Microsoft XNA

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XNA

XNA Logo.
Developer:	Microsoft
Latest release:	Beta 2 / November 1, 2006
OS:	Microsoft Windows
Use:	Application framework
License:	EULA
Website:	XNA Homepage

Microsoft XNA ("XNA's Not Acronymed"^[1]) is a set of tools, complete with a managed runtime environment, provided by Microsoft that facilitates computer game design, development and management. XNA does this by freeing game designers from writing "repetitive boilerplate code,"^[2] and brings all aspects of game production into a single system.^[3] The XNA toolset was announced March 24, 2004, at the Game Developers Conference in San Jose, California; and a first Community Technology Preview of XNA Build was released March 14, 2006. The final version was released on December 11, 2006.

1 Overview
2 References
3 External links

[edit] Overview

[edit] XNA Framework

The XNA Framework is based on the .NET Compact Framework 2.0. It has been designed with an extensive set of class libraries, specific to game development exercises, to promote maximum code reuse across target platforms. It will also include a version of the Common Language Runtime which is optimized for gaming requirements, to provide a managed execution environment to the XNA games. The runtime will be available for Windows XP, Windows Vista and the Xbox 360. Since XNA games will be written for the runtime, XNA games will run on any platform supporting the XNA Framework, with minimal or no modification. Games targeting the XNA Framework can be written using the C# language.

The XNA Framework thus encapsulates low-level technological details involved in coding a game, making sure that the framework itself takes care of the difference between platforms when games are ported from one compatible platform to another, and thereby allowing game developers to focus more on the content and gaming experience. The XNA Framework will integrate with a number of tools, such as XACT ^[4], to aid in content creation. These tools can help author the visuals or sounds in the game, and model characters with life-like dynamism.

Currently games on the XNA Framework using the content pipeline can only be written using XNA Game Studio Express.^[1]

[edit] XNA Build

XNA Build is a set of game asset pipeline management tools, which help by defining, maintaining, debugging, and optimizing the game asset pipeline of individual game development efforts. A game asset pipeline describes the process by which game content, such as textures and 3D models, are modified to a form suitable for use by the gaming engine. XNA Build helps identify the pipeline dependencies, and also provides API access to enable further processing of the dependency data. The dependency data can be analyzed to to help reduce the size of a game by finding content that is not actually used. For example, XNA Build analysis revealed that 40% of the textures that shipped with MechCommander 2 were unused and could have been omitted.^[5]

[edit] XNA Studio

XNA Studio is an integrated development environment (IDE) for development of games. Based on Visual Studio 2005 Team System, XNA Studio provides a structure for collaboration between content creators, programmers, management and testers. Project management tasks such as asset management, defect tracking, project automation and work item lists, are somewhat automated by XNA Studio. Microsoft intends to target this development environment at commercial game development studios, rather than hobbyists or enthusiasts.

[edit] XNA Game Studio

XNA Game Studio Express and XNA Game Studio Professional are IDEs for XNA game developers.

XNA Game Studio Express is intended for homebrew and hobbyist developers and is available as a free download. Express will provide basic "starter kits" for rapid development of specific genres of games, such as platform, real-time strategy, and first-person shooters. Developers can create Windows games for free with the XNA Framework, but to run their games on the Xbox 360 they will have to pay an annual fee of $99 for admission to the XNA "Creators Club". In the initial release there will be no way of shipping precompiled binaries to other Xbox 360 players. Instead, others wishing to run the game must have access to the source code and their own membership in the "Creators Club" program. Distribution of binaries for Windows will be supported.

The first beta version of XNA Game Studio Express was released for download on August 30, 2006, followed by a second version on November 1. Microsoft released the final version on 11 December 2006.^[6]

XNA Game Studio Professional is intended for professional developers who want to create commercial games for Xbox 360 and/or Windows. Unlike Express, games developed with Professional can utilize Xbox Live features. It is scheduled for release in 2007.^[1]