Gaming Meet Ouya: The $99 game [console] everyone is talking about

[Fatmankev]

Forget the Xbox, PlayStation and Wii -- the game machine everyone is talking about today is the Ouya.If you haven't heard about Ouya, that's because it doesn't, technically, exist as anything but a prototype yet. But it looks like it won't be long before the silver and black cube designed to deliver games to your television will be made available to the public -- for $99.

That is, Ouya's creators have, in a matter of two days, raised more than $3 million to produce the machine. They had originally hoped to make $950,000 in 30 days through the crowdfunding site Kickstarter. But according to the Kickstarter blog, the Ouya project passed that mark and raised $1 million in pledges in its first eight hours -- making it the fastest Kickstarter project to reach the million dollar mark.

"We never anticipated that it would blow up like this.” Ouya founder Julie Uhrman told Venture Beat.
So what, exactly, is Ouya (pronounced like booyah without the b)? It's an Android-powered open gaming console designed by well-known industrial designer and philanthropist Yves Behar (he designed the One Laptop Per Child laptops). The "open" part of that sentence means that while game developers must get permission from the companies behind the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii and pay for expensive development kits to make games for those machines, that won't be the case with Ouya.

Meet Ouya: The $99 game machine everyone is talking about

www.nbcnews.com

Spoiler

Pretty awesome looking, all about getting something out there for the thousands of budding young developers to craft their games for. Oh, and as of 8/27/2012, their Kickstarter page has earned over $8,500,000. So it's gonna happen. And soon.

 

[Accname]

I hope it will run regular java programms which.
That would really be awesome.
I just imagine coding for pc and console in the future.

 

[Fatmankev]

Here's the link to their Kickstarter page, where you can watch a brief video that goes a little more in-depth with what this is all about. I'm excited for it. They say it's based off the Android, so you can code with whatever language that uses.
Anyway, here's their site: http://kck.st/Mfvs9y

Also, I believe this is the very first videogame console where you're allowed to go into it and mod or 'hack' the hardware/software to fit your own standards, and still play with the rest of the community.

 

[FireCat]

Well, not tempted in the least. And so called "free" games thing is a bit of a "bullshit" really. The developers have to give out a free "demo" lol

 

[Slapshot136]

They say it's based off the Android, so you can code with whatever language that uses.

-> that would be java

@ FireCat - the developers can still charge for games, but the makers of Ouya won't charge the developers for the privilege of writing games on their console (as does Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo)

 

[rover2341]

Wait slapshot. you sure? I can make a game for the xbox360 and i dont have to pay to do it. I guess that there was a 100$ fee, but as a student i got that waved.

So I guess for me, it was free, but not for everyone. and thats just to make a game on there xbox market place thing.

 

[s3rius]

To clear this up, that's what the OUYA people have to say:

[...] what this means is that there will at least be a free demo, or you’ll be able to play the entirety of the game for free but may have access to additional items, upgrades, or other features that come at a cost.

For developers, free to play means that they can set their own prices. [...] The only reason you used to pay for games before playing them is that you couldn’t try them at the store before you brought them home – it’s a relic of an old way of doing business, and one of the many things about the games business we plan to change.

In short: You still pay for games if the developer wants you to, but you'll be able to test (or play through) the game before you decide to buy it.

And about their business model:

Our business model is simple. It's identical to the mobile game model – nothing fancy or sneaky. We'll share revenue – you get 70 percent. We’re planning to make it as easy as possible for you. And OUYA is built on Android. It will also support most of the popular engines. Already Unity is a launch partner.

About the XBox development I found:

Full-scale Xbox360 development requires a devkit, which requires signing NDAs (Non-disclosure agreements). Some of the NDAs for the big consoles are quite strict; they often require development to occur in a locked office which is not residential, this can be a barrier to entry for small teams.

and

The Xbox Development Kit (XDK) is a software development kit created by Microsoft used to write software for the Xbox gaming system. [...] This is needed if one wants to develop applications or games for the Xbox.
[...]
Only developers that are licensed by Microsoft may compile code and release binaries (.XBEs) of their software with the XDK, any software released using the XDK by developers that aren't licensed is illegal
[...]
Many people who are supplied with XDKs are required to sign Non-disclosure agreements so they do not disclose any information about Microsoft's development technology.

and

XNA framework games that target the Xbox platform can currently only be distributed by members of the Microsoft XNA Creator's Club which carries a $99/year subscription fee.Desktop applications can be distributed free of charge under Microsoft's current licensing

 

[tom_mai78101]

Dang! If I only had Paypal, and some hundred bucks to spare...

If Ouya is popular, I will be a fan of both Nintendo and Ouya.

 

[FireCat]

the developers can still charge for games, but the makers of Ouya won't charge the developers for the privilege of writing games on their console (as does Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo)

But you don't get a free full game for free! Well, not a very good one anyway !

 

[Slapshot136]

But you don't get a free full game for free! Well, not a very good one anyway !

what made you think otherwise? a good, quality game costs money to develop.. that money has to come from somewhere, be it direct purchase, or add-ons with in-game purchases

 

[FireCat]

what made you think otherwise? a good, quality game costs money to develop.. that money has to come from somewhere, be it direct purchase, or add-ons with in-game purchases

Sure. But It's pretty annoying when they say its free but it isn't.

 

[iPeez]

It's like indie heaven!

 

[Slapshot136]

Sure. But It's pretty annoying when they say its free but it isn't.

some of the gameplay they offer has to be free

it wasn't deceptive at all.. your mis-quoting them by saying "free" without using the "some"

 

[tom_mai78101]

You could also say that "free" meant "creativity freedom" in the programming circle. Unless you're talking about money, then I'll back away.

 

[FireCat]

it wasn't deceptive at all.. your mis-quoting them by saying "free" without using the "some"

Nah I didn't

That's from the article ↓

There is only one condition developers must meet: at least some of the gameplay they offer has to be free

 

[Varine]

And? Do you know how many manhours AED has into our project? Other developers are the same. It's time consuming, it's expensive (especially if any work is being outsourced), there's marketing and distribution overhead that we need back. And most indie developers are working part or full time jobs while trying to get their time into the development of their product (I work 30 to 50 hours a week at my day job and minimum of 25 on development). And yet you expect it to be free because you read an article about a console that's barely in development that you for some reason understood to mean that? Most of us are doing this for money. If it wasn't there I wouldn't be spending my time working on it. So, if AED were to publish on this specific console, we would do the same as any other developer is going to do: release a demo on it to meet their (rather stupid, IMO) requirement. Which, considering their seemingly intended game genre they developed it for, will most likely be some kind of limited form of an RPG or MMO.

Also to add to the general console publishing conversation, you usually have to pay royalties to have disks printed BEFORE they are printed. So even your game blows and is dead in the market, Microsoft/Sony/Nintendo still get the money for the supply you release. And you go bankrupt.

 

[FireCat]

And yet you expect it to be free because you read an article about a console that's barely in development that you for some reason understood to mean that?.

Yes Well, of course this all depends what kind of game it is. But If they are saying a game are free then it should be free. And not a demo/ trial or whatever. .That's All

 

[Slapshot136]

But If they are saying a game are free then it should be free. And not a demo/ trial or whatever. .That's All

except that was never said in the article..

 

[FireCat]

except that was never said in the article..

Hmm no? lol

Developers can offer a free demo with a full-game upgrade, in-game items or powers, or ask you to subscribe.

 

[camelCase]

We are being trolled