Project Html5 Game Console

Sorry for the off-topic, but why exactly OUYA was considered a failure?

Ciro

from Ouya review from Verge:

• Too few games
• Existing games aren't very good
• Problematic, unfinished interface
• Limited functionality

and summary "the device is currently being sold as a product, not a prototype, and that's just wrong. Ouya isn't a viable gaming platform, or a good console, or even a nice TV interface. I don't know what it is, but until Ouya figures it out, it's not worth $99."

p.s. the biggest income game earned 30,000$ but was sold for... 15$ (TowerFall)

Ciro from what I know, OUYA has sold very few units, makes very little money for developers, briefly had a creepy and disturbing advertising campaign, its company refuses to admit its mistakes, and its Free The Games fund is being openly abused and OUYA is not doing anything about it.

Also, while the concept was original when announced, it's quickly becoming irrelevant: tablet are getting more and more powerful, with tegra 4 GPU coming (ouya is only tegra 3), so you'll very soon see more and more games with advanced 3d graphics. Plus, they now have HDMI output and support blutooth controllers, which means you can turn them into a console if you want. Add to that a much bigger library of games and app (even though ouya is android based, it requires special versions for the apps)

Sure the ouya is only $100, but you can't carry it around with you

So, while the concept was a very good idea, I'm afraid it was a couple years too late. And things are not likely to get better over time.

ahhh the people who don't track Ouya. To make it simple. your all wrong. Ouya failed when they decided to make the controller reflect the current model of dual analog, 4 face and shoulder. When it decided to use that controller design it went head on with Sony and MS. They should have taken a smart route. But enough of that. We are talking about the HoC at this. But your all wrong as to why it failed. :D

Anyways. I think the HoC is a good idea and I really believe a easy cost entry into a console market is desperately needed, but I'll tell you why all consoles will fail.

None of the console makers create consoles for your mom or grand dad. I don't mean that in a "your mom" hostile rude joke either. I seriously mean it on every level from a buisness perspective.

Successful entry has a viable hardware must address the lowest and simplist ease of use for any device. When the use of a device is unituitive, complicated, then the consumer will find it difficult and likely find little value in it's use.

The HoC is designed and focused as a linux market targeted game conole device focused essentially providing a linux experience. As long as linux designers focus on linux users then no linux device will ever take off.

A device if successful against an already established market MUST by no uncertain terms bring in new users to the market. The Ouya only focused on a small market and made 0 effort bringing in new users. the HoC like every other Linux device never attempts to bring in new users, but continue to only attract interest of current consumers.

I think the idea of the HoC is great, but if you want it to succeed. Do this. Throw out your controller. Connect a Wii-Remote/Move/Kinect and base your controller around one of those. Stop visiting linux sites, game developer sites.... and go to Forbes, Womans World, Buisiness today, Martha Stuart. Focus less on Linux and what's powering HoC. Focus instead on what this device can do to make everyones life easier. Focus on start up time, focus on easy to use Weather Apps, focus on House Bulletin boards, Focus on easy to use Netflix, Focus on Youtube on the Tv, Focus on FaceBook on the Tv, Focus on a photo viewer on the Tv. focus on everything but the technology, focus on everything to make life easier. Then Let them know of the cool games that can come with it.

While Towerfall didn't make much money it did however lead to an awesome result. If people would ever do research past what they want to know. Matt the maker of Towerfall is now developing the game for Steam, is looking at bringing the game to Wii U, PS3, and 360. Not only that he now get's sweet work contracts. This was the result of Towerfall. if Towerfall was never released on the Ouya he wouldn't be riding as high as he now. You might only see the results of the game on just the Ouya, but the results are far more impacting.

jayderyu

"But your all wrong as to why it failed. :D"

in the dark past I could buy weak Nintendo DS or much stronger PSP... I choose NDS because it has games that I would like to play.

And Ouya didn't get many good games, because there was no business potential in it.

And why pay 99$ for sh_t console, if for the same money I can play HALO on used X360?

Ouya target was geeks, but for normal customers it was never attractive

I agree with jayderyu , a console is not the operating system, not the hardware (well, sort of, but not the most important)...

A console is the games, the ease to use/develop, I want to play a game? It has to be easy from every part, the options for the console? have to be easy.

Console is for gaming, the other things are optionnal.

