Episode 39 - Making Dreams A Reality

Yesterday Microsoft released XNA. For those of you who don’t exactly know what XNA I’ll try and explain it as simply as possible. Basically anyone who knows how to code things (I don’t) can make a game for windows and have people download it and that’s all well and good. Well what Microsoft is trying to do now is get people to develop for the Xbox 360. XNA is kind of a community and a developer situation where by you can download this software that will help you move your controls onto the 360 controller so when you burn your disc (I guess?) your controls will work with the 360 controller. With XNA other people who pay the annual fee of 99 dollars will be able to play your game and be able to give you feedback and all sorts of good things.

In short, Microsoft will let Joe Nobody make a game playable on the 360.

When XNA was unveiled at E3 this year nobody really understood what they were talking about. It was kind of… well confusing… as I’m sure my description is. Anyway, during E3 MS said their eventual goal was to allow everyone on Live to have access to these games, not just the people paying the subscription fee. So (hopefully soon) we will be seeing people creating games at home, and putting them on live and then I can go and download them. Or, we might even see some online retail where the money goes to the programmer, and not to MS through their convoluted points system.

Do you know what this means?

Of course you do. It means Santa Takes Manhattan is coming to the 360! Oh yes. And it will be amazing. I have decided that tomorrow… well tomorrow I’m busy... Wednesday I will pick up a book and start learning how to code things for video games.

It also means that Xbox Live will be an awesome place where indy developers will be able to actually get their games distributed. Much like iTunes has become a place where indy bands can get their music out to more people than their website, Live is soon to become a place bustling with independent games. I know that I am going to be all over that once it starts in full swing. 20 dollars says the top 5 selling Indy Live games are more innovative than anything EA has put out in the past 3 years.

Oh, and Santa… I’m coming for you!