OUYA - Are you a backer?

This is never going to happen.

@iAmJohn: It's definitely not gonna compete with Microsoft and Sony directly. Those companies' systems (and PCs) will have the lock on the huge, expensive AAA titles. The Ouya seems like it's gonna focus more on inexpensive, possibly niche games like you would find on XBLA and PSN. It's an interesting direction since costs are just going to keep going up for making those big games and either the games will have to be more expensive or the games will be "dumbed down" to appeal to as wide an audience as possible.

I'm hoping the Ouya will shake up the console industry the way mobile gaming has shaken up the handheld market. Nintendo's and Sony's handhelds are no longer the dominant force for gaming on the go. Granted the games for the 3DS and Vita are still not priced competitively and most mobile games can't match the quality of Nintendo's and Sony's systems, I feel that gap is getting smaller by the day.

@WarlockEngineerMoreDakka said:

But only from a BUSINESS AND INDIE DEVELOPMENT perspective- with how its open nature would allow Indies to avoid the ridiculous authorization processes of Microsoft, Steam, Sony, etc.

Releasing games on the PC couldn't really be easier. Even if you are a lazy fuck who can't meet steam requirements (pretty lax) there are many other places to distribute indy games.

@bemusedchunk said:

I guess I just don't understand the reasoning behind the device.

There are already a multitude of Android based phones and tablets out there that can either hook up to a tv, utilize a controller, or both. It just seems like it's another "single-use" gadget. Now, I've got many single-use gadgets, but my other toys can't perform what they can. I just don't see the reasoning as to why this thing exists if there are other devices out there that do the same thing.

@Lunar_Aura said:

Android games don't do it for me as a console experience.

There may be a misunderstanding here. Ouya is not an extension of the Google Play marketplace. I'm sure that many Droid apps will be ported over to the Ouya marketplace, but that's not what this system is about. The Ouya uses Android architecture to build a completely open platform for developers to create games free of restrictions unlike other home consoles. Right now there is no easy way for an independent developer to get their game on a TV without wiggling their way in with Microsoft or Sony.

Now whether or not this is going to be successful is a completely different matter, but remember one of the main reasons Fez was released on Xbox is because Phil Fish wanted his game to be experienced on a TV with a controller in hand.

@LikeaSsur said:

@Nentisys said:

I just don't understand the need for this. All mobile games are fucking shit.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

@mikey87144 said:

I don't understand the rational in putting money toward this. If all goes well, which it won't, won't this be a "console" that plays smartphone games?

@Clonedzero said:

@Elazul said:

@Clonedzero said:

hand helds are being destroyed by smartphone games.

so what do they do? they make a handheld that plays smartphone games?

makes no god damn sense!

It's not a handheld, it's a home console.

Bet you think it makes waaaaaay more sense now, huh?

oh god really? yeah thats what i wanna do, play smartphone games stretched out on my tv...

IM NOW A SUPPORTER!

A lot of misunderstanding here. This isn't a console that runs mobile games. This is a console with a completely open architecture, hearkening back to the early days of home consoles where anyone could dig around in their system, create a game, and release it. The OS for the Ouya is Android, the marketplace isn't.

It's just like a Windows PC. It has the same OS architecture as a Windows Phone but isn't a machine made to run apps off of the Windows Marketplace.

@mikey87144 said:

@WarlockEngineerMoreDakka said:

The problem is in how the Ouya has presented itself. It's doing a good job stating how it'll benefit the industry... But only from a BUSINESS AND INDIE DEVELOPMENT perspective- with how its open nature would allow Indies to avoid the ridiculous authorization processes of Microsoft, Steam, Sony, etc.

Can I ask a question about the authorization process? How many good games have been turned down because of that process on Steam? I can only think of two, Minecraft and Trackmania/Shootmania. From a consumer standpoint I'm not sure how that hurts us since that process weeds out a large portion of the bad games.

