Xbox 360 Game Creation Tool Kodu Now Live – Got Any Ideas?

I made a game kinda like papijump, needs work though because it's not endless :(

@TEAMCHINA: Thanks to both of you, it was very helpful. :)

@Dangeresque the Observer:

Accept it, and suck it up, man!

gurfinki

@One Man Freak Show: I want this game. I sent a friend request.

I just finished the tutorial and started work on my game world. This is gonna take some time. I'm impressed with how involved Kodu's simple programming language can be. I also am going to have to buy a 360 text pad since I hate hunting and pecking for dialogue boxes.

@DaFron:

I just bought it :)

Its pretty good for a £3.something game.. with updates it could be greater, for example, an online list of popular/new creations where you can download from other people.

I'm currently in the middle of making some bad stuff :D

@iamerror37: I like the cut of your jib.

@hot_heart: Great review, Day 1 purchase for me. Hold on...

CartBlanche2

@hot_heart: so funny

bonghammer

@Kermad: Do people still visit 4chan?

@Blue_Six : Can I really be the an hero?: Hearted with a wide grin

@SamL_: Thats because its _NOT_ a game creator. Its a level designer.

Hell, I remember if you put sonic into debug mode you could do some fancy level stuff, but you couldn't control AI with it... LBP has just moved on somewhat from that, but not in the same direction as Kodu.

The people that find this boring, thats your choice to, if you can't imagine the possiblities (Disclaimer: I've not tried it yet but i know how it works, if they have limited it too much then maybe it will be rather boring).

This should be wonderful for anyone wanting to play with AI.

I bought it this morning and I'm absolutely in love with it.

I made this awesome platformer game where you have to figure out what path to go on. If you go on the wrong path, you die. If you press any button but the Y button, you die. Y button jumps, right stick moves. On the right path to the end, the controls controls change with every platform you jump on, so again, if you press the wrong button, you die.

All of this, and the last "correct" platform you jump on makes it to where you have to kill yourself to win the game.

@SadSadSamus: Sort of. You can make the units shoot bullets or missiles. You can adjust the speed, frequency, behavior, power, and number of the bullets/missiles you are firing.

You can condition the use of, say, the missiles, to some goal, such as touch the star so you could make a four person shooter where each player had a "pistol" to start with and there was a missile "pick-up" located in a certain spot.

I am honestly surprised by the flexibility of the thing. You can seemingly adjust just about everything, from the speed of the units to the amount of friction they experience.

What you can't do is have multi-leveled areas (nearest I can tell). No bridges, tunnels, roofs, etc.

You can have areas with all kinds of hills, but there is always only one level on which you can stand.

Brodka

How do I buy this? I'm in Canada, but I don't see anywhere to buy it.

@IamNinja: You can do a little bit more, like pick up objects, kick objects, etc. What you can't do is alter the shape or size of the units. The dude is the dude. He can jump, climb, move etc. He can't reach out like Street Fighter character. He doesn't duck.

There are a bunch of different units though. Ones that float, fly, hover, wheel around, etc.

So you could make a crude battlefield kind of game, but no fighting games.

I could see people making nice shooters, platformers, puzzle, and racing games with it.

Anyone who says it is "boring" is a moron. Its a tool. It's like saying going into a nicely equipped wood shop is 'boring.' Sure, if you don't have any skills or desire to build something out of wood, yes, there is little to hold your interest. But if you weren't interested in making games, why on earth would you have downloaded Kodu?

Brodka

@fanboyish: Yeah, as a European It sucks that we aren't getting our hands on this one.

Horusz

@hot_heart: +1 heart, lol'd

@OkayOctane: A lot of people play with penises, whether we're talking about their own or those of other people. The term can be considered to fall within the realm of gaming.

@hot_heart: you are the only person who plays by the rules...(i just lost the game too)

undeadmachine

I could see potential for something like this receiving some DLC in the form of more predefined objects to play with.

@IamNinja: Gameplay options appear limited to bumping into objects and firing projectiles in addition to basic movement and jump commands. It's a pretty big sand box for basic arcade fare, but you won't be making flight sims, Virtua Fighter 5, or anything like that with this tool.

Can you make any games with guns or anything?

SadSadSamus

@Ice-nine froze my baby: That sounds great, and you'll have to share it when you're done. Dom better scream, "Maria!" every so often. :p

@Pizzaman: It's a visual GUI but Kodu's significantly more complex given that it's a video game. Beyond just creating worlds, you can put in all kind of AI parameters and tweaks to dozens of objects. It's pretty neat.

@SamL_: I bought it and I love it. I have LBP too, and I love it. I really like making games, so this is really good for me.

njd09

@[twitter.com]: Community Games are available in Canada.

