XNA Beta Released - Time to Start on that CAG 360 Game

[RelentlessRolento]

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=21E979E3-B8AE-4EA6-8E65-393EA7684D6C&displaylang=en

I'm downloading as we speak, and I'll put together some items today after playing with it. Just a note: this is a extension of the Torque game engine... you may be familiar with it from Marbel Blast on 360 arcade... it's a really sweet engine and has a ton of potential. I've been using Torque (the main engine of the game) for about a little over a year, and it's amazing really. Go to www.garagegames.com and search in resources for helpful tips and elements.

[CAG 79]

I might have to give this a shot over the weekend.

[RelentlessRolento]

oh forgot to mention, you may need this for it to work:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/visualcsharp/download/

[CYRiX]

all i want is to see a buncha nice xbla games, like a halo-zero and some mario knockoffs

[mtxbass1]

C#...damn. I thought I had escaped that beast so long ago.

(I'm still downloading this)

[RelentlessRolento]

all i want is to see a buncha nice xbla games, like a halo-zero and some mario knockoffs


I'm mainly happy about this since it means higher chances for original ideas as well as new breaths of creative gaming.

[RelentlessRolento]

after installing, I checked out their official FAQ and found this:

Q: What does XNA stand for?
A: XNA’s Not Acronymed

:lol:

[darkrage]

OK, so for those of us who don't program and arent sure what this means....


could you hypothetically make a game for the 360 and then play it on a system?

[Eastsidecracker]

Interesting, going to play around with this. Nice find OP.

[RelentlessRolento]

OK, so for those of us who don't program and arent sure what this means....


could you hypothetically make a game for the 360 and then play it on a system?


yes, but ATM the 360 functionalitys aren't available until this program goes gold/is fully released.

[daphatty]

I've downloaded it myself but I am admittedly not a C# programmer. Seeing as how I will be leaving the working world soon, I intend on dedicating alot of time to learning how to program in C#.

[kjauburn]

There are probably only a handful of people interested, but the XNA Game Studio Express Beta was officially released today. XNA will allow game developers to write non-commercial games in C# for the 360 (beta doesn't support it yet) and Windows. Microsoft is hoping universities put in place courses for students with the software (about dozen have announced programs), but at the same time allow game developer hobbyists a inexpensive tool set. When the final toolset is launched it will run $99 a year.

XNA Beta Download (http://msdn.microsoft.com/directx/xna/gse/)

Requirements to run the software:

1. Windows XP with SP2 (Tablet PC works fine as well, but it does not run on Windows Server 2003)
2. Visual Studio 2005 C# Express installed, all express ediitions became free as of April this year (download (http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/visualcsharp/download/)). If you don't meet the hardware requirements for VS 2005 C# express edition don't bother moving forward.
3. A Graphics card supporting DirectX 9.0c and Shader Model 2.0. This requirement is going to be a stumbling point for most individuals.

Installation:

Quick and simple, but I already had the full VS 2005 .Net Team Edition installed so I may have avoided additional Framework installations. Before I could install the XNA I had to install VS 2005 C# Express since it only works with this version. Go ahead and install C# Express and reboot before you start the XNA install. XNA is about a 93 meg download and a next, next, finish, install. If you have any trouble during install take a look here. (http://msdn.microsoft.com/directx/XNA/gse/readme/default.aspx)

First Impressions:

After spending the day working with the .net 3.0 beta, I really wasn't willing to spend much time with another beta. Overall its seems they really wanted to get a release out to start getting some feedback. If you have developed anything using VS.net you should be right at home. The help files are sparse currently, so make sure you have it set for online help. There is one starter kit for a small little game called Space War (additional starter kits planned for the final release). Support for 360 development will not be included until the final release later in the year, along with the XNA Framework content pipeline feature (promises simplified 3D graphics development). The biggest feature missing from the upcoming final release is the lack of Xbox Live support. I was surprised when I saw this a few days ago since to me the whole appeal to the small studios/hobby developers is the possiblities to create unique live content. Currently they have said they are working on a solution to allow Xbox Live Access with the XNA framework, however it will not be in the upcoming schedule release. Anyone wanting to take a look around at XNA now is the time since its free.