Plenty of Indie games apparently have issues getting onto Steam- though some get on at later dates if they're persistent enough. A few potentially 'better known' indie titles that either took several attempts to get onto Steam or still remain excluded include:

• Space Pirates and Zombies
• Gemini Rue
• Evochron Mercenaries
• Democracy 2 (Weird, since its from the makers of Gratuitous Space Battles- which IS on Steam.)

That said though- Steam is the authorization process I've heard the most mixed signals on. Some Indie devs say they're nearly impossible, others say they're really easy. So of the three I listed, Steam's the weirdest/least consistent. >_> (Think about it- some really good Indie titles struggle, but Revelations 2012 gets through supposedly without a hitch... Granted, that's probably because it used the source engine... But still.)

That said though, you do have a point that these authorization processes arguably usually don't have a huge impact from a consumer standpoint.

@Nentisys said:

@WarlockEngineerMoreDakka said:

But only from a BUSINESS AND INDIE DEVELOPMENT perspective- with how its open nature would allow Indies to avoid the ridiculous authorization processes of Microsoft, Steam, Sony, etc.

Releasing games on the PC couldn't really be easier. Even if you are a lazy fuck who can't meet steam requirements (pretty lax) there are many other places to distribute indy games.

Let's just say there's a reason Steam's making the Greenlight system.

Even with that in mind though- again, of the main 3 authorization processes I listed, Steam is supposedly the most lenient of the three. So you are right that it is easier to release on PC than console. :P

But what about the Indies who don't want to go on PC- those who really want a console release? :O

It might not be the best example- as its not exactly involving a full release... But... Remember the recent Fez patch debacle? Supposedly, if Fez was on the Ouya instead of the 360, the Ouya's business model would allow them to make a new patch without any ridiculous authorization procedure eating money up.

Of course- that won't be worth too much if the Ouya gets hardly any user base. :P

@StarvingGamer: Wow really, It has nothing at all to do with the Android marketplace in any capacity? Because literally everyone I've heard anything from or had any discussion with on the matter seems to think that it's basically a media streaming box that plays Android games, and that's all from people who're usually well informed about gaming. If I'm not mistaken, the guys even made some reference to it running phone games on the Bombcast.

I have to say, as glad as I am to hear that it's more than an Android phone with a video-out, I'm almost more sceptical about it's future than I was before you'd told me that. I mean, if misinformation and confusion are already this rampant amongst enthusiasts then how are they even going to begin to market it to a wider audience?

Hell no, I think it's a dumb idea. If I want to play good, independent games, I'll play them on my PC. The vast majority of independent games--especially those on android devices--wouldn't be made better by a large screen.

@Elazul: Yeah, it's an unfortunate misconception that has really run rampant. I mean, all you have to do is read 1/3 of their Kickstarter page to realize that isn't the case but most people are happy to remain ignorant and rely on hearsay to inform their opinions. But I'm not too worried. After all, they've already managed to get $6,000,000 in support. Any enthusiasts who don't "get it" will figure things out by the time the console is released, at which point they are free to refocus their efforts on how to properly message the Ouya to the mainstream market.

This doesn't mean they're going to succeed, but the tough hurdle is going to be getting enough developer support, not worrying about "know-nothing know-it-alls" on the internet.

Not even a $1 backer. I have no interest in OUYA.

OUYA sounds to good to be true. 

If it comes out, I might buy it. I'm not giving people money when the risk for losing it is this prominent. At least not a 100 dollars. And heck, I basically back half of the videogame-related Kickstarters out there just out of habit with at least a few dollars. This thing just does not seem like it'll ever be real.

i backed it, mostly because I have been on a little bit of an android binge, got a s3 and a nexus 7 so I thought why not? I am under no illusions i am expecting this to play some emulated games and a very small number of exclusives which will probably suck horribly, at the end of the day I hope I supported something different in the video game business. Sure it could all be a scam but i think you have to make judgement call, it seems legit to me.

