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XNA: Make your own XBOX games in 10 steps
XNA Game Studio Express is Microsoft’s game developer kit for homebrew and hobbyist developers and is available as a free download. (Learn more about XNA Game Studio.) Express includes a basic "starter kit" for rapid development of specific genres of games. It was released with a space shooter. In the future there will be kits for platform, real-time strategy, and first-person shooters.
Developers can create Windows games for free with the XNA Framework--a separate download. To run games on the Xbox 360 you will have to pay an annual fee of $99 for admission to the XNA "Creators Club". There is also a 4-month $49 subscription as well.
1. GET C# Express!
You need the C# developer kit environment to start using the XNA Game Studio. Download and install this first if you don’t already have it.
2. GET XNA Game Studio Express!
Next download and install XNA. This will add new features to your C# environment.
3. Download the XNA Framework
Get this to test and run games on your windows computer.
4. Learn C#!
C# is an object-oriented programming language developed by Microsoft as part of their .NET initiative. C# has a procedural, object-oriented syntax based on C++ that includes aspects of several other programming languages including Delphi, Visual Basic, and Java. XNA works with the C# programming language. If you don’t know it, it’s time to start learning.
- Online videos are so hot right now! Why not use them to learn C#? MSDN has a whole video series to get you up and running on C#. It’s over 10 hours of training! Click here to check it out.
- If you are more traditional, it’s time to crack some books. Check out this FREE eBook from Programmer’s Heaven. It will give you the basics on C# programming like classes and objects, arrays, strings, windows applications and file systems.
5. Check out the sample programs!
After you have some basics under your belt, you might as well crack open the XNA and see what it’s capable of doing. That’s why MS has provided us with Space War. That’s also why XNASpot has provided us with a tutorial on messing around with the code to give us an intro on working on games in XNA.
6. Learn XNA!
Alright, we’ve seen what it can do, but all we can do is adjust the speed of missles in a prefab game. In order to launch that MMORPG idea that we’ve got, we’d better learn how to use this thing. Onward to…more video tutorials! At XNATutorials, they’ve got a number of—and growing—tutorials to get you started programming in the XNA environment.
7. Learn more XNA!
Tutorials are starting to pop up everywhere, but not all of them are very complete. Reimer’s website has a pretty good tutorial that will launch you right into XNA and a graphical game. By page 3 you will already be drawing stuff to the screen. Continue on to the second tutorial for some even more advanced stuff! (The nav bar is on the right hand menu if you get confused about continuing the tutorial.)
Another great place to start is at More Than I Can Chew; they too have a bunch of game based tutorials via podcasts and screen casts to check out. You learn sprites, gravity, boundaries and such. Look for Episode 1.
8. Make Pong!
After having you mess with Space War, XNASpot also has a great tutorial on building Pong from the ground up.
9. Look at sample code!
There are plenty of sites with sample code out there. Look them over and see how people are implementing their games. The only way to answer “Gee, how’d they do that?” is to dig through their code. Find samples at xnaspot.com, xbox360homebrew.com and xnaresources.com.
10. Join the Creator Club to get your game onto the xBOX!
Comments
Posted by Anonymous | December 14, 2006 - 12:06am
This isn't about whats better so try not to be such a Nintendo fan boy about it.
Posted by Anonymous | April 12, 2008 - 9:28pm
Here's a resource that I found for developing. It has helped me.
http://www.smilebuy.com/1598633686/XNA-Game-Studio-Express-Developing-Games-for-Windows-and-the-Xbox-360.html
Posted by Anonymous | December 14, 2006 - 12:09am
nubs, this has nothing to do with wii. unrelated. xbox is good too. this is very interesting to beginning developers.
Posted by common sense guy. | December 14, 2006 - 12:28am
um, isnt this about developing?
not which console is better.
I really wish 13 year olds would stop hanging around here.
