Pandora's Design

[mafia-man]

I would like to see an Design like this, thats what I call RETRO!
Here, this is My Pandora in ART DECO:



Yes it looks like it would cost a fortune in real...but I like to dream... ^^


hmmmm styling reminds me of a game.... can't quite place my finger on it though lol

 

[imec]

I would like to see an Design like this, thats what I call RETRO!
Here, this is My Pandora in ART DECO:



Yes it looks like it would cost a fortune in real...but I like to dream... ^^



Bioshock anyone? It looks fantastic, the only thing I don't like is the hinge. If it were as wide as the whole unit, it would be teh awesome.

 

[Mr B]

What IS this... A competition to see how many times the renderings can be posted over and over? I agree, it looks nice. (See, i diden't have to post the images to state that.) Good texture, has some cooling benefits, cool retro look and isn't a brick. Still has the same design flaws i claim the original design has. I'm waiting for the updated renderings to be released so i can voice a opinion all over.
B!

 

[fusion_power]

Bioshock anyone? It looks fantastic, the only thing I don't like is the hinge. If it were as wide as the whole unit, it would be teh awesome.

The Design reminds on Bioshock because The whole Game is in Art Deco Style. I'm glad, that I was able to do an "authentic" Art Deco style just right out of the Head. I never've played Bioshock by the way.
Uh I personaly HATE the hinge but I was to lazy to make a better Solution. The Hinge is the biggest Problem of the Desin and not possible in reality at the Moment. ^^""""""

QUOTE

What IS this... A competition to see how many times the renderings can be posted over and over? I agree, it looks nice. (See, i diden't have to post the images to state that.) Good texture, has some cooling benefits, cool retro look and isn't a brick. Still has the same design flaws i claim the original design has. I'm waiting for the updated renderings to be released so i can voice a opinion all over.
B!


Sure it has the same Design Flaws. It is just an "Case Mod", not a "Case Con".
But I've placed the Buttons in Steps, the Keyboard Buttons are the lowest (Same Level like the lower Case), the Start/Select..."stuff is a little bit higher and the upper Function Keys are the highest of the non gaming Buttons (only a Millimeter difference at all )
Game Buttons are the "Dominant" ones, which means they are higher than all other Buttons. This should be in the real Pandora to.

 

[Nova]

I would like to see an Design like this, thats what I call RETRO!
Here, this is My Pandora in ART DECO:



Yes it looks like it would cost a fortune in real...but I like to dream... ^^



Man, that's straight outta Rapture, I love it!

 

[leggymcjeggy]

Bioshock/Caesar's Palace Pandora looks amazing, I'll agree. But like I said before, everything comes in black/white/silver. Apart from custom paint jobs I think we're dreaming.

I liked eolair's curved edge design. It transforms the console's look completely. If it's possible, I beg it's implemented! Pleeeeease? :rolleyes:

And that youtube vid was quite enlightening. I feel a lot better about the sticks now. Although it does appear that in order to use both comfortably, the palms of your hands might press down on the edges of the keyboard. Slightly smaller keys would fix that.

Since I'm catching up on major points since my last post (pg 5) I'd imagine any proposed vertical/sliding screen concept would cripple the durability of the console. It'd be nice for MAME shooters etc but it's just not worth it.

While using my digital camera, i have to press the shutter switch lightly to autofocus, and then all the way in to take a picture. Wouldnt this kind of system give the Playstation people their L2/R2 buttons?

Happy new year people.

 

[sandaili]

*shyly agrees with nova*

this is an eeepc with a built in gamepad =/ I hate to have negative comments toward such hard working and motivated people though...

I agree....

I don't understand why they had to include the keyboard on it. I have small hands. I am going to have trouble playing anything that requires the sliders. This just doesn't make any sense to me at all.

I don't think I'm going to be getting it after all because of the design. And I agree with your point as well, they're trying to make everyone happy and they are very hardworking to do all this. I just wish....well....maybe they could have come up with a keyboard model and a non-keyboard model. The keys look way too fragile as well, and I know they'll either be ripped up or destroyed one way or another very quickly. Or stuff getting in them, etc.

Edit: I just saw the mock up video. There is NO WAY I will be able to use the sliders. That rules it out for me. Even for people who can use the sliders, having your palms against the corners is going to take it's toll. Why not move the sliders out to the ends??? Now I see why the implemented two, but......I dunno. I guess all I can do is wait and see what happens.

Sandaili

 

[Chip]

I may be a bit late to this party (been away from the gp32x scene for a few years), but I still wanted to add my comments on the design.

I must say that after reading the technical details and seeing the mockups of this device, I have not been this excited about a gadget since the first GP32. If you can actually pull it off, this might not only be the best emulation (console and classic computer) gaming device out there, but it could also be the first "UMPC" that is actually worth owning.

While my initial reaction to the control layout was "crowded", after only a few minutes of consideration I came to see it's really brilliant. The setup as-is is probably the best possible compromise to cover as many emulation gaming and computing bases as possible. I applaud the designers for making the most of what real estate they have. Quibbles over color and cosmetics are completely irrelevant.

The double SDHC slots are probably the smartest part of the design. This means you can add a bluetooth or GPS card to one slot and still have a slot open for storage.

Really the only thing I would strongly suggest adding is a 2nd set of shoulder buttons, especially since PSX emulation seems to be a foregone conclusion. There doesn't appear to be room to have them aligned vertically with the existing buttons, so perhaps they could sit next to them horizontally?

