Ataribox

[Flojomojo]

Oh and why is he so focused on Minecraft and Terraria? He really pushed that stupid wristband piece of ass he went and crowdfunded with "PLAY MINECRAFT AND TERRARIA!!!!"

 

Popular, non-violent, long-playing games that don't require a ton of hardware to hold a kid's interest for a long time? Why not? Oh, except for the fact that they're already ported to every system in the universe, including portables like Vita/3DS and mobile like Android/iOS.

 

I want a nice German noun that literally translates into "solution in search of a problem." I'm sure that exists!

[Swami]

 

Popular, non-violent, long-playing games that don't require a ton of hardware to hold a kid's interest for a long time? Why not? Oh, except for the fact that they're already ported to every system in the universe, including portables like Vita/3DS and mobile like Android/iOS.

 

I want a nice German noun that literally translates into "solution in search of a problem." I'm sure that exists!

Lösungssuchefrage also known as Maslow's Hammer. Although I prefer Telefunken, the company that sold the first mouse in 1968, called the RollKugel.

[enoofu]

Ataribox Console: More Details Revealed! #CUPodcast

[+MrBlackCat]

<bleah>

 

So metaphorically speaking, this thing is kind of like an El Camino of systems... worst of both worlds.

 

"Weak, yet overpriced"

 

Sounds like it will have tons of features, compared to a pet rock...

 

As a non-technical gamer with an interest in plug & play type systems and zero desire to tinker with OS's, this is of no interest at this point. I would say "wait for the bargain bin" but this will not make it to production... anyone care to bet against it?

 

This is NOTHING like a Nintendo Mini market-wise... even the Flashback stuff caught my attention way back (I think I saw a Flashback 2 first, at WalGreens) but for $30, that was interesting. But like Bill L said in the past... Flashbacks are "toys"...

 

My point is that no homework is required or inspired on a retro toy at $30. But when you start talking over maybe $100, that is no longer reaction buy stuff. A person that is going to buy this AtariBox, at that price, is going to research it some… and this far, from what others have said, there is nothing to find that justifies the price, if said research was to occur.

 

MrBlackCat

[MrMaddog]

 

Errm... Why would you want to limit what the OS can do? They said their version of Linux will be open to the user to run what they want on it, including both Steam and the things SteamOS doesn't run. Sounds way better than SteamOS to me.

 

 

 

The flip side of that is if you make SteamOS the primary, then everything non-Steam needs to be sideloaded. It would be nice if the Steam store is included as an option out of the box for convenience.

 

Well yeah if it's sold as a Linux box then of course people would ticker around with it like a Pi and manualy add Steam or even Moonlight for game streaming. If they have computer knowledge to do so that is...

 

But as a consumer product that people expect to work out of the box, wouldn't be easier for Atari to use existing solutions like SteamOS especially if they don't have much in the way of financial resources?

 

BTW, personally I'm coming up with some cool ideas to do with this Ataribox (assuming it comes out and is real) that does require the use of Linux-Fu. But I was just concern about it's commercial viability.

[Classic Pac]

It's a linux box period. I could pick up one for my TV as little as $35. I am very disappointed really I was hoping for more, like maybe being able to play the games I already own on a modern TV with better picture and possibly better sound. I know for a fact I am not getting one.

[Bill Loguidice]

It's a linux box period. I could pick up one for my TV as little as $35. I am very disappointed really I was hoping for more, like maybe being able to play the games I already own on a modern TV with better picture and possibly better sound. I know for a fact I am not getting one.

 

I don't know if there's an elegant (slick box, purpose-built), inexpensive solution for that in the short-term (at least the next few years). Even decent Steam Machines start at $500 and go up from there, and you'll still run into limitations.

 

Personally, I don't think there's anything wrong with the basic strategy of the Ataribox. I just don't think there's a significant market need or interest there (and if they understand that and can still make a profit, so be it, that's enough of a justification), and I certainly question what games it will run and with what type of performance. Again, we already have inexpensive 4K streaming boxes and consoles, and I have my doubts that this will be able to do better than 1080p, or have anywhere near the same app support, let alone game support. The companies out there with existing products have far, far deeper pockets than an Atari, and there's already cut-throat competition for content. I'm not even sure this can be an Ouya, as at least that had the benefit of an Android base to make content acquisition easier. It's a pretty low bar.

[Clint Thompson]

I'm checking in on this once in a while to see if some actual progress was made. I was hopeful and modestly hyped at first.

To see that the most infamous Feargal Mac was involved in this really really put me off. Big time.

 

Is he even on the forums? Surely anyone who is truly interested in Atari and projects would definitely want to come to chat with those interested for feedback, etc.

[zzip]

Sure, but that's because I work on Stella for only 10 minutes per month. So they should be able to easily duplicate the total work in a month or so.

Lol,

 

well if they want to write any emulation from scratch, they should write a Jaguar emulator that works

Edited September 28, 2017 by zzip

[Flojomojo]

Is he even on the forums? Surely anyone who is truly interested in Atari and projects would definitely want to come to chat with those interested for feedback, etc.

 

What forums? MoneyAge? AdvertisingAge?

[mbd30]

Is the point of Atari Box to make the Jaguar seem amazing in retrospect? At least that has games that are exclusive to the console and some amount of personality.

[JamesD]

Let's price it like an XBOX or PS4, power it like a thin client, and then market the sh*t out of collectible versions.
Instant money due to nostalgia!

[Flojomojo]

Is the point of Atari Box to make the Jaguar seem amazing in retrospect? At least that has games that are exclusive to the console and some amount of personality.

