<![CDATA[Kotaku: Xna]]> http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/kotaku.com.png <![CDATA[Kotaku: Xna]]> http://kotaku.com/tag/xna http://kotaku.com/tag/xna <![CDATA[Dust: An Elysian Tail Is XNA's Best Looking Game]]> Dust: An Elysian Tail, an entry in Microsoft's XNA Dream Build Play competition, is not only the best looking video game we've seen from the contest, it might be the best looking downloadable Xbox 360 title ever. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5330843&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Microsoft Closes Game Development Program]]> Microsoft have been getting into user-created gaming in a big way of late. First Xbox LIVE Community Games, then Kodu. Which means they have little use for their original games creator, Popfly. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5316667&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Kodu Game Lab Micro-Review: Baby’s First Game Development Kit]]> Who says you have to go to college for an expensive game developer's education? Microsoft Research's Kodu puts the power of a dev kit right in your hand for a mere $5. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5312092&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[XNA Games Don't Sell, Don't Make Money [Update]]]> Much was made of Microsoft's attempt at gestating a user-created gaming platform on the 360 with their Community Games service. But six months on from launch, how well is it faring? More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5191458&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Xbox Live Arcade Finally Gets A Dishwasher]]> A year and a half of drooling comes to fruition this Wednesday, as The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai rides a blood-soaked guitar riff onto Xbox Live Arcade. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5190610&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Kodu CES Presentation Clip]]>
Kodu is Microsoft's crack at this whole user-generated content thing. Technically, it looks promising! But my Lord, XNA title or not, those visuals need some work. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5126105&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Microsoft Lets New Territories In To XNA Gang]]> Now that Microsoft has got the New Xbox Experience launch out of the way and we have had a few days to dig into the Community Games channel, Redmond has decided to open up the service to more developers. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5098157&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[In The Pit Trailer - No Video Card Required]]> <a href="http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-US&playlist=videoByUuids:uuids:df61044d-75aa-4605-877b-7797abc6a58c&showPlaylist=true&from=msnvideo" target="_new" title="Trailer for &quot;In the Pit&quot; for Dream Build Play 2008">Video: Trailer for &quot;In the Pit&quot; for Dream Build Play 2008</a> More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5093783&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Winners in Indie Dev Contest, with Video]]> Last week Microsoft announced the winners of its 2008 Dream-Build-Play game development contest. The indie devs took home more than $70,000 in cash and prizes, and "will have the opportunity to receive an invitation to publish their games on Xbox LIVE Arcade." Microsoft's words, not mine. There probably is some legal stuff that has to happen and they can't just say straight out you'll be able to play these on Xbox Community Games, when the new Live goes up Nov. 19. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5074114&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Splatter Movie - The Unfinished Swan Tech Demo]]> File under Curious. The Unfinished Swan, an XNA project from indie coder Ian Dallas, is a novel take on the FPS genre, set in an entirely colorless world. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5068647&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Community Games And The New Xbox Experience]]>
<a href="http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-US&playlist=videoByUuids:uuids:c3d65b0c-273b-4548-8e36-3fa9e56f93b5&showPlaylist=true&from=msnvideo" target="_new" title="Xbox LIVE Community Games">Video: Xbox LIVE Community Games</a>
In this week's look at the New Xbox Experience, Microsoft's Larry Hryb chats with XNA Community Manager Kathleen Sanders about how XNA Community games will function within the Xbox Live revamp, due out November 19th. Aside from the fact that the community games will have their own channel, the video really just plays like an overview of the community creation program in general. Not really all that much of an update, but it's nice to know they're on their way. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5065165&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[XNA Games Showing Up On Xbox Live]]> Several readers have emailed us to let us know that two games have appeared on Xbox Live under the XNA Creator's Club banner. A space shooter called Net Rumble and a letters game called Netters are both available for download as we speak, as I just verified, in both free demo and full versions priced at 100 Microsoft Points a pop. Unfortunately we've also verified that the two titles seem unplayable to the average users, with XNA Creator's Club launcher errors popping up even if you have the program installed. I suppose I'll just let them sit there on my hard disk until I figure out what to do with them. Lovely. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5060835&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Plain Sight Trailer Goes Boom]]> London-based indie studio Beatnik Games have released a trailer for their debut title - Plain Sight. