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Development => Consoles => Topic started by: Dream of Omnimaga on May 04, 2016, 05:09:08 AM

Title: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: Dream of Omnimaga on May 04, 2016, 05:09:08 AM
It looks like PICO-8 will soon be on a new console called the PocketCHIP! (assuming it comes to fruition, of course)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3qkdB5bzLY

For those who don't know, PICO-8 (http://www.lexaloffle.com/pico-8.php) is a virtual console that can run old-school Lua games running at 128x128 resolution with 16 colors. Many games were made by the Lexaloffle and other communities, so when this console is available, there will already be a very huge game library for it. The only thing I personally don't like about it is the color, so I hope they offer multiple console color choices for people who don't like pink. :P

It isn't out yet but it can be pre-ordered. However, there is no release date announced anywhere yet.

Source: http://www.getchip.com/pages/pocketchip

Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called SuperCHIP?
Post by: Snektron on May 04, 2016, 06:20:31 AM
Wow thats pretty cool :o
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called SuperCHIP?
Post by: garvalf on May 04, 2016, 10:32:56 AM
I've seen this on chipmusic.org too. I've just ordered mine. I didn't know the C.H.I.P. from the console could be removable and used for example on your tv, so with this feature, the touchscreen, the pico-8 integration, it's a very interesting device for a cool price.

On the website they say it will ship in June.
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called SuperCHIP?
Post by: Dream of Omnimaga on May 04, 2016, 01:28:40 PM
Where did you see the shipping date in June on the site? I couldn't find it O.O

Anyway, I might pre-order one too.
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called SuperCHIP?
Post by: Ivoah on May 04, 2016, 02:43:35 PM
I backed the CHIP kickstarter, so I will be getting my CHIP at the end of May, unfortunately I didn't/don't have enough money to justify purchasing a PocketCHIP, although it does look awesome.
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called SuperCHIP?
Post by: Dream of Omnimaga on May 04, 2016, 04:10:57 PM
I really hope they make a version with different colors since I'm not necessarily a fan of pink <_< (except walruses but that's another story <_<)
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called SuperCHIP?
Post by: alexgt on May 04, 2016, 04:41:12 PM
This looks really cool, and promising.
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: Ivoah on May 04, 2016, 04:54:18 PM
Quote from: DJ Omnimaga on May 04, 2016, 04:10:57 PM
I really hope they make a version with different colors since I'm not necessarily a fan of pink <_< (except walruses but that's another story <_<)
They might release the design files and you could 3D print your own.
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: Dream of Omnimaga on May 04, 2016, 10:37:13 PM
I can't afford a 3D printer right now, though. :P
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: gameblabla on May 04, 2016, 10:38:02 PM
At that price, i wouldn't buy it.
This thing has no Dpad... that is like, the most essential thing to a video game console
and this thing does not have it.
Also, why a 420x272 display when it seems to be designed to run only Pico-8 games ? (128x128 resolution)
Why this piece of crap cost 50$ ?
Why is it so bad ?

I like the Chip but i can't say the same thing about the PocketChip...
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: Dream of Omnimaga on May 04, 2016, 10:46:07 PM
From what I can gather, it isn't designed only to run PICO-8 games, but it's the main focus. As for the lack of a d-pad that's an issue I know. I think the price is fine, though, compared to some other consoles I saw before.
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: garvalf on May 05, 2016, 05:47:59 AM
You can play with the physical buttons, it should be enough. But it's also Bluetooth aware, so you can connect a BT pad, or an USB game pad.
You might also see there are direction keys on the keyboard.

For the shipping date, it written on top "Order Today Shipping in June".

For the price I think it's fair, the screen alone is 20$. And it's a touch screen, unlike several other consoles.
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: Dream of Omnimaga on May 05, 2016, 05:54:49 AM
The lack of a d-pad can definitively make playing certain games much harder, though. Of course, PICO-8 is normally played on a PC keyboard so it isn't much of a backwards step, but given that this is aimed to be a console, I wish they would have considered at least one d-pad.
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: gameblabla on May 06, 2016, 08:14:36 PM
There's one thing about the PocketCHIP that is strange...
Why does it have so many buttons ?
Is this supposed to be a keyboard ?
If so, i can't see the labels...
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: Ivoah on May 06, 2016, 08:18:36 PM
Quote from: gameblabla on May 06, 2016, 08:14:36 PM
There's one thing about the PocketCHIP that is strange...
Why does it have so many buttons ?
Is this supposed to be a keyboard ?
If so, i can't see the labels...
It is a keyboard. I think the labels are printed on the silkscreen above each button.
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: Dream of Omnimaga on May 07, 2016, 01:15:51 AM
PICO-8 games are designed for keyboards. Some game developers choose to use Z, X, Space and arrows for shooting and jumping, while others might use different keys. Others might even use WASD for movement. So a full keyboard is needed for complete compatibility with games.
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: aetios on May 07, 2016, 08:27:19 AM
@DJ Omnimaga don't you dare dislike pink. That thing looks   a e s t h e t i c s   as c.
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: Dream of Omnimaga on May 07, 2016, 10:16:46 PM
I don't know. I like it better with different colors than white personally. Black+pink, dark blue+pink, yellow+pink or teal+pink would have been very cool.
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: Snektron on May 07, 2016, 10:40:39 PM
Maybe in the future different colors will be available, if it does well.
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: Dream of Omnimaga on May 08, 2016, 12:04:36 AM
Yeah that's what I think, unless it increases the price too much.  If it's very popular then I'm sure they already got the suggestion anyway.
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: garvalf on May 09, 2016, 07:46:29 AM
I think it is very good they made a full keyboard, for various reasons, and also because we are supposed to be able to modify pico-8 codes. It's a better design than for example the spectrum vega which removed all keys except for the directions and fire button...

