Microsoft has announced the release of the Windows Azure Toolkit for Social Games (PREVIEW)! This toolkit allows you to quickly get started building new social games in Windows Azure.
It includes accelerators, libraries, developer tools, samples and has specific services and code to handle capabilities unique to games, such as storing user profiles, maintaining leader boards, in-app purchasing, and so forth.
In addition to releasing the toolkit, Microsoft also teamed with industry innovator Grant Skinner and his team to create a game called Tankster.
Tankster is built with HTML5 and comes complete with reusable service-side code and documentation. It also supports a variety of social interactions including messaging, wall posts, and comments while player achievements.
The game also includes game stats which are presented on a live leaderboard so gamers can interact with each other — what’s a social game without being able to talk trash?
Windows Azure Resources
Windows Azure Team Blog: Build Your Next Game with the Windows Azure Toolkit for Social Games
WA.com: Social Gaming on Windows Azure
Channel 9: Social Gaming on Windows Azure
Venture Beat: Microsoft Tailors [Windows] Azure Cloud Services to Social Game Developers
Mary Jo: Microsoft delivers early build of Windows Azure toolkit for social-game developers
CodePlex: Windows Azure Toolkit for Social Gaming
Tankster: http://www.tankster.net/
