Hi,
In the company, I'm working for a great xb360 game now. Also I want to develop my own smart games for xb360. There are so many xb360 kits and other xb360-related hardware resources in my company but I can't use them for my business. So the question is: How can I get/buy the XBox 360 kit machine?
You, as an individual cannot. You pretty much need a signed publishing deal and lots of $$$ to get those. You also have to go through the certification process etc.
You can try through the xbox live arcade program - at GDC this year they suggested that there was a possiblity of getting a XDK kit if you had a game that MS really, really wanted to publich. But competition is high in the program.
Finally, there is XNA Game Studio Express which will enable you to run managed code on the 360 later this year. Its not det up for commercial gaming but if you just wanted to do it as a hobby this will solve your problem.
See http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn/showpost.aspx?postid=347061&siteid=1
Thank you, ZMan. It's very clean answer that let me get the point.
But I like C++ & Direct3D much more than C# + XNA Express. I hope MS will change this limit over time, will it? :)
I can't see them opening up native development and C++ on the 360 without the $$ becuase of the way the console games are handled financially. The Console manufacturer has to control that process. Also there is a lot more security risk allowing this.
We may see C++/CLR happen in Game Studio express at some point but it will all be managed code to allow security control. You can request this on the connect website for XNA http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=682921
You could just develop your game on the PC with specs as close to the 360 as you can get. Then if a publisher shows interest you can get the $$$ to port it. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately for PC users) the PC seems to be the only viable platform for a small team or one-person development effort. It takes large bucks to get into the console market. You have an edge here in that you are working on the 360 in your job, so you should be able to foresee what it will take to make a port and design with that in mind.
-tAE-
