XBOX SQL
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XBOX SQL
I caught this news article on XBOX development this week, mostly because my son is still looking for that XBOX 360 and we're still giving one away (more on that later).
Anyway, this was interesting because apparently Microsoft is giving away a kit to allow you to build your own game. Well not me, and probably not most of you, but for the talented developers out there, it's probably a new way to try something different. It also gives Microsoft an interesting way to compete with EA, Bungie, and some other large game developers out there without investing millions on each title. This way they can let the community build games, potentially sell them online, and Microsoft keeps a little profit.
Plus they get some gamer/developers to buy an XBOX instead of a Playstation. I think it's cool. So in line with that, with more development taking place on the XBOX platform...
Should the XBOX include SQL Server?
I mean it's a cut down, customized version of Windows. It's got a lot of similarities, and there's a hard drive, so should SQL Server Express, Anywhere, or CE editions be placed on the platform for use by all developers?
I'm not sure about this. Part of the issue is that you don't want separate instances installed. From my experience, with our Gamefly membership, my son has played about 40 games this year and I expect that if we needed new instances we'd run out of space quickly. I suppose some standards could be created, maybe a separate db per game developer and limit the size of each database to some number of MB.
The other thing is that maintenance needs to be simplified. I think SQL Server is a great data store, but it doesn't run without a DBA, at least not out of the box. The guys at Microsoft would need to build some pretty bulletproof maintenance plans for this to work.
In either case, I'm curious to see what you think.
Steve Jones
Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/way0utwest
Forum Etiquette: How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help
My Blog: www.voiceofthedba.com -
This technology is great there is no doubt. The quality of the games and the units that run them are worlds above what was available when I grew up playing PAC-Man. However, having two kids and them wanting one of these I look at how expensive they are.. I mean... it takes $500 to get the gaming machine and one game. I have heard the PS3 will be even more expensive. For 10 year old kids this is a problem, for adults maybe not. It seems like there needs to be a stripped down gaming machine. Maybe it is just me.
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XBOX is as bad as having credit cards. You can't get enough and they take over your life.
Cut the cord and the cards and go back to living life with your family.
[font="Arial"]Clifton G. Collins III[/font]
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Hehe
After a long week of bug squashing and pest control, finally the friday comes, you sit in front of your XBox 360, download a new game found on XBox Live, install it (hopefully painless) and you start to play, after a short time, a unexpected screen pops up: "Uncaught exception: SQLServerException... bla bla bla"
NOooooOOOoooOOoOOOooo!!!!one!!!eleven
Mike Rod
PS: The bugs! they are all over me! get off me!
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I think this is a great idea. As the article states, it will bring in many more ideas and eventually allow the big game writting companies to see what styles people like most and expand on them. Unfortunately, allowing people to write software also means people will be writting viruses.
Maybe there could be some sort of very limited SQL access to amature developers so they aren't allowed to do as much damage as a company who does better software testing.
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Shoud the XBOX include SQL Server ? --> Why ?!?!?!? does an XBOX need it ???
Anyone who has a computer and the internet can already download the developer edition of SQL Server if not the 'Express' version.
RegardsRudy KomacsarSenior Database Administrator"Ave Caesar! - Morituri te salutamus."
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There is absolutely no use for SQL Server in the XNA architecture - it has a different set of libraries even though it is based on .NET 2.0. You would also find it very difficult to write a virus using the gaming engine used by XNA because, "In the initial release there will be no way of shipping precompiled binaries to other XBox 360 players. Instead, others wishing to run the game must have access to the source code and their own membership in the 'creators club' program." In other words, you have to pay your $99 and register. And if you did pay the fee and register and release a virus, the FBI would know where to find you and arrest you.
Joshua Perry
http://www.greenarrow.net -
You've got a point with the membership fee and tracking. But you know that eventually, if it becomes popular enough, copies of the compiler will find their way to the web; or someone will figure out how to write their own. But I agree with you that, at least in the beginning, the program should be fairly resistent to my fears.
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What we need is a product with the some of the power of SQL Server (think sprocs and true relational data) with the ease of distribution of Access. SQL Express with User Instances comes close, but we need something even simpler. We need a more powerful Access. This becomes an issue every time I think of writing a simple desktop app but do not want to use Access.
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