Additionally, one of the glaring omissions from the GP2X F-200 is some sort of integrated stylus storage. This is in no way a make-or-break issue, but if it's possible to fit it in somewhere, it would make life easier. Perhaps in the lid, to the right of the screen?

Minor issues aside, I think you really have a winner here. I have been away from the GP32x forums for a while, but rest assured I will be watching them now. As soon as I see "Now accepting pre-orders", I will be placing one.

 

[gaterooze]

Chip, you pretty much echo my feelings *exactly*.

 

[quartercast]

Sorry guys.. this is not from bioshock or rapture.. it's definitely from FALLOUT! Man I love that series

 

[Dead Ghost]

Hmmm, i saw that youtube video, with the mock-up, and it's ok the way it is...Time will tell if it will be comfortable enough to play more then one hour. But the things that need to be added are, imo, 2 additional buttons, for psx games, and the ability to flip up the screen, to make it a tablet pc-like. Make it black, make it solid and it will be great. I hope. :rolleyes:

 

[Spectralist]

I like the design overall, but i think the keyboard could use some work.
Ideally go to 4 rows, something like

In that setup the keys(well the letter ones, the others, of course, vary) are 11mm wide x 7.5mm tall, and it leaves a 3mm clearance on either side of the keys.

Also, on the gamepad, i think going abxy is a bad idea. It's been done, often, and you might as well go in a different direction. I suggest the greek alphabet. Especially as you already have an a, b, x, and y in the keyboard so it could lead to confusion in setting up a program that might use both keyboard and gamepad.

Aligning the buttons in a diamond might not be the best way of doing it. Skewing them a bit helps hit multiple buttons with the thumb at the same time. Holding A and hitting B in the snes megaman games for example.

Either way i'll be buying one, so long as it isn't too expensive.

 

[StealthBagel]

If it MUST have a keyboard, which I'm not convinced of, the font should really be changed. But I imagine there will be a number of aesthetic alterations before the final design....

 

[fusion_power]

I like the design overall, but i think the keyboard could use some work.
Ideally go to 4 rows, something like

In that setup the keys(well the letter ones, the others, of course, vary) are 11mm wide x 7.5mm tall, and it leaves a 3mm clearance on either side of the keys.

Also, on the gamepad, i think going abxy is a bad idea. It's been done, often, and you might as well go in a different direction. I suggest the greek alphabet. Especially as you already have an a, b, x, and y in the keyboard so it could lead to confusion in setting up a program that might use both keyboard and gamepad.

Aligning the buttons in a diamond might not be the best way of doing it. Skewing them a bit helps hit multiple buttons with the thumb at the same time. Holding A and hitting B in the snes megaman games for example.

Either way i'll be buying one, so long as it isn't too expensive.

Wow, I think thats to much buttons for such an small Device. 14cmx8cm thats not much. And I hate to small Buttons. And with so many keyboard buttons, you easily press one in range of the pads (tab, enter, caps lock, backspace...) I think the 3 Pyramide layout of the official mockup has a reason.
The higher placement of the D-Pad compared to the Analog sticks is good. I had this to at my Design.

The Idea with the greek Alphabet is good to. Yes, its not the best Idea to have ABXY Action Buttons and ABXY on the Keyboard. (For vertical usage maybe...if the Pandora is capable for vertical arcade mode, we need the Keyboard buttons to play^^""")

 

[atomicthumbs]

I like the design overall, but i think the keyboard could use some work.
Ideally go to 4 rows, something like

I agree with this keyboard design. The keys don't seem too small to me.

However, the Greek letters would be too confusing, for the exact reason that nobody else uses them.

To avoid confusance, programs could have the letter in a circle, or a picture of a button, or just say "X button".

 

[J201605]

To avoid confusance

lol

 

[Mr B]

For a keyboard, and gamepad unit, this is a lot better. I agree to the keyboard perhaps having a wee bit small keys, but 11*7,5 should be more then enough to type on. However, this isn't a regular key size, so that might be a factor. (As in obtaining cheap, but quality parts for assembly.)
B!

 

[White Demon]

Well I just printed out the image provided in the life size thread and made my own (very quick and very dirty) mockup. The controls are indeed positioned nicely, I can reach the analog controls with no problems, although the dpad and buttons could get somewhat uncomfortable with prolonged use (but then it's the same with the GP2X, so no great shakes there).

I'd get one, though probably not on release. At the moment my opinion in terms of the poll rests somewhere between 'meh' and 'it's ok'.

 

[pupnik]

For a keyboard, and gamepad unit, this is a lot better. I agree to the keyboard perhaps having a wee bit small keys, but 11*7,5 should be more then enough to type on. However, this isn't a regular key size, so that might be a factor. (As in obtaining cheap, but quality parts for assembly.)
B!

What you're not 'getting' is that the above pasted keyboard design has a major flaw.

The trapezoidal shape of the pandora keyboard allows for your thumbs to have some resting surface just below the controllers. extending the keyboard to the edges on the top row means your thumbs will be hitting or wearing-out those edge keys, and your grip on the unit will be worse.

 

[DaveC]

Aligning the buttons in a diamond might not be the best way of doing it. Skewing them a bit helps hit multiple buttons with the thumb at the same time. Holding A and hitting B in the snes megaman games for example.

Actually arranging the buttons in a diamond IS a good idea. You can then use them for many other things. They can be used for directional controls for games such as Smash TV, Robotron etc. They can also be used for FPS games that use strafe, forward movement etc. It is basically a second D-pad. I would leave it. That staggered formation ruins the direction functionality.