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Microsoft releases XNA update for Zune HD developers, multitouch drawing app created
A lot of people had differing emotions when reading the Zune HD launch announcement yesterday: joy that the system would indeed sport a selection of apps and games, all free; dismay that those apps would be developed almost exclusively by Microsoft. Today you can turn that frown upside down, sweetheart, as it seems that exclusivity won't last long. An update to the XNA Game Studio development environment has already been released, enabling coders to target the Zune HD. The new version, 3.1, adds libraries for handling the system's accelerometer and multitouch screen, both put to use by developer Elton Muuga to create a simple drawing app, shown in video form after the break. It makes lines on a screen with finger touches and, like a ridiculously expensive Etch A Sketch, erases with a shake. It's not much, but impressive given the thing's only been available for a day now, and while we're still unsure how apps like this will find their way into the Zune's app store, we're sure all will be answered soon enough.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Read - XNA Game Studio 3.1Read - First Zune HD Multi-Touch Drawing App
Snap Judgment: XNA Dream-Build-Play 2009 finalists
While nearly all of my demo appointments at PAX required me to absorb information about new games at blinding speed, the XNA Dream-Build-Play Finalists booth demo tasked me with getting a feel for six games in just under an hour. It would be difficult for me to develop any kind of deep analyses on these brief gameplay slivers -- instead, I've collected my initial, hastily acquired thoughts about the games after the jump.Here's the short version: They're all pretty fun, but Dust: An Elysian Tail is clearly the leader of the pack.
2009 Dream-Build-Play winners announced, Dust takes top honor
It must be nice winning $40,000! We imagine Dust: An Elysian Tail developer Dean Dodrill will be drinking his fair share of shirley temples this weekend with all those extra duckets, after winning first place in this year's XNA Developer Dream-Build-Play competition. As you can see in the gallery below and video after the break, Dust is a beautiful, hand-drawn side-scroller that features action-RPG gameplay in the vein of Castlevania ... but with furries.Second place (and $20,000) went to Panya Inversin from Coin App who created Max Blastronaut, which looks to be a mix between Super Stardust HD and ... Double Dragon? We're just as confused as you are, but see for yourself after the break, below the Dust clip. Third and fourth place went to Mauricio Garcia's Rotor'scope and Hu Ling's HurricaneX2 Evolution, respectively. Congratulations to all of this year's winners!%Gallery-72019%
Impressions: Rock Band Network (Creation)
Within seconds, it's clear that Rock Band Network isn't for amateurs. The tools being offered by Harmonix are fully-featured, professional programs that are meant for artists serious about getting their content into Rock Band and, yes, making money. With Harmonix admitting that first-time users will take 20-40 hours to finish a single song "all the way," it's clear that this isn't meant for the average gamers that have a bit of spare time on their hands.There are four main steps in getting a song onto the upcoming Rock Band Network Store. The most important (and most time-consuming) part of the process is creating the note tracks. Harmonix has partnered with Reaper to create a Rock Band-specific plug-in that allows music producers to start creating Rock Band tracks. Caleb Epps demonstrated the program to us, noting, "what you see is what we use at Harmonix."For anyone that's produced MIDI music, the interface should be incredibly familiar. What makes the Rock Band version of Reaper special is how everything is already clearly laid out and labeled: each color of each instrument has its own specific track. Producers simply add notes to each of the tracks, and a separate playback window will show how it will look like in-game. It's a time-consuming process made even more complicated by the fact that new tracks must be created for every difficulty: you won't be able to upload an Expert-only song, for example.%Gallery-71018%
PSA: Dream-Build-Play submission deadline tomorrow
Just a quick reminder for all the aspiring game creators out there: Tomorrow, August 6, is the last day to submit entries for the 2009 XNA Dream-Build-Play competition. So, put the finishing touches on that masterpiece because time is running out. Don't give up! Just tighten up those graphics in Level 3. Who knows, your game might be the next Dishwasher: Dead Samurai.If you haven't actually started your XNA project, you might be in trouble. Still, we're confident that you could probably whip up a sweet, HD fart simulator in a day. How hard could it be?[Thanks, Ted]
How to make money as an indie dev
Every self-respecting indie developer we know treasures their poverty, wearing it as a badge of honor not unlike those bohemian kids in Rent. But for you monsters that are just interested in a payday, Jeff On Games has an interesting piece about how likely it is that you'll be able to make a living solely as an indie developer (i.e. not very) and how best to achieve that lofty goal.Unsurprisingly, the keystone to the whole thing is being able to make a quality title. But we'd add another important step to Jeff's list: Capturing the heart of a blog and having it pimp your game in stories with only a threadbare connection to it. On a completely related note, have you still not played Time Gentlemen, Please? [Image credit: Sklathill]
Rumor: Xbox Avatar golf game
Supposedly leaked footage of Avatars playing golf has hit YouTube this week (find it after the break) and some are wondering if it's video of an upcoming golf title featuring the Xbox 360 characters. At E3 2009, Microsoft revealed the casual racing title Joyride -- a free, upcoming XBLA game featuring Avatars -- so it isn't out of the question for Avatars to star in another casual game. The footage showcases Avatars enjoying a rousing game of golf, but still looks very early in development (if it even is). Perhaps it is an actual upcoming game, but it could also be some an Avatar update to the XBLA title 3D Ultra Minigolf or even some XNA-based genius. Time will tell on this rumor.
