Finally: The Xbox Live Community Game Index

by Richard Mitchell { Apr 22nd 2009 at 2:00PM }

File this one under "Absolutely Fantastic Idea." An enterprising netizen by the name of Nick Gravelyn has created the Xbox Live Community Game Index (or XBLCG if you prefer). Seemingly answering our prayers, the site organizes Xbox Live Community Games, details important information for each one and, more importantly, allows users to rate each game. That's right, it took a community developer to implement functionality that Microsoft should have had on day one.

Want to find out which games are worth a look? Easy, just filter your results by games that are rated 70% or better. If you'd like to rate games yourself, all you need to do is sign in with your Windows Live ID -- we take personal pride having lowered Rocket Fart from 15% to 14%. You can also filter results by release date, features and even price. Welcome to the internet, XBLCG, we're sure this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

[Via Binary Tweed]

Tags: community-games, xbcg, xblcg

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Gemini Ace @ Apr 22nd 2009 2:36PM

Rocket Fart is brilliant! How dare you!

MystileArmor @ Apr 22nd 2009 3:25PM

So you're the one responsable for even getting it up to 15% in the first place!!

Sean @ Apr 22nd 2009 2:36PM

I've heard that game ratings are coming for games you purchase. Any truth to that rumor?

I think it's the one thing that holds Live back. I would have probably bought more games, movies, and other content if I knew how people felt about them.

But, if they institute ratings, would devlopers still have an incentive to make demos? That is, would MS have to drop the demo requirement for arcade games if we were allowed to rate?

Arashikou @ Apr 22nd 2009 4:35PM

I don't think MS has said anything about community ratings. They haven't said yes; they haven't said no. I think what they have said is that they're "aware" that people really want it. But it's all a (much-wished for) pipe dream right now.

I can't see why having ratings would disincentivize demos. Though then again, I don't trust ratings enough to make a purchase based on them alone. Ratings will convince me to try a demo in the first place, but not shell out cash, so I view the two as complimenting one another, not competing.

PeacefulOutrage @ Apr 22nd 2009 10:34PM

This should be totally awesome. I know there are plenty of community games worth trying, especially in this dry release spell.

Tel Prydain @ Apr 22nd 2009 4:20PM

I’m still a bit bitter about this whole rating thing, to be honest.
Microsoft offer a (relatively) simple tool to create virtually any game, they allow you to let your programs into their closed network… and they let you charge for them.
Has any console maker ever made such concessions before? Did anyone ever think such a crazy thing would be allowed? Did I miss Sony’s amateur game club?

And we are harping on about ratings? Really?
Are these mini-developers somehow incapable of promoting their own games? Is it that hard to post a few screen shots and a description on a few forums? Seriously?
It’s not Microsoft’s problem to promote your games, people! They have given you a platform you can work with, not an all-expenses paid cruse to developer land.

It all sounds like; “Waah, I’ve made some crap flash game, and while everything has been provided for me, I wand someone to sell it for me too! Waaah!”

nikescar @ Apr 22nd 2009 4:40PM

I don't think you really know what's going on. Take a look through the Creators Club forums and you'll see that people are marketing their games.

This site is more about making it easier for users to find a game they're looking for as well as sorting what's crap and what's not. How is that a bad thing? App Store does that, so why not apply it to a similar open system?

As far as MS promoting individual games, that's not what people are asking for at all. They just would like more exposure for the service as a whole.

mgsrocks1 @ Apr 22nd 2009 4:21PM

Rocket Fart? *god does a face palm*

Tel Prydain @ Apr 22nd 2009 5:59PM

Some good points.

I certainly think that this site is a good thing. More than that, I’d say that it is a necessary thing. But, honestly, it’s something that the development community should have handled for themselves.

And while some folk may be trying to drum up attention, they aren’t doing a massively good job. Other the Joystiq and Joystiq Xbox, I also visit Evil Avatar, CoG and Kotaku – and I hardly see any self-promotion there.
If you have a great game, and can provide some great screenshots, there is no reason you can’t get your game out there.

I guess my argument is just that Microsoft has provided an amazing opportunity, which no other console manufacturer has ever provided before. Before this generation, no one would have thought that anyone would allow average users to publish content on a closed platform – let alone charge for them.

Lastly, as I am in New Zealand I have yet to buy any community content. Using a US account I can download trails, but not buy – which is super retarded as there is content from New Zealanders on there.
I have downloaded a lot of trials, and few stand out. There have been a few gems Id buy if I could – a few adventure games and one neat platform-rpg. Sadly, the gems are few and far in between.
There have been comments that the number of trial downloads far outweigh the copies actually brought. Perhaps instead of blaming the lack of a rating system, they should look at why people trying their games don’t want to buy.

And while I’m ranting, Joystiq Xbox doesn’t have that much stuff that is different from the main site. A ‘Community Game of the Week’ is exactly the kind of thing we should be seeing from the old Xbox Fanboy crew.
How ‘bout it, guys?

Arashikou @ May 5th 2009 6:03AM

"But, honestly, it’s something that the development community should have handled for themselves."

Just to boost your mood a little: This IS something the community is handling themselves. :) The site linked in this article is run by community members, not MS.

Foxtail @ Apr 22nd 2009 8:44PM

You aren't hearing what everyone is saying. It's not that easy to just "promote" your game and suddenly sales appear. Have you not been reading the news that sales have been low for everyone, where some people have sold elss than a hundred copies? This isn't a one-off thing. This is universal.

Now, the "most Popular" listing features Rumble Massage, Remote Masseuse, Rocket Fart, DrumKit and Aquarium HD. Do you really think that those games are in the top ten because they have had the most promotion? Not a chance.

How about Weapon of Choice, CarneyVale Showtime, Halfbrick Blast Off or Miner Dig Deep? They have had more mainstream expsosure than anyone and are universally regarded as the best games on XBLCG, yet are nowhere to be found in the Most Popular section. And even the games in the Most Popular section aren't selling very well. XBLCG needs more exposure and the perception that all XBLCG are crap needs to change. You'll find on almost any forum about XBLCG you'll have several people blindly saying that they would never buy anything from CG because all the games are crappy.

The service needs more promotion as a whole, and from what I've read on the XNA forums, selling your game isn't as easy as posting some screenshots on a few forums, as you suggested.