OUYA: A $99 Android console meant to open up console gaming

[Crowbar Man]

No, the only big difference is AFTER your game is put on the store, if there is some content that is found that people report and Apple isn't comfortable with they might pull it. But putting it on the store is as easy as can be.

Edited September 15, 2013 by Crowbar Man

[DaMonz]

No, the only big difference is AFTER your game is put on the store, if there is some content that is found that people report and Apple isn't comfortable with they might pull it. But putting it on the store is as easy as can be

Oh, well thanks for clarifying this.

[zircon]

Well yeah, but honestly I got bored after like 2 minutes. I don't think that's the kind of game that deserves a front page. Well, not in their current state.

Maybe it's just me though.

Collectively my friends and I have probably played No Brakes Valet for 100+ hours easily... it might be my favorite game on the console. Jill plays it like 30 mins a day easily. It should absolutely be front page +

[DaMonz]

Collectively my friends and I have probably played No Brakes Valet for 100+ hours easily... it might be my favorite game on the console. Jill plays it like 30 mins a day easily. It should absolutely be front page +

Wow, then maybe my standards are just wrong haha

[The Derrit]

And I don't understand your c) point. If the consolemaker controls the store display instead of filtering the games before their release, isn't the end result quite the same? Or are you suggesting that even filtering the games that can be released wouldn't be enough?

i'm suggesting that the entire point of OUYA *is* to have a system where everyone can do whatever they want, which means that highlighting the games by more established developers runs counter to the whole idea of the system.

which is why in the end ouya wasn't that great of an idea to begin with

giving developers freedom to do whatever they want is a good thing, but if someone is attempting to make a console-esque game and not just an iOS clone/etc, and they're doing it specifically for ouya, then they've already missed the majority of their audience in doing so.

[DaMonz]

i'm suggesting that the entire point of OUYA *is* to have a system where everyone can do whatever they want, which means that highlighting the games by more established developers runs counter to the whole idea of the system.

I think that you shouldn't assume that indie game = bad game and games by more established developers = good game.

[Crowbar Man]

but if someone is attempting to make a console-esque game and not just an iOS clone/etc, and they're doing it specifically for ouya, then they've already missed the majority of their audience in doing so.

Er.. console-style games are kinda what the OUYA is supposed to be about.

A dev could easily choose OUYA for a console-style game if:

A) They don't have the resources to reach a console platform (A lot dont (especially last gen consoles), this is OUYA's main draw, the whole point.) Any audience is better than no audience.

They want to support OUYA's cause specifically

C) They don't care about reaching a larger audience

D) For fun/hobby. (Not everybody makes games because they are money driven)

E) Already making the game for Android and/or using cross platform tools (like Unity) where supporting OUYA is easy and just extra money (Also, while you can get controllers for Android/iOS, most people dont, and touch screen suck for console-style games, so OUYA is a neat match because its meant for controllers)

Mix and match any of those.

I think you miss a large point of OUYA in most of your negativity.

Edited September 16, 2013 by Crowbar Man

[The Derrit]

Er.. console-style games are kinda what the OUYA is supposed to be about.

A dev could easily choose OUYA for a console-style game if:

A) They don't have the resources to reach a console platform (Most dont, this is OUYA's main draw, the whole point.)

They want to support OUYA's cause specifically

C) They don't care about reaching a larger audience

D) For fun/hobby. (Not everybody makes games because they are money driven)

E) Already making the game for Android and/or using cross platform tools (like Unity) where supporting OUYA is easy and just extra money

Mix and match any of those.

I think you miss a large point of OUYA in most of your negativity.

so essentially all of these boil down to 'if they like ouya and want it to do well' or 'because they don't actually care about making money'

except for a. and a is more or less negated by the fact that unless you make an absolute breakout hit (there are none so far and may never be) you won't make enough money, or enough noise to get noticed and find your way onto a major console where you can really do well for yourself.

Edited September 16, 2013 by The Derrit

[Crowbar Man]

And/or they don't have the extreme amount of resources it took last gen, or even the lower amount for next gen. This is OUYA's biggest draw you overlook.

Not everybody is made of money, nor does everybody require money to enjoy doing things. (Heck even if you have the resources, consoles were a pain last gen to deal with certification processes and providing new content for free was almost impossible for even a company as deep pocketed as Valve)

OUYA can be a serious output for things or it can be a fun output things. Its both a legit dev platform and a hobbyist device. (See Android/iOS)

Again, OUYA isn't supposed a corporate machine meant to attract other corporate entities to churn out mass profits by gouging customers like your standard console.

