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GDC Impressions: Gaming on Windows Phone 7

Fortunately, the channel through which you'll access these on-the-go 'cheevos looks like it has loads of promise. The handful of work-in-progress Windows Phone 7 games we were shown today at GDC didn't leave much of an impression -- however, the effortless portability of games between the platforms supported by the recently announced XNA Game Studio 4.0 opens up a lot of possibilities for development on Microsoft's new mobile device.
Interview: Microsoft on integrating Xbox Live into Windows Phone 7 Series

For the purpose of this interview, Pessner and Klucher merged into one entity (they spoke over each other a lot!) to answer our questions:
Microsoft plans to separate games that do and don't support Xbox Live functionality on Windows Phone. Are there any concerns that this will turn off indie developers?
Pessner and Klucher: The short answer is "no." The way that we built the Phone and Marketplace experience makes it very easy to search for what you're looking for. With XNA Game Studio 4.0, you can use the same set of tools to build an Xbox Live game or non-Xbox Live game on the platform. The benefit that developers get for working with Game Studio is everything we just described.
We also are very interested in seeing concept submissions from the indie community, and we're out talking to a lot of independent developers. Fortunately, we're working with a lot of these folks in context of the console today, and many of the console titles that have come to us through the Indie Channel or Xbox Live Arcade, we think will also make fantastic mobile titles. So we're reaching back out to these developers and accepting submissions for ideas as a way to help make those Xbox Live titles. It's up to the developer in terms of what they want to do on the platform, but we're really excited with the response we've seen so far.
XNA Game Studio 4.0 includes Windows Phone support
Microsoft took yet another step today in convincing us that Windows Phone 7 will be a legitimate gaming platform. The company just unveiled XNA Game Studio 4.0, which, in addition to supporting PC and Xbox 360, will also let designers make games for the new mobile platform. Besides being great news for indies, it also means that you'll be able to use your gamertag and Avatar on the phone, as well as unlock Xbox Live Achievements.
You can read more about the technical integration of XNA and WP7 on Microsoft program manager Michael Klucher's blog. Hopefully we'll have even more details for you as the tech is rolled out during GDC.
You can read more about the technical integration of XNA and WP7 on Microsoft program manager Michael Klucher's blog. Hopefully we'll have even more details for you as the tech is rolled out during GDC.
Snap Judgment: XNA Dream-Build-Play 2009 finalists

Here's the short version: They're all pretty fun, but Dust: An Elysian Tail is clearly the leader of the pack.
2009 Dream-Build-Play winners announced, Dust takes top honor
It must be nice winning $40,000! We imagine Dust: An Elysian Tail developer Dean Dodrill will be drinking his fair share of shirley temples this weekend with all those extra duckets, after winning first place in this year's XNA Developer Dream-Build-Play competition. As you can see in the gallery below and video after the break, Dust is a beautiful, hand-drawn side-scroller that features action-RPG gameplay in the vein of Castlevania ... but with furries.
Second place (and $20,000) went to Panya Inversin from Coin App who created Max Blastronaut, which looks to be a mix between Super Stardust HD and ... Double Dragon? We're just as confused as you are, but see for yourself after the break, below the Dust clip. Third and fourth place went to Mauricio Garcia's Rotor'scope and Hu Ling's HurricaneX2 Evolution, respectively. Congratulations to all of this year's winners!
Second place (and $20,000) went to Panya Inversin from Coin App who created Max Blastronaut, which looks to be a mix between Super Stardust HD and ... Double Dragon? We're just as confused as you are, but see for yourself after the break, below the Dust clip. Third and fourth place went to Mauricio Garcia's Rotor'scope and Hu Ling's HurricaneX2 Evolution, respectively. Congratulations to all of this year's winners!
Gallery: Dust: An Elysian Tail
Impressions: Rock Band Network (Creation)

