OUYA Making a Game?

[ChrisGuin]

So Julie Uhrman posts a tweet last night...

https://twitter.com/juhrman/statuses/474699533331361792

Am I misunderstanding? Is OUYA producing a game for their own platform?

[Jeffry84]

I don't know, but sure this would be great news indeed.

[ChrisGuin]

If so, it makes me wonder what sort of game OUYA would be making. Local multiplayer? "Mascot" platformer? There would seem to be a lot riding on it as whatever game they make has a risk of defining the platform.

[RiotingSpectre]

This was the talk on the chatbox a while back. The conversation started from how many OUYA consoles have been sold which went into the software side of things. If any of you don't mind reading a book then here's our entire discussion from bottom to top.

 

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26/05/2014 06:19 - SwiftIllusion : I know without a doubt the concept artist I have contact with could create a defining character, her designs are unparalleled
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26/05/2014 06:18 - Kaimega : lol fair enough
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26/05/2014 06:18 - RiotingSpectre : I tried to invite some of them to OUYAForum a long time ago if you remember but they either didn't respond or weren't interested in the console at all.
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26/05/2014 06:17 - RiotingSpectre : It was their dream. Not their talent.
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26/05/2014 06:17 - SwiftIllusion : Ah xD;
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26/05/2014 06:17 - Kaimega : ... sounds weak
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26/05/2014 06:17 - RiotingSpectre : All they made was a flat plain with a humanoid character, lol... Poor bastards.
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26/05/2014 06:16 - RiotingSpectre : Swift: That's why we have contracts, silly.
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26/05/2014 06:16 - RiotingSpectre : I used to be a project manager(ish) person for a team of people who wanted to make such a defining game. We broke up due to the reality of the situation as it was nothing but people with families with no time, no disposable income (aside from myself), and no way to break into the market. That was a couple years ago and things are different here in the video game industry. Excluding those guys I'm sure a team of people out there can fulfill what we need. They just need to be aware and pushed to it
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26/05/2014 06:16 - SwiftIllusion : The biggest difficulty I see with an RPG is for a budget of that scale to be an exclusive on the OUYA with its current limited audience would be financial suicide, as wonderful as something like that would be. I have an RPG and design that I feel confident could do that for the OUYA, but it's a project I feel couldn't be accomplished without a large team and budget which is why I didn't plan to go all in on it until I were hopefully successful as a developer
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26/05/2014 06:15 - takedownmak : i want to add friends and see what others are playing and shit lol
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26/05/2014 06:14 - takedownmak : i also think once we get an online system in place like xbox live and psn OUYA might take off
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26/05/2014 06:14 - Kaimega : is working on an RPG... slowly but surely
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26/05/2014 06:13 - RiotingSpectre : Swift: Exactly the reason why it needs to be us to finally break the wall.
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26/05/2014 06:13 - takedownmak : farrah rouge is comeing out tomorrow but still its a arena shooter
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26/05/2014 06:12 - SwiftIllusion : It'd be great and I agree, but not feasible
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26/05/2014 06:12 - RiotingSpectre : The way we gather is exclusives and semi-defining titles until we hit our mark. Then blast the marketplace with something that says "This is what OUYA is."
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26/05/2014 06:12 - SlingShot : build it ... and they will come riot. lol
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26/05/2014 06:12 - SwiftIllusion : RPG's though are practically impossible for small indie teams. The resources to create an RPG are huge, that's why they're the genre least to come from indies, just look at the kickstarter backings of RPGS these days. 500K+ at the very least with huge studios
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26/05/2014 06:12 - RiotingSpectre : No, you can't start off with something like that. The mass appeal of a shooter is online connectivity. We don't have the players yet. We need to gather those people up and then release a shooter.
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26/05/2014 06:11 - takedownmak : i agree riot
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26/05/2014 06:11 - SlingShot : but i think a multiplayer FPS would work better
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26/05/2014 06:11 - SlingShot : rpg*
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26/05/2014 06:11 - RiotingSpectre : -*bright ideas and potential that just need a push*
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26/05/2014 06:11 - SlingShot : rog would work too
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26/05/2014 06:10 - SlingShot : right takedown. neonshadow is ok .. but it is not multi level .. ranking etc.
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26/05/2014 06:10 - RiotingSpectre : On the contrary I think we need something different that defines indie gaming, the OUYA console, and uniqueness. An RPG has yet to be a defining genre. Perhaps something like Disgaea 2 but pushed passed the limits of what's normally percieved as an RPG and what raises the bars for RPG standards everywhere. It's possible with any hardware, can be played on any device which means OUYA Everywhere outta do well, and we have a lot of RPG developers here with bright minds.
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26/05/2014 06:10 - SwiftIllusion : Even if you were to come up with an idea it couldn't be developed or represented like Nintendo was able to
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26/05/2014 06:10 - takedownmak : neon
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26/05/2014 06:10 - takedownmak : noeon shadow and others are great and all but we need a AAA like quality shooter that uses all of the OUYA's power
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26/05/2014 06:09 - SwiftIllusion : It also doesn't help that OUYA is mainly indies, and OUYA itself isn't a game development company unlike Nintendo who were able to develop Mario, etc as first party games with big budgets and proffesional teams
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26/05/2014 06:09 - SlingShot : one title. Thats it. Make it free with the system purchase ... and you sell millions
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26/05/2014 06:08 - SlingShot : ouya would fly off the shelves.
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26/05/2014 06:08 - SlingShot : a polished online fps with a ranking system and solid framerate. \
