Getting started with XNA Development

Everything you need to know to start making your game with the XNA framework

So you have heard about this awesome new game thing from Microsoft and you are all excited because your mind is brimming with ideas for really cool games, but just one problem, you are just not really sure how to get started. Well, let's see what we can do about getting you pointed in the right direction.

For those of you who are not fans of reading (come on guys, how far are you going to get in life honestly if you don't learn to love to read?), here's the summarized quickie list of what you need to know.

Getting Started: The I Hate to Read Version

Everything you need to make games with the XNA framework for the PC is free.

You need to learn to program in C# before you can make games with the XNA framework.

You will need to make sure your PC has a video card that supports the minimum requirements of the XNA framework.

You will need to install some applications (all free) from Microsoft that you will use to make games.

Nothing about game development with the XNA framework is drag-and-drop, you have to program it all, but the sky is the limit.

You will not immediately be able to make your dream game, but if you work hard and learn the basics, you can someday.

Now for the rest of you, the ones who really are trying hard to succeed in life. We'll go into a bit more details.

Ok, I'm excited, but just what is XNA exactly?

You have heard all the buzz, you might have even seen some cool games that people said were written with XNA, but you're still not sure what exactly XNA is and what you can do with it. "XNA" the term is a brand, it refers to all the Microsoft Technologies that have to do with developing games. This includes both DirectX and the XNA framework. Most of the buzz lately is due to the XNA framework and chances are that is why you are here.

The XNA framework is an API. What that means is that it is a framework developed by Microsoft to help you make games faster. It's not a drag and drop game maker and you will need to learn how to program before you can use it. It is easy to use, but you will have to be somewhat technical to develop games with it.

The XNA framework is not a game engine. It does not include physics, collision detection and other things often found in game engines. It is a game development framework, but how the game works is programmed entirely by you.

XNA Game Studio is the environment you develop in. XNA Game Studio is basically a plug-in that gets installed into one of the currently supported Visual Studio environments. Typically XNA framework games are written in C#, but there is some support for other .NET languages with some slight functionality lost.

You can read more about XNA here to get more of an overall picture and some of the history.

What do I need to install on my PC to get started?

Before you can start making a game using the XNA framework, you are going to have to download and install some programs on your PC. Here are some FAQs to help walk you through that process and make sure your PC is ready for the XNA framework.

Where do I go for help?

You're going to get stuck and have questions as you're working with the XNA framework and playing with game development. And while I try to help out people the best I can, I don't really think asking me directly is the best resource for you. So one of the first things to know is where to go for help. Luckily, Microsoft has created a great set of forums for XNA and they are brimming with people helping out. It is important to remember that the forums are not monitored by paid individuals, but by everyday people just like you. The people that answer questions on these forums are taking time to try and help you, but the only benefit they get from it is your thanks. So it's important to remember some simple guidelines.

Search the forums before you ask. This is important for several reasons, first of all, if the question is already answered then you get your answer right away! Second, it helps cut down on the number of questions that are waiting for answers out there, this is important so that when you do have a question that isn't a duplicate, the individuals monitoring these forums don't have to wade through as many duplicate questions before they get to yours. So remember, search first then ask! (the search box is in the upper right of the forum. Type in a keyword and hit the "Go" button).

Be polite. The people here are friendly and helpful, so even if you're frustrated and stuck on a problem and want to scream at the world, try to scream politely. There really is no point in being rude to us, we're trying to help.

Be patient. Generally questions are answered pretty quickly, but when you're really stuck on something, sometimes that just isn't fast enough for you. We understand, but remember we're not being paid to answer questions and we're helping as many people as fast as we can. Give it a day or do before you re-post asking for someone to please help you. We're helpful, but we also have other things going on in our lives that sometimes take us away from the forums for a day or so.

Return the favor. If you see a question that you know the answer to, take the time to answer! Just remember to be polite when you do even if you think the original poster is an idiot.

Along with those general guidelines, it's a good idea to read over these FAQs to get familiar with the XNA forums.

You are going to need to learn C#

To get started making games with the XNA framework, you are going to first need to learn the basics of programming in C#. You will not have to become an expert, but getting a fundamental grasp of programming and the C# syntax is going to be required before you can start working on your game. If you apply yourself, it shouldn't take too long before you know enough to begin making simple 2D clones like Pong.

Here are some FAQs to help get you started on learning to program.

How do I get started actually making my game?

So you want to start making your game, but you're not sure just exactly where to begin. The best way to start is with the basics and here are the best places to go to learn those.

The Help Files. The first place to start is by going through the Help files that were installed when you installed XNA Game Studio Express. They are very well written and cover a lot of game development basics and how to use the XNA framework.

The Creators Site. This site contains a lot of samples and articles written to help get you going on your own game. Not only is it a great place to get your questions answered, but it's a great place to find some tutorials and samples to help get you on your way to making your own game.

The Community. After you're done browsing the Help files and the Creators site, start wandering around the large and growing XNA community for some other samples and tutorials. Keeping your eye on Ziggyware is highly recommended because he has the most comprehensive coverage of everything XNA. You can also check out these other community sites mentioned in this FAQ here.

The Books. There are a lot of books being written and published on creating games with the XNA framework. If you learn best with a book in your hand, then check out this FAQ to see if there is one perfect for you. Be careful to pay attention to which version of the XNA framework the book was written for. If you buy a book for an older version, you can become frustrated when the code samples no longer compile with the newer versions of the framework.

How to make an MMORPG!

Now that you've got the basics, you're ready to make your dream game right? Wrong. You're not going to make that game in your head on your first attempt, probably not on your first 50 attempts. Take that great idea for the next killer FPS or MMORPG and put it up high on a shelf somewhere. You'll be ready for it soon, but you'll only frustrate yourself and most likely end in failure if you start with your dream project.

I would recommend you start looking at 2D to begin with. Start with something small and work on the basics of game development first. How do I create a new Windows game project? How do I display an image on the screen? How do I move it around? How do I get input from the user? Just keep building up your skills slowly, take it a step at a time and you'll be ready for that AAA gaming company someday.

You can start doing development right away with the XNA framework and your 360, but I would recommend just playing around with it on your PC first. (although it *IS* pretty cool to see your stuff running on your console!). Once you have the basic understanding of XNA development, starting to push things over the 360 is fairly simple (although you might have to start learning some tricks and techniques to managing your garbage collection, but that's for a much later topic).

Now that you know the simple things, what games should you start with since you have your dream on a shelf? Make Pong. But *REALLY* make Pong. Give it a title screen, background music, SoundFX, game over, replay options, high scores. Don't just get the basic game play in and call it done. Take it all the way to the end and put some polish on it. Finishing your first game is a valuable experience and if you stop with just the game play you'll miss out on some of the valuable lessons you should be learning.

Once you've finished Pong, pick another 2D clone to do. Tetris and Breakout are typical good choices. Next, move on to some side scrollers. Think Atari, Coleco Vision and early NES games. When you've finished two or three games like that, you'll be sure to have built up a good library of game development experience and you're probably ready to start branching out into 3D game development. You'll want to repeat the same steps with 3D game development, learn the basics first, make some smaller 3D games from start to finish.

Finally, get your step stool out, reach way up high, grab that idea of your shelf and start coding away. You're there and I can't wait to play your game!

Good luck and have some fun!

Getting Started with XNA Development

Getting started with XNA Development