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5046715&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Meet Owlboy. He Looks Great.]]> This is Owlboy. It's a game from D-pad Studio. This is their description of the game: More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5045765&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Former XNA Community Manager Airs Quality Concerns]]> Microsoft's recent announcement that it would let community developers earn money for games they make with the company's XNA toolset came as good news to some, but former XNA community manager David Weller is concerned about the lack of quality standards. On his blog, Weller wrote: More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5029288&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Gamefest 2008: Microsoft's Satchell Talks Xbox 360 Homebrew Scene]]> Now, just about anyone can be a game developer — and get paid for it, too. At its Gamefest 2008 event today, Microsoft announced that community games made using its XNA tools will be downloadable via either PC or Xbox 360, and that the creators will get 70 percent of the revenues, as we reported earlier today. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5027907&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[XNA Creators Club Games Priced, Detailed]]> Back in February Xbox 360 gamers got a chance to try out some of the exciting homebrew games coming out of the XNA Code Creators Club, and this holiday season they'll be able to buy them. Microsoft has dropped details about how pricing and payments will work for folks who have their games published via the new program, now called Xbox LIVE Community Games. Paying members of the Creators Club will be able to submit their games to the community for peer review, and if they deem it worthy they'll be able to set a price and put it up for sale. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5027788&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Brazilian Team Wins Microsoft's Imagine Cup With City Rain]]> Brazil's Mother Gaia Studios is the winner of Microsoft's Imagine Cup, a competition that challenged students from around the world to use XNA community tools to build games around the theme of environmental sustainability. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5022959&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[XNA Games "Most Likely Less Expensive" Than XBLA Ones]]> And now, the last of the leaked MS/Acti news items for the day. Included in Intellisponse's marketing/survey data was some information on Microsoft's User Generated Games program, which is what they were calling the service we know better as "Community Games On LIVE". The material says that it's a “new destination” for Xbox Live customers, offering “hundreds” of inexpensive games. Buying one “looks and feels just like buying anything else from Xbox Live”, but most importantly, will be “most likely less expensive” than the “typical Xbox Live game”. Hrm. If Microsoft wrote/approved that, it's a peculiar choice of words. For user-generated content on shoestring budgets (if a budget at all), shouldn't they be "definitely less expensive"? More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5016660&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Microsoft's Satchell Talks Games For Change]]> "Imagine a world where we have no ability to influence the people that are going to lead and shape thought for tomorrow," said Microsoft's Chris Satchell, general manager of XNA. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5012830&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[No Zune for You at Gamestop]]> So GameStop has bailed on the Zune. TheStreet.com reports that the retailer, citing insufficient demand, won't be pushing the Microsoft mp3 player anymore. Actually, it sounds like it pulled the plug back in the first quarter of the year and just now someone's noticed, because it did ding GameStop's gross margins. That and other guidance knocked 6 percent off GameStock's share price at closing yesterday. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5010865&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[You're One Step Closer To Playing Home-Made Games On Your 360]]> The XNA team announced earlier today that a beta program's just begun for the "Community Games on LIVE" program. The bedroom coders amongst you will remember this service was announced back at GDC, and is aimed at getting user-generated games into the hands of 360 owners worldwide. If you're interested in trying out the service now (the full program's expected later in the year), they're still taking beta testers, so head on over and sign up. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=392283&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Microsoft Confirms XNA Zune CTP For May]]> Though Microsoft has not yet set a release date for XNA Zune games, the company confirmed that the first community technology preview is targeted for this month. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=387391&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Zune Demonstrating Tasty Multiplayer That's Getting Cold]]> At GDC, we had the opportunity to demo a Zune running an XNA game. And it looked pretty good. So what has been Microsoft's Zune team been thinking about in the several months since then? XNA commander and chief Chris Satchell fills us in:
One of the things we talked about was the network play, and we've had people doing prototypes internally of multiplayer shoot-'em-ups both in versus and co-op.
