New Atari Console that Ataribox?

[Rhindle the Dragon]

 

Has any major publisher used the SD/microSD as medium for distribution?

 

Well... the Switch's cartridges look kinda like SD cards. And the Wii used them for storage (like memory cards). Other than that, I dunno.

[SignGuy81]

 

Well... the Switch's cartridges look kinda like SD cards. And the Wii used them for storage (like memory cards). Other than that, I dunno.

 

Early PS3s as well.

 

EDIT:

 

I just realized I misread Keatah's question, it was any major publisher so as far as I know, no.

Edited November 12, 2017 by SignGuy81

[Keatah]

Nope! That doesn't count. The SD storage standard had content publishing in mind big-time when it first came out. The SD Association was expecting movies and music to be distro'd on them. Both industry and consumers never took to it. Not even today, with 32GB & 64GB being able to hold thousands of songs or several HD movies, still no. A consumer will go to a USB pluggable flash drive or real HDD first before they think of using memory cards for transport/viewing purposes.

 

While it would do well at the above tasks, seems SD standard is firmly for sideloading things, and storage for cameras, phones, and hobbyist projects. Removable dataset storage, too, like for GPS maps and firmware delivery. Nothing wrong in that, just didn't go like SDA wanted. Then you have that assinine wafer drive. I don't want my classic stuff locked down with SD "security" Barf!

[leech]

If this is what they're like nowadays, the console concept should just die. (Except for maybe Nintendo.) It's ridiculous and defeats the point of a console.

I bet you if I unplugged my PS4 from the network that even Horizon Zero Dawn would fail to start because now I have the DLC for it. But yes, it complains a lot when I am not signed in, or has lost connection, and if there is a system update, you really have no choice or but to upgrade..

[cybercylon]

I bet you if I unplugged my PS4 from the network that even Horizon Zero Dawn would fail to start because now I have the DLC for it. But yes, it complains a lot when I am not signed in, or has lost connection, and if there is a system update, you really have no choice or but to upgrade..

 

I could be wrong, but I think it will start up fine if that PS4 is your primary one.

[leech]

Nope! That doesn't count. The SD storage standard had content publishing in mind big-time when it first came out. The SD Association was expecting movies and music to be distro'd on them. Both industry and consumers never took to it. Not even today, with 32GB & 64GB being able to hold thousands of songs or several HD movies, still no. A consumer will go to a USB pluggable flash drive or real HDD first before they think of using memory cards for transport/viewing purposes.

 

While it would do well at the above tasks, seems SD standard is firmly for sideloading things, and storage for cameras, phones, and hobbyist projects. Removable dataset storage, too, like for GPS maps and firmware delivery. Nothing wrong in that, just didn't go like SDA wanted. Then you have that assinine wafer drive. I don't want my classic stuff locked down with SD "security" Barf!

I just had to trash a 64gb Micro SD card made by Transcend. It wouldn't format, couldn't remove partitions, etc. Tried to format it in my Note8.. it got to 20% then it crashed the software!

 

Long story short... not sure if I would trust a game distributed on an SDcard. I have seen them become completely corrupted a few times. But then the idea of having tiny cartridges like the Lynx or the SMS cards for a new game console tickles me in a weird way. As for the Ataribox, firmeware updates and recovery of the OS would probably just be through a USB drive. Especially if all they are doing is tweaking SteamOS, since you just putthat into a system, boot it up and it sets up everything for you.

[Keatah]

1 hard-fast rule, all SSD/flash types of memory need to be backed up. They're still too susceptible to corruption in ways HDD are not.

 

---

 

What they're not telling you is that you need to wear a speakerhat when updating ataribox.

[Flojomojo]

If you're going to allow it to be backed up, the publisher will want it to be locked to the purchasing account. You really can't have it both ways, both physical media and unlimited back ups. DRM free files of any popularity are going to get pirated instead of purchased. The main exceptions to this I can think of our humble bundle sales, and GOG sales, which are mostly for things that have already run their commercial course.

