I wish they would release the dock already. I don't really use my Playdate at all anymore because the screen is impossible to see under anything but 100% pristine lighting conditions, but at least...
I wish they would release the dock already. I don't really use my Playdate at all anymore because the screen is impossible to see under anything but 100% pristine lighting conditions, but at least with the dock it would make a cool desk prop and have some utility as a bluetooth speaker. As it is it's just collecting dust in a drawer alongside several of my other poor purchase decisions.
I'm not sure if you got the flip case as well, but I've had a really good experience using this book light clipped to the cover to help illuminate the screen in lower lighting: Glocusent Willow...
I'm not sure if you got the flip case as well, but I've had a really good experience using this book light clipped to the cover to help illuminate the screen in lower lighting: Glocusent Willow Book Light. I don't notice the added weight, and if I clip on the left side it doesn't affect my ability to use the controls at all. It takes a little adjusting so the light illuminates the screen but doesn't just reflect a point light back at me. It's not hard to find the right angle though. If you like the games and it's just a lighting thing holding you back, something like this might help.
Oh wow that brings me back to the light I had to clip onto my Gameboy Color (though that was a peripheral made for the Color iirc, so it was a little less diy than buying a book light).
Oh wow that brings me back to the light I had to clip onto my Gameboy Color (though that was a peripheral made for the Color iirc, so it was a little less diy than buying a book light).
I saw the idea while researching the console before I bought it with some similar discourse. It really is pretty effective though! And I suspect much brighter than the light for the Gameboy. š
I saw the idea while researching the console before I bought it with some similar discourse. It really is pretty effective though! And I suspect much brighter than the light for the Gameboy. š
I did have a similar setup when I was still using the Playdate more regularly. I think my booklight was too cheap though, because the stem got less and less pliable to the point where it wouldn't...
I did have a similar setup when I was still using the Playdate more regularly. I think my booklight was too cheap though, because the stem got less and less pliable to the point where it wouldn't stay in a position that illuminated the screen anymore unless I physically held it in place.
I guess that's another thing I wish Panic would release instead of spending effort on weird stuff like this pizza themed case--some kind of tailor-made light accessory that clips onto the device itself would probably get me interested in playing with it again.
Iām gonna push back a little bit on ā100% pristine lightingā. The screen is extremely high contrast, and highly reflective. Now, I spend the majority of my life in as dim a light as possible, so...
Iām gonna push back a little bit on ā100% pristine lightingā. The screen is extremely high contrast, and highly reflective. Now, I spend the majority of my life in as dim a light as possible, so perhaps I am more used to these conditions than most, but I find that all I really need to play in lower light is to adjust the angle of my screen. Sure, there comes a point where itās just too dark to play without a book light (the maker of Art& has a 3D printable grip that includes a place to clip a book light, makes very a very comfy experience) but Iāve played quite a bit in significantly less than 100% pristine lighting.
I admit I was being a bit facetious there. I'm just salty because I feel like the Playdate would be so much better and more fun to use if it had any kind of built-in lighting for the screen...
I admit I was being a bit facetious there. I'm just salty because I feel like the Playdate would be so much better and more fun to use if it had any kind of built-in lighting for the screen (something like the kindle paperwhite, or indiglo would be awesome, but I'd even settle for like one crappy built-in LED that can shine from the top/bottom/side). Whenever I used it my enjoyment was always dampened by constantly thinking what a shame it is there's no light in there.
It couldnāt work with that kind of display though. The āonā pixels are reflective so the background needs to be black; a backlight would make the display unreadable. If they chose an e-ink or...
It couldnāt work with that kind of display though. The āonā pixels are reflective so the background needs to be black; a backlight would make the display unreadable. If they chose an e-ink or e-paper display like an e-reader it wouldnāt be as responsive.
Yeah I agree e-ink and backlighting wouldn't work. I think some LEDs around the perimeter to provide front lighting (like the paperwhite has) would have been a game changer though.
Yeah I agree e-ink and backlighting wouldn't work. I think some LEDs around the perimeter to provide front lighting (like the paperwhite has) would have been a game changer though.
There is this guy working on a side lit mod. Here's the post I found a while ago but I haven't followed through to look into I'd he's crowd sourcing yet. Might be of interest to you though:...
I responded to Rudism below about this as well, but to make sure you see it, there is a guy working on a console mod that side illuminates the screen:...
I picked one up in may and think it's a delightfully nostalgic handheld. It really seems to be a "love it" or "strongly neutral" kind of toy for most people, I've seen a bit of hate, but most of...
I picked one up in may and think it's a delightfully nostalgic handheld. It really seems to be a "love it" or "strongly neutral" kind of toy for most people, I've seen a bit of hate, but most of the reception seems to fall into one of the two camps. I think the people who really like it might be more vocal, but it's hard to know the split.
