TMNT the Arcade Game on partnernet (Xbox Live for devs)

[Big Shady]

TMNT the Arcade Game is up on parternet. Just downloaded it. Brings me back to playing it in a movie theater back in '89

 

[Soniku]

Awesome, how'd you get into partnernet?

 

[Lagduf]

Awesome, how'd you get into partnernet?

He works for a developer?

 

[Darklighterx]

So this means it will be downloadable in the future or what?

 

[Soniku]

He works for a developer?

Well, my question was supposed to be interpreted as "Are you a developer? Did you buy a dev system? Did you hack your 360 to do something out of the ordinary?" Not "Will Lagduf please be a bitch and intervene with a sarcastic answer to my question in order to make himself appear to be one of the more apt members of these forums?"

Note: I don't actually hate or even dislike Lagduf.

 

[Lagduf]

Well, my question was supposed to be interpreted as "Are you a developer? Did you buy a dev system? Did you hack your 360 to do something out of the ordinary?" Not "Will Lagduf please be a bitch and intervene with a sarcastic answer to my question in order to make himself appear to be one of the more apt members of these forums?"

Note: I don't actually hate or even dislike Lagduf.

I'm pretty sure big shady is like the biggest developer out there.

Biggest as in the tallest.

Biggest as in he could probably knock your head off with a single punch.

Though he's probably the nice guy type and would not do the above mentioned head knocking off.

Besides I thought everyone knew he was a developer? Sheesh spend more time on the forums

 

[galfordo]

Sheesh spend more time on the forums

Worst advice ever?

 

[Lagduf]

Worst advice ever?

Yes.

 

[Soniku]

Yes.

I'm honestly as up to date on forum drama as I am on sports... I don't even know who won the last Super Bowl...

I did however know that someone on these forums is a developer, I just wasn't sure of whom it was.

So uh, Mr. Big and Shady, who do you work for exactly?

 

[Sepeh]

Great news. I have waited for long time this to happen. Few times checked at eBay, how much the arcade machine cost these days, but it was always too much.

 

[Big Shady]

To clear things up, yes I am a game developer. I work for Demiurge Studios (www.demiurgestudios.com). We have Xbox 360 dev kits/test kits, so we have access to partnernet. I was screwing around at lunch and I found TMNT the arcade game. I believe you can get on to partnernet if you're a legit press outlet too, cause I know microsoft does sell them test kits. Other games that are on partnernet may interest you guys:

1) Castlevania SoTN
2) Double Dragon
3) Worms
4) Alien Hominid

If a game is on partnernet, that means its in the tubes to be certified by Microsoft and then ship out. I don't know what the queue is, so I have no idea when the titles will be available to the public.

Side Note: I can say as a developer, working on the Wii is the biggest pain in the ass ever! (Sorry, Wii rage. I'm working on it as I post this)

 

[beelzebubble]

To clear things up, yes I am a game developer. I work for Demiurge Studios (www.demiurgestudios.com). We have Xbox 360 dev kits/test kits, so we have access to partnernet. I was screwing around at lunch and I found TMNT the arcade game. I believe you can get on to partnernet if you're a legit press outlet too, cause I know microsoft does sell them test kits. Other games that are on partnernet may interest you guys:

1) Castlevania SoTN
2) Double Dragon
3) Worms
4) Alien Hominid

If a game is on partnernet, that means its in the tubes to be certified by Microsoft and then ship out. I don't know what the queue is, so I have no idea when the titles will be available to the public.

Side Note: I can say as a developer, working on the Wii is the biggest pain in the ass ever! (Sorry, Wii rage. I'm working on it as I post this)

any inside info on worms?

weapon list?

 

[Big Shady]

any inside info on worms?

weapon list?

From what I can gather and what I've played, its a straight port of Worms Armageddon on the PC.

 

[Kirk Foiden]

Hmm. If that's correct, then I can expect to see all of the classic weapons included, sans any exclusive specifics from Andy Davidson's Worms AGA: Director's Cut. Still, the 3D worms games were reminders that the classic 2Ds should make a return. They did, at least, try to make some interesting formula changes in Worms Forts and Worms 4: Mayhem; but they just didn't bring it all together quite like the old ones did.

 

[DangerousK]

Why can't they get TMNT out now.

 

[Big Shady]

Why can't they get TMNT out now.

It has to go through Microsoft cerification process. There is a queue and each game is tested and certified by what number in line they are. If it makes cert, then the game is released. If it fails, it goes back to the developers to fix it and then goes back into the queue (usually towards the top).

 

[DangerousK]

It has to go through Microsoft cerification process. There is a queue and each game is tested and certified by what number in line they are. If it makes cert, then the game is released. If it fails, it goes back to the developers to fix it and then goes back into the queue (usually towards the top).

You know what kills me though...

It's not like there isn't plenty of arcade games that could be put on XBLA.

The Wii has stuff every week...and good stuff at that...

I don't know why it is such a problem to get more releases out the door.

 

[GregN]

Side Note: I can say as a developer, working on the Wii is the biggest pain in the ass ever! (Sorry, Wii rage. I'm working on it as I post this)

Please elaborate. Political (working with Nintendo)? Technical? (hard to program/unintuitive tools?)

 

[beelzebubble]

From what I can gather and what I've played, its a straight port of Worms Armageddon on the PC.

that's what i wanted to hear

about the queue for xbla games. ms is going to start to release more than one a week soon. apparently the games are backed up alot at the moment and it's pissing the devs off.

i'm hanging big time for worms, castle crashers, etc.

 

[Soniku]

To clear things up, yes I am a game developer. I work for Demiurge Studios (www.demiurgestudios.com).