 

I seem to recall buying some games are on secure digital media for the Tapwave Zodiac many many years ago. I would not consider that a major publisher (even though one of the games was Doom II) and having those titles on physical media didn't do anything for me at the time, let alone now many years later.

 

In theory, it's perfectly possible to deliver content this way, the S does stand for Secure.

[CPUWIZ]

I bet you if I unplugged my PS4 from the network that even Horizon Zero Dawn would fail to start because now I have the DLC for it. But yes, it complains a lot when I am not signed in, or has lost connection, and if there is a system update, you really have no choice or but to upgrade..

 

That is mostly not true at all, you can play single player mode games just fine without a connection. This was discussed at length at Sony, because contrary to popular belief, there are still a shitload of people without internet access and they do not want to lose any customers. You can do the system update via USB, just go to a library / McDonalds / Starbucks or whatever and download the update.

[The Historian]

Has any major publisher used the SD/microSD as medium for distribution?

 

EA, Atari, Activision, Sega, Bethesda, and Taito released games on MMC for the N-Gage.

 

Edit... Not SD but MMC

Edited November 12, 2017 by The Historian

[Osgeld]

close enough as SD and MMC are cousins

[lifemadesimple]

Still no campaign? They're really stretching the definition of fall launch...

[Flojomojo]

I think SD readers can read MMC cards but not vice versa. Isn't it great that we're out of the battle days of weird memory formats? I like that pretty much everything is a microSD nowadays. And that they're cheap.

[Osgeld]

I think SD readers can read MMC cards but not vice versa. Isn't it great that we're out of the battle days of weird memory formats? I like that pretty much everything is a microSD nowadays. And that they're cheap.

 

it doesnt matter, as soon as I need a micro I only have full size, and if I need a full size I only have micro's and cant find the adapter ... then there's that one thing that takes mini sd (pulls hair out)

[Raticon]

Still no campaign? They're really stretching the definition of fall launch...

Word. Depending on who you ask their launch window has come and gone. Here in the very north of Sweden we have full blown winter already. Fall ends in late October for me.

 

And less of meteorological importance and perhaps more of business importance is the fact that we are approaching holiday season. A time where people usually spend money on actual stuff that exist in reality to give themselves or family and friends, rather than pledge 300 bucks on a non-existent system that may or may not be released to you or your friend 6 months later.

[Keatah]

I think SD readers can read MMC cards but not vice versa. Isn't it great that we're out of the battle days of weird memory formats? I like that pretty much everything is a microSD nowadays. And that they're cheap.

 

Not quite. I still believe some manufacturers like Sony are instigating proprietary formats, like XQD. And unfortunately Nikon fell prey to their shenanigans. Nikon's D850 supports both XDQ and SD. I'd rather it was SD only, dual slot. Not this half-ass retarded combo. And I believe there is only 1 maker of XQD now, as Lexar dropped out.

 

The only advantage of XQD is that it uses the PCI-Express bus. Though it's irrelevant as it has been succeeded by CFast and CFExpress not even a year later. In any case, all this does is increase host device complexity for minimal gain. And pisses off the customer because they need yet even more card readers to babysit.

 

Some tech seriously needs to slow down and think things through.

[lifemadesimple]

Word. Depending on who you ask their launch window has come and gone. Here in the very north of Sweden we have full blown winter already. Fall ends in late October for me.

 

And less of meteorological importance and perhaps more of business importance is the fact that we are approaching holiday season. A time where people usually spend money on actual stuff that exist in reality to give themselves or family and friends, rather than pledge 300 bucks on a non-existent system that may or may not be released to you or your friend 6 months later.

 

I've said it once, I'll say it again. This thing will probably launch on a weekend, and honestly if it isn't this weekend its too late. In the US (one of the bigger console markets and a place where Atari nostalgia still has strong roots), the weekend after this next one is going to be running into Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Sure, maybe it will offer something over the PS4/Xbone/Switch that will make the $300 worth it, but if you think its a hard sell now just wait until the sale season starts in the US. What could it POSSIBLY offer that could stack up against a $200 Xbox One S or PS4 slim. Or, god forbid, $150 ones if the sales get good.

