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An update to the XNA Studio was released today officially titled XNA Game Studio Express 1.0 Refresh.

The most significant new feature is the addition of XNA Packager, a utility which will allow users to build and share game binaries for both Windows and Xbox 360. Users can now easily package and share their games for Windows and Xbox 360 without having to share their project source code. The sharing of Xbox 360 games requires a subscription to the XNA Creators Club, which is available via Xbox LIVE Marketplace for $49 (U.S.) for a four-month subscription, or $99 (U.S.) for an annual subscription.

Additional features included in the XNA Game Studio Express 1.0 Refresh include:

• Official XNA Game Studio Express compatibility with Windows Vista
• Support for 3D audio using XACT
• Support for fonts in the XNA Framework
• Various other product enhancements and performance tuning

The free update and a full feature list can be downloaded at http://msdn.com/xna and http://creators.xna.com.

So the more I think about XNA the more I start to get really interested in developing a game, perhaps for the contest perhaps just for friends, I really don’t know - but its on my mind lately. The problem at hand is I have yet to come up with an actual game idea to work with, I had a few ideas, but nothing that has really got me thinking it would be worth the effort - or anyone would even want to play it. The fact that my C# and graphical experience is somewhat limited probably doesnt help either, clearly I am fighting an uphill battle BUT if anyone else that is interested in developing a XNA game and is looking for a partner, get a hold of me. Sure its a long shot, but maybe one of you loyal readers will get me off my butt and put something together