Competition

[pari]

This idea has been discussed some time ago. MS has annouced that they would offer free software development kit for developing games for 360 & PC through their XNA program or architecture.

http://news.com.com/Play+your+own+Xbox+game/2100-1043_3-6104939.html?tag=nefd.lede


Microsoft is trying to turn hard-core gamers into Xbox programmers.

The company plans to show off on Monday a new set of developer tools that will let college students, hobbyists and others create their own games for the Xbox 360 console, for a Windows PC or both.

Dubbed XNA Game Studio Express, the free software is expected to be available in beta form by the end of the month, with a final product available sometime this holiday season.

"The tools we are talking about make it way easier to make games than it is today," said Scott Henson, director for platform strategy for Microsoft's game developer group. Microsoft will demonstrate the new software at Gamefest, a company-run show for game developers that takes place in Seattle this week.

The approach is similar to one Microsoft has taken with software development in general, selling its Visual Studio tools to professional programmers while making a more limited "express" version free to hobbyists.

I had predicted while back for 360 to succeed, MS has to tie 360 to windows otherwise they have slim chance of success. The current situation of 360 as per territory

1. North America - Doing great
2. Europe - Neutral
3. Japan - terrible
4. Asia other than Japan - Neutral

With respect to SONY and NINTENDO, xbox brand is not that strong outside of North America, whereas windows is pervasive and windows brand is very very strong compared to SONY and NINTENDO. So MS has to use windows to push 360.

To say about PS2 brand from my personal experience. During my visit to Cambodia, in Phenom Phen there were shops selling PS2 counterfeit games for about $2, no xbox or gamecube games. In India PS2 brand is very strong, xbox/gamecube have following but not that great. MS released 360 in India recently. But you would see pc running in the remotest corner of the world, and people writing programs for windows (both good & bad viruses anyone?)

So its obivious for 360 to succeed MS has to use windows connection. Already MS has started to do that by their annoucement during E3 connecting 360 with windows with PocketPC, to form a strong network that neither SONY nor Nintendo cannot replicate.

Now to Nintendo, Nintendo strength is in its gaming history, anybody and everybody would have played 8/16-bit Mario games. Even now in somepart of the world, cheap knockoff of NES/SNES is selling like a hot cake.

http://www.forbes.com/personaltech/2006/08/02/bestselling-video-games-cx_de_0802mario.html

The Best-Selling Videogame Franchises

Forget Microsoft's Bill Gates, Sony's Nobuyuki Idei, or Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata. The most powerful person in the videogame industry isn't a CEO--he's a plumber.

A mustachioed, Italian, red-shirt-and-overalls-clad plumber, to be precise. His name is Mario, and he's the hero of the best-selling franchise in the gaming world, and one of a dozen characters who have consistently proved their marketability and staying power. Over the past 25 years, Mario-themed games have sold more than 185 million copies worldwide.

Created in 1981 by Nintendo's legendary videogame designer Shigeru Miyamoto, Mario was initially only known as "Jumpman," the nondescript hero of arcade hit Donkey Kong. But before the American release of the game, the character was re-christened in honor of Mario Segale, landlord of a warehouse owned by Nintendo America, to whom he reportedly bore a physical similarity.

And a very strong portable/handheld video game system, to which SONY is having hard time competing with. So NINTENDO would survive even with its small market share in the console game as proven by Gamecube.

Now to SONY, what does this mean? I will be honest before I say anything, I am ABM'er (Anything But Microsoft) crowd and a strong supporter of Opensource/Openformat.

SONY does not have a strong franchise like Nintendo nor strong brand like MS (windows). Also MS has the advantage of being everywhere in mobile, desktop and gaming. Sony is in mobile phone, desktop and gaming but the difference is , in desktop its being controlled by MS. Mobile phone its part of symbian group and SONY is one huge disparate company that does not act like one unified company. Advantage SONY has is content Movie, Music which MS does not have and consumer electronic group.