Xbox Indie Games get new pricing structure, improved update system
Microsoft announced plans yesterday to change a variety of XNA Creators Club features in the coming weeks. First and foremost, the recently renamed Xbox Live Indie Games will get a new pricing structure: games will start at 80 ($1) and cap off at 400 ($5). Second, the renaming of the service will take affect on Xbox Live and at the XNA Creators Club website. Additionally, games on the Indie Games Channel can now receive automatic updates (a la Xbox Live Arcade and Xbox 360 games). Perhaps the most interesting piece of this update is the inclusion of 50 "tokens" for each creator per game; meaning that developers can now send out review codes of games to press (wink, wink), as well as giveaway copies of the game to fans. Interestingly, this is the same number of free codes that Apple grants its App Store developers. Well played, Microsoft.[Via Xbox Indies]
Race your eyeballs to this Halfbrick Rocket Race trailer
Click to fuel your eyeballs with more screens The Brisbane-based Halfbrick Studios just sent us a press release informing us it has a new title on the way to Xbox Live's Community Games Indie Games section in Halfbrick Rocket Race. A racer with a twist, Halfbrick Rocket Race isn't all about getting from Point A to Point B ... ... okay, maybe it is, but there are subtleties here, like the boost you get from hitting your thrusters next to a wall. See what we mean in the game's first trailer, which is currently running qualifying laps past the break.%Gallery-67211%
Making an XNA game? Don't maim the poor Avatars!
It appears that a short while back, XNA developers were informed by the lordship at Microsoft of the things they can't have the Xbox 360 Avatars do in their games. The list is pretty much designed to stop some ambitious developer from making the most adorable Grand Theft Auto clone ever. Here's some of the rules: Avatars can't engage in violence that causes "blood, gore, dismemberment, decapitation, maiming, or mutilation. ... Avatars can die temporarily to depict failure" They can't talk. Forget any sexual innuendo or "mildly explicit sexual descriptions or images or sexual posturing." No bodily fluids can come from the Avatar. Avatars can't go on glamorized crime sprees. Avatars can't spend time with Mary Jane, shoot up, snort or do any other "controlled substances" ... they can't even smoke normal tobacco. All use of Avatars must be approved by Microsoft -- and the full list is much longer. Check out the nitty gritty details here.[Via CVG]
Xbox Live: 'Community Games' become 'Indie Games'
Microsoft has released version 3.1 of its XNA Game Studio software to independent developers and, in doing so, revealed that a name change is in store for what's now known as Xbox Live Community Games. Beginning in July, these indie games will be known as ... Xbox Live Indie Games. We like it! Though it's not fully spelled out in today's notes from XNA HQ, we'd expect to see Live's game downloads section update with the new name sometime in July as well.Also incoming is the ability for Xbox Live users to rate the newly-dubbed Indie Games -- the lack of such functionality has so far made tracking down the really good indie offerings on Live a chore. [Via Kotaku]
Kodu to infiltrate Xbox 360, your imagination this month
We haven't had anything related to Kodu (not to be confused with Kudo) to excite us since early January, but, thankfully, we now know that this month is bringing us more than ridiculously hot weather. Courtesy of the Kodu dev blog, we know that the game will release sometime in June, however an exact date is something that needs to be ironed out. If you're finding your memory of Kodu is a bit fuzzy, then refresh it with this video of Microsoft flagrantly ignoring child labor laws.[Via Edge]
Ocean Scenes developer gives inside look into XNA platform
We've heard from a number of XNA Community Games developers since the publication of GamerBytes' in-depth look at XNA sales statistics. While these indie devs have all provided some interesting insight into the infantile platform, we were curious to hear what a more casual member of the Creators Club thought about the service.Adam Holmes, developer of the ultra soothing pseudo-game Ocean Scenes, provided us with just such a viewpoint. A self-proclaimed "hobbyist," Holmes' take on the XNA Community Games service is more optimistic than most. You can check out our entire interview (along with some tranquilizing images of lovely oceanic vistas) after the jump!