Ah, awesome, you're a progger? You just reminded me that I want to play Titan Quest...

You know what kills me though...

It's not like there isn't plenty of arcade games that could be put on XBLA.

The Wii has stuff every week...and good stuff at that...

I don't know why it is such a problem to get more releases out the door.

The point of XBLA seems to be aimed at getting original content out said door, or at least enhancing old games. Apparently because of this, quality control is a bit tedious, perhaps too tedious and restricting... The VC on the other hand consists of nothing more than emulation, so releasing games isn't exactly difficult once you get past licensing and whatever possible copyright red-tape that may be in the way...

Regardless, M$ is making the process of releasing new games drag a bit too much...

 

[beelzebubble]

i'm a 1up fanboy:

What's Wrong with Xbox Live Arcade?

No hole next week, Alien Hominid confirmed.

By Luke Smith, 02/23/2007

"The answer is: Nothing," Aaron Greenberg, Group Product Manager for Xbox 360 and Xbox Live told 1UP. Yet, Xbox Live Arcade's recent history doesn't support that. In addition to a spotty release schedule -- one Joystiq summed up "Ms. Pac-Man, Lumines add-on, nothing, Root Beer Tapper, Paperboy, nothing" -- two top executives (Greg Canessa and Ross Erickson) have left the group for PopCap and Sierra Games respectively. Furthermore, Sony's PlayStation Network continues to evolve -- Warhawk as a downloadable-only title won't be an anomaly on the PlayStation Network -- and Nintendo's Virtual Console is consistently prolific, releasing at least three titles a week.

That prolificacy hasn't existed even in Microsoft's ability to ship a title each week on Xbox Live Arcade. There have been multiple weeks where there's been either nothing, or a content pack for an existing game. "We hear the feedback, I can assure you that these last few weeks of Xbox Live Arcade releases was not the way we planned it," Greenberg said. While upcoming titles like Boom Boom Rocket show promise, where's the sequel to Geometry Wars? "No new Geometry Wars at GDC," Greenberg told 1UP. There will be a stable of Xbox Live Arcade games on display at GDC, some never-before-seen titles and some surprises. March, Greenberg promised would be a bit of a redemption for the platform: "March looks very strong from a release standpoint. Expect a storm of new releases, we are going to deliver and make up for February," Greenberg said. Does that mean that there will be more than one title per week? "I cannot comment on that."

Sony's premium studios are allegedly working on PlayStation Network titles. It's been speculated that the Ico team -- the team responsible for Shadow of the Colossus is working on a PlayStation Network title, with David Jaffe's Calling All Cars serving as another example. What about Microsoft Game Studios involvement in Xbox Live Arcade? "You're seeing a lot of major publishers getting involved in this market," Greenberg said, citing EA's recent Wing Commander Arena and Boom Boom Rocket announcements. "At GDC we'll be sharing some first party stuff." But that doesn't mean that Microsoft's first party is going to shore the load of Xbox Live Arcade development, "The focus for first party remains making products for retail," Greenberg said. "This isn't a major initiative from our first parties. First party will play a role there [in the XBLA space] but we're not going to lead the charge."

Nintendo's approach has been to consistently provide multiple downloadable games on its Virtual Console each week. So far, the Virtual Console has been a home for vintage titles, but that is soon expected to change. Speaking with 1UP at DICE recently, Perrin Kaplan, Nintendo's Vice President of Marketing hinted at a budding indie-game program for Nintendo's platform: "We actually have a fair number of them [indie-developed games] in our possession now. Some really are just amazing, creative stuff. It's like having a baking contest and people come up with all of these new foods. You think 'Wow, I've never eaten something like this before.'" Will Nintendo's independent games initiative -- however the company decides to brand it -- rival Microsoft's support via XNA? It certainly could. Regardless, Nintendo will likely continue to churn out classics on the Virtual Console -- that volume isn't something Microsoft intends to compete with.

"Some people just want quality over quantity," said Greenberg. "People have a minimum quality bar that they expect; we're increasingly adding that to more and more of these titles." That increased functionality includes co-op, HD support, achievements, new gametypes -- but that functionality also comes with a price. When there are holes that appear on the release calendar it's often because the games in question failed certification. Sometimes even the "back-up" games for a given week of release on Xbox Live Wednesdays fail certification: "[This week] We really did have multiple titles slip at the same time. That is not our plan going forward," Greenberg assured. "We are excited to bring Alien Hominid out next week; we are excited to make up for lost time."

Are the recent weeks just a series of unfortunate events? If Microsoft is to be believed, they are. But the only way to really tell is to follow Xbox Live Arcade's arc in the coming weeks. "People shouldn't expect anything different from Xbox Live Arcade going forward," Greenberg said. Lately, and to Microsoft's credit they are aware, that's the problem.

grr.. should be worms next week! (or castlevania, castle crashers, ffspc)

 

[Sepeh]

Castlevania: SotN would be awesome! The original version is little too expensive.. and I want to test how good SotN really is. Now it would be a great chance.

 

[Big Shady]

Please elaborate. Political (working with Nintendo)? Technical? (hard to program/unintuitive tools?)

Its a technical nightmare. I was spoiled on the 360 where things are so easy and well documented. For the Wii the tools are poor and the documentation is even worse.

 

[ferrarimanf355]

Shady, some guys on teh GAF are calling bullshit on this one.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=143894
Can we get pics or something?

 

[genjiglove]

Shady, some guys on teh GAF are calling bullshit on this one.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=143894
Can we get pics or something?

I'd believe Shady saying its real before I believe those guys saying its fake.