So, for gaming SONY is in middle ground without any strong fall back support like MS and Nintendo have. What would SONY need to do to counter this move by MS. If a game can be played in either 360 or windows, MS wins. Commodification of the console market is the long term view of MS to gain control over the media centre of the household. In a way MS is trying to use the strategy it used in PC market. Windows gained market share in the initial phase of the PC because of the mindshare of the developers. MS made development for windows using MS tools cheaper to drive the competition out. Borland is a best example for that, even when Borland had superior development tools.

Each console is different and there is no common ground or standards. Now MS is moving in by saying 360 is standardized with PC, its cheaper to program for 360. So MS is trying to win the mindshare of the developer, by providing inexpensive development tools.

Things that are different this time around.

1. In PC world, MS provided almost same functionality of the competitor product at cheaper price to drive the competition out using windows as fall back. Here in console market its the games that define console. So its difficult to do that but still do able. Forza, PGR to counter GT, Fable, Bluedragon to counter all PS2 RPG,..

2. Sony can use open standards and work with other companies that are competiting with MS to create a bigger value for the developers. Earlier competitors of MS failed to do. OpenGL, C++ instead of low level programming, Eclipse...

3. 360 architecture is different from PC, so if the game is fine tuned for 360 then it would not be straight port to PC and vice versa. The common denominator between 360 & PC would be an inefficient.

http://360.advancedmn.com/article.php?artid=7954&preview=1579


the first in Silicon Knight’s epic Too Human trilogy will not use the Unreal Engine 3. More inside.
Sources tell AMN Xbox 360 that Silicon Knights – the developer behind Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem and Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes – is ditching the Unreal Engine 3 for its upcoming Xbox 360-exclusive title, Too Human, in favor of coding its own engine, on account that the Unreal Engine does not work well with the Xbox 360 hardware.

Unfortunately, our sources were unable to reveal whether or not the new Too Human engine is being built ground-up or if it still uses some elements of the Unreal Engine.

This is not the first we have heard in regards to developers having trouble developing software using the Unreal Engine 3. For months now, we have heard stories that the engine is not easy to work with and is very buggy.

The above quote is not a perfect example for the common denominator but just to say its an issue to think about.

4. If common denominator is used to develop simple games, then SONY needs to provide
equivalent sets of tools that makes it easier to develop games for PS3 network. SONY annouced couple of months back about its program for indie developers.

5. SONY needs to push the console processor architecture for more performance that is divergent from the PC architecture. So MS would be forced to follows which means breaks the future connection between PC and console.

This time around the competition for SONY is different not like what it had during PS1 and PS2 release time. SONY needs to think and act differently, Apple is an example. MS is now forced to follow Apple's iPod model when it complained how Apple iPod is closed environment and MS model is open environment. Zune is closed environment like iPod.

SONY is doing the right thing by using eclipse for development tools, working with IBM to develop better tools for CELL programming, openGL standard for graphics. But still needs to make PS3 network more open and attract developers for PS3. Palm survived this long because of the number of developers it had. SONY needs to create a strong ecosystem with PS3 network where indie developers can make money like Palm. Sony poineered this during their PS1 days by allowing developers to develop games for PS1, when Nintendo had stringent requirement for the developers and make it extremely difficult to develop for Nintendo platform.

So long my rumbling, I would like to know what others thing SONY's strategy should be. I favor SONY, Nintendo and SEGA(want them back in hardware business), MS I am not interested. But at the same time I applaud MS for pushing the console market and giving a strong competition to SONY and Nintendo.

[satriales]

This idea has been discussed some time ago. MS has annouced that they would offer free software development kit for developing games for 360 & PC through their XNA program or architecture.
It won't be free:
The tools will be available in trial form from 20 August and there is a $99 (£55) annual subscription.

[Viano]

nice, I see someone who sees.

[pari]

It won't be free:
Development kit is free, but to test the game you need $99 year subscription. Free to play with and test drive but $99 to test the code.

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/08/14/ms_opens_xbox360_games_devt/

Microsoft will ship a pre-release beta version of XNA Game Studio Express on 30 August. The software will be be free, and runs on Windows XP. There's a catch: to test code on an Xbox 360, users will have to cough up $99 a year to join Microsoft's XNA users group, an online forum that will provide documentation and a game-sharing facility to allow other users to test unfinished titles. The software can also be used to create Windows XP games, Microsoft said.

