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User-made Content Part of Xbox Live 2.0?
The first details of the Xbox Live 2.0 service were revealed at the Game Developer's Conference by Microsoft VP J. Allard. Now GamesIndustry.biz has a discussion on the possibility that end user made content may be a part of the micropayment economy mentioned in the keynote. From the article: "...allowing players to create and trade their own in-game items, although presumably the game would have to provide some creative tools for this to be possible in the first place, so we wouldn't expect it to be a feature of every title."
Sounds very interesting and possibly addicting. Small sums of money can add up very quickly, especially when you think to yourself, oh hey that's cool and it's only 2$!!! And that is cool too... and that... and that...
But then again will we be looking at this as the retail computer view? Cheaper games that are missing modules? Sure we lose some on the computer (game), but we make it up on the accessories (in-game micro content.)
I wonder how long it will be until you don't even need to buy the game, you just pick the game type module (RTS-FPS-RPG-Ect), download some character modules (Oh hey I want to be a paladin, I'll get him for 2$), buy a story module, bam.
..is keeping gamemakers from doing the same thing already with current xbox live?
as such, it's just hyping up possibilities.
world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
Essentially, this would be an extension of the current customisability rush we're seeing with characters at the moment; currently crafting is limited to preset recipes (examples d2, WoW); in d2 we see random bonus mods on crafted items, in WoW they've given a huge list of items to which you can add one custom mod in the form of a patch. Customisability would remove the element of chance of getting great mods at a lower level compated to d2; however it would reduce the time needed to spend on these items. I'm biased on this - I think it's a good thing that you can get what you want, but I think it may be a bad thing that you get what you want straight away. As soon as there's a recognised best item, everyone will strive only to make that. Randomness drives a lot of trade as some players value some bonuses over others; getting what you want without steps in between seems to me like it'll take a bundle of fun out of these kinds of games. This applies as much to non MMOs, even SP games; I think the reason d2 continues to live as long as it does is the item-luck. I certainly still play d2 SP, and the crafting is still interesting because I never know what I'll get on the items I make. Hooray for customisability - but I hope the game makers have the sense to keep an element of chance in there, and that the best items can't be made. And don't forget what may be fairly important... don't allow free naming of items, please! I wince to think what we'll see otherwise...
Browsing with +2 to insightful posts and a higher threshold makes the average post seen seem a lot more ingenious
Think of it this way: How fun would it be to play PC mods if they were ALL made by the developer themselves? How many 'good' maps/mods/skins do you normally see developers releases to the public AFTER the game has been released? (Don't say Counter-Strike or Day of Defeat either they're player-made.) Remember people Xbox Live (2.0) is for the Xbox2/Xenon/Xbox360 and probably will be locked out by PC gamers. Chances are individual mods won't be allowed to create their own content and then play it on their (non-modded) Xbox2s.
Paying for mods and such? Is that a joke? It shouldn't cost anything. Anytime any form of currency is involved in gaming, it messes it up. Go into any MMORPG and just sit around for a bit. Count how many people say "LEVELER FOR HIRE 2.50 A LEVEL WILL PL 4 FOOD" or "WILL TRADE CREDITS/INFLUENCE/GOLD FOR $$$!! CONTACT NOW!!". Money always brings out the worst in people. Theres gonna be a deluge of crap mods that people made in a "get-rich-quick" type thought pattern that're going to flood the "market" with sub-par mods. Get rid of the micro-payment and leave it for the people who do it out of love for the game.
I hate Halo and GTA. Sue me.
They're already on version 3.0 on Xbox 1. But I think I know what you really mean.
/. story) that this (ridiculous) rumour is sourced from the US Official Xbox Magazine.
/. games. Sigh.
And no mention (in the
Oh look, *yet another* unsubstantiated rumour on
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From my understanding micro-payments are much less than $2.00. As I understand it you would be paying fractions of a cent but more often. Its almost a virtual currency. You'll be trading a few of your micro payments for material. If people can accru payments with material I doubt it will be any real way to acquire income, but rather will total up enough to offset all the mirco payments you're MAKING for other game usage. If not all your micropayments for a month might total up to $4-$5 or some such. They are full well counting on the addictiveness and keeping the price down.
This is all of course based on my previous understanding of micro payments. Its always possible that they have some different definition, it which case this assessment is wrong.
Good. That is the main reason many Thief fans have been staying away from the console versions of their precious game.
It's going to be a good thing indeed for them.
I don't like the model (micro-payments for new content, part of it going to the content creator and a probable large percentage to the distributor, ie: microsoft), but at least it will pave the way for the capability.
Nouvelles de jeux et technologies en français. TC
Embracing the modding community sounds like a great idea, except companies like Tecmo seem to think suing their fans is a good idea.
Thank goodness for companies like Bungie who actually enjoy seeing all the mods people make for their games.
Obiovusly you've never played "Second Life." Users create (and sell) most of the game content (which the users retain the rights to). In fact, SL isn't really a game so much as a world, a world where users have created games WITHIN the game. You can even sell your game cash for real world money.
In fact, an inventor of the SL "in-world" game "Tringo" recently sold the rights to his invention for about $5 million in real-world money.
The upcoming game Pariah for the Xbox allows users to design their own maps and share/play them online.
By Xbox Live 2.0, I assume the author means xbox live for the next xbox. The current one has already reached Live 2.0. Anyway, notice the setting to allow or disallow user created content in your account settings? A version of dance dance revolution allows users to create their own dance steps for the songs. Timesplitters: Future Perfect (almost here, yay) allows players to download custom made maps from others.