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I really like Playdate as an art piece but I think that's the wrong way to approach open video games. Hackers are better off hijacking existing systems because

I really like Playdate as an art piece but I think that's the wrong way to approach open video games. Hackers are better off hijacking existing systems because they are just much more accessible and objectively _better_. For example, Steam Deck is mere double the price of Playdate and it's a full, powerful and open linux computer - I can't wait to see what people will come up with for that!

antiterra 5y ago
Limitation can be a huge creative tool, as seen in the fantasy consoles like the Pico-8. Often the most transcendent and memorable experiences I have had playing games of recent vintage fell quite short of utilizing the maximum capability of their platform. I don’t think Steam Deck really brings that much to the table on its own as a platform outside of being a portable PC.
- blowski 5y ago
  Indeed, limitation is one of the most used creativity tools. Like how authors try to write a short story without he letter “e”.
  - meheleventyone 5y ago
    The problem with these sorts of technical limits is that their self imposition turns the exercise into being about overcoming them rather than making a good game. And in turn the recognition of the work is more about the technical achievement than how good the end result is. Games is a really funny one where the whole creative culture has been so soaked in pushing technical limits that now we exist in a period of abundance where limits practically don’t exist so we have to reinvent them. There’s definitely creativity there but it’s somewhat tangential to making games. In the same way many great demosceners ended up working in games but on the technical side of things. I’d argue limits that produce creativity in the games themselves need to be far more conceptual.
    - antiterra 5y ago
      Celeste.
      - meheleventyone 5y ago
        Is a great game but doesn’t challenge my point. The other successful game that transcended Pico-8, Slipways is also great but again isn’t really challenging the point. Also note my point isn’t a slight on Pico-8 itself or enjoying working with technical limitations.
- bluescrn 5y ago
  If you want to play around with development for limited/retro-style platforms, there's plenty of choices of existing retro computer and console. And even if you develop using emulators, seeing your code run on real retro hardware is more satisfying than running it on a 'fantasy console' on PC.
  - antiterra 5y ago
    > seeing your code run on real retro hardware is more satisfying than running it on a 'fantasy console' on PC. That’s a matter of pure (and, frankly, arbitrarily smug) opinion and one I don’t share. I lived through when retro hardware was just hardware and I’m done with it and all the clutter and dust and brown.
whywhywhywhy 5y ago
> I can't wait to see what people will come up with for that! Why would it be any different from the indie games already on Steam and the same bunch of emulated systems we've all played to death? Steam Deck although seemingly decent hardware is ultimately boring, it's never going to have an ecosystem of games built specifically around it and will only ever be used for playing existing PC games on the go, never have it's own ecosystem of titles and exclusives like Switch and Playdate do.
- wraptile 5y ago
  I'd disagree with you here. Steamdeck is a linux handheld with steam controller on steroids. It has full joystick layout, two touchpads, touchscreen, 4 backbuttons, gyro, usbc inputs, bluetooth - that's already more innovation that playdate's crank that got people so hyped. It's a brilliant hackers playground and I can't wait to get my hands on it!
  - whywhywhywhy 5y ago
    I just can't see it leading to anything more than just ports of the same emulators of the same 90s consoles we've all played to death. I can just go the rest of my life happily without playing the same SNES, Genesis, PSX, Gamecube, etc roms again. I did it all first time around and each time it comes around again it loses more of it's soul.

antiterra 5y ago

Limitation can be a huge creative tool, as seen in the fantasy consoles like the Pico-8. Often the most transcendent and memorable experiences I have had playing games of recent vintage fell quite short of utilizing the maximum capability of their platform. I don’t think Steam Deck really brings that much to the table on its own as a platform outside of being a portable PC.

blowski 5y ago
Indeed, limitation is one of the most used creativity tools. Like how authors try to write a short story without he letter “e”.
- meheleventyone 5y ago
  The problem with these sorts of technical limits is that their self imposition turns the exercise into being about overcoming them rather than making a good game. And in turn the recognition of the work is more about the technical achievement than how good the end result is. Games is a really funny one where the whole creative culture has been so soaked in pushing technical limits that now we exist in a period of abundance where limits practically don’t exist so we have to reinvent them. There’s definitely creativity there but it’s somewhat tangential to making games. In the same way many great demosceners ended up working in games but on the technical side of things. I’d argue limits that produce creativity in the games themselves need to be far more conceptual.
  - antiterra 5y ago
    Celeste.
    - meheleventyone 5y ago
      Is a great game but doesn’t challenge my point. The other successful game that transcended Pico-8, Slipways is also great but again isn’t really challenging the point. Also note my point isn’t a slight on Pico-8 itself or enjoying working with technical limitations.
bluescrn 5y ago
If you want to play around with development for limited/retro-style platforms, there's plenty of choices of existing retro computer and console. And even if you develop using emulators, seeing your code run on real retro hardware is more satisfying than running it on a 'fantasy console' on PC.
- antiterra 5y ago
  > seeing your code run on real retro hardware is more satisfying than running it on a 'fantasy console' on PC. That’s a matter of pure (and, frankly, arbitrarily smug) opinion and one I don’t share. I lived through when retro hardware was just hardware and I’m done with it and all the clutter and dust and brown.

whywhywhywhy 5y ago

> I can't wait to see what people will come up with for that! Why would it be any different from the indie games already on Steam and the same bunch of emulated systems we've all played to death? Steam Deck although seemingly decent hardware is ultimately boring, it's never going to have an ecosystem of games built specifically around it and will only ever be used for playing existing PC games on the go, never have it's own ecosystem of titles and exclusives like Switch and Playdate do.

wraptile 5y ago
I'd disagree with you here. Steamdeck is a linux handheld with steam controller on steroids. It has full joystick layout, two touchpads, touchscreen, 4 backbuttons, gyro, usbc inputs, bluetooth - that's already more innovation that playdate's crank that got people so hyped. It's a brilliant hackers playground and I can't wait to get my hands on it!
- whywhywhywhy 5y ago
  I just can't see it leading to anything more than just ports of the same emulators of the same 90s consoles we've all played to death. I can just go the rest of my life happily without playing the same SNES, Genesis, PSX, Gamecube, etc roms again. I did it all first time around and each time it comes around again it loses more of it's soul.