So the windows 8 Consumer preview has been released, I’ve downloaded it and am using it at the moment. It now has an app store, to me this seem’s like a great way for more PC developed games to get exposure, seeing as the app store comes built into the OS just like in mac. What are other peoples thoughts on Windows 8 and their apps.
I’m extra excited about it, both as a developer and a consumer.
I am worried about Unity supporting it. They only allow Metro apps in the app store and at least during startup Unity calls a standard OS dialog box. I think that’s enough for games made with Unity not to be approved. I guess it can be suppressed, but not sure if the code existing in the binary is reason alone for the app to be rejected.
Here is an article listing info on Win8 Cert App Store requirements:
Thanks for the link, extremely informative. A few of the requirements are a bit worrying.
“3.1 Your app must use only APIs for Metro style apps
The APIs for Metro style apps are described in the Metro style apps API reference. Your app must also not link to, depend on, or otherwise make use of APIs or Windows OS services outside those described in the Metro style apps API reference.”
That is where unity would come into play as you have said, it’s a bit worrying, but it makes sense seeing as windows 8 is used across a wide range of devices.
“3.5 Your app must fully support touch interactions as described in the Windows 8 touch language
Your app must provide visual feedback when users touch interactive elements.
Your app must fully support touch input as well as keyboard and mouse input. Customers must also be able to access all of your app’s functionality using only touch interactions. The Windows 8 touch language is described in Touch interaction design.”
That also worries me a little bit, but makes sense all the same for the above reason. It’s a bit silly that they don’t let you just release an app for a normal PC, or a touch only app phones/tablets. It’s weird that you are forced to support both, rather then one or the other like mac have done.
This bit of text was taken from 6.2 “Apps with a rating over PEGI 16, ESRB MATURE, or a corresponding rating under other ratings systems, are not allowed.”
That’s more of a personal for me, but seeing as how Nintendo had denied The Binding of Isaac, due to religious reasons, it means a lot of things won’t make it onto the store. I don’t quite understand why we have Ratings for entertainment mediums, when even with those ratings, some things can’t be sold.
On the topic of Windows 8, I was reading nothing but bad thing’s about it on RPS (Where I found out about the OS), everyone seems to think that the new start menu, has replaced the old desktop, which it hasn’t. They both run in tandem, and I honestly find the new start menu with search function, a more efficient way of finding a certain app, rather then trying to find it on your desktop or accessing it through the old start bar. (Windows Key, Type name of app, press enter) That is way easier imo.
I downloaded it immediatly, infact, I’m in it now.
To be honest, the changes are gonna scare a lot of people, but if they spend the time to remember where things are, it becomes very efficeint to use. Unity works well on it too.
Also, Unity won’t be able to do Metro apps, If i recall. But who needs to, if you can just pump out a standard .exe. I just hope they put in Windows ARM support.
Also using Windows 8 right now, and to me it is a lot more efficient.
The benefit of making a metro app would be the exposure you’d have to the casual PC user. But apart from that, it seem’s like an even more restrictive environment then the iOS app store.
Some dudes already have unity running on windows phone, so I’m sure they’ll manage this. I forgot the URL but it seems interesting - some sort of weird wrapper.
At BUILD, they claimed you would be able to have non-metro apps on the app store, but that they wouldn’t be able to be hosted, auto-downloaded, patched (etc). You would have to host them yourselves.
The comments of not supporting Metro were specific to the Windows Phone 7 because it does not allow native code. Windows 8 Metro should have no such roadblocks. Also, the App Store is something you wont be able to ignore if you want to make money. We are quickly entering an age where users will fear downloading any executable file from anyone but official app stores.
If you are talking about the thing I think you are, and I cant recall exactly where I did, it’s not really Unity but some framework or something that allows you to port your objects and classes to work inside XNA… may be wrong.
Unfortunately, the current page reflecting ther current standing does specify only metro apps will be allowed. Microsoft has been chainging their mind back and forth on many Win8 issues over the past year, they may change their mind again, but right now officially we will need Unity to support WinRT export. Hopefully they will sneak it in a small update soon and we wont have to wait for Unity 4 or 3.6
I have no worries or doubts that Unity will pull through for us, because they always do.
If Unity did support WinRT, do you think we would have to pay for the export option? Obviously no one knows this excluding the unity team, but what would you speculate
My worry is timing. Being there on day one is going to be very meaningful.
I highly doubt they would charge for WinRT export, just as they dont charge for Intel or PowerPC only exports on the mac. It’s not out of the realm of posibilities but it is highly unlikely.
I would not have problem paying for a Win8-Metro / Win Phone 8 version of Unity. It’d be in line with them charging for iOS and Android.
The Win8 desktop version could still be kept free since it should run as-is on Win8.
I actually hope they do plan to charge for it otherwise I see no incentive for them to do it.
I’m hoping they announce something at GDC, but not holding my breath.
I would gladly pay for the ARM/Phone exports, and although I would pay for Win8 export I think it should at least be built into Unity Pro at no extra charge.
Man, from a UI design perspective, I’m really not digging how they shoehorned the styles of old school windows with metro at all. This is terrible flow:
I remember making my xp look as cool as windows 7, now i’ll have to do the same with windows 8???
Javascript, C#, Basic and C++ help on making metro style apps on the new start menu is provided, thumbs up ferr unity, giev us dat feature!
Windows 8? Heck I’m still on vista! Woe is me!
You’re still using Vista?!
Woe is you indeed.
Im on XP at work 
To OP:
Bleh, yet ANOTHER browser to support as a web developer. Cause IE isn’t tempermental enough as it is 
No start menu, after all we’ve been through (since windows 3.11)??? wtf
I had to take the 70-680 win7 certification and ever since I’m pretty bitter towards MS as a whole, releasing halfassed products. Even my friggin 70-680 book had 85 pages of corrections…and I had to buy the revised edition (at full price) after spending $80 on the broken book.