My first attempt was a non-linear platformer. To win, you must get into the castle. Unfortunately, only reds are allowed in the castle. To make yourself red, you have to eat the red apple. The owner of the apple isn't so easy to give it up. He only trusts people of his color, which is blue. You become blue by: you guessed it! Eating the blue apple. He only trusts orange people. the keeper of the orange apple isn't so demanding. He gladly gives it up, because it "tastes bad". Now get the other apples, and gain admission to the castle.

Not so bad for a first attempt.

iamerror37

Interesting. I think I might have to check this out.

kneegrow

@Import2001: Well BAM!!

I'll stay with XNA for now. I'm more of a coder, anyways

Shin-san

@Kermad: (Attempted recovery) Why'd you have to cock it all up, dude?

@hot_heart: You've just earned yourself a heart click.

@TEAMCHINA: Thanks for saying what I think I was struggling with trying to say...

When I was trying to move from test to design I was up till 3-4 in the morning every night in QERadiant making levels and deconstructing scripts...

Get into it now and try and make something! Ultimately that's what it comes down to. Do you want to make something out of nothing for a living? Practicing now with any sort of game design tool is the best place to find out.

Also, it is extremely useful to at understand the basics of programming logic. Just pick up a book or take a class to learn C++ 101 and it will benefit a career in design for as long as you keep designing.

Dayvan Cowboy

@johnpnj: I don't see why it's an answer to LittleBigPlanet. At least they aren't comparing XNA to it anymore

Shin-san

@n00b_pwner: A hardcore gamer girl that is ALSO your type? Christ, you're picky.

@Dayvan Cowboy: Seriously, it's amazing and, at the same time, a little bit disappointing how much this industry has evolved even just in the past few years. Would I trade it for anything else? Absolutely not, but you've got to follow your passion. If you really want to do something, just DO it and your passion and effort will ultimately pay off.

Take advantage of things like Kodu and XNA and all the open source game engines and get some friends together and make a game. Nothing will do more for you, especially when you're green, in terms of education and impressing recruiters as having a portfolio that you weren't paid to create... Even if everything is just placeholder art/sounds...

@ieatchocolate: K-K-K-K Kombo Breaker-r-r-r

@hot_heart: Really, that made my Kotaku day. Well played sir.

As an Xbox fan, I still have to admit, as interesting as this game is, it is NOT the 360's answer to LittleBigPlanet.
Too bad.

johnpnj

I Don't think this will work very well they have had things like this before and I don't think they worked well.

@jollyrogue: It's got a free demo. Why not try it? Also it's $5. Why not try it?

DaFron

Can I make a beat-'em-up or straight up versus fighter with it?

@Kermad:

C-c-c-c-combo breakerrrrrr!!!!!

gurfinki

couldn't tell you - live in canada. no community games here.

@hot_heart: If he bought $20.00 of points than he could have used the leftovers for the pack.

@OkayOctane: Have you considered that IS the name of the game?

AnOkayLumberjack

@SamL_: Yeah, I'm going back to play with Notepad some more. Fuck Kodu, doesn't even give you ANSI errors.

SSUK

@Kermad: I made a game that's NOT a game.

AnOkayLumberjack

I'm gonna make some nice simple games for my kids.

Brodka

@Kermad: No, you can't lose the game if someone else mentions it. Well, I guess he doesn't mention the game until after you have already read the first part and lost the game.

1rogue007

@hot_heart: +1, that was epic!

MixMaster81

@OkayOctane: Honestly I couldn't tell ya for sure... I got in during the mid 90's and the industry was much different... had more of a mom and pop feel to it. Now that so many schools offer degrees etc... and people fight for internships I'm not sure I would be able to 'climb the ladder' from the bottom again. I don't even have a normal bachelors, I really just fell into it in a sense.

But to be sure it can be a very engaging job and very frustrating as well. For me satisfaction mostly depends on the company or studio you work for and how they manage their people and ideas (oh, and how much resources they put into tool development). It can be a very rewarding career, or extremely disappointing and even just plain boring at times.

Hmmm, not so sure how helpful that was...

Dayvan Cowboy

@Stephen Totilo: Just give me your gamertag and I'll send it to you.

I'm currently in the process of making Gears of Kodu.

Currently have the Cole Train pretty much done. Whenever he shoots one of the "locusts" he has a small chance of shouting a one liner.

Currently working on Dom who follows Marcus around like a lost puppy. Might get to work on Baird later.

@Strom Thurmond:

LOVED
Hockey pucks: As far as collectables go, you can't really go wrong with something that's bright red. It stands out so it's easy to see. We like that!

