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XNA Game Studio Express beta released
Put up or shut up time for every would-be developer who complained about the lag in Street Fighter 2. The free beta version of Microsoft's XNA Game Studio Express development platform is now available for download. Supposedly, this tool is so simple, even a retarded hillbilly could develop a decent Xbox Live Arcade game. If you're dying to prove them wrong, re-visiting Chris Satchell's Gamefest keynote, which discusses the topic at length, might be a good first step. He'll be appearing on Major Nelson's next podcast to provide more insight.[Thanks DannyOB]
Microsoft's XNA beta released today
Wannabe game developers will now have the chance to delve into the world of criticism as Microsoft made available their XNA Game Studio Express beta today. The tools can be downloaded here. It's going to get a whole helluva lot more interesting to see what can come out of the brains of those who maybe lacked the funds but not the passion to make fun games.As was stated earlier when it was announced, games built on Windows will also carry the ability to be migrated to the Xbox 360 starting this holiday as part of the XNA Creators Club. Of course, you'll have to cough up some dough first. The subscription is $99 for a year or a four-month trial cost of $49. Now it's time for those that complain about staleness in the industry to actually do something about it.Check out the full press release after the break, which includes some info on the Torque X beta program.
XNA: community arcade revealed
Doubtless, most of you caught this news over on Joystiq but it deserves mention here. Microsoft has announced the release of XNA Game Studio Express, a consumer version of its XNA development tools -- a beta version should be available on August 30th. This will allow homebrew developers to create games for both Windows and the Xbox 360, though a fee will be charged for the 360 functionality. The upshot of all this (surely, most of you are already there) is the ability of the 360 community to actually create the games we'll be seeing on Xbox Live Arcade.This initial XNA pack -- available for a $99 annual subscription -- will be followed next year with a professional version. The professional version should cost well under $1000 dollars, putting PC and 360 development within the grasp of even the smallest of would be game makers. Users of the XNA platform will also be given access to sample games (and perhaps allow users to trade?) to get the creative juices flowing.It will probably be a long time before we see your garage game hit the real Xbox Live Arcade, but the possibilities are very exciting. Any adventurous coders out there looking forward to this?[Via Joystiq. Thanks to everyone who sent this in.]Related Items:Will Xbox 360 XNA succeed where Sony failed?XNA Game Studio Express FAQ not entirely worthless
XNA Game Studio Express FAQ not entirely worthless
Ever since Microsoft announced their intentions to open up the stage and let any tonedeaf buffoon grab a microphone and engage in the game developing equivalent of drunken karaoke, gamers and hobbyists have been asking questions. Frequently. That's largely the reason the delectable acronym sandwich and informative document, XNA Game Studio Express FAQ, exists for all to peruse and to briefly summarize on video game blogs. The important questions with matching answers:What's in the XNA Game Studio Express package? We'll tell you. XNA Game Studio Express is comprised of the XNA Framework, a stash of managed code development libraries which is intended to increase productivity, and the XNA Framework Content Pipeline, a collection of tools designed to aid in adding 3D content to games. Included documentation, how-to's and starter-kits help you come to grips with the basics.Can I make a commercial Xbox 360 game with it?Only if said game is actually about commercials, possibly a Joe in the Fast Lane take on the exciting life of a marketing mastermind. In fewer words: no. You can sell Game Studio Express titles for Windows, but you'll need Game Studios Professional (available next Spring) to hawk your goods on the Xbox 360. Isn't this just another annual Xbox 360 fee I have to pay?You and your entitlement complex don't have to do anything. XNA Game Studio Express for Windows is free. If you want to create, share and play custom Xbox 360 games, however, you need to sign up to a "Creator's Club" subscription through Marketplace for $99 annually or $49 for four months. It's your choice.Speaking of choice, I just switched to Mac OSX.No.I haven't even asked the question yet!XNA Game Studio Express will only be available on the Windows and Xbox 360 platforms.
