So the past couple of weeks, the internet gaming circles have been buzzing about The Ouya, an open source gaming console priced cheap and running on the Android OS. At the time of this writing, the Ouya has raised 5.5 million dollars on its Kickstarter page, and will probably hit around six million before the Kickstarter is over.
So what exactly does this mean? The console is built for developers. If you feel like making a game for the Ouya market (which is a branch of the Android market), go right ahead. Each console will be it's own dev kit and they (the people behind Ouya) encourage their backers to open the console up and do whatever you see fit to the hardware and software, all without voiding your warranty. With developers already backing the project (Jenova Chen, Mojang, Robotoki to name a few) and expressing their excitement for the project, this could be the next step the gaming industry needs.
I think it's safe to say that I am pretty excited about this project. It appeals directly to people like me who want to make games for consoles, but don't see an easy way to do it. This has a chance to create a new generation of developers and designers the same way the first generation was born from the people that were writing their own programs for the Apple II.Imagine how easy it will be to invite your friends or family over, tell them to pick up a controller in your living room, and ask them to play the first level of a game you started building last week.
I have read a lot of stuff about this Ouya and I see what people are saying. A lot of people are saying it will be a great device if it ever gets produced. Yes, there is still a chance that this won't happen, that these people will take all of our money and not be able to uphold their end of the bargain, and there are those who think that this is going to be the outcome. That the Ouya is just another project that promises so much, but is too good to be true. I hope that doesn't happen, and I don't think it will. I believe that it will see production, and backers that have paid for this new console (close to 40 thousand, if my simple math is correct) will get what they want: A new console that breaks the stereotype of what a console should or can be, allows you to be the game designer that you always wanted to be, and does it for 99 dollars.
Ouya Kickstarter: Here
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
It all started when someone asked me;
"What are your top three video games of all time?"
Is this a fair question? Is it possible to narrow down just three games as your favorites? The games that you hold higher than any other. At first it seems pretty easy, like something you should be able to recite with no hesitation, but the more you think about it the more you remember all of the experiences through out the years. All the time spent trying to get to the next level, grab the next code, or hit the next checkpoint.
For me at least, I find this a hard thing to do. The moment I think I have it pin pointed to a top three list, another game sneaks its way into my memories and I am reminded why that particular game is still in my library. What makes a game your favorite anyway? Is it the story or the gameplay? Is it the music, or the way the characters felt so alive? Is it the time you spent trying to beat it? These are a lot of factors and I think that's what makes it hard. As you grow and get older, the things that make a good, great, or favorite game change with you. What you want in a game now might not be what you want in a game tomorrow. With that said, there will always be games that stand the test of time, and always hold a place in your heart.
What are my top three games of all time? I wouldn't be able to tell you, but I can tell you some of my favorite games that I can remember.
The most recent game that I can remember would have to be Portal 2. I loved everything about that game. Don't get me wrong the original was great, but Portal 2 was everything a sequel should be and improved on every aspect of an already great foundation. The story was there, the gameplay was more of the awesome puzzle/shooter gameplay from the first, and the writing was amazing.
Thinking back beyond that, I would have to say that the original Bioshock is one of my top games. At that time, I had never played a game that game the environment it's own personality as well as Bioshock did. The atmosphere of Rapture was exactly what it needed to be: creepy, mysterious, and constantly flooded by water.
Final Fantasy has been a series that I've grown with and I would have to say my favorite would have to be Final Fantasy Tactics. I know this is pretty much Tactics Ogre with Final Fantasy slapped all over it, but I don't care. When I first played this game, I had never played anything like it before. It was a like a really awesome form of chess that I could never tear away from. Even now, I have 60+ hours into the PSP version of this game, which is a must have for any PSP owner.
"What are your top three video games of all time?"
Is this a fair question? Is it possible to narrow down just three games as your favorites? The games that you hold higher than any other. At first it seems pretty easy, like something you should be able to recite with no hesitation, but the more you think about it the more you remember all of the experiences through out the years. All the time spent trying to get to the next level, grab the next code, or hit the next checkpoint.
For me at least, I find this a hard thing to do. The moment I think I have it pin pointed to a top three list, another game sneaks its way into my memories and I am reminded why that particular game is still in my library. What makes a game your favorite anyway? Is it the story or the gameplay? Is it the music, or the way the characters felt so alive? Is it the time you spent trying to beat it? These are a lot of factors and I think that's what makes it hard. As you grow and get older, the things that make a good, great, or favorite game change with you. What you want in a game now might not be what you want in a game tomorrow. With that said, there will always be games that stand the test of time, and always hold a place in your heart.
What are my top three games of all time? I wouldn't be able to tell you, but I can tell you some of my favorite games that I can remember.
The most recent game that I can remember would have to be Portal 2. I loved everything about that game. Don't get me wrong the original was great, but Portal 2 was everything a sequel should be and improved on every aspect of an already great foundation. The story was there, the gameplay was more of the awesome puzzle/shooter gameplay from the first, and the writing was amazing.
Thinking back beyond that, I would have to say that the original Bioshock is one of my top games. At that time, I had never played a game that game the environment it's own personality as well as Bioshock did. The atmosphere of Rapture was exactly what it needed to be: creepy, mysterious, and constantly flooded by water.
Final Fantasy has been a series that I've grown with and I would have to say my favorite would have to be Final Fantasy Tactics. I know this is pretty much Tactics Ogre with Final Fantasy slapped all over it, but I don't care. When I first played this game, I had never played anything like it before. It was a like a really awesome form of chess that I could never tear away from. Even now, I have 60+ hours into the PSP version of this game, which is a must have for any PSP owner.
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