Dear all, I was wondering how one might get a start developing for consoles. To be a viable console developer you would probably need to learn each new console before it was released. How can one do this? Are there tutorials and so on available somewhere? Thanks, Hamish

This should be in the FAQ. People ask it all the time

Here is the short version:

If you want to develop for the latest consoles (X-box, PS2, GameCube) you can forget all about it. The developer kits costs over 10.000$ (it costs 25.000$ for the PS2) and they only sell them to companies which they believe can make a full game.

Underground development kits do exist but using them will be a pain and I cannot recommend that you do so unless you also like to poke yourself with needles. Instead you should just stick to the PC.

If you want to work on the PS2 you might want to try out the Linux kit for the PS2 - but I have to point out that this will not allow you to make commercial class games for the PS2.

So the easiest way to do console development is to get a job at a software house.

If, however, you can accept to make games for the game boy advance then development kits are available for those for free (I think).

I think that pretty much sums it up.

[edited by - felonius on May 23, 2002 1:27:03 PM]

I guess that console developers gets technical specifications of the machine way before the public release of it (and maybe a pre-release version of the console hardware). And, I belive, the easiest way to get into console development is to prove yourself as a kick-ass gameprogrammer using your PC and then get employed by some company.. felonius, if I remember it correct, once stated that he infact is developing games for the PS2 so I guess he knows what he''s talking about....

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>> felonius, if I remember it correct, once stated that he infact is developing games for the PS2

yup that I do.

But I wouldn''t consider myself an expert consoler coder. I started with this only recently.

Thanks! That''s what I pretty much figured.

Cheers,
Hamish

Do you think a software company would be more likely to hire you if you have already developed for something like the gameboy advance?

CEO Plunder Studios

quote: Original post by felonius
yup that I do.

For a danish company ?? If yes, which one ? IO Interactive ?