Im in!
If i can be a tester or help dev a little. Im not that good yet but, im IN!
It’s not the same thing at all though.
Porting a JVM that’s going to be embedded in a game that’s going through all the proper channels isn’t a system-wide JVM for anyone to play around with.
Just think of it as a library like any other.
Awesome 
I guess the real challenge here is to concert a community effort to actually start making things happen.
On top of my head:
- Getting developers interested to work on this that have the ability to make it happen
- To be ported: A headless JVM, LWJGL and/or JogAmp, libgdx. I’d vote to definitely have libgdx working there because it’s popular and should help Android developers as well.
- Have a goal of at least 1 game to be ported (PuppyGames? Other takers?). This would also help with getting Sony behind this (if they’re interested in that game that is)
- Making an assessment of how much this is going to cost (getting people paid, getting a PS4 devkit)
- Contacting Sony about this idea. Perhaps they can help with the devkit or something too.
- If needed, a Kickstarter campaign or similar to get the funds. This would imho be better than organising this privately as something like Kickstarter could help popularising the idea as well.
- Getting people to notice this effort. Sending out press releases to popular publications and such.
A requirement for such an effort would imho be that this port (excluding the game itself) would have a liberal Open Source license so that it can easily be reused and enhanced.
Other thoughts?
Already was talking to SCE about it but Sony are as usual useless ball-dropping corporate fools; trail has already gone cold. Just say no to console development.
Cas
It’s not the same thing at all though.
Porting a JVM that’s going to be embedded in a game that’s going through all the proper channels isn’t a system-wide JVM for anyone to play around with.
Just think of it as a library like any other.
Not surprised, but if it’s legal and it should technically work, then we don’t need their help at all, right?
Awesome
I guess the real challenge here is to concert a community effort to actually start making things happen.
On top of my head:
- Getting developers interested to work on this that have the ability to make it happen
- To be ported: A headless JVM, LWJGL and/or JogAmp, libgdx. I’d vote to definitely have libgdx working there because it’s popular and should help Android developers as well.
- Have a goal of at least 1 game to be ported (PuppyGames? Other takers?). This would also help with getting Sony behind this (if they’re interested in that game that is)
- Making an assessment of how much this is going to cost (getting people paid, getting a PS4 devkit)
- Contacting Sony about this idea. Perhaps they can help with the devkit or something too.
- If needed, a Kickstarter campaign or similar to get the funds. This would imho be better than organising this privately as something like Kickstarter could help popularising the idea as well.
- Getting people to notice this effort. Sending out press releases to popular publications and such.
A requirement for such an effort would imho be that this port (excluding the game itself) would have a liberal Open Source license so that it can easily be reused and enhanced.
Other thoughts?
Already was talking to SCE about it but Sony are as usual useless ball-dropping corporate fools; trail has already gone cold. Just say no to console development.
Cas
Technically no, the only problem is, currently they’re all talk and no trousers. They’re about as indie friendly as Microsoft are, they’re just a bit better at the PR spin at the moment.
Cas
Not surprised, but if it’s legal and it should technically work, then we don’t need their help at all, right?
Technically no, the only problem is, currently they’re all talk and no trousers. They’re about as indie friendly as Microsoft are, they’re just a bit better at the PR spin at the moment.
Cas
Couldn’t you use something like RoboVM (at least when it’s out of alpha) for consoles?
Probably, but frankly I don’t want to go there, because it’s a world of pain.
Cas
Couldn’t you use something like RoboVM (at least when it’s out of alpha) for consoles?
Probably, but frankly I don’t want to go there, because it’s a world of pain.
Cas
Yeah, I mean OpenJDK is open source x86 code, as soon as you have a PS4 devkit you just have to fiddle around with it and lwjgl and the end-product would be indistinguishable from a “normal” library / code.
Yup.
Ideally you would have Sony support or at least an OK. But if there is no licensing problem and no devil-in-the-details while trying to implement it, it should work.
Of course Sony can always be dicks and somehow check for Java stuff and forbid it, just because it’s Java and for no other reason.
But hey maybe I’m too optimistic, but I kinda think that Sony will say “OK” or at least ignore and allow it. I definitely don’t see them actively looking at it - why would they. Minecraft is the only argument, but even that is weak with Minecraft C# ports in existence and stuff.
Of course from a business standpoint I can understand if they would ban Java, even if it works, because it’s simply a risk.
Theoretically these Java games could have some sort of performance or whatever problem, and then customers would complain to Sony and stuff. They would kinda have to say “we are not responsible for the QA of self published indie games”. But at lest in the case of Microsoft I know that they did pretty rigorous tests on those games to make sure.
Yeah, I mean OpenJDK is open source x86 code, as soon as you have a PS4 devkit you just have to fiddle around with it and lwjgl and the end-product would be indistinguishable from a “normal” library / code.
Yup.
Ideally you would have Sony support or at least an OK. But if there is no licensing problem and no devil-in-the-details while trying to implement it, it should work.
Of course Sony can always be dicks and somehow check for Java stuff and forbid it, just because it’s Java and for no other reason.
But hey maybe I’m too optimistic, but I kinda think that Sony will say “OK” or at least ignore and allow it. I definitely don’t see them actively looking at it - why would they. Minecraft is the only argument, but even that is weak with Minecraft C# ports in existence and stuff.
Of course from a business standpoint I can understand if they would ban Java, even if it works, because it’s simply a risk.
Theoretically these Java games could have some sort of performance or whatever problem, and then customers would complain to Sony and stuff. They would kinda have to say “we are not responsible for the QA of self published indie games”. But at lest in the case of Microsoft I know that they did pretty rigorous tests on those games to make sure.
What risk is that? AFAIK all those security issues from last years have been related to browser plug-ins, but there’s nothing inherently unsafe about an embedded JVM. I’d say it’s safer than native code.
You’re right there’s no real incentive for Sony to put much effort in java, but I don’t think they would be against it “because it’s Java”. After all, BluRay also depends on Java.
According to many indie developers, Sony has been very generous with loaning out PS4 devkits; “They are handing them out like candy”