Downspike
Kendama Entertainment Network

A community for the balanced lifestyle.

I am Tyson Batino from Dendama, AMA

Discussion in 'The Sesh' started by tysonbatino, Mar 16, 2017.

  1. tysonbatino

    tysonbatino n00b

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2017
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2017
    Mar 16, 2017
    ChrisP.Damahead and goenKendama like this.
  2. Brandon Jensen

    Brandon Jensen Slayer

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2017
    Location:
    San Diego, California
    How accurate is the dendama at translating the trick in real life into the iPad to play against other people.

    Also, how well balanced is the dendama and how long lasting will it be.
     
    Mar 16, 2017
    TheWickEffect likes this.
  3. Cheech_Sander

    Cheech_Sander Administrator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2016
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    from the kickstarter:

    Body Material: ABS Resin
    Body Length: 16cm~18.5cm (6.3"~7.3")
    Ball Diameter: 6cm~6.6cm (2.4"~2.6")
    Battery life: 5 hours (depending on play)
    Weight (body and ball combined): 160g (0.35lbs) (may change during development)


    I am sure people will want to know the weight measurements of the tama and ken individually. Are they fairly even?
     
    Mar 16, 2017
    Brandon Jensen likes this.
  4. tysonbatino

    tysonbatino n00b

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2017
    It cannot sense tricks where the ball balances outside of the four main rests at the moment. For example, the current dendama cannot recognize the bird.

    We do not have issues with balance and the battery lasts around 5 hours depending on your play style.
     
    Mar 16, 2017
  5. tysonbatino

    tysonbatino n00b

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2017
    The goal is to make them fairly even, but we do not know the exact weight for each as of this moment.
     
    Mar 16, 2017
  6. Instagrom3

    Instagrom3 Honed Member

    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2016
    Location:
    Vancouver
    tricks like whirlwind, gunslingers, juggles, are all possible then if it can sense the motion and direction?
     
    Mar 16, 2017
  7. tysonbatino

    tysonbatino n00b

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2017
    Based on our current research. Juggling is probably something we cannot do.

    Version 1.0 cannot register whirlwind and gunslingers, but we think it is possible for version 2.0. The challenge
    will be to distinguish between whirlwind and gunslingers.

    version 1.0 was our Japanese crowdfunded model (released on time on March 2017
    version 2.0 will be our kickstarter model (released in January 2018)
     
    Mar 16, 2017
    Steezdiaz likes this.
  8. cbwalsh24

    cbwalsh24 Honed Member

    Joined:
    Oct 12, 2016
    Location:
    Cape Town, South Africa
    Terrific concept and very intriguing! I'll be keeping an eye on this as it develops.
     
    Mar 16, 2017
  9. Koisuru Stephen

    Koisuru Stephen Honed Member

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2016
    Do you have a link for where to buy in Japan?
     
    Mar 16, 2017
  10. tysonbatino

    tysonbatino n00b

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2017
    The only place to get it is on kickstarter. The big problem we are facing is that if the kendama community does not help us out with the kickstarter campaign than the dendama will not become a reality.

    For the kickstarter campaign, it can deliver dendamas to Japan and the following countries.

    EU, America, England, Canada, and Japan.

    Unfortunately, we cannot send it to Australia. We are currently submitting a request to receive permission for our device. If you have a bluetooth device, you need to get permission from the government before selling.
     
    Mar 17, 2017
    Koisuru Stephen likes this.
  11. tysonbatino

    tysonbatino n00b

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2017
    If you are near Tokyo, you can also come test it out! We are based in Tokyo
     
    Mar 17, 2017
    Congarranza likes this.
  12. michael.

    michael. Member

    Joined:
    Dec 10, 2016
    Location:
    tokyo.
    hi, i live in tokyo and i'm curious! if the offer is still on the table, i'd love to come check it out!
     
    Mar 17, 2017
  13. Instagrom3

    Instagrom3 Honed Member

    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2016
    Location:
    Vancouver
    so another question that i have about the tracking is can it register the difference between regular spikes and downspikes,
    and what about tricks that require switching grips? i.e. around Denmark? and even tricks like 1-2-3 lighthouse

    the Resin that you are using is it somewhat like what Rez uses or something more like plastic
     
    Mar 17, 2017
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  14. Ting.Kut

    Ting.Kut Honed Member

    Joined:
    Dec 21, 2016
    Location:
    Amishville, Indiana
    These are some really good questions i wouldnt have thought of but now i must know the answers to.
     
