Jamaican Game Machine

[weedalis]

All the electonic heads up in here im seriously thinking of making a game console out here in jamaica, it aint gonna be like ps 2 right now, but i wanna see what can be done and how far i can reach

if you with me holla back

give your comments
laugh/demotivate/lend a helping hand

[Chris]

You won't see me laughing or demotivating you. I'll never scoff at anybody's idea, because that's where great successes come from, ideas.

So what do you have in mind? What kind of form factor? Which games will it be compatible with?

[weedalis]

i want the games to be compatable with windows

[odsamuels]

This is all a very mind-blowing idea . Yes, please do keep us posted and ensure you got some "Yoshi"s on ur team.... i.e. some electronically minded ppl. ;D

[Nastrodamus]

Excellent Idea!!!

Just keep a level and and pursue your goal with stride and conciousness

Keep me posted as it relates to you plans of action and how we can help. Bouncing these ideas off us then we can always make suggestions.

You have my support

[sicholas]

Hmmm. Thats a very good idea Mr. Weedalis! just 1 question: HOW? if U have anything thats feasible I'll B the 1st 2 offer time, even $. not too much $ though ;D

[Ropy]

Here's my suggestion, if u don't like it don't make a big deal out of it. So here I go. Since that u say u want it to play pc games, I would suggest that you make it like a pc. But compact. And run on windows, or a modified version of windows or our own OS, being that games have to be specially compiled for linux. For Graphics: a standard 64M+ graphics card with component and SVideo out-put (SVideo & component are for the TV). For the controller I would recommend the Nostromo n50 SpeedPad & Nostromo n30 Game Mouse from belkin http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatSecti...ection_Id=2071 and a GamePad to make it compatible with pc games. And an Ethernet card and a Dolby 5.1 sound card. These are the basic components that I would use.
Conclusion I would make it a strip down version of a PC. ;D

[weedalis]

thats a good idea ropy, i like it,

[Xenocrates]

Weedalis, creative thinking... but let's assume that we even have all of the hardware requirements put down for this, how do we mass produce it? You'd have to have it done in one of those countries where electronic items are mass produced with cheap labour. That's what Microsoft did with the XBOX (manufactured in Mexico) and Intel with their chips (manufactured in Singapore).

But ok, let's get realistic with the specs. This is loong. So pull up a chair.

Firstly, You're going to need a RISC based processor with a custom built design that caters specifically to the maximum throughput you envision for such a system. These chips run a helluva lot faster than standard PC processors (which have to cater to legacy standards).

Secondly, you're going to need a helluva lot more ram than 64mb. Let's be realistic. You want to build a machine that will compete with the competition. You can't build a machine with only 64mb. XBOX NeXt is going to be released soon and I estimate they're going to pump 128mb of VRAM alone into that baby. Also, RAMBUS memory (the same type used in the Nintendo 64) would be needed. You would need very little of that memory to do a LOT. This memory would have to be pipelined with the video and math co-processors for FAST data trasmission. You don't want to limit your developers' creative capacity. The system with the bigger bang will woo the most developers. If your system can talk trash and kick *** at the same time - you will have a winner.

Thirdly, a fast 7200 rpm hard disk - no more than prolly 10gb. The XBOX uses an 8gb hard drive. More than is necessary.

Fourth, obtain a license from ATI technologies to employ the same ATI 9700 processor technology onboard to act as your video processor. This baby should have at least 128mb of FAAST DDR ram to it's benefit. It's easy to obtain a license from them. You can either have THEM build the video card (after you thrash out your motherboard specs) or you can license just the chip from them and have the company building your motherboard build the video processor into the board. This is how all console systems do it. The Playstation uses the 3DFx Voodoo video processor technology. The Playstation 2 uses a significantly more enhanced version of that processor. The XBOX uses the nVIDIA processor technology. You'll be the first to build a console using ATI's chip.

Fifth, you'll need to acquire the Redbook Standard from the ISO corp for developing your own custom built optical disc drive. The drive must be DVD blue laser compliant, and be able to recognize DVDs, SVCDs, CDA and your own FORMAT for your system. What would also help, is if you could obtain the encryption licensing scheme from Sony for their PS2 optical disc standard. Ofcourse, you might have to buy that off the black market. But there are people on Hong Kong that can manufacture that standard for you for little and nothing. The idea is that you want compatibility with a system that carries the largest game library in history (next to the 8-bit Nintendo system).

