Xbox Live Achievements and Leaderboards

I cannot seem to find any documentation on Microsoft's side as to where you register achievements. It does not seem to exist in any form on App Hub, and going to the developer section of Xbox.com just forwards you back to App Hub. I tried creating a new app to upload, hoping that the registration would be in the app settings like on iOS, but there is nothing here.

 

No, I cannot find any information on how to even get in contact with them.

 

WTF is wrong with Microsoft? I've been a fan of theirs for years but why make developers jump through so many hoops just to get some basic functionality that is a given on other platforms. Google Play Game Services, Game Center, even Amazon has their own services. Are they trying to lose?

I sent an message to the above email but I'm expecting a response to the tune of "You need to have a registered publisher in order to gain access to the SDK".

Unity for Windows Store and Windows Phone is a good step to getting indies in the mix but then they hamstring us and our games with below par functionality. Boo!

 

nikescar, a response would be the equivalent of winning the lottery. I have sent three or four inquiries to Microsoft since I first posted, about two months ago, and have not received a single response. If Microsoft wants me to care the least about their platform, then congratulations. Oh, wait, there's still BlackBerry - ok, second to least...

 

It makes me wonder if their "Indie Friendly" announcements about allowing anyone to develop for XboxOne were all fluff if they can't even make their existing platforms a viable indie destination. It'll be interesting to compare PS4 barrier to entry to XboxOne.

 

As an interesting aside, I got an automated email response from a Protiviti Inc. employee saying they would be out of the office. These emails aren't even handled internally at Microsoft. They have outside consultants that may or may not have even played a game before.

 

Might just jump in here with my question rather than start a new thread...

Is the Xbox Live platform for leaderboards and achievements universal across MS devices? i.e. if we're developing for Windows Phone 8 or Windows Store, is Xbox Live still what we use for that stuff (assuming any of us can get it working)?

 

No kidding, while I love a lot of MS dev tools, the blunt almost intensional lack of core game services for Indie devs on there NEW platforms is kind of a not so funny joke.
This is a policy that seams to stem from Xbox 360... a model for the last gen big players that doesn't play well with Phone and Tablets, and not even for next gen consoles. You would think with all the MS bashing thats been going on this policy would change sooner then later.

Its hard to say whats going on. To me it feels like a huge gap in the understanding from there marketing team in how smaller group development gets done... which is odd.. maybe they just don't understand how valuable there perception as a company is to the little guy, idk but I feel the pain.

They could learn from Unity3D

 

Yes, if you have a WP7, WP8, Win8 or Xbox360 you can see all your activity can be viewed from any device.

 

Cool. Like you guys though, I can't find anywhere in the Phone dev portal to actually set them up.

 

You go here: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/developers

So like "Tomas1856" said you can't get info on how to set them up without first getting the SDK from MS.

 

Q: I just want Xbox LIVE in my game. How do I do that?
A: At this time, Xbox LIVE services are only available to a specific list of publishing partners. Microsoft Studios is one publisher for Windows Phone. If you do not work with Microsoft Studios, you may work with any of the other approved publishing partners. Microsoft Studios does not manage the Xbox LIVE platform or services.

 

Because of this, at some point I may be setting up a cross platform Score and Achievement system in my ReignUnityPlugin that runs on Win8/WP8 and everything else directly in Unity's UI.

Sucks MS doesn't open this up a bit more though.