He continues: More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=379491&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Microsoft: Others "Inviting Trouble" By Supporting Mods]]> Microsoft's group manager for the XNA platform, Chris Satchell, wants you to know that user-generated content can lead to bad things. Like cooties.
I think there's a potential risk on any platform where you're allowing...where you're running in what we call native mode, where you're writing straight to the metal, not a sandbox layer like XNA, and then that runs a script engine and you let people do that in that script engine.
He continues, calling a few companies out: More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=378932&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Xbox Japan Boss Is Wasted On Japan]]> The best thing to come out of Microsoft's Japanese XNA awards night weren't the games themselves. Not even close. No, the best part was the arrival of Xbox Japan boss Takashi Sensui, who didn't just walk onto the stage. He didn't use steps, like mortal men. No, the dude descended in a gondola. And not just any gondola, a gondola called "THE CANDY HOUSE". Look at him wave! He's loving it. In these cold, unexciting times, when the industry's most colourful platform executives have either moved on or moved away (Allard, Kutaragi, Moore, Harrison), Sensui is the sole bastion of corporate good times. If only Microsoft had left Don "Who?" Mattrick where he was and made this guy Xbox boss. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=362857&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Japan's XNA Games Looking Surprisingly Nice]]> You'd think that, considering the tepid, room temperature-response most of you had for America's finest XNA-developed titles, Japan's would be even worse. After all, tons of Americans have a 360, but very, very few Japanese do. That logic is, however, all busted up, as Microsoft Japan have shown at their "XNA Game Studio Japan 2008 Spring Contest". While most American titles looked like flash games, most Japanese ones look like...well, Xbox games. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=362853&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[XNA Community Games Only Available Until Sunday at Midnight]]> For those of you wanting to download and check out some of the XNA community games, be aware that they are only available until tomorrow Sunday, Feb. 23 at midnight. After that you will have until March 9 at midnight to play the games before they expire. So get while the gettings good and download your XNA games now before it's too late! More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=360055&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Microsoft Handing Out XNA (And Lots of Other Stuff) To Students]]> As I logged into my school email account this past week, only to be greeted with the news that some libraries are way too protective over their microfilm (damn you, Yale!), a little item on the news section of our login page caught my eye. Microsoft is giving away several full-fledged programs to college students, hoping to lure them away from Adobe-powered and open source software; in addition to Visual Studio Professional Edition and Expression Studio, they're also handing out XNA Game Studio 2.0, including a 12 month trial subscription to XNA Creators Club (plus some other stuff). Under the initiative titled 'DreamSpark,' they're hoping to rope in people early on, with the hopes of reaping the financial benefits later. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=359966&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[XNA Game Studio Games Come To Zune]]> Can't say we didn't see it coming, but Microsoft officially announced today that XNA Game Studio games would soon be supported by the Zune. The portable media player is expected to get simpler fare like the vertical space shooter Zauri and puzzle staple Hexic, the former of which was shown to feature MP3 support. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=358761&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Xbox Live To Add Community Created Games]]> Chris Satchell of Microsoft just announced that community-developed XNA games will soon be distributed through Xbox Live. Microsoft has been buzz-wording about "democratizing game distribution" all morning, but it appears that it's willing to put its money where its mouth is. The company expects it can double the number of games on Xbox Live Arcade by the end of year with the addition of community developed software. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=358750&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Xbox 360 &*$@s Up At GDC, Part II (Of Many)]]> We all had a hearty chuckle at Microsoft's red ringing Xbox 360 in the XNA demo area. But while I was checking out the XNA finalists yesterday, I never expected to see another screwed up console in the same locale... More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=358646&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Impressions: Microsoft's Five XNA Winners]]> Not so long ago, Microsoft announced a tournament of sorts in which developers of the Xbox 360's XNA platform could compete to see which cuisine game reigned supreme. Sneaking away from the GDC conferences for a few moments, I snagged some time with each of Microsoft's 5 winners. So how did I like them? Some sucked, some were alright and one...one I really dug. