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210°

Kodu doesn't have realistic graphics, huge explosions, or even a way to win. But it just might change the way we think about the world

"The starting position on video games is skepticism," said New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof in his keynote address to this May's Games for Change Conference in New York City. In its sixth year, the conference is a gathering of developers, academics, and activists intent on using the medium of games for social and educational messages. Kristof was there to discuss his forthcoming social-networking game-an extension of his work on gender inequality and an endorsement of games as something more than mindless entertainment. "I think the way to change that perception is just the record of success in connecting to audiences," he said.

But on what level are games connecting? The game industry's roughly $26 billion a year in software sales is on par with Hollywood's yearly box-office receipts, but the public conception of games remains closer to checkers than to Citizen Kane.

That perception may begin to change next Tuesday when Microsoft Research is slated to release Kodu for Xbox 360. Using terrain-drawing tools and an intuitive graphical programming language, players can design, play, and share a wide variety of 3D games

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matt247 - contributor
Published: 156 days 18 hours ago | News | Xbox 360 | PC | Industry News

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TOO PAWNED - 156 days 21 hours ago

1 -

"But it just might change the way we think about the world" - ridiculous

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1.1 kratos123 | 156 days 20 hours ago - deleted by mod -

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lokin - 156 days 18 hours ago

1.2 - looks promising

though its not meant for hardcore gamers, it actually looks very promising when you want to get into programming. Propably basic, but everyone has to start somewhere

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Kigmal - 156 days 17 hours ago

1.3 -

I'm not really interested in games like these.

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Pebbz16 - 156 days 15 hours ago

1.4 - @lokin

How the hell does this look promising?

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Tony Scarboni - 156 days 13 hours ago

1.5 - Rip off of lbp?

Not surprised, MS doesn't have an original bone in their body, kinda like the way they bribed Cell engineers to come work on their new i7 chip, which is basically just a rip off of the cell, or the way Windows is just a rip off of MacOS. I just can't understand how people support this company.

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1.6 Axecution | 156 days 8 hours ago - User only got 1 bubble - Show

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lokin - 156 days 5 hours ago

1.7 - @pepz

well lets see. You create your own game world, where characters does what you tell them to do, where you decide whats going on. And at the end you learn programming basics. This sounds like fun for smaller kids and I think we will se a few creative things coming from this. With XNA and Kodu, MS is doing a greate job in getting people in programming. like I said PROMISING

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zagibu - 155 days 21 hours ago

1.8 -

@Tony: I can see why you say Microsoft is not an innovative company, but they still don't have anything to do with Intel's i7 platform.

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Pebbz16 - 155 days 16 hours ago

1.9 - @lookin

"And at the end you learn programming basics. This sounds like fun for smaller kids" Programming will be fun for kids??? Riiiight....

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life doomer - 156 days 20 hours ago

2 -

The game looks stupid. This game is not worth buying if your a hardcore gamer.

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i3eyond the Circle - 156 days 17 hours ago

3 -

It's not a game.

More like a Dev Kit for beginners.

I've read about its simplicity and seen a demo done by a child.

I don't expect it to be a blockbuster hit.

I feel that MSFT is slowly working up the Casual ladder and Xbox360 has many of creative players to utilize the tools available in Kodu.

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Mike134nl - 155 days 23 hours ago

3.1 -

Kinda interested in kodu, assuming that you will need to own this editor to access the created content (games) the success will most definitely stand or fall by the created content.

I know kodu is aimed for children below 18, but I am sure there is also a smaller mature market interested in messing around with kodu.
from the demos I have seen you can make things as complex as you want.

But I don't expect by any means that this game will sell millions, unless Microsoft convinces every parent that kodu can make their children smarter or manages to make this a new learning method/class (worldwide).

Also kinda interesting to see a title like this also comming to the xbox 360 and not only the pc.

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4 No_NaMe | 156 days 17 hours ago - deleted by mod -

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Elvfam511 - 156 days 16 hours ago

4.1 - .

Because there the same right

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poeo - 156 days 16 hours ago

4.2 -

yeah, im sure it will be better... many GOTY awards inbound.

ohh and LBP is cheap as hell.

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blahblahblah2 - 156 days 16 hours ago

4.3 -

LBP is a GAME. This is more of visual programming. Stop trolling.

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KionicWarlord222 - 156 days 17 hours ago

5 -

It looks ok . Definitely not realistic graphics. But i will try it out.

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Mike134nl - 155 days 23 hours ago

5.1 -

me too if I have some spare time, though will propably try the pc version

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josh14399 - 156 days 16 hours ago

6 -

its not even worth using this. its better to download a development kit online and use a lot of tutorials to make more advanced stuff

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green - 156 days 16 hours ago

6.1 -

It's meant for children not adults or are you a child?This is something i would love for my nephew to try out.

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NMC2007 - 156 days 15 hours ago

6.2 - @ green

Oh ho oh ho ho ho man, I have been asking myself that question since I first learned about this god forsaken website, thanks for that Slave2dController you mothe...... but yeah, I think there are a lot of children on this site and if there aren't, then may god have mercy on our souls.

