Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

DISCover 'Drop And Play' PC Games For ApeXtreme Discussed

Posted by simoniker on from the my-console-mixed-up-with-your-pc dept.

Thanks to GameSpot for their interview with Loren Kaiser regarding his company's DISCover software system that "aims to let users play PC titles on televisions as though they were console games." He discusses licensees of the technology that include the recently announced ApeXtreme PC 'console', though comments: "We don't like to use the term 'licensing' because we provide a BIOS chip that contains portions of the software. They're also getting our database of scripts, and several programs that work together that we call the DISCover engine." He also touches on example games such as Battlefield 1942, where the DISCover system makes it so "you put in [the] Battlefield [CD, and] the game starts right up." As for optional upgrades and add-ons, he says: "We'll handle the patches. As far as the mods, we'll just work with the mods that hit critical mass, the major ones."

37 comments

  1. Playing on a TV by baywulf · · Score: 2, Funny

    That means you 640x480 resolution with free full screen anti-aliasing!

    1. Re:Playing on a TV by Recoil_42 · · Score: 1

      please....

      HDTVs? you know, 1980x1080i/1280x720p ?

      not to mention that a 50" bigscreen and a couch beat the freaking hell out of an office chair and 17 inch monitor.

      'nuff said.

      --


      Newsie, Moderator, www.tauniverse.com
    2. Re:Playing on a TV by obeythefist · · Score: 1

      Huh. Anyone who can afford a TV like that will probably be rich enough to own a PC in the first place, and most likely smart enough to use the TV out on their video card instead of buying yet-another-Xbox-wannabe.

      --
      I am government man, come from the government. The government has sent me. -- G.I.R.
  2. Intriguing... by SuperMo0 · · Score: 1

    From the article: DISCover itself is not making any consoles. DISCover's business model is to help electronics manufacturers tap into the gaming industry.

    Isn't this what 3D0 tried... and failed miserably at?

    1. Re:Intriguing... by FatalTourist · · Score: 1
      Isn't this what 3D0 tried... and failed miserably at?
      Sort of... except with this system all the software is already out there. No porting or console specific development (as with the 3D0). Could be interesting, maybe they'll be a spectacular failure instead!
      --


      Escape Pod Films: Sketch Comedy and Web Series
    2. Re:Intriguing... by NanoGator · · Score: 2, Insightful

      "Isn't this what 3D0 tried... and failed miserably at? "

      No, and no.

      The 3DO was not a rebuild of an existing system. It was a game console, albeit an expensive one. This is a PC that plays PC games, but designed to hook up to the TV.

      And no, 3DO did not fail miserably at it. The 3DO never attained the popularity of anything made by Nintendo, Sega, or Sony, but it was still a reasonably succesful system. (Modest is a word I would use strongly, here.) Want to talk about failures? Look at Jaguar or Virtual Boy.

      I realize that success is a relative term, but that thing was around like 3 years and has a decent library of games.

      --
      "Derp de derp."
    3. Re:Intriguing... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      obviously we have different definitions of "miserable failure"

    4. Re:Intriguing... by NanoGator · · Score: 2, Insightful

      "obviously we have different definitions of "miserable failure" "

      Perhaps. However, since you didn't elaborate, we won't really be able to discuss that, will we?

      In any case, 3DO was successful enough that they started developing the M2, the successor to the 3DO. They were far enough along that they were paid a ridiculous amount of money by Matsushita (well over $100,000,000) for the technology. Sadly, the project faded away after that. My guess is that the Playstation made Matsushita reconsider entering the market.

      Being a 3DO owner was sort of like being a Mac owner. It had it's own niche of neat stuff. Shelves were full of games, and they were all very different from what the SNES was doing. True, you weren't likely to bump into another 3DO owner on the street. But it was a very unique system, and a lot of fun to have.

      --
      "Derp de derp."
    5. Re:Intriguing... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm sorry about the italics tag, I forgot to preview.

  3. Anything... by ArmenTanzarian · · Score: 3, Insightful

    to stop hearing about that Phantom console and all of its associated vaporocity.

