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[XNA 4.0][Series] The Project Setup

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GoldBl4d3

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The Project Setup (1.0)
In this tutorial we will cover the basics of starting a new game project and how to configure the game properties to suite the environment of our game. This tutorial is for absolute beginners. However, experienced programmers may comment and help others.
Skill Level: Easy
Time to Complete: 10 Minutes

Special Links:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=27599


#1.1 Selecting a Project Type

Their are two main types of game projects you can build. First being a Windows Game, second being an Xbox 360 Game. Windows Games can be distributed freely depending on the author of the game. Xbox 360 Games can be built and deployed on the Xbox 360 console. This requires a one hundred dollar annual license. Then your game must be submitted for peer review and pass. Once it has passed, it will be displayed in the Xbox Live Indie Games marketplace.

For the purpose of this tutorial, we will be using a Windows Game Project. Name the project what ever you want.

2drbgwh.png



#1.2 What is where?


When your new Windows Game project has finished loading, you will be introduced to your games main control class. Within this class you will see a lot of comments (green text). Please read and fully understand them all. Once you have done so, remove it all. You should end up with a screen like this.

1qihoj.png


On the right hand side is our Solution Explorer. Here we can see our main project, and our Content Project. Our content project is a special project used to hold all of the games content and process it though using something called the content processor.

2ez3gv9.png



#1.3 Setting up the Graphics Processor


Now lets get our games window size setup. This size can be anything you want. If you are making an Xbox 360 game. You will want to set your back buffer width to 1280 and your back buffer height to 720.

For the purpose of this tutorial I will use the screen size of 880x520. I will also be setting the MultiSample option to true. This allows Anti-Alias to kick in for any object that is less then 1 pixel by position. So if my asset were at the position (100, 100), anti-alias would not kick in. However if my position was at (100, 100.5), anti-alias would kick in to smooth that edge.

Then finally we apply out changes. All of this code will be held under the Game1 constructor method.

2qjw175.png


#1.4 Unloading our Content

Now our last thing to prepare before we can start building our game is to unload our content. Our content (when loaded) is loaded in to memory. By unloading it, we remove it from memory. Then we dispose the content manager because we are ending the games process.

35mjdqs.png



Thank you for reading and following along. If you have any questions please post below. Please watch out for the next parts in the series. Please note this tutorial is small as it is part of a series. This tutorial will just prepare the user for the start of the series.
 
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imGol2den

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i feel like xna is out of data a little? compared to other engines
 
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pwfdc

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i feel like xna is out of data a little? compared to other engines
XNA is like he said an extension. It allows you to do more with basic softwares (compared to full game engines). It's a beginner framework so people can get their feet wet in the coding side of things.

GoldBl4d3 GoldBl4d3 , you should continue the series. I've never actually used XNA myself so I couldn't. :tongue:
It's a good base for newbies.
 
imGol2den

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XNA is like he said an extension. It allows you to do more with basic softwares (compared to full game engines). It's a beginner framework so people can get their feet wet in the coding side of things.

GoldBl4d3 GoldBl4d3 , you should continue the series. I've never actually used XNA myself so I couldn't. :tongue:
It's a good base for newbies.
Ik what it is, i was just saying. But thx for the correction, ive made some cool xbla games with it on my jtag
 
Liquid44

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XNA is like he said an extension. It allows you to do more with basic softwares (compared to full game engines). It's a beginner framework so people can get their feet wet in the coding side of things.

GoldBl4d3 GoldBl4d3 , you should continue the series. I've never actually used XNA myself so I couldn't. :tongue:
It's a good base for newbies.

lol makes XNA a beginner framework? I've never used it but there is nothing stopping the programmer from implementing highly advanced techniques.
 
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pwfdc

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lol makes XNA a beginner framework? I've never used it but there is nothing stopping the programmer from implementing highly advanced techniques.
Never said anything about someone using more advanced techniques; I'm saying, it's not a full game engine which is good to people who are just looking to get a little experience on the coding side.
 
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Never said anything about someone using more advanced techniques; I'm saying, it's not a full game engine which is good to people who are just looking to get a little experience on the coding side.

And I'm saying why would you consider it good for "little experience". Just because it is not labelled as an engine does not make it limited. If anything it is harder to use than a full engine because with a UI all you do is drag and drop stuff.

I sure as hell would not consider this project made someone who wanted a little experience on the coding side:
 
GoldBl4d3

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Flight dynamics alone = :banghead:

Xna is no way is a beginner framework nor something for small experiences. It is just portrayed that way because indie developers aren't that advanced with it usually. Xna like C++ and DirectX is the framework that creates the big game engines. That being an example.

Also, engines are not just drag and drop systems. Much coding most go in to an engine to make a good game.
 
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Flight dynamics alone = :banghead:

Xna is no way is a beginner framework nor something for small experiences. It is just portrayed that way because indie developers aren't that advanced with it usually. Xna like C++ and DirectX is the framework that creates the big game engines. That being an example.

Also, engines are not just drag and drop systems. Much coding most go in to an engine to make a good game.
^ This

Also, look back at what I said...
so people can get their feet wet in the coding side of things.
I never said that it's not used for advanced things, ever. I simply did not go in depth about it. It's not like Unity where there's more of an interface. It's all coding. So, to clarify, once again, what I said. It's good for beginners who are just wanting to do the coding side of things.
And once again, I feel like I must state this, I'm not saying it can't be used for other things other than beginner stuff.

If you still don't understand what I'm saying, well. Deal with it.
 
GoldBl4d3

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^ This

Also, look back at what I said...

I never said that it's not used for advanced things, ever. I simply did not go in depth about it. It's not like Unity where there's more of an interface. It's all coding. So, to clarify, once again, what I said. It's good for beginners who are just wanting to do the coding side of things.
And once again, I feel like I must state this, I'm not saying it can't be used for other things other than beginner stuff.

If you still don't understand what I'm saying, well. Deal with it.

Haha, I know what your saying. No need to explain to me.
 
Liquid44

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I was explaining to the other guy who didn't seem to get it. :tongue:

lol lets have a quick review.

XNA is like he said an extension. It allows you to do more with basic softwares (compared to full game engines). It's a beginner framework so people can get their feet wet in the coding side of things.

GoldBl4d3 GoldBl4d3 , you should continue the series. I've never actually used XNA myself so I couldn't. :tongue:
It's a good base for newbies.

Never said anything about someone using more advanced techniques; I'm saying, it's not a full game engine which is good to people who are just looking to get a little experience on the coding side.

^ This

Also, look back at what I said...

I never said that it's not used for advanced things, ever. I simply did not go in depth about it. It's not like Unity where there's more of an interface. It's all coding. So, to clarify, once again, what I said. It's good for beginners who are just wanting to do the coding side of things.
And once again, I feel like I must state this, I'm not saying it can't be used for other things other than beginner stuff.

If you still don't understand what I'm saying, well. Deal with it.

Do you not realise what you are typing or just being oblivious...
 
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pwfdc

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Ugh...I feel like you're not understanding anything are you? I'm not explaining again. Gold, if you want to...go ahead. I'm sick of stupidity right now...

Anyway, back on topic. Seriously, you should continue this series. Would be good for the guys just getting into the programming side of game development.
 
GoldBl4d3

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lol lets have a quick review.







Do you not realise what you are typing or just being oblivious...


Man ive done this before. I mean something different than what I typed. It happens, its not a big deal. This is just one of those situations where he wasn't focusing on what he was typing. Lets just end this.

P pwfdc

No I will not be continuing the series haha, but thanks for that.
 
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