Snake360 Early FAQ - Last updated: 11/05/2008

What is Snake360?

Snake360 will be one of the first games available on the upcoming Xbox LIVE Community Games service. On a basic level, it plays similarly to Snake games you have seen before. Snake360, however, will have all-new 3-D graphics, over 200 levels, challenging gameplay for players of all ages and skill levels, and loads of features including both cooperative and competitive multiplayer, making it the most entertaining Snake experience ever.

What is Xbox LIVE Community Games?

Xbox LIVE Community Games is an exciting new service from Microsoft, becoming available exclusively on Xbox 360 on November 19th, 2008. Using the freely-available XNA toolset, anyone with the desire, know-how, resources and time can create a game and upload it to the service. The game then undergoes a peer review, after which it can be made available to millions of Xbox LIVE subscribers!

The games that will be available through Xbox LIVE Community Games will both represent exciting, brand-new concepts from unique developers as well as re-imaginings of concepts gamers have seen before. Since there is no "greenlight" process, there will be no blocking of unique concepts, and no rejection of concepts that may already have a presence on Xbox LIVE but were poorly executed at an earlier time. Because the projects are handled and submitted by the developers themselves rather than a committee of executives at a large company, you won't be seeing rushed, sloppy games, half-finished execution or concepts that weren't fun from the start. And because the developers you'll see submitting Community Games are usually gamers themselves, it's almost a given that the games will be fun to play!

Thanks to its devoted developers, Xbox LIVE Community Games is going to revolutionize downloadable gaming. We've all seen the mixed quality and questionable value of many Xbox LIVE Arcade titles. We've also seen mixed quality and questionable value in the extremely limited offerings of PSN and WiiWare, along with the inability to try all games before you buy them.

I feel that Community Games, all by itself, will trump all other downloadable game services in quantity, quality and value for money, will provide many hours of enjoyment for Xbox 360 gamers for many years, and will send Sony scrambling to throw together a comparable alternative. Game developers are opening a channel directly to the players...all games can be sampled before purchase...a great selection and great quality are practically certain...and the games carry affordable price tags. Community Games will help make this a great holiday season for Xbox 360 gamers, and this is only the beginning!

What makes Snake360 different from other Snake games?

Most of Snake360's differences are not in the gameplay itself, but in the features and challenges present. Rather than try to create a full 3-D experience, or add potentially confusing "portals" or traps, Snake360's core gameplay focuses on the tried-and-true 2-D concept of collecting targets while avoiding walls and the snake itself. 3-D graphics are used to bring the game to life, and multiple camera views can be selected.

Over two hundred single-player levels will be present. All of these levels can also be played cooperatively with a partner. Or, you can try the new, addictive Battle mode for up to 4 players! All of this can be enjoyed alongside a pumping soundtrack from SCI Recordings! But these few sentences barely scratch the surface of what Snake360 offers.

What does Snake360 offer to hardcore players?

Snake360 offers multiple difficulty settings. Each level has as many versions as there are difficulties, and harder versions add additional walls and obstacles. On top of this, at harder settings the snake will grow longer after eating targets, and certain restrictions on where targets can be placed are lifted. The most difficult levels in the game will prove challenging even to arcade game veterans, and there are lots of them!

Snake360 also features a scoring system heavily based on the "risk vs. reward" principle. Collecting targets scores points, but turning directly into targets scores an additional bonus. More complex turns increase this bonus. Players that perform these manuevers will score significantly more points than those that do not. However, the more complex these manuevers become, the higher the risk of crashing. Completing levels without crashing will earn a fairly large bonus for survival. There will be many situations where players are forced to decide between trying for a "quick move" bonus and risking the survival bonus, or playing it safe. But to earn the highest possible scores, players will have to take these risks!

There are also additional modes for even more challenge: Survival mode, where players attempt to last as long as possible in a single level on one life, and Marathon mode, an endurance mode that will test nerves as well as reflexes. And of course, Battle mode will pit players against each other for endless challenge and fun. Finally, players can compete for high scores using the online leaderboards! There is a lot to do in Snake360, even for the most hardcore players!

What does Snake360 offer to casual players?

Snake360 offers a familiar concept to many casual players familiar with Snake games. For these players, and for novices or kids, there are also additional features to make gameplay easier.

When lined up with a target, the controller will vibrate slightly. This feedback greatly helps judge a player's position in relation to a target, even when they are on opposite sides of the screen. If desired, this feature can be turned off. There will also be an optional visual guide for lining up with targets, available on the "Easy" or "Normal" levels.

The "Easy" difficulty level features simple layouts and unlimited time, and will not place targets near a level's edges.

The "Easy" and "Normal" difficulty levels can be played at 50% speed, or with visual guides that extend from targets in all four directions. If players experience problems, the game will automatically offer to turn these feature on. (Games played with these features will not be eligible for high scores.)

Finally, a "Kid Mode" will enable players to touch obstacles without actually crashing. Then, the player has up to 3 seconds to turn before the crash actually occurs. (Games played with this feature will not be eligible for high scores.)

Snake360 offers casual-friendly features that will enable anyone to enjoy it!

