Interviews: Ask Ben Heck About Gaming and Console Modding

Benjamin Heckendorn, better known as Ben Heck, has become famous for modding consoles and game controllers. Over 10 million viewers worldwide have watched The Ben Heck Show to see him create something new out of old gaming systems every week. Been has agreed to leave the Ataris alone for a while and answer your questions about console modding and gaming in general. As usual, ask as many as you'd like, but please, one question per post.

Closed ecosystem

[i kan reed]

By attempting to inject openness into an intentionally closed ecosystem, do you see yourself as an enabler to that closed ecosystem?

That is to say, open standards are the default on modular personal computers, and almost invariably not present on video game consoles. By giving people who want flexibility a means to use consoles, do you see yourself as inflating those markets and doing long-term harm to actual open systems?

Design Workflow

[HideyoshiJP]

Ben, When you're generally designing enclosures for your hacked consoles, do you tend to start with an overall design first, or do you start designing around the mainboards and then attempt to make things look nice later in the design process?

Ever get any Law suits / DMCA / banned issues with

[Joe_Dragon]

Ever get any Law suits / DMCA / banned issues with the hacks?

What's missing from consoles?

[Anonymous Coward]

What new features or technologies do you do see missing from the current gaming systems that you believe would beneficial, and why?

Minced profanity

[Anonymous Coward]

Have you ever considered legally changing your name to "Ben Heck&darn"?