Note: I’ll be regularly blogging on session at GDC (Game Developer Conference)
_Rough _notes
Speaker: Scott Austin: Xbox LIVE Arcade, Microsoft
I just interviewed Scott and we’ll be posting the video on Channel 9 in the next few days
Games
- N+ - Level editor * P2P versus server (doesn’t need to be policed) * RezHD
Input
Achievements
- GeoWars * Pacifist - 60 seconds of living * Drives different behavior * Tetris Splash * Every unlocked achievement adds new fish to your fish tank * Small Arms * Buzz around non-descript achievement * You had to play against someone who had the achievement * Then play against someone who has the achievement * Indirectly played against someone that has the achievement (2 devs had it and achievement spread from there) * Braid * Coming out soon * 65 levels * Uses time as part of the game mechanic * Parallel time stream, distort time, reverse time * Meta story - find the meaning of life * Similar to bioshock * Ikaruga * Polarity - Black or white * Black kills white * White kills black * White ship shooting white actually helps you * Schitzoid - * Co-op - only black can kill black, only white can kill white * Every Extend Extra Extreme (E4) * Allows you to integrate your music into the game, not allowed to integrate your music into rhythm game, (ex: can’t do guitar hero with your music) * Rip music off your DVD - E4 will figure out rhythm and analyze the music automatically * Texas Hold ‘Em - Statistics * Analyze win/loss, flop, turn, bankroll, hands you’ve received * Undertow * Art/graphics to a new level for an arcade game * Cut scenes in-between levels, immersive experience * 16-person multiplayer game * Double Dragon (retro games) * Extras section - read storyline, original artwork, hints and trips * Take away * Innovation is really important to us * Innovate in any direction * Push the envelope * Questions * Statistics - Do we have stats on how many games are selling? * Do publish under NDA to show games by genre for publishers * Is mature content allowed (up to M) * Doom is M * ESRB regulates * How long should a full version of an arcade game be? * JewelQuest has high replay value, depends on game * Do people purchase directly w/o trial? * Can’t track right now * Examples of games that are not best practices * Don’t want to highlight games that are “worst” practices, not fair to publisher * How long is good for a trial? * Frogger - say first level * Other games need longer * Publishers should sit down and think through what the trial experience would be, don’t make it an afterthought