Creating a game console?

[COMTARI]

I was wondering if it was possible to create a simple home video game console? You guys are the experts so I will ask your opinions on these ideas:

 

The game system would be in two parts: A console and game creation software.

 

1. The game console would consist of a 286, 386 or 486 motherboard, attractive case, power supply, output to TV, a 3 1/2 disk drive, game controller hook-ups, simple dos type operations systems on a chip to read the disks. A harddrive with a OS and a keyboard connection are other options that could be included. The quality of the games would be that of the NES or the Atari 7800. A chip containing 10 original built in games could also be included inside the console to play games without the software.

 

2. Game creation software would be included to run on a windows PC. The game would be created...saved to a 3 1/2 disk...then it would be played on the console. The person creating the game would have rights to sell or distribute their creation. A agreement with the software would also allow the creater of the game console to use, promote, or sell any game created with software provided it payed the original creator a royalty.

 

Why?...Retro games are back and this is the ultimate retro gamming system.

Game players would love to create their own games (providing that the software was user friendly and a simple game could be created in a few hours...if the software is too involved, gamers may loose interest.)

The software would be powerful enough for those who would also devote many hours to create complex games.

This would provide a wider variety of games and ideas than those currently on the market.

 

How about the big 3?...It's not competeing with Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo...yet it is a fun gamming alternative.

 

Considerations...The parts of the game must be readily available and easy to assemble to produce many units quickly.

It must be made for around $30 to retail for around $50 or $60. If it sells for over $100...gamers might go with a PS2, etc.

It must be safe and reliable.

Perhaps even be upgradable..ie online play with 56k modem?

Creating dependable software.

 

Share your ideas and see if this idea is even realistic?

 

You can e-mail me at: [email protected]

[Nukey Shay]

http://www.cs.uu.nl/people/markov/gmaker/index.html

[Bryan]

It's incorrect to think that because older PC technology is outdated, that it's cheap to build a new product with. If you look at SBC's (Single Board Computers) that use 386 or 486 technology, they're quite expensive. What makes computer stuff cheap is volume, which is why you can buy a current PC motherboard fof $30.

 

To make a console for $30, it's going to have to use whatever cheap hardware is being used today, and you're going to need to make huge production runs. Otherwise, the cost of a floppy drive, case, and power supply alone will put you over budget.

 

Here's someone else with a similar idea:

 

http://www.xgamestation.com/index.php

 

-Bry

[Delicon]

I always thought this would be a great idea. I mean look at a gameboy, it is hardly a technical wonder. Many of us could build one given some time and resources. I have been waiting for a major player to open up their system. But it will never happen.

 

When you spend time thinking about price, market, quality of games, who you are targeting (the player or the programmer), you see that it becomes much more difficult. Its just not practical unless you can ensure there will be a quantity of quality games. Which is why it costs so much money to develop for a major system. They control the games for their system. As soon as one open their system up, they lose that control. Sure it would be great for developers, but developers are a miniscule market compared to players. Which means that if you want a cheap open system, you cant target developers, you must target players.

 

Beyond hardware you have operating system, development software, costs of distribution. All kinds of extras. It takes time to develop operating systems, or software of any kind. At first glance it seems free, but its not.

 

I remember a system a few years back that I was looking forward to, I think it was called Iridium. They had tons of money and still failed. I think this whole concept is a bad idea.

 

That being said, if anyone is going to start a venture like this, I AM IN!!

 

Vern

[Tsukasa]

This has already been done partways, it's called the Xbox. The only thing it needs is the game dev software. Other than that, it's an outdated computer in an ugly box.

[Dr. Van Thorp]

Well, if you think that outdated hardware is a good route, you could look in to the availability of Famicon clone hardware. This would give you NES hardware, which is well documented, and for which there are allready games. You could build an NES clone with a flashcard reader and whatever alse you want.

 

Or you could go with XGameStation.

[dark willow]

NES / FamiCom clones are still being built today, and are all the rage in SE Asia. Their realtivly simple design, and the large software library makes them very popular with the makers as they are cheap to produce (no need for design, just replicate what's already there) and the buyers, ainly parents for their kids, extremely low cost thanks to the 10-in-1 pirate cartridges and child-unfriendly games (ie no fast cars, gratutious violence or hard core sex, kids hate it, but the parents love it...)

 

Another clone machine now popular is the PSone, and the Sega Saturn (which was/is very very popular in Asia, just never caught on in Europe or the US).

 

Making a brand new old machine, if you know what I mean (using older electronic to make a new platform) I don't think is a paticularly good idea from a commercial point of view, patrialyl for the availabiloity concerns already made, but most because of the game library issue. THink how mnay games that consoles have behind them, often hundreds, and those that don't were the ones that failed. A sensible oslutioni for a low cost console is though a low cost solution reusing older technoploigy, i.e. a NES or 2600 on a chip, as used in the 10-in-one TV sticks but as a console, ie. add mains power connection, a cartridge slot and control pads.

 

You could maket such a system for a retail price of around £35 or so if you were dealing in volume and you already have the games library of the orignal machine behind you. Some manufaturers of the original consoles now allow development of new games for them without needing to be licensed by the company (this is the case for new titles for Atari's consoles, for example) so if a deal such as this could be reached for new development, a royalty system could be neogitated for use of the old software games and OS, and of case/control pad design if you wanted to keep the look of the original machine.

 

I think there would be more viability in taking that route, as the price of games is so high on new machines, as well as the consoles themselves. After all the NES clones are still doing extremely well, as is the old PSone.

[dark willow]

As for developing games, you don't really need a dedicated machine just for that, any console can be developed for, as most have been hacked, from the PSP down to the 2600, better to stick to what's already there rather than reinvent the wheel IMHO.

[vdub_bobby]

Seems like if you want to make a console the best bet would be to make it compatible with another console already out there. I.e., create a 2600 with a Pokey or something equally ridiculous, , but make sure the existing 2600 library works on it.