MS announces new game development technology initiative

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Megadrive1988

Veteran
GDC: Microsoft announces new game development technology initiative

Rob Fahey 13:54 24/03/2004
XNA unifies game development across Xbox, Windows and Windows Mobile


At its GDC conference later today, Microsoft is set to take the wraps off a new development platform called XNA which will be rolled out across all future game platforms, including Xbox consoles and Windows PCs.

The initiative is aimed at providing a common environment for game development on all of the platforms which Microsoft is involved in, ranging from the Xbox (and Xbox 2) through the Windows operating system to Windows Mobile devices.

As with most such initiatives, XNA's biggest claimed benefit is that it will free up developers to work on unique features rather than constantly reinventing the wheel by writing the boilerplate code that holds games together on a basic level.

The launch of the platform will see a number of interesting technology moves from Microsoft, with the appearance of the Xbox Live development toolkit on the Windows platform being perhaps the most important of the announcements.

Developers working on Windows games will now be able to use the billing, security, login, friends and matchmaking tools which are integral to the Xbox Live service - effectively extending Live functionality onto Windows games, although it's not clear whether PC gamers will be expected to pay Live-style subscription fees for these services.

The company also plans to develop a common controller reference design which will be rolled out for both Windows and the Xbox, providing a basic standard across both platforms as well as unifying the input APIs and button standards on both systems.

On a more technical level, a number of Xbox development tools such as the PIX analysis tool and the XACT audio authoring system will be made available for PC development purposes for the first time, while the High-Level Shader Language (HLSL) which was recently introduced on the Windows platform will now be ported to Xbox.

The move to unify the development environment between Xbox and Windows is likely to be welcomed by developers working on cross-platform titles, and will have even greater repercussions as Xbox 2 development kits - which are also expected to use the XNA framework - are made more widely available.

"Silicon advancements and new features like high-definition and pervasive broadband will send game development costs skyrocketing," Microsoft's chief Xbox officer Robbie Bach is expected to tell the audience at GDC later today. "The video game industry must band together to find a solution that ensures vitality and sustainability for years to come, while responding to consumer desires for bigger, better games."
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http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?section_name=dev&aid=3175

also here:
http://www.adr.com/adr?page=adrnews&formtype=4&level=C&prod=BT&mdate=20040324&mseq=4
 
This is nothing like renderware... these are more like development tools and API's like Direct X and developer studio.
 
having common api's and common code is *very* good, will help people move into xbox development , well in so far as you'll be able to learn more xbox stuff than just "direct-x" . . .

hlsl to BE ported to xbox .. err okay . . . ;)

-dave-
 
Baically, it will allow you to make cross platform capable games. More spcifically online cross platform capable. I think that is the entire reasoning behind these tools. MS wants more xbox live support.
 
direct-live instead of direct-play ? . be surprised if they allow pc<>xbox multiplayer/online games . . . . . .

-dave-
 
Re: ...

Deadmeat said:
XBox Next : Comes with a complete suit of tools and library.
PSX3 : Comes with nothing. Build yourself.
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This is completely contrary to what we’ve heard in every interview and well-grounded rumour so far.
PS3 is expected to come with a very strong API and good tools, I quote "like the original Playstation".
 
Like I said in the other thread, doesn't this just sound like DirectX on 'roids?

A few implications:

1) opening the floodgates for bad PC games on XB2
2) unifying the MS GameZone with XBL to boost subscriptions and interplayablility
3) making the Xbox much less of a distinct product and more of a PC played with a TV instead of a monitor.

Overall, sounds like some serious spin.
 
I like it when a company opens up their technology to different people.

Like Sony's PS3, everyone can build the middleware for development introducing new ideas concepts. So you can have Renderware etc.

With MS you'll have one place to go which might be good, but innovation and choices gets really limited.

Speng.
 
1) opening the floodgates for bad PC games on XB2
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Really bad games simply won't get approval. THye aren't saying anyone can make games useing these tools. anyone can buy the tools, but MS will still control who is approved for development or not approved. In otherwords, we won't et any more bad games then we already get.

2) unifying the MS GameZone with XBL to boost subscriptions and interplayablility.
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This has nothing to do with the MS gaming zone, it's essentially a replacement for the Zone more along the lines of gamespy (PC/PS2). They are just making the network and infrastructure avaible to htose on teh PC that want to use it, in teh end this probably won't produce a whole lot more ports fomr xbox to PC or vice versa, but it benefits the people in the PC world that make MMORPG's and want a way to do those properly on a console without scaling the game back.

3) making the Xbox much less of a distinct product and more of a PC played with a TV instead of a monitor.
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Well, that's debatable, because to the end user it won't be any different than now. To developers it may seem like that. However, just because it will be easy to make games for both platforms, doesn't mean everyone (or all the PC develoeprs will bother take advantage of it.). You'll still need to be an approved xbox developer and get past concept approval.

I really think this is being designed this way to get more online games on xbox 2. I do like the fact they want to standardize the contorller interface between PC and xbox. The currentl controller interface for PC is horrible IMO.
 
speng,

Like Sony's PS3, everyone can build the middleware for development introducing new ideas concepts. So you can have Renderware etc.
Click to expand...

Renderware is also on xbox and anyone can make middleware like 3D engines for development on both platforms.

With MS you'll have one place to go which might be good, but innovation and choices gets really limited.
Click to expand...

What MS is talking about is more along the lines of the compilers and developmnt environment, I don't know if you can call what the Xbox or PS2 development hardware ships with "middelware" if it's created by Sony or MS.
 
Ironic as it is that they're now trying to build a strong common bond between the PC and Xbox platforms (when they were initially trying to separate the two as much as possible), everything here is pretty unexciting for the end-user, except for the "standardised gamepad" deal. Unless this turns out to be another boneheaded MS-spawned concept that will die in its infancy, this looks pretty shitty for PC gamers. You can say hello to more dumbed-down games designed for a console rather than the original PC platform it was intended for (case in point: Halo, Deus Ex 2). It looks like Microsoft is trying hard to nail the coffin shut on you guys. :(
 
This initiative does nothing to prevent middleware suppliers. They're aiming to reduce the redundancy between their similar platforms so cross-platform developers don't have to reinvent the same wheel when it's not being called for.
 
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