Nvidia Shield and Android in general.

SubJeff on 7/1/2013 at 19:00

We have Ouya, Gamestick and now this thing on the horizon.

(http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/07/nvidia-project-shield-hands-on/)

Ouya and Gamestick are really stand alone game devices but this Shield thing is almost a combination of them, plus the ability to stream from your PC.

I'm intrigued. Commentators are already saying it has no place, its pointless etc, but I beg to differ. If we'll be able to use it with consoles as the controller (it has all the right physical bits) then why not?

Android games, PC & Mac Games, use your console, stream video with it and so on. Its like we're getting closer to the unification dream.

Its interesting that its using Android too. I wonder what Apple make of this. Google really are getting a lot of people taking it on.

Dresden on 7/1/2013 at 22:07

That looks ghastly.

SubJeff on 7/1/2013 at 23:55

You're ghastly.

Phatose on 8/1/2013 at 01:14

Well, it's certainly bulky from the look of it. Reminds me of a Jaguar or Dreamcast controller, and neither is something you really want to be connected with.

Using it with a console seems incredibly unlikely. If the system is set up for that kind of smart controller, then it's also going to be buried in proprietary tech and compatibility ain't gonna happen. If it's not...then why carry the extra weight and ergonomic issues for power you aren't actually going to use?

If it's a portable gaming device....why would jump into that market now? The long untouchable Nintendo is even floundering in that market. As an Android device, it's basically doing the same thing as your cell phone - why carry extra weight if you've already got your phone?

EvaUnit02 on 8/1/2013 at 04:27

Quote Posted by Phatose

If it's a portable gaming device....why would jump into that market now? The long untouchable Nintendo is even floundering in that market. As an Android device, it's basically doing the same thing as your cell phone - why carry extra weight if you've already got your phone?

Because in a lot of games, the touch screen emulation of gamepad controls (eg "virtual analogue sticks") is fucking terrible.

Phatose on 8/1/2013 at 04:49

Is the Android ecosystem set up to just allow switching those off with a device like this, or does that need to be supported in every individual game?

EvaUnit02 on 8/1/2013 at 06:55

Probably the latter. Current 3rd party solutions to add physical controls in smartphone OS games rely upon mapping software (eg similar to Joytokey, Pinnacle Game Profiler and Xpadder).

The brief research that I conducted into getting my PS3 pad working with my Galaxy over Bluetooth required a rooted BIOS. (Do I really need a modded or custom BIOS to achieve that? Christ.)