[overclocked]

Many of the points you take up has i already prepered to adress. I will use PS3 as my Primary media machine, i will use the PSP-connectivety to the extreme. I definately starts to see the 360 as the grey-zone MS wants people fooled in, but i want a consol first and most.
Now depending how good the OS will be on the PS3 obviously is a factor but i can se many usefull and "addictive things" like folding just for ex.

The PSPs interface is easy slim and good imo so, just build on that. For every new consumer of PSP when it gets cheaper for ex everyone will feel easy and comfortable with the PS3 OS. All just IMO of course.. :)

Edit
For ex one of the things i look forward to most now is the 3.0 PSP Firmware and what it brings. People i think generally tend to underestimate the relation between the two and esp when prices drop and both machines are out!

[Viano]

When you see MS trying to differentiat the console and pc, do you still believe that console won't merge with pc 50 or even 30 years later? You probably won't see everyone using ps3 to print his report but that's not the point, the point is, the evolution is of technology is able to merge the functions between pc and consoles even with tv's(and it's happening already).

The unification of information defines the evolution in technology(graphics included). In another word, saying I don't want ps3 to have internet function is a lie, saying I don't ps3 to play cd or dvd is also a lie etc, that derives a conlusion, which is "I just want a game machine" is also a lie. The reason is that saying "I just want a game machine" is simply same as screaming "I want it cheaper". I am not arguing the price issue here but many people don't realize that the evolution of technology simply means to have higher information flowing rate, in another word, no matter where you start whether it's a console, media pc, pc, or even the mobile phone, the approach is the unification of information, aka pc that you are using right now.

I don't think there's any special power Sony can use unless Sony implement the function of what next gen pc has, which is probably the interface. However, I think to take the advatage of what current pc hasn't done is probably another idea, things like online shopping etc is growing like crazy, voice recognition for simple search such wheather, today's news, games, guides, radios, shopping etc. or even have the voice recognition implemented for games for more variations.

There are still many difficulties for voice recognition. However, it's the only thing comes to my mind other than the wiimote concept when I think of a next gen pc, which is where PS brand is approaching right now.

I might just be dreaming.

[overclocked]

Well all the electronics things are merging one way or the other with the smaller nodes we go to naturally. its an attityde and personal issue more imo.
Do you live day by day or do you have your whole life structured up from 15 years age.

I choose this now cause it feels right, not the alternative and so on. With feels right im talking both about where it hurts less to buy a game/console and support the infrastructure of it and feel i acted right on my beliefs.
I try to live like that also so of course its goes over to gaming. :)

[Domination]

This idea has been discussed some time ago. MS has annouced that they would offer free software development kit for developing games for 360 & PC through their XNA program or architecture.

http://news.com.com/Play+your+own+Xbox+game/2100-1043_3-6104939.html?tag=nefd.lede



I had predicted while back for 360 to succeed, MS has to tie 360 to windows otherwise they have slim chance of success. The current situation of 360 as per territory

1. North America - Doing great
2. Europe - Neutral
3. Japan - terrible
4. Asia other than Japan - Neutral

With respect to SONY and NINTENDO, xbox brand is not that strong outside of North America, whereas windows is pervasive and windows brand is very very strong compared to SONY and NINTENDO. So MS has to use windows to push 360.

To say about PS2 brand from my personal experience. During my visit to Cambodia, in Phenom Phen there were shops selling PS2 counterfeit games for about $2, no xbox or gamecube games. In India PS2 brand is very strong, xbox/gamecube have following but not that great. MS released 360 in India recently. But you would see pc running in the remotest corner of the world, and people writing programs for windows (both good & bad viruses anyone?)

So its obivious for 360 to succeed MS has to use windows connection. Already MS has started to do that by their annoucement during E3 connecting 360 with windows with PocketPC, to form a strong network that neither SONY nor Nintendo cannot replicate.