And yes, it would have been better (and more confortable) if they made a d-pad instead of the direction keys (for the same size factor), but probably it was more difficult to make it fit in the case. On the other hand, if the buttons are round enough, maybe it will be quite confortable to use after all (on contrary this kind of false d-pad are just horrible to use: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51IsNtFhdYL.jpg )
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: Ivoah on May 09, 2016, 02:36:01 PM
Quote from: garvalf on May 09, 2016, 07:46:29 AM
I think it is very good they made a full keyboard, for various reasons, and also because we are supposed to be able to modify pico-8 codes. It's a better design than for example the spectrum vega which removed all keys except for the directions and fire button...
Well, running PICO-8 isn't actually the primary goal of the PocketCHIP. It's originally just a small pocket computer, hence a full keyboard being mandatory.
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: Dream of Omnimaga on May 09, 2016, 06:08:40 PM
Oh darn I hate the PSP-style gamepads. They feel weird. I hate its joystick even more, though.
Quote from: Ivoah on May 09, 2016, 02:36:01 PM
Quote from: garvalf on May 09, 2016, 07:46:29 AM
I think it is very good they made a full keyboard, for various reasons, and also because we are supposed to be able to modify pico-8 codes. It's a better design than for example the spectrum vega which removed all keys except for the directions and fire button...
Well, running PICO-8 isn't actually the primary goal of the PocketCHIP. It's originally just a small pocket computer, hence a full keyboard being mandatory.
I thought it was? I guess I was misled into thinking that with all the hype claiming it's a PICO-8 console.
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: Ivoah on May 09, 2016, 06:32:54 PM
Quote from: DJ Omnimaga on May 09, 2016, 06:08:40 PM
Oh darn I hate the PSP-style gamepads. They feel weird. I hate its joystick even more, though.
Quote from: Ivoah on May 09, 2016, 02:36:01 PM
Quote from: garvalf on May 09, 2016, 07:46:29 AM
I think it is very good they made a full keyboard, for various reasons, and also because we are supposed to be able to modify pico-8 codes. It's a better design than for example the spectrum vega which removed all keys except for the directions and fire button...
Well, running PICO-8 isn't actually the primary goal of the PocketCHIP. It's originally just a small pocket computer, hence a full keyboard being mandatory.
I thought it was? I guess I was misled into thinking that with all the hype claiming it's a PICO-8 console.
Nah, the PICO-8 announcement didn't come until much after the Kickstarter. Idk when they figured they could put PICO-8 on it, but it def wasn't the primary goal.
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: Dream of Omnimaga on May 09, 2016, 06:42:32 PM
Ah ok. I actually saw the console a few weeks ago on social networks like Twitter. I learned about it from the guy who posted a custom PICO-8 physical cartridge.
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: garvalf on August 15, 2016, 12:05:26 PM
I've got my PocketCHIP recently. It's nice, but the keyboard is quite horrible: noisy, hard to type, much worse than my first android phone with physical keyboard. It's impossible to type fast with it, and difficult to actually play. You can't really type the two buttons for diagonals, and the clac clac noise is annoying as hell. I also don't really see anything I can't do instead with my android phone (with a bigger screen resolution and a chroot linux distribution).

Yet, I like this pocketCHIP: it is hacker friendly, it has wifi and bluetooth (you can use another keyboard, but I didn't manage to make another joypad work with it, but I think it's possible), it has GPIO, it's more like a raspberry with screen in fact. The object itself is cool and good looking (even if cheap). And it was affordable. It's also quite conveniant to use if for making music with Sunvox (with a nintendo ds pen). I've already installed syncthing on it for sharing data between my other computers.

I only regret I haven't bought an extra CHIP with it, because you can't just remove the CHIP from the pocketCHIP and use it on your TV (you have to reflash it to an other OS), but they're working on this, for having only one OS in the future.
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: Dream of Omnimaga on August 15, 2016, 06:43:45 PM
Thanks for the review. I didn't buy it yet but my main worry was definitively the keyboard. From pictures, I was worried that it would not feel like a gaming handheld at all. Are any game playable on it?
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: garvalf on August 16, 2016, 09:59:00 AM
you can play exploration games, one button games (like my "rabbit, fox, hunter" ;) ), or ones involving simple movements. For platformers like Celeste I think it's almost impossible. Maybe a new challenge?

Otherwise the CHIP community and developpers are nice, so it worths getting one in my opinion.
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: Dream of Omnimaga on August 16, 2016, 03:43:25 PM
Maybe if it's popular enough and there's enough demand they could make a version that is more gaming-friendly? It doesn't absolutely need joysticks but maybe better buttons for attack, cancel, directional, etc?
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: garvalf on August 16, 2016, 07:24:12 PM
I doubt they'll ever do this, but it seems there are some solutions: http://blog.nextthing.co/modify-pocketc-h-i-p-with-these-4-hardware-hacks/
A friend of mine has a 3D printer, I'll ask him to print the first one!
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: Dream of Omnimaga on August 16, 2016, 07:25:58 PM
The first thing makes me wish I had a 3D printer. D:
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: garvalf on August 21, 2016, 12:08:25 PM
I've asked the price for printing such small pieces, and it's around 20 €, it's 1/3 the price I paid for the whole console + shipping, so I think i won't make printing this, and I'll keep my bluetooth controllers!
3D printings are still damn too expensive...
Title: Re: PICO-8 to ship on a new game console called PocketCHIP?
Post by: Dream of Omnimaga on August 29, 2016, 05:53:10 AM
My god, that's ridiculous. I wonder if 3D printing will ever get cheaper... new technology sometimes does, but there are things, such as AAA batteries, that just remain the same price for decades. :(