Homebrew Games

Something i’ve been watching with interest is Microsoft XNA

I’m (just!) old enough to remember when games didn’t have huge budgets, teams of developers, HD graphics and orchestra like soundtracks and that anyone could write one in their own bedroom. When i first started to learn BASIC all i wanted to do was write games and was delighted when i finally managed to create a character that was really just a couple of coloured pixels that i could move on screen with my arrow keys. I don’t remember being that thrilled when I first created an ADO database connection (ok maybe it was different kind of thrilled <blush>)

Surely all young geeks think this way?

Who grows up dreaming of developing the best productivity suite the world has seen?

So when i heard Microsoft were trying to spark a revival i was quite interested to see how it would pan out. I was never going to take the plunge though as my actual attempts at game creation usually stop when i realise i don’t have any original ideas!

So i’m a little curious that you can download the tools for free but if you want to even play any of these games you need to be a subscriber to the XNA Creators Club. So if you create the next first person shooter that will rival Halo 3 you can’t actually show it off to the world? Instead you can only show them to other developers?

Have i got the wrong end of the stick?

Surely the whole point in creating games is so people can play them?

I sort of understand charging developers and giving them access to resources that will help them develop new games

I have lots of friends who have games consoles but no interest in programming and development. They have already paid for their console, their Live membership and tons of games. They even pay for the “classics” from Xbox Live Arcade so why are they going to pay a subscription on the off chance someone might create a classic?

Can someone please explain to me how Microsoft expect this will work?

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Andy Parkes is Technical Director at Coventry based IT support company IBIT Solutions. Formerly, coordinator of AMITPRO and Microsoft Partner Area Lead for 2012-2013. He also isn't a fan of describing himself in the third person.

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