Posted by Anonymous | January 7, 2010 - 2:01pm
13 year olds are so gay they think they are pros at video games and wii is for stupid little kids who think they are cool and to finalize my rant...13 YEAR OLDS ARE NUBS
Posted by TheCrazyAnimater | January 12, 2010 - 4:42pm
Hello i think your generalizing and if so i would agree but i'm 13 and i don't consider my self a nub... lol i use Maya z brush and worked with the torque game engine i even co founded a worldwide group of 13 yr olds with the same interests as myself and no we arent nubs
Posted by Anonymous | December 14, 2006 - 12:32am
Id just like to say the Wii is great but so is the 360..
And being able to make your own games is what most people want some of the best game iv played are homebrew
Posted by Anonymous | December 14, 2006 - 12:47am
Homebrew is the way to go, but don't forget that if you join the XNA Creators Club you also have to publish your source code and resources to anything you create....
Posted by Anonymous | December 14, 2006 - 12:58am
If they made a wii devkit as easy to use as xna - or even the ability for homecoders to potentially get a game in Virtual Console, I'd jump ship.. but that doesn't look probable in the near future
Posted by m3talsmith | December 14, 2006 - 1:00am
Thanks for the article. I'm more excited about the Wii but smart enough to know that I need to develop on a mainstream console, or else I may never be able to get approved for that much sought out Wii devkit. Need to make a name for yourself first.
Posted by Anonymous | December 14, 2006 - 9:56am
This is really good, its a point to MS instead Nintendo.
Posted by Anonymous | December 14, 2006 - 10:03am
Don't forget about TorqueX from GarageGames.com
Posted by Gex | December 14, 2006 - 10:05am
Cool. Unfortunately, learning C# isn't exactly an easy matter, but it's good to know there's way to make games for the 360, and that its (somewhat) encouraged. The fees are honestly a ripoff though, but that seems to be Microsoft's specialty these days. It'd be cheaper just to keep them as Win progs, but consoles do have that appeal.
And hey guys, the guy never tried to start a fanboy flame here, you guys just jumped on him for even mentioning the Wii. That's rather sad.
As for Wii devkits, Nintendo has always been secretive about what they develop, but you also have to remember that the software/firmware/hardware Nintendo uses is more unique, XBoxes (360 and otherwise) are more or less PC's and built partly on pre-existing code, whereas Nintendo is only interested in being a pure console. Two different approaches, with two very different results.
As for this though, its a great start/middle step for beginners. I haven't looked at any C#, but I assume it would greatly help to have a pre-existing knowledge of at least some C/Java/etc.
Posted by Hexx | December 14, 2006 - 6:49pm
LOL... i love how you linked to a tutorial for Beta 1 XNA. That has 0 chance of compiling on this final release.
Check out xnatutorial.com for a good tutorial.
Posted by Anonymous | December 14, 2006 - 11:58pm
where did all these wii comments come from in the beginning?
anyway, im excited about this, although ive never coded for this in my life. would this be a good way to start?
Posted by llort yppah | December 15, 2006 - 4:00pm
xbox360 > PS3 > wii
I can't wait to pay for the privilege of giving away games!! This will in no way inspire the temptation to piracy: giving away costly games for free
Posted by hub dog, pelly | December 16, 2006 - 12:09am
does any 1 know do i need to install the C# developer kit environment to start using the XNA Game Studio. if i have visual studio 2005.???
and will these work properly if both programs are installed on my computer,,
thanks ...
Posted by Anonymous | December 18, 2006 - 5:27pm
C# is slower, not standard and less powerfull than C/C++.
Posted by Anonymous | December 19, 2006 - 12:32am
If I burn a homemade game to a CD (or would it be a DVD or what?) can I just play it? Can I give it to my friends?
Posted by Anonymous | December 26, 2006 - 10:39am
Hi guys !
To Hub Dog, Pelly:
you have to install C# Express to play with the XNA Studio Express & framework. It doesn't work on full VS licenses. Don't worry, the two VS work fine!
