14 DAY TRIAL // Developer Team Dakota has announced the commencement of the Project Spark open beta on the Xbox One platform, which allows all Xbox One owners to join the tool's testing phase without having to possess a beta code.
Project Spark debuted its closed beta on the platform two weeks ago, and it appears that things went smoothly, as now those interested in trying out the much-hyped game creation tool can install Project Spark directly from the Xbox One store. The game is still in closed beta on PC for now, and there is currently no word on if and when the transition to open beta will roll out.
The robust Project Spark takes advantage of the unique features of the Xbox One, such as the Kinect's voice capabilities and Microsoft's SmartGlass to issue commands and interact with the game world. Players can even record their own voice overs and the Kinect will track their movement and translate it into the game world, allowing them to bring various characters to life on their own, without requiring any skills in animation.
Users can program the behavior of various in-game objects and create varied terrain types, from rivers with waterfalls to prairies and mountains, using the multitude of layout options and the numerous visual representations that the game making tool offers them.
So far, beta users have created games which vary greatly in both scope and presentation, from board games and real-time strategy to adventures and platformers, breaking any expectation that the team originally had for how people would use their tool.
With the opening of the flood gates for the Project Spark beta, the developers expect a much larger number of users to join the ranks of those toying around with their game, resulting in more people having an impact on the final build of their creation and the continuous refinement of the toolset afforded to players in order for them to craft their own unique fantasy worlds.
Some users who were already in the beta key request queue may experience some difficulties getting into the game, and may need to click the Request Beta Key button again, then exit and relaunch the application in order to get in for the first time, as MajorNelson points out.
Team Dakota plans to release the full version of Project Spark sometime later this year, as a free to play title which will not require an Xbox Live Gold subscription.