Today, Microsoft announced the new Community Games project that offers a chance for XNA creators to get their game published on Xbox Live. After the GDC Conference we where informed that 7 trails were available on the Xbox Marketplace today. So I took a look at whats on offer.
First thing of note is the weird process to get XNA access. Previously you needed to pay the subscription fee but now you can get the launcher for free. To get the launcher you need to search through the ‘All Games’ section on the Marketplace and then go to the Xbox Live Arcade section and you’ll see a new ‘XNA Creators Club’ label. It seems odd that it doesn’t just work off the bat with a small update or something. But you only have to do it the once and today you’ll get access to the seven game demos, with more coming soon. The full games will have Achievements and Leaderboards and sizes range from 22mb to 191mb but there is a small notice before you get the launcher that reads ‘Requires HDD’. Sorry Core users.
LittleGamers In Action
The first game is called Culture in which you move around a sphere and plant flowers around weeds to kill them. It’s simple enough but soon you’ll be treated to different colour flowers and then the special ability’s each colour has. Culture is a weird game but it was playable but the controls did feel a bit stiff and sometimes it didn’t kill a weed even though I had it circled in flowers pretty well.
The second game I played was called JellyCar and although it was a long way off being finished it was interesting. Akin to those physic’s based flash games where you ride a bike over a track of obstacles, JellyCar is full of character. You won’t spent long with the demo as it only has a few levels and the way you get to them isn’t obvious at first but it’s very promising indeed.
The JellyCar gets ready to bounce again
LittleGamers is the third and it’s also the cleanest looking game out of the 7. It’s a side scrolling platformer with different weapons and it’s not bad but taking damage isn’t that noticeable meaning you’ll die without really knowing why. It never really got going but I’m willing to give it another chance later.
The next game, ProximityHD, I never got to try because its multiplayer only. It doesn’t tell you this going in, it tells you when you have to pick a side and there is no back to the menu button from this point, effectively locking me in.
So, This is what ProximityHD looks like
Rocketball is a Dodgeball clone with the occasional rocket to throw.When you get hit you play a simple Quick Time Event style Mini-Game to revive your character. Rocketball’s controls seem a little awkward, but this may just take a bit of getting used to. It’s a shame that some people might just glance over this game due to its odd jerky controls as it will have Multiplayer over Xbox Live and it had good 3d Graphics to boot.
The game that was on stage at GDC, Dishwasher is the next game I tried out. First thing of note is that it said ‘Xbox Live Arcade’ instead of ‘Xbox Community Games’. Once playing you’ll notice why this won the recent XNA competition as its productions values are quite high. Boasting Max Payne style storyboards, Dishwasher is a side scrolling slash ‘em up with a very good graphical presentation style. You can see its influences but that doesn’t mean its a straight clone or copy as Dishwasher is unique in its approach. While slashing up guys that look like agents from The Matrix you can knock them out with all kinds of combos and button presses and then when they are stunned you can perform any number of finishers. There is also a built in currency system that unlocks more combos and finishers.
A Crazy Screen from Dishwasher
The final game is the oddly named puzzler, Trilinea. After a long loading screen, that is actually just a black screen, you get introduced to Trilinea’s nice presentation. The Graphics are amongst the best, technically speaking anyway. Although the game is a bit daunting at first it does provide online multiplayer over Xbox Live.
The XNA Community Games initiative is an intriguing one at least. Games like Dishwasher & JellyCar stood out although the latter doesn’t look finished. But the key thing to take away is that all of these games look promising. Personally I can’t wait until we start to get these things a lot more often.
Sam Morris
2 Comments to Community Games : A Quick Look At The Early XNA Content
by Bruceongames
On February 21, 2008 at 11:33 am
At one stroke Microsoft have removed all the barriers to game development and more importantly to game publishing. We will have a flowering of innovation and creativity beyond anything the game industry has ever seen before. Probably beyond what any creative industry has ever seen before. The last explosion in gaming creativity was the bedroom Sinclair Spectrum coders in the 1980s (we have been going downhill creatively ever since), this will be thousands of times bigger. The possibilities are infinite.
by Rob Angus
On February 22, 2008 at 12:19 pm
I personally, think this has great potential. I might even download XNA myself. Might aswel give it a go! Good on microsoft i say. They are trying to change their image.