To be a good console, I think:

-Needs games on it (I wouldn't mind an integrated game like the master system did, but not an obligation), enough games to keep it attractive

-Needs to be a solid system (aka : no 10 fps per games)

-Needs to be worth it (to anwser all the "Why should I buy this if I can play it on my own PC"), so to have a gaming argument

I am not a console-selling expert, so maybe I am saying things that don't makes sense, but that is what I expect from a console

jayderyu

"But your all wrong as to why it failed. :D"

in the dark past I could buy weak Nintendo DS or much stronger PSP... I choose NDS because it has games that I would like to play.

And Ouya didn't get many good games, because there was no business potential in it.

And why pay 99$ for sh_t console, if for the same money I can play HALO on used X360?

Ouya target was geeks, but for normal customers it was never attractive

jayderyu

"But your all wrong as to why it failed. :D"

in the dark past I could buy weak Nintendo DS or much stronger PSP... I choose NDS because it has games that I would like to play.

And Ouya didn't get many good games, because there was no business potential in it.

And why pay 99$ for sh_t console, if for the same money I can play HALO on used X360?

Ouya target was geeks, but for normal customers it was never attractive

Umm yep. exactly.

NDS provided game experiences you could not get on PSP or most other game consoles at the time. The TS or smart use of a dual screen were really effective for games. Trauma Centre, Elite beat Agents, Professor Layout are all games that excel on POINTER based machines. The Ouya is classic console interface machine.

Your exactly right. Why buy an Ouya for $100, when you buy HALO(bleah, not a game I like, but that doesn't matter :D) on a used 360? That's exactly the point. WHY? Game experiences are dependent on the controller. Since the Ouya controller and the 360 controller are the same design and use. The Ouya experience is the same as the 360. So yeah. WHY?

And yes, The Ouya target was for geeks. Which is why I constantly bash the design choices.

However I do argue the point that the Ouya is a fantastic stepping stone. I also believe that if Boxer 8 sharpens up they can push the Ouya OS as a built in OS on TV's. Which would be a massive penetration.

This is why I think the HOC is a great idea, but I think is going to be mired in the same design decisions. Game experiences that alright exists and a machine targeted at geeks. I really feel that a $100 console is a good design choice. One that is more than just a game machine, but a true living room computer device. but it seems that there is a push to make the same controller and gaming experience the same as every other.

I personally think that when Apple shift's Apple TV to include games and a the controller comes in. I feel confident that most hardware designers at boxer8, HoC and all these others are going to get blind sided with the success of the Apple TV which will offer a cheap, but easy access game and living room enterertainment console. The input will be simple, but pretty much dumbfound these other companies with success.

jayderyu I'd be interested to see some evidence to back up your opinion that the controller is the only reason the OUYA failed. Seems like a weird thing to say to be honest.

Saying 'game experiences are dependent on the controller' is a bit silly. Sure, the controller is part of the equation, but a very small part. There are very few users who discriminate between consoles based on controller, unless it's totally broken, or horrible (As seems to be the case with this project, to be honest. But it's hard to judge from one picture.)

Good luck guys but the controller...come on

its like a 7 years old kid saw his dad using maya/max and then his dad download sketchup and tells him "come on make something"

and then the boy models something like your controller..its not that is only really really ugly its that im pretty sure its not ergonomic at all.try to change the shape of it and the buttons position.

@amariscal I respect your initiative, but I don't see any future to your project.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but do you have an actual working HoC prototype ? I can't believe that 600MHz ARMv6 CPU can handle HTML5 games at a decent speed.

And what is the point of making an HTML5 console when you can run HTML5 content on almost any PC, laptop, smartphone, tablet ... even on Smart TV.

Also, how do you expect to gather backers (donors) with only a poorly rendered image and some text that barely explain anything ?

now that im thinking it again i hope that we are not victims of a very succesfull trolling...

And what is the point of making an HTML5 console when you can run HTML5 content on almost any PC, laptop, smartphone, tablet ... even on Smart TV.

tgeorgemihai

Well, I think a working console, with a good way to find games you like, and well-designed services (like community stuff and other functionnalities to get really into gaming and developement, like some kind of developement/graphics/etc communautary section) can make it worth it.

I don't say that this actual product does, don't get me wrong.

The premise is not a bad one, its just that the hardware isn't quite there yet, at least at indie developer stage that is.

Some huge micro controller producer might be able to pull off the specs, with the price needed, but none of the dev boards are going to cut it.

Like if you were to use Arduino shields for wifi, accelerometer, touch, etc you would already be looking at over a hundred dollars. Plus that much more in labor to put it together.

And thats not even looking at a decent motherboard.

On the other hand, Node Web-Kit offers a blank canvas that would actually be perfect for this kind of thing.

http://www.raspberrypi.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=8230

Come on...