Jump to content

Microsoft XNA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Microsoft XNA
Developer(s)Microsoft Gaming
Target platform(s)Xbox 360,Windows,Windows Phone
Editor softwareXNA Game Studio
Player softwareXNA Runtime
Format(s)XNB
Programming language(s)C#andVisual Basic.NET[1](officially)
Application(s)Video games,console games,mobile games
StatusDiscontinued[2][3][4]
LicenseFreeware
Websitemsdn.microsoft.com/xna/Edit this on Wikidata

Microsoft XNA(arecursive acronymforXNA's not acronymed)[5]is afreewareset of tools with amanagedruntime environmentthatMicrosoft Gamingdeveloped to facilitatevideo gamedevelopment.XNA is based on.NET Framework,with versions that run onWindowsandXbox 360.XNA Game Studiocan help develop XNA games. The XNA toolset was announced on March 24, 2004, at theGame Developers ConferenceinSan Jose, California.A firstCommunity Technology Previewof XNA Build was released on March 14, 2006.

In many respects,XNAcan be thought of as a.NET analog to Microsoft's better known game development system,DirectX,but it is aimed at developers primarily interested in writing lightweight games. XNA is the basic platform forXbox Live Indie Games.

As of January 2013, XNA is no longer being developed,[6]and it is not compatible withWindows Runtime(the API for developingMetro-style apps), which was introduced withWindows 8.[7]

Overview

[edit]

XNA Framework

[edit]

Microsoft XNA Framework is based on the native implementation of.NET Compact Framework2.0 for Xbox 360 development and.NET Framework 2.0on Windows. It includes an extensive set of class libraries, specific to game development, to promote maximumcode reuseacross target platforms. The framework runs on a version of theCommon Language Runtimethat is optimized for gaming to provide amanagedexecution environment. The runtime is available forWindows XP,Windows Vista,Windows 7,Windows PhoneandXbox 360.Since XNA games are written for the runtime, they can run on any platform that supports the XNA Framework with minimal or no modification. Games that run on the framework can technically be written in any.NET-compliant language, but onlyC#inXNA Game Studio ExpressIDE and all versions ofVisual Studio 2008and 2010 (as of XNA 4.0)[8][failed verification]are officially supported.[9]Support forVisual Basic.NETwas added in 2011.[10]

The XNA Framework 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 integrates with a number of tools, such as theCross-platform Audio Creation Tool(XACT), to aid in content creation.

The XNA Framework provides support for both 2D and 3D game creation and allows use of the Xbox 360 controllers and vibrations. XNA framework games that target the Xbox 360 platform could only be distributed by members of the Microsoft XNA Creator's Club/App Hub, which carried a $99/year subscription fee.[9]Desktop applications can be distributed free of charge under Microsoft's current licensing.

XNA Build

[edit]

XNA Build is a set of game asset pipeline management tools, which help by defining, maintaining, debugging, and optimizing thegame asset pipelineof individual game development efforts. Agame asset pipelinedescribes 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 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 withMechCommander 2were unused and could have been omitted.[11]

XNA Game Studio

[edit]
Main article:Microsoft XNA Game Studio

XNA Game Studio is aprogramming environmentfor development of games.[12]Five revisions have been released so far, but as of 2015, no new versions will be developed.[13]

XNA Game Studio Express was the first version released on August 30, 2006, and was intended for students, hobbyists, and independent game developers.[14][15]It was available as a free download. Express provides basic "starter kits" for rapid development of specific genres of games, such asplatform games,real-time strategy,andfirst-person shooters.Developers could createWindowsgames for free with the XNA Framework, but to run their games on the Xbox 360 they will have to pay an annual fee of US$99 (or a four-month fee of US$49) for admission to the Microsoft XNA Creator's Club. With an update, XNA developers could compile Xbox 360 binaries and share them with other Microsoft XNA Creator's Club members.

XNA Game Studio 2.0 was released on December 13, 2007.[16]XNA Game Studio 2.0 features the ability to be used with all versions ofVisual Studio 2005(including the freeVisual C# 2005 Express Edition),[17]a networking API usingXbox Liveon both Windows and Xbox 360 and better device handling.[18]

XNA Game Studio 3.0 (for Visual Studio 2008 or the free Visual C# 2008 Express Edition) allows production of games targeting theZuneplatform and addsXbox Livecommunity support. It was released on October 30, 2008, and supported C# 3.0, LINQ and most versions of Visual Studio 2008.

