We have seen retro video games consoles are available in some intriguing codecs, however how about an e-reader? The impartial producer and inventive developer Singular 9 is making ready to launch a crowdfunding marketing campaign for a novel hybrid machine that mixes elements of online game console and an e-ink machine.
Ink Console takes inspiration from choose-your-own-adventure books and retro text-based video video games. It permits you to play as you learn, turning studying right into a dynamic and interactive journey. And the intention is to encourage individuals to develop their very own gamebooks too.
A video games console in an e-reader, Ink Console is being launched as a crowdfunding undertaking (Picture credit score: Singular 9)
The console is slim and has a 7.5in 800 x 480 decision e-ink display screen. Gamebooks will immediate readers to make decisions that form their journey within the video games. The OS options a list system the place gamers can view and handle objects collected throughout their journey to make use of when challenges come up. There’s additionally a well being standing system, including an additional layer of technique.
Singular 9 says the undertaking will likely be made open supply, and an easy-to-use growth equipment will likely be offered to permit anybody to jot down and program their very own adventures without having for coding information. Named ‘You Create’, the equipment is meant for writers and artists are a lot as recreation designers.
Dana, the founding father of the corporate, says the inspiration got here from a want to deliver the magic of retro textual content adventures, just like the Eighties traditional Zork I, to a brand new viewers. Dana is growing a variety of idea Gamebooks, from sci-fi narratives to fantasy epics. New gamebooks will be added with the built-in SD card reader.
Gamebooks will be added through SD Card (Picture credit score: Singular 9)
The machine has a dual-core ESP32 microprocessor with 4MB flash reminiscence, 8MB PSRAM, and 520KB SRAM. It helps Wi-Fi 4, Bluetooth 4.2, and LE and has expandable storage for video games through an SD card slot. For enter, there’s an analogue joystick for navigation and gameplay, plus a potentiometer for fantastic management changes and there is 2-channel stereo output, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a built-in mono speaker.
It is at all times a delight to see novel console concepts. This jogs my memory of the Playdate that we wrote about a couple of years in the past. For me, it sparks nostalgia on two fronts: from each gaming and literature, whereas the straightforward growth of bespoke adventures provides a brand new twist with a whole lot of potential. I will be to see how a lot it appeals to youthful audiences.
Every day design information, evaluations, how-tos and extra, as picked by the editors.
Ink Console will launch on the crowdfunding platform Crowd Provide on 1 March. You may study extra on the Ink Console web site.
See beneath for pricing on our choose of the most effective retro recreation consoles. And if you wish to make your personal video games, verify our guides to the most effective laptops for recreation growth and the most effective recreation growth software program.
