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OUYA developers sound off: successes and failures of the dev kit, one month out
You still can't touch an OUYA. Not until March, at the earliest, and that's only if you're a Kickstarter backer. However, one lucky group of folks already has access: game developers. Those among us who shelled out $700 -- as well as the 10 lucky studios who won that contest -- got an early jump on a pre-rooted OUYA dev kit, while those of us who dropped $95 (or more) are left in the lurch. Of course, those early units aren't exactly the couch-friendly consoles we expect to arrive in a few months, but they are representative of the final hardware. And let's face it -- the OUYA is important. A crowdfunded, extremely inexpensive, open-source game console? That's not exactly the standard (heck, Sony's PlayStation 3 debuted with a $500 baseline). The OUYA is essentially taking the low-cost / high-performance aspect of mobile gaming and moving it into a TV-friendly space, and that concept has even spawned some imitators (the likes of which we'll assuredly see more). But what do we know about actually using the OUYA? Beyond basic specs and a sporadic showering of images, we've never actually touched the thing. With that in mind, we asked a trio of developers who've spent the last month with their dev kits how they feel about the console thus far, and we've compiled their thoughts below. One month out, how does the OUYA dev kit stack up for developers? Let's find out!
Gunslugs rampages through Ouya, gets caught on film
OrangePixel's Pascal Bestebroer developed Gunslugs with the Ouya in mind, adding a deep co-op experience that he thought would shine on a cheap, open, Android-based console. In the above video, Bestebroer and a buddy give Gunslugs a go on an Ouya developer model, in two-player co-op mode. The Ouya cetainly looks and sounds like a home conosle in this video, and Gunslugs lives up to its promise of "over-the-top action, very much like the old action movies of the 80s," as Bestebroer describes in his recent Indie Pitch."The Ouya is mostly a very interesting development," Bestebroer says. "I have no idea if it will succeed in its first version, but the fact that their Kickstarter was such a huge success shows that people want this cheaper, and more open, console experience."
Ouya's Create game jam yields more than 150 games in 10 days
The Create game jam was designed to jump-start Ouya game development, asking indies to make an Android-based game in just 10 days, from January 13 - 24. Now that development time is up, Kill Screen has a list of all the games up for judgment, with finalists to be announced on February 11 and winners on February 18.More than 150 games made it into the jam, including the cartoony Super Ushi Adventures from Brightside Games, robot-based skyrizer from The Long Gunmen, side-scrolling 3D adventure Battle Camel from Jibberish Games, and Pig Eat Ball from Serious Sam Double D developer Mommy's Best Games (video embedded above).Judges in the Create contest include geek extraordinaire Felicia Day, Canabalt creator Adam Saltsman, Phil Fish of Fez fame, Journey composer Austin Wintory, Ouya advisor Ed Fries and SpellTower creator Zach Gage. The grand prize is $20,000, plus an extra $5,000 if the game actually launches on Ouya. Winners in five more categories win $5,000 each, plus $1,000 if the game makes it to Ouya. There's a special category for games using the Unity engine, with the winner taking home $2,500 and a Unity Pro license.[Thanks, Nate!]
Ouya controller being redesigned based on feedback
Now that Ouya development kits are out in the wild, users have a few suggestions about its included controller. Responding to feedback (and changed already in progress), the team behind the Android-powered system has announced several changes to the peripheral. First and foremost, the circular D-pad has been replaced with cross-shaped pad, which should be a welcome change for games that require more precision.Second, the analog sticks are now rubberized on top to allow for better grip. Furthermore, the touch pad's sensitivity has been improved, the triggers moved closer to the body of the controller and the battery compartment made more secure.All of these improvements (and more, possibly) can be yours this April, when the consumer version of the Ouya is expected to launch.
