XNA and the xbox360
Author
Hi All,
Couple questions comments regarding XNA and the 360 game dev env...
1. Anybody making money with the business model they have for XNA game creators?
2. I was a bit surprised that you need to spend the $100.00 up front to test against the xbox while developing. Not that $100 is a deal breaker, seems odd that you cannot try out the system without committing finances.
3. Do most people start off with building a PC game and migrating to xbox to get it up and running / debugging or is actively debugging on 360 code practical?
4. Is building for both the PC and Xbox viable with XNA?
Curious for any general feelings about the XNA framework from a developers viewpoint.
Thanks,
Rick
1. Don't know the answer to this, but the impression I get is "not really." Maybe someone with direct experience can pitch in.
2. There's a cheaper short-term option (3 months for $40 or something like that?) Anyway, considering what it's giving you (officially sanctioned homebrew console development!), I think $100 is an amazing deal...
3. Both ways work in my experience. Debugging works pretty much as you'd expect on the 360.
4. Yup, viable and very easy.
2. There's a cheaper short-term option (3 months for $40 or something like that?) Anyway, considering what it's giving you (officially sanctioned homebrew console development!), I think $100 is an amazing deal...
3. Both ways work in my experience. Debugging works pretty much as you'd expect on the 360.
4. Yup, viable and very easy.
There was a chart a few months ago on Kotaku. http://kotaku.com/5191458/xna-games-dont-sell-dont-make-money-%5Bupdate%5D
Apparently someone managed to make 45 000$, but most are below 5000$.
Apparently someone managed to make 45 000$, but most are below 5000$.
1. Yes, some people are making decent money from XBLIG, but they aren't quitting their day jobs just yet.
2. I started out with a trial account from registering for DBP, but that is over now.
3. Most developers on the creators website suggest if you are going to make a 360 game, make sure you get it on there and test it as quick as possible. There are some gotchas on the 360 that don't appear on Windows.
4. Yes.
2. I started out with a trial account from registering for DBP, but that is over now.
3. Most developers on the creators website suggest if you are going to make a 360 game, make sure you get it on there and test it as quick as possible. There are some gotchas on the 360 that don't appear on Windows.
4. Yes.
Quote:Original post by AudioUnity
1. Anybody making money with the business model they have for XNA game creators?
2. I was a bit surprised that you need to spend the $100.00 up front to test against the xbox while developing. Not that $100 is a deal breaker, seems odd that you cannot try out the system without committing finances.
3. Do most people start off with building a PC game and migrating to xbox to get it up and running / debugging or is actively debugging on 360 code practical?
4. Is building for both the PC and Xbox viable with XNA?
1. A few are, most aren't making very much (if anything). In general it's still very hard for a good game to get noticed on the service, and stand out from all of the crap.
2. You can get a trial membership from a few places (like registering for Dream Build Play) which lets you deploy to the 360, but doesn't let you submit for playtest.
3. You'll want to test your game early and often on the 360. It's easier than you think to run into performance issues and other limitations. If you have to change your game because of these things, it's a lot better to do it early on then right at the end. However you'll probably want to most of your development on the PC so that you can use Edit & Continue, and also so that you don't have to wait for a deploy every time you run the game. I suggest getting a wired Xbox 360 controller that you can plug into your PC.
4. Absolutely.
Quote:3. You'll want to test your game early and often on the 360. It's easier than you think to run into performance issues and other limitations. If you have to change your game because of these things, it's a lot better to do it early on then right at the end. However you'll probably want to most of your development on the PC so that you can use Edit & Continue, and also so that you don't have to wait for a deploy every time you run the game. I suggest getting a wired Xbox 360 controller that you can plug into your PC.
Another alternative, if you're already using wireless controllers on your 360, would be the Wireless Gaming Receiver. I use it (for XNA development and for using console emulators and the like) and it works great.
I'm porting an XNA game over from PC to Xbox currently. Its fairly straightforward aside from the obvious stuff like reworking the menu system and controls. The game was my PHD dissertation project so I figured I may as well port it and try to make a few bucks on it.
If you want to make some extra cash, in addition to XBLA consider submitting to indie games contests like:
http://www.indiegamechallenge.com/
http://www.igf.com/
Both can potentially yield money and can't hurt on the resume. As for making a huge sum of money on an XBLA game, consider that EA spends twice as much on marketing a game as on development:
http://www.bluesnews.com/cgi-bin/board.pl?action=viewstory&threadid=101634
The hardest thing to do is get a game noticed. If you really want to make money you will likely have to pay for advertising on a site frequented by potential players.
If you want to make some extra cash, in addition to XBLA consider submitting to indie games contests like:
http://www.indiegamechallenge.com/
http://www.igf.com/
Both can potentially yield money and can't hurt on the resume. As for making a huge sum of money on an XBLA game, consider that EA spends twice as much on marketing a game as on development:
http://www.bluesnews.com/cgi-bin/board.pl?action=viewstory&threadid=101634
The hardest thing to do is get a game noticed. If you really want to make money you will likely have to pay for advertising on a site frequented by potential players.
Quote:Original post by InstruoQuote:3. You'll want to test your game early and often on the 360. It's easier than you think to run into performance issues and other limitations. If you have to change your game because of these things, it's a lot better to do it early on then right at the end. However you'll probably want to most of your development on the PC so that you can use Edit & Continue, and also so that you don't have to wait for a deploy every time you run the game. I suggest getting a wired Xbox 360 controller that you can plug into your PC.
Another alternative, if you're already using wireless controllers on your 360, would be the Wireless Gaming Receiver. I use it (for XNA development and for using console emulators and the like) and it works great.
Yeah I have one too and it's great, but unfortunately they discontinued it. Amazon has a few sellers hawking it for $55+. [sad]
Quote:Original post by MJPQuote:Original post by InstruoQuote:3. You'll want to test your game early and often on the 360. It's easier than you think to run into performance issues and other limitations. If you have to change your game because of these things, it's a lot better to do it early on then right at the end. However you'll probably want to most of your development on the PC so that you can use Edit & Continue, and also so that you don't have to wait for a deploy every time you run the game. I suggest getting a wired Xbox 360 controller that you can plug into your PC.
Another alternative, if you're already using wireless controllers on your 360, would be the Wireless Gaming Receiver. I use it (for XNA development and for using console emulators and the like) and it works great.
Yeah I have one too and it's great, but unfortunately they discontinued it. Amazon has a few sellers hawking it for $55+. [sad]
Oh, wow. That's ultra lame :( Will have to be extra careful with mine then!
Quote:Original post by MJPQuote:Original post by InstruoQuote:3. You'll want to test your game early and often on the 360. It's easier than you think to run into performance issues and other limitations. If you have to change your game because of these things, it's a lot better to do it early on then right at the end. However you'll probably want to most of your development on the PC so that you can use Edit & Continue, and also so that you don't have to wait for a deploy every time you run the game. I suggest getting a wired Xbox 360 controller that you can plug into your PC.
Another alternative, if you're already using wireless controllers on your 360, would be the Wireless Gaming Receiver. I use it (for XNA development and for using console emulators and the like) and it works great.
Yeah I have one too and it's great, but unfortunately they discontinued it. Amazon has a few sellers hawking it for $55+. [sad]
Strange. I saw them for sale packaged with a wireless controller at a local computer shop for $50.
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