Strange idea I admit...


Nutzo

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Apr 23, 2003
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I was thinking that more (and better quality) commerical games need to be made for GP32 as everyone knows. We also know big game companies seem to avoid the GP32, mainly because (I guess) it's virtually unknown outside of Korea and the very hardcore gaming community. They're just afraid they won't make enough money on software sales to bother investing time and money in development.

So...

Here's the weird idea. What if a popular GP32 site started taking "pre-order pledges" for games yet to be made. Add all the money up and send notices to big, medium and small development houses that GP32 owners would cough up X amount of dollars if they'd port a good quality game.

I really haven't thought it out in any detail (obviously) but I think you get the general idea - to find some way to offer financial incentive to commerical developers through a combined enthusiast effort. I don't have a GP32 yet, but I'm ordering one this week, and I would gladly pledge some money if it could lead to more and better commercial games for the system.

Despite all the nice emulators and homebrew games, I fear the GP32 and the GamePark company will die off without more software support. And that would be sad, because GamePark has created a very nice handheld.
 
I'm not sure many people buy it for commercial games. I think a large percentage of the sales the machine has achieved is down to the currently available emulators and the promise of new and better emulators to come. From my own personal point of view (ignoring the fact that my machine is faulty) if it wasn't for the emulators I wouldn't have bought one.
 
How does GamePark make money then? Commercial games would provide licensing fees to GamePark (usually that's how it's done) - emus don't do that. I love emus, more than you'd imagine, but I also want the GP32 to stay alive and not become an orphan system. I'd like to see a GP64 someday, and for that to happen, Game Park needs to make money and become more popular.

Maybe I'm wrong, but if I am - then explain to me how Game Park makes enough money to stay alive? Surely system sales alone don't do it?
 
I have absoutely no idea if/how they make money. I'm just speaking personally in that the commercial offerings do not interest me at all. The appeal to me was the thought of a portable C64 and hopefully soon a decent Spectrum emulator in ZXAdvance
 
From what I've read, they make money from Console sales. If anyone ever read the interview a while back with GP, its sounds like its there fault that big companies haven't made games for GP32.
 
They make a ton of cash off of the console sales. Plastics are so cheap it is absolutely ridiculous. Electronic circuits are cheap as well. In fact the only thing that costs any real money would be the screen. Oh yeah also I don't know how much a worker in Korea makes but since companies like Fox use Koreans to do their animation work I am asuming they are not payed well. Inexpensive components coupled with a cheap workforce equals $$$$$$.
 
Although I do find the idea great, it would take work to get this going in a manner that would make it believable to companies.

Also, I think that, not only do most GP32 users buy Gamepark stuff for more of an "underground" use, but there wouldn't really be a point buying a GP32 for commercial games, since the GBA is already there. The NGPC had lots of commercial games. They had commercial ties with Capcom, and you don't get much better of a partner for fighting games, except for...... hum..... SNK....

What I consider the problem to be is the extremely limited ad campaign that both of these consoles have had. To make people interested, you have to inform them, but to inform them, you need money in the first place to make the ads...
So, being the defeatist that I am, I'm thinking that Gamepark has only very small chance of ever getting big, and stagnation often leads to collapse. Although the Gamepark world has been doing lots of stuff, it doesn't seem, to me (completely uninformed point of view) that they are making a whole lot more profit.

What I think could be done is for Gamepark to start some contract with a pop-up company or something. Although they are annoying, there could be some extra sales from that, and I'm pretty sure that that costs less than a real ad campaign...
 
Well, I hope you guys are right about GP32 making some money.

I read there are only around 15,000 sold! Even if GP made $100 each (which I can't believe) that's just $1.5 million. That's no money at all for a company. Nothing! Surely it cost them more than that just to develop the GP32.

I also read that GP stopped doing in-house software development in an interview at Insert Coin.

Honestly, it's really disconcerting as a new GP32 fan. Such a nice system, but it's getting no real support beyond the enthusiast homebrew/emu scene. Call me a fatalist, but I don't see Game Park surviving as a company for very long. :( *sigh* Just when I find a cool new machine to take an interest in... If they could just get 1 or 2 good Japanese companies to make some games.
 