Mozilla devs working on Firefox for OUYA
Sure the OUYA may have captured the imagination of indie game developers everywhere, but open-source fans will be glad to know it's sparked the interest of Mozilla's Firefox team as well. According to an OUYAForum post by administrator Ed Krassenstein, a Mozilla developer had sent him a note detailing the process of bringing the popular browser to the Kickstarter-funded gaming console. The team apparently managed to get it running after some preliminary patches, but it still has a ways to go -- WebGL, Canvas and relevant API support still needs polish. The dev in question has since been identified as mobile platform engineer Chris Lord, who tweeted the revealing picture above along with the note that it's "kinda unusable" for now. Still, they do have around three months before the console ships, which could be enough for them to perfect an OUYA version of the foxy browser just in time for launch day. [Image credit: Chris Lord, Twitter]
Mercenary Kings on display at IGDA Demo Night, PAX East, this gallery
Mercenary Kings, the run-and-gun-and-craft action game by Wizorb developer Tribute Games, is well on its way to reality following its Kickstarter drive. The developer shared three new in-progress screenshots today, and announced plans to show the game on January 22 at the IGDA DemoNight in Montreal.More fans will get to see what are most assuredly spectacular animations at PAX East, where the game will be playable in a Tribute Games booth.%Gallery-176760%
'Create' game jam will generate Ouya games, quickly
If the Ouya is to succeed among not only traditional game consoles, but other Android console things, it needs some standout games. To fulfill that requirement, Ouya is teaming up with Kill Screen to create a bunch of games in short order.The "CREATE" game jam is a ten-day competition running between January 14 and January 23. Developers are encouraged to create new games for the tiny console and promote it on social media, in order to get a piece of a $45,000 prize pool.Judges for the competition include Phil Fish, Adam Saltsman, Zach Gage, Felicia Day, Ed Fries, and more. No pressure.
OUYA and Kill Screen announce CREATE Game Jam, bait developers with $45,000 in prizes
Excited for OUYA? So are the folks at Kill Screen -- so much so, they've seen fit to host a 10-day competition to coax OUYA compatible game prototypes out of the development community. It's calling the event CREATE, and in addition to drumming up interest for Kickstarter's favorite game console, it aims to celebrate how OUYA and a new generation of indie game developers are making the television an open gaming platform. Starting on January 14th, Kill Screen will start accepting prototype submissions of playable (but not necessarily complete) games. Ten days later, a panel of indie veterans will cull the fat, and select finalists based on not only the game itself, but the social media efforts of its development team. This is an indie game competition, after all. The contest judges entrants on how effectively they use the OUYA platform too, including processor, sound, controller integration, in-game payments and other elements available in the console's development kit. Winners can score anywhere between $5,000 to $20,000 in prizes, with an extra bonus if the finished game launches on OUYA. Enough incentive for you? Check out Kill Screen's full contest rules at the source link below.
The Daily Roundup for 12.28.2012
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Ouya dev consoles have shipped, unboxed on video
The Ouya team has announced that developer consoles have begun shipping. To celebrate the news, an unboxing video of the console has been released, showcasing exactly what developers will get with the unit. Unlike the eventual retail console, the developer console and controllers are made of transparent plastic (thus making them "rare drops"). The kit includes everything needed to get the console up and running, including all the necessary cables and even batteries for the two controllers.The kit also includes a letter letting developers know that this is not the final console, and some bugs are still being worked out. The controllers aren't final either, and should see some design tweaks before the final release.Finally, Ouya is giving away a developer console to the first person who can accurately guess how many consoles are in the shipping crate pictured in its announcement blog post. Keep in mind that these things are tiny. As the video demonstrates, they're roughly the same size as a coffee mug. A note for developers: Do not confuse the two. We wouldn't want you pouring coffee all over your precious Ouya, now would we?
Ouya developer console gets an official unboxing, flaunts transparent case (video)
It's a little early for an Ouya teardown, but Kickstarters who chipped in $699 won't have to wait long to see what the little console is made of -- Ouya's developer hardware is transparent. The console's team decided to cut the inevitable march of unboxing videos off at the neck, offering fans a quick preview of the package it's shipping out to devs. The standard accoutrements are there -- the tiny console itself, two prototype controllers with batteries, HDMI and power adapters, plus a micro USB cord and a letter to developers thanking them for their investment and warning them of the early build's bugs. The note also cautions deep-pocketed gamers that the device is built specifically for developer use, and has no games to placate eager couch potatoes. The video shows the console booting up, and even demonstrates how easy it is to open the hardware. Skip on past the break to get a glimpse at what early adopters and developers are getting their hands on.