Do people realize they want to have this out in less then a year and they have no factory set up to build millions of these things yet? I smell a giant scam/fail happening.

@Rodent said:

@zyn said:

Nope. I don't back kickstarters.

This.

I see the point of the kickstarter but personally I would never back one myself. I look at it this way: Why would I wanna give someone else my hard earned money for something that may fall flat on it's face? If a particular game or something doesn't get made because the kickstarter failed because not enough people backed it (again I'll let others use their money to fund it) I'll just wait for the next thing that's bound to be just over the next hill.

But isn't that what you do when you buy anything? You never know if you'd like something until it comes out and you pay for it. The best you have to go off of most of the time is just anecdotal evidence of quality.

nope, i don't support kickstarter. i think it's a scam.

No, I'll wait until the finished product is out, but I still support what they're trying to do and hope for its success, as opposed to being a contrarian asshole and hoping for it to fail for almost no reason at all. 
 
But, eh. Voters get what they deserve, as the old saying in politics goes. Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo will have a monopoly on the console market so long as people allow them that complete control. People who look at the console market with disappointment and cynicism and yet hope for the Ouya's failure get no respect from little old, totally unimportant, me.

Indifferent. I'm not putting money into it, so I see no reason to care.

@StarvingGamer said:

@Elazul: Yeah, it's an unfortunate misconception that has really run rampant. I mean, all you have to do is read 1/3 of their Kickstarter page to realize that isn't the case but most people are happy to remain ignorant and rely on hearsay to inform their opinions. But I'm not too worried. After all, they've already managed to get $6,000,000 in support. Any enthusiasts who don't "get it" will figure things out by the time the console is released, at which point they are free to refocus their efforts on how to properly message the Ouya to the mainstream market.

This doesn't mean they're going to succeed, but the tough hurdle is going to be getting enough developer support, not worrying about "know-nothing know-it-alls" on the internet.

Wow, I take it from those thinly veiled insults that you're a backer yourself, huh?

I actually did skim through the kickstarter page before posting my first comment, and it's nothing but vague. I saw a lot of marketing buzzwords like "revolutionary", a section with something along the lines of "Mobile and Social games are the most creative, but would play better on consoles" and a section saying that it was built on Android so devs already know how to make games for it. I at no point read anything stating that it didn't use the existing Android store or play existing Android games, and the fact that the only existing game that's been announced for it is very clearly the Android port of Final Fantasy III doesn't exactly help clarify matters either. Face it, their pitch is kind of a confused mess of broad claims and vague, pseudo-marketing spin, and blaming potential consumers for the misinformation caused by it is completely ridiculous.

Also, I'd just like to point out that developer interest is directly informed by the size of a console's install-base, which in turn is almost entirely dictated by marketing and brand awareness. The existing confusion that they've managed to create about thier product is far and away the most serious issue that they're faced with and they'll have to address it before the thing launches, otherwise they'll have almost no "out-of-the-gate" sales, which in turn means zero additional developer interest and no reason for anyone else to buy the thing. Honestly, with only six million dollars at their disposal (which is mostly revenue; god knows how much will be left after all the $99+ backers have had their consoles and accessories built and shipped out) I very seriously doubt that they'll be able to turn this situation around.

Yup, I'm a backer.

I want to see where this thing goes first before I buy it. I assume its gonna be in the news periodically after release but I don't see it ever being an alternative to any console I have right now.

@CaptainThunderpants said:

@Rodent said:

@zyn said:

Nope. I don't back kickstarters.

This.

I see the point of the kickstarter but personally I would never back one myself. I look at it this way: Why would I wanna give someone else my hard earned money for something that may fall flat on it's face? If a particular game or something doesn't get made because the kickstarter failed because not enough people backed it (again I'll let others use their money to fund it) I'll just wait for the next thing that's bound to be just over the next hill.

