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Microsoft helping Dev, with free kits

No one is debating that. Some people are taking issue with others who are trying to frame Sony running out as a negative.

Sony started the whole "free dev kits" thing, and then MS jumped on the bandwagon. Sony ran out before MS did, so now we're supposed to praise them for their superior, indy-friendly policies, while ignoring the continued parity clause, which is still in full effect according to CVS.

"Holy shit at this thread," indeed.

You say it like most people here are saying that, and it isn't the case.

So what Sony ran out? And so what Microsoft is doing the same Sony was? Like someone said above, the one losing is the one that has to adapt. Sony made a fuck ton of bullshit decisions with the PS3 and they had to adapt, taking a lot of pages form Microsoft 360's book along the way, and that's why the PS4 is so good now. Microsoft fucked up with the Xbox One, and now they're adapting (fast), just like Sony did last gen.

It's good news for developers and for us, gamers, regardless.
 
If I were these developers I would hand those developer kits back and tell them that I will NOT accept it because they're only giving it to me because they have low sales.
 
You say it like most people here are saying that, and it isn't the case.
Well, it's the basic premise of the OP, and even if only one person is saying it, so what? I'm not allowed to respond?

So what Sony ran out? And so what Microsoft is doing the same Sony was? Like someone said above, the one losing is the one that has to adapt. Sony made a fuck ton of bullshit decisions with the PS3 and they had to adapt, taking a lot of pages form Microsoft 360's book along the way, and that's why the PS4 is so good now. Microsoft fucked up with the Xbox One, and now they're adapting (fast), just like Sony did last gen.
Because it's ironic that someone would try to praise MS for effectively just being late to the party, which is exactly what happened.

What "bullshit decisions" did Sony make with the PS3? The only one I can think of is selling over $800 worth of hardware for less than $600, and while that probably wasn't the best decision they could've made, I don't see that as an example of them attempting to screw us over, like MS did with their DRM and market-research cam. Trying to draw parallels between Sony and MS is a false equivalency; they're not the same.

It's good news for developers and for us, gamers, regardless.
Again, no one is disputing that. The more people that can play a game, the better. That's why Microsoft's parity clause is such bullshit, and some are wondering why we should be praising them at all.


Ehhh, I don't think I can say. I don't know if they're out of loaner kits or not either, won't be a problem either way but we'll see what happens.
lol Right on. Well, I certainly don't wanna get you in to any trouble. <3
 
If I were these developers I would hand those developer kits back and tell them that I will NOT accept it because they're only giving it to me because they have low sales.

What exactly do you base this on exactly? What does low sales have to do with anything? I doubt there are many developers that will reject free dev kits, especially not those who aren't in a position to buy dev kits as required by other console manufacturer(s?)
 
If I were these developers I would hand those developer kits back and tell them that I will NOT accept it because they're only giving it to me because they have low sales.

Is this a serious post? You do realise the ID@XBOX program has been around for quite a while now, before the gap between the XB1 and PS4 became as significant? In fact, I'm pretty sure they announced it formally at gamescom last year.

Low sales is some impressive exaggeration on your part.
 
If I were these developers I would hand those developer kits back and tell them that I will NOT accept it because they're only giving it to me because they have low sales.

What? They are getting their game onto another platform without incurring more costs. What does Microsoft's sales of their system have to do with anything?
 
If I were these developers I would hand those developer kits back and tell them that I will NOT accept it because they're only giving it to me because they have low sales.
If you were a developer you should avoid every console, because your reasoning could be applied also to Sony and Nintendo. Why do you think they started to give out free dev kits?
Because they've seen gamers are interested in indie games and MS had more success in courting them in the previous generation. So, exactly like MS is doing now [EDIT: it seems it's more like "for the last few months", recently they added the Unity Pro license, AFAIK also given by Nintendo and Sony], they started to give out free dev kits because they were playing catch up.
 
If I were these developers I would hand those developer kits back and tell them that I will NOT accept it because they're only giving it to me because they have low sales.

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I swear, reading internet forums has convinced me that some people work very hard to find things to be offended about.
 
No one is debating that. Some people are taking issue with others who are trying to frame Sony running out as a negative.

Sony started the whole "free dev kits" thing, and then MS jumped on the bandwagon. Sony ran out before MS did, so now we're supposed to praise them for their superior, indy-friendly policies, while ignoring the continued parity clause, which is still in full effect according to CVS.