I think there's some real gems created for it, and you since it's a small console most of the games are priced accordingly. So you can pick up some pretty decent games for $3-$7 each. I think most of the games that you get sent periodically after first buying the console are pretty good as well and I've gotten a couple hours of play time out of each of them. What's cool is if you buy the console used, you're eligible to receive the games as well for your account! So you don't miss out on those once the device is reset (since it's probably been registered to the previous owner).
I love mine and haven't really had issues with the screen. I did pick up a little usb-C rechargeable book light which I clip onto the case (imo the flip case is almost essential, it's done a surprisingly great job protecting the screen in my pocket). It doesn't add noticeable weight and helps brighten things up in lower lighting.
The crank is quirky and fortunately I think most games that use it have come up with clever ways of integrating it as a control.
When I saw it, I was pretty drawn to it as I didn't really get to experience any handhelds as a kid so theirs a lot of novelty to this for me. I certainly have already gotten my money's worth and hope to enjoy it for years to come.
I havenāt gotten too much use out of it, but itās definitely fun, and I donāt regret buying it. Itās not an essential piece of technology, and if you donāt have much disposable income, there are...
I havenāt gotten too much use out of it, but itās definitely fun, and I donāt regret buying it. Itās not an essential piece of technology, and if you donāt have much disposable income, there are probably other things that will stretch further, but if you have a spare $250, itās definitely fun. The indie games being released and sold there are more interesting and creative than games Iāve seen on other platforms recently.
It is a very cool device. It is well-made and well-supported. The games available for it do a really great job of working with the limitations of the system. Constraints often enhance creativity,...
It is a very cool device. It is well-made and well-supported. The games available for it do a really great job of working with the limitations of the system. Constraints often enhance creativity, and I remain amazed at the quality of the visuals people are able to create with a monochromatic low-res screen. There is some really cool stuff available for it, and even the standard stuff is, honestly, pretty neat.
The device has its own native store of games that is continually growing. Even cooler though, it officially supports wireless sideloading. You can buy a game off itch.io on your computer, upload the file to your Playdate web account, and itāll then pop up on your Playdate.
I cannot stress enough how cool this device is.
That said, mine sits in a drawer all the time. I never really use it. The Playdate released alongside the Steam Deck, so the handheld time I would have spent with the Playdate got usurped by the Steam Deck. It was sort of dead in the water for me from the beginning.
The only times Iāve consistently played my Playdate are when Iām traveling and have left my Steam Deck at home. Itās great for airports/flights, although games that heavily use the crank might get you some odd stares.
A lot of its games tend to be simple arcade games ā the kind you can pick up and play immediately and that have sessions that are over in seconds or mere minutes. The upside of this is instantaneous accessibility. The downside is that you can drop them just as easily. A lot of games on the device I played for only a minute or two before realizing I wasnāt really interested in spending any more time in them. There are deeper, richer games available too, of course, so itās not completely one-note.
I would recommend it to you if it fits what youāre looking for. Again, it is very cool, and itās well-made and polished. I really canāt fault it because it does exactly what it intends to and does it well. What I realized when I got mine though is that Iām much more of a Deck-style gamer than a Playdate-style gamer, so it never really got the full attention that it deserves from me.
It is eligible for a bundle with the console, but otherwise is $29 + $17 shipping (or local pricing)
Is there a French egg farm nearby? Because that pricing has me saying oeuf.
I wish they would release the dock already. I don't really use my Playdate at all anymore because the screen is impossible to see under anything but 100% pristine lighting conditions, but at least with the dock it would make a cool desk prop and have some utility as a bluetooth speaker. As it is it's just collecting dust in a drawer alongside several of my other poor purchase decisions.
I'm not sure if you got the flip case as well, but I've had a really good experience using this book light clipped to the cover to help illuminate the screen in lower lighting: Glocusent Willow Book Light. I don't notice the added weight, and if I clip on the left side it doesn't affect my ability to use the controls at all. It takes a little adjusting so the light illuminates the screen but doesn't just reflect a point light back at me. It's not hard to find the right angle though. If you like the games and it's just a lighting thing holding you back, something like this might help.
Oh wow that brings me back to the light I had to clip onto my Gameboy Color (though that was a peripheral made for the Color iirc, so it was a little less diy than buying a book light).
I saw the idea while researching the console before I bought it with some similar discourse. It really is pretty effective though! And I suspect much brighter than the light for the Gameboy. š
I did have a similar setup when I was still using the Playdate more regularly. I think my booklight was too cheap though, because the stem got less and less pliable to the point where it wouldn't stay in a position that illuminated the screen anymore unless I physically held it in place.
I guess that's another thing I wish Panic would release instead of spending effort on weird stuff like this pizza themed case--some kind of tailor-made light accessory that clips onto the device itself would probably get me interested in playing with it again.
For reflectivity, one can apply a matte screen protector. The finish does decrease the contrast a wee bit, but it virtually eliminates glare.
What matte screen protector did you get?
I meant generally, I haven't got a playdate, but I do have a matte screen protector on my steam deck. Involer was the brand or something like that.
