Rumor: Microsoft Publishing LittleBigPlanet "Killer"?
Boku, a set of icon-driven tools designed to let just about anyone create simple games for PC or Xbox 360, has a chance of coming to gamers as a fully fledged title, according to Gamasutra. Microsoft showed off the tools at it's Professional Developers Conference last week, and according to the website, it's planning on "an Xbox 360 release of some kind in 2009."
While the the XNA Game Studio theoretically allows non-professionals the ability to create their own games, the Boku tools offer a simpler interface, along the lines of Media Molecule's LittleBigPlanet creation interface. As Microsoft's page about the project describes:
Boku is a new visual programming language made specifically for creating games. It is designed to be accessible for children and enjoyable for anyone. The programming environment runs on the XBox, allowing rapid design iteration using only a game controller for input.
Could be fun! Could be a slog, too. Unlike LittleBigPlanet, however, creators wouldn't be limited to a (relatively) two dimensional plane, and could make fully 3-D games if they so choose. They'd also have more control over more subtle aspects of game control, although they wouldn't have those adorable sack-people.
After the break, check out a video demonstrating what Boku can do at this stage, and imagine how they could turn it into something you'd buy.
Microsoft's LBP-Esque Game Construction Tool Boku Heading To Xbox 360? [Gamasutra]
Dawdle
Posted to Video Games on 1 November 2008
· Comments (3)
Other stuff like this: boku, game creation, littlebigplanet, microsoft, pc, tools, xbox 360, xbox live, xna
Very interesting concept!
Though I can foresee the extreme [annoying], young 360 fans damning and shunning this for it's visuals alone... *yawns*
I honestly think Sackboy (not user-generated content) is what has so many people embracing the PS3 exclusive.
He's just so damn cyute.
Hmmm... a surprising move out of Microsoft, honestly, seeing how terrified they are of user-generated content. See Unreal Tournament 3 and The Orange Box.