What control schemes are available? I don't like the 360's d-pad.

Snake360 will allow you to use the D-pad, either of (or both of) the analog sticks, or the bumper buttons, but the method I recommend is to use the A/B/X/Y face buttons. This control method is the most precise and works great! You may turn off controls that you're not using in the options menu, so that bumping into them by mistake is not a factor.

Leaderboards aren't supported in Community Games. How will high scores be tracked?

Your own high scores will be tracked locally, saved on your Xbox 360 storage device of choice. When completing a game, you will be provided with a password. By entering this password in the Internet Ranking area of www.snake360.com, your score will be registered and added to the worldwide ranking. This method is somewhat primitive, but is the best solution that could be implemented within limited development time.

Achievements aren't supported in Community Games. Does Snake360 have anything similar?

Yes! There is a Goal Board with 12 distinctive goals to complete. The board will provide hints towards completing these goals. All goals have an associated unlockable feature that will become available when the goal is completed!

What resolutions are supported by Snake360?

Snake360 will run at 60 frames per second in any resolution the Xbox 360 supports, from 480i all the way up to 1080p--including all resolutions selectable when using a VGA HD AV Cable--and will automatically detect whether you are using a widescreen resolution or not. No upscaling or downscaling takes place; the game is rendered natively at your chosen resolution, no matter which. Snake360 looks great in high definition!

What languages will Snake360 support?

Snake360 will only be available in English at this time. If there is demand for a second version, I plan to offer support for several languages.

It is worth noting that besides the menus and options, there is not a significant amount of text in Snake360. It would most likely be possible for users in other countries to play Snake360 using either a simple translation guide or a basic knowledge of English.

What Xbox LIVE features does Snake360 support?

Unfortunately, due to the short amount of development time (nine months of one person's spare time), I am not able to include Xbox LIVE multiplayer features. I realize that online play is an important part of arcade-style games, but I would rather release a great, solid and fully-tested offline experience rather than a good offline experience with a shoddy online component tacked on.

I feel that Snake360's single-player features are quite extensive, and will be worth the purchase price all by themselves. Furthermore, I feel that the appeal of the game is widespread enough that the majority of players will have an opportunity to experience the multiplayer options in an offline setting. I hope to include online features in the future, if there is sufficient demand to release an updated version.

Will Snake360 be expanded in the future?

I would like to add full support for online multiplayer. Furthermore, my original plan would have included a tool to create levels, plus the ability to share created levels online, but I didn't have the necessary development time to include it. This would also be included in an expanded version or sequel, as well as additional new levels and new gameplay elements. I would release such an expanded version if there was a demand for it. If I am able to produce a version for Xbox LIVE Arcade in the future, that would also include full support for Leaderboards and Achievements.

How much will Snake360 cost? What will the trial version be like?

Snake360 will cost 400 Microsoft Points ($5). I feel that with its great set of modes and features, and its high replay value, it compares favorably to Xbox LIVE Arcade games at the same price point.

The trial version will allow the first course to be played in single-player mode on three unique difficulties, and will allow access to Battle Mode on a single level for two players. Please note that all Xbox LIVE Community Games' trial modes also run on a timer; when the time expires, the trial will end. (Please don't ask me what the time limit is; I have no idea.)

When, exactly, will Snake360 be released?

The Xbox LIVE Community Games service will launch on Wednesday, November 19th. Snake360 should be available by that time!

Do you plan to port this game to other platforms (WiiWare, PSN, etc.)?

At this time, the XNA toolset's availability and ease of use make Xbox LIVE Community Games a much more viable platform for independent developers than any other current-generation console.

At the moment, I have a full-time job that does not involve the gaming industry, and my free time is limited. I do not have the means or budget required to start a company (as is required for WiiWare), nor do I have the desire to spend hours working with unfamiliar tools creating something that may or may not translate into a game that can be released. With Community Games, the tools are easy to use, and the release is guaranteed.

After Snake360's release, if I am offered the necessary resources to produce versions for other consoles, I will certainly consider doing so. If not, my time will be better spent creating an expanded version of Snake360--or other completely unrelated projects--for Community Games.

When will media (screenshots, videos, etc.) of Snake360 be released?

I will continue to release screenshots and videos when possible. Expect a big update on the day of the game's launch!

Who are you?

I am a 28-year-old aspiring game programmer currently working in IT at a non-profit agency. I've been playing video games almost as long as I've been alive, and would love to work in the industry. My dream is to create games that are enjoyed all over the world... and if Snake360 is a big success, I'll be able to quit my job and write games for a living. So if you'd like to see more games like Snake360, please consider purchasing it! I hope that you'll enjoy playing it!

I hope that this FAQ has piqued your interest, and I hope you're looking forward to the launch of Community Games--and Snake360's release--as much as I am!

-Aaron

Snake360 (C) 2008 Aaron Teplitsky. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox LIVE, Xbox LIVE Arcade, Xbox LIVE Community Games, Sony, PSN and WiiWare are either trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Neither Snake360 nor Aaron Teplitsky are endorsed by or affiliated with Microsoft Corporation, or any other game console manufacturers.