[HN Gopher] Playtiles: The Pocket-Sized Gaming Platform
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       Playtiles: The Pocket-Sized Gaming Platform
        
       Author : surprisetalk
       Score  : 21 points
       Date   : 2025-11-28 16:08 UTC (6 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (get.playtil.es)
 (TXT) w3m dump (get.playtil.es)
        
       | crimsoneer wrote:
       | Aww this is a cute variation on the playdate model, which I
       | really enjoyed
        
       | atulvi wrote:
       | I've been wanting something like this! but how does it stick?
        
         | mathgeek wrote:
         | From the FAQ, they're using one of the sticky surfaces that are
         | reusable and refresh via getting them wet.
        
       | sandboxdev wrote:
       | I don't understand what you're buying, a sticker and access to
       | the software?
        
         | zem wrote:
         | the sticker is a game controller, with physical buttons. meant
         | to give you more of a handheld gaming device experience on your
         | phone
        
       | Y_Y wrote:
       | Fuck QR codes so much. Yes they have good uses, but this isn't
       | one of them. Would have been a good place to use NFC though.
        
         | nosrepa wrote:
         | Cameras are more ubiquitous than nfc chips
        
       | bhz wrote:
       | Sad that the dev-kit apparently costs money. Unless I'm missing
       | something, you have to pay to explore the SDK.
        
         | zem wrote:
         | it's not entirely clear from the page - the description of what
         | you get when you buy the "dev kit" says
         | 
         | 8<----------------
         | 
         | Each kit includes a custom Playtile and a download key for
         | Gumpy Function's enhanced version of "Let's Build a
         | Platformer!" course, featuring exclusive Playtiles chapters on
         | sideloading, testing your games, digital manual, achievements,
         | and more.
         | 
         | 8<----------------
         | 
         | so at the very least it sounds like you buy the dev kit and it
         | comes with the device as well, and the PDF course book. but
         | it's not clear whether you can just get a playtile and then
         | develop your own games for it. they do say you can "sideload"
         | games from itch.io and play them with an actual controller,
         | which makes me think the sdk is very minimal and mostly
         | involves input translation, and might well be documented on
         | their site when they release. it would be nice to have that
         | spelt out in the faq though.
        
           | weslito wrote:
           | The devkit is the hardware device to test your game + the
           | course
           | 
           | The sdk/game engine is free and open source
           | https://www.gbstudio.dev
           | 
           | You can submit your game and get a publishing agreement on
           | the platform here https://tally.so/r/wbylPE
        
             | zem wrote:
             | that's good to know, and greatly increases my likelihood of
             | getting one!
        
       | nosrepa wrote:
       | I hope their production units have better buttons than what's
       | shown on some of their images.
       | 
       | https://api.playtil.es/api/v1/shop/items/92/files/screenshot...
        
         | zem wrote:
         | the homepage design makes it impossible to link to anything,
         | but they have a video which makes it look a lot better than
         | that.
        
         | nom wrote:
         | yeah those are FDM 3d printed, unlikely that they are doing
         | that in production for such simple pieces of plastic, it surely
         | must be a prototype.
        
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       (page generated 2025-11-28 23:01 UTC)