 

Now I know there's been a lot of speculation on this forum about whether or not openness, or less internet dependence, or better indie support could put it apart from the competition. Maybe. But I'm just not sure if this forum's average user is representative of a market large enough to keep it alive. I'm sure there are a lot of people in the 30 to 50 age bracket that would really like an open, easy to use, no online faff, easy experience. But that isn't the core console market and, although we don't know enough details to start guestimating manufacturing costs and profits etc, I can't imagine this thing will have high profitability. It will need to tap into the bracket of people without mortgages or families who have deep pockets and a firm nostalgia for a world they didn't grow up in.

 

And in two weeks, those people will be able to buy any console they want for possibly half the price of the Ataribox.

[2600 Forever]

Someone has to make a book out of all this videogame system funding crap, I so hope Mike Kennedy is involved with this mysterious box.

[JBerel]

I wonder how the first 30 or so backers who signed up for the Gamewatch when it was on Indiegogo felt when they up and moved it to Kickstarter. Did they get cut out of updates when they kept it locked to kickstarter backers only? Are they mired in problems with the Gameband that are preventing them from starting the money train on the box? Is their registration for their 33% launch day deal a separate list from the mailing list they've been collecting since June? Is that sign up list not getting the attention they desire? All questions that would be good for any prospective backers to know, and most of which will never be told.

[Osgeld]

giving money away without return in goods or services is a donation, I am sure they are happy they could donate to a worthy cause

[The Historian]

I wonder how the first 30 or so backers who signed up for the Gamewatch when it was on Indiegogo felt when they up and moved it to Kickstarter.

It moved to Indiegogo after it was funded on Kickstarter.

[Flojomojo]

We need the real Atari Community Manager to come in here and call us some cute names, too! Like this guy from EA:

 

Someone screenshotted the tweet before it was removed. There's always a screenshot. Don't delete tweets.

 

[vcoleiro1]

Fall in the US ends Dec 21 I think? I hope they don't launch this at the last minute

[The Historian]

We need the real Atari Community Manager to come in here and call us some cute names, too! Like this guy from EA

There is a lot to unpack there. Community is a tough job, especially in gaming. He says he wasn't talking about the games he works on and that the comments are taken out of context. And the internet is very good at taking things out of context.

 

I'm not going to even try to justify that though. Community Managers learn very early on, or should, that you cannot speak freely in any context. Every word is carefully chosen. We rarely offer personal opinions, because they might be taken as "official".

 

Regardless of intent, he should have considered how the users would have interpreted his comments.

Edited November 13, 2017 by The Historian

[JBerel]

It moved to Indiegogo after it was funded on Kickstarter.

Well, although that's unclear, it makes even less sense based on the feedback they're getting on Indiegogo.

 

Will C

Anyone else getting super concerned at the lack of updates from these guys on all forms of social media? They had some updates on the kickstarter for a while, but even that seems to have gone dark. I’m starting to get a feeling we might have just been ripped off.

 

Cameron Chung

 

Hi Guys

 

Any Chance of getting updates on the production here in indigogo?

i know its on kickstarter but we dont have access to the updates

 

Thankyou in advance

 

posted by Francesc Enrich

 

Ladies and Gents!

 

Our updates on KS have a ton of detail in them, and because of that we have been posting them privately to backers on there. Turns out that is not an option on Indiegogo, so we have been looking at other solutions (we do not want to post those details on public here and private on KS).

 

We've opted for email, and have sent all of you the last KS update via email today, with a second to follow asap.

Hope this is ok! In case of any questions please feel free to post comments and/or DM or email us, we will get back to you asap!

 

Thanks again,

The Gameband Team.

 

 

posted by Francesc Enrich

 

Dear Indiegogo backers,

 

We're really sorry not to be on our game on the Indiegogo page in terms of posting updates so far. We've been posting an update every 2 weeks on Kickstarter, and have not translated those over well to IDGG. We'll fix that from this week.

 

Thanks for your patience.

 

The Gameband Team.