Microsoft releases XNA beta and MechCommander 2 source

[Mendel]

Microsoft XNA Build March 2006 Community Technology Preview
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...562-5DED-4BB1-8648-708D3481BDA3&displaylang=e

Microsoft® XNA™ Build is a tool which will help game studios manage the growing complexities of their game content builds. We invite you to install this pre-release into a non-production environment to learn more about how XNA Build will reduce development complexities.

We have also re-released Microsoft MechCommander 2 under a Shared Source license as a sample you can use along with XNA Build. We suggest that you download the Microsoft MechCommander 2 Shared Source Release using the link below after you have installed the XNA Build March 2006 CTP to learn more about how XNA Build can be used to build a game.

Microsoft MechCommander 2 Shared Source Release
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...DE-C3E5-46BE-B3A5-729581269A9C&displaylang=en

I see this as the first opportunity to make (with legal tools) Xbox Homebrew apps and demos, hopefully resulting in more demoscene material

 

[JHoxley]

I see this as the first opportunity to make (with legal tools) Xbox Homebrew apps and demos, hopefully resulting in more demoscene material

We're a long way off that yet. Two fundamental points:

1. XNA Build != XNA Framework
2. XNA Framework will require a 360 DevKit

It's via the framework that they were demoing managed code on a 360, not the build system .

Sure, it sets a very nice precident for lowering the entry-level into console development, but it's not (at least not yet) brought it crashing down...

Jack

 

[Mendel]

Oh I see, well... I stand corrected. Maybe some day though!

 

[JHoxley]

Maybe some day though!

Well they've made their intentions clear enough - it's now just a case of sitting back and waiting for that day to arrive

Cheers,
Jack

 

[Rolf N]

Would anyone care to see an OpenGL version of Mech Commander 2?

 

[K.I.L.E.R]

I would, not that it would make much sense unless someone makes 3D models for it.
It will follow along the Doom/Hexen/Duke3D path, only for hardcore addicts of the game would consider doing something liike that.

Would anyone care to see an OpenGL version of Mech Commander 2?

 

[Graham]

We're a long way off that yet. Two fundamental points:

1. XNA Build != XNA Framework
2. XNA Framework will require a 360 DevKit

It's via the framework that they were demoing managed code on a 360, not the build system .

Sure, it sets a very nice precident for lowering the entry-level into console development, but it's not (at least not yet) brought it crashing down...

Jack

however XNA framework will be windows compatible, so in theory you can develop on windows and if you do it right it should run fine on the 360 too. As is my understanding.
Although from the various XNA blogs out there, there will be some platform specific code still in the framework (which I guess can't be helped without sacrificing performance)

I also read somewhere of a mythical '$100 software-based dev kit' for the 360. I have a horrible feeling this was from the inq though.

At the end of the day MS would be foolish to significantly restrict 360 based XNA development. I'd expect it will see quite extensive use on XBLA.

 

[JHoxley]

however XNA framework will be windows compatible, so in theory you can develop on windows and if you do it right it should run fine on the 360 too. As is my understanding.

Yes, thats the *theory*... but from the information I've been given you'll still need a 360 DevKit and a distribution deal from MS. It's not quite opening it up as a full-blown indie/hobbyist platform.

I also read somewhere of a mythical '$100 software-based dev kit' for the 360. I have a horrible feeling this was from the inq though.

Yeah, I saw those rumours do the rounds, never saw or heard anything official though. Everyone I discussed it with was of the opinion that it was nothing but a rumour. $100 for a devkit is not only cheaper than the real 360's but its also around 1/10th (or 1/100th?) of the price of a real devkit. Numbers just dont work...

At the end of the day MS would be foolish to significantly restrict 360 based XNA development. I'd expect it will see quite extensive use on XBLA.

My interpretation is that indies and smaller teams can develop a solid PoC on XNA-Framework for Windows, demonstrate it to the XBLA team (or general 360 team) and then they'll be given access to the 360-specific resources.

I think it works really well... Microsoft (and Sony) put a lot of value in the quality of the games on their platform, hence being so tight about who they do(n't) let onboard. But if you can go to them with a finished demo/prototype running on Windows then they can see out-right there-and-then whether you're serious or if you're just wasting their time. Given that XNA-Framework should be easy to port across then you could get the green light from MS and have a 360-distribution up in a month or so...

Jack