On Line Resources to Support Game Programming

CS 596 will use Microsoft XNA 2.0 Game Studio for first time, Spring 2009.

www.apress.com/book/view/1590599241 [our text]
Beginning XNA 2.0 Game Programming: From Novice to Professional
Would you like to create your own games, but never have the time to dig into the details of multimedia programming? Now you don’t have to! XNA makes it simple to create your own games, which will run on your PC and Xbox 360 console. Even if you don’t know how to program at all, Beginning XNA 2.0 Game Programming: From Novice to Professional will teach you the basics of C# 2005 programming along the way. Don’t get overwhelmed with details you don’t need to know— just learn what you need to start creating your own games right now!

The fast–paced introduction to XNA and the C# language provides professional developers a quick-start guide to creating a commercial product using XNA, as well as offering home enthusiasts or hobbyists everything they need to begin putting together games in their spare time. You’ll discover and understand all the key concepts required to create smooth, professional–looking results in a range of gaming genres. Every reader will come away with a firm foundation onto which they can build more advanced ideas.

What you’ll learn
Game Planning and Programming Basics 
2-D Graphics, Audio, and Input Basics 
Creating Your First 2-D Game 
Improving Your First 2-D Game 
Basics of Game Networking 
Rock Rain Live! 
3-D Game Programming Basics 
Rendering Pipeline, Shaders, and Effects 
Lights, Camera, Transformations! 
Generating a Terrain 
Skeletal Animation 
Creating a Third-Person Shooter Game 
You will want to downnload online versions of http://www.apress.com/book/downloadfile/3994,
select from the menu on left-hand-side fo page

Microsoft XNA software msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/xna/default.aspx (same as www.microsoft.com/XNA)

Software for class
The software needs for cs596/cs583 3d game programming, that will be consistent with the ITS/AH1112 policies (Windows XP/pro)

http://www.apress.com/book/downloadfile/3974 
[select the Table of Contents from left-hand-side of page - 
has the Intro with software requirements (a pdf file). Handy to have the 
source code (a zip file) from the text is available on the notebooks and instructor machine

XNA 2.0 requires Microsoft Visual C# Express 
http://www.microsoft.com/express/2005/download/default.aspx
(vcssetup.com) - after selecting Visual C# 2005 
(SP1 would be better vs80sp1-kb926749-x86-intl.exe)

We will be using microsoft's XNA 2.0 game studio 
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=df80d533-ba87-40b4-abe2-1ef12ea506b7&DisplayLang=en
(XNAGS20_setup.exe)
 - the FAQ is available from microsoft developer network, listed under 
Development Tools & Languages, 
then XNA Game Studio, 
then XNA Game Studio 2.0 
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/default.aspx

or more directly, use 
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb203916(XNAGameStudio.20).aspx

We also need the DirectX Software Development Kit (SDK) 
www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=5493F76A-6D37-478D-BA17-28B1CCA4865A&displaylang=en
(DXSDK_Nov08.exe)

Starter Kits are available from creators.xna.com/en-US/, 
XNA Creator's Club Online.  We used the Marblets demo in class the 
first day. 

CS majors should already be registered with MSDNAA for the www.stewart.cs.sdsu.edu/SDSU/msdnaa/ for the XNA Creators Club Online Academic Subscription [ 1 year ].

www.msdnaa.com/search/SchoolSearchUS.aspx Live Search for SDSU contacts by discipline.