Make your own games that play on Xbox 360 and PC

[DarkwingChuck]

Microsoft to let players design own games
By Mike Snider, USA TODAY

Microsoft wants to do for video games what YouTube has done for video: open it up for do-it-yourselfers.
The first step toward that goal, to be announced Monday, is the release of a free set of game-development tools called XNA Game Studio Express on Aug. 30. Prospective do-it-yourself game developers can download the program (from www.microsoft.com/xna) to their Windows PC and create games for PCs and for Xbox 360 systems.

Then during the holiday season, Microsoft will launch a "Creators Club" membership on its Xbox Live online service ($99 annually) allowing fledgling game developers to test their creations on their Xbox 360. Eventually, Microsoft plans to allow independent game makers to demo and sell their games on Xbox Live. "We want to be able to get consumer hobbyists to create games that run on Xbox 360 with an interface as simple as drag and drop," Microsoft's Peter Moore says.

XNA Game Studio Express, a streamlined version of Microsoft's XNA game development program, will serve as the programming skeleton that a game is created on. Also included will be GarageGame's Torque Engine, a program that makes it easier to fine-tune and run a game. While game development still requires a fair amount of computing know-how, a free game included in the package, Spacewars, can be easily modified and run by beginners.

Moore hopes the availability of easy-to-use programming tools will spark independent game development at many levels, from garages to universities. Already 10 universities have committed to adding Game Studio Express to game design curricula this fall. "We think high school science teachers will embrace this very quickly," Moore says.

Georgia Tech University video game design instructor Blair MacIntyre says his students will now be able to buy an Xbox 360 ($299-$399) rather than a high-powered PC to test their game prototypes. "Imagine how exciting it will be to be a student and be able to show your friends your class project running on their Xbox, hooked up to their TV in their living room," he says.

Microsoft unveils 'anybody' XNA
By Patrick Caldwell, GameSpot

Anyone can freely download the toolset, available in beta form on August 30 and full form by the end of the year. The toolset comes in two flavors: the entry-level XNA Game Studio Express and the advanced XNA Game Studio Professional. Developing games using Express and releasing them on the PC will be free, but those who want their games available for download on the Xbox 360 must pay $99 a year as part of Microsoft's Creators Club.

In spring 2007, Microsoft will release the professional version, the only way to sell games created using the toolset. The pro version will feature "new capabilities more geared toward professional game developers" and a higher price, said Scott Henson, the director of platform strategy at the Microsoft Game Developer Group. Henson declined to reveal the amount. All the various methods of selling games--digital distribution, Xbox Live Marketplace, and boxed retail games--will probably be available to game makers, but the details haven't been decided, he said.

Official FAQ on XNA Game Studio Express

[Red Dragon]

Re: Make your own games that play on Xbox 360 and PC

$100 a EDIT: YEAR?!

Yeesh.

[RUBICN64]

Re: Make your own games that play on Xbox 360 and PC

$100 a month?!

Yeesh.

I think Microsoft wants to believe that we are all made out of money or something.....

[Riotsword]

Re: Make your own games that play on Xbox 360 and PC

$100 a month?!

Yeesh.

Actually, it's $99 a year. Read it.

And I'd gladly pay that much to be able to make anything I wanted. But I bet it would be way too limiting for someone like me.

[DarkwingChuck]

Re: Make your own games that play on Xbox 360 and PC

Developing games using Express and releasing them on the PC will be free, but those who want their games available for download on the Xbox 360 must pay $99 a year as part of Microsoft's Creators Club.

But I bet it would be way too limiting for someone like me.

The pro version might better suit you.

The toolset comes in two flavors: the entry-level XNA Game Studio Express and the advanced XNA Game Studio Professional.
In spring 2007, Microsoft will release the professional version, the only way to sell games created using the toolset. The pro version will feature "new capabilities more geared toward professional game developers" and a higher price

[DK]

Re: Make your own games that play on Xbox 360 and PC

I think this is great news; finally we can have mods and stuff on our console games.

But I'm sure since Microsoft is doing this everyone automatically thinks it is evil or something.

IF ONLY Japan would've done this first!

[Shard]

Re: Make your own games that play on Xbox 360 and PC

I'd have to believe that this would throw the doors open pretty wide for small-time developers. If you were clamoring for something like RPGM2, but bigger and better, I don't see why you wouldn't welcome this. The PC makers have that sophistication, but you're always going to be dealing with a niche audience. If anyone that owns a 360 could play games created with Studio Express then that's an enormous potential for visibility.

I wonder if this will make Agetec's next release in the series more or less likely to be on the 360. If it takes off, there could be a large built-in audience...or Microsoft might out-do them at their own game.

[Jamos' Old Account]

Re: Make your own games that play on Xbox 360 and PC

I wonder if this will make Agetec's next release in the series more or less likely to be on the 360. If it takes off, there could be a large built-in audience...or Microsoft might out-do them at their own game

That's what I'm afraid of.

[DarkwingChuck]

Re: Make your own games that play on Xbox 360 and PC

I don't think Enterbrain/Agetec will see this as direct competition though. The main point of RPGM is that it's more focused and accessible, by being on the console, than the PC creator tools. As long as it's a lot easier to make an RPG with the next RPGM compared to XNA it'd still have it's own audience. Also, RPGM would still appeal to the people who don't want to pay $99 a year. But I do agree that this will draw the game maker community to the 360 which Enterbrain/Agetec will probably see as a good thing.

[thetruecoolness]

Re: Make your own games that play on Xbox 360 and PC

Well hopefully they'll make it a lot easier than using their Windows API or Direct X. Maybe this one won't be full of random constants and structures you're just supposed to know.

But this does look pretty cool, hopefully it will have some premade 3D models and such, since to me making programming easier isn't that big an issue, it's drawing everything. Of course C# isn't that bad, even if it is just a Java clone, without double buffered UI components, though not like you'll be using those in game development anyway. And it appears it will be free to use "Developing games using Express and releasing them on the PC will be free, but those who want their games available for download on the Xbox 360 must pay $99 a year as part of Microsoft's Creators Club." from Gamespot article.

I wish this stuff would have been at Tech like a year ago, cause then I could have been using it. Either way I will be checking this out to see if Microsoft did something amazing for programming for once (though C# was a step in the right direction as Visual Basic was horrible, and J# a total failure). Well I guess there is DirectX, while complicated, still the defacto standard for PC games, that only work on Windows. Visual Studio is also a good IDE so hopefully this one will follow in it's footsteps and add some new stuff, maybe it will be as full featured as Eclipse.

[Goufunaki]

Re: Make your own games that play on Xbox 360 and PC

This sounds awesome.

[thetruecoolness]

Re: Make your own games that play on Xbox 360 and PC

Oh and don't waste your time on the presenatations, as all they talk about is the new build system, which is great for Head Designers, and Producers, but pretty useless for everyone else.

[ErikaFuzzbottom]

Re: Make your own games that play on Xbox 360 and PC

Unfortunately for me, I had already been wanting a 360. This makes me want one even more.

[Red Dragon]

Re: Make your own games that play on Xbox 360 and PC

Actually, it's $99 a year. Read it.

Oops, I read $100 a month. Sorry.

[The_Real_Crunk]

Re: Make your own games that play on Xbox 360 and PC

If you have to know even the slightest bit of progaming stuff, most people arent gonna be able to use it.

Another cool thing is that since the 360 can already hook up with PCs running XP, you could make sprites/3d models, and transfer them over if the program allows that kind of stuff.