Its an Indie console, for Inide devs, and for people who like Indie games (or low budget gaming in general)

Kinda said all this during their kickstarter/presentations/etc if you didn't catch it

If/when OUYA picks up steam and creates a larger install base, then it will become a profitable platform in general. But you'll have to give them more than 3 months for goodness sake.

Edited September 16, 2013 by Crowbar Man

[The Derrit]

And/or they don't have the extreme amount of resources it took last gen, or even the lower amount for next gen. This is OUYA's biggest draw you overlook.

Not everybody is made of money, nor does everybody require money to enjoy doing things. (Heck even if you have the resources, consoles were a pain last gen to deal with certification processes and providing new content for free was almost impossible for even a company as deep pocketed as Valve)

OUYA can be a serious output for things or it can be a fun output things. Its both a legit dev platform and a hobbyist device. (See Android/iOS)

Again, OUYA isn't supposed a corporate machine meant to attract other corporate entities to churn out mass profits by gouging customers like your standard console.

Its an Indie console, for Inide devs, and for people who like Indie games (or low budget gaming in general)

Kinda said all this during their kickstarter/presentations/etc if you didn't catch it

If/when OUYA picks up steam and creates a larger install base, then it will become a profitable platform in general. But you'll have to give them more than 3 months for goodness sake.

who is developing games for ouya? (that isn't trying to rip off #freethegames)

who is buying ouya consoles?

who other than extreme ouya enthusiasts and other hardcore gamers that are making fun of it even know ouya exists?

ouya as a hobbist device? fine. no problem there. but the infrastructure of it only lasts as long as it's profitable and after that it's a streambox/emulator.

Edited September 16, 2013 by The Derrit

[Crowbar Man]

who is developing games for ouya? (that isn't trying to rip off #freethegames)

Anybody? Its primarily aimed at Indies, but anybody can dev on it should they want to. There is a pretty large amount of developers making games for Ouya at the moment, so I'm not sure if you wanted specific or if this is Rhetoric

who is buying ouya consoles?

Anybody? Again, its target here is fans of indie gaming and/or people interested in a low budget console.

who other than extreme ouya enthusiasts and other hardcore gamers that are making fun of it even know ouya exists?

Well, its out on store shelves I beleive, had a pretty famous kickstarter, and has been shown off in a lot of magazines. Its not mainstream per se, but thats kinda hard to do being new and all. As mentioned in a post here, they ARE selling. (4,000 units in August)

As far as people making fun of it, the only thing I've figured is they feel somehow threatened by a tiny hobbyist box or hate anything that is different than what they are used to. It's weird. Then again, people always tend to hate anything that isn't their console of choice for some reason

ouya as a hobbist device? fine. no problem there. but the infrastructure of it only lasts as long as it's profitable and after that it's a streambox/emulator.

Well, obviously if they do not continue on an upward path they would run into financial issues. That is the same with any business big or small. But OUYA has far less financial risk than any big console manufacturer, they are dealing with much smaller numbers and costs.

With only three months its kinda hard to tell where they will go from here. If sales stop, obviously that will be a problem.

Edited September 16, 2013 by Crowbar Man

[The Derrit]

i'm talking about literally. who is the market for these things?

the correct answers were: very few, even less, do you even realize how few 4,000 in a month is (that's about 80 per state to put it in perspective), and at three months sales are already close to dried up.

[zircon]

Their problem is how the console is being marketed. Have you seen some of the ads? Literally, one of them involves a cartoon manchild screaming about the latest $60 Call of Duty game. He then starts vomiting and drowning in a sea of vomit, after which he pulls out his own spinal cord. I'm not kidding. It's disgusting. Who the hell are they marketing to?

If I had to make an ad for Ouya, it would highlight the strengths of the system.

* A bunch of friends on a couch laughing and smiling, playing games like No Brakes, Amazing Frog, Get on Top, Hidden in Plain Sight, Bomb Squad, and Towerfall.

"Ouya brings back couch gaming in style. Connect up to 8 Ouya, Xbox 360, or PS3 controllers and you're ready to go!"

* A parent and child playing a game like "Save the Puppies!" (which is actually really well-done)

"Hundreds of fun, free to download games for all ages, from puzzle and racing games to action platformers and RPGs."

* A single person playing something like Final Fantasy III, Sonic CD, Sonic IV, Bard's Tale...

"Play bestselling modern and retro classics from companies like SEGA and Square Enix!"

* A dude picking up his Ouya with one hand, then putting it into a bag and leaving... then hooking it up at a friend's house in the next shot.

