Hey guys, for any of you or anyone who knows anyone who’s submitted a game to Xbox.
What exactly is it they look for in a prototype?
I could have submitted my game 2 weeks ago, but I keep neglecting it out of fear it’s not worthy of their standards, but I can’t keep doing that, because I don’t want to go ahead and get the thing set up for Xbox until I know it’s allowed on the Xbox.
I mean, will they test a PC Prototype of the of the game? Because this is after all mainly for the PC, but if I can get it on Xbox One, that’s just an extra perk that I would like to build into it, only - if accepted, just don’t feel like wasting my time adding features that will NEVER be used or available unless they accept.
Pretty much what this post boils down to -
(1)
Do I have to regardless take the time with at least mapping the entire game to work with a Xbox Remote or will a PC Prototype work?
(2)
What exactly are the big factors they really look for? (Graphics, Game-play, Uniqueness, etc)?
(2 - Extended) - Because my game isn’t about graphics, it’s about fun, cartoon shading, etc).
I just don’t know when to stop working before it’s worthy enough to send to them (even once sent I’ll still keep working). But where’s the fine line of do not send and send?
Make sure you have the Xbox version of Unity, and make sure your PC prototype runs on the console. It’ll need to be fun on the console, of course. Then submit it and get some feedback from Microsoft.
But that leads me to the problem, I have to submit game before I can even get the devkit, so how can I make it work without access to the Devkit? can I get the Unity version of Xbox Exporter without the devkit? I wouldn’t think so, but what do I know if I’m asking these questions haha.
But how can I make it support console controls without devkit/Unity Xbox?
But then that raises the question, how can I even test the controls without devkit?
Sorry Graham. Just don’t understand how I can make it support Xbox One for prototype when I don’t have Exporter or even the Dev Kit to test if my controls are even working correctly, etc. (Have to get a game approved before I can get one).
It doesn’t help you now but soon (by the end of the year according to microsoft), you’ll be able to test your game on console without being accepted to ID@Xbox. Also in that timeframe, you’ll be able to turn your retail Xbox One into a development kit.
Until then it is a little bit of a chicken and the egg problem but my impression is the ID@Xbox application cared more about the idea, premise, and success of your game on other platforms than it did about already working on Xbox. After all they aren’t sending you a dev kit until after your accepted to make the Xbox version.
Well I was planning on doing both at the same time, just using a simple bool to toggle between each control scheme. Or just copy pasting all the current code and changing it to work with controllers.
Granted it’s really not that much different of things to change, just hate to get 90% done with PC version then have to go back through all of it and piece through everything just to fix it to work with controls. I’d rather do both at the same time. One thing I hate more than anything is going back to re-do everything when that could have been avoided altogether if I could have just done it all at once. That’s just how I like to work, may be easier for others to go back and re-make everything.
Yeah I’ve been hearing rumors for quite some time now about that happening, it’s good and bad. Because then you’ll have games like on the 360 that are just seriously stupid, like really I play a game where a person took photos of their house and have a photo of him wearing a monster mask, like really? lol. That’s junk that’s not needed.
If your only thing that you envision as different is the controller support there is nothing holding you back now. Simply add the appropriate entries in the input manager for an xbox controller and you can test just fine on the PC. It’s the same input manager entries whether on console or PC.
Edit: and why a bool? just support both out of the box simultaneously. Let the user use whatever they prefer.
Well the thing is, wasn’t sure if Xbox One and Xbox 360 controllers have different Axis for the buttons, etc.
Well I was reading something recently about controllers, how it could possibly be against the law to provide E.G. - Xbox Controls without being a licensed developer. Last thing I want to do, even if it’s the slightest of remote possibilities is to get into legal trouble over an accident because I didn’t know. I did send ID an e-mail, figured the best way to get my questions answered no matter what is to go directly to them for it. Just wasn’t sure if anybody here has released on the Xbox One. Well I’m sure people have here.
Xbox one and 360 controllers have the same axis/buttons. Same goes for PC or Xbox console. This isn’t always true of all controllers on all platforms but your particular case it is.
Also, in this case we’re not talking about getting a game on a platform your not licensed on. We’re talking about the input code being the same between PC and Xbox. Until you’re accepted, all your testing would take place on a PC and if input is your only cross platform concern the same code will work. There are normally other considerations (native plugins, social features, etc.) but it sounds like your particular game doesn’t have them. Also, while currently ID@xbox is the way to get licensed for console, if in the future you go the UWP route it’s worth noting you are still licensed as you join the developer program for UWP which licenses you for PC, phones, consoles, hololens, etc.
From my experience with working in a medium sized studio, simply submitting the game or application to the company and waiting for any feedback is the best way for being approved. And during the down time with waiting you can always bug test and other generic tasks then fix (if any) issues the company has with your game. Remember, even #IDARB made it to Xbox1 and it mixes real advertisements with pixel art.