Xbox Live Indie Games... definitive thread
- Thread starter AzBat
- Start date
Not yet unfortunately, however a number of times microsoft reps have indicated it is being worked on. It's taking it's sweet time, although it is sortof understandable, given there isn't any ability to rate other xbl items, so it probably requires a good deal of behind the scenes work (eg changes to the dashboard and such).
While I have no doubt the market for the iphone is gigantic, and you can certainly make a lot of money - I still feel that overall the market is difficult to predict. The system is geared towards these breakout games, spreading almost virally - which is understandable - but gives a skewed view of the average games' success. XNA doesn't really provide this type of exposure. If it did, it'll be interesting to see what would happen to average games - those decent games that lack the 'hook'.
I think it's a fair call that a large percentage of the iphone mega-sellers live and die by their first minute.
Can I assume they will not have separate ratings from either community developers and regular users
I think that's very true. The iPhone is a new, blank market. Like eCommerce. Or a gold rush. Or any of a zillion historical precedents. You'll have a few get-rich-quick stories of people in the right place at the right time, followed by a million avid 'entrepreneurs' who think 'that little game made that much money?! Hell, I can do better than that!' who'll flood the market, and then the buyers' attention will be completely diluted. This'll be followed by an advertising system created to communicate products, which'll cost big bucks and need investment which the small guy won't be able to afford. Eventually there'll be a few big players who made a name for themselves in the early days, a couple of big upstarts who muscle in on the success just with massive financial backing, and a whole lot of fringe wannabes all hoping for a lucky break. Quality will be irrelevant, and all the golden opportunities for independent creators to get noticed will be buried under an avalanche of financial pressures from a stiffling but unavoidable economic structure, such that luck, or industry contacts, are the most important commodities in becoming financially successful in creating iPhone games.
I don't think it's as easy as a Flash game, but I think anybody with Visual C experience(even if it's not C# that XNA Studio Express requires) could make competent game.
The game will stay up until you remove yourself regardless if you're a Creator's Club Premium subscriber. However... There are some technical issues with the payment system that make it hard to get paid if you're not a Premium member. I would check out the Creator's Club forum here...
http://forums.xna.com/forums/t/28443.aspx
Tommy McClain
I've know about this new site for a couple weeks now, but it's now got some worthwhile features for finding XBLCG games...
Xbox Live Community Games Index
http://www.xblcg.info/
Originally it was designed by Nick Gravelyn to create a simple link for XBLCG games to the Xbox.com Live Marketplace page. If you've ever seen the URL for Marketplace content you'd know it's near impossible to remember. This site created a tiny url-type link like this...
http://xblcg.info/link/miner-dig-deep
That would bring up my favorite game on the service.
Over time the site has added more & more features. The latest & biggest feature is user ratings. but it also gives the following filtering...
All the content is updated by connection to the RSS feed that the Creator's Club provides as games are approved by Peer Review. It has the game cover image as well as the following data..
That last option includes links to the Live Marketplace on Xbox.com, the Xbox.com discussion forum and reviews done by XNPlay.co.uk.
I highly recommend this site. Hopefully more people will use it for the user ratings. He's also trying to create a v2 version of the site, which could be available this weekend. Check it out!
Tommy McClain
Xbox Live Community Games Index
http://www.xblcg.info/
Originally it was designed by Nick Gravelyn to create a simple link for XBLCG games to the Xbox.com Live Marketplace page. If you've ever seen the URL for Marketplace content you'd know it's near impossible to remember. This site created a tiny url-type link like this...
http://xblcg.info/link/miner-dig-deep
That would bring up my favorite game on the service.
Over time the site has added more & more features. The latest & biggest feature is user ratings. but it also gives the following filtering...
- by name
- by genre
- by price
- by user rating
- by release(new or updated)
- by features
- by content rating
All the content is updated by connection to the RSS feed that the Creator's Club provides as games are approved by Peer Review. It has the game cover image as well as the following data..
- Developer
- Genre
- Price
- Features
- Online Features
- Content Ratings
- Last Updated
- Description
- Related Links
That last option includes links to the Live Marketplace on Xbox.com, the Xbox.com discussion forum and reviews done by XNPlay.co.uk.