 

What does an Atari Jaguar use for birth control?

 

Its personality!

[Raticon]

So much negativity going around. Its like an entire brigade of haters. An AtariAge Hater Brigade if you wish!

 

About Jaguar... If this thing comes with Jag support i will officially denounce my own critique and never stop throwing money at it. Might need to wash my hands before though. Heck i would be prepared to get one at launch to be able to own a console that sold even fewer units than the Jag and then park it next to my Jaguar. Maybe it will gain some self-esteem back that way.

 

But mr Fleetwood Mac will probably settle for Minecraft, Terraria, the usual assortment of Flashback-titles and some "cool" remakes like those we saw in the PS2-era.

[Jaguarandine]

I thought I'd chime in and discuss my thought process regarding the Ataribox. When I heard the news about it, I really didn't give it a second thought. What finally turned my head were a few things.

1) AMD-powered.

To me, this gives the console a bit of credibility, confirming that it's probably going to happen. The AMD CEO has even spoken about it on Twitter.

It's probably between a Switch and Xbox One in power, and that would be enough to play most contemporary games. All the current home consoles are powered by AMD as well (Switch aside, which is in its own lane), so porting to the platform would be much easier. This separates it from the Ouya, the Chameleon, and most other competitors.

2) Linux-based.

I love Linux, and run it on everything I can, while telling as many people that I can. I'm all for anything that furthers the cause for Linux, and a viable Linux-based console would do just that.

Finally there's

3) The Atari name.

While not what it once was, it could be the difference between someone paying attention to this, and it being lost in a sea of other similar devices. It brought me to AA years ago (for the Jaguar). If Atari can appeal to us, then it might have a chance. Being in the new Blade Runner movie is a nice touch.

---

In my opinion, console gaming is slowly drifting toward PC gaming. Even the CPU architecture is the same now. I think that it's only a matter of time before they merge, and companies like Sony and Microsoft's game offerings will probably be based on services and software, rather than hardware.

I think this would be the best thing to happen to gaming. Why should we buy an Xbox, and not any similarly powered piece of hardware? Why not let game developers focus on making software, rather than having to understand a number of closed systems that are getting increasingly more complex?

Valve's original Steamboxes were the first attempt, and they failed for a multitude of reasons (half-baked software, price, etc). Since then, Linux gaming has improved leaps and bounds.

Why shouldn't the Ataribox be the turning point (keep reading)?

...and then I read the entire thread here on AA.

Making this work would require an enormous amount of foresight, some luck, good marketing, and a bit of pragmatism. I'm not at all confident based on what I've read here that the current Atari could pull this off.

Edited September 30, 2017 by Jaguarandine

[JamesD]

My complaint isn't with the specs. It's with the price.

[StopDrop&Retro]

Valve's original Steamboxes were the first attempt, and they failed for a multitude of reasons (half-baked software, price, etc). Since then, Linux gaming has improved leaps and bounds.

 

History has a habit of repeating itself.

 

The price is the real stinger here, I would like to see how many people support it at that price point. Either they or I will be in for a big shock.

[godslabrat]

I see a huge, HUGE gap between the ideas of "people will buy it without thinking, because it has the Atari logo on it" and "people will want this because it's an awesome PS4-killer". Nostalgia buyers don't care about specs, but they'll balk at the price and people wanting an actual muscle system are looking for more than a dusty name.

 

What we've found out really begs the question, whom is this for? What's the point? It seems to be another solution in search of a problem.

[AlecRob]

I don't own any modern consoles, so I wouldn't mind making this my first.

 

 

I don't own a PC either, so maybe I'm the market for this PC/console hybrid thing...?

Edited October 1, 2017 by AlecRob

[Keatah]

Most things "tech" are indeed solutions in search of a problem. The internet helps people generate these self-induced delusions. And soon enough the marketers begin to believe that people will adopt new behaviors specifically for their product. Never works out.

[AlecRob]

ataribox loaded with emulators, external HDD, external blue ray drive, mouse, keyboard, gamepad. stylish. Why this over a conventional PC? Cuz it's cool ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Keatah]

Yup. With emulators sideloaded, you can play all the stuff from the original 70's and 80's hardware in a substantial way. And emulators are gaining in popularity and accuracy. Not to mention their inherent versatility.

 

But keep in mind you can always slap an Atari logo or Sega emblem on your own SFF PC and have whatever "box" you want!

[Flojomojo]

ataribox loaded with emulators, external HDD, external blue ray drive, mouse, keyboard, gamepad. stylish. Why this over a conventional PC? Cuz it's cool ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

When has Atari EVER been cool?

 

Speaker hat!

[MCHufnagel]

 

Valve's original Steamboxes were the first attempt, and they failed for a multitude of reasons (half-baked software, price, etc). Since then, Linux gaming has improved leaps and bounds.

Whenever I here people say that Linux has improved for gaming. I look at my Steam and GOG libraries. Out of nearly 500 games I roughly have twice as many are Mac OS compatible (81) than are Linux compatible (42). Hell I have more games that are XP compatible! Linux is great for tasks like web-browsing, e-mails or Open Office. But gaming, LOL! I've been hearing that Linux is the future for over 20 years, and it hasn't happened yet. And I bet it never will.

Edited October 1, 2017 by MCHufnagel

[SignGuy81]

The price is going to kill this thing. I don't see how they can justify $250-$300 for what we have seen and been told so far about what it can do. It would be much better if it were released early spring while people are just getting their tax refunds back so they have money to throw away on things they don't need, as apposed to releasing in late spring.