Moving: We like games where you can move. This game features that. Maybe next time it could have punching. Fingers crossed for a sequel.

HATED
Alone in the Dark: While I understand that this game sets its own unique atmosphere by being dark, sometimes it can get lonely. And scary. Being lonely and scary is for survival horror games, not red hockey puck-collecting games. Not good.

Clouds: The damn clouds! Why are they after me? If they wanted the red hockey pucks they should not have left them around. Leave me alone!

Red Hockey Puck-Collecting In A Dark Room was developed by Strom Thurmond. Reviewed version published by the same guy, and released on July 1 (XBLCG or something) Retails for free so maybe it's worth a try. Played not quite to completion (DAMN CLOUDS!)

@OkayOctane:

Somone believes that somewhere...

SaanZ

@OkayOctane: I meant me being the one having the choice to make. I just worded that entire post very poorly. Because I'm an idiot.

@Dayvan Cowboy: So, as someone who at this very moment has a choice to make, how highly would you recommend going the whole game design career route?

@Powersupply: Did you not get the King Pack add-on for Castle Crashers then?

@UltimatePancakeSensation: Jesus do you know nothing? She single handedly created that game from concept art, to coding, to the final on the shelves product, it was ALL HER.

She also founded Ubisoft.

@Kermad: I JUST LOST THE GAME DAMN YOU

@KEN:

lol'd

ieatchocolate

@Strom Thurmond: That sounds kinda scary. I'm not a fan of scary games, but I am a fan of red hockey pucks. I'm torn.

@KEN: KO...

@CHunterX: Ok great, but wrong site.

We talk about games here...

@Skyline7284: Ok, now you've got to make the entire metal gear series. GO!

@Dayvan Cowboy: ogre ruled! was one my childhood obsessions!

exion

So kinda like the programming software that comes with the Lego Mindstorm, only minus the Lego?

@NexusSIX: Eats Gods for breakfast: you didn't get it either

Kermad

@UltimatePancakeSensation: Also for making famous people nekkid

Kermad

@daemonx2: Much like LBP, I think this is a game for the more open-minded of us. That's why men have penises right?

Kermad

@Kermad:

And something i wouldnt want to "program" with :D it seemed...... well you can only create these weird "fantasy" kinds of settings. Thats my only gripe with lbp. you cant change the games art-style. Its stupid that a game creator software has an art-style.

SamL_

@Kermad:

Well. i downloaded the trial and it seemed pretty boring even as a software.

SamL_

Has the guy with the rainbow tree that shoots missles showed up yet?

That had me rollin'!

@Import2001: Ken.

@Import2001: Killed it.

mzo

@UltimatePancakeSensation: Just connect a bunch of existing models into the shape of a penis then!

Dayvan Cowboy

@undefined: Simpson's did it...

@SamL_: This is nothing like LBP. LBP gives you a world you can mess with. Kodu lets you make games.

@daemonx2: You can always just yank one out...

@daemonx2: I think I can rise to that challenge.

@n00b_pwner: There is a big difference between designing/programming a game and PRODUCING a game. Jade Raymond is NOT responsible for Assassin's Creed. They only put her in the spotlight because pretty woman + game = publicity.

Which is not in any way to say that women aren't behind some great games, but in this case she just doesn't deserve the credit.

@everyonesmom: Not as many as you'd think; from what I've tinkered with so far, all of the playable elements have predetermined models. I think the only way you could get a penis in the game would be to draw one on the ground.

@Import2001:

Klever.

@Michael Dukakis the infuriated Mets fan:
Making original penis jokes gets harder and harder everyday.

daemonx2

@Stephen Totilo: That being said, I wouldn't be surprised if you could simulate such a game, as long as you are okay with placeholder graphics.

@Import2001: on Kotaku

Pizookie

@Kermad: I've played it an love it. If what you want to do is make games, this is great. It would be like saying Photoshop is boring; yes, it probably is, unless you want to design your dream picture...then it's exciting.

Right now I have started my "training" trying to make a twisted version of Pac-Man. I'm really interested in seeing how far I can stretch the tool. I plan on seeing if I can make the basics for the following:

- FPS
- Original Zelda
- RPG (battles and towns)

We'll see!

@Maxyboy13:

[www.losethegame.com] ?

@excel_excel:

Ohh yes, there will be penises

everyonesmom

@excel_excel: LOL. I still can't think of a better way to rephrase that.

ariete

@excel_excel: Community Games content is unrated. Then again, putting a programming language targeted at kids in such an environment could prove risky. I suspect Kodu will be governed by its own set a rules, but we'll see I guess.

@NeVeRMoRe666: That joke was delivered a little stiff.

I might get this once i've seen some gameplay videos... and people say its good.

@+ Watch video