le demo di XNA sono le prime demo di XBOX2!
Microsoft today sent shockwaves across the games industry, showing the first ever real-time demos of the next-gen software tools which will power Xbox 2. The demos, which formed the epicentre of Microsoft's XNA announcement, were presented by Mr Xbox himself J Allard, ably assisted by Lara Fry of the Xbox ATG and Chris Donohue from the Windows division.
While running on a souped-up Windows PC, the demonstrations were specifically geared towards highlighting what gamers can expect from the next generation of console hardware - ie Xbox 2.
Demo one was created by High Voltage Software and, entitled 'Rex' showed a creature moving through an empty landscape, mutating at intervals into entirely different entities.
The creature is controlled in real-time via Controller S (part of Microsoft's new initiative to standardise controllers across Xbox and Windows platforms) switching from furry yeti, to six-legged insect, to four-legged abomination, to an equally random, undeniably cute, armadillo.
While the detail is superb, it's tough to ascertain how impressive the demo is in real terms, since it takes place in an empty environment with no collision.
The second demo, called 'Film Noir', offers a viewpoint of the technology. A young, seductively attired female sits at a table in a cafe, tantalisingly tracing her finger across the table as a cigarette burns idly in a nearby ashtray.
The scene is entirely in black and white except for the bright scarlet of the girl's fingernails and lips. Donahue zooms around with the camera to show off the amazingly realistic facial animations.
The camera then swoops saucily down her bare legs, resting its salacious gaze on her high-heel clad feet, described by Fryer as: 'The best real-time feet ever'.
All nice enough, we admit, but Microsoft saved the best till last with the astonishing 'Crash'.
Created by David Woo of Pseudo Interactive, attendees were first treated to officially the shiniest car we've ever seen, a Saleen, sat in a virtual garage. The camera twists and turns, headlights flash, and actual, proper real-time reflections cause a minor stir amongst the crowd.
Fiddling with on-screen settings, the car is launched full-tilt down a narrow corridor. Yeah, yeah, very fast, still shiny, whatever... But just when our trusty cynic-o-matic is about to fire into action, the highpoint: the car slams into a wall, smashing in the most astonishingly realistic manner we've ever witnessed aside from the real thing. Honest to goodness: 'Wow!'
And to underline the point, the clip is rewound and played back in slow motion, with the camera zooming around in real-time offering myriad vantage points. Hundreds of shards of metal and glass spray out from the area of impact; bodywork crumples, concertina-like, as the car deforms, contorts and pirouettes out of control.
But most surprising of all, perhaps, 'Crash' has also turned out to be the gameplay experience of the show. Yes, we've played it - we have, to all intents and purposes, played the world's first Xbox 2 game. With J Allard. And we'll bring you our full impressions plus amazing exclusive details on the next iteration of the demo later.
Meanwhile, you can find more information about XNA at
www.microsoft.com/xna.