World, Meet Crystal Tiger

We are selling it as an affordable competitor to both Media Centers and next-gen consoles. Those specs that he posted ARE NOT the specs of the system, that was just Tyler giving out an idea of how we were going to use PC parts. Our main advantages to the PC are cost, and the fact that all the games will be built to the specs of the console and will be able to use those abilities to the fullest. We are going to tweak all parts to squeeze the most power out for best cost and power efficiency. Also, we will allow indies and hobbiests to make their own games for it, submit them, and have it available over our games/movies/music servers. It's like the GP2X taken to a whole new level!

Have you been to Flagler County? I didn't think so. Outside of Hammock, not many people can afford Xbox 360's or PS3's. Hell, half of my friends have AOL dialup still. Our console is what most people in this area would love. A media center that won't break you budget, a console with great graphics but not $300-$600, an easy to use computer that won't cost $700 to get a slow system with an apple on the side.These reasons and more are why it will sell in Palm Coast, Bunnell, and other parts of Flagler County.

If by some miracle you progress to a point that you can sell this console of yours, where are your games going to come from?

We are going to tweak the graphics card to offer optimal display off of standard definition TVs.

As a matter of fact yes, I have, and have also helped my school set up streaming videos from a PC to a TV with excellent quality.

$300? I used an S-Video cable and messed around with some video settings. Also, I'm 13. Do you have a problem with that?

Dude, I mean this with the utmost respect, but what you are proposing is downright impossible to pull off.

1) Nobody will develop for a proprietary OS for a no-name proprietary 'console'. For this reason you are unlikely to have any games that even make someone consider the console.
2) It's unlikely you will be able to get costs down to a reasonable level that it becomes a better bargain than last gen consoles, much less this/next gen.
3) You simply don't have the marketing and engineering know-how to build a console, much less a multimedia hub. I can fairly confidently make this assertion because if you did in fact have the know-how, you wouldn't be undertaking the task.
4) How you plan to support C4 engine with a proprietary OS? Why don't you just use a supported unix platform as the base?
5) How long have you actually developed for existing consoles? If you haven't then you for sure aren't prepared.

These reasons even assume you were somehow able to a) write the OS, and b) build some sort of console.

What generation games are you planning to run on it? Obviously not well known commercial games, as you appear to be going with a proprietary OS from the start. To be perfectly blunt, this is a vapour ware project, just like nearly every MMO started on this site by those without a clue how to do it. There's irony in that, as according to your forum you are developing an MMO in parallel?

Again, with all due respect, no amount of dedication and focus can make the impossible happen. The phrase "if you put your mind to it you can do anything" isn't meant to be taken literally.

We can use C4 because of we can go into the source code to make the necessary changes to let it run under the custom OS. Also, costs don't need to beat last gen, we have more features. We simply want to stay below next gen except possibly the Wii, that price will be close to ours, except we can do more things.

Its threads like this that kill motivation. I'm glad I wasn't bombarded by this kind of cynicism when I was 13 trying to learn to make games.

Good luck, have fun, and hopefully you'll learn something about business and games in the process!

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Original post by Anonymous Poster Quote: Original post by JBourrie Its threads like this that kill motivation. I'm glad I wasn't bombarded by this kind of cynicism when I was 13 trying to learn to make games. Good luck, have fun, and hopefully you'll learn something about business and games in the process! Dude he's making an OS, console and games!!

Do you think he'll succeed in selling it commercially?
I don't, which I why I said I hope he'll learn something about business and games.

If he were 30 I'd tell him to get a real job. He's not, he's young and exploring ideas, let him be. I just know if I were reading that from the point of view of a wannabe-entrepreneurial teenager, I'd get pretty disheartened at how harsh the replies are.


(Edit: Maybe I'm the only one that assumed he was young even before he said his age?)

I too wish you the best of luck. It is a very ambitious project but there is no harm in trying [smile]

I do have one crit though ...the name [dead]

The games market is still predominantly male and to me "Crystal" isn't cool at all. "Crystal" makes me think of Barbie dolls or the name a little girl would give the pony she wishes she had [rolleyes]

Tiger is ok though (those Tiger handhelds were pretty awesome back in the day) [wink]

So really you want to play on the strength of "Tiger" and go with something manlier. Like...

