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How Aegis Wing shot its way into Xbox Live Arcade
- May 16, 2007 11:26 AM PST
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Today's free 2-D shooter, Aegis Wing, shows the world how the rise of grassroots development can make a childhood love of Voltron into the realization of a lifelong dream.
By Eugene Huang
Today's Xbox Live Arcade update contains the addition of two new games to the lineup, including the title Aegis Wing, which is being distributed to Xbox Live subscribers as a free download. But perhaps what's been lost in the commotion over the release of a free XBLA game is the story of how it was originally conceived.
According to a recent report on the Seattle Times, Aegis Wing was the brainchild of three former Microsoft interns, named Scott Brodie, Dany Dyer, and Matt Monson. Monson, who was then a student at Texas A&M University, requested the assembly of a small team of interns to develop a video game project. So, in the summer of 2005, he sent his pitch in the form of an e-mail to Microsoft's J Allard, who currently serves as the chief architect of XNA, the principle set of tools used in the development of Microsoft's games.
Allard liked the idea of an all-intern team, but development of the game didn't actually start until Monson returned to his internship position the following summer. By then, he was teamed with Brodie, a student from Michigan State, and Dyer, another A&M student, both also majoring in computer science.
After careful deliberation, the three interns decided on creating a 2-D side-scrolling shooter, but one characteristic trait of the game would be teamwork: players would have the option of joining their ships together to consolidate their firepower and take down tough enemies. Dyer explained later that the idea stemmed from certain beloved robot shows of their childhood, namely Voltron: Defender of the Universe.
Like Voltron, players can join forces to create one powerful supership
Of course, helping them to fine tune the game was Carbonated Games, the internal studio behind such casual XBLA titles as Hexic HD and Uno. Even after all three students left their internship in the fall, Carbonated finished the game, polished it up, and prepped it for its release today.
As of now, the three interns have moved further in the industry, thanks to their experience with the Aegis Wing project. Monson, who graduated just last week, is preparing for his new job at Turn 10 Studios, current developers of the upcoming title Forza Motorsport 2. Brodie, meanwhile, graduated last December, and has since been working within Carbonated Games. As for Dyer, he's still in school, waiting for his chance, but will be working alongside Monson at Turn 10 this summer.
