Note: I'll be regularly blogging on session at GDC (Game Developer Conference)

Rough notes

Speaker: Scott Austin: Xbox LIVE Arcade, Microsoft

I just interviewed Scott and we'll be posting the video on Channel 9 in the next few days

Games

• N+ - Level editor
  • P2P versus server (doesn't need to be policed)

• RezHD

Input

Achievements

• GeoWars
  • Pacifist - 60 seconds of living
  • Drives different behavior

• Tetris Splash
  • Every unlocked achievement adds new fish to your fish tank

• Small Arms
  • Buzz around non-descript achievement
  • You had to play against someone who had the achievement
  • Then play against someone who has the achievement
  • Indirectly played against someone that has the achievement (2 devs had it and achievement spread from there)

• Braid
  • Coming out soon
  • 65 levels
  • Uses time as part of the game mechanic
    • Parallel time stream, distort time, reverse time
  • Meta story - find the meaning of life
    • Similar to bioshock
  • Ikaruga
    • Polarity - Black or white
      • Black kills white
      • White kills black
      • White ship shooting white actually helps you
  • Schitzoid -
    • Co-op - only black can kill black, only white can kill white
  • Every Extend Extra Extreme (E4)
    • Allows you to integrate your music into the game, not allowed to integrate your music into rhythm game, (ex: can't do guitar hero with your music)
      • Rip music off your DVD - E4 will figure out rhythm and analyze the music automatically
  • Texas Hold 'Em - Statistics
    • Analyze win/loss, flop, turn, bankroll, hands you've received
  • Undertow
    • Art/graphics to a new level for an arcade game
    • Cut scenes in-between levels, immersive experience
    • 16-person multiplayer game
  • Double Dragon (retro games)
    • Extras section - read storyline, original artwork, hints and trips
  • Take away
    • Innovation is really important to us
    • Innovate in any direction
    • Push the envelope
  • Questions
    • Statistics - Do we have stats on how many games are selling?
      • Do publish under NDA to show games by genre for publishers
    • Is mature content allowed (up to M)
      • Doom is M
      • ESRB regulates
    • How long should a full version of an arcade game be?
      • JewelQuest has high replay value, depends on game
    • Do people purchase directly w/o trial?
      • Can't track right now
    • Examples of games that are not best practices
      • Don't want to highlight games that are "worst" practices, not fair to publisher
    • How long is good for a trial?
      • Frogger - say first level
      • Other games need longer
      • Publishers should sit down and think through what the trial experience would be, don't make it an afterthought