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'Playdate' Handheld Game System Now Available for Pre-Order
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I don’t get your point. I’m pretty sure anyone who owns a Switch or any game console thinks they’re fun, that’s kind of the point. Also specs allow them to have that fun.
The point is all the people complaint about how the Playdate doesn’t have this or that capability are the ones missing the point, the real question is: Is it fun
Yes, a game designed to take advantage of high end specs CAN be fun, it can also be terrible. Specs don’t allow fun, specs allow for different capabilities which can be used to make fun things. But you can have an incredibly fun black and white game with only a few inputs and you can have an incredibly unfun 4K 3D 120fps game with full keyboard and mouse controls. These things are independent of each other.
One only need read through the comments on this post to see the false specs=fun attitude over and over again, people dismissing this device not because they’ve tried it, not because reviewers haven’t enjoyed it, but because all they care about is specs.
And you categorized the only people who would like it as retro game enthusiasts and hipsters. You left out a third category, people who just like having fun and don’t worry about specs.
It's been mentioned before but I think it's worth repeating. The "Season" of 24 games that come included with the system is really just part of the picture. Every single Playdate is also a dev unit, and while you can write software for it using established programming languages, they're also making a free editor called Pulp that runs in your browser and will let people make games even if they don't know the first thing about coding. Here is a timestamped link to a video where they talk a bit about Pulp.
I think of how many classics were made in something like GameMaker Studio and how tens of thousands of people will be able to create or tell their stories and easily put them onto the Playdate, and share them with the world. That's an amazing thing. Not to mention how many people will think up crazy ways to use the crank! I think it's really exciting.
So yeah, I'm very much looking forward to all the games that have been commisioned by real deal professional developers, but I'm perhaps even more looking forward to what's going to come from the "homebrew scene" of the Playdate. Maybe I'll even make a game myself ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Also worth mentioning, I've personally played the Playdate at PAX 2019, in fact I played it every day of the show, and went to their booth multiple times each day just to play it some more. I can confirm this crazy little thing is fun as hell. I'm getting a review unit and still pre-ordered one for myself, just in case the review unit needs to be returned so I'm not stuck without one but ALSO to support this cool project. I think it's important that people try to do things that are different, unexpected, and even a little weird. Playdate is all those things.
I think of how many classics were made in something like GameMaker Studio and how tens of thousands of people will be able to create or tell their stories and easily put them onto the Playdate, and share them with the world. That's an amazing thing. Not to mention how many people will think up crazy ways to use the crank! I think it's really exciting.
So yeah, I'm very much looking forward to all the games that have been commisioned by real deal professional developers, but I'm perhaps even more looking forward to what's going to come from the "homebrew scene" of the Playdate. Maybe I'll even make a game myself ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Also worth mentioning, I've personally played the Playdate at PAX 2019, in fact I played it every day of the show, and went to their booth multiple times each day just to play it some more. I can confirm this crazy little thing is fun as hell. I'm getting a review unit and still pre-ordered one for myself, just in case the review unit needs to be returned so I'm not stuck without one but ALSO to support this cool project. I think it's important that people try to do things that are different, unexpected, and even a little weird. Playdate is all those things.
And everyone rubbishes the Switch's specs anyway, and it's super fun (because Nintendo).
If I disagreed on one point it would probably be the third category. No fun-lovers are buying this by accident. You have to know what you're looking for and where to find it. And it will be a lot of video-game-hipsters, but where's the harm in that, anyway?
Like stopping to watch a street performer that catches your interest, then you move on, never to return.
If people report that it’s durable I might get one. It was so frustrating having to deal with joycon drift on the Switches my family and I own.
Then there’s the matter of whether I would like any of the games available at launch. At this price point I’d want to see some reviews or at least some in depth descriptions.
It’s not that it has to be $49 for me, it’s just got to be something I know a little bit more about from someone’s first hand impressions, because $179 is a significant chunk of money that I could just put towards other fantastic games for systems I already own.
Seems like a gimmick and I get the impression a lot of the interest comes from support for Panic rather than the product. Still happy for the people who are interested in this but it seems expensive (EDIT: noticed that games are included so I take back my point about the price).
The reason I hate these things, as an engineer that otherwise enjoys nostalgia, is that it's another BS consumer toy that convinces people to part with resources (money) on something that is going to end up in a drawer in 3 months time.
$179 is like, what, an Apple Pencil and an iPhone case?
People complaining about the price, on a forum dedicated to Apple products, is rich.
I’m not complaining about the price at all. I’m just saying at that price point, it’s something I’d want to do a little advance research on because it’s a wholly unfamiliar device and paradigm. I’d at least want to know it’s sturdy and that there’s at least a couple of games at launch I think I could get really into.
I don’t want to pay almost $200 for something only to have the hand crank break within a couple of months, for example. I’ve already dealt with enough aggravation with those Switch joycons. I surely wasn’t expecting the problems we’ve had with those blasted things.
This little crank is innovative but that also means it’s a bit of an unknown.
The good news are people are saying the crank build quality seems pretty good
Like 80% of the other commenters on this thread.... if you'd only just read the bloody product page where you can see all TWENTY FOUR, 2 per week, for 12 weeks and every other detail everyone it bitching about but didn't read.
Let's all criticize a product we didn't take 2 seconds to read about.
1. You being an “engineer” literally has nothing to do with any of the rest of your post.
2. You have no idea that it will end up in a drawer in 3 months time, and so what if it does? People can get a lot of enjoyment out of something in 3 months time.
3. You do realize that toys are fun right? And the purpose of this is for fun? You seem to think using “toy” to describe it is a perhorative when that’s LITERALLY the entire point of it.
4. I gaurentee you I could find things you have parted with “resources” on that other people would find mockable, maybe don’t be so quick to judge what others enjoy when those things don’t harm anyone else.
1. It does - because I know the resources and skills needed to develop such products - which could be used for many more useful things - heck even making a better Android phone.
2. It will. And it's a waste of money compared to, for example, a Nin. Switch.
3. And that is the exact problem that I am highlighting - we are surrounded by "toys" in an attention economy.
4. We are discussing this one in particular.
Things like the Gameboy etc have a long life - fine. Whereas this is going to be a failure, just like the Ouya new Intellivision Amico etc.
There is a difference between spending money and wasting it.
Come on, why state the bleeding obvious? This isn't even comparable to the Steam Deck. Completely different target audience & market.
It's up to the individual how they choose to spend their money.
"As an engineer" you'd know all about wasting money & valuable materials/resources on daft R&D projects and failures.
In line with my professional ethics I refuse to work on projects that I don't feel have a fair chance of success and advise on avoiding pitfalls.
This is still a very weird conversation. I don't want to buy a new android phone. I want to buy a Playdate.
I mean I'd rather Panic cured cancer, but that might not be in their skillset.
and I have bits of paper on my wall that cost more than $150, value is totally subjective.
I mean I'd rather Panic cured cancer, but that might not be in their skillset.
and I have bits of paper on my wall that cost more than $150, value is totally subjective.
All the red necks playing hillbilly black mouth bass fishing derby 4 on PlayStation 2 will finally Have a new home to look forward to!
That isn’t very brave. We wouldn’t have most of the world’s top technological breakthroughs if everyone thought this way. Just a bunch of vanilla “yes-person” projects. And thankfully, resumes reflect this.