BeatIT!

Beat IT! was the first game I developed for the Xbox LIVE Indie Games channel for the Xbox 360 using XNA. This was written in the C# programming language and developed from concept to release by myself. On this project, I was responsible for all elements of the games development, including design, programming, creating art assets, creating sound effect and music, and testing. The game was released across Europe and America over Xbox LIVE in 2008.

About the Game

Beat IT! is described as "The Ultimate Pad Passing Party Game". It is a 1-8 player party game, based on performing "Quick Time Event (QTE)" style actions to the rhythm of a song or beat, while also passing a single game controller between the players in a "Hot Potato" fashion. A player gains points bassed on the timing / accuracy of the QTE, and loses lives if they miss their queue in the beat, or fail to perform the QTE before the next beat. As players progress, the beat gets faster and faster. The winner is the player left holding the controller.

Skills and Experiences

The concept was to make a game that utilised the wireless control pad of the Xbox 360 in a unique way, as at the time the Nintendo Wii had exploded onto the scene offering many unique "controller based" game concepts. The scope of the project was very important. As I was developing the entire game on my own, I had to keep the design robust and simple, with scope for expanding later. It is easy to "bite off more than you can chew" when presented with the freedom to develop an entrely new video game. I was aware of this, so decided to keep the concept fairly simple in order to ensure that I could finish it, and expand on it later.

I learned many skills on this project. Firstly, I was educated in the C++ Programming language, mostly using Direct X for game development at University. However, Beat IT! was developed using C# and the XNA application programming interface. These were entirely new to me, but I picked them up very quickly, and was able to tech myself how to use these tools very proficiently to develop this game.

Every project presents unique challenges. Since I was responsible for the entire project, I had to delve into all areas of the development process' including things I would not normally work on, such as art and audio. All of the games assets were created from scratch, and to a high visual style. The game itself, I feel is well presented and supports HD graphics and runs on a "current generation" platform. The visual style of the game very much reflects the gameplay. It is bright and vibrant and fun.