Don't even think about having compatibility with the XBOX system. Microsoft would sue you into oblivion. But I believe Sony would join forces with you to kill Microsoft...oooorr maybe not.... :-X

Sixth (stay with me here) - Your OS CANNOT be based on anything from Microsoft. You cannot obtain the license to build a scaled down version of Windows for any other platform that is not explicitly licensed by Microsoft or affiliates. That flies in the face of FCC regulations and US Justice Department regulations. Even if you did, you couldn't market the system in the US - not legally anyway. You CAN develop your OWN platform BASED on the Windows design. But if I were you, I'd adopt the LINUX kernel. It's a helluva lot more efficient and requires little processing power. That will leave your RISC processor with more firepower to render those gigapixels in real time. Furthermore, to the best of my knowledge (correct me if I'm wrong about this guys) the Linux kernel is open source. So just about anyone can build on it. Your future developers will love your system for it's power. Also it would help your cause if your OS had a BADASSED GUI. Have you seen the one for the XBOX? 'Nuff said!

Seventh Don't forget! After you develop your operating system, You will need to build your own SDK! (Software Development Kit). In layman's terms, your console will have it's own programming language. There are some wickedly brilliant minds right here in Jamaica (big up all you coders out there!!) and there is no short of programmers who'd be willing to write a 4GL to act as a go between the LINUX kernel for your operating system and as the user interface for your SDK. This SDK MUST be 5GL compliant and be EASY to learn. Nothing close to C or C++ type syntax. It must be clear and easy to read. As English like as is humanly possible. Looking at a large block of code shouldn't be daunting. You want your prospective developers to LOVE building games for your system. It must also conform to DirectX and OpenGL standards. That way, developers can readily and easily release games for both your system and the PC.

Eigth (still reading? GOOD!) - You're going to need a LOT of marketing UMPH!! Remeber, you have 3 giants to go up against (Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft). If you can convince as many marketing companies in this country as possible that this system is going to be like platinum for Ja's GDP, perhaps (and this is just a hypothesis) PERHAPS they might be willing and able to join forces to market your system. Marketing is KEY! Look at Microsoft's Windows Platforms! 'Nuff said!

Ninth Now this is the hard part. You're going to have to learn Japaneese. You may think I'm joking, but I'm not. You want to get a good risc processor designed for your console, right? Which is the leading RISC technology development country on earth? Ok then. Now, they DO speak english. But can you imagine the kind of impact it would have if you spoke their language? You want to impress them and show them you're not a joker.

Tenth Finally and most importantly, you will need to form your own company that allows the licensing of your SDK. If you don't do this, your SDK will be easy to pirate and replicate for spinoff systems. You don't want that. You want to patent your technology. The assembly of all the technologies mentioned above is recognized by the world's patenting organisations as an original good that can be legally marketed and copy protected. You will need to employ the aid of several technological firms worldwide (who will all be getting commissions from each system you sell) to be on your development and review team. Such a team is necessary for designing the technological specifications and building the system. The creation of the production line will almost automatically follow. They already have the resources for that.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 Things you need to do man. But I noticed that everyone here is saying that you should keep them posted - hands offish? (just kidding ;D ) If you are serious about this though Weedalis, there are many people who you'd need to talk to. Most of them are marketing specialists and technology consultants. You also need to do a helluva lot of research into the console market. Find out all the companies that allow the licensing out of their technology. Those are the people you want to do business with. Also, you'll want to keep your eye on the developments in the microchip industry - don't limit yourself to PC technology.

Some companies you might start out with are:
1) Motorola Inc. (pioneers of RISC technology)
2) Matsu****a Technologies (Panasonic, Phillips, Goldstar brands etc) very important!
3) Nintendo of Japan
4) The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) (VERRRY Important!)
5) Daewoo Electronics.
6) Sony Electronic Corp
7) TDK/BASF/3M corps - these guys pioneer laser disc technology
8) International Standards Organisation (ISO)
9) American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
10) European National Standards Organisation (developers of the PAL laserdisc format for Playstation games and DVDs)

That's not all of them, but it should give you a head start. Note, you cannot do this by yourself. You're going to have to employ the assistance of a couple of your friends. I'm sure you know a few good programmers. Get their input as well.

Since you'll be the brains behind this operation, you might as well know that it makes no sense to reinvent the wheel. There's technology out there that has been built already to do what you need to do. Use them up like C header files.

Hope this gave you some insight as to what you would need to do.

...oh I almost forgot. You're going to need Lawyers. Lots of Lawyers.

-Xeno

[owen]

:) Sure Xenocrates - but I don't think weedalis is planning to drop out a mega gaming machine to take over the gaming market just yet. even though it could be done but it would take a mass of resources.

probably (if I was a hardware guy - which i'm not), I build a standard pc from cheap parts. Get it as small as possible (unless it's a arcade box).

drop some usb controllers on it and a hot video card and your set.

then after we've perfected everything we'd move to Xenocrates phase of the plan. :)