Xbox Live Indie Game

[God-I-Suck]

As some of you already know, Indie Games on the Xbox Live marketplace are little games created by the community. Now what I was thinking is that Meiun should submit Stick Online into Xbox Live and get it onto the Indie Games marketplace. I myself have downloaded a couple indie games and they're great, if Stick Online were to be an Indie Game, I guarantee it would be one of the top hits. For a couple reasons:

1. The game itself is very fun and way better than most of the Indie Games on there.
2. The game would be online and that plays a big part because sometimes that's what makes the game fun.
3. The Stick Online community would probably buy it so it already has a good start in ratings. I would buy it, even if I had the chance to play it for free on the computer.

Now, I don't know much about the rules and regulations on submitting or anything, so if anyone has a clue, please discuss! Even if the lowest price for an Indie Game is $1, Meiun would still rack up the dough. Even the lame Indie Games have a couple hundred or so, and they're terrible. If you ask me it's a great idea. I would want to play Stick Online on the big screen, surround sound, and with a controller. (Some of you probably already do that :P ) So tell me what you guys think, I'll try to answer all the questions you have!

[jackel1994]

I LOVE THIS IDEA!

I hope this works for all you guys but sadly i will be selling my xbox soon i think =/ nothing but problems. If this ever does happen i extremely hope that an iphone/smart phone app comes around the same time! That would be another great way for meiun to raise money. Not only would kids buy it for xbox and play on the bigscreen, but would be playing it on the go too!

God-I-Suck, totaly a great idea!

[Chaos]

As some of you already know, Indie Games on the Xbox Live marketplace are little games created by the community. Now what I was thinking is that Meiun should submit Stick Online into Xbox Live and get it onto the Indie Games marketplace. I myself have downloaded a couple indie games and they're great, if Stick Online were to be an Indie Game, I guarantee it would be one of the top hits. For a couple reasons:

1. The game itself is very fun and way better than most of the Indie Games on there.
2. The game would be online and that plays a big part because sometimes that's what makes the game fun.
3. The Stick Online community would probably buy it so it already has a good start in ratings. I would buy it, even if I had the chance to play it for free on the computer.

Now, I don't know much about the rules and regulations on submitting or anything, so if anyone has a clue, please discuss! Even if the lowest price for an Indie Game is $1, Meiun would still rack up the dough. Even the lame Indie Games have a couple hundred or so, and they're terrible. If you ask me it's a great idea. I would want to play Stick Online on the big screen, surround sound, and with a controller. (Some of you probably already do that :P ) So tell me what you guys think, I'll try to answer all the questions you have!

And would require Meiun to completely reprogram the entire game to not only be PLAYABLE on the 360, he would also need to completely reprogram it to be playable on a 360 controller.  And if you thought switching equipment without hotkeys in the PC version was slow...

Then he would most likely need to program it so both the 360 and PC version could connect to the same server, so that way people can still play with each other regardless.  Then he would also NEED to keep the server up and running, as it's now a commercial game.  Then he would also likely need to add the hotkey bar functionability to the PC version finally, and make sure that neither game is significantly superior to the other in that regard, or it will merely frustrate the players of the 'inferior' version.  THEN he will have twice as many clients to update as well...  

I could probably continue, but I think you see my point, here.

[ARTgames]

I thought of this when it first came out. But I don't know the rules of XNA if they would allow a game like with.

Further more I think it may be a lot of work for Meiun to adapt and port it to the 360. Since most people use a 360 controller with out a keyboard/thumbpad on a 360 how will you communicate and switch hats ect. He would have to remake a ton of the game.

Also updates. How does the update system work for indie games. I know its hard for arcade/ disk based games and its a big criticism with the 360.

In the end I don't think it will ever happen just because of all the work. But I like the idea.

edit:
wow you all post fast! Two post out before I could make mine.

edit:
off topic but
" Then he would also likely need to add the hotkey bar functionability to the PC version finally,"
Stick Online one had it right IMO.