XNA Beta Download (http://msdn.microsoft.com/directx/xna/gse/)

XNA Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a few of the most asked questions about XNA I pulled from Microsoft's website. If you don't find the answer to your question check the rest of the Faq's (http://msdn.microsoft.com/directx/xna/faq/)...

Q: Can I use the XNA Game Studio Express or XNA Framework to build a commercial Xbox 360 game?
A: XNA Game Studio Express will enable you to create Windows and now Xbox 360 console games much more easily. These games are limited to non-commercial scenarios for 360 titles created with XNA Game Studio Express. However, XNA Game Studio Express may be used to create commercial games which target Windows. We will be releasing XNA Game Studio Professional next spring which will allow developers to create commercial games for Xbox addition to Windows.

Q: What if I have an 360 Developer Kit – can I use the XNA Framework with a title that I intend to send through certification?
A: We will be releasing XNA Game Studio Professional next spring which will support the creation of commercial games on the Xbox 360 using an Xbox 360 developer kit. Titles created with XNA Game Studio Professional by developers with approved titles will be able to be submitted for certification, unlike games made using XNA Game Studio Express.

Q: How much will XNA Game Studio Express/XNA Framework cost?
A: The XNA Game Studio Express tools and runtime environment for Windows is completely free. To develop, debug and/or play games on the Xbox 360 you will be required to purchase a XNA “Creator’s Club” subscription on the Xbox 360 through Xbox Live Marketplace. The subscription is available in 2 options, $99 a year or $49 for 4 months.

Q: Why isn’t there any Xbox 360 support in the beta?
A: Microsoft does not release beta software on the Xbox 360 for security reasons. Thanks to the design and implementation of the XNA Framework on both Windows and Xbox 360 however, games developed using the XNA Game Studio Express beta starting August 30th will be easily adapted to run against the Xbox 360 retail console upon availability of the finished tools later this holiday season.

Q: How exactly can I share my 360 game to other 360 users? Will my game only be available to people with the XNA “Creators Club” subscription? Will it be available to all 360 users that have an Xbox Live account?
A: There is currently no supported way to share binaries on the Xbox 360. Currently, there are four requirements that must be met in order to share a game targeting Xbox 360 which is developed with XNA Game Studio Express.
The individual you are planning to share the game with must be logged in to Xbox Live and have an active subscription to the XNA Creators Club
The receiving user must have downloaded the XNA Framework runtime environment for the Xbox 360
The receiving user must have XNA Game Studio Express installed on their own development PC
The game project, including all source and content assets, must be shared with the receiving user. The receiving user then compiles and deploys the game to their Xbox 360.Q: Do we have network or Xbox Live access on the Xbox 360 via the XNA Framework?
A: On Windows you can use System.Net or any other network library. On Xbox 360 there is no network support. Local multi-player support is supported on the Xbox 360 however.

Q: Can I create non-gaming applications (such as a Media Center/Player) with XNA Game Studio Express?
A: On Windows this is possible, but the initial release on Xbox 360 is tuned to writing games. This is an area we are actively looking to the community for feedback on the types of applications they want to write for their Xbox 360.

Q: Does the XNA Framework include the ability to use Xbox Live?
A: The initial release of the XNA Framework on the Xbox 360 will not have any support for networking. We realize this is a big area of interest for game developers and are actively working on a solution for the next release.

Q: How exactly will I be able to run a game built with XNA Game Studio Express on my Xbox 360?
A: On Windows, you’ll be able to develop, test and distribute software created with XNA Game Studio Express for free. When you sign up for the nominally priced annual subscription to XNA Game Studio Express for Xbox 360, you’ll be able to write a game on Windows, then send it to your Xbox 360 to test and enjoy. Eventually, you’ll be able to distribute that code to other Xbox 360s, opening up a unique publishing avenue which will democratize game development on consoles.

[kjauburn]

I search last night on XNA and must have completely missed this thread. Anyway the thread I created has been merged...

[Mattte]

yes, but ATM the 360 functionalitys aren't available until this program goes gold/is fully released.

You need to pay the $100 fee to play them on the 360 and let other people play them IIRC.

