Adrian says that given the impending release of XBox Music Mixer, the timing is right to try this concept.
The concept is also more timely as the XBox is entering its end of life cycle meaning 1) lower price titles 2) opportunity for niche markets 3) opportunity for quirkier titles 4) small publishers are coming on-board
He (along with Grant and MikeE) suggests that the demo should be developed firstly for PC. I'm sold!
The project could get console developer status (to allow MOD Films to buy XBox development hardware and write the demo for this) but an application is likely to be refused at this time on the basis that no game code has yet been written by the company. By developing a demo for the PC and establishing the business during the NESTA phase, the company would be in a realistic position to apply for a console license.
The key criteria for getting licensed developer status are staffing experience and current plans for the business.
He is interested in seeing the completed PC demo and being kept abreast of the project. He is coming to the What's the Story event.
He is happy to be a listed contact for NESTA but Microsoft cannot give "concept approval" because that is something that is only typically given to licensed publishers. Concept approval is a formal process in the games industry, the first step towards getting a title released. Microsoft doesn't normally give concept approval direct to developers because that could be used to the business advantage of an unlicensed publisher (seeking to become XBox licensed) who had signed up the developer already.
Agreed that a licensed publisher would need to see a demo before serious interest.
Suggested a large publisher like EA is unlikely to be interested in the title because their business model is to only publish titles that are likely to sell one million+ copies (i.e. tried-and-true formulae)
Unconvinced that XBOx Music Mixer will be a big-seller but confirmed that Microsoft is keen to using that product as a market opener which this product could follow through on.
Interested in the idea that the film would function as a glorified game lobby (one of the more basic ideas in the proposal). Microsoft are finding that XBox Live players have "friends lists" bigger than they expected and that there is a demand for game lobby areas outside the games themselves (e.g. like Sony's model).
Interested in the idea that the title would give a rationale for using the voice masking feature (make your voice sound like something else). It is a feature of XBOx Live which is underused because people seem to want to sound like themselves. In SANCTUARY, the voice masking feature could useful to enable the MODder to more easily make a seamless voice MOD (e.g. we provide voice masks for key characters like State troopers, CD etc...)
New issue raised: Security issue of letting users download something into console. MODs would need to be certified to go onto console, with community acting as the gatekeeper. Would moderators have to review code? Would this be cost-feasible to do? --- All good reasons to steer clear of console in first release.
Access to XBox Live development environment is limited to titles with concept approval (i.e. that have a publisher). "Partner Net" is a copy of XBoxLive network for developers. The architecture is revised every 6-8 months.