Playdate, the Console With a Crank, Gets July Preorder for $179, Game Details (arstechnica.com) 54
On Tuesday, Playdate, the portable, one-bit gaming system with an analog crank as a primary control option, took one more step toward being a bonafide thing you can buy and crank to your heart's content. From a report: The diminutive portable system's creators at Panic (publishers of games like Firewatch and Untitled Goose Game) hosted their first-ever Playdate Update video today, and they confirmed that the hardware will launch to paying customers "later this year," with preorders beginning "in July" starting at $179. That price will include the system's complete "first season" of Playdate-exclusive games, and Panic had originally pledged to include 12 games in all with the purchase price. Today's presentation included a welcome surprise: double the included games. Now, Playdate owners can expect to get two games a week as free downloads over a span of 12 weeks (which, if my calculator is correct, means 24 games in all). Panic remains committed to its plan to "surprise" system owners with free downloads of entirely new games, so today's video didn't include lengthy game reveals. In the meantime, we've been given 21 of the Season One games' titles, along with a list of participating developers (embedded at the article's end). The indie-heavy developer list includes Keita Takahashi (Katamari Damacy), Nels Anderson (Firewatch), Giles Goddard (1080 Snowboarding), Bennett Foddy (Getting Over It), and Zach Gage (Spelltower), along with tons of lesser-known devs whose work has impressed us over the years at various cons and events.
Replacable (Score:3)
Can't wait for the two-bit version to come out.
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Euphemisms. (Score:3)
Playdate...better known as a good use for the OTHER hand.
Re: Euphemisms. (Score:1)
And the obvious but UNANSWERED question: (Score:2)
Not so many caps
DOES THE CRANK CHARGE IT OR NOT ?
Not so many capsNot so many capsNot so many capsNot so many capsNot so many caps
Re:And the obvious but UNANSWERED question: (Score:5, Informative)
DOES THE CRANK CHARGE IT OR NOT ?
No. From the Playdate homepage [play.date]:
The Crank.
Yes, the crank. Is it a gimmick? Nah. Does it charge Playdate's battery? Nope. Is it really fun? Yes yes yes. It's an analog controller that flips out from the side, allowing you to precisely dial in the action. Not every game uses it, but some really do, like Crankin's Time Travel Adventure, below.
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Thank you. When they finally sack the Slashdot editors, you have the job.
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Disappointed (Score:2)
The crank doesn't charge the battery.
I'm sure it could have been possible, at least as an option.
With a 180 MHz CPU and a non-backlit display, I'm quite sure that even the small amount of power generated by a crank (~5W) is sufficient, especially if the wireless features are turned off.
Maybe I can port the games to my Mac SE (Score:2)
ObQuestion (Score:4, Funny)
But can it play DOOM?
Also hot grits.
Re:ObQuestion (Score:5, Funny)
Hard to find a chip that isn't fast enough to play doom these days.
Seriously though imagine a beowulf cluster of these...
Re:ObQuestion (Score:4, Informative)
I'm only replying to you so I can share my sig.
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Apparently yes: https://twitter.com/nicmagnier... [twitter.com]
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And Crysis?
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Finally (Score:4, Funny)
A gaming device designed for a real fishing video game...or perhaps a "reel" one! :)
Wtf is one-bit gaming? (Score:2)
I mean I know what an 8-bit game system is. It's a system with an 8-bit word for instructions.
But what is a 1-bit game system? A system that can only hold boolean flags?
Re:Wtf is one-bit gaming? (Score:5, Informative)
That was my question too. They're referring to the graphics, not the CPU. I think the more appropriate term would be monochrome.
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Slasdot Editor Msmash wrote it, so we can ascribe it to Slashdot-Editor-Level stupidity rather than marketing twatishness.
Re:Wtf is one-bit gaming? (Score:4, Funny)
Can't it be both?
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Next Msmash Story:
"Nintendo get incredibel one-up on Playdate as they disclose an amazing new ZERO-BIT consoul, with a BELL ! Game details"
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Presumably they mean that the graphics are 1-bit, not the processor. The graphics showcased show shades of grey as well, but that may be accomplished through dithering if the 1-bit claim is indeed true.
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Clearly meaning the video output (lack of real greyscale). Obviously they are using a 32 bit or higher processor for the actual game/graphics processing.
The crank is just another silly gimick.