    In seriousness though, if this ApeXtreme makes it so I don't have to blow all my money updating to that latest graphic FUBAR 5000XZ chip every time a new game comes out, it's definitely worth checking out. Especially if it's real, unlike the Phantom.

    1. Re:Anything... by Who+Man · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Did I miss something? How is this going to solve that problem?

      With a console, the problem is solved because you buy a game for a specific version of a specific console (i.e. PS2). But this ApeXtreme will just be a PC, so when a new game comes out that uses FUBAR 5000XZ, you'll have to buy a new ApeXtreme (or other DISCover system) that supports the features of FUBAR 5000XZ.

      The problem could be solved if they put a label on the front of each system that said Level 1 and then the games said "works with Level 1 DISCover system." Then you'd know not to buy Level 2 DISCover games unless you had a Level 2 system. But they could just do this solution for all PCs if the PC makers, game makers, card makers, etc. would organize the effort.

      Having said that, it still seems cool to be able to go to Best Buy and buy a nice HTPC for a decent price that will look decent sitting next to all my other components. That's what I see as the real benefit. To nitpick, personally, I'd prefer black though.

    2. Re:Anything... by ArmenTanzarian · · Score: 1

      My concept of it is that game companies who want to support this will make a less whiz-bang copy of their games for the system. Yeah, the graphics won't be as good, but at least you'd be able to play them to some degree. I think the fact that there're still legacy servers out there for any of the older multiplayer games will attest to some degree of marketability for this concept.

    3. Re:Anything... by SuperMo0 · · Score: 1

      This is the main drawback. With a PC, it's easy to just pull out a card and replace it. With this "console", it seems to be that you'd either have to replace the console or just live with not being able to play the game. It leaves you in a bad situation. This is a REPLACEMENT for a PC, not a secondary PC.

    4. Re:Anything... by Who+Man · · Score: 1

      I'd agree, if there were just going to be one DISCover system. Then I could buy a game that said DISCover on it and know it would work.

      Unfortunately, the ApeXtreme player is just one of many possible players. Buying a box that says DISCover won't mean anything, because different players will have different specs, just like PCs.

      I think it would have been smarter for DISCover to require some logo like D1, D2, etc. which designated certain minimum requirements. Who's to say game makers would actually adhere to that, but at least they would have something to adhere to. As it is now, they'll just keep putting system requirements on the box. I don't think they'll add "ApeXtreme Model XYZ" to the box.

    5. Re:Anything... by ArmenTanzarian · · Score: 1

      ApeXtreme player is just one of many possible players

      That is a key point actually, if they _do_ make money off of this, then gaming companies will want to gear some product toward their stuff. Catch 22 though, because in making money, they'll attract copycats and standardization goes all to hell.

      No doubt they'll want to surround this sucker in DMCA hoopla, but making quick and easy swappable components for this thing could really help sell it. You'll still be upgrading your system (nullifying my original point), but make it easy enough that people who know little about hardware could handle it. That way, companies could gear toward component set X (similar to what you mentioned before) and the users wouldn't have to shell out for a completely new console.

      Sounds like a plan, you got a couple mill in Venture Capital lying around?

  4. Battlefield by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    "you put in [the] Battlefield [CD, and] the game starts right up."

    I call bullshit.

    Battlefield is a 2-disk game, four if you include both expansion packs. And the version 1.5 patch was 140MB. I don't believe that you can play this game properly if you don't install it to the hard drive. It's going to be crippled or have reduced functionality otherwise. If I were the publisher of a PC game I'd be furious that somebody was attempting to work around my installers - I'd refuse to provide technical support for anybody doing so.

    The only way their "technology" could work withouth interfering with the game is by detecting which disk was put in the CD drive and launching the appropriate game executable from the hard drive - provided it had already been installed. Which isn't anything to write home about since Windows autoplay is supposed to do this anyway.

    1. Re:Battlefield by SuperMo0 · · Score: 1

      I'm sure when it said "starts right up", it didn't mean that it played right away... that it installed first... especially if you finished RTFA before you posted. -_-

    2. Re:Battlefield by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I call bullshit.

      Having read the article now, it makes a bit more sense. But I still don't like it.

