Android games console jumps to Jelly Bean for penultimate test phase Android-based games console Ouya has entered the Engineering Verification Testing phase, which essentially means the team is evaluating how the box runs ahead of the planned shipment of developer kits this coming December. The hotly-anticipated games console - which made a big splash in the gaming world after a high-profile …
If it's shpping internationally, the Ouya costs $20 shipping, bringing it to $119. If it's being shipped from outside the EU (quite possible - does anyone know where EU orders are shipped from?), then there is the spectre of import duty/VAT being involved as well (could be another $30 or so). So that's basically close to 100 quid, not 64 like the article said.
Still, even at that price, it's cheap enough to do an annual replacement for a hardware upgrade should new games come out that need the updated kit.
Worse still, where I live, the mail man will handle the paying of import duties and VAT for you (without me asking him to do so, or even give consent) and happily slap another fifteen Euros or so(*) on top for providing that service and not even bother to attach a specified invoice.
*: Since there was no specified invoice, I have no way of knowing how much was import duties and how much was their fee. VAT I can work out, as that is a fixed percentage at 21%.
but are there really any games out there that are suited to the console playing experience? is android capable of this? i've been moaning to my friends recently, because i like the look of the new XCOM game, but i don't want to sit in front of the telly playing a turn-based strategy type game. I'd rather play a game like that on a tablet. equally, i don't want to play the types of games they are currently on mobiles and tablets on the telly.
are we really looking forward to playing temple run or angry birds in front of the whole family?
I assume that they're banking on developers creating games with this type of device in mind. The more people buy the thing, the more incentive there will be to do that, I would guess.
But otherwise, I have no idea how touchscreen oritented games would translate to this either.
If it takes off, it could be interesting though.
I downloaded GTA III the other day as it was 73p (10th Anniversary offer or something) and would say it would be suited for something like this, also games like Dead Trigger would probably work better with a controller than touching the screen - or maybe it's just me being shit at touch screen controls.
Both run fine on my HTC OneX so should be fine on this as they're similarly spec'd.
I can confirm that Android is indeed capable of this. Choice of input controls should ideally be designed in from the start, but that doesn't prevent later ports. Just look at all the console games that have been ported to the PC. Games like Plants vs Zombies would be equally at home with controller, touch screen or keyboard and mouse input. Others not so much, but I think this device addresses a very real desire, and will do well.
On one side, it would be vary easy to say something like "What about XBLIG and XNA? Oh, they're Microsoft, of course the Reg will ignore/slate them"... but on the other, XBLIG is horribly hidden away on the XBox dashboard.
Judgement reserved until we see just how accessible the indie side is and what the development environment(s) are like...
I thought that was "Games must have a free to play version." Which to my knowledge meant you can sell your game on OUYA if you have a free demo available. I think they're aiming for plenty of content with minimal outlay ASAP to better the OUYA's chances of taking off, not gearing developers toward the freemium model. At least I hope not.
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