Learning XNA - Developers - Facepunch Forum

Does anyone know of any good XNA books? I currently have: Learning C# 3.0 ([url]http://oreilly.com/catalog/9780596521073/[/url]) from o'rly for C# reference and Professional XNA Game Programing for Xbox 360 and Windows ([url]http://www.wrox.com/WileyCDA/WroxTitle/productCd-0470126779.html[/url]) which I got for cheap at Half Price Books. Any suggestions for further reading? I'm worried the XNA book is outdated as it came out in 2007.

XNA has great documentation in MSDN and various blogs aggregated at places like ziggyware and the creators club website. You don't need a book.

Well, I'm terribly new to programming and I'd think having a book to tell me specifically how to do things would be nice, but I haven't checked out MSDN at all. [editline]04:21PM[/editline] Could I get some links? I'll check MSDN and Ziggyware and I'm going to register at the creators club.

Terribly new to programming? Take a step back. Learn the basics at least of the language, then move on to a framework. Just my opinion..

Making a game would be a fun way for me to learn, plus I'm attending college for a programming degree in January. I've already read through an entire C++ book and have switched to C#/XNA because it seems a lot easier to begin creating a game with. [editline]05:07PM[/editline] Offtopic: would it be possible to install VS Express on a external drive and run it on other computers?

XNA taught me loads about OOP and programming in general. Go for it.

[QUOTE=Ortzinator;18477363]XNA taught me loads about OOP and programming in general. Go for it.[/QUOTE] Cool, thanks for the support. This book is actually very good, they immediately get you doing things, even if it's just a scrolling texture ( :D ). Makes you feel like you know what you're doing, and that you are learning.

[QUOTE=Ortzinator;18477363]XNA taught me loads about OOP and programming in general. Go for it.[/QUOTE] Agreed. I love using XNA, and you get results so fast that it really does encourage you to continue programming and learn more and more.

So I got stuck on something and can't figure out how to get passed it. I need someone on Steam (Facebook?) to help me when I need it. I want to learn so badly. :(

Why not ask here?

Guess that makes sense. It would just be nice to have a friend who knew how to program so I could ask him questions when I needed to.

That's what the fpcoders IRC channel is for ;)

[QUOTE=Chandler;18691914]That's what the fpcoders IRC channel is for ;)[/QUOTE] When they aren't arguing. ;) But yeah, the fpcoders channel is really good for brief code snippets and help. I know Chandler has helped me in the past with a problem.

I'm so much of a beginner that they would likely just tell me to get out.

What do you need exactly? If you're having difficulties then post your problems and we might be able to help you.

[QUOTE=Chandler;18691914]That's what the fpcoders IRC channel is for ;)[/QUOTE] [img]http://i47.tinypic.com/5k0xtk.jpgg[/img]

[QUOTE=efeX;18692650][img]http://i47.tinypic.com/5k0xtk.jpgg[/img][/QUOTE] Fuck I hate that picture, it's my friends CSS Spray. Also, they wouldn't tell you to get out. A few would, but the rest would try to help.

There shouldn't be anyone telling you to leave. If you program, you're welcome to join. If you have any trouble with people being rude, let me know and I'll deal with them.

I'm currently learning XNA as well, using this book [url]http://www.scribd.com/doc/14004791/XNA-30[/url] It's quite good and pretty straightforward. XNA is fun, you see results almost instantly

[QUOTE=rosthouse;18696616]I'm currently learning XNA as well, using this book [url]http://www.scribd.com/doc/14004791/XNA-30[/url] It's quite good and pretty straightforward. XNA is fun, you see results almost instantly[/QUOTE] That is the best XNA book, hands down.

[QUOTE=rosthouse;18696616]I'm currently learning XNA as well, using this book [url]http://www.scribd.com/doc/14004791/XNA-30[/url] It's quite good and pretty straightforward. XNA is fun, you see results almost instantly[/QUOTE] Awesome, a PDF of it? :D [editline]01:08PM[/editline] That fish is freaky. It's so much nicer to have a PDF so I don't have to have a book stand and stuff.

Just hit download in the upper left corner of the book :wink: [editline]09:09PM[/editline] Just so you know, there are a lot of other good books on this site, just use the search.

[QUOTE=rosthouse;18700368]Just hit download in the upper left corner of the book :wink: [editline]09:09PM[/editline] Just so you know, there are a lot of other good books on this site, just use the search.[/QUOTE] Illegally.

[QUOTE=Ortzinator;18702154]Illegally.[/QUOTE] are you the po-leece?

[QUOTE=efeX;18702777]are you the po-leece?[/QUOTE] :cop:

[QUOTE=Ortzinator;18702154]Illegally.[/QUOTE] It works the same way youtube does, if anybody sees copyright protected material, they can report it. I've even see people selling books officialy there.

I've been thinking about how [url]www.minecraft.net[/url] 's levels are stored - and the easiest way I can think of is a 3D array with each value being a certain block type (1=dirt, 2=rock, etc). Would it be a bad idea to store map data in this way? [editline]08:13AM[/editline] I'm thinking about how I'll create 2D levels - I'd like to use a 2D array.

[QUOTE=Shadaez;18713638]I've been thinking about how [url]www.minecraft.net[/url] 's levels are stored - and the easiest way I can think of is a 3D array with each value being a certain block type (1=dirt, 2=rock, etc). Would it be a bad idea to store map data in this way? [editline]08:13AM[/editline] I'm thinking about how I'll create 2D levels - I'd like to use a 2D array.[/QUOTE] I don't think that's good. I think you wan't to have a 2D grid, where each element of a grid equals an element in the array. Like that, you'd also have to store elements that are empty (the free space you're moving in). And what do you do with objects that are lager than a place in the grid? I think an easier way would be to have a list or a tree, where each object of a level contains a position vector. Like that you can have objects at different sizes and you can place them anywhere in the level. As I said above, I started learning XNA just recently as well, so I could be talking utter bullshit here v:v:v

Well, it would be a tile based system, if I had an object bigger I could make tiles of it or make it so the centre of the object is where I placed it.

I remember reading on the word of notch that Minecraft uses a BSP format for it's levels. Each time you delete or place a block it re-partitions the geometry for optimal rendering efficiency. In a basic sense, it attempts to recreate a large cube section of blocks as a single large block, so that it renders only once for the large cube, instead of once for each cube inside of it. Having a 3d array of blocks is very inefficient compared to this method. I don't quite exactly remember how the textures were handled though..