[Silencer]

Are you guys Comp Sci majors or is programming a hobby you picked up?

[kjauburn]

Are you guys Comp Sci majors or is programming a hobby you picked up?

Don't know about everyone else, but my major was actually in Management Information Systems. Really started programming in the early 90's during high school (pascal/qbasic)...

[Silencer]

I'm actually a tentative Comp Sci major (will be a sophomore) but my first experience with the course last semester was a real wake-up call on exactly how hard & time-consuming programming can be. Ended up getting a B overall for the course. I'm worried because that was just an intro course and I ended up with only a B -- any advice?

[danked]

Are you guys Comp Sci majors or is programming a hobby you picked up? both =)

yeah i cant wait to get some time and make a 360 game ! woot

[getmyrunon]

Silencer - where are you going to school? A B at some institutions is actually considered solid (where Cs are truly the class average). If >30% of your class got As though, then I would consider a major switch if things don't improve.

What part about the class was the hardest? The projects, or the written tests? I have a lot of trouble taking written programming tests, just because i'm used to figuring out things with a screen in front of me. Writing code out just seems weird.

[RelentlessRolento]

I'm a former Comp Sci major, but switched to electronic intermedia.

[Silencer]

Silencer - where are you going to school? A B at some institutions is actually considered solid (where Cs are truly the class average). If >30% of your class got As though, then I would consider a major switch if things don't improve.

What part about the class was the hardest? The projects, or the written tests? I have a lot of trouble taking written programming tests, just because i'm used to figuring out things with a screen in front of me. Writing code out just seems weird.


A 93.00 9 4.0 13%
A- 90.00 3 3.7 4%
B+ 86.00 10 3.3 14%
B 83.00 10 3.0 14%
B- 80.00 7 2.7 10%
C+ 77.00 7 2.3 10%
C 73.00 7 2.0 10%
C- 65.00 7 1.7 10%
D 55.00 4 1.0 6%
F 55.00 6 0.0 9%

^^ that was the break-down of the class. Grade (letter form), Value (number form), how many students achieved that grade, GPA, and percentage of class that got that grade .... in that order.

Grades are pretty evenly distributed as you can see. I'm sure kids getting an "A" had some prior experience with programming -- this was my very first adventure.

Honestly, I understood the material -- I found the quizzes and the final exam to not be hard at all. In fact, I was like 10 points above average on the final exam. It was the projects that got me. I would literally spend hours in front of my laptop wondering what I should do next on an assignment.

The final project (making a replica of the game Bejeweled) was a huge disaster. I'm pretty sure I would have gotten a B+ or even an A- if I didn't fail this assignment.

[A Happy Panda]

So what's the game going to encompass? Do you create yourself, then go online to only visit CAG? Then go on to post on the forums, asking questions, being a fanboy as you choose, creating dim-witted responses, sarcastic flaming posts, and the obligatory "already posted" posts??!?! And during sales, you can not only just sit at your computer, but also drive your virtual car (if the sale is B&M) to take advantage of the said game? I can't wait.

[kjauburn]

^^ that was the break-down of the class. Grade (letter form), Value (number form), how many students achieved that grade, GPA, and percentage of class that got that grade .... in that order.

Grades are pretty evenly distributed as you can see. I'm sure kids getting an "A" had some prior experience with programming -- this was my very first adventure.

Honestly, I understood the material -- I found the quizzes and the final exam to not be hard at all. In fact, I was like 10 points above average on the final exam. It was the projects that got me. I would literally spend hours in front of my laptop wondering what I should do next on an assignment.

The final project (making a replica of the game Bejeweled) was a huge disaster. I'm pretty sure I would have gotten a B+ or even an A- if I didn't fail this assignment.

By nature programming is time consuming, hence the career. Truthfully I found in college a good majority of people who sat through a programming course or 2 decided it wasn't for them. In order to work as a programmer you really need to enjoy it and for long term success it has to be almost a hobby/passion. Development is one of those careers where you are constantly learning and having to keep up with the new technology. Sure alot of people learn a language and then work with it for 20 years in a cube, but these people are normally miserable I have found.