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26/05/2014 06:08 - SwiftIllusion : yeah Amazon won't make a system like that and hold back its gaming side
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26/05/2014 06:08 - SlingShot : that is all it would take
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26/05/2014 06:08 - SlingShot : agreed takedown
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26/05/2014 06:08 - takedownmak : lol
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26/05/2014 06:08 - takedownmak : lets be honest we need a great shooter
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26/05/2014 06:07 - RiotingSpectre : We all know that FireTV is not a primary video game console but Amazon knows better. The video game industry rivals that of the music and movie industry so that secondary spot that video games have on the FireTV will become primary in no time once they smell the cash.
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26/05/2014 06:07 - SlingShot : sev zero was ok. But it is NEVER going to sell those things as game consoles. Ever.
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26/05/2014 06:06 - takedownmak : i thought soulfjord would be a system seller but i was wrong
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26/05/2014 06:06 - SwiftIllusion : Hell there are people complaining about similarities between the Uncharted series when it had a continues story and unique plot but don't bat an eyelid about the million super mario sidescrolling platformers with 'browser steals princess mario gets princess back'
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26/05/2014 06:06 - RiotingSpectre : Sev Zero was a good effort on Amazon's part. Not quite there yet and if they do beat us to getting a defining game then we're pretty much dead.
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26/05/2014 06:06 - SlingShot : a 12 year old in a basement who has never seen the sun could develope a game. Doesnt mean it is good
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26/05/2014 06:05 - SwiftIllusion : Another thing that makes it difficult is Mario was able to be a game with a character that could continue indefinitely through various series and genres. If anyone attempted that now it would most likely immediately be hated
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26/05/2014 06:05 - SlingShot : which is where you guys are failing to make the connection
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26/05/2014 06:05 - RiotingSpectre : Amazing Frog is in the exclusive tier. Not defining. Perhaps OUYA Two will have one and then we can finally become that something that exist outside this bubble of ours.
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26/05/2014 06:05 - SlingShot : still doesnt make it a good game!!!!
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26/05/2014 06:05 - takedownmak : frog*
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26/05/2014 06:04 - takedownmak : true but nintendo has thousands of devs and amazing forg was made by 2 dudes
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26/05/2014 06:04 - SlingShot : amazing frog is something nintendo could develop in an hour. It is not good.
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26/05/2014 06:03 - SwiftIllusion : There's not many new experiences or original characters that can be so different and new that it's able to have that same kind of appeal and backing
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26/05/2014 06:03 - SlingShot : but that is what all the popular systems have become iconic for
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26/05/2014 06:03 - takedownmak : amazing frog is are closest to a mario like mascot
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26/05/2014 06:03 - SwiftIllusion : Games have come such a far way now that it's hard to 'define' a system like mario did
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26/05/2014 06:02 - SwiftIllusion : Yeah
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26/05/2014 06:02 - SlingShot : Riot understands ... Thank you for explaining it in a way I couldnt.
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26/05/2014 06:02 - takedownmak : that dragon cancer
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26/05/2014 06:01 - RiotingSpectre : Super Mario Bros. DEFINED the NES. Castlevania, Contra, and MegaMan are great exclusives but didn't define jack-shit. We don't have our version of Super Mario Bros. just yet.
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26/05/2014 06:01 - takedownmak : lol
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26/05/2014 06:01 - Kaimega : Exclusivity doesn't really mean anything anymore
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26/05/2014 06:01 - SwiftIllusion : It doesn't help that these days people have this notion that it's 'cool' to hate popular things, so even if something is good and is becoming popular people will start hating it for no other reason than its popularity
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26/05/2014 06:01 - SlingShot : riot is right ... Ouya needs something others cannot offer. Which it doesnt currently.
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26/05/2014 06:01 - takedownmak : we need halo 6
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26/05/2014 06:01 - Kaimega : right RS
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26/05/2014 06:01 - Kaimega : Nintendo has had those exclusives forever though. And people who buy other consoles aren't really buying for exclusives anymore but for games like COD, Battlefield, and Final Fantasy
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26/05/2014 06:00 - takedownmak : it has something to do with it
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26/05/2014 06:00 - RiotingSpectre : Basically what we need is a killer application. Not an amazing exclusive game. They're two different things.
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26/05/2014 06:00 - Kaimega : not meaning just graphics
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26/05/2014 06:00 - SlingShot : graphics have nothing to do with it.
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26/05/2014 05:59 - takedownmak : then what's great...... halo, the last of us????
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26/05/2014 05:59 - Kaimega : it was one of my first purchases takedownmak. It is a solid platformer with good graphics and fun gameplay
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26/05/2014 05:59 - SwiftIllusion : Our exclusives aren't bringing it more people largely because people are still stubborn and ignorant about graphics, not to mention while they are great games it's not like they've been able to develop a massive following like the exclusives that keep nintendo afloat. The others were able to get out the door earlier when there were less options available and in a time when people were more willing to become big fans of things
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26/05/2014 05:59 - SlingShot : the game has to be amazing. let me put it that way
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26/05/2014 05:59 - Kaimega : the thing is, Good is subjective. What may be good to some may be terrible to others
