Request Make TPA an OUYA launch day title

[Supermans]

Every PC comes with root access so therefore every PC is "rooted". We don't ususually use this term because it is how we expect our PCs to be configured. If FarSight will be putting TPA out for the PC then they are already planning on making the game available on an open system. Rooting is probably not an issue.

If I were FarSight I probably would make no plans at this point to make TPA available at launch on OUYA. Why make any development plans for a system that is not readily available yet and the success of the system is unknown. At some point in the future it will obvious if FarSight should release for that system or not. There is nothing really to be gained by getting in early. The OUYA will have a fast approval process and development will be easy since it is Android based. There's some small risk involved in delveloping early for the system but no downside to waiting. If it were me, I'd wait.

The benefit of being a launch title on the OUYA would be measured in about as many dollars as units sold since those people that bought one will most probably spend 99cents on most of the games available at first, and some of those would buy other table packs. Plus, most of the OUYA buyers spent money for their kickstarter program, so a quick kickstarter advertisment within the game about the Star Trek TNG table would bring more exposure to it as well in the form piggybacking in a way. I think it would be silly not to release Pinball Arcade on the OUYA at launch, especially since it is android based and is already available to every current android platform that can handle the graphics.

 

[spoonman]

/me looks at Usenet and sees commercial PS3/360/Wii/iOS/Android software available for download...

If Farsight chose not to release TPA on a console that wasn't affected by piracy in some way, their options would be severely limited.

 

[ridcully]

Also rooting a OUYA does not mean, that you can use pirated software. There might be additional security inside the OUYA or it's software. We don't know about this yet. But as far as I know, you can not use the OUYA store anymore, if you rooted the device. However, you can reverse the rooting, and than use the shop again.

This is all speculative at the moment, as nobody had seen an OUYA in the wild, yet. But I think, the investment which is required, to support the OUYA is not so much, to not try to port the game! Even if it will get pirated to much, the port could be abandoned and the investment wasn't to high...

And there will always be someone to pirate any port of the game. I am sure, a copy for every system is out somewhere on the net. That's the risk, when you are developing software. Even the classical console are pirated - so the question is, is the game still profitable? And as long, as it pays the developers it can be extended with tables and can be ported to other platforms...

 

[ridcully]

Anyone noticed the FAQ entry for the ST:TNG Kickstarter campaign? It seems to be possible to get The Pinball Arcade on the Ouya. And if we get it for the Ouya, it might be possible to have it as a launch title...