"Holy shit at this thread," indeed.
Is this true? I thought Nintendo did.
I found this news from April of last year: https://twitter.com/TronKnotts/statuses/320243046916706304
Jonathan Holmes @TronKnotts
Hearing more and more stories of Nintendo giving developers free Wii U dev kits. I hope devs take advantage of that. Could lead to victories
Most of the news I found for Sony doing the same starts in July of last year: http://www.polygon.com/2013/7/24/4553842/so-how-much-does-it-cost-to-develop-for-playstation-4
 
Is there any reason PSNow can't act as a dev kit? You download the necessary PC dev software, compile it and run it on the cloud.

An oversimplification of course.
 
If I were these developers I would hand those developer kits back and tell them that I will NOT accept it because they're only giving it to me because they have low sales.

And as a consumer I would have boycotted your team for finding me and other Xbox One owners "irrelevant to develop for".
 
Is this true? I thought Nintendo did.
I found this news from April of last year: https://twitter.com/TronKnotts/statuses/320243046916706304

Most of the news I found for Sony doing the same starts in July of last year: http://www.polygon.com/2013/7/24/4553842/so-how-much-does-it-cost-to-develop-for-playstation-4
Oh, I dunno. To be honest, I generally don't pay much attention to Nintendo. :p

I just remembered Sony getting a ton of praise heaped on them for giving out dev kits, followed by MS saying they planned to do the same. I have no idea when Sony actually started passing out kits, or whether that was before or after Nintendo started. I'd guess after, simply because they launched later.
That's my new guess, now that I know Ninty did it too. lol
I just know the MS announcement came directly after Sony's praise, so it seems safe to assume it was in response to said praise. /shrug
 
Sorry! <3!!

Hey no worries, I wasn't offended, I was just teasing with the "ouch!" comment ;).

I thought you had a good point, though as I said, it would be grossly unprofessional of Sony to go about it in that way. It wouldn't surprise me much for any of these companies to do that though. We're just a 2-man studio, frankly I'm shocked any of the console manufacturers gave us the time of day. Its truly a sign of the changing times that we are even licensed to develop for any of the consoles at all, let alone all of them.

That said, I fully intend to call them on it if I get confirmation of other indie devs getting loaner kits that asked for them after we did. Our main purpose in porting to other platforms is demand from fans, not pursuit of profits, so I have no qualms about taking a company to task if they are jerking us and our fans/their userbase around. I'm still choosing to believe that its not the case here though.
 
Man I don't think I could have made it any more obviously sarcastic could I?

I actually feel kind of bad that people thought it was a serious post.
 
Hey no worries, I wasn't offended, I was just teasing with the "ouch!" comment ;).

I thought you had a good point, though as I said, it would be grossly unprofessional of Sony to go about it in that way. It wouldn't surprise me much for any of these companies to do that though. We're just a 2-man studio, frankly I'm shocked any of the console manufacturers gave us the time of day. Its truly a sign of the changing times that we are even licensed to develop for any of the consoles at all, let alone all of them.

That said, I fully intend to call them on it if I get confirmation of other indie devs getting loaner kits that asked for them after we did. Our main purpose in porting to other platforms is demand from fans, not pursuit of profits, so I have no qualms about taking a company to task if they are jerking us and our fans/their userbase around. I'm still choosing to believe that its not the case here though.
Yeah, at first blush, it did seem odd they'd approach you "empty handed," so to speak, but after thinking about it some more, it does make some sense. Like I said, they do need to curate, but they also need to actively attract content to the platform, and that means inviting people to the party, even if all the free candy is already gone.

Specifically regarding the lack of said candy, that kind of makes sense too. We tend to forget, but these are businesses, and business have accountants. At some point, a quarterly or lump sum budget for this "promotion," was probably decided, and that's that. Or maybe they were celebrating their 1000th unit, and Kaz sent out a memo saying, "Okay, guys, this is getting a little crazy…" If the candy is starting to dry up though, it would be nice if they could figure out a way to extend/expand the program.

Regardless, it does suck that you weren't able to get in on the action. Hopefully, you guys make enough money to be able to afford some dev kits, and Ferraris! lol
Not port begging; I barely even know what this game is!! :p
 
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