XNA Game Studio 4.0 was released on September 16, 2010.[19]It added support for theWindows Phoneplatform (including 3D hardware acceleration), framework hardware profiles, configurable effects, built-in state objects, graphics device scalars and orientation, cross-platform andmulti-touchinput, microphone input and buffered audio playback, andVisual Studio 2010integration.[20]

XNA "Game Studio 4.0 Refresh" was released on 6 October 2011, and added support for Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango), andVisual Basic.[21]

XNA Framework Content Pipeline

[edit]

The XNA Framework Content Pipeline is a set of tools that allows Visual Studio and XNA Studio to act "as the key design point around organizing and consuming 3D content".[12]

XDK Extensions

[edit]

Formerly known as XNA Game Studio Professional, XDK Extensions is an add-on to XNA Game Studio and requires the Microsoft Xbox 360 Development Kit.[22]Both are only available for licensed Xbox developers. The extensions include additional managed APIs for achievements, leaderboards, and other features reserved for licensed game titles. Titles developed using XDK Extensions include winners of Microsoft'sDream.Build.Playcompetition among others. The most heavily publicized of these wasThe Dishwasher: Dead Samurai.

License agreement

[edit]

The Microsoft XNA Framework 2.0EULAspecifically prohibits the distribution of commercialnetworked gamesthat connect to Xbox Live and/or Games for Windows Live in the absence of a specific agreement signed by both the developer and Microsoft.[23]This means that XNA Game Studio can still be used to develop commercial games and other programs for the Windows platform, although Microsoft's networking support code for Xbox/Windows Live cannot be used. Self-developed network code can still be used inside the developer's XNA project.[citation needed]

Games created using XNA Game Studio may be distributed via theWindows Phonemarketplace, and formerly viaXbox Live Indie Games.[24]The software may also be used to create commercial games which target Windows.[citation needed]

Dream Build Play

[edit]
Main article:Dream Build Play

Dream Build Playwas an annual and global $75,000 Microsoft contest promoting Microsoft XNA and eventuallyXbox Live Indie Games,although it predated it. The contest was first announced in 2006 and first opened in January 2007.[25]Many winners are notable developers in theIndie gamecommunity.

Xbox Live Indie Games

[edit]
Main article:Xbox Live Indie Games

Xbox 360 games written in XNA Game Studio could be submitted to the App Hub,[26]for which premium membership was required (about US$99/year). All games submitted to the App Hub were subjected to peer review by other creators. If the game passed review then it would be listed onXbox Live Marketplace.Creators could set a price of 80, 240 or 400pointsfor their game. The creator is paid 70% of the total revenue from their game sales as a baseline. Microsoft originally planned to take an additional percentage of revenue if they provided additional marketing for a game, but this policy was rescinded in March 2009, leaving the flat rate intact regardless of promotion.[27]

Microsoft also distributed a free year premium App Hub subscription for educational establishments through theirDreamSparkprogram andMSDNAA.These accounts allowed students to develop games for the Xbox 360, but developers still needed a premium Xbox Live account to submit their game to the marketplace.

Alternative implementations

[edit]

A project called Mono.XNA was formed to port XNA to the open source and cross-platformMonoframework.[28]

From the codebase of Mono.XNA and SilverSprite, a new project calledMonoGamewas formed to port XNA to several mobile devices.[29]As of version 3.0.1 (released March 3, 2013), support is stable foriOS,AndroidincludingOUYA,macOS,LinuxandMetroforWindows 8,Windows RTandWindows Phone 8,as well asPlayStation Mobilein 2D.PlayStation Mobile3D andRaspberry Pidevelopment are currently in progress.[30]

FNA[31]is a full-featured open source reimplementation of XNA forked from MonoGame. The goal of FNA is to preserve the XNA game library by reimplementing XNA itself.

