Nvidia's Project Shield (Mobile Gaming Device)

[MrHat]

Nvidia has decided that there isn't enough competition in mobile gaming:

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/01/nvidia-dives-into-the-portable-console-market-with-project-shield/

High def "Retina" touch screen, funky looking controller connected to the screen.  Android O/S, with all that Google Play stuff.  HDMI out.

Most exciting part though:

The Shield's most surprising feature, though, and one that has the potential to be a killer app for heavy PC gamers, is the ability to stream games from a nearby Windows box over a local network connection. After some technical hiccups, the demo unit was shown remotely operating games like Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit and Assassin's Creed III running on a PC just off-stage, and displaying those games both on the portable screen and a connected TV.

Basically they're claiming you can stream your Steam games right off the PC to this little device. Which is awesome and basically like having a Wii U controller but for your PC games.

[Rendakor]

Oh look, the NGage 2.0.

The Steam streaming thing does sound sort of cool though.

[Quinton]

I think the problem that I'd have with this form factor is that at home I'd prefer just a box plugged into the TV and a standalone controller (without the extra weigh, etc) and when not at home it seems pretty bulky to carry around.  What would be more interesting would be for the inexpensive console people (Ouya, etc) to move to a more capable SoC like Tegra4.

I wouldn't mind being able to use my TV plus a controller as an remote interface to my (larger, noisier) gaming PC, but I don't know if I'd want a 5" display when I have a 24" display on the PC and 46" display in the living room.

[Fabricated]

God CES is the worst thing.

http://www.tuaw.com/2013/01/07/ces-unveiled-the-hapifork-aims-to-help-you-track-your-eating-ha/

[Hawkbit]

Hapifork made me fat, lawsuit incoming.  Who knew I wouldn't lose weight by eating hapifork bites of brie all day?

[HaemishM]

What... the... fuck? 

[Rendakor]

Why is the fork thing posted in the Nvidia Gameboy thread anyway?

[Trippy]

Cause Fabricated is lazy.

[Fabricated]

Indeed. Also this project shield thing is stupid as hell.

[Kageru]

I don't get it... I'd be at home with my PC, with it's nice big screen and the possibility of connecting to a even bigger TV, and decide to play on an android phone taped to an x-box controller?

I guess they start with the assumption that cloud gaming is something people want (eg Grid) and try to work backwards from there.

[Margalis]

This is the year of "hey android is open and free (or whatever) so let's build a device around it, just because we can!"

[Lantyssa]

Maybe it'd be popular with the crowd that wants to keep playing on the toilet.

[Furiously]

What... the... fuck? 

I am disappointed.

What... The... Fork?
Was a gimmie.

[Sky]

Why is the left thumbstick in the wrong spot? Home position for the thumbs are left thumbstick and right button diamond. Asymmetrical thumbs for the ache.

[Paelos]

How do you wash a USB fork?

[koro]

You don't, silly. You throw it out and buy a new one!

[Rendakor]

Why is the left thumbstick in the wrong spot? Home position for the thumbs are left thumbstick and right button diamond. Asymmetrical thumbs for the ache.

I'm sorry, the PS3 controller disagrees.

[Sky]

Oh, snarky helps there. Good one.

Anyway.



Heh.

[koro]

While I love the old Dual Shock, its stick configuration is horrible for anything requiring dual analog control.

It's A-OK for anything else though.

What we really need is a standard console controller with swappable D-pad/analog stick, like some of those third party controllers had.

[Rendakor]

Like all things it's a matter of personal preference; I've found asymmetrical analog sticks awkward since they were first used in...Gamecube?

[Sky]

To be less snarky myself 

The way the 360 pad is set up is correct, imo. Rotating the thumb down to where the PS style left thumbstick is located is slightly more fatiguing than  the upper position of the 360 style.

One can get used to anything, and it's not a huge difference. But I prefer to have the most used parts of the controller under the most comfortable thumb position.

I'll leave the irony of leaving most of our better evolved digits unused for another day.

[Yegolev]

PS3 sticks are the way God intended them.  Try out a Katamari game on 360 and try to tell me it's awesome.  Microsoft was just trying to be contrarian.  Which I suppose explains some things.

[Sky]

Yes, I suppose the ideal controller for a niche game I have no interest in would definitely sway my opinion.

[Yegolev]

My weakness is thinking of good examples, but I feel like I have a good point.

[Sky]

I'm Microsoft.

[Yegolev]

Besides that point.  I might take some arguing points on certain gameplay styles being suited to left-thumb-on-stick+right-thumb-on-buttons, but since MS is the only one doing that I am assuming I'm in the majority of console gamers.  It's entirely possible that I use the right stick a lot more than most people here, but I do like them lined up.  I've used a Xbox controller plenty, and I've adjusted, but it's like adjusting to using the C-stick on the GameCube: doable but not ideal.

[Fordel]

Clearly we should go back to the N64 setup for controllers. 

[Yegolev]

I've seen it mentioned twice and since I seem to have blocked that from memory I dug it out of my closet.  I agree:

[Jeff Kelly]

Why is the left thumbstick in the wrong spot? Home position for the thumbs are left thumbstick and right button diamond. Asymmetrical thumbs for the ache.

I'm sorry, the PS3 controller disagrees.

The PS3 controller has the right analog stick at the wrong position (since it's used much more often today than the d-pad this matters) and it's also too small. I despise that controller so much that I stopped buying any games for my PS3 and exclusively play on the 360 now.

I can use the 360 controller non-stop without issues but give me the sixaxis or dual shock and my hands hurt after an hour of play.

Aside from the placement issue though.

Imagine a piece of equipment that's probably significantly heavier than an ipad and is probably "top heavy" because of the placement of the screen and that you'll have to hold in your hands like you would hold a PS3 or 360 controller. For extensive periods of time.

Oh and though it's probably more expensive than a current gen console or a small ipad it can't even match the current gen iPad 4 in terms of GPU or CPU performance.

Sounds like a great device

[Nayr]

Sounds like a high priced Android device without the joys of being a tablet or a phone.

Also I'd rather it function as a graphics card upgrade for my laptop than just be able to go out to a TV and stream play from Steam.