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=358332&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[XNA Announcement Shrouded In Secrecy, Actual Shroud]]> Microsoft has something big planned for XNA at GDC, an announcement expected to hit during the company's keynote tomorrow morning. Nestled in Microsoft's space at Moscone Center's north hall is the above display, something that the company doesn't want anyone to see until corporate VP John Schappert hands out the official details. The moment Schappert's talk is over, at 11:30 AM PST, the curtain is lifted and game developers everywhere are enlightened, bowled over, etc. At least, that's what we expect Microsoft's fantasy version of the whole thing to be. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=358239&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[The Dishwasher Is Sexy, Stylish, 2D Action]]> One of the winners of Microsoft's Dream-Build-Play competition, The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai will be making its way to an Xbox Live Arcade near you in the coming months. This XNA Game Studio Express hallmark was the fruit of James Silva's labor, a stylish, two dimensional action shooter with all the right shoot 'em up standards. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=290455&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Schizoid Debuts At GameFest 2007]]>
Microsoft's GameFest 2007 is underway as we speak, and a game I've been looking forward to since I first spoke with its creators back at GDC in March is finally officially announced. Schizoid is the first developer created Xbox Live Arcade title built exclusively using XNA Game Studio Express. It is the product of Torpex Games, itself spawned from two of the top talents in the gaming industry, Bill Dugan and Jamie Fristrom, and I go into great detail with them about how they came to create the game in this post here. Dugan especially has a great way with words.
"We truly believe that if you and a friend spend two minutes playing Schizoid, you are going to ignore food, drink, your job and your family and play until they load you up on a gurney and head to the hospital. Schizoid is that rare game that comes along once every few years and we are very proud to make it our first release for Xbox LIVE Arcade."
More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=288856&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Dream-Build-Play Winners Announced]]> Back in December of last year the Dream-Build-Play contest was launched by Microsoft to coincide with the worldwide launch of the XNA Game Studio Express development tool for Xbox Live, wherein creators of winning XNA games would be offered publishing contracts for their creations on Xbox Live Arcade. The deadline was back in early July, and now the winners have been officially announced. Due to a double tie, the creators of Blazing Birds, The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai, Gravitron Ultra and Yo Ho Kablammo! will have a chance to sign publishing agreements with Xbox Live Arcade. Hit the link below to see more of what you can expect to see on Xbox Live in the coming months, and congratulations to the winners! More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=288980&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Microsoft Announces XNA Game Studio 2.0]]> Microsoft has announced XNA Game Studio 2.0, deciding to merge the XNA Game Studio line into one product. Formerly split in "professional" and "express" versions, amateur developers were working on software different than their pro counterparts. Merging the programs will rid users of the need to relearn or retool as they become licensed XNA developers. Pros will simply have access to a more extensive plugin library. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=288925&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Msoft Announces Global Warming Game Contest]]> It is heartening to see that the concept of corporate responsibility can, at time, ooze over into the gaming industry. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=267417&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[GDC07: Xbox Live Arcade and XNA Make Small-time Developers Big]]> Crowding into hotel rooms 10 sweaty guys at a time to play Xbox Live Arcade isn't foreign to us, but it's nice to finally be paid for it. At the XBLA showcase, we found out that the 512MB Memory Card we posted about yesterday will indeed have Geometry Wars free, but free only for a little while. If you're going to get a mem card, you should get on that. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=242087&view=rss&microfeed=true