XNA game distribution questions

Question

I want to start on a 2D game using C#, so I'm checking out my options. XNA sounds good, but a few points are not very clear to me.

If I use XNA, can I just build my game and distribute my game as a standalone executable from my website ? Or are there any catches ? Do people need special libraries to play my game ? Do I have to pay MS to be able to distribute my game ?

Normally I'll write a program, build it, put the executable up for download and presto, anybody can download, install and use it. Will it also work like this when using XNA or are there any restrictions ?

Answer 1

People will need the XNA redistributable package which is automatically (downloaded and) installed if you create a game with the default installer.

Answer 2

You can distribute your application anyway you want. You can mail it to your friend only or you can record it on a disc and start selling it. People will only need .NET and XNA reditributable package which will be automatically downloaded and installed and they doesn't require paying any fees. I think you may need to pay something if you would like your game to be distributed on Xbox Live Marketplace (I know you can earn money from selling your game through Marketplace but I'm not sure if there isn't any initial fee to submit it).

Answer 3

If you want to deploy your XNA game to Xbox 360 as well, you need a creator's club premium membership, which will set you back something like $100 a year (it depends on your Xbox live currency as far as I can tell). Please see the FAQ for more info.

For Windows only games you don't need the membership.

Answer 4

If you're a student your university/college whatever can provide you with a years free membership.

But if you're doing Windows only games, then there is no fee. Just include the necessary dependencies as already discussed and you're good to go.

At first my university was not on the list of valid locations, but it was soon sorted out.

Answer 5

You only need a membership if you want to distribute the game through XBox Live Indie games.

XNA is just an SDK. You can use it to develop a PC or an Xbox game. If you want to distribute to XBox then you have have to be a member of the XNA creators club.

If you want to distribute a PC game, then you can put the game up for free on your own website or do whatever you want. You could even make a codeplex project and make your game free open source.

Most people who write XNA PC games distribute through steam. I do not know what they charge.

You can write and develop an XNA game for absolutely nothing if you use Visual Studio C# express for your IDE, Blender for your modeling, XACT and Audacity for your audio, Inkscape for your vector graphics and fx composer for your shader authoring.

Most of the posts above are incorrect.

Answer 6

You can also develop a 2d XNA game and host it on a website through a silverlight plugin for free although it would be difficult because all XNA development would have to be in c# express and all Silverlight development would have to be in Web Developer express.

Answer 7

You only need the trial membership to deploy and debug on the Xbox 360, you don't need one for Windows development as there is currently no marketplace available for Windows Indie Games.

To get a "Trial Licence", that is a licence that allows you to deploy and debug to your Xbox 360 (But does not allow you to submit a game for peer review, playtesting or the XBox Indie Marketplace) there are a few methods:

• DreamBuildPlay - The annual contest for developing games using XNA, generally making games for a particular theme such as Environment etc.. . By registering (Before 18th Jan 2010) you can get the free 12 Month trial.

• Dreamspark - Website dedicated to students, personally i use MSDNAA but Dreamspark is more user friendly. By providing basic details of your course you can get a trial membership.

The Dreamspark website requires details that are generally only known to students, therefore if you're not a student it probably won't validate your request. Best thing to do is to use the DreamBuildPlay option, you don't have to submit an entry (Although it would be good practice to) and there is no need to be a student, it's open to everyone.

In terms of redistributing it to other people the development tool that you're using (Either Visual C# Express or Visual Studio) will allow you to package them in a way that makes it usable to other people.

Of course there is nothing stopping you from hosting the game on your own webspace and letting people sort it out for themselves =]

This link should get you in the right direction:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb464156.aspx

Hope this helps.

Trial Membership Links:

Dreamspark: - Dreamspark , DreamBuildPlay: - DreamBuildPlay