SDK published for Ouya - Apache 2.0 licensed | Hacker News Reader

SDK published for Ouya - Apache 2.0 licensed

ouya.tv

73 pointsjonny_eh21 comments

It's a little odd they're making a big deal of how it's all Apache licensed (http://www.ouya.tv/the-o-word/) saying:

    Please note that we’re still working on releasing the 
    source code for various elements of the ODK — and since 
    some of it is compiled object code, you won’t have access
    (at least not today) to every single line we’ve written.

When the ODK doesn't contain any sources for stuff other than the samples, but hey, it is a work in progress I guess.

(nb. as per other threads, the ODK is just providing controller, in-app purchase and launcher support; they're not repackaging the google SDK, which is nice to see~)

> they're not repackaging the google SDK, which is nice to see

They are actually not allowed to do so anymore, as of about a month and a half ago; Google decided they didn't want to be quite so open going forward.

> Section 3.4 of Google's new terms, which were updated Tuesday, reads, "You agree that you will not take any actions that may cause or result in the fragmentation of Android, including but not limited to distributing, participating in the creation of, or promoting in any way a software development kit derived from the SDK."

-- http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57550824-93/google-modifies...

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4793068

--Setup Instructions for the OUYA ODK--

Windows: TBD

Eclipse: TBD

... and no working homescreen, no friends lists, no simulator capable of working with the controllers, a dummy API for the store, no final hardware, no final controller, no documented UX+UI guidelines, and it's shipping in March?

My faith falters.

Truth be told, I'd rather pay $500 (or more) for a powerful console than $100 for OUYA - I guess it's addressing a very specific market, but it's not hardcore gamers (although I don't have much time to play lately, I consider myself one).

That being said, I'm happy for Steam's Big Picture, where I can actually build a HTPC myself and still enjoy the living room coziness for playing.

Of course it's not for a hardcore gamer. I used to be a hardcore gamer when in high-school. These days I don't have time nor the patience to get into many hardcore games. I'd much rather enjoy playing a simpler and more entertaining indie game for 30 minutes or an hour every now and then.

I also think its biggest market in the long term may be for young kids, like from 5-12 year old. That being said, I hope they upgrade it with more powerful and more modern ARM chips as soon possible.

I am right there with you. At one time I spent hours and hours playing "Hardcore" games, tweaking settings for better frame rates. Studying forums and websites for multilayer strategies and tip. Now I really would like something I can sit down with my five year old and play together. Or spend that precious hour after bed time and before my bed time playing. I don't necessarily have time for the six hour game marathon any more. I don't think I am alone as there is a whole generation that grew up like me that is now in the same position I am. I think there will still be a hardcore market, but I think it will transition from the mass market to an enthusiast market.

Spending a lot of time tweaking settings really has nothing to do with how hardcore of a gamer you are. It's a time vs. money trade-off; you can spend an extra hundred bucks to get the same performance as a tweaked cheaper version.

While I too, have significantly less time to play than I used to (running a business now and having small kids), I still consider myself a hardcore gamer. When kids go to sleep I still like to turn on PS3 and play a couple of hours. Not every day, but when I do, I want quality, both in term of graphics and gameplay. My current addiction is Borderlands 2 (coming after Mass Effect 3 and Dark Souls). I don't see how any of these titles would run on OUYA.

I imagine the target market is either "casual gamers", children and those who already have an Xbox / PS3 but fancy something different along side it.

If it cost a lot more money it would become difficult to justify the purchase for an existing console owner.

Well, if you are a gamer with absolutely no taste for FPS, the OUYA is a nice secondary system next to a PC.

the Dev Console has an early early early (you get that?) version of what our console UI will look like.

Can somebody explain the joke?

I don't think it's a joke, just reaffirming the repetition to ensure people are expecting a more complete design.

And people said it couldn't be done. Now it's time for people to move the goal post again!

The people criticizing OUYA weren't criticizing their ability to ship a thousand developer units or an SDK and you know it.

In many cases they were. I had friends assert they'd take the money and run. Whether they'll ship the rest of the consoles on time or not I don't know, but having a thousand working examples sent out to your primary advocates 3 months beforehand seems pretty promising.

it might be a bit early to say "working" but still I admit I am one of those sceptics that believes ouya will be a huge disappointment for most people...I hope they will be able to prove me wrong.

Well if they shipped out 1200 developer consoles with higher than a 0.1% broken rate then I'd say we're soon to see some drama.

On the other hand we might see positive reports. I'm sceptical but not as cynical as you :)

Taking the money and running is a completely different problem to being unable to ship at a price point of $100.

shipped. delivered.

That tells nothing about quality of delivery. I'd rather wait to see what comes out of it before proclaiming success.

In the video, they again claim that all the games will be free to play when they mean that all games will have what is essentially a demo version. Saying they're free to play is misleading.

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