Now to Nintendo, Nintendo strength is in its gaming history, anybody and everybody would have played 8/16-bit Mario games. Even now in somepart of the world, cheap knockoff of NES/SNES is selling like a hot cake.

http://www.forbes.com/personaltech/2006/08/02/bestselling-video-games-cx_de_0802mario.html


And a very strong portable/handheld video game system, to which SONY is having hard time competing with. So NINTENDO would survive even with its small market share in the console game as proven by Gamecube.

Now to SONY, what does this mean? I will be honest before I say anything, I am ABM'er (Anything But Microsoft) crowd and a strong supporter of Opensource/Openformat.

SONY does not have a strong franchise like Nintendo nor strong brand like MS (windows). Also MS has the advantage of being everywhere in mobile, desktop and gaming. Sony is in mobile phone, desktop and gaming but the difference is , in desktop its being controlled by MS. Mobile phone its part of symbian group and SONY is one huge disparate company that does not act like one unified company. Advantage SONY has is content Movie, Music which MS does not have and consumer electronic group.

So, for gaming SONY is in middle ground without any strong fall back support like MS and Nintendo have. What would SONY need to do to counter this move by MS. If a game can be played in either 360 or windows, MS wins. Commodification of the console market is the long term view of MS to gain control over the media centre of the household. In a way MS is trying to use the strategy it used in PC market. Windows gained market share in the initial phase of the PC because of the mindshare of the developers. MS made development for windows using MS tools cheaper to drive the competition out. Borland is a best example for that, even when Borland had superior development tools.

Each console is different and there is no common ground or standards. Now MS is moving in by saying 360 is standardized with PC, its cheaper to program for 360. So MS is trying to win the mindshare of the developer, by providing inexpensive development tools.

Things that are different this time around.

1. In PC world, MS provided almost same functionality of the competitor product at cheaper price to drive the competition out using windows as fall back. Here in console market its the games that define console. So its difficult to do that but still do able. Forza, PGR to counter GT, Fable, Bluedragon to counter all PS2 RPG,..

2. Sony can use open standards and work with other companies that are competiting with MS to create a bigger value for the developers. Earlier competitors of MS failed to do. OpenGL, C++ instead of low level programming, Eclipse...

3. 360 architecture is different from PC, so if the game is fine tuned for 360 then it would not be straight port to PC and vice versa. The common denominator between 360 & PC would be an inefficient.

http://360.advancedmn.com/article.php?artid=7954&preview=1579



The above quote is not a perfect example for the common denominator but just to say its an issue to think about.

4. If common denominator is used to develop simple games, then SONY needs to provide
equivalent sets of tools that makes it easier to develop games for PS3 network. SONY annouced couple of months back about its program for indie developers.

5. SONY needs to push the console processor architecture for more performance that is divergent from the PC architecture. So MS would be forced to follows which means breaks the future connection between PC and console.

This time around the competition for SONY is different not like what it had during PS1 and PS2 release time. SONY needs to think and act differently, Apple is an example. MS is now forced to follow Apple's iPod model when it complained how Apple iPod is closed environment and MS model is open environment. Zune is closed environment like iPod.

SONY is doing the right thing by using eclipse for development tools, working with IBM to develop better tools for CELL programming, openGL standard for graphics. But still needs to make PS3 network more open and attract developers for PS3. Palm survived this long because of the number of developers it had. SONY needs to create a strong ecosystem with PS3 network where indie developers can make money like Palm. Sony poineered this during their PS1 days by allowing developers to develop games for PS1, when Nintendo had stringent requirement for the developers and make it extremely difficult to develop for Nintendo platform.

So long my rumbling, I would like to know what others thing SONY's strategy should be. I favor SONY, Nintendo and SEGA(want them back in hardware business), MS I am not interested. But at the same time I applaud MS for pushing the console market and giving a strong competition to SONY and Nintendo.

I believe Sony is already doing these things with SCEI WWS.

[pari]

Many of the points you take up has i already prepered to adress. I will use PS3 as my Primary media machine, i will use the PSP-connectivety to the extreme.

Agree with you about PSP, but PSP right now is not popular and also its matter of time before MS annouces portable game system. I strongly believe MS would annouce portable game system, that ties with 360, windows, PDA and smartphone, that does the whole windows Live gamut.