But of course, this is really intended as a bauble for hipsters to show others in their clique how cool they are. :-\
One bit, crank? (Score:2)
Looks like 1 bit means 1 bit monochrome video.
The crank- I had an LCD fishing game that had a crank to reel fish in.
Not only were the graphics "1 bit" (on/off state with no gradient), but they were fixed segments, like a cheap digital watch.
So the Joy Stick was (Score:1)
not enough joy?
Its the Ouya again (Score:4, Insightful)
I can get a 3DS for less, hack that, and load a GB emulator, and play grey scale games that. Or an old phone. Or an old laptop.
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Right now, actually. (Score:2)
There's this app called "Bumble"...
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You could even add your own crank if you want.
Re:Its the Ouya again (Score:5, Insightful)
This thing looks like it should be in the impulse bins at the checkout queue at Best Buy for $29.95. Also, the lack of ergonomics, ugh. IMHO, my favorite way to play retro games is in emulation, with a modern Xbox controller. Some stuff about the past just sucked, and old school controllers that killed your hands are not an experience I'm keen to relive.
I really don't understand this obsession with retro gaming consoles designed to replicate the bad ergonomics of the past. It was a total dealbreaker for me when it comes to the PiBoy DMG [experimentalpi.com], too.
Re:Its the Ouya again (Score:5, Insightful)
It's an experimental game platform. That's all. It's how people try different control methods - the crank is there to see what developers come up with.
If you just want to play traditional video games, there are far better ways to do it, including the dozens of $20 consoles on Amazon doing the same things.
Why should Nintendo be the one only trying new ways to play games?
it's also what makes it different from Ouya. Ouya was just a low powered game console that hooked to your TV, a way to play mobile games at home. This is just quirky and different an a way to see what developers can do.
Many of the videogames we liked in the past were that way because of hardware limitations forcing developers to get creative. Well, here's that as well - developers have an interesting control method to play with (granted, many will use it as a gimmick, but some will find innovative ways to use it) and a black and white screen means graphics are a more interesting challenge.
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Nintendo failed with their gimmicks. Are motions controls a thing? No but for maybe a few specific titles. I don't see Nintendo or Sony releases a second screen attachment. I have not play a PC game that uses multiple windows, but I am sure they are out there.
People can release bad looking games monochrome games nowadays if they want. No need for a fancy console for it. I meant it is like the Ouya in th
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Nintendo failed with their gimmicks.
Just to be clear, are you referring to the 75+ million units sold 3DS, the 85 million units sold Switch, the 100+ million units sold Wii, or the 150+ million units sold Nintendo DS, all of which were sold at a profit, as a failure? Inquiring minds want to know.
Nintendo may not have as much cachet as Sony or Xbox in hardcore gaming circles, but your head’s in the sand if you think they failed with their gimmicks. The fact that they move on quickly once the novelty wears off or the market moves on does
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How many people have booted up their Wii or WiiU in the last year to play a Wii or WiiU game? The only time I ever see anyone use these anymore is as a low end emu boxes.
Again, where are the motion c
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This quote moves the goalposts from "Nintendo failed with their gimmicks" to "Nintendo failed because I don't like them". But let's set that aside.
when your game library is 99.999% trash it really means nothing to me.
We don't judge consoles by their bad games; we judge them by their good games, by the ones we actually play. If what you just said is the actual standard you're using to judge consoles, you either hate all consoles or you aren't being honest with yourself, because the vast majority of games on all consoles have been trash for as long as I can remember. At most, t
Hmm, $179 for 1 bit games with a USP... (Score:2)
... of a "crank handle"?
Me thinks this retro thing has gone a tad too far ...
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I'm hoping they release a Model T emulator, with the crank handle doubling as both the steering wheel and the Oooga horn.
All the hate..! WTF! I love it!! (Score:2)
I don't get all the haters, I mean sheet! This looks really good to me. I never buy shit but this made me laugh, the videos showed really impressive and fun people, they are working with teenage engineering, and it appeals to people who are tired of all the "hot" crap gaming (or who just aren't thrilled by the shoot em up mentality) and would rather have a "cool" (low stress on the eyes, it doesn't heat up your face to play it) interface with simple games that showcase inventiveness and joy instead of crazy
How many bits? (Score:3)
That's not a 1-bit console.
This [youtube.com] is a 1 bit console.
tired of it (Score:1)