But isn't that what you do when you buy anything? You never know if you'd like something until it comes out and you pay for it. The best you have to go off of most of the time is just anecdotal evidence of quality.

IMO, not exactly the same, no. When I go out and buy say, a PS3, I'm buying a completed product that is already offering me something I want like a game or feature like Netflix or what have you. With backing a kickstarter, I'm giving them my $ in hopes of helping them deliver their proposed end product. Basically I'm helping them fund a dream that may or may not come true.

That's the way I look at it anyways.

EDIT: BTW there Thunderpants, are you the Thunderpants who gets his stuff read by Garnett Lee on Weekend Confirmed from time to time?

I only waste money during Steam sales.

If I want to play smartphone/tablet games, I already have an iPad. Also, I'm still not convinced that the whole thing isn't some kind of Gizmondo-style scam, regardless of the people involved.

Does it make me a bad person that I want this to end up like The Phantom or the Gizmondo?   
Honestly the more I read about the behind the scenes stuff on the OUYA the more it sounds like a fucking disaster.  I think best case scenario is that it is an easier way to play illegal game roms on your TV.

Hell no, who actually thinks that this 100 dollar little thing that runs on Android of all things is going to be anything good? People who actually believe in this are crazy.

It has so many things that make it seem like a joke, who is going to make games for it? How are you going to make something worth using that only costs 100$ out of the gate? I mean really, this is like when people were okay with Mass Effect 3 coming out on a two year cycle and I was all like "nope", and every one was all "Noooooo!" when it got pushed back, when it was clearly a good thing that that happened level of crazy.

I didn't. What I don't understand is why people continued to back after they hit their goal. What do you think they plan to do with the 5 extra million? I bet it wont be 5 times more than they would have done with 1.

@StarvingGamer said:

@Elazul I'd say my insults weren't veiled at all, but yes, I'm a backer. But my condescending attitude comes from a general frustration with people that would rather just parrot hearsay than exert the effort to form an intelligent opinion. And when they say thing like, "The Ouya is not an Android port," right on the front page, there really is no excuse for any confusion.

Yeah, it says that in the middle of a sub-section after a bunch of marketing rhetoric. I didn't even see until just now, which happens to be the third time I've visited the page.

I strongly maintain that if a company's product is this badly misunderstood it's the fault of a mismanaged pitch and/or shoddy marketing, not the consumer who doesn't get it. If you really want to use that as an excuse to talk down to people then have at it, this is the internet after all. But if you really believe in the Ouya and actually want it to succeed, maybe try explaining what this thing really is and why people should care about it in a more civil way instead of alienating potential customers even further.

Anyway, you know what? I think you may have just changed my mind on it, even after all that. If the thing actually comes out and does what they promise, I may well give it a shot. I've spent way more money on way dumber things before, after all.

I don't back anything on kickstarter because I find the idea of paying for something that won't be taken out of your account for a months time incredibly nerve racking.

@bartok said:

Does it make me a bad person that I want this to end up like The Phantom or the Gizmondo? Honestly the more I read about the behind the scenes stuff on the OUYA the more it sounds like a fucking disaster. I think best case scenario is that it is an easier way to play illegal game roms on your TV.

I thought that was the main selling point.

I'm still on the fence and there's less than a week before the Kickstarter finishes. I'm just a bit concerned that I'm going to be shelling out ~$100 right now for something down the pipe, if it were more along the lines of a down-payment now and full payment when the thing actually goes into production I would hop-on in a heartbeat. Ah well, I suppose I have the next couple of days to decide between this and Dragon Quest 4,5,6,9 on the DS.

Nope.. I'm sorry, but I'm just not that interested and to be honest I can't be throwing 100 dollars at something that may or may not actually come to be.

@Clonedzero said:

hand helds are being destroyed by smartphone games.

so what do they do? they make a handheld that plays smartphone games?

makes no god damn sense!

Well when you phrase it like that ... It really does sound like a horrible idea.