  5. How does this work? by SuperMo0 · · Score: 1

    It mentions that it will be able to install 2-disc games... but it doesn't mention how long it will take to do so, and whether it will let you choose which installation you can make. Some games allow you to choose how much of the game you want to install, to limit HD space used. I'd be interested to know how this works.

    (Oh, and apologies for posting twice, but I had two separate thoughts on this subject. O_O)

    1. Re:How does this work? by stuph · · Score: 1

      If I had to guess, it should take about as long as a normal installation would in windows, being that it's nearly the same idea.
      As far as installation choices.. that's a good one. Since the CD is in there, it could, of course, get the data off the CDs if needed, ie FMV. Guess it's a wait-and-see...

      --
      --Less Thinkin', More Drinkin'...
  6. The problem with this idea by mnmn · · Score: 1

    is that people will know they bought a PC, and will do hacks to get it to run Windows and Linux. It will be more of an XBox with a harddrive then. Give them a playstation, and even though you can boot Linux, its all specialized playstation hardware and will be used as such. If you use generic hardware, people will try to use it for generic purposes.

    --
    "Give orange me give eat orange me eat orange give me eat orange give me you." -Nim Chimpsky
    1. Re:The problem with this idea by Who+Man · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Except that unlike Microsoft, I don't think DISCover or the licensees care. They're not selling these at a loss and then making money on the games. They're just trying to make money on the consoles.

    2. Re:The problem with this idea by ChaoticLimbs · · Score: 1

      This is not a problem so long as sales of hardware generates profit.

    3. Re:The problem with this idea by obeythefist · · Score: 1

      Bwahahaha. Make money on consoles! Not even Microsoft can do that despite their huge marketing muscle and discount raking ability. Who's going to be able to sell a "console that is almost as good as a customisable PC" for *more* than the selling price of an Xbox or a PS/2 today?

      --
      I am government man, come from the government. The government has sent me. -- G.I.R.
    4. Re:The problem with this idea by Platinum+Dragon · · Score: 1

      It will be more of an XBox with a harddrive then.

      Never used an XBox, have you?

      --

      Someday, you're going to die. Get over it.
  7. sniff sniff by castlec · · Score: 2, Interesting

    How Are The Scripts Updated?
    Each time a new PC game is launched or about to be launched, your DISCover(R) console will use an Internet or phone connection to pull down the new script/s. It's a bit like the TiVo(R) model.
    Obviously, it must learn how to properly execute stuff, but I really don't like this idea. Not like there is any sensitive data or anything, or at least, there better not be, but there is potential for a dick to hose your system through script replacement.

    --
    When I tell an object to delete this, am I killing it or telling it to kill me?
  8. Same article by superpulpsicle · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    I am sorry but this thing has as much chance in the market as Nokia Ngage if it's based off VIA chipsets.

  9. You mean like an X-Box?q by soluzar22 · · Score: 1

    Wasn't this essentially the original vision behind the X-Box? I mean sure it got sort of dilluted and the Box became more consoley as things progressed, but still. I mean, posters in this thread are already referring to the idea of manufacturers making a slightly different version of their games to work with this shiney new gizmo.
    Personally I hope to God it fails, since the multiplication of formats means I have to spread my money that much more thinly.

    On a related note, what happened to the Indrema? That was supposed to be (linux-based) PC/Console hybrid too... anyone have the hot scoop?

    --
    Sign the FSF's Anti-DMCA petit
    1. Re:You mean like an X-Box?q by Recoil_42 · · Score: 1

      just imo -- its not meant to compete as a console. its meant to be an alternative to a media PC, basically. notice how it doesnt have any DRM, and runs on XPe? that tells me, at least, that its meant to be a computer that hooks up to your TV, rather than a console with a HD/DirectX/etc.

      --


      Newsie, Moderator, www.tauniverse.com
  10. This MUSTsTOp by cgenman · · Score: 4, Funny

    KidZare GRAduating with HarvardMBA's INmarkITing WITHout kNOWingPrOPeR usAGE of CAPitals or COMPoundWordz?.

    PleaZe SUpporThEDuCATion of our ELItISt SUBurban EXEcutIVES. Becauz A MARKETingEXECUTIVE Is a teRRIBLEthIngTO waStE.

