OK so lets say you made your OWN Console...

I'm a bit disappointed So far with the PS4 details the games aren't looking that impressive YET
So My friend Liam and I got talking about making our OWN Console. For shits and Giggles who we get on board right away
who we try to make 1st party and what the freakin thing does.

Specs? I have no idea as high end as possible without making it over bearingly expensive. I like AMD/ATI stuff I think I could squeeze in 16 gigs of ram ram is cheap right?

OS- Linux of course it's open source

Online... I have this idea of gamer tags tying into Either Twitter or Facebook accounts I like the idea of Sharing achievements.

As far as games... I'd go after Cave, Atlus and Grasshopper Manufacture first... In fact the latter I'd be tempted to at whatever cost be my first Party Dev.
I'd also make it as indie friendly as possible.

Controller would basically be a Saturn pad with 2 analog sticks stuck under it.

As for media I don't want to pay sony so either SD Cards or we bring back HD DVD

Ok I'm sure you've all thought about it...what would you do if you could make your own console what does it do, Who do you go after as your 1st Party Devs, what's your Online plan, what's in it?

 

Specs- I'd collab with IBM for a custom CPU to match what I want it to do. DDR3, but lots to lengthen the lifetime- with separate GDDR5 VRAM. GPU would be Nvidia based. Upgradable GPU and CPU via socketed chips, available only through game company. Just like the CPU, the GPU chip itself would be in a socket. Not sure about slotted RAM sticks. Dual ethernet for system linking, USB 3.0, proprietary high speed peripheral connectors (power + data) for advanced attachments (kinect-like sensors)

OS- Custom FOR SURE. Prebuilt OS on a game system never works. I'd have it game centered for obvious reasons. Simple user interface, with an option to turn on advanced features (for those that use them) which would enable on screen FPS counting and others.

online- Via custom system, hopefully fits well with other pre-existing systems like FB to match popularity

controller- Similar to current ones, dual analog, triggers+ bumpers, but I'd have a better wired cable included, full sound support over 3.5mm w/ mic, potentially with a handful of new features too. Not sure what I'd have to think about it.

Media- flash, proprietary media to keep game devs happy. Large in size as so you don't loose them (1/2 credit card sized). System can hold 6 cards at a time

case- solid build, simple yet effective, metal would be nice.


I know, I'm describing essentially a PC you plug into a TV and it would have an Apple like price point. But that's what I would value in a good console.

 

Compact Flash would probably work best. SD Cards in my experence aren't the fastest things on Earth. I'm not 100% opposed to online passes either, I figure If I could keep the online component free (through ads Probably) I can have devs charge for Online passes they get a cut I get a cut. Gamers still have used games.

 

I think a compact flash like device would be OK, but with them rather on edge more like an SD.
If they were pin and socket like CF there's a much higher chance that it could be destroyed by some kid shoving carts in and out.

And I hate slow SD cards, hence my use of "proprietary".

I'd make online free, I'm against paying for it. But, there would be advertising in lobbies and before games (small, less than 20% of the screen) as so to maintain that and keep everyone happy.
Players could select said ads and choose to "view now" or put in some sort of a playlist of ads to check out later.
It's both there and non-obtrusive.

I'm copyrighting all my ideas, in the event something here is actually worth considering.

 

Go for it, the Future of gaming looks pretty bleek right now, maybe a new upstart with a bunch of us tossing ideas around might be the kick in the nuts the industry needs right now.

The games have to be there though. I'd really go after the developers the niche hardcore gamer loves, G.Rev, Cave, Grasshopper Manufacture Atlus and so on. Niche gamers are that a niche, but they spend the money.

Last I knew Yuji Naka wasn't doing anything I'd totally toss money at him and tell him Hey look new platform, make it your bitch.

 

If anything I'll do it myself. I am going to go into game development as a career, why not pull an Apple and do OS+Games+hardware and the overall exclusive feel to it?

 

Lets see...

Specs: something roughly on par with a current mid-to-high PC (as most everyone has said) 2 USB 3.0 ports on the front, at least 2 on the back. Removable HDD with USB memory support (like the 360, so you can bring your profile over). Optical media (probably blu-ray) just because now they're the cheapest, densest way to have retail sales

Online: Free, with optional (but not required) social connectivity (although I personally don't like using it, I guess some people do).

Controller: Basically the 360 controller, but with a better d-pad.

And I would have it tested before it released so 2/3 of the systems won't fail.