- Super Tiger X1
- Tiger Gnawing Your Face Off
- Crouching Tiger?

or countless others [smile]

Best of luck,
ViLiO

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Original post by Anonymous Poster Quote: Original post by JBourrie Its threads like this that kill motivation. I'm glad I wasn't bombarded by this kind of cynicism when I was 13 trying to learn to make games. Good luck, have fun, and hopefully you'll learn something about business and games in the process! Dude he's making an OS, console and games!!

At least he's doing something! How many 13-year olds do you know that do *anything* more than just say "I want to make an game!" Even if he doesn't suceed, he'll certainly learn a ton.

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The games market is still predominantly male and to me "Crystal" isn't cool at all. "Crystal" makes me think of Barbie dolls or the name a little girl would give the pony she wishes she had [rolleyes]

It's like one of those He-Man/She-Ra things, Crystal for the girlies and Tiger for the dudes.

Though I really do like Tiger Gnawing Your Face Off... it just has this ring to it. :)

Some quick quotes from your forum.

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Hi everybody, I am the programmer who is making the OS for the console. Let me tell you, this is going to be one powerful console. We've got Shader Model 3, streaming vidoes off the internet, an SDK to make your own games, and all the other stuff mentioned in Tyler's post. This console is going to be much stronger than the Nintendo Wii and the original Xbox put together. If you have wanted a next-gen console but don't have enough money, this is the best option for you.

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Marketing: · We will sell the console directly to the consumer if they live in Flagler County FL. However, those outside of Flagler will be able to buy it online for the same price (unannounced) plus shipping and handling.

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Here it is. Our biggest announcement yet. Leave nvidia alone and go our own way. We will use custom parts for the system.

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Also in SIE General Chat Today, Suicidal Interactive Entertainment bought out FullThrottle MultiMedia. The CEO of FTMM, fullthrottle, is now CEO of SIE, of course is not CEO/Founder like tylor2bcool. Order in power: tylor2bcool fullthrottle

Okay, so, let me get this right. You are developing a home made came console, which you think will be better than the Wii and XBox together. Sure, I mean Microsoft and Nintendo only had a few hundred million and dozens or hundreds of full time people for several years.

The os will be written by a 13 year old (I don't have a problem with this) who is still at school (I do have a problem with this). You are leaving nVidia alone and "going your own way". Ok, so you are also developing your own GPU. Hell, nVidia only has a few billion dollars and probably thousands of designers. What do they know?

Your "Team" seems to consist of exactly 2 people. Who are listed in "order of power". Also, you BOTH have the title of CEO (not a problem) in a company of two people (somewhat a problem).


Seriously guys, 11/10 for enthusiasm. But seriously, c'mon!

Suicidal Interactive Entertainment indeed.

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Original post by Ezbez At least he's doing something! How many 13-year olds do you know that do *anything* more than just say "I want to make an game!" Even if he doesn't suceed, he'll certainly learn a ton.

This logic doesn't make any sense. Ok, let's root him on toward an IMPOSSIBLE goal, where he won't learn even a fraction of what he would if we convinced him to undertake a more reasonable project. He is making an OS, console, and apparently an MMO for this console, and is somehow thinking there is a market for any of it. Maybe it's just me but I think it's a much better idea to attempt to put things in perspective instead of encouraging them down a road that will only end in failure. A successful project is much more motivating than a failed one.

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Quote: Here it is. Our biggest announcement yet. Leave nvidia alone and go our own way. We will use custom parts for the system. Quote: Also in SIE General Chat Today, Suicidal Interactive Entertainment bought out FullThrottle MultiMedia. The CEO of FTMM, fullthrottle, is now CEO of SIE, of course is not CEO/Founder like tylor2bcool. Order in power: tylor2bcool fullthrottle Okay, so, let me get this right. You are developing a home made came console, which you think will be better than the Wii and XBox together. Sure, I mean Microsoft and Nintendo only had a few hundred million and dozens or hundreds of full time people for several years. The os will be written by a 13 year old (I don't have a problem with this) who is still at school (I do have a problem with this). You are leaving nVidia alone and "going your own way". Ok, so you are also developing your own GPU. Hell, nVidia only has a few billion dollars and probably thousands of designers. What do they know? Your "Team" seems to consist of exactly 2 people. Who are listed in "order of power". Also, you BOTH have the title of CEO (not a problem) in a company of two people (somewhat a problem). Seriously guys, 11/10 for enthusiasm. But seriously, c'mon! Suicidal Interactive Entertainment indeed.

