Thats how it goes, when you have kids, job and were moving. That and a constant deviation from projects from other ideas.

Specificly I've been looking at portable game systems, open source ones.

The problem is they're either too expensive or too open in developement. None really have something like GM except for maybe gameboy, and we all know how nintendo is about indie games. You'd think they'd be more supportive. But thats big business.

Whats out there currently is Open Pandora, but its kind of costly and more of an PDA than a game console. Theres another one, but I'm not too certain about it do to its past legal issues and it being mostly in another language.

So I pondered what it would take to make ones own. There are some interesting things out there and I'm starting to get interested in computer electronics, like making use of breadboards and single board computer systems.

On fairly priced option is the FuseBox, a open source NES/SNES style console. It even makes use of NES & SNES controllers. Unfortunatly it doesn't seem to be supported any longer.

A caseless DIY kit is about $70, $100 for the complete thing.

Of course this is a TV console too.

A problem for making your own portable console lies a lot in the LCD display. Its amazing how expensive small ones can be. I've been lucky to find a small handful of screens supporting 320x240 screens at a decent size, around $50-70. The rest cost as much as 150+, which is kind of crazy since lcd picture frames have become so cheap. Another cheap alternative is using GB and PSP replacement screens, with optional touch pads. Thats pretty nice.

But this is all just a side diversion to me, as I come up with something targeting a forgotten audience for game play, specificly the blind. I've come up with an idea of a portable game console based on braille and enhanced with audio.

^ represent a capitol letter, while # represents a number follows. To cut down on space, I care only of stops, periods. I've decided to go with a 22 character sheet x 8 lines.

RPGs and Adventure style games would be the prime content aside from the possibilitiy of educational and teach yourself braille programs.

All this is fine and good but what these developements really need is something like GM, I know theres a few developements out there to recreate GM with Java and other languages, which is great, but they are slow going.

Anyways I'm just going on about concepts and possibilities.

However lets consider if a Opensource easy to use and cheap portable console was out to use by you all, specificly running on Java with maybe opengl support for 3d and 2d enhancements.

PSP and GBDS are gradually opening the door for indie, and open pandora has promises but no real public awareness, so in truth they are not helping the indie crowd. A low-cost portable or simple console system devoted to casual and retro style games would be awesome. Any thoughts?