Slashdot Mirror
GP2X Surpasses Expectations
Harry Trotter writes "Gameparks GP2X Linux Based Console had a lot to live up to with Some amusing boasts from Gamepark, but it has lived up to its pre-billing rather well with great ports of commercial games and emulators such as Mame, Vice (Commodore 64), NeoGeo CD, Duke Nukem 3D, ScummVM and another 150 more releases so far, all of which can be followed at GP2X News & GP32 Xtreme. The Open Source Development of this console has ensured a following that will keep the console alive for years to come."
I'm sure this is a slashvertisement, but this is a very cool device. I hope that they can profit where other gaming manufacturers don't: from the hardware itself. Not placing a financial income take in future sales of games is sort of odd, but it makes sense that someone has to try it. Doing so in an OSS sort of way is REALLY bizarre from a competitiveness perspective.
:) It keeps trying to install the Korean fonts, so I guess they might have an excuse. Bad Engrish is acceptable in some situations. (Do not click this link if you need to be silent in a cubicle, FWIW.)
I'll buy one or a dozen of them just as a show of faith. Many of my friends with kids could use an introduction into the great games of my time -- if only someone would make Mattel's Utopia, then I'd be happy.
A few questions that I didn't see on the site:
1. Is it Mac compatible? I assume it is just a basic Mass Storage device on the USB chain.
2. Does anyone have a link to the actual technical specs? I can't find anything on that site about the tech specs, other than the ARM processors.
3. How bright is the screen and how do they get 10 hours out of 2 AA batteries?
4. What is the estimated profit margin per unit? Is the price enough to keep them solvent AND address tech support concerns?
5. Is 320x240 enough? I'm an Action Quake 2 addict, but not sure I can play on 320x240.
6. Can they hire a grammar and spell checker?
7. Does anyone want to go in with me to pick up about 100 of these so we can save shipping and make a few bucks on our friends?
I'm pretty happy with the HP iPAQ I received for Christmas, but I'd love to screw around with this thing. Great, another freaking device I'll need a pocket for. I still can't see how they'll be able to fix bad units and support their customers merely on profit from the console sale, but if its built properly and an open source support community props up around it, anything's possible.
You cant be serious. These games have all been done, and probably done better before, and are history for most people. There is _nothing_ to live up to when you produce a cheap copy of old technology because expectations have already moved way beyond your implemention.
Do not try to read the dupe, thats impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth
What truth?
There is no dupe
Just because a few people still develop and play with an outdated, old, and rather crappy system doesn't mean that the system is doing well, successful, popular, or even mentioned at all in the future. Sure, the system will be alive by a few teenagers with far too much time on their hands and a little monkey coding in their blood, but does that mean it's worth it or even matters?
Do you own a XBox360?
I don't think it's supposed to be competing with the PSP or DS, to be honest. I'm a big fan of the GP32 (what came before), and I'm further an owner of one of these (and it is a great deal cooler as devices go, despite the loopholes), but there's no way I'd claim this thing can compete with either. The closest it'll come graphically is a decent PSX emulator (which is already chugging along somewhat, although needs some more fiddling, if the last vid I saw of it was anything to go by), or, conceivably, a port of the wonderful Yeti3D engine - if and only if people actually start to use it!
What it *will* do is embrace homebrew in a way that the PSP or DS are unlikely ever to do, outside of an incredibly restricted box. For those that want graphical splendour, therefore, it's of little importance - buy a PSP and be wowed by the graphics... that's the main thing about the thing. On the other hand, for those that want the buzz of a truly thriving community that's releasing new amazing developments every few days, both in emulators, but also in some very addictive homebrew games (Tilematch springs to mind), then this is pretty much the only thing to go for.
Unless, of course, you want to go for a Zaurus or what have you instead, which, if we're honest, has somewhat more punch (albeit a larger price tag too), but at the expense of... well, having buttons in the right places to play stuff, if all the reports I've heard are in fact true!
The Open Source Development of this console has ensured a following that will keep the console alive for years to come."
Alive in the same way that the Dreamcast or Amiga remains alive?
resigned
"I'd have bought the GBA-SP, but the lack of standard batteries and lack of standard headphone port precludes me from getting one."
The Nintendo DS and the Game Boy Micro both play GBA games and have a standard headphone port (though you can still use the SP headphone dongle on the DS if you really want).
However, you'll need a new link cable for the Micro (much as you did when the Game Boy Pocket came out) and the DS doesn't support GBA linking at all.
Not to mention the cost. It takes some big money to get a LiPoly pac and charger certified. This is a small market item .
See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
I invite those who are interested to check out the GP2X wiki. It has a lot of good resources. Also, please visit us on EFNet at #gp2x and #gp2xdev. The more the merrier!
"but are you really interested in 90% of the crap they're turning out these days?"
:-/
No, definitely not, I'm interested in the other non-crappy 10%.
Which also do not run on Linux.