New Console Developer? Ian Bell Announces 'Mad Box'

[Paul Jeffrey]

Slightly Mad Studios Ian Bell has confirmed on Twitter that the developers behind Project CARS are working on a new and super powerful console.

Intending to pitch right into the fight for console supremacy with the likes of Microsoft and Sony, Bell has confirmed that SMS are working on the provisionally titled 'Mad Box' device, with plans to significantly move the console marketplace forward with what has been described as "the most powerful console ever built...".

Although plans are in the infancy at this moment in time, Bell has stated that the new Mad Box console should be VR compatible from the off, with a proposed 90fps per eye, 180 FPS internally expected at the point of the consoles release - expected to be two or three years away at this stage.

Although much of the internal spec is still under consideration by Slightly Mad Studios, the overall design of the console has surfaced earlier today, as can be evidenced by the screenshots in this article, and Bell has been in very bullish mood during much of initial reveal discussions on social media - coming straight out of the blocks with some very impressive statements about the consoles capabilities once launched - easily putting the new Mad Box in the frame as a potential Xbox and PlayStation 4 beating piece of hardware.

Of course it is still early days in the development of the new Mad Box, but if the initial plans for the console do come to fruition this will be a very impressive piece of kit indeed. One of the key features mentioned briefly by Ian is the desire to open up the game engine to developers, presumably allowing game developers to access the engine platform in which to develop new games. Furthermore, Bell has stated that this will be a free facility for developers, which should be a powerful incentive for game studios to create content that works well with the new console.

All in all this is certainly a surprise move from SMS, and one very interesting topic to keep an eye on in the coming months..

 

 

[Zuffenhausen Weiss]

Lets all be quiet whilst we falsely praise him into thinking the project will be a huge hit, so he can press on with the project whilst heading on a one-way trip en-route to the console graveyard with the likes of Apple Pippin, Atari Jaguar, 3DO, Ouya, Phillips CD-i, etc. Then, as a consequence of this project, his employees will end up joining EA or move to China to make shoddy mobile games at a minimum wage.

It doesn't take a dumbass to know this project will sink without trace faster than Amelia Earhart. I can't wait to see the back of SMS.

 

[Nick Hill]

Just for clarification purposes......are you referring to Ian's balls or the madbox?

LMAO! I am not technically authorized to do this, but I hereby annoint you King of RaceDepartment. All of this belongs to you now, sire - do as you please!

 

[mantasisg]

I should better go to sleep

 

[mrbungle83]

I believe Ian Bell has a buisness model that goes like this. Lie lie lie lie lie lie - take the money - say you will learn from your mistakes. Forget integrity for a moment and it's a beautiful plan, there is seeming no comeuppance for not delivering and as long as us suckers are just intrigued enough we spend. I would like to say that bug box does look nice.

Also that sickening line that keeps coming out for the crappy games (spiritual successor) how long before the broken promises box is advertised as the spiritual successor to (insert best console here)

The only way sms earn respect from me is to finish the so called Project.

 

[Nick Hill]

Over promising/under delivering on $40-$60 software is an irritating but surprisingly viable way to make a living. Over promising/under delivering on custom branded high end gaming PCs is going to end with a few poor souls having their wallets lightened and a whole lot of laughter from the rest of us!

 

[David Peres]

Valve couldn't suceed with their "Steam Machines" and these guys think they can? Mad, indeed... and more than "slightly". PC players will just keep building their PCs, and console players will not buy it because it doesn't have the exclusive series they want... so... why?

Also, if the end product looks anything like those concepts then I'm sorry but that thing is so ugly not even her mother could love it

 

[Cheesenium]

As expected, this is another thread filled with hate towards SMS. Like them or not, SMS do play a part in the resurgence of realistic games that eventually led to the vibrant racing games scene we have now that I cherish their efforts. And I don’t want to go back to the days that all I have is NFS, GT and Forza along with a bunch of underwhelming independent racing games with dated visuals, strange design direction, odd physics, near zero accessibility, poor polish and barely any content. Pcars series is extremely flawed for me, especially the second game that is felt less polished in some ways. However, I do admire their ingenuity such as starting a crowd funding program in 2011 before the rush of games crowd funding with Broken Age, the applications of Finite Element Methods for driving physics(no doubt this method caused some issues), adopter of VR at fairly early stages of the technology and now, a weird VR ready console.

The console looks ugly but I think the main drive for this for industry applications since they worked with Porsche and StarVR to launch the new 992 road car. They also announced the non consumer version of pcars, Project Cars Pro and started a company for VR applications in the industry called iotech. This seemed like an effort to produce a standardized and one box solution VR hardware system for companies to deploy the system quickly. I don’t think the average gamer wants access for their engine and I believe most VR enthusiast would be able to build a similar system for much lower price. Industry, however, they would want a standardized system with tools to build their own applications along with developer support.