    --
    The ______ Agenda
  11. Mods updated according to popularity? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Am I the only one that sees a serious problem with this?

    According to this system, the updates for your games comes according to what other true PC gamers define. Seems to me that this kind of defeats the whole purpose of moving PCs to a console world. I guess since they are not trying to compete with other PC gamers that this sortof makes sense. Though any move to kill off the consoles is a good one in my opinion. :D

  12. The obvious question here... by RobK · · Score: 1

    ... with a name like ApeXtreme has got to be ...

    Is it going to play "Donkey Kong"(tm)?

    "Donkey Kong" is a registered trademark of SCO. Just ask them.

  13. Patent by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Here is the link to the DISCover PC Console web site:

    http://www.discoverconsole.com

    I noticed this interesting blurb in their "about" section:

    "DISCover(R) technology is protected by U.S. Patent No. 5,721, 951: a "home entertainment system for playing software designed for play in home computers." No one can manufacture a game console that plays PC games without infringing on this patent."

    Will the Phantom, if it ever gets released, be infringing upon this patent? It seems rather silly to me since the DISCover *is* a computer so therefore any other computer that plays games on a TV (which I believe they mean when they say "home entertainment system") is potentionally infringing on their patent. Seems rather dubious to me.

    1. Re:Patent by Thedalek · · Score: 1

      "DISCover(R) technology is protected by U.S. Patent No. 5,721, 951: a "home entertainment system for playing software designed for play in home computers." No one can manufacture a game console that plays PC games without infringing on this patent."

      It gets more contrived than that. What constitutes the legal definition of "Personal Computer" or "Personal Computing Device"? How does the X-Box not already fit that definition?

      "This may be the stickiest situation since Sticky the stick insect got stuck on a sticky bun."

      --
      Happiness is relative, Based upon the way we live.
    2. Re:Patent by BlueCoder · · Score: 1

      This statement only means they retained a lawyer. And obviously he doesn't understand the technology. The patent is patheticly weak and essentially worthless except when someone else sues them. Having this patent just gives them some balencing room and a buffer to repel other frivelous claim.

      The technology itself is the scripts and those are copyright protected. Other companies could come out and do the same thing but they would have to write their own configuration scripts. Who wants to configure 2000 games per hardware configuration? They will make money from this but it will hardly be so lucrative that they will have more than one or two other compeditors. If your a hardware developer, you'll just go to these guys first. It probably comes down to $10 to $25 a console which isn't that much.

      What's to be afraid of is if the user has to pay a monthly user fee to play these. Every model and configuration of hardware has to be scripted, what happens when a manufacturer no longer supports the hardware? Will the machine still be able to talk to their servers over the net to download configuration scripts? Or will customers with obsolete hardware have to pay these guys directly a monthly service fee for the privilage of the machines still working? It's a minor issue but it does exist.

      For the mostpart this company is going to be quite successful. It will make millions but this is chump change compared to what MS and Sony make off games. Neither Sony or MS would have any reason to make a system like this. Computer and video card venders on the other hard would plenty of reason as it sells their hardware.

      Expect to see $1000 and $1500 boxes appear soon. They will have their own VGA connector for connecting to computer monitors and with custom versions of the latest and greatest Geforce or ATI technology. Playable at 1600x1200 with AA. I would expect Athlon 64's to be the processor of choice. I expect more than a few notebook retailers will be desperate to get into this as they already have the engineers and the production lines.

      It's a nitche market but it's going to sell a lot of hardware. What really going to push these boxes is the value added Tivo, DVD, DVD-R and jutebox features. It's a killer product.

  14. Try reading PC text on a TV! by baker_tony · · Score: 2, Informative

    The major problem with playing computer games on a TV is that they are designed to be displayed with a nice crystal clear screen (monitor). Put them on a TV screen (try plugging your TV into your graphics cards TV out) and on all but hi-res TV with non-composite input, it's really damn hard to see text (usually games display them too small). Been there, done that.

    1. Re:Try reading PC text on a TV! by dave420 · · Score: 1

      That's where a digital projector with monitor inputs really helps ;)