An open source project called Grommet contains a limited port for embedded devices using the.NET Micro Framework.[32]

A project called ANX is available which implements its own version of XNA using the SharpDX stack; support forLinux,macOSand thePlayStation Vitais in progress as well.[33][34]Using ANX, developers are able to write games using code that is very similar to XNA, while still being considered aMetroapplication in Windows 8.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^"XNA Game Studio 4.0 Refresh".
  2. ^Rose, Mike (February 1, 2013)."It's official: XNA is dead".Gamasutra.
  3. ^"XNA Is Dead: 3 Alternatives That Let You Use Your C# Skills".Lifehacker.February 2, 2013.
  4. ^Williams, Chris."XNA is Dead; Long Live the New XNA, MonoGame".Code Magazine.RetrievedMay 8,2016.
  5. ^"DirectX Developer Center: XNA Frequently Asked Questions".MSDN.Microsoft.August 20, 2006. Archived fromthe originalon August 20, 2006.RetrievedMay 17,2021.
  6. ^Crossley, Rob (January 31, 2013)."Microsoft email confirms plan to cease XNA support".Computer and Video Games.Future Publishing.
  7. ^Klepek, Patrick (September 16, 2011)."The Future of XNA Game Studio and Windows 8".Giant Bomb.
  8. ^"App Hub - downloads".Archived fromthe originalon February 4, 2015.
  9. ^ab"XNA Frequently Asked Questions".MSDN.September 8, 2009. Archived fromthe originalon September 8, 2009.RetrievedFebruary 21,2023.
  10. ^"Code Sample Details - Game State Management (Mango, C#/VB)".XboxMSDN.Microsoft.May 24, 2011. Archived fromthe originalon June 4, 2013.RetrievedJune 15,2013.
  11. ^"Will XNA tools be able to help reduce game sizes?".MSDN.January 24, 2006. Archived fromthe originalon February 6, 2006.
  12. ^ab"Developing games".MSDN.July 31, 2012. Archived fromthe originalon August 30, 2012.RetrievedMarch 20,2007.
  13. ^Hruska, Joel (February 1, 2013)."Microsoft kills XNA".ExtremeTech.
  14. ^"Microsoft Invites the World to Create Its Own Xbox 360 Console Games for the First Time".Microsoft.August 13, 2006. Archived fromthe originalon August 20, 2006.
  15. ^"XNA Game Studio Express".MSDN.Archived fromthe originalon September 7, 2008.RetrievedFebruary 21,2023.
  16. ^"XNA Creators Club Online - Quick Start Guide".MSDN.Archived fromthe originalon September 7, 2008.
  17. ^"XNAtutorial.com".XNA Tutorial.Archived fromthe originalon October 23, 2006.
  18. ^"XNA Team Blog: XNA Game Studio 2.0 Released".MSDN.Archived fromthe originalon August 26, 2009.RetrievedDecember 13,2007.
  19. ^"XNA Game Studio 4.0 Available for Download".XNA Game Studio Team Blog.Microsoft. September 16, 2010. Archived fromthe originalon August 7, 2011.RetrievedSeptember 16,2010.
  20. ^"What's New in XNA Game Studio 4.0".MSDN.Microsoft. Archived fromthe originalon September 19, 2008.RetrievedSeptember 16,2010.
  21. ^"XNA Game Studio 4.0 Refresh".Downloads.Microsoft. October 6, 2011.
  22. ^"Download GDC 2009: XNA Game Studio Program Overview from Official Microsoft Download Center".Microsoft.com. Archived fromthe originalon July 24, 2010.RetrievedJune 15,2013.
  23. ^XNA Game Studio 2.0 Software License Terms[dead link]
  24. ^Winterhalter, Ryan (April 29, 2011)."31 Homebrew Games Worth Playing".1UP.com.Archived fromthe originalon May 3, 2011.RetrievedMay 1,2011.
  25. ^Dream Build Play, Alfred Thompson
  26. ^"App Hub".Create MSDN.Archived fromthe originalon October 12, 2010.
  27. ^"Download History News".Archived fromthe originalon March 31, 2009.RetrievedMarch 30,2009.
  28. ^"Mono.XNA".RetrievedApril 8,2009.
  29. ^"MonoGame: Write Once, Play Everywhere".RetrievedMarch 24,2013.
  30. ^"MonoGame Wiki".GitHub.RetrievedMarch 24,2013.
  31. ^"About FNA".FNA.RetrievedFebruary 21,2023.
  32. ^"Grommet - A.NET Micro Framework Library".CodePlex.Archived fromthe originalon November 4, 2009.RetrievedNovember 2,2009.
  33. ^"AXN.Framework".CodePlex.Archived fromthe originalon November 28, 2011.
  34. ^"SharpDX".SharpDX.Archivedfrom the original on January 16, 2023.RetrievedFebruary 21,2023.

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Wikibooks has a book on the topic of:.NET Development Foundation
Training resources
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Microsoft_XNA&oldid=1214759487"