What Do You Think The Pandora Should Feature First?

What's it the Pandora should feature first?

  • A good GUI and menu system

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Fullspeed emulators

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    0

Chip said:
I don't think the people voting for the GUI fully understand the question. Do you really think that useful applications should take a back seat to purely aesthetic modifications to the UI? As long as the menu system works and isn't cumbersome, that's all you really need. Anything beyond that is fluff and can be added later. The larger the library of functional games/emulators/programs is, the better off we'll all be.

Never put form before function, especially on a geek-centric device.
quadomatic said:
Are emulators actually to be included with the Pandora and its firmware?
No.



As usual chip you have explained it perfectly.
 
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I voted for GUI, but now changed my mind.
I choose nothing. A month ago I wouldn't have said this.
I'm trying not to be impatient here, but I would just like the Pandora to be released.
To me it seems that (correct me if I'm wrong) the hardware is pretty much complete, aside from the silicon membrane and all that stuff.
The GUI, as Craig said, really isn't that important right now.
I'm not too worried about software right now, because I know that there's going to be a bunch more coming out after it's released. Devs that didn't get dev boards are going to be itching to do something with it, then we'll see a bunch of nice software.
If you're waiting on parts or whatever, then absolutely, focus on emulators, the more software the better, the GUI can wait. I think it was just the way the poll was worded that made me choose GUI.
I guess what I'm saying is, I'd rather (temporarily) have a Pandora with crap GUI and not that much software, then have nothing.
 
Orkie said:
Chip said:
I don't think the people voting for the GUI fully understand the question. Do you really think that useful applications should take a back seat to purely aesthetic modifications to the UI?
No, this really is about the firmware.


It's about the GUI, ie the initial interface.
 
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So... why can't we have a little of both? I want the GUI to look nice to give a good first impression, but I also want it to launch a stellar emulator or game at launch.
 
I'd think a good GUI is most essential - since it would be harder to change if some basic features aren't defined for the beginning (like how everything is organized, how package management will work in the future, etc.).
It doesn't have to be included from the beginning, but the structure should be set to avoid complications in the near future.

Emulators will SURELY come around pretty quick once the system is released - and they are just programs you can run, if they are crap, they don't affect the whole system.

Also, I think most guys don't ask about GUIs but rather for emulators because they think it's obvious that a good GUI is included...
 
Aren't all the videos of unoptimised emulators anyway? Clearly quick ports will be sufficient to start with anyway as the hardware is so damn good. The only advantage offered by spending more time being to save battery life and add a few more advanced features.
 
Agreed.
There are already an acceptable amount of emulators that will be ready by the time the pandora comes out for consumer use. (the stuff zodttd and firefox and others are working on).
In other words, enough dev kits have been sent to emulator coders, now it's the GUI's turn.
 
EvilDragon said:
Emulators will SURELY come around pretty quick once the system is released - and they are just programs you can run, if they are crap, they don't affect the whole system.
Ah, but if they don't exist, then all you've got is a device with pretty menus and no programs to put in those menus. What has a larger influence on new game console sales: A high quality dashboard or high quality launch titles?
 
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Chip said:
Ah, but if they don't exist, then all you've got is a device with pretty menus and no programs to put in those menus. What has a larger influence on new game console sales: A high quality dashboard or high quality launch titles?
They already exist, look at my above post.
 
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craigix said:
quadomatic said:
Just to gauge the consequences of what we're all asking for, how much will emulators suffer if attention is to shift towards GUI?
Well it shifts who gets the next batch of dev units.

Do we sent them to game/app/emu authors or to people who want to work on the firmware/gui?


Alright, I have yet to vote, because I need an answer to something first.

Will all the devs who already have dev units shift their focus towards GUI as well? (i.e. Squidge, Zod, Firefox, etc.)

If So, then I would vote emulators. But if not, then I would vote GUI. This is the reason:

If Squidge has SNES set and Zod has PSX set (and hopefully N64), all you need to do is send a dev unit or two to either Notaz or Reesy to get either DrMD or PicoDrive ported, you'll have some popular base systems covered and you can send the rest to GUI devs to work on the GUI.

I think you need some of the popular systems emulated first, but I don't think you need everything before a nice GUI.

EDIT: Note: I would vote Emus if this would take Zod and/or Squidge away from their current emu work. ;)

-God Ginrai
 
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waffles said:
i would think one or two good emulators (SNES, ps1) and a good GUI would be the best.
Of course, as long as you have some of the main systems covered, then I believe the rest can go to GUI.

-God Ginrai
 
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I also think it's better to have a good GUI at release time, emulator will come later. A GUI comes with the device already installed while emulators have to be installed by the user.

People DO ask for the gui, look at all of the GUI threads. Yes, there are more threads about emulators but there are a few gui threads.

When the Pandora is released and I buy mine, I will work on an alternative menu, because I have some interesting ideas, like the use of plugins (widgets), and a xml based skin system, making the menu very modular and customizable.
 