Be aware that GamePark is obviously a small company, but do not think they are having profiting problems. GamePark Co. is far from dead. Read a few of the GP32news.com Interviews and you will understand GameParks motivation, future, and a list of new games being developed for the GamePark. Even though they are no longer developing games themselves, they still receive a hefty percentage of what is developed under their name and console. GamePark Co and console is far from dead.... I see only good things coming within the next 6-8 months....Guarenteed.
 
I hope you're right, cuz I'm going to the bank in 15 minutes to cash my pay checks and then I'm submitting my order for a GP32 and some games. :)

I hope GPengine continues to be updated, that emu alone, if they can perfect it more, would be worth the price of GP32 to me.
 
The good thing about the GP32 is not only the underground scene, but also the possibility to buy and download right away commercial games and put multiple of them on one card...

When I want a game for the GBA I have to order it and wait a few days... and when I wanna play away from home, I have to take multiple cards (each for every game...) with me to play.

Boy, it would be gorgeous if outstanding commercial games came out!

Imagine SquareEnix or Capcom developing for that system creating unique games for just that hardware...

BTW: Square also released games for the WSC - which didn't sell better than the GP I think...
 
"Imagine SquareEnix or Capcom developing for that system creating unique games for just that hardware..."

DROOL.........................

We can only dream for now. Well, if SNES emus get better we'll have some Capcom/Enix/Square stuff. Old stuff, but better than nothing. But I would happily pay for NEW games made for the GP32 by those companies.

BTW - I ordered my GP32 just now. =)
 
I seriously doubt any decent company would consider many any games for it, and I dont blame them. If for some reason a company did start making games, it would prob just have to be old ports for older systems, or ones which are a little updated, like the GBA as the graphics is very much the same to older consoles. Obviously noone would buy them as it is a waste with the amount of emulators. I am saying, you would need a company to spend A HELL OF ALOT of money to switch to the GP32 and then make original and decent games.... never happen.

Why would they waste time spending tonnes and tonnes of money for a game to go out to 15k of people, when it could be done cheaper just to make it for GBA and it will go out to.. ooh I dunno, millions or something of people who own a GBA. Oh and GP32 games are like half as much as GBA ones, so you would have to be a really stupid company to develop games for the GP32.
 
Hmm, well then start making a list of stupid companies and we can all emial them to make GP32 games! ;)

Seriously, I've already started emailing some PocketPC game companies - they're all small, and the PPC is very similar to GP32 so it would probably be an easy port. Sell via internet and they can make some extra money.

I agree the AAA companies won't bother, sadly, but there are some really good small software houses all over that might give it a go. Especially those already developing on ARM devices.

Start emailing folks - it's the only way something might happen. I know the GP32 will never become a commerical success or compete with GBA in stores, but we can at least help make it a niche market success.
 
Do you really want to spend ages getting companys like the pocketpc one you said making games for it? I mean they will be ones like pong and snake and stuff which is already avaliable on EMUs...
 
You clearly know _nothing_ about PocketPC games. You're thinking of Palms, and even Palms have better games than what you mentioned..

Play Snails, Argentum, Darxide, RocketElite, Bust'Em, Rayman Ultimate, and Siberian Strike for starters on a good PPC and think again.
 
kk, even if you manage to get 1 or 2 pocket games, why would I bother buying them for like £10 or something, when there are better games avaliable for EMU?

If someone was to make games, they would have to be very original, GP32 doesnt need another rayman or whatever, I personally prefer mario, which you have the SNES/NES for.... why would I pay for a game which isnt as good as the free ones?
 
Nutzo posted on Apr 27 2003 said:
You clearly know _nothing_ about PocketPC games. You're thinking of Palms, and even Palms have better games than what you mentioned..

Play Snails, Argentum, Darxide, RocketElite, Bust'Em, Rayman Ultimate, and Siberian Strike for starters on a good PPC and think again.
uhh rayman would be awesome, it has cool music and is one of the best 2d jump and runs i have ever played... perhaps it is even the best!
hope someone could make ubisoft or anyone else releasing it :)

EDIT:
there is allready an arm port of this Rayman Ultimate, it shouldnt be too hard for the company to port it...
http://www.gameloft.com/en/product_page.php?item=79
 
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