I highly recommend this site. Hopefully more people will use it for the user ratings. He's also trying to create a v2 version of the site, which could be available this weekend. Check it out!
Tommy McClain
Silent_Buddha
Legend
Oh I like it. Direct, to the point without unnecessary flash and doodads and whatnot that make me hate 90% of the websites I go to on the web nowdays.
Now if can get enough traffic with suitable feedback on games from many people it could become a truly invaluable resource.
Regards,
SB
Now if can get enough traffic with suitable feedback on games from many people it could become a truly invaluable resource.
Regards,
SB
Arkedo Series - 01 JUMP!
Arkedo Studios known for their DS titles Nervous Brickdown & Big Bang Mini are testing the XNA/XBLIG waters. According to Pharoah on the NG forums, they are loving the platform and are planning a series of titles. Jump! is the first in the series. A nice retro 2D sidescroller with reat art & polish(looks like a little bit like Pacman CE, music sounds similar to NES Zelda). It will be followed by...
He has a lot more details and insights on the game & XBLIG there.
http://www.xboxindies.com/game/arkedo-series-01-jump
The game is only $3 or 240 MS Points. Click here to download trial or full version.
Can't wait for more from them!
Tommy McClain
Arkedo Studios known for their DS titles Nervous Brickdown & Big Bang Mini are testing the XNA/XBLIG waters. According to Pharoah on the NG forums, they are loving the platform and are planning a series of titles. Jump! is the first in the series. A nice retro 2D sidescroller with reat art & polish(looks like a little bit like Pacman CE, music sounds similar to NES Zelda). It will be followed by...
01 JUMP! was released yesterday. We did it in 35 days.
02 SWAP! will be out in approx 10-15 days + peer approval
03 ZOOM! is in preprod already
04 and 05 are in concept stage.
So if everything goes fine, you'll have 5 Arkedo Series in the next 4 months
He has a lot more details and insights on the game & XBLIG there.
http://www.xboxindies.com/game/arkedo-series-01-jump
The game is only $3 or 240 MS Points. Click here to download trial or full version.
Can't wait for more from them!
Tommy McClain
There's a new title out that's kind of cool, yet altogether different. It was recently submitted to the Dream Build Play 2009 competition. It wasn't a Top 20 finalist, but it still quite nice. And it definitely looks like something the audience here might be interested in, especially at $1.
Anyway, it's called Dark.
http://xboxindies.com/game/dark
Tommy McClain
Anyway, it's called Dark.
http://xboxindies.com/game/dark
Tommy McClain
Pretty neat looking.
From what I gathered on my first play was that you need collect the sparklies to get enough to open up different parts of the maps. The bad thing for me was that it was TOO dark & couldn't see much. So I wasn't able to see how to reach certain parts. I'll be going through the trial another time. Hopefully I'll get a little further along.
Most likely I'll buy it once I get some points, but for now it sits on the hard drive with all the others I've collected. Between the games for me, my wife & my son I have about 45 Indie games, but only about 6 or 7 I've bought. Most of the time the trials are enough of a taste. When I get my next card & buy some I'll post which ones I feel are worthy of purchase.
Tommy McClain
Not sure if you guys are still keeping up with Indie Games, but you should definitely try these out...
The first one is a old school NES-type RPG. It's getting great reviews.
The last one is a modernized version of Galaga. Wife loves it!
Both are 80 MSP or $1!! Excellent games & an excellent price!
Tommy McClain
The first one is a old school NES-type RPG. It's getting great reviews.
The last one is a modernized version of Galaga. Wife loves it!
Both are 80 MSP or $1!! Excellent games & an excellent price!
Tommy McClain
I'd add Pixel to that list, this game:
http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/games/media/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d802585503c9/
Cute and fun!
http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/games/media/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d802585503c9/
Cute and fun!
Yeah, excellent game by the studio Arkedo & Pastagames. BTW, Pastagames released a Pixel spin-off game for the iPhone...
Just wished they would release their next promised title: Arkedo Series: 04 Slash!. It should have been out months ago.
Tommy McClain
