OXMUK

There's a report doing the rounds that Microsoft's support for self-publishing on Xbox One only applies to the console's Windows-derived partition, which is used chiefly for apps such as movie services and Skype. That's not the idea at all, according to Microsoft Studios boss Phil Spencer.

The contrary claim comes from Brian Provinciano, developer of the excellent Retro City Rampage (via Engadget). "I'm very happy to see this. After all of the developers have spoken out, they're finally listening. However, this is yet another example of them changing policy, but it sounding better than it is when the whole story is revealed.

"Make no mistake; while this is a great thing, it's again not the equivalent to what other platforms offer. On PS4, for example, developers can tap right into the system; use every bit of RAM and all of its power. Indies have access to everything that the AAA studios do, from platform support to development and release.

"The indication on Xbox One is that it's essentially XBLIG 2.0. Instead of XNA, it's Windows 8. Windows 8, which is already struggling to gain developer interest, will gain a boost from developers wishing to target the console. However, it won't be as full-fledged as published games on the system."

John @GeorgeTeV

@XboxP3 So do indie devs get access to the bigger pool of RAM? Or are we limited to the 3GB in the windows partition?

 Phil Spencer @XboxP3

@GeorgeTeV Goals is to allow devs access to full pool of resources available, no indie RAM limit.

He also shed a bit more light on how game "discoverability" on Xbox One will work - an important question, given the lack of prominence allotted to the Xbox Live Indie channel on Xbox 360.

Showan Watson @ShowanW

@XboxP3 @Polygon @MikeMcWhertor so now Xbox Live becomes a junkyard? And you're fine with that?... smh

 Phil Spencer @XboxP3

@ShowanW @Polygon @MikeMcWhertor We are committed to creating a search tools and marketplace pivots to allow you to find games you'll like.

10:51 PM - 24 Jul 2013

Captain Squiggly @captainsquiggly

@XboxP3 How will indie games gain more promotion in the marketplace for X1 exactly?

 Phil Spencer @XboxP3

@captainsquiggly More details to come.  Likely pivot is "Most Popular" giving you a view of what people are buying regardless of how pub'd

3:01 PM - 25 Jul 2013

Finally, there's the following defence of cloud processing (one of Xbox One's more-touted USPs).

HellspawnRei @HellspawnRei

@XboxP3 

Nice,next thing is to keep first party games(story modes)playable offline.

What Sony stated.

Keep Cloud for multiplayer modes only.

 Phil Spencer @XboxP3

@HellspawnRei Cloud for multiplayer only modes is a mistake, can have dramatic impact to SPCs.  Give creators the tools, they'll decide.

10:54 PM - 24 Jul 2013

HellspawnRei @HellspawnRei

@XboxP3 Can also have dramatic impact on game sales too.Gamers want to play their single player offline.I wish 1st party games stick to that

 Phil Spencer @XboxP3

@HellspawnRei Leaderboards, ghosts etc. are features that come from a connection. Not required features but can make single player better.

1:13 AM - 25 Jul 2013

http://www.oxm.co.uk/59041/microsoft-doesnt-want-to-limit-indie-xbox-one-ram-access-everybody-gets-full-pool-of-resources/

why wouldn't they get access to all the RAM?

If anyone can develop any game freely, it's called a PC.

http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/24/xbox-one-indie-self-publishing/
"I have no interest in even buying an Xbox One, let alone developing for it."

Why would people ask a dev who states that he hated working with Microsoft, is not developing for Microsoft's console, and has no plans to buy Microsoft's console for this policy?

generally speaking it wouldn't really be that big of a deal since indie games aren't really lookers (tech-wise speaking ofcourse)

Independent developers can be any level of quality.  Independent just means you're publishing without a publisher, not that you can't create awesome games.

Bethesda is independent.  It's publisher is its owner, ZeniMax.  Even though it has a publisher, the people at Bethesda actually handle the entire publishing process as well.  ZeniMax simply provides funding until the project is complete.

In fact, ZeniMax was co-founded after Bethesda Softworks by the founder of Bethesda and a lawyer.

As I mentioned in another thread, the reason why Microsoft wants a publisher for certain games is to ensure rights to distribute and have a place to send checks, then let them (not Microsoft necessarily) sort out who gets what.  A publisher literally just needs to be a lawyer and an address.

No, a PC is an open system.  A developer, if they want can require features to be added to the OS on an open system by installing them.

A console is a closed system.  You can access outside services, but you can't add unsupported features to the OS nor are there any uninstalled features that you can install as necessary.

A good example is, if you develop your game with Java.  On a PC, you can install the particular Java version you need, even if it is a dangerous security hole.   You can't install Java on the Xbox One. 

Generally speaking yes. But you're using the literal definition. Not the definition the industry uses for indie games. No one in the industy would say skyrim is an indie game. No one would say Final Fantasy is an indie game. Those games wouldn't be limited by Microsofts "Hypothetical barrier" so  thus wouldn't be included in M$ definition of indie.

What game has amazing production values, that fits what the industry typically uses the term indie?

But they will be limited in some way so that apps can't escape the vm for security- and hacking-reasons,

Open system = runs arbitrary code. Develop any game freely = run arbitrary code. They're the same statement.

If you have enough access to code for the platform without needing to go via MS licensing, you can bundle the Java libraries/runtime or whatever with your code. You can add features by manually coding them for the CPU or the GPU shader compiler. 

There is no such thing as an OS feature any more if you add it to the game code. Any programmer can tell you that.