PSA: Ouya developer consoles now shipping to qualified backers
Did you pony up $699 or more to the Kickstarter-famed Ouya in hopes of an early hands-on with the unreleased gaming platform? If so, you may want to keep an eye on your email's inbox, because orders for the developer version of the Android-powered console are starting to ship out. As for the package itself, early adopters can expect a dev unit console, two controllers and a copy of the system's "ODK" software development kit. If you went all-in on Ouya and have received your order or notification email, we'd love to hear about it via the comments below.
10 indies to receive free Ouya dev kits
The first Ouya dev consoles are set to ship later this month and 10 lucky indie developers have been chosen to receive free Ouya dev kits through a Twitter promotion. Over the past 10 days, Ouya picked a different hopeful Ouya developer each day, the list of which is presented below along with links to more information about each's respective game: Day 1: Fist of Awesome (Nicoll Hunt) Day 2: MechKnight Chronicles (Dinosaur Entertainment) Day 3: Syder Arcade (Studio Evil) Day 4: KidElectro (Seantron) Day 5: Space Runner (Hypercane Studios) Day 6: Legend of Dungeon (RobotLovesKitty) Day 7: iMech Online (Mobula Games) Day 8: DustyRevenge (PD Design Studio) Day 9: HolyShield! (Dogbox Studio) Day 10: Starbound (Chucklefish)This doesn't mean each of these games is a lock for Ouya, we should note. These 10 individuals aren't getting final retail Ouya boxes – those don't ship until March 2013 – but rather free special limited-edition developer versions of Ouya, valued at $800 a pop. And while these initial shipments vary slightly from the retail Ouya units coming next year, we're compelled to note all Ouya consoles will allow for software development.
Ouya gets 10 more potential games following 10 days of dev console giveaways
Ouya's game lineup is growing in leaps and bounds in the run up to next March's consumer launch of the Kickstarter-funded Android-powered game console, and developers are just about to start receiving pre-launch dev units. 10 lucky new developers just got added to the list of those receiving dev units, and even better: all 10 are getting the unit for free (an $800 value), after having been chosen by the company across 10 days of giveaways on Twitter. Another Kickstarter success story, Fist of Awesome, was the first game picked, and the contest closed out this morning with Starbound winning the final giveaway. Developers should receive their consoles in the coming weeks alongside dev console pre-orders -- the main, $99 console arrives in March 2013, and should you be able to wait, every one of them will also serve as development kits. The full list of new titles is just below -- and yes, one of the games does feature uppercutting bears as a main mechanic. Stop worrying.
Ouya dev consoles start shipping December 28
Production appear to be progressing according to schedule over at Ouya, which has just announced that the development kits for its self-titled debut game console will ship out to qualifying Kickstarter supporters on December 28, just as planned.While every Ouya console that ever ships can be used for software development, these pre-retail units have some unknown differentiating feature, according to Ouya's official site, which calls them "rare drops."The Android-powered console's SDK (or "ODK," as Ouya is calling it) is currently being tested and will become available "when the dev consoles ship to gamemakers." Ownership of an Ouya dev kit is not required to access the ODK, however, as it'll be freely and publicly available online. Conversely, an Ouya dev kit is required to see the console's custom Jelly Bean GUI in its current state.
Ouya dev consoles shipping to backers on December 28th, SDK available same day
Developer kits for the Ouya were given a ship date of December 28th today, alongside news that the system's software development kit ("ODK") will be available that same day. In case it wasn't already clear how small the Android-powered console is, the folks at Ouya included the picture you see above to further illustrate that point -- the thing is really small. Ouya expects the dev kits to get into backers' hands "within a couple days" of the 28th. Final units are still intended to ship some time in March 2013, though no final date is available just yet. How different are these dev units from the final run, though? Not that different, we'd guess, considering the company's continued promise that "every Ouya will be a dev console." The only hint given of their difference is a note in today's update calling them, "pretty special." Beyond just getting a jump on game development with the Ouya in mind, dev unit buyers will also be the first to try out Jelly Bean gaming. Of course, if you're a dev unit-level backer and you'd like to share your thoughts with us, we're all ears.