There are four main steps in getting a song onto the upcoming Rock Band Network Store. The most important (and most time-consuming) part of the process is creating the note tracks. Harmonix has partnered with Reaper to create a Rock Band-specific plug-in that allows music producers to start creating Rock Band tracks. Caleb Epps demonstrated the program to us, noting, "what you see is what we use at Harmonix."
For anyone that's produced MIDI music, the interface should be incredibly familiar. What makes the Rock Band version of Reaper special is how everything is already clearly laid out and labeled: each color of each instrument has its own specific track. Producers simply add notes to each of the tracks, and a separate playback window will show how it will look like in-game. It's a time-consuming process made even more complicated by the fact that new tracks must be created for every difficulty: you won't be able to upload an Expert-only song, for example.
Gallery: Rock Band Network
PSA: Dream-Build-Play submission deadline tomorrow
Just a quick reminder for all the aspiring game creators out there: Tomorrow, August 6, is the last day to submit entries for the 2009 XNA Dream-Build-Play competition. So, put the finishing touches on that masterpiece because time is running out. Don't give up! Just tighten up those graphics in Level 3. Who knows, your game might be the next Dishwasher: Dead Samurai.
If you haven't actually started your XNA project, you might be in trouble. Still, we're confident that you could probably whip up a sweet, HD fart simulator in a day. How hard could it be?
[Thanks, Ted]
If you haven't actually started your XNA project, you might be in trouble. Still, we're confident that you could probably whip up a sweet, HD fart simulator in a day. How hard could it be?
[Thanks, Ted]
How to make money as an indie dev
Every self-respecting indie developer we know treasures their poverty, wearing it as a badge of honor not unlike those bohemian kids in Rent. But for you monsters that are just interested in a payday, Jeff On Games has an interesting piece about how likely it is that you'll be able to make a living solely as an indie developer (i.e. not very) and how best to achieve that lofty goal.
Unsurprisingly, the keystone to the whole thing is being able to make a quality title. But we'd add another important step to Jeff's list: Capturing the heart of a blog and having it pimp your game in stories with only a threadbare connection to it.
On a completely related note, have you still not played Time Gentlemen, Please?
Unsurprisingly, the keystone to the whole thing is being able to make a quality title. But we'd add another important step to Jeff's list: Capturing the heart of a blog and having it pimp your game in stories with only a threadbare connection to it.
On a completely related note, have you still not played Time Gentlemen, Please?
[Image credit: Sklathill]
Rumor: Xbox Avatar golf game
Supposedly leaked footage of Avatars playing golf has hit YouTube this week (find it after the break) and some are wondering if it's video of an upcoming golf title featuring the Xbox 360 characters. At E3 2009, Microsoft revealed the casual racing title Joyride -- a free, upcoming XBLA game featuring Avatars -- so it isn't out of the question for Avatars to star in another casual game.
The footage showcases Avatars enjoying a rousing game of golf, but still looks very early in development (if it even is). Perhaps it is an actual upcoming game, but it could also be some an Avatar update to the XBLA title 3D Ultra Minigolf or even some XNA-based genius. Time will tell on this rumor.
The footage showcases Avatars enjoying a rousing game of golf, but still looks very early in development (if it even is). Perhaps it is an actual upcoming game, but it could also be some an Avatar update to the XBLA title 3D Ultra Minigolf or even some XNA-based genius. Time will tell on this rumor.
Xbox Indie Games get new pricing structure, improved update system
Microsoft announced plans yesterday to change a variety of XNA Creators Club features in the coming weeks. First and foremost, the recently renamed Xbox Live Indie Games will get a new pricing structure: games will start at 80
($1) and cap off at 400
($5). Second, the renaming of the service will take affect on Xbox Live and at the XNA Creators Club website.
Additionally, games on the Indie Games Channel can now receive automatic updates (a la Xbox Live Arcade and Xbox 360 games). Perhaps the most interesting piece of this update is the inclusion of 50 "tokens" for each creator per game; meaning that developers can now send out review codes of games to press (wink, wink), as well as giveaway copies of the game to fans. Interestingly, this is the same number of free codes that Apple grants its App Store developers. Well played, Microsoft.
[Via Xbox Indies]
($1) and cap off at 400
($5). Second, the renaming of the service will take affect on Xbox Live and at the XNA Creators Club website. Additionally, games on the Indie Games Channel can now receive automatic updates (a la Xbox Live Arcade and Xbox 360 games). Perhaps the most interesting piece of this update is the inclusion of 50 "tokens" for each creator per game; meaning that developers can now send out review codes of games to press (wink, wink), as well as giveaway copies of the game to fans. Interestingly, this is the same number of free codes that Apple grants its App Store developers. Well played, Microsoft.
[Via Xbox Indies]
Race your eyeballs to this Halfbrick Rocket Race trailer
Click to fuel your eyeballs with more screens
The Brisbane-based Halfbrick Studios just sent us a press release informing us it has a new title on the way to Xbox Live's ... okay, maybe it is, but there are subtleties here, like the boost you get from hitting your thrusters next to a wall. See what we mean in the game's first trailer, which is currently running qualifying laps past the break.
Gallery: Halfbrick Rocket Race
Making an XNA game? Don't maim the poor Avatars!
- Avatars can't engage in violence that causes "blood, gore, dismemberment, decapitation, maiming, or mutilation. ... Avatars can die temporarily to depict failure"
- They can't talk.
- Forget any sexual innuendo or "mildly explicit sexual descriptions or images or sexual posturing."
- No bodily fluids can come from the Avatar.
- Avatars can't go on glamorized crime sprees.
- Avatars can't spend time with Mary Jane, shoot up, snort or do any other "controlled substances" ... they can't even smoke normal tobacco.
[Via CVG]
Xbox Live: 'Community Games' become 'Indie Games'

Microsoft has released version 3.1 of its XNA Game Studio software to independent developers and, in doing so, revealed that a name change is in store for what's now known as Xbox Live Community Games. Beginning in July, these indie games will be known as ... Xbox Live Indie Games. We like it! Though it's not fully spelled out in today's notes from XNA HQ, we'd expect to see Live's game downloads section update with the new name sometime in July as well.
Also incoming is the ability for Xbox Live users to rate the newly-dubbed Indie Games -- the lack of such functionality has so far made tracking down the really good indie offerings on Live a chore.
Also incoming is the ability for Xbox Live users to rate the newly-dubbed Indie Games -- the lack of such functionality has so far made tracking down the really good indie offerings on Live a chore.
[Via Kotaku]
Kodu to infiltrate Xbox 360, your imagination this month
We haven't had anything related to Kodu (not to be confused with Kudo) to excite us since early January, but, thankfully, we now know that this month is bringing us more than ridiculously hot weather. Courtesy of the Kodu dev blog, we know that the game will release sometime in June, however an exact date is something that needs to be ironed out.
If you're finding your memory of Kodu is a bit fuzzy, then refresh it with this video of Microsoft flagrantly ignoring child labor laws.
[Via Edge]
If you're finding your memory of Kodu is a bit fuzzy, then refresh it with this video of Microsoft flagrantly ignoring child labor laws.
[Via Edge]
Ocean Scenes developer gives inside look into XNA platform

Adam Holmes, developer of the ultra soothing pseudo-game Ocean Scenes, provided us with just such a viewpoint. A self-proclaimed "hobbyist," Holmes' take on the XNA Community Games service is more optimistic than most. You can check out our entire interview (along with some tranquilizing images of lovely oceanic vistas) after the jump!
