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26/05/2014 05:59 - takedownmak : you really love that game don't you kai
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26/05/2014 05:58 - SlingShot : takedown .. no they are not. But they are not great
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26/05/2014 05:58 - Kaimega : (SHUTTLE RUSH! it was exclusive and launch )
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26/05/2014 05:58 - SlingShot : but it has to be GOOD
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26/05/2014 05:58 - SlingShot : absolutely not
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26/05/2014 05:58 - Kaimega : It has to be... AAA?
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26/05/2014 05:58 - takedownmak : soul fjord, killing floor calamity, amazing frog, duckgame are not shitty imo
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26/05/2014 05:57 - SlingShot : in order for an exclusive game to sell hardware .. it has to be good. Like really good
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26/05/2014 05:57 - Sitting Fox : That's an interesting opinion.
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26/05/2014 05:57 - Kaimega : except they aren't lol
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26/05/2014 05:57 - SlingShot : period
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26/05/2014 05:57 - Kaimega : takedownmak - exactly. You can throw exclusives in people faces, but if they don't want to bat an eye, they won't. No matter how good something looks, or how exclusive it is
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26/05/2014 05:57 - takedownmak : or they will just ignore it completely
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26/05/2014 05:57 - SlingShot : because ouya exclusive games are ... shitty games.
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26/05/2014 05:56 - Kaimega : then why aren't our exclusives bringing in more people?
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26/05/2014 05:56 - takedownmak : we have plenty of good games but i think the problem is everyone still thinks that OUYA has no game's and only runs phone ports........*face palm*
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26/05/2014 05:56 - Kaimega : Media will hype up OUYA 2, and then after a while they will shoot it down. Like they did everything else (there just happens to be larger fanbases for everything else )
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26/05/2014 05:56 - SlingShot : you are wrong. exclusive is key. it is paramount.
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26/05/2014 05:55 - Kaimega : KS: yup
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26/05/2014 05:55 - Kaimega : But you need to get what I am, an exclusive doesn't matter if nobody wants to bat an eye towards it
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26/05/2014 05:55 - SlingShot : minecraft on firetv looked good to me ... but I am not a minecraft guy .. so i really have no idea
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26/05/2014 05:55 - Killswitch : Jump on the hot thing. Soon as OUYA 2 is out, the same thing will happen
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26/05/2014 05:55 - Kaimega : No, I am not. I get what you are saying
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26/05/2014 05:55 - Kaimega : yup
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26/05/2014 05:54 - SlingShot : you are missint the point entirely
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26/05/2014 05:54 - takedownmak : screw mincraft.. its a good game but once i saw mincraft on firetv i cryed
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26/05/2014 05:54 - SlingShot : i love a lot of ouya games ... but I understand what ouya is
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26/05/2014 05:54 - Sitting Fox : To each their own.
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26/05/2014 05:54 - Killswitch : platypus
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26/05/2014 05:54 - Kaimega : what I am saying is that they exist
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26/05/2014 05:53 - Kaimega : Subjective
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26/05/2014 05:53 - Kaimega : Minecraft has the ability to do whatever the hell you want.
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26/05/2014 05:53 - SlingShot : all those games are mediocre at best
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26/05/2014 05:53 - takedownmak : lol we have all the animals frogs ducks........ whats next???
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26/05/2014 05:53 - SlingShot : my kids play that more than anything else
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26/05/2014 05:53 - Kaimega : There is Duck Game, Amazing Frog, Shuttle Rush, etc etc etc. Plenty polished fun, and looking good
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26/05/2014 05:53 - SlingShot : no .. not always. You would be suprised how little graphics matter ... look at friggin minecraft .. and how huge that is
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26/05/2014 05:53 - Killswitch : wants to drop someone's jaw.
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26/05/2014 05:52 - Kaimega : HD == Jaw Dropping graphic
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26/05/2014 05:52 - takedownmak : i agree around 150k
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26/05/2014 05:52 - Kaimega : casual gamers as well
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26/05/2014 05:52 - Kaimega : Subjective, Sling. Thing is people look for jaw dropping graphics these days. You won't get that here
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26/05/2014 05:52 - SlingShot : and that game sucks
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26/05/2014 05:52 - SwiftIllusion : Nintendo has basically survived by making HD remakes of the same games forever but because it's nintendo people are okay with that
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26/05/2014 05:52 - Killswitch : ...
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26/05/2014 05:52 - takedownmak : i think duck game is that game but they just need better marketing
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26/05/2014 05:51 - RiotingSpectre : The Frog is ours.
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26/05/2014 05:51 - SlingShot : but not great ones. .. that is the difference
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26/05/2014 05:51 - Kaimega : Sling: except there ARE exclusive games, hasn't changed a damn thing
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26/05/2014 05:51 - Killswitch : Nintendo has Zelda
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26/05/2014 05:50 - SlingShot : As nintendo has said. One exclusive game ... could change everything
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26/05/2014 05:50 - Kaimega : I estimate around the same KS, if not a bit more
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26/05/2014 05:49 - Killswitch : I estimate 150,000 are out there. Would be great to be mass market but they aren't doing anything to do that
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[mmartino]