[pari]

I believe Sony is already doing these things with SCEI WWS.

Yes, but SONY cannot do a half-hearted attempt. SONY definitely needs to show a way where the indie developers can make money i.e., a non-zero sum game, win-win situation. An ideal case is the PALM ecosystem that supported the developers and developers in turn supported PALM OS. This time it cannot be another PS2 Linux-kit kind of thing.

[Domination]

Yes, but SONY cannot do a half-hearted attempt. SONY definitely needs to show a way where the indie developers can make money i.e., a non-zero sum game, win-win situation. An ideal case is the PALM ecosystem that supported the developers and developers in turn supported PALM OS. This time it cannot be another PS2 Linux-kit kind of thing.

I don't think we're talking about the same subject here.

[pari]

A nice heading about the MS deal from gamesindustry.biz

http://gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=18939


Microsoft to "democratise game development" with new dev platform

XNA technology allows users to create games for PC and Xbox 360

Microsoft has announced plans to release a new development platform that will enable indie studios and hobbyists to create cross-platform titles for the PC and Xbox 360 - free of charge.

XNA Game Studio Express, billed in an official statement as "Microsoft's next-generation platform for game development" and a product that will "democratise game development", will be available free of charge to all Windows XP users. For an annual Creators' Club subscription fee of US$99, users will also be able to use the technology to develop games for Xbox 360.

Developers won't be able to sell games made using XNA Game Studio Express - but enhanced versions of the most successful titles could eventually appear on Xbox Live Arcade. A second toolset, XNA Game Studio Professional, is aimed at developers who want to create games for retail, whether via Windows digital distribution, Xbox Live Marketplace or high street stores.

Microsoft has already signed up several partners to help out with the new initiative. GarageGames has provided its Torque Shader Engine and Torque Game Builder 2D designer for XNA Game Studio Express, and Autodesk has contributed its FBX file exchange format.

"By unlocking retail Xbox 360 consoles for community-created games, we are ushering in a new era of cross-platform games based on the XNA platform," said Chris Satchell, general manager of Microsoft's game developer group.

"We are looking forward to the day when all the resulting talent-sharing and creativity transforms into a thriving community of user-created games on Xbox 360."

The beta version of XNA Game Studio Express, to include tutorials and basic games which developers can experiment with, will be released on August 30 - with the full version to follow by the end of the year. XNA Game Studio Professional is due for release in spring 2007.

How much is it plain bull shit I do not know, only the developers can say. But the title does remind me of a book called

Democratizing Innovation by Eric Von Hippel

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0262720477/sr=8-3/qid=1155597304/ref=sr_1_3/102-0837019-0821741?ie=UTF8

The book is a very nice read if interested about open source and innovation, how the end users innovative better than the companies. One thing I can see from this MS annoucement is, all it takes an one indie developer needs to come up a very simple but addictive game to make a huge success(Tetris is an example, developed by single russian guy). Probability of happening is high, 1 in 1million indie developers(rest of the 9million are not technically inclined) still its possible. I sincerely hope SONY does keep up its promise and do better this time. PS3 has Linux OS, PS3 SDK uses elicpse for IDE, free CELL compiler is available from IBM, graphics based on openGL,.. all the right things are to make it happen...

[Domination]

OK...

Sony looking for games for their PS3 download service. You got anything brewing?
Ever dreamed of working with Sony on a game? Now's the time to put your time and money where your mouth is. Sony is looking for people interested in an "alternative publishing opportunity" to release their games for download over the gaming network they're building for the PS3. This makes sense, Sony knows how successful XBox Arcade has become, and they want a piece of the action.

The details are pretty sparse, you can basically just sign up and hope for the best. I'm interested in knowing what Sony is expecting to pay for these games. Will they buy them outright or cut the developers into a slice of each sale? They're being pretty cagey about details:

The EDI will review potential partnership opportunities on a case-by-case basis with our studios in North America, Europe, Japan and Asia, and will be designed to promote innovation in downloadable content and to be benefit both the developer and SCE.

