SoftEgg
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Los Angeles, CA

So, my chiptune creation system "Rhythm Core Alpha 2" has been out on Nintendo DSi and 3DS for about a year now, and it is doing alright, but it is time to start working on the next version. But I am stuck deciding on a platform for it. Whatever is next is going to be a complete rewrite by necessity, so I want to make it count!

* The 3DS is nice and has a huge user base, but Nintendo rules limit what I can do with it and how and where I can market it.

* I'd like to do Android, but audio latency is still an issue, as is porting everything to Java.

* Windows PC might be an option, but selling stuff on it is a lot of work. Piracy and competition are a big issue.

* The PS Vita is a solid machine, and I can probably get decent terms out of Sony, but sales are low and it is hard to even find stores that have it in stock.

I have also considered porting it to non-portable consoles, although I worry that would make it hard to use live...

* The Nintendo Wii U has all of the problems of the 3DS and the Vita combined...

* Sony Playstation 4 might be decent.

* XBox One... I don't know if I could bring myself to do it.

There is also the possibility of doing a version for classic game consoles, although I don't know how I would make enough money to live on that...

* Sega Genesis / Megadrive - I have programmed this machine professionally, and you can still get various knockoff portables that will run stuff written for this, although I am not sure how good they are.

* Atari 8-Bit Computers - My first love. Could be fun, but would anybody care?

Finally, I have been considering the idea of doing dedicated hardware. This is far more risky and expensive, and a bit outside of my current skill set. I *do* have a degree in Electrical Engineering, I  just haven't used it in over 20 years. It could be funded via kickstarter, and maybe even sold in music stores someday. Not having to answer to any of these gatekeepers does have some appeal...

So, what do you think? Which platform should I support next?

walter b. gentle
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babylon

the software is very cool so i support you doing what is most profitable for you in the long run, but i would sell my left nut to have it on the genesis. the left one!!!

edit : browsing through this thread should show how thirsty this board is for anything on the genesis.

          http://chipmusic.org/forums/topic/9156/ … sequencer/

Last edited by walter b. gentle (Jun 15, 2014 10:58 pm)

Alpine
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UK, Leicester

I'd say stay portable, do it on 3DS and Vita, and maybe do a megadrive version as a side project, for free. Although it's a lot of work, you can make enough money from the 3DS and Vita versions to be comfortable, and do the megadrive version to please nerds like us

stargazer
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SLC, UT

Why not PSP and kill two birds with one stone?

katsumbhong
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Taichung, Taiwan

You should re-title the thread to "Which would be the most profitable platform to release the next RCA on."

herr_prof
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IOS?

SoftEgg
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Los Angeles, CA

I didn't include iOS in the list because this isn't the "most profitable" thread.
I have to balance making enough money to live with what I think folks would actually use, what I think would be the coolest thing to do, and what my conscience can deal with. I think Atari would be really cool, but probably only I would use it, and I'd starve.
I don't really have resources to make more than one at a time. Portability isn't really a thing if you want it to be any good.

Last edited by SoftEgg (Jun 16, 2014 12:30 am)

herr_prof
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I just said that because ios is the best audio ecosystem for music imo, and you can still use the rca touch interface without too many tweaks. Audiobus support would be suweeet

jefftheworld
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Toronto, Ontario, Canada

I'm a huge fan of  Rhythm Core Alpha and  Rhythm Core Alpha 2 and for what it's worth I'd support any of those options (okay, I'm not going to be buying a PS4 or Xbox One any time soon but all other platforms I own and use).

If you're looking to go the hardware route you it might make sense to turn it into a shield for the Arduino, Raspberry Pi or Beaglebone. That way you can keep costs far lower and take advantage of the massive maker communities behind them. Even if you aim to sell production models in music shops, it gives you the flexibility of selling kits as well.

Last edited by jefftheworld (Jun 16, 2014 2:34 am)

SoftEgg
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Los Angeles, CA

herr_prof: as an old Atari guy, I can't bring myself to support Apple. Sorry.
jefftheworld: Thanks! I'm glad you are enjoying the Rhythm Core Alpha programs! I want to hear your songs done with it! I am actually considering doing something with the Propeller chip from Parallax. It has eight 20MHz cores and a ton of IO pins, and I can program it in C, so it seems perfect for doing a synth thing on. But I think I should still do a console program. I'm just having trouble deciding which one. They all have good and bad points, and starting over is hard to do, so I want to make the right choice!

The Silph Scope
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Riverside, CA

First choice: Linux wink
Second choice: Android

herr_prof
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Nintendo helped killed atari too big_smile. I dont plan on owning any of the gaming handhelds you mention so ill just bow out then.

Victory Road
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Gosford, Australia

if not ios then definitely 3ds/psp/vita (or a bunch of them)

Jazzmarazz
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Michigan

EDIT: I retract my vote for Genesis/Megadrive and vote for SNES. I will even offer my services for a physical release. Since it too is sample based, it should be a no brainer.

Last edited by Jazzmarazz (Jun 16, 2014 3:10 pm)

egr
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Abandoned on Fire

How about a windows "composer" program that has all the features and a handful of console "performer" programs that use the same save file but only have the options needed for live performance? Then you could spread the love to psp, Xds, etc without such a huge investment.

kineticturtle
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Matthew Joseph Payne

The greater PSP family would be a great choice I think, EVERYBODY has one.

And I'm with Jazz, I would flip for an SNES version as well.