Has there been any talk about how indie games will be published on either of these platforms? So far, what I could find it sounded like both would still follow the same model from PS360 (certification). I was hoping for an "app store" approach, similar to what you'd find on phones and tablets.
PS4, Xbox One: Indie publishing
- Thread starter Scott_Arm
- Start date
Im not sure the app store model does indy developers any favors either FWIW.
All it does it open the floodgates destroy any semblance of quality and make everything hard to find. Meaning that you have to resort to advertising to get noticed.
Certification exists to guarantee some minimum quality bar.
In the early days of live MS didn't require a publisher that changed because they were inundated with crap and didn't have the infrastructure to filter it.
At least for retail titles I don't think certification is going away anytime soon, there will have to be faster ways to get content on the box especially if "free" to play becomes common.
I do think there is middle ground here, but I don't know how you balance it, maybe it's a separate indy section in the store, but I think that ends up being an area most people never visit.
All it does it open the floodgates destroy any semblance of quality and make everything hard to find. Meaning that you have to resort to advertising to get noticed.
Certification exists to guarantee some minimum quality bar.
In the early days of live MS didn't require a publisher that changed because they were inundated with crap and didn't have the infrastructure to filter it.
At least for retail titles I don't think certification is going away anytime soon, there will have to be faster ways to get content on the box especially if "free" to play becomes common.
I do think there is middle ground here, but I don't know how you balance it, maybe it's a separate indy section in the store, but I think that ends up being an area most people never visit.
How do you get those good devs that are making games on iOS, Android that clearly cannot afford to go through expensive certification after paying for the dev kit? There was a list of indie games to watch for on Arstechnica recent. The stuff looked amazing. I doubt many, if any, of them would put their games on a new console if they had to pay to go through all that. I'm sure Eyetoy and Kinect could get a lot more use out of those people as well.
The high quality stuff that gets press is much less of an issue, it's relatively cheap for Sony/MS or any other publisher to "sponsor" development covering the publishing and development costs with a potentially large return. Sony has been very active in this area.
Everyone wants the "good" indy titles it's just how you filter out the crap.
FWIW devkits are much more reasonably priced than they used to be and as an indy you can always just build on PC and the port will be relatively cheap.
I do think that outside of phone and tablet PC will be the platform of choice for indy's in the short term.
Everyone wants the "good" indy titles it's just how you filter out the crap.
FWIW devkits are much more reasonably priced than they used to be and as an indy you can always just build on PC and the port will be relatively cheap.
I do think that outside of phone and tablet PC will be the platform of choice for indy's in the short term.
I did see in Eurogamer's interview with Phil Harrison that they've done away with the Arcade and Indie categories for games. They are now just games, and all listed in the same story. Might be tough for some small devs to get noticed. If they're social platforms for "trending", sharing between friends and "following" accounts works right, maybe you'll see enough voices to find the hidden gems.
Gradthrawn
Veteran
They both appear to require certification, with varying degrees of difficulty, with the biggest difference being PSN supporting self publishing (across PSV, PS3 and PS4) and Live requiring publisher backing (be it MS or other). Not requiring certifications could possibly open the door for content that neither manufacturer are probably comfortable allowing on their closed platform due to potential public outrage/blowback. Though I suppose Google/Apple address those issues retroactively? I would love a no cert path for locally compiled content that can be grabbed from the net and copied over (never hitting their store front). That obviously has similar concerns, however. Maybe with a new Net Yaroze/Second OS.
(((interference)))
Veteran
It's going to be easy for indies to publish for the machine because it'll have access to Windows 8 Xbox App Store which anyone can create and publish for.
That's their indie strategy, develop Win 8 apps.
You'll need publisher backing to develop games that run in the Title OS though as Windows 8 app + games will run alongside Skype, Netflix, IE etc in the System OS
That's their indie strategy, develop Win 8 apps.
You'll need publisher backing to develop games that run in the Title OS though as Windows 8 app + games will run alongside Skype, Netflix, IE etc in the System OS
So instead of giving devs entire console hardware to play with, they will put them in the small walled garden of Win8. Shitty move IMO. Blacklight Retribution is a SELFPUBLISHED game on PS4, and it will use all the available processing power it can get.
(((interference)))
Veteran
Well, it's also probably much easier to develop for - especially if you want to make PC and tablet versions of your game as well.
Remember MS wants to bolster the Win 8 ecosystem and its currently far from thriving app store - forcing indies to go through the Win8 route if they want to see their games on Xbox, is a great way to increase interest in the Win8 platform.
I don't think the power differences will be that important actually, given the types of games most indie devs make.
Remember MS wants to bolster the Win 8 ecosystem and its currently far from thriving app store - forcing indies to go through the Win8 route if they want to see their games on Xbox, is a great way to increase interest in the Win8 platform.
I don't think the power differences will be that important actually, given the types of games most indie devs make.
I just don't want to see a repeat of the Xbox Live Indies Games platform. I don't want creators passing/failing games in a peer review system. And I want Indies to also have access to achievements, leaderboards, Kinect & the Internet. If the Win8 ecosytem makes Indies the bastard step-children on Xbox again I'll be very upset.
Tommy McClain
Tommy McClain
I don't know if you are an insider but that's what i thought the next strategy for indie games will be.
I think that the sony approach is more appealing despite the need for a devkit(which I hope will be removed later) imho the xbox windows store risks to be the next gen xblig.
At least this time we will be able to use directx and c++ and making a multiplatform game will be easy and efficient.
(((interference)))
Veteran
Well it's not speculation I've heard that from someone who would know.
scooby_dooby
Legend
So you're saying they're going to launch a 2nd point of purchase within the Dashboard, where you can browse/buy from the Windows Store?
I was expecting more of a merger of the two...
I thought there was something on GAf about XBLA going away. Guess it'll all just be one big slop now. I guess Steam already does this.
But yeah I mean, it's nice to talk about and ideally embrace indies, but I think it's overblown. For 360 XBLA, you know it's a walled garden. They cant release 20 titles a week (in fact I think I remember bitching the one a week was too many). What you are getting is hand picked theoretically high quality high production value releases vetted for the masses. And that's ok.
Indies should go to PC or mobile or XB indy or whatever it's called, or whatever they want. XBLA isn't the place for them and there's nothing wrong with that despite people claiming so.
And whats it hurt them? They lose out on the next Minecraft phenomenon? Oh wait...
Now, no doubt indie is a great source of creativity and seems to be rising in importance (although there's another side too, see recent gaf post about "does anybody actually play much of these humble bundle indie games they buy? I dont" or something. and it would be nice to tap that. I think Xbone will take a lot of steps that direction.
its funny cause it all seems to point back to john blow. The guy is every where trying to do his best to tarnish ms.
Anyway they said they'd have indie stuff at e3. So we will get a better answer then
Indie Devs Can't Self-Publish on Xbox One.
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2013/05/22/indie-devs-cant-self-publish-on-xbox-one
http://ca.ign.com/articles/2013/05/22/indie-devs-cant-self-publish-on-xbox-one
Ummmm...
So same as now, similar to unvetted app stores.
I understand the price to publish on Live's Indie (and Windows 8) stores are way lower than getting your content published on PSN as a 'professional' game, so although you get less recognition, what do you expect for less outlay. No platform is currently offering full page-one store-front exposure for free to Indie devs making super-cheap games.
Gradthrawn
Veteran
That's confusing. "The company's general manager of Redmond Game Studios and Platforms Matt Booty" is saying Indie is still on. Who missed which memo?
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