FPGA Based Videogame System

[FPGA Based Videogame System]

You make the Pyra? I love your work! This surely will be my handheld dream-machine.

Thanks

Yes, that's also me

[FPGA Based Videogame System]

Yeah I was thinking selling 1000 units is the number I have to hit to make it worthwhile, though 500 might be doable these days. I have run the numbers many times, and honestly I wouldn't be doing this to make enough money to retire (I'm NEVER retiring. That'd be boring as hell. My job's too much fun!) Not quite sure what kind of profit I'd make but again it's more about releasing something I really believe in vs. making "Retro VGS" levels of money. If I can cover costs of production and make some bucks at it, I'm all for it. There's no way I'm going to ever get paid back for the time I put into these cores, but again this is like the hardware version of a homebrew 2600 game. You do it because you love it and if a few bucks can be made to offset the costs, great!

Actually, I'm not sure if it could not be sold in higher numbers.

I sold over 80 MIST yet and 50 MCC-216 - without doing any real advertisement or video that shows what you can do with it, yet.

The RetroN5 sells in huge numbers - and the Retro VGS would be the way better system (and would not use unlicensed cores... ahem).

 

Calculating with 500 for a start is good, but I honestly think they can sell better.

 

Actually, if they're very accurate, you should be able to use Everdrives as well - and those sell even better (I think I sold over 1000 Everdrives in my shop so far, but I'm only of of 20 or so worldwide...)

So yes, the market is there - but it's better to calculate with low quantities and slowly grow

 

As for cartridge adapters, I am unsure what kind of footprint these would be. Would it be some doodad that slots onto the side? (my original idea) or would it be like the 2600 adapter for the 5200 that plugs into the top? I originally wanted to make a massive add-on with like 16 cartridge ports but this is ridiculous (and I knew this- I was going for ridiculous) and absolutely unsellable. It'd just be a fun thing to make.

Well, the Retrode2 offers SNES and MegaDrive out of the box.

And via plugins, you can use NES, VirtualBoy, SMS, N64, GameBoy (Advance), PC-Engine, etc. carts.

These plugin usually plug into the MegaDrive slot and are put into a modified MegaDrive cartridge shell.

 

The different cutouts needed for the connectors can be achieved using inlays for the moulds - so with one mould and some inlays, you can produce all these different plugin shells for a cheap price.

 

I'm already producing MegaDrive shells, the mould was about 3000 EUR, the shell is about 1 EUR each, haven't checked for Inlays yet though.

 

Using plugins is a neat idea - not everyone has Arcadia cartridges, for example, so everyone could choose what he wants.

 

kevtris.... perhaps for connecting carts it could be an add-on like you mentioned for video. For the carts it can be via USB and there is already something out their that does that for a variety of systems. Retrode

I'm actually the one currently producing the Retrode2 (under license from Matthias), and as mentioned before: If there's something I can help with, I will do that.

I'd love to see this system come alive, and I certainly would like to sell it in my shop if possible.

 

If the Retrode2 CAN be used for the FPGA (no idea how feasible this is via USB): The production of that one wouldn't be a problem.

 

And even if it can't be used: If the plugins would be the same for the Retro VGS and the Retrode2, then a collaboration would certainly help both Retrode2 and RetroVGS users (and lowers the price as well).

 

BTW: I already had a similar idea... using the Retrode2 with the RaspberryPi. The prototype is already finished (incl. case design), I want to start a Kickstarter for it as well (www.retropi.de).

But honestly, an FPGA optimized for console gaming would be A LOT better than the RasPi (which takes over a minute to boot, is not really optimized for that, emulators aren't that accurate, etc.).

 

If I can be of help, let me know

[FPGA Based Videogame System]

Wow, awesome project

If I can help out, I'd do it.

 

I certainly would like to resell them in Germany, in case you're looking for resellers

(www.dragonbox.de and www.everdrive.de are my shops, as I'm not sure how much I'm known here )