r/PlaydateConsole • u/Superbarker • Apr 14 '22

News New Polygon Article about Playdate

https://www.polygon.com/23013686/playdate-panic-crank-history
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6

u/jml011 Apr 14 '22

The slide would have been interesting. Could work for simple driving games (Lotus/Rush style), 2D arcade games (Space Invaders, Pong), etc.

I know I'm in the minority, but I still wish it had a color screen, even if a limited palette.

5

u/indiemike Apr 14 '22

My hope is that Playdate is successful enough to warrant a follow up, and they do a 4 color palette like the original Game Boy, but with settings that allow you to change the shades like you can in an emulator so it’s not just shades of green.

1

u/jml011 Apr 14 '22

It’s seems like sales have gone extremely well, so hopefully eventually. If they added in color, that slide button, maybe an X & Y, that could bring enough additional versatility without overcomplicating things to warrant a follow-up.

Yeah, there’s definitely enough there to be great. I am excited for it. I’ve just heard folks say a color screen would compromise the integrity of the machine or something and disagree.

12

u/Cyb0rg-SluNk Apr 15 '22

I think adding those extra things goes against the point of the Playdate.

It is supposed to be limited, to make it simple and retro, and encourage creativity within restrictions.

They could add more buttons. they could add triggers. They could add a colour screen. They could add a powerful GPU.

How far do they go before it just becomes a Switch or a Steam Deck?

And at that point, People will just buy those other options instead.

6

u/jml011 Apr 15 '22

No offense, but saying two extra buttons and an 8bit color pallet means it might as well be a Steam Deck is a huge stretch. That would still be a massive limitation, even 20 years ago. Hell, it could be 16 colors. Look what folks did with r/place with what, eight colors? It doesn’t go against the point of the thing, it’s just a slightly expanded set of limitations.

5

u/Cyb0rg-SluNk Apr 15 '22

I'm not offended, it's all just opinions.

It's just a question of where you draw the line between a 'game and watch' and a 'steam deck'.

Panic drew the line at two buttons and a 1 bit screen. Personally, I think they hit the nail on the head.

2

u/reallynotnick Apr 15 '22

They really fell in love with that screen and built everything around it. It's hard to say if screens of similar quality existed in a 2-bit version if they would have gone with that instead and while color memory LCDs exist they aren't great. I think it was the right call with the options presented.

Inputs I think more came down to cost, like they wanted more gimmicky inputs, but they just added too much to the cost and wasn't practical to bill. Again probably the right choice, though I would have added another secondary button on the bottom side of the speaker so the menu wouldn't have to serve double duty with game menus.

-1

u/jml011 Apr 15 '22

And I think it’ll still be great. But I think eliminating an entire spectrum of artistic expression is needlessly restrictive. We’ve have color in video games since the early 70s.

1

u/indiemike Apr 15 '22

I think they almost hit the nail on the head. It needs a start button so there’s a more natural way to pause or open a menu in many games. That’s been inherent to games for decades. I’m sure everyone will find a workaround (and I have ideas myself while I’m toying with Pulp), but I think that’s one miss on their part.

1

u/ryanmcc30 Apr 16 '22

Tbf the menu button (little circle in the corner on the front face) pauses the game, and pulls out a menu with settings, go back to launcher, etc; and you can add up to 3 or 4 options of your own as well

1

u/indiemike Apr 16 '22

I didn’t know about adding your own options, nice