Iām gonna push back a little bit on ā100% pristine lightingā. The screen is extremely high contrast, and highly reflective. Now, I spend the majority of my life in as dim a light as possible, so perhaps I am more used to these conditions than most, but I find that all I really need to play in lower light is to adjust the angle of my screen. Sure, there comes a point where itās just too dark to play without a book light (the maker of Art& has a 3D printable grip that includes a place to clip a book light, makes very a very comfy experience) but Iāve played quite a bit in significantly less than 100% pristine lighting.
I admit I was being a bit facetious there. I'm just salty because I feel like the Playdate would be so much better and more fun to use if it had any kind of built-in lighting for the screen (something like the kindle paperwhite, or indiglo would be awesome, but I'd even settle for like one crappy built-in LED that can shine from the top/bottom/side). Whenever I used it my enjoyment was always dampened by constantly thinking what a shame it is there's no light in there.
It couldnāt work with that kind of display though. The āonā pixels are reflective so the background needs to be black; a backlight would make the display unreadable. If they chose an e-ink or e-paper display like an e-reader it wouldnāt be as responsive.
Yeah I agree e-ink and backlighting wouldn't work. I think some LEDs around the perimeter to provide front lighting (like the paperwhite has) would have been a game changer though.
There is this guy working on a side lit mod. Here's the post I found a while ago but I haven't followed through to look into I'd he's crowd sourcing yet. Might be of interest to you though: https://www.reddit.com/r/PlaydateConsole/comments/1dgzp7y/my_pdlight_mod_is_now_completely_standalone_no/
I responded to Rudism below about this as well, but to make sure you see it, there is a guy working on a console mod that side illuminates the screen: https://www.reddit.com/r/PlaydateConsole/comments/1dgzp7y/my_pdlight_mod_is_now_completely_standalone_no/
Is this device worth it? I really love the aesthetic and idea behind it.
I picked one up in may and think it's a delightfully nostalgic handheld. It really seems to be a "love it" or "strongly neutral" kind of toy for most people, I've seen a bit of hate, but most of the reception seems to fall into one of the two camps. I think the people who really like it might be more vocal, but it's hard to know the split.
I think there's some real gems created for it, and you since it's a small console most of the games are priced accordingly. So you can pick up some pretty decent games for $3-$7 each. I think most of the games that you get sent periodically after first buying the console are pretty good as well and I've gotten a couple hours of play time out of each of them. What's cool is if you buy the console used, you're eligible to receive the games as well for your account! So you don't miss out on those once the device is reset (since it's probably been registered to the previous owner).
I love mine and haven't really had issues with the screen. I did pick up a little usb-C rechargeable book light which I clip onto the case (imo the flip case is almost essential, it's done a surprisingly great job protecting the screen in my pocket). It doesn't add noticeable weight and helps brighten things up in lower lighting.
The crank is quirky and fortunately I think most games that use it have come up with clever ways of integrating it as a control.
When I saw it, I was pretty drawn to it as I didn't really get to experience any handhelds as a kid so theirs a lot of novelty to this for me. I certainly have already gotten my money's worth and hope to enjoy it for years to come.
I havenāt gotten too much use out of it, but itās definitely fun, and I donāt regret buying it. Itās not an essential piece of technology, and if you donāt have much disposable income, there are probably other things that will stretch further, but if you have a spare $250, itās definitely fun. The indie games being released and sold there are more interesting and creative than games Iāve seen on other platforms recently.
It is a very cool device. It is well-made and well-supported. The games available for it do a really great job of working with the limitations of the system. Constraints often enhance creativity, and I remain amazed at the quality of the visuals people are able to create with a monochromatic low-res screen. There is some really cool stuff available for it, and even the standard stuff is, honestly, pretty neat.
The device has its own native store of games that is continually growing. Even cooler though, it officially supports wireless sideloading. You can buy a game off itch.io on your computer, upload the file to your Playdate web account, and itāll then pop up on your Playdate.
I cannot stress enough how cool this device is.
That said, mine sits in a drawer all the time. I never really use it. The Playdate released alongside the Steam Deck, so the handheld time I would have spent with the Playdate got usurped by the Steam Deck. It was sort of dead in the water for me from the beginning.
The only times Iāve consistently played my Playdate are when Iām traveling and have left my Steam Deck at home. Itās great for airports/flights, although games that heavily use the crank might get you some odd stares.
A lot of its games tend to be simple arcade games ā the kind you can pick up and play immediately and that have sessions that are over in seconds or mere minutes. The upside of this is instantaneous accessibility. The downside is that you can drop them just as easily. A lot of games on the device I played for only a minute or two before realizing I wasnāt really interested in spending any more time in them. There are deeper, richer games available too, of course, so itās not completely one-note.
I would recommend it to you if it fits what youāre looking for. Again, it is very cool, and itās well-made and polished. I really canāt fault it because it does exactly what it intends to and does it well. What I realized when I got mine though is that Iām much more of a Deck-style gamer than a Playdate-style gamer, so it never really got the full attention that it deserves from me.