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7 dogmeat eater | 156 days 14 hours ago - deleted by mod -

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life doomer - 156 days 14 hours ago

8 - @No_NaMe

lbp was worth the money but, this piece of **** is truly meant for little kids. And stop supporting kodu, lbp is in a league of it's own. Both titles shouldn't even belong in the same sentence. You're just afraid to face the truth. This article=bull****.

By the way, your fanboy is showing and you certainly act like a 12 year old.

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Kushan - 156 days 14 hours ago

9 - Such hostility...

I want to know why so many of you are acting so hostile towards this little project. Lets face it, it's evidently not really a "game", it's quite clearly a learning tool and what's more, it's a learning tool aimed primarily at CHILDREN. And it's only $5. How many "games" have you ever paid $5 for and got a GOTY smash hit?

This project isn't just interesting, it's fairly important. Just imagine all the kids that might try this and a lot of them will invariably come up with a few cool little games. Maybe nothing amazing to me or you, but they'll have learned some of the most improtant rules of programming - logic and program flow. Get that into their heads at a very early age and in a few years time they'll be primed and ready to become great little developers. More developers, more talanted developers is only a good thing. I mean, think of all the games you've played over the last 12 months and when you really think about it, quite a lot of them have some invariably bad design decisions. This tool is a great way for future developers, that are only little whippersnappers right now, to learn about those little "mistakes" before they ever make them. Before they even write their first "hello world!" program. To ne, that's worth $5 and I wish I had soemthing like that when I was 12.

Oh and anyone who tries to compare it to LBP evidently doesn't "get" it.

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dogmeat eater - 156 days 14 hours ago

9.1 - kind of like alice

Alice is also free http://www.alice.org/

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Kushan - 156 days 14 hours ago

9.2 -

I'd never heard of that before, but it's pretty cool.

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Tony P - 156 days 13 hours ago

9.3 -

Yeah, Alice has been around for a while. Kodu devs actually have them linked among others on their MS research page. It's not a competition. The main difference between the programs is Kodu is set up for gamers. There's no typing or anything, it's all done with your 360 controller. I guess they want it there on XBL so kids will see it in the context of a cool new malleable game instead of homework.

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dogmeat eater - 156 days 14 hours ago

10 - ah I see

Its a small game thats trying to copy LBP. Gotcha
Edit: Actually its an alice rip off.

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Tony P - 156 days 13 hours ago

10.1 -

Oh, I see, you weren't trying to be helpful above, but trying to imply the Kodu devs 'ripping off' a learning tool. Well, that's disappointing.

Especially since I've mentioned they acknowledge Alice and other programs right there on the front page: http://research.microsoft.c...

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bjornbear - 156 days 14 hours ago

11 - looks interesting =) nothing that hasn't been done before...

But its still looks like a good incentive =) getting user generated content to start from early age.

I think this is going to be a cool project =) quit the bashing! The gaming world needs things like this to reinvent itself...it won't change the way we see the world though...=P

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12 Axecution | 156 days 8 hours ago - User only got 1 bubble - Show

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Cajun Chicken - 156 days 6 hours ago

13 -

Ah, so this is coming out rather soon? Confirmed as free app or do we have to pay?

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The Gamer Zone is for members who want a more friendly and civilized discussion. This section is heavily moderated by the N4G staff, so leave your fanboyism at the door please. Members who are unable to behave in a mature and respectful manner will be temporarily or permanently restricted from posting in the Gamer Zone. Using words such as Xbots and Sony droids, or other words from the console war vocabulary, is strictly prohibited in this Zone.
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Jack Klugman - 156 days 17 hours ago

1 -

ms innovates and the droids bring the hate. for children this will be a good tool to learn. you can let your kids become stupid on the ps3 and let them play eyemonkey or you can actually teach them something on the xbox 360.

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talltony - 156 days 16 hours ago

1.1 - no

ms and sony innovate and fanboys bring the hate! like YOU!

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Jack Klugman - 156 days 16 hours ago

1.2 - ^^^^^^

another droid bringing the hate.

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talltony - 156 days 16 hours ago

1.3 - droid???

Why dont you read your comment one more time before you say I'm bringing the hate.
"you can let your kids become stupid on the ps3 and let them play eyemonkey or you can actually teach them something on the xbox 360."

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1.4 OmarJA | 156 days 16 hours ago - User only got 1 bubble - Show

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ZOMBIEMAN1 - 156 days 16 hours ago

1.5 - Jack

you need to get your head out of your ass MS hasn't done any innovation lately and don't say Natal because it's not innovation Eye Toy and it's successor Playstation Eye were innovation both can do anything Natal can do also no PS3 owner brought hate here unless your a PS3 fanboy yourself than yeah PS3 fanboy brought the hate because your the only one that's hating here . on a side note MS just stick to what you do best providing hardcore games to hardcore gamers going casual won't be a smart choice

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Jack Klugman - 156 days 15 hours ago

1.6 -

look even more droids! the worst ones are the ones who pretend not to be like Omar and and talltitty here. zombie at least you dont hide your blind man love for sony and you lie with confidence. maybe you can teach these pre-droids? you did sort of puss out at the end but still bubble taking worthy.

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