Will Xbox 360 XNA succeed where Sony failed? [Update 1]
When Microsoft allows would-be developers to develop Xbox 360 games from their own homes, it won't be the first time a major console company has opened up its hardware to consumer coders. In 1997, Sony released the Net Yaroze, a system of coding tools that allowed consumers to develop for the original PlayStation.Roughly translating to "let's work together" in Japanese, the Net Yaroze was available directly from Sony for $750 in the U.S. (European and Japanese versions were also available). Games were coded on the PC or Mac, and could be transferred to a special Black region-free PlayStation for play, or distributed on the Internet for use by other Net Yaroze users. The goal, according to Sony's Phil Harrison, was to "go back to the golden age of video game development, which was at home, on your own or with a couple of friends, designing a game yourself."The system's impact was severely limited, though. While some Net Yaroze demos were made available through PlayStation Underground and Official PlayStation Magazine demo discs, none of the Net Yaroze games were able to break out into wider distribution on their own. [Update 1: Apparently one game, Devil Dice, did make the jump from Net Yaroze to wider development. Thanks Coollead]Keep reading for more about Net Yaroze's failure and what Microsoft can do to avoid the same fate.
Microsoft plans "community-powered arcade" with new XNA tools
Microsoft spoke with us on the phone last week concerning the events going on at their Gamefest event happening in Seattle today and tomorrow. Two and a half years ago they unveiled the XNA platform at the Game Developer's Conference -- which promised to ameliorate the increasing burden placed professional game developers -- and today they've announced XNA Game Studio Express -- a free variant of XNA for hobbyists to develop games on both the Windows and, for a fee, Xbox 360 platforms. A beta will be available August 30th as a free download for Windows XP development, while Xbox 360 functionality will be added into the final version, expected to be available this holiday for a $99 annual subscription.
Xboy's iPod murder plot exposed, will involve major online media service
If Brier Dudley of the Seattle Times is to be believed (he seems like a nice enough fellow), Microsoft is not only poised to release an Xboy this Christmas, but will have it interacting with Xgirl, Xuncle and Xred-headed step-child, the latter of which will probably prove a formidable challenge to market. All part of Project Argo -- the name of the warship that carried Greek Mythology's Jason around -- the project jokingly dubbed Xboy seems to be a full attack on that popular, more fruitful music player and it is likely to be waged on multiple fronts. As Mr. Dudley writes, the project "being developed is actually a complete line of Xbox-branded digital-media products, including a device that plays media, a software media player and an online media service."Under the leadership of General J. Allard, the branded media players will go to war with the iPod, the DS and the PSP with Wi-Fi at their disposal, as well as the backing of music companies, online media services and presumably, blitzkrieg marketing tactics. The article also mentions the support of the touted XNA platform, no doubt paving the way for easy support for existing Microsoft platform games. What you can take from the Seattle Times article is this: Microsoft is pushing hard to release a killer portable device this Christmas, one complete with Wi-Fi capabilities and an online X-tunes service which may very well be home to familiar games and properties. We can only pray that the inevitable portable version of Halo isn't dubbed Hago.Previously: Xbox-alum all over iPod killer; Xboy next? Microsoft's portable system out this year?
Microsoft's GDC Lobby Bar (aka: the cash bar)
Located prominently in the middle of the lobby is the Microsoft sponsored "YOU Lobby Bar." Featuring four Xbox 360s, some cushy couches, tables, and of course, booze. This picture was taken early in the morning, so it belies the popularity of the cash bar. Ad-hoc business meetings over reasonably priced mixed drinks or bottled beer is the name of this game.
Presenting, the GDC bag of schwag
Here's the bag of schwag they're handing out when you claim your badge. Liberally adorned with Microsoft's various X-brands (DirectX, Xbox 360, and XNA), just like the entire convention is (more on that later), the bag is omnipresent at the show thus far. Read on for some shots of the magical trinkets inside the bag.
GDC: MS releases XNA tools, opens Xbox Live
After being announced by J Allard at GDC two years ago (and again last year), Microsoft unveiled their XNA framework this morning, kicking off this year's GDC event. The tools are designed to streamline the development process, and facilitate porting of titles from the Windows environment to the 360 and vice-versa. They've also announced that they're opening their Xbox Live Server Platform to publishers and developers. It appears this will allow game developers to add more functionality into their Live implementation and "can also be used to support the creation of massively multiplayer online game worlds." What's that? MMOs? A response to Blizzard COO Paul Sams' criticism that the Xbox Live is a "walled garden" or was that obfuscation until a real announcement can be made?This announcement is ostensibly in lieu of a keynote from Redmond this year, and the raison d’être for Wednesday's blogger's breakfast with Peter Moore and Chris Satchell (GM of Game Developer Group... the XNA guys).UPDATE: If you're really curious, you can check out the presentation, via Major Nelson. He also teases, "...the XNA team will be making some announcements. They are starting to trickle out... plus I am told more ‘wickedly cool tech’ news will happen later this week once the event kicks off and they start showing demos." Tip of the iceberg?
