14 DAY TRIAL // Game development will never be the same following the introduction of Kodu, previously dubbed Boku, a Microsoft Research project developed by Matthew MacLaurin, principal program manager. This spring, the software giant plans to release Kodu, a game that will be made available via the Xbox Live Community Games channel, but also much more than just a game, more specifically a development solution capable of permitting virtually anyone to develop games, irrespective of the knowledge in programming. At the same time, Kodu, demoed at the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), is a learning tool aimed at children and set up to allow them to seamlessly assimilate programming skills while in fact playing.
“It started as a way to help kids learn how to program, but what it’s turned into is a way to not only learn how to program, but to create your own games,” Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices Division, stated. At the bottom of this article you willk be able to find an embedded video showing a demo of Kudo, courtesy of a 12-year-old girl named Sparrow.
Delivering programming as a creative medium, Kudo is a visual programming icon-based language that can be used with an Xbox 360 controller. There are a variety of characters available, as well as an interactive terrain builder, a patch editor, and additional tools.
“We wanted to share with kids the ways in which programming is fun,” MacLaurin said. “We consider it a game and a creative tool, and I think one of the things that makes it magical is that it is both. [Kudo] is great. I’ve spent a lot of my career in research, incubations, and commercial projects,” he explained. “So much of the time you have to choose (between) the thing that’s really cutting edge, or the thing that’s going to ship. This crosses over both.”
Because of its unique programming user interface, Kudo can be “tackled” by very young children, who will be able to build their own games mostly intuitively. According to Microsoft, Kudo will be made available not only on the Xbox 360 console, but also on the PC.
“For kids, it’s super empowering. They spend so much time in these game worlds and don’t get to have any say in how the game looks or feels,” MacLaurin added. “Now they can build something that’s really new. That’s the most exciting thing for me – they really do appreciate the creative empowerment.”