 

Picture this only with a Saturn pad and the Analog sticks on the bottom Maybe a Small VMU Style screen with touch controls.

http://www.amazon.com/Pro-Controller-Wii-Nintendo-U-6304900/dp/B009O3WU2A/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1361425217&sr=8-2&keywords=wii%2Fwii+u+snes

 

That is a BUTTON EXPLOSION!

I've seen those at Gamestop, and all I could think was "they crammed a SNES pad in a 360 one..."

 

Specs:

CPU: Power PC based hex core from IBM, running at 3.2ghz,custom with a fast FPU,and boots up in a fixed state to preserve system integraty
GPU: Geforce Titan based, but scalable for future revisions of the console
Ram: 8GB dedicated DDR3 ,2GB Dedicated GDR5 for GPU
HDD: 320GB 2.5"
Optical storage: Buy all the old and abandoned HD-DVD manufacturing equipment and make your own HD-DVD like media with a capacity of 50GB,to prevent inevitable piracy
OS: Linux based, custom os, with restricted homebrew access from the start ,full system architecture not accessible,in homebrew mode,can duel boot linux oses
Encoder: H.264 Digital Decoder, and Encoder
Peripherals: a wireless bluetooth controller with a proper d-pad, duel shock, and a VMU like dock similar to the dreamcast.

Special Features:

A VMU like device: 3" LCD with Capacitive touch, one analog stick (like 3DS), 4 buttons, 800mhz Arm 7/8, Mali 200 GPU, running android, fully removable,Li-po battery that self charges when docked, and used for mobile gaming as well as displaying and interacting with console once plugged in like dreamcast VMU, and touch screen to enhance gameplay.

Shop Kiosks to load games onto the VMU like handheld, that has a big database of pre-existing games the user can load , and play as mobile as well as on the system

Boot times: Console boots in 3 seconds, and boots directly to disc, no wait times.

UI: Clean and crisp, no clutter, no forced online, or social networking BS, lobbies for online multiplayer.

SD Card slot: Live record your gameplay to a SD card, or take screenshots of gameplay.

Bluetooth headsets with good quality mics and headphones

Online shop: Only indie titles, and once every few months a disc compilation will be released bundled indie games, and sold trough retail indie games must support both the VMU and the actual console, and allso be distributed via retail kiosks.

I shall call it "The Dreamcast 2"

 

Yeah, Nintendo WiiU FrankenPad...

 

SD? Maybe if you really want manufacturing costs for games to be like 10 times higher than for discs.

 

I do like the idea of resurrecting HD DVD for a new console, But HD DVD still doesn't quite hold up to Blu Ray in Capacity But I'm sure improvements could be made.

 

Make the controller a Saturn pad with GameCube-style analog sticks and a neo-geo CD style clicky thumbstick.

 

I always forget about how awesome those Neo CD thumbsticks were... Though realizing how the average consumer treats their controllers, I have a feeling they wouldn't last long (just because you can't make that sort of thing *super* robust on that scale), and it would become an "epidemic". "Why did they design the digital stick like this? It can't even hold up to me throwing the controller at the wall! BS!"

My controller would have them anyway, though.

As for technology, I doubt my console would end up being anything other than x86-based or Power PC based. In fact, I'm afraid it would basically end up becoming just a PC for simplicity's sake.

 

Make it backwards compatible with the DC and you've got yourself a customer.

I don't care how, just DO IT

 

Custom PPC CPU architecture, custom GPU too, 8 GB unified memory architecture, HDD 7200 RPM 6Gbs 3.5inch required HDD (for caching), 1 Gbit ethernet.

Also I would have a bluray drive for playing movies but not for playing games on. I would have the option of a disk to install games to the HDD, but not to stick a game in and play. It would be able to download games directly to the console, with no disc but DRM, that isn't annoying as hell (like having it require online 24/7 to play games). If you never connect your console to the internet you can play without DRM with the disc in the console (like the 360). If you do connect to the internet, you can input a code that comes with the disc or something and be able to play the game offline. I'd free region the entire console.

Allow USB sticks for storage, and I'd have non-propitiatory ports on the consoles, like VGA, HDMI, digital optical, and maybe component. External PSU. And cool UI and stuff.

 

I'd make my Console BC with Saturn, DC and PC ENGINE Super CD. Maybe even toss in Neo Geo CD. How..don't ask me I just would.

 

It should also have an imagination technologies ray tracing chip in it.

 

I'm sticking a hole in the back of it what you do with it is your own business.