31st July 2009

Another day on the project has led us to finally attempt an Xbox 360 conversion of the Pengu Engine.  After 4 hours of effort, it was up and running 100% on a 720p display over the Xbox 360.

A word of warning to those that are storing XML in their XNB compilations, the .Net Compact Framework has limited stream reader capability.  In Pengu’s case, we were storing game and level details in XML through the ContentTypeWriter.  This resulted in an inability to read it in using the Compact Framework’s Stream Reader due to a lack of seeking functionality.  We got around this by creating our XNB compilations in the correct manner, through Binary streaming.

I’m happy to provide the end code for our Game and Level data Custom Content Processors that worked on the 360 should you but ask.

10th December 2008

I’ve made a few snide comments before about Australia being left out of the loop when Community Games launched last month.  I take it all back now.  Microsoft have recently announced that the Community Games component of the New Xbox Experience will launch in Australia, Singapore and New Zealand on the 15th December 2008!  That’s really only one month since the US launch, so I’m still quite happy with that… especially since I haven’t finished a single game for it yet…

Now back to making Pengu…

3rd June 2008

Don’t rely on me for your source of news, it appears I’m about 2 weeks late… however, Microsoft have finally moved XNA Creators Club Online into beta. 

What does this mean?

Basically this system allows hobbyist, or indie developers who subscribe to XNA Creators Club to publish their games over XBox LIVE for anyone with an Xbox360 and an Xbox LIVE gold or silver account to play.

Creators Club premium members can submit and review games for publishing.  So far, playing the games is limited to premium members as well, and worse, only for the folks in the U.S.A (for the time being).

I suppose now that I’ve knocked off GTA 4, I can concentrate on developing To The Top again, in time for the mid year launch.

8th April 2008

Nothing new to say short of that I have not been working much on the game recently. I had accidentally picked up Call of Duty 4 again…

So after the short break I am heading back into working on my engine. I’ve decided to stop working on the water, even though I’m still unhappy with it. But unfortunately the constant work on a single issue is causing distress, then boredom. I’ll go back to it when I have an epiphany

Either way, I better get something done before 29th April. Because after that, my life is going to belong to Grand Theft Auto 4.

23rd February 2008

Microsoft have just announced that coming soon, indie XNA developers and XNA enthusiasts will be able to host their games on XBox live for anyone who owns a Xbox 360 to download and play.

From XNA.Com

“Starting with the beta launch of the Xbox LIVE Community Games service later this spring, subscribers of the XNA Creators Club will be able to submit their own game creations for self-distribution through to Xbox LIVE Marketplace via the http://creators.xna.com website….the game will then be added to the global games catalog on Xbox LIVE Marketplace and available to gamers worldwide connected to Xbox LIVE.”

There are details currently being finalised regarding the revenue streams available to XNA developers for this new exciting service.

If you have an Xbox 360 there is a preview version of the service available right now, and you can currently download seven indie games for free (if you live in the USA or selected countries, apparently not Australia for the time being :(  Rollout timetables are different per country)

Also in the announcement are XNA Zune Games and updates to the XNA Creator’s club website.

Check it out.