To Gex:
yep ! That's a great oppportunity for beginners to learn a C language with a goal in ming: dev&play homebrewed games on the 360!
To Anonymous 15:
nope Sir! C# is as quick as any C languages. It becomes to be standard on MS new developments: Vista, Office2007, ex-Expression Suite, Foundation... And now on the 360!
To Anonymous 16:
nope Sir! You need to register to the XNA Creators Club to download the XNA Launcher program on your 360. For the moment...
Posted by manit chanthavong | December 26, 2006 - 1:40pm
i run and compile my games on VS2005Pro, it compiles a lof faster and debugging is a lot easier. of course you still have to install C# Express first :(
http://chanthavong.com
Posted by Nick | December 26, 2006 - 8:19pm
I want to know if there is a 3D Engine program I can buy at a store or download for free that will let me make a game from the ground up, like an editor that has 3D characters and 3D enviromental structures that are already made for me and I could just put them together and make a game???
Posted by jeff | December 27, 2006 - 10:50am
nick, go to garagegames.com they have a 3d engine that is pretty good, and only a 150 bucks for an indie. there is a demo walkthrough of the world but you cxan also mess around with the editor. plus a ton of forum help\tutorials
Posted by Dr. Tobot | January 2, 2007 - 12:18am
That's weird and annoying that you have to pay to play your own apps. Turn off.
Posted by Anonymous | January 4, 2007 - 3:32am
How do i test the program is there an emulator? How will i know if it will run on the xbox 360?
Posted by Anonymous | January 6, 2007 - 9:25am
Still... learning C# to make a game isn't a walk in the park.
We hobbyists don't want to learn how to code, then code an engine before we can even begin making a game.
Yes, all of that is made easier with XNA but I'll stick to Python and the logic bricks of Blender.
Posted by Curious person | February 20, 2007 - 10:14am
does anyone have any idea if its easy to make homebrew ps3 games and if it would be similer to the 360?
Posted by A Curious new Developer | February 21, 2007 - 11:30pm
Um, does ANYONE know if there is a Disc you can buy and simply play on your xbox 360 that is like a Video Game creator?? That would be very easy and neat. thx
Posted by Anonymous | March 20, 2007 - 5:10pm
My 11 year old son wishes to make an x-box game as part of a gifted and talented program. He is rather clever, but none of the family have any experience or knowledge of coding - is C# a good place to start for this, or should we be looking somewhere else, or should he revise his plans to something more achieveable!!?? Any advice appreciated.
Posted by darryl porter | March 21, 2007 - 4:20pm
i'll like to make a shooting or fighting game
Posted by Anonymous | April 7, 2007 - 6:48am
how you put it on disc plus can u make 360 games on it
Posted by Anonymous | April 8, 2007 - 9:24pm
C# is a good place to start for your kid. Also, there are a couple of good engines out there. If you want to make an X-box game, try KjApi at http://kjapi.free.fr/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page. For a PC game, try Reality Factory at http://www.realityfactory.ca
Posted by Anonymous | October 7, 2007 - 7:56pm
can you make games for normal xbox with this or is it just for xbox 360
Posted by John91 | October 8, 2007 - 3:30pm
this is really cool and my friend is learning it, i decided to give it a try, i have visual c# 2005 installed and working, but when i try to install xnagse it says i need to install visual c# 2005. can anyone tell me how to fix this??
contact my msn: poopdeck910@hotmail.com (i never check my e-mail so add me on msnm)
Posted by KC | December 20, 2007 - 1:43pm
I'm wondering though how long the Xbox/360 will be around, as about every 2 yrs they come out with more powerful, realistic, high end graphics boxes. So if one learns C# - by the time he/she masters it for games, 3-4 new game Boxes will be around (next Christmas I bet) and there will be C##(V)4 software with XLM...
Posted by Emily ashley | January 8, 2008 - 9:07pm
i love x box i even got one and i really want to make my own game but for free
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