Hahaha... wow, yeah, that's a bit ambitious :)

@ Anon

My reply was less targeting your posts as it was a general frustration, it seems to me that the cynicism we build up from years of dealing with the business world makes us forget the kind of ambition we had when we were kids and wanted to do everything all at once. In my case, my crazed ambition turned to motivation and discovery, and never hurt anyone else in the process.

There is a danger, though, in exactly what FullThrottle is saying... if he convinces others in his county who don't know dick about game consoles to buy his system, he could be taking advantage of them. (Note: FullThrottle, this is important).

But if there is not harm, theres no foul, and while we don't have to "play along" we can at least suggest better avenues instead of just tearing apart his "business plan".

My suggestion (to anyone who cares to take it) is that next time you see a thread like this, if you're going to tear apart the plan have a suggestion of a better path to take.



@FullThrottle

I think you've probably read most of the "better path" already :) But you should look into focusing your efforts: instead of making a console that can beat everything AND an MMO... focus on one thing at a time. Do you want to work more with hardware or software? If hardware, what can you design that would be useful outside of the standard gaming competition? The Wii could have been designed as a 133mhz Pentium that used the Wiimote controller, and it would have still been new and unique. Can you possibly design an input device that could make the system interesting? Or a new type of force/user-feedback? I'm sure if you had one, the tune of the devs on this forum would be very different...

If you went the software route, there are plenty of threads on how not to start things, and they all say "the MMO comes later". Build demos, experiment, see what you can do that nobody else has done. Most of all, have fun doing it, you'll have plenty of time in the future to make games that aren't fun :)

Through all of this, remember that you are not Nintendo, you are not Microsoft, so you don't have the budget or the resources to make this commercially successful right now. But Nintendo and Microsoft both started with a small group of people working on a slim budget to see what innovations can be made in technology.

Peace out! (I've never said that before... had to do it at least once)

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Original post by DrEvil Quote: Original post by Ezbez At least he's doing something! How many 13-year olds do you know that do *anything* more than just say "I want to make an game!" Even if he doesn't suceed, he'll certainly learn a ton. This logic doesn't make any sense. Ok, let's root him on toward an IMPOSSIBLE goal, where he won't learn even a fraction of what he would if we convinced him to undertake a more reasonable project. He is making an OS, console, and apparently an MMO for this console, and is somehow thinking there is a market for any of it. Maybe it's just me but I think it's a much better idea to attempt to put things in perspective instead of encouraging them down a road that will only end in failure. A successful project is much more motivating than a failed one.

I disagree. I personally undertook several impossible projects when I was in middle and high school, and I learned TONS even though I never finished a single one of them. The experience I gained from that helped me get a good job at a game development company working on PS2, PSP, PC games. If I hadn't endlessly tried learning different things, I would be programming accounting software or static web pages or something equally unexciting.

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Original post by Nypyren I disagree. I personally undertook several impossible projects when I was in middle and high school, and I learned TONS even though I never finished a single one of them. The experience I gained from that helped me get a good job at a game development company working on PS2, PSP, PC games. If I hadn't endlessly tried learning different things, I would be programming accounting software or static web pages or something equally unexciting.

I am all for lying to the kids and all, I mean come on, santa claus! A true classic. But really, did any of your impossible projects involve creating a game console and a MMORPG to unset WoW?

I am with JBourrie on this one. I "designed" a few games back in my game programming days (when I was like 13), and only one of them exists in any form today (a pong game). It's great to be ambitious, but under the guidence of someone more experienced you will always learn more than if you went out on your own.

Kids, listen to your parents and other old people here on gamedev.net, they have been where you are and they know. This is something you will soon learn. :)

Goal wise I think you may have to take a big sip of Reality Kool-Aid, but I understand the use case you are trying to fill. However, rather than pontificating about what you 'cannot do' what about something that is feasible to do:


What about using this instead: http://www.xgamestation.com/

It's already built and designed, newly repriced to $200, has an SDK and some coders already established for it, and just needs a snazzy box to live in. Andre is really big on trying to help young business guys and if you are serious and can make some things happen will probably work with you.

Good luck..