Microsoft(R) XNA(TM) Unleashed: Graphics and Game Programming for Xbox 360 and Windows

 
Publisher Sams
Author(s) Chad Carter
ISBN 0672329646
Release Date 26 July 2007

Chad Carter


Foreword by Tom Miller
Developer, XNA Game Studio Express, Microsoft Corporation

Microsoft XNA Unleashed provides comprehensive coverage and solid instruction on how to leverage the XNA Framework to create high quality games for Windows and the Xbox 360. The author shows you how to take full advantage of the many features the XNA Framework provides; you will learn the intricacies of important tasks such as adding sound and music to games, as well as creating, loading, and texturing 3D objects. In addition to providing coverage of 2D programming, the author shows you how to create sophisticated 3D games. All the important topics such as physics, artificial intelligence, and special effects are covered in detail. Chad Carter is the CTO at Robertson Marketing Group. Many Fortune 500 companies use the ecommerce system he architected and developed from the ground up for the promotional business sector. He has been creating DirectX applications since 1996 and has developed games using Managed DirectX. Chad created a 3D locomotive simulator for Norfolk Southern that is used to teach children to obey railroad crossings signals. Chad’s website devoted to the XNA Framework can be found at www.xnaessentials.com.


 Learn how to install and use XNA Game Studio Express

 Discover how to build, deploy, and debug games for the Xbox 360 and Windows

 Examine the XNA Framework in depth: 2D, 3D, sound, input, and HLSL

 Learn how to create game components and game services

 Delve into performance tuning techniques

 Discover how to extend the Content Pipeline

 Learn how to use the Microsoft Cross-Platform Audio Creation Tool (XACT) to add sound and music to games

 Create a full 2D parallax side-scroller game

 Discover how to use sprite batches

 Learn to make the most of sprite fonts

 Create 2D components such as splash screens and progress bars

 Examine the different sprite batch blending modes

 Discover 2D cel animation

 Examine the High Level Shader Language (HLSL) in detail covering basic HLSL as well as vertex deformations and post-processing effects

 Create a full 3D game that includes a 2D radar in the Heads Up Display (HUD), and much, much more


CD-ROM includes
• All C# examples and source code presented in this book.
• Explosion Generator tool for generating explosion animations.


Introduction 1
Part I Get Up and Running with XNA on Your PC and Xbox 360
1 Introducing XNA and XNA Game Studio Express 7
2 XNA and the Xbox 360 19
3 Performance Considerations 35
Part II Understanding XNA Basics
4 Creating 3D Objects 59
5 Input Devices and Cameras 85
Part III Content Pipeline
6 Loading and Texturing 3D Objects 113
7 Sound and Music 123
8 Extending the Content Pipeline 153
Part IV 2D in XNA
9 2D Basics 171
10 2D Effects 191
11 Creating a 2D Game 217
Part V High Level Shader Language
12 HLSL Basics 255
13 Advanced HLSL 275
Part VI Physics and Artificial Intelligence
14 Physics Basics 289
15 Finite State Machines and Game State Management 307
16 AI Algorithms 337
Part VII 3D Effects
17 Advanced Texturing Techniques 353
18 Special Effects 379
19 Particle System. 397
Part VIII Putting It Into Practice
20 Creating a 3D Game 433
21 Improving the Game 463
22 Finishing Touches 479
Index 501

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