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Cleric
01-07-2009, 11:18 AM
How do you guys feel about the release. Let's not compare it to LBP, as that's not really what it seems to be doing

Microsoft?s big promise of E3 2008, Kodu Game Lab, launches on Xbox LIVE Community Games today ? priced at 400 MS Points, or $5.

Built using Microsoft?s XNA Games Studio, Kodu Game Lab is Microsoft?s answer to PS3?s LittleBigPlanet ? a pick-up-and-create toolset that allows players to build their own world using a simple image-based creator menu that claims to make game-making easier than ever.

Kodu Game Lab features almost 200 different programming features to choose from, and the ability to share games with anyone on your Friends List. Kodu Game Lab enables game creation using only an Xbox 360 controller, right from the comfort of your couch. Kodu Game Lab comes equipped with a bridge and path builder, a terrain editor to build unique playgrounds, co-op gameplay for up to four players and 20 different characters with a range of abilities.

Matthew MacLaurin, Lead Kodu Game Lab Programmer:

?As a programmer, I wanted to help create something that unlocked the magic of Xbox 360 in the same way that I was able to unlock my computer as a child and bring my imagination to life through games. We had such success with bringing ?Kodu Game Lab? into classrooms and after-school programs that we wanted to offer it to any wannabe programmer or creator through the Xbox LIVE Community Games Channel.?
http://www.nextgn.com/2009/07/01/xbox-lives-kodu-game-lab-going-live-today/

dislekcia
01-07-2009, 12:37 PM
Grabbing the demo off Live now, keen to see what it's like as a creative environment.

Better link and info here:
http://creators.xna.com/news/kodugamelab

Fruzz
01-07-2009, 12:47 PM
I like the look of it. I think its awesome to have tools like this which lower the entry barrier for making games.

I like the fact that its very visual and seems very intuitive. It could be a really nice environment to prototype some game ideas.

I read a little more about it here (http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/projects/kodu/)

Fengol
01-07-2009, 01:23 PM
Is it available as a demo?

BlackHawk
01-07-2009, 01:27 PM
I remembered that I read about this some time ago. Glad to see that it wasn't just vaporware.

dislekcia
01-07-2009, 01:50 PM
Yup, you can download the game as a demo to try it out. I didn't find any time limits...

Was rather annoyed about the odd resolution tho, felt like it had decided that I was running SD when I wasn't. Also, the controls on the characters you can use in the game are really bad. That bothered me immensely. The tutorials feel a bit lacking and unless the example games are intentionally bad so that you feel compelled to jump in and FIX the obvious wrongness there, then I don't know how you're supposed to feel that this is an awesome toolset.

I'm expecting a lot of "LOL HOW R THIS SPOSED TO KILL LBP?!?! HARHAR!" fanboy stupidity and then someone will make something that feels like Sonic and everyone will love it for a while.

Fengol
01-07-2009, 01:58 PM
So when can we expect a Dislekcia, Aeuitas and Nandrew concoction of "real" goodness then?

Those examples were probably made by Sparrow "an actual 12 year old girl"!

dislekcia
01-07-2009, 02:04 PM
So when can we expect a Dislekcia, Aeuitas and Nandrew concoction of "real" goodness then?

Those examples were probably made by Sparrow "an actual 12 year old girl"!

I dunno.

After being used to the awesomeness of GM, I don't really feel too enamored with what you can do in the game. Maybe I'll have an idea, maybe not. *shrug*

Fengol
02-07-2009, 01:08 PM
Does anyone know if there's a dev blog for Kodu or code sample of how they did it in XNA? There's lots of stuff I'd like to use for my game!

Fengol
03-07-2009, 09:10 PM
I've just spent an intoxicating time with Kodu (now that my xbox is connected to the netz) and WOW! I built in about 20min what I've done for my Chromehounds game in XNA. While you're stuck with cutesy models, it's definitely a prototyping tool for xbox (and especially multiplayer) ideas.

Fengol
06-07-2009, 09:43 AM
So I spent a LONG Friday night and Saturday playing with Kodu (there must have been an update cause I didn't notice any 8min limit) and I have to say that level of functionality they give you is quite astounding, the biggest surprise being the "pages" which allow you to create state machines and give units different behaviours.

There are some un-obvious features like the fact that you can make units create any object (not just ammo and stars) and you can make them create pre-programmed objects by using the Creatable flag. I feel the menu system could be improved slighty, and the info displayed in the top corner displayed a little better.

What I really liked is the games emotions, and it's something I want to put in my future games. It's basically a particle system that renders hearts, stars, tears or swear symbols above a unit and is generally used when a character detects or interacts with an object; and although I was really only using it to graphically highlight a change in state it really animated the units and gave them a sense of life. I want to use it in my future games to bring previously static characters to life.

DukeOFprunes
06-07-2009, 11:18 AM
I touched it over the weekend after buying the full version (no excuse not to really, it's dirt cheap for what you get) and some ideas have started growing. It'd be good if there was someplace on the intarned where we could stick a link or name of a creation to search for amongst the NAGsters.