Again, I still think this is for industry applications with VR, not for most gamers. I won’t even buy that if I’m upgrading my PC as having their engine access is useless for me and good lord, it’s massive and ugly. I thought MSI laptops are ugly.

 

[Nick Hill]

Ian is a lot of things, but being dumb isn't one of them...surely he is smart enough to realize consoles are a whole "thing". It's not just a question of putting pretty packaging around some mid-to-high end PC components, giving it an edgy sounding name, and shipping a few million units out to retailers. There are a lot of complicated, high volume based economics that go into making the console market a net success. Very large, deep pocketed organizations have had to work very carefully to pull it off...it defies belief that a more-or-less indie game developer is going to pull this off.

And I realize my comments are just begging for the "yeah, that's what they told HENRY FORD!" type rebuttals, but he is really not proposing any genuine innovation here. It's just "we're gonna pack this cool looking box with some sweet hardware...and it will talk to other boxes WIRELESSLY [2003 is on the phone, they are blown away and want to know how it works]... and it'll also have a handle!"

Make no mistake, hard won innovation is occuring in the hardware space right now and VR is certainly a big area of focus...but no one is looking for Ian Bell's help getting it packaged up and into the hands of the masses.

 

[drift92]

That sounds slightly Mad, but good luck as always )

 

[Shaun Clarke]

(A) As expected, this is another thread filled with hate towards SMS. (B) Like them or not, SMS do play a part in the resurgence of realistic games that eventually led to the vibrant racing games scene

Hold the phone....

(A) You wonder why
(B) Seriosuly?

Do a bloody good job in the first place and then threads like this would not appear, sorry

 

[Cheesenium]

Hold the phone....

(A) You wonder why
(B) Seriosuly?

Do a bloody good job in this place and then threads like this would not appear, sorry

Isn’t pcars 1 the game that showed that the market wants more realistic games back in 2010? That codemaster made a gamble with Grid Autosport that eventually lead to Dirt Rally and current F1 games that gets more and more realistic year by year. Or the rise of AC that rode the resurgence of realistic racing games that Kunos capitalized it well? Or those often underwhelming official WRC, MXGP and so on games that tries to be more realistic than some officially branded trolley physics? Even Forza 7 tried to be more realistic but I don’t feel much difference personally.

They did play a part in the resurgence of realistic games with that much hated gureilla marketing they have with pcars 1. Hate them all you want but they do seemed to be aware of upcoming trends.

SMS problem for me is generally their awful QA and their often poor communication.

 

[Shaun Clarke]

@Cheesenium But they have never fixed the problems from Shift, let alone PC1. All the problems that happened in Shift are still present in PC2, so where is the progress?

Sorry but the why I see it (me) is usually its "if its broke fix it" where as SMS is "if it's broke create a new version" and hope it goes away.

 

[Cheesenium]

@Cheesenium But they have never fixed the problems from Shift, let alone PC1. All the problems that happened in Shift are still present in PC2, so where is the progress?

So their AI is still as **** as Shift in pcars 2? Or the driving physics is still as bad as Shift? Are you even playing the same game as me? Sms has a lot of flaws but disregarding the other progress they made is ignorant.

RD had been extremely biased to this company while constantly shilling to some other company regardless what they do. There is a reason I hate posting in a SMS thread because of the near intersectional level of hate towards this company. This isn’t politics or football club that needs religious level of worship. The world isn’t black and white, there are a lot of greys in between.

It is fine to disagree but it is foolish to disregard different opinions.

 

[motoliser]

Someone's puffing too much...

 

[Lino Carreira]

Has anyone else looked at Ian's twitter pic and thought he was on other line of business other then games ? or is it just me with a filthy mind ?

PS: i want whatever the hell he is smoking

 

[Jason Mullin]

I'm currently vaping on a fine southern blend called back porch tobacco and sipping on Jack fire whiskey, man is it good.
I'm also enjoying some GT4 career races in Project Cars 2 on my Fanatec equipment, man is it good.
I go against the grain in life so it's only fitting my opinion be the same, I thank SMS for the fun racing I'm having tonight and wish them good luck with Mad Box.

 

[FernandoAFM]

Will it have sim physics?

 

[Shaun Clarke]

[QUOTE="Cheesenium, post: 2890247, member: 95268"
RD had been extremely biased to this company while constantly shilling to some other company regardless what they do. .[/QUOTE]
Sorry but your incorrect, RD are totally independent, it the RD community that voice their opinion

 

[Shaun Clarke]

Will it have sim physics?

Of course it will, after x times downloads and the "bare with us we are fixing it"

 

[Boby Kim]

This is sooo good. Got my popcorn ready as this is going to be even better than Pcars 1 development. Ian, you have good humour!! Thanks for making me laugh
Even better are those who defend SMS...i wet my pants