward for using a smart phone that has a store and advertising already setup is really appealing.

2nd there really is no desire to carry both a smart phone and a gaming device in my pockets at all time. I might as well have a smart phone that I can play my games on and be happier.

3rd and on Gamebuino's side of things it's so close to the hardware and software it fits right in with Arduino's way of doing things. So there's already a huge community and resources to pull from and like DFX2KK mentioned, the user gets experience with coding for the basics of game development without losing site of how the device operates. This is really important for new software programmers and hardware engineers to learn from because they can go from spec sheet to device fast and quickly see results.

So basically an actual handheld gaming device is so close to the common smart phone that the lack of commercial options makes it unappealing and the Gamebuino already has the Arduino's resources and is so close to the hardware that creates it, that it is an intermediate step between learning software development on the computer and programming on a commercial device. Which is highly useful for students and hobbyists.

[DFX2KX]

As some added notes, I tried comparing the Gamebuino with the GCW Zero and here's a few areas of interest to me.

1st the GCW Zero has all the hardware for gaming but is too close to programming for a smart phone. The margin of difference between the two is very small and the reward for using a smart phone that has a store and advertising already setup is really appealing.

2nd there really is no desire to carry both a smart phone and a gaming device in my pockets at all time. I might as well have a smart phone that I can play my games on and be happier.

3rd and on Gamebuino's side of things it's so close to the hardware and software it fits right in with Arduino's way of doing things. So there's already a huge community and resources to pull from and like DFX2KK mentioned, the user gets experience with coding for the basics of game development without losing site of how the device operates. This is really important for new software programmers and hardware engineers to learn from because they can go from spec sheet to device fast and quickly see results.

So basically an actual handheld gaming device is so close to the common smart phone that the lack of commercial options makes it unappealing and the Gamebuino already has the Arduino's resources and is so close to the hardware that creates it, that it is an intermediate step between learning software development on the computer and programming on a commercial device. Which is highly useful for students and hobbyists.

That's a fairly good summery. You'd make a Gamebuino less to replace your cellphone as a handheld, then to learn to make games on a very limiting (and therefor challenging) environment. That being said. the GB is pretty small, so It likely wouldn't take up that much pocket space.

[lastfuture]

In my eyes the Gamebuino is also a very cool portable battery driven Arduino with a screen & SD card (for logging measurements) and a speaker. Not necessarily a handheld console alone but also a way for me to take Arduino projects I think up to the next level without having to mess with LED blink sequences or tethering it to USB Serial Monitor to rely on feedback.
That alone will make me stand in line for at least two more when/if rodot announces pre-orders and they're not significantly more expensive than what the perk was on indiegogo.

[jonnection]

Quoting myself from may 2014:

Hello all
I've been hanging around here for a couple of weeks. I really like the Gamebuino, I think Rodot & Myndale and whoever else have done fantastic work. The Gamebuino has more going for it than any other Arduino-based gaming system I've seen. Its early days and looking pretty good.

... and yet ...

I do not (at least yet) see why it would avoid the trajectory of other similar projects (high initial excitement, lack of follow-up software, decline). The Hackvision (arduino+tvout) is a couple of years old, had some pretty decent games made for it and is already as dead as a dodo.

And here we are. I guess it was a good run, almost 2 years.

Thanks rodot, it was an inspiring time.