Please note that submission of your contact information to SCE does not make you a licensed developer.

Corporate speak aside, this means that Sony recognizes that the next big thing can come from anywhere, and they want to be sure they get a chunk of it. This is good news for everyone cranking out a game in their basement, can you imagine if something gets a little buzz and suddenly Sony and MS are fighting for a game you created? Add Steam into the mix and suddenly you have a few choices of where your homemade game can shine and make you some money.

I've never been happier with the industry as I am with this trend of giving independent developers ways to shine and make money off their work. This is too cool.

Source (http://forums.e-mpire.com/showthread.php?t=55396&highlight=genius)

Maybe that can explain it better.

[Red_Eyes]

Hmm... Another Joe Kitchen Game Maker huh? I fear a wave of crappy games coming in the future. Good luck to Average Joe for trying to create the next MGS4.

[xbdestroya]

Hmm... Another Joe Kitchen Game Maker huh? I fear a wave of crappy games coming in the future. Good luck to Average Joe for trying to create the next MGS4.

It's not the next MGS4 that they would be trying - or need - to make though.

The next Snood, Tetris, Worms, Geometry Wars... any simple game with addictive gameplay would do the trick so long as it had a nice graphical presentation.

Frankly I think this is a bold (and great) move on MS' part, and I do hope Sony goes all out on their own analogue to it. They have made references to strong homebrew support in the past, complete with marketplace support, but now they really need to step up and do it.

Cross platform development for free... I mean that appeals in a strange way to both sides of the PC/console aisle.

[Saibo]

OK...



Maybe that can explain it better.

yup and also the PS3 does support homebrew thru Linux OS being preinstalled on the HDD. It should come with a IDE also. :google:

Sony was the first to annouce homebrew support, then came Nintendo..now MS late in the game.. :wave:

[Beenie Man]

ZOMG MS copied Sony!!!

[overclocked]

@Pari and others
Why im quite certain about SONYs stabil online future is because a good deal depends a lot of the great succes by Sony Ericsson, the latest mobile K800i is the best you can buy for ex, just wanted to add that strenght also into the mix.

[pari]

@Pari and others
Why im quite certain about SONYs stabil online future is because a good deal depends a lot of the great succes by Sony Ericsson, the latest mobile K800i is the best you can buy for ex, just wanted to add that strenght also into the mix.
Overclocked, Yup Sony Ericsson latest mobile phone is really really good. The question is, would the disparate groups in Sony act together so that they use the strength of different groups? or fight among each other. I am still waiting for the eReader to come to the market... I want back the Akio Marito's SONY which I respect a lot..

[overclocked]

Overclocked, Yup Sony Ericsson latest mobile phone is really really good. The question is, would the disparate groups in Sony act together so that they use the strength of different groups? or fight among each other. I am still waiting for the eReader to come to the market... I want back the Akio Marito's SONY which I respect a lot..

Hopefully Pari they see that advantage, i think they have already. But as you say big companys does strange choises very often. Hope they integrate it well cause they have a exellent infrastructure built already there.

The things that make me sure is the card/flash mem reader of PS3 really.
Why not just plug in you cell phone mem-card for ex, or USB?
I noticed my phone supports ACC also which is "another sign". PSP from 2.8 supports 3gps movies(the one you take with mob cameras if someone dont know). Thinking of all togheter actually makes me feel very confident about the integration of a Sony plattform imo.

I have played a little with the dig-camera that is exellent, but not checked yet what rez the movie-cam have, i know Nokia6280 has 640*480 which is very good actually for its purpose(more fun but still usable). So im not sure, maybe you know how good the videoplayer-rec is(what rez) Pari?(We take it on PM instead to not spoil the thread).

[Domination]

Hmm... Another Joe Kitchen Game Maker huh? I fear a wave of crappy games coming in the future. Good luck to Average Joe for trying to create the next MGS4.

To give you an idea, Tetris is globally known and has taken in millions. Yet, it was thought up by one person. Now imagine for a second an unknown developer in this very same position but lacking the funds to build such a game on their own.