Joystiq interview: Halfbrick Studios
We recently fired off some long-distance questions to Halfbrick Studios, an independent developer located in Brisbane, Australia, about itself and its projects in the pipeline for Xbox 360 -- more specifically, for XBLA and XNA Community Games. Lead artist Matthew Knight generously accepted our assault and blasted back with his answers. Warning: Stepping into our friendly exchange just might hit you like a ton of (half) bricks ...
The brighter side of XNA sales
We brought you a lot of doom and gloom on the day that XNA Community Sales numbers were initially released, but some more positive accounts have arrived in our inbox, and we thought we'd share them. For instance, we got a note from Zoomaroom developer Four Bros., which said that its game had nabbed 4,700 trial downloads and around 400 purchases, good for a 8.46% conversion rate.Adam Holmes, the man behind Ocean Scenes, was pleased with his 2629 sales, though they came from around 48,000 trials. And, finally, there was Blue Rose Games of Dr. Popper fame, which wrote it sold 2,200 copies of its game at a 12 percent conversation rate, and that it was "happy" with how the game had done.Things are looking up for some of you out there, and we're glad to hear it. Of course, it looks like there are still plenty of ways to improve Microsoft's service and pave the way to those XNA riches.
Xbox 360 TV Calibration app pops up on Community Games
For most of this month, one of the top 10 ranked Community Games on Major Nelson's list hasn't been a game at all, the TV Calibration app is a 200 point ($2.50) tool loaded with plenty of test patterns to make sure your video setup is configured perfectly. There's also a free trial, so we loaded it up and can say it does exactly what it says it does. Most games have at least some PQ optimization helpers, but it's unlikely you'll be able to get this detailed information about pixel mapping and test color patterns with a Gears of War disc, and hey, you gotta make sure those Netflix streams look their best on your HDTV. Other calibration tools may have a few more tests and work on more than one device, but for the price it seems to be a good value. Check out the gallery to see a few of the patterns included, or download it from the marketplace and give it a try.
GamerBytes study shows disappointing sales for XNA Community Games
Considering certain independent iPhone App developers have been making towering mountains of cash, you'd think that the financial status of the XNA Community Games market would be just as favorable. However, according to a recent report from GamerBytes, who dug up the sales figures of a number of XNA titles, this couldn't be further from the truth -- the combined sales total of the 24 titles they tracked was a mere 23,907 purchases, with an underwhelming conversion rate (ratio of people who purchase a game to total demo downloads) of just 7.1 percent.Of course, with no impetus on the developers to reveal their financial data, the report is far from conclusive. When queried about their sales statistics, many of the developers gave rough estimates (or no answer at all), and a few of the service's "high-profile" titles, such as Colosseum and CarneyVale: Showtime, are completely unaccounted for. Take GamerBytes' conclusions with a few grains of salt, but based on their research, it certainly seems XNA Community Games have gotten off to a molasses-slow start.
Pick some fresh Clover screenshots
click to enlarge Binary Tweed has released some brand new screenshots for its upcoming Community Game, Clover. The new screens feature a redesigned version of lead character Sam, who was altered as a result of community feedback. Also featured in the screenshots is a new, dynamic sky-blending system. According to the Clover website, this system assures that the "player's view of the game world is constantly changing." Regardless of what that means, we're digging the watercolors-meet-South-Park visual style of the game. Check out the screens in the gallery below.%Gallery-48831%
This Wednesday: Bust up fools in 'The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai' on XBLA
Announced via Major Nelson's podcast last night, this Wednesday's "Days of Arcade" XBLA game will be the 2D, side-scrolling, three-player co-op beat 'em up (breath), The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai. Coming in at 800 ($10), you might remember Dishwasher from GDC 2008 when, among other XNA titles, it was featured as a free download, showcasing the XNA development tools. Be sure to keep a lookout for the X3F Podcast-born achievement that pays homage to Peter Moore's fake guitar playing prowess! And if you're like us and can't spare the extra spacebucks just yet, feel free to window shop in our gallery below.%Gallery-15513%[Thanks Menno!]
Some creators disappointed with XNA Community Games sales
If indie devs thought that XNA Community Games would be the ticket to untold riches ... well, let's just say they may not want to toss their name tags and hairnets just yet. Mobeen Fikree, the force behind caffeine monster software, revealed his XNA sales numbers, which he deemed disappointing. Of the 7595 downloads his game DUOtrix had received, only 157 were converted into full purchases, a conversion rate of around two percent. Unsurprisingly, Fikree doesn't think its an issue with his game's quality, rather blaming the lack of a user-rating system that allows the best games to rise to the top. Though it didn't disclose all the numbers, Mommy's Best Games agreed, saying that the sales of fairly well-publicized Weapon of Choice fell well below expectations. Are you an XNA dev with numbers to share? Let us know!