Pier Solar HD hits Kickstarter goal, stretches for Wii U port
Pier Solar HD has achieved its Kickstarter funding goal of $139,000, with pledges over $141,000 and six days remaining on the drive. Now that the PC, Mac, Xbox, Linux and Dreamcast remake of the Genesis RPG has secured funding, developer WaterMelon Co. has revealed a set of stretch goals.At $145,000, every version of Pier Solar HD will be translated in to Japanese. At $150K, the Dreamcast version will be updated with 16x9 support, VGA compatibility and even VMU screen integration. At $160K, the game will be released as a "Directors Cut" with new sidequests, minigames and "battle features" originally planned for the Genesis release.The final two stretch goals bring Pier Solar HD to additional platforms: Android and Ouya at $175,000, and Wii U at $200,000. When determining the likelihood of these goals being reached, keep in mind that the starting point for this whole enterprise was a Genesis RPG released in 2010. This developer has a unique definition of "impossible."
Poll: Are you buying an Ouya or a Wii Mini?
When the Android-powered, crowd-funded Ouya console arrives next year with a near-$100 starting price, it'll be the cheapest new game console at launch in ... well, ever. Of course, the big entrenched players aren't just taking this lying down -- Microsoft's got a $99 version of its Xbox 360, albeit with a subscription-based subsidy, and Nintendo today introduced the Wii Mini, a $99 Wii console with a fewer abilities than its slightly larger forebear (exclusive to Canada for now, but we doubt it'll stay that way). Neither of these initiatives is a direct response to Ouya, mind you, but the three choices will assuredly find themselves paired against the others in the minds of consumers. As such, we can't help but wonder where you'll end up. Does Nintendo's revamped, smaller Wii get you all worked up, or is it Ouya's promise of open-source freedom that's doing it for you? Perhaps you've got a custom gaming rig that makes all other options look like Playskool by comparison? Let us know in the poll below! Update: That whole "voting" part of the poll below seems to not be playing nice with our new look. Alas, we're working on a fix right this minute, and will let you know as soon as you're clear to vote. Terribly sorry about that! Update 2: And we're clear! Cast votes to your heart's content!
Ouya offers guidelines for potential developers, now runs Jelly Bean
It's been a while since we've heard anything on Ouya, the little Android game box that earned a whopping $8.5 million through its Kickstarter campaign. Today, the hardware's development team have ended its information drought with fresh details on the platform. According to the latest project update, Ouya developers can get started on making games for the system right now.Since Ouya runs on Tegra 3, potential devs can pick up a Tegra 3 Android tablet and get cracking. But in addition to that, there are other things to keep in mind, like how Ouya controllers will have a single-input touch pad or how Ouya won't support push notifications at launch.In a separate post, the Ouya team revealed changes made to the upcoming hardware. The console is now powered on the current Jelly Bean OS as opposed to the previously announced, and way older, Ice Cream Sandwich platfrom. Ouya is beyond the design phase at the moment and moving toward production, with the first run of circuit boards already fused together (as seen above).Ouya is on track to meet its deadline for development kits in December and is currently in one of several planned testing phases where both the controller and console are being put through its paces.
OUYA upgrades to Jelly Bean, gives early hardware details to game developers
If you were one of the many who funded OUYA and have been sitting on pins and needles waiting for tangible progress updates, you just received them in spades. The fledgling console builder is on track with its Engineering Verification Test phase (you're looking at a board sample here) and should not only deliver the initial developer kits in December, but include a pleasant surprise in the process -- the Android-based platform will be built around Jelly Bean rather than the originally promised Ice Cream Sandwich. Programmers who just have to start right away have likewise been given a head start on hardware expectations. They'll have free rein over as much as a 1080p screen for their free-to-play games, although they'll have to toss aside familiar Android tropes like back and menu keys, notifications and fallbacks for hardware keyboards. The distinctive trackpad is likewise just a single-touch affair. To us, though, knowing that the console is finally taking shape just might be enough to tide us over until the March launch.