26/05/2014 06:01 - RiotingSpectre : Super Mario Bros. DEFINED the NES. Castlevania, Contra, and MegaMan are great exclusives but didn't define jack-shit. We don't have our version of Super Mario Bros. just yet.

Patience, its coming

Lobodestroyo

[RiotingSpectre]

Patience, its coming

Lobodestroyo

You missed the whole point of the conversation. Lobodestroyo is not an exclusive, not system defining due to its cross-platform nature, and all sorts of other things.

[Killswitch]

OUYA has tried to get exclusives, the problem on the developer side is income.

I had 2 ideas I've been sitting on myself for that reason.

I think the tweet was referring to something else but the vagueness lead people to think something else.

[James Andrew Coote]

I keep saying this, but it's all about perception. What's the killer app PS4 has that is so amazing?

Sadly, I've concluded it comes down to marketing budget. Sure, you still need great games, but it's only when 3 or 4 in a row get plastered all over billboards advertised as "on this console" do you get positive momentum.

People are now saying Nintendo has the opportunity to get themselves out of a hole with Wii U, if they can provide another couple of hits to back up the momentum generated by Mario Kart 8. Even then, it's a big if. OUYA might be able to get one hit from time to time, but without a run of them in relatively quick succession, those hits just become temporary blips on an otherwise flat sales graph (as happened with towerfall)

[rgcd]

Sorry to sound like a cynic here, but I personally think it is far more likely Ouya are making a game as a 'tutorial' or example to show people exactly how easy it is to get a game on Ouya. I very much doubt they are trying to create their own 'defining' game as they lack the experience to do so.

Exclusives ARE in my opinion what the Ouya needs, but exclusives from you and me aren't going to sway the tide anywhere near as much as exclusives from well known indies and established small studios. Instead of the broken 'free the games fund', that $1m would have been better spent giving 100 known indies and small studios $10,000 each to pitch and develop an exclusive title. But that's all water under the bridge now...

After spending the past two weeks working on a Ouya (exclusive) game using GameMaker Studio, I really think that Ouya should have partnered with YoYoGames to market the Ouya as an educational tool, or introduction to console game coding. It has been SO refreshing to develop a game without worrying about different resolutions and system requirements, and GMS works so perfectly with Ouya, running code straight from the PC down to the runner installed on the device.

Anyway, I'm super interested to see how Bawb's Ouya game pans out, and similarly I'm looking forward to seeing how our own release is received

[Killswitch]

Instead of the broken 'free the games fund', that $1m would have been better spent giving 100 known indies and small studios $10,000 each to pitch and develop an exclusive title. But that's all water under the bridge now...

Disagree. Just because some jackasses decided to try to break it doesn't mean it was without merit. Look at the ones who did receive money from OUYA, how many are actually out there now? There are people still getting money and Free the Games has merit, just bad direction and planning. Games aren't things that you can just put out there in a few weeks or whatever. Look how long we're still waiting for some that were launched even BEFORE OUYA's Kickstarter.

$10,000 isn't much in terms of development unless it's a 1-2 man team. Even then it would have to be something not so in depth.

I pitched an idea of breaking up the cash where you had X for this budget, X for this budget, etc.

There's more I can and probably will say on this subject because people are looking at it all wrong just because the idiots who try to game Kickstarter and those who don't need it or those who think Kickstarter is a way to fund their lives.