[T-Rok]

Its not possible unless Meiun knows C#. Its not as hard as C++, but its still there. Also considering C# is M$'s baby, it is highly supported. It's also very nice to work with. But still, learning a whole new language + reprogramming = not worth it? lol

[Aqua]

There will probably be a C# port from YoYo soon. Or to some language which also ports to C#. At any rate, integrating the controller would be the least of his problems. GM has the functionality for joysticks a bit already. A while back I saw a GMC extension or script which would let people use the Xbox controller.
~Aqua

[Meiun]

   Learning new languages is really not much of a problem or barrier for me anymore. Once you've become fluent in and learned enough of them, picking up a new one is really just a small step. Especially one like C#, that has numerous similarities to other common and popular modern languages.
   The biggest issue to me with the (theoretical) idea of Xbox and Stick Online is that for the most part, consoles aren't really the ideal system for an MMO. It can be a bit difficult finding an effective way for people to manage all the things you need to manage in an MMO using only a controller. More importantly though, it would be difficult to have an effective way for people to communicate with one another without a keyboard. Sure there are microphones, but those are really only meant for communication with small numbers of people (for both technological reasons as well as conceptual).

[T-Rok]

There will probably be a C# port from YoYo soon. Or to some language which also ports to C#. At any rate, integrating the controller would be the least of his problems. GM has the functionality for joysticks a bit already. A while back I saw a GMC extension or script which would let people use the Xbox controller.
~Aqua

lolol double port.

[God-I-Suck]

Ah thanks for the feedback everyone. I now can see multiple perspectives on this subject.

[Lingus]

Don't they already have some MMOs on console? Is it FFXI? Also I know Everquest was at some point. How did they manage the communications on that? Voice could work, I would think. You would have it only relay voice for people who are close enough. Basically exactly how the text chat works right now.

As for managing equipment and stats, I would think this would take a very minimal effort to get this to work with a controller. The simplicity of SO makes this very possible. If they can get a more complex MMO like Everquest on a console I don't see why it wouldn't work for SO.

Not saying this should necessarily be done. Obviously it's up to Meiun whether he wants to move in this direction. But I don't see why this couldn't be done.

[tehrozzy]

As for managing equipment and stats, I would think this would take a very minimal effort to get this to work with a controller. The simplicity of SO makes this very possible. If they can get a more complex MMO like Everquest on a console I don't see why it wouldn't work for SO.

I do agree with this, the first time i read this topic I though you could just use a button like Y for opening the invent, scroll around it with the right analog stick (so you can keep moving with the left) and hit like A or B (or if you want those to be jump and attack then X) to select which weapon you want. or you could use the Right and Left buttons for items and stats.

[Lingus]

Or there can be a button that cycles through hats and a button that cycles through weapons? There's probably tons of different solutions to this.

[Meiun]

    I was mostly referring to MMO's in general (as oppose to just Stick Online) when it came to the controls and interface issues. As for the communication, the voice chat in range idea is the obvious solution if you really were going the voice chat route. But the voice chat route, while plausible, simply isn't very practical for your average MMO design. Under the right conditions it could easily take absurd amounts of bandwidth, as well as the less serious issue of very noisy environments whenever things got crowded (people often don't use the same social protocols or level of respect in an online game vs real life). Sure you could instance the crap out of things, but it is still going to be a lot more expensive than if it didn't have built in voice chat. Also, in my opinion, games that instance things off too much really stop being true MMO's at a point (I usually refer to them as pseudo MMO's).
   And yes, there are a few MMO's for consoles. But the reason why there are only about two is primarily because of the reasons I said, they just play better on a PC. I never really tried the Everquest for console, but I know the console version of FF XI really never had a good solution to the communication issue. Their method was either use the controller to type or say common phrases, or buy a computer keyboard. Seeing as I have always tried to keep Stick Online a fairly social game, I don't think either of those solutions would be ideal.
    You guys do make some valid points though. Yes it certainly could be possible. The bigger question is whether it would be worth it when the PC tends to be such an obviously better platform for the same type of thing.

[Lingus]

I don't know. I agree that the PC is certainly better for a more complex MMO, but I think having a very simplistic MMO on a console might be very interesting. I personally wouldn't be too interested in it because I'm not a console owner, but I think there would definitely be a market for it. I'm thinking of the people who play on consoles and chat on the voice chat, mostly playing fps games I think, but I'm guessing a good number of those people can be transitioned into a more MMO style of gameplay if it's similar enough to that experience. Hell, a lot of fps games today have tons of rpg like qualities. Making the game a side scrolling MMO wouldn't be too big of a change. That, and the rising popularity of indie games makes this a definite possibility.

[Meiun]

I'm sure there could be a big market for them with the right design, I just don't personally feel that Stick Online is not the best possible candidate to make the leap to consoles. There just seems to be too many cons and not enough pros, at least to me. But again with the voice chat, it'd be more of a technological difficulty than a conceptual one. Theres are reasons beyond just "typing is more practical" for why you don't yet see any true MMO's relying on voicechat for the primary method of communication.