how are xbox games developed?

drowddrowd Texas
edited July 2003 in Gaming
i was thinking about the similarities between xbox and the computer, and i was thinking about the file formats used in xbox games. the main file that the xbox runs, kind of like an autorun, is just a default.xbe file that is in the root directory of the cd. and upon doing more research, the .xbe file is just a modified .exe file. there have even been programs (or attempts at programs) that will transform that .xbe file into a .exe file and vice versa. now, it seems to me, that ms almost has to develop xbox games so that they run on a computer, and then the are forced to apply the xbox specifics and peculularities (changing the .exe to a .xbe, etc). so i guess my question basically, is there any valid reason for a game that is coming out on xbox and pc to come out on xbox first rather than pc. it just seems to me, especially given the xbox and pc similarities, that the only reason a game would come to xbox before pc is because of profit/politics/whatever rather than because xbox happened to come out first. can anyone confirm that one of steps in making an xbox game is having a werking pc version? i feel like my question isnt making sense, so i will try to clarify if i am not being clear . . .

Comments

  • HackingGuruHackingGuru
    edited July 2003
    You are correct but not fully. You would program the game on your computer, then send it to the xbox via your Xbox Neighborhood. The Xbox would run the code and provide results on your monitor via data feed and you would see the results on the TV. Once you are done, it compiles the exe which are sent to Microsoft to be signed into XBE. The games are made on the PC (programmed) but ran on the XBOX because they want to make sure the game runs on that hardware. For example, a person with a top high end computer should not have a blast playing a game @ 100fps but on the xbox its at 30fps.
  • trippintrippin Chatt, TN
    edited July 2003
    Xbox games are written in c++ using microsoft's xbox sdk.
  • drowddrowd Texas
    edited July 2003
    thanks guys . . .
  • T-BirDT-BirD Montgomery, AL
    edited July 2003
    About the only two reasons I can think of a game coming out for XBox before the PC (besides payoffs) is that:

    1. It's much easier to develop for one fixed hardware configuration than it is for an almost infinite number of possible components and settings.

    2. It takes a bit of time to develop support for higher resolutions, better graphical and audio detail, and allowance for different control schemes and taking advantage of the PC games' modability and save-anywhere ability. Oh wait, that only applies to GOOD console/PC translations ;)
  • pigflipperpigflipper The Forgotten Coast Icrontian
    edited July 2003
    Oh wait, that only applies to GOOD console/PC translations

    Oh so true.
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