12 replies to this topic

[Hawkwind]

Regarding Microsofts announcement they are going to allow hobbyists to use XBox Live for distributing home-brew games... how exactly is this going to work ?
Firstly... does this mean that we can all get DevKits ?
Secondly... DevKits need the 'Pro' versions of DevStudio on PC's
to allow them to communicate with the DevKits. So
would we have to fork out vast sums to Microsoft....
Thirdly... Will the content be 'policed' by Microsoft ? ie. would
my (potential) title:
"Mass-Ritual-Slaughter-Religous-Porno-Gorefest"
get pulled immediately ?
Fourthly... Well, I could probably think of a 'fourthly, 'fifthly' and so
on.

Any thoughts ?

[.oisyn]

To immediately void most of your points: you don't need a devkit to be able to run XNA home-brew games - you can run them on your user-console.

http://creators.xna....n/newtoxna.aspx

[Hawkwind]

Is this a 'closed' environment though ? could a developer still compile C++ code and 'download' it to the console (along with textures, meshes etc.) ?

[.oisyn]

Why don't you just start reading up on XNA documentation instead of asking very basic questions .

But here's a freebie: no you can't use native code. You're in a sandbox.

[Hawkwind]

Just wanted to know if it was worth looking at... obviously seems like its a waste of time if it's that restrictive... no way of doing any real development.

[.oisyn]

I don't see why not. Sure, you probably won't make the next Gears of War (then again, you wouldn't be doing that in C++ anyway), but for most homebrew projects it's perfectly fine. Can you give examples of things that are too restrictive in your opinion?

[Hawkwind]

Without actually looking at XNA yet ( I'm at work right now) I'm guessing that Microsoft won't want any serious developers using this as a route to bypass TCRs etc. Suspect that the total resources per application (footprint) would be held low. What about server space for Live applications ? will this be allowed ? - also what about if I wanted to import my own code for areas not covered by XNA? etc, etc.
It could be fun though, especially if it proves possible to 'hook' code into the
XNA stuff somehow (hack hack... shadow ROM.... hack hack) etc....

[.oisyn]

Your assumptions are incorrect. XNA is not only for hobbyists, but also for professional game developers (although a lot of the latter are not likely to actually use XNA, but that aside ), and not only for the Xbox360 - the games you create with it can also be run on the PC.

[onyxthedog]

.oisyn said:

I don't see why not. Sure, you probably won't make the next Gears of War (then again, you wouldn't be doing that in C++ anyway), but for most homebrew projects it's perfectly fine. Can you give examples of things that are too restrictive in your opinion?

Why wouldn't you make the next Gears of War with C++? It may seem obvious but I was just wondering.

[dave_]

onyxthedog said:

Why wouldn't you make the next Gears of War with C++? It may seem obvious but I was just wondering.

Gears of War is based on unreal. Unreal has its own proprietary scripting language.

[.oisyn]

Please reread that sentence between the parantheses while putting the emphasis on "you"

[onyxthedog]

Thanks dave and .oisyn that clears things up.

[Nae'blis]

First of all, the link to the Dreamspark download is here:

https://downloads.channel8.msdn.com/

You need a Passport ID and the ability to identify with a university or college affiliated with the scheme (it checks with your institution before granting you an account).

Under the scheme you'll get all the software to download and install on your PC in order to make PC games and be allowed to port them to a 360 (the critical part of the freebie scheme). You'll also get free membership of the XNA Creator's Club (and from them the support and instructions of how to actually set your 360 up for home development). You do NOT pay any money - at all - under the scheme.

You will need:
A PC of reasonable spec (ideally with broadband internet connection for downloading the software images).
An X-box 360.
Some cable to go between them - not sure which type right now.
Programming knowledge of C#, how to use XNA and likely some DirectX 9 (or a series of good books).
The ability to check XNA websites to get info.

Microsoft provide you:
The programming environment for coding the "guts".
The XNA Game Studio app for actually visually manipulating the assets of your game.
A design/management tool if you want it.
Free membership to their support service.
A free license to port your games to the 360 and test them there.

This does NOT mean your games automatically end up on X-box Live or anything like that - you would have to make the game, generate a buzz within the Creator's Club community, send it to Microsoft, and then enter into discussion with them if they thought your game was good enough.

Any more questions? Go find an XNA / Game Creator's Club site ;-)


:offtopic:
Also, just because Unreal Engine 3 uses Kismet as the interface for mods, etc, that doesn't mean Unreal Engine games aren't actually made using a traditional programming language. And it likely is c/c++ that is required.