RE: [GD-Consoles] GBA development

[Brian H. <bri...@py...>]

> If you are really interested in pursuing it, we can talk more 
> offline.  

Sure, drop me a private e-mail and let me know what you're up to.

> small team.  But what I found is that publishers are only 
> interested original ideas for GBA if it comes with another 
> big console sku. Otherwise, I could get port work for GBA or 
> sign up for a big licensed property.  No original ideas on 
> GBA though.  They don't seem to think the market is there.  

This pretty much mirrors what everyone says.  The GBA market is
radically different from older console markets.  Licenses matter way,
WAY more to the 13 year-old and under crowd.  It's all about Britney
Spears, Rug Rats, Spongebob Squarepants, Blue's Clues, Bear in the Big
Blue House, PB & J Otter, Dragon Tales, etc.  (can you tell I have a
kid?) 

Kids know and identify with those characters.  Older kids and young
adults are far more into the fundamental gameplay, with licensing being
a smaller influence.  Adults only care about a license if it's Star Wars
or Star Trek =)

> My thought was that if you were working on developing a new 
> character franchise of an original property, if the idea and 
> concept were strong it shouldn't matter the initial sku.  

HAHAHAHAHAHH!  We're talking about publishers, right? =)

> Most properties now are developed top down.  PS2 and down 
> port.

Porting is huge with publishers these days.  Unfortunately, you end up
getting a mediocre game on multiple platforms instead of a great game on
a single platform.  Yes, there are a few exceptions, but by and large
I'm not a big believer in trying to cross-develop on such disparate
platforms.

> So one option is to self fund and shop a virtually finished 
> product.  Which is what most of the underground GBA scene 
> seems to be shooting for.

We're not actively pursuing this at the time (we have PocketPC and Palm
stuff that's a higher priority), but I'd like to do due diligence on it.

Brian