Don't let popularity blind you. There is a lot of hidden talent out there. The key is getting pass the first step.

[gnznroses]

ahah, i just read more about this and what a joke...


With the headline of "Microsoft Invites the World to Create Its Own Xbox 360 Console Games for the First Time," it is no surprise that everyone is now talking about XNA. From Jupitermedia's DevX to the New York Times, the announcement that Microsoft will be releasing a free tool called XNA Game Studio Express as a beta on August 30th—a tool that will then be made broadly available by the end of the year.

XNA is not a new topic. In fact, I mentioned it in May of 2005 here on CodeGuru, but it was actually back in 2004 at the Microsoft Game Developer Conference (GDC) that Microsoft first announced the concepts behind XNA. In 2005, Microsoft then announced "XNA Studio," which would be a tool to allow developers to create games that targeted both the Xbox and the PC with a single set of source code. At the GDC this year, a Community Technology Preview (CTP) of pieces of XNA was made available. This March 2006, CTP is available today from the Microsoft site (HERE). The CTP runs on Windows XP with SP2. Additionally, the CTP XNA is built on top of Visual Studio 2005 and the .NET Framework 2.0. The downloads include the XNABuild programs and a readme file. You also can download a number of other files, including a presentation on XNA, help files, and more.

Now, a bit over a year later, Microsoft has expanded on that announcement and the name. XNA Game Studio Professional is the new name. There is also a more solid time frame for the tool's release. More importantly, as mentioned above, an express version also is going to be released. Although the Professional edition is expected early 2007, a beta of the express edition is expected August 30th, 2006 with the release of a final product around Christmas.

Don't get excited just yet. There are a few things to know about the XNA Game Studio Express edition before you rush to develop that first PC/Xbox game. Microsoft stated that that XNA Game Studio Express would be free. Although you should be able to use it to create a game, what you do with that final game is where the issues come into play. To use the game on your Xbox, you'll need to join the "XNA Creator club." Otherwise, you won't be able to fully build, test, and share your game. To be a member of the club will cost $99 (US) a year for a new Xbox Live subscription offering. This Xbox live subscription will provide the additional pieces needed to develop non-commercial XNA Framework-based games that work on an Xbox 360.

Most importantly, it seems that for your friends to run your game on their Xbox 360, they will need to be a member of the XNA Creator Club as well. They will have to download the XNA Framework as well as have XNA Game Studio Express installed on their own development PC. Finally, the person you are sharing your game with must compile it and deploy it to their Xbox. In essence, you are sharing only your source code and they are compiling their own copy.

If sharing isn't complicated enough, with the release of the beta there are a few additional restrictions. Whereas the fun is in building a game for the Xbox 360, the initial beta release will only target the PC. Additionally, although you'll be able to use the product to build games for both Xbox and PCs, only PC games can be distributed commercially. To sell an Xbox game, you'll have to join the Microsoft developer program.

Microsoft has set up an FAQ with many of the frequently asked questions. If you're interested in the XNA Game Developer products, it is worth reading through the FAQs at http://msdn.microsoft.com/directx/xna/faq/.

Regardless of the hurdles, the excitement of XNA Game Studio Express has just begun. With this new product, the C# and .NET 2.0 skills that a developer has will not move them one step closer to the game developer world.

from codeguru.com



hey everyone, come pay $100 a year to be able to create games that you can't sell... and only people who also pay $100 a year will be able to play them... why would anybody pay for this crap?...

[gnznroses]

yup and also the PS3 does support homebrew thru Linux OS being preinstalled on the HDD. It should come with a IDE also. :google:

Sony was the first to annouce homebrew support, then came Nintendo..now MS late in the game.. :wave:

i don't think we have confirmation of any of this? not an accessible linux os or homebrew support. the thing theyt announced was a website where you could submit your game to be put on the Live-like service, not that anyone can run any code.
even without a full linux os they could have a menu of installed games to choose from i suppose, but i'm betting on no homebrew support. only approved stuff.

[Beenie Man]

My only gripe is why pay $100 as year in which you won't sell. I wonder if you can upload your game to the Live Network like the PS3's Online Network is doing for free.