I'm not really sure if voting for GUI was the right thing to do any more, but I think it was, mostly because, as many people said, there are quite a few working emulators already.
The GUI on the other hand will be the first thing people see if one were to show off the Pandora to others, and it really does make a difference. I think the 3000 units will be "advertised" for by word of mouth to no small extent, and I believe that a fancy and well-organized GUI would help that. Just look at the iPhone, compared to pretty much any other cell phone. The GUI makes all the difference there, why shouldn't it for the Pandora?

On the other hand, even if emu/app developers got that next batch, the GUI is still going to be improved, just a bit later... gah, really hard to decide

Disclaimer: I might be biased because I personally focus on the design a lot when deciding to buy stuff - I realize that the target audience for the Pandora is "geeky" and more likely to put up with an inferior interface if there's superior functionality (emus) to be had.
 
Chip said:
Ah, but if they don't exist, then all you've got is a device with pretty menus and no programs to put in those menus. What has a larger influence on new game console sales: A high quality dashboard or high quality launch titles?
Launch titles mean nothing here, most of the people who are going to be purchasing at launch are going to be people here, the people that have been following the development, there'll be enough stuff at launch to keep us satisfied for a while.
Most everyone else is going to wait it out, see what's released after the first batch, and if there are major hardware problems, then possibly buy from the next batch. Obviously there's going to be a few exceptions, the guys who just heard about it last week, and really, really want one, in which case, again, there'll be enough software on launch to keep them satisfied. Either that or they'll come here a bitch about it, then we just ignore them.
One dev batch for software and one for GUI seems like a fair balance.
EDIT: Jesus, I type slow.
 
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God Ginrai said:
craigix said:
quadomatic said:
Just to gauge the consequences of what we're all asking for, how much will emulators suffer if attention is to shift towards GUI?
Well it shifts who gets the next batch of dev units.

Do we sent them to game/app/emu authors or to people who want to work on the firmware/gui?


Alright, I have yet to vote, because I need an answer to something first.

Will all the devs who already have dev units shift their focus towards GUI as well? (i.e. Squidge, Zod, Firefox, etc.)

If So, then I would vote emulators. But if not, then I would vote GUI. This is the reason:

If Squidge has SNES set and Zod has PSX set (and hopefully N64), all you need to do is send a dev unit or two to either Notaz or Reesy to get either DrMD or PicoDrive ported, you'll have some popular base systems covered and you can send the rest to GUI devs to work on the GUI.

I think you need some of the popular systems emulated first, but I don't think you need everything before a nice GUI.

EDIT: Note: I would vote Emus if this would take Zod and/or Squidge away from their current emu work. ;)

-God Ginrai


I agree entirely with God Ginrai. From the videos shown already it appers many of the most popular systems will be fullspeed already - even if the code is horribly dirty. I'd like a good GUI when I first get the Pandora preferably with some useful media functions (video, music, etc) - i assume you're generalising "GUI" to include these?

One thing to consider is that the first people to get Pandoras are the hardcore crowd who (this is all speculitive of course) won't be too bothered about the aesthetics of the GUI - just as long as it covers the basic foundations. Of course the main thing is to find a balance of functional UI and a few programs to run on your Pandora.
 
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I voted Gui/firmware/apps. If its just Gui then no! It does have to look better than the 2x, but it doesn't need to be pure fluff. I voted Gui because I would refer more to firmware and some of the essentials that go with it. Especially on this type of device, things like hold to initialize all features and what they are for. Things like wifi - internet and bluetooth tools, usb host device recognition and how it can be updated. For example, I thought a great part of GP2x was USB Host but most software doesn't support keyboards or controllers.

The reason for this is simply. If its only going to sell to most on this board at least it will sell based on what it will be cable of (its potential). The GP2x still has potential thats be untapped / unexplored / unstandardized. This is one of the reasons I bought it but was unimpressed. The games are great and I love games too, but there are lots of systems for this. If it can't initially play games or emulators that say the PSP can't play then not many other gamers other than this board will give it much credit until it happens. If you explore the other functions from the start then they are available from the start to explore and incorporate.

Just IMHO thanks for listening,
 
Both! I know you don't have infinite funding/man power like the big boys, but shipping the unit with one or the other is shipping it unfinished IMHO.

First impressions count!

If good emulators alone were enough there wouldn't be so many newbies whining about how to get everything working ;) So i voted GUI anyway.
 
I voted GUI also, assuming GUI means the application base of the system:
  • Linux
  • Package Management system
  • Appdirs
  • X (kdrive? xorg?)
  • Language Support (c, c++, java, python, ruby)
  • Basic toolkit used for GUI development (GTK? Qt? Wx?)
  • Themeability of the entire GUI
  • Basic Application suiteFirefox
  • mplayer

Since this is the parts of the pandora everyone is likely to use, we need them in place asap so people can build applications, games, and emulators upon a solid foundation. Need to play a video within your game? use mplayer's libraries! Need to grab a webpage? use mozilla library!

Of course, some lauch titles are necessary, but pushing all the resources towards gaming would be a detriment to the system, as it can be so much more! I would suggest a 70:30 applications:games splt at the moment.
 
My priorities:

0. Tools and robust gui.
1.Internet browsing, etc... Internet alone makes this device very versatile.
2. Palmos emulator from nokia. A LOT of people wait for a device that supports palmos software.
3. Emulators and Games
4. Media
 
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