"OUYA is the perfect size to take with you and connect anywhere. Just two cables and you're good to go."

* Back to another group shot of people browsing the store and downloading a bunch of games (montage)

"Browse the store and try EVERY game for free. No catch!"

etc. These are the strengths of the system that should be played up. It shouldn't be compared with Xbox 360 or PS3 or whatever. It has a fun, unique library of games, a super-small and convenient form factor, excellent multiplayer capability, free-to-play built in, and so forth.

[Crowbar Man]

do you even realize how few 4,000 in a month is (that's about 80 per state to put it in perspective), and at three months sales are already close to dried up.

Compared to... what? As long as its higher than what OUYA needs to sell to keep afloat what does it matter? Unless you know what OUYA's exact finances are I don't see what it matters. Higher numbers would obviously be preferable but do we even know how many units OUYA can even produce in the first place? As long as the number stays stable/goes up then there is not much of a problem. As long as install base increases is the important thing.

zircon:

I just watched that ad... wow. Yeah they need an ad exactly as you described. and... as far away as whatever the heck that was.

The average COD player isn't going to give a flying flip about indie titles in the first place so yeah.. not sure who that commercial was aimed at really. Way too disturbing for a console that could easily be family oriented

Its bad decicions like that the OUYA's team needs to fix. Mistakes for a start up are to be expected but if they don't start making things head in a right direction they will not recover... especially since the media, gamers, etc all seem so bent on it not succeeding (for whatever reason) anyways

Edited September 16, 2013 by Crowbar Man

[Lyrai]

If I had to make an ad for Ouya, it would highlight the strengths of the system.

[The Derrit]

Compared to... what? As long as its higher than what OUYA needs to sell to keep afloat what does it matter? Unless you know what OUYA's exact finances are I don't see what it matters.

well that's your problem right there you don't get the implications

if ouya doesn't sell people aren't buying it, which means less people are buying games, which means games are less potentially profitable, which means making a game for OUYA holds progressively more risk, which means people won't want to do it, which means even less people will buy it, etc. etc.

and who's going to 'catch on?' i mean honestly. it's gotten nothing but bad press, and doesn't deserve anything else, certainly not from a company standpoint. they've made nothing but bad decisions with poor execution since the kickstarter ended.

selling 4,000 nationally is downright terrible. i'd bet dollars to donuts there are 4,000 ouyas sitting in amazon warehouses. at least.

[Crowbar Man]

They ARE selling though. Just because 4,000 isn't enough for you doesn't mean it isn't enough for OUYA. We don't know what they need to sustain themselves. And all your statements again are mostly geared towards large projects that would be exclusive to OUYA.. which there aren't any. as far as I know most of the larger projects are multiplatform so OUYA doesn't need to be its main income anyways, its just extra cash.

The hobbyists and smaller indie devs don't have "risk." That is the entire point. If you are spending boatloads of money to make a game (exclusively) on OUYA... you're doing it wrong. It really is probably not the best idea given that even major console manufacturers can have issues with low installed base numbers at launch.

You can doom and gloom all you want, but I still think its amazing how far OUYA has come, period. I just hope they start making better decisions about things because they have an uphill battle in the first place, making bad decisions will not help their cause.

Only time will tell.

Edited September 17, 2013 by Crowbar Man

[The Derrit]

you don't know that

okay i'm done talking to this brick wall

when what you're saying and everything OYUA inc. is saying aren't diametrically opposed come back

[DaMonz]

I'd like to add that the OUYA is incredibly fun to play with friends

[Crowbar Man]

Yes, more sharing of happy times with OUYA and less doom and gloom please

[Crowbar Man]

So, Free the Games got adjusted a little:

Instead of minimum $50,000, it has been lowered to $10,000

Instead of no minimum backers (which is where the scam artists came in), you need a minimum of 100 backers

Instead of requiring a OUYA exclusivity for minimum 6 months, you can launch simultaneously on OUYA & PC.

There is no longer a Prize for earning the most funds for your game during this campaign. (Originally in addition to doubling your Kickstarter, there was going to be a $100,000 prize)

This should fix a lot that was broken with the campaign

Edited September 18, 2013 by Crowbar Man

[Dhsu]

Awesome, $10k is a LOT more attainable. Did they mention what they're going to do about Gridiron Thunder?

Edit: Ha, apparently they pulled themselves out. Wonder if it was the result of some gentle nudging from Julie & co...

Edited September 19, 2013 by Dhsu

[DaMonz]

Now THERE's a good decision!

That's great news. I hope this helps them pick up the pace!