    Mar 17, 2017
  15. tysonbatino

    tysonbatino n00b

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2017
    Sure Michael. We are in Austin, Texas at the moment for SXSW, but we can arrange something when we get back. Can you send me an e-mail at
    tysonbatino[@]gmail.com?
     
    Mar 17, 2017
  16. tysonbatino

    tysonbatino n00b

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2017
    1. Yes, version 1.0 can register the difference between regular spikes and downspikes.

    2. Version 1.0 cannot register around Denmark and 1-2-3 lighthouse, but we think we could do it if
    we receive funding through kick starter.

    3. Version 1.0 uses a normal ABS and the plastic is a little rough and not perfectly smooth. We would use
    the funding to do research on incorporating wood and to reduce the current version's size by reducing the
    size of the hardware.
     
    Mar 17, 2017
  17. tysonbatino

    tysonbatino n00b

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2017
    This AMA is working out really well. Your questions are really helping us out because we want to know what is preventing the kendama community from getting involved in funding our campaign.

    Our current experience is that non-kendama people will not invest in our kickstarter campaign and the only way to make it work is to get the kendama community behind us.

    Please continue asking more questions!

    Thanks Cheech for offering us this chance.
     
    Mar 17, 2017
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  18. Mr. Von Braun

    Mr. Von Braun Honed Member

    Joined:
    Jan 14, 2017
    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    @tysonbatino, this is my opinion as an average kendama enthusiast:

    LOVE the idea. The concept is amazing and it would really be exciting to be able to interact with players from all over the world. The cost, at $114, is not bad for an interactive kendama. I do not think the price is where you have had your issues in raising funds.

    The following are the issues and reasons why I haven't given you $114:

    Appearance
    - Although it doesn't look bad, the shape of the kendama does not appear to be the most popular shape players enjoy. The dendama looks to be slightly larger than a regular sized kendama and looks to have a very fat ken (something not many players want in a kendama shape). I also noticed a few indents or holes on the tama, and wonder how they could effect play? The dendama also does not appear to be very durable (again this is based off of first impressions, and I could be completely wrong). The hollow design of the ken and tama make me wonder how the dendama would do when dropped, or just even when seshed hard. It might just be something you have to go light with, but as the saying goes "spike hard, catch low".

    Tricks - This is by far the #1 problem in my opinion. Without the ability to do the majority of standard tricks, this dendama will not appeal to many players. To start, I think all of the ten JKA listed beginner tricks should possible on the dendama. In addition to that, wIthout being able to register some of the most popular tricks (whirlwind, gunslinger, bird, other stalls, etc..) it will not be something every kendama player will be interested in.

    Final thoughts
    - Again, I love the idea and the ambition to bring kendama to a whole new level digitally. Being able to face-off against players from around the world would bring such a cool interactive feel to the community. The possibilities it could lead to are really great! However, at its current state, I do not see the dendama as being a complete success. If you put this technology in something like a solid REZ kendama, with a slightly improved shape, and ability to register all major tricks, I would happily pay $200-$300. I would know the product would last (due to the known durability of solid REZ) and would know that as I evolve as a kendama player with my trick capabilities, the dendama would be able to keep up. Best of luck! I really hope to see this technology become a reality in the near future!
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2017
    Mar 17, 2017
    Cheech_Sander and tysonbatino like this.
  19. tysonbatino

    tysonbatino n00b

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2017
    Mr. Von Braun

    Thank you for the feedback and spending the time to write it in an easy to understand way.

    It was easy for me to understand and you covered many important points

    I will share it with the team and get back to you guys. Does anyone else have some other thoughts or second the concerns that Mr. Von Braun has?
     
    Last edited: Mar 18, 2017
    Mar 17, 2017
  20. Edric Owen Ladera

    Edric Owen Ladera Slayer

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2016
    Location:
    Philippines
    so far how many tricks that is registered in a dendama? is it possible for v2.0 for players input their tricks? also does border balance count as spike or it is bb itself & does dendama have taps yet for 2.0? that's all
     
    Mar 17, 2017