XNA Introduction
XNA is a game development framework that was recently introduced by Microsoft to allow hobbyist, student, and independent game developers to build games for the PC and Xbox 360 using C#. It is the first time a platform with such wide reaching access to a major console like the Xbox 360 has been made available free. XNA’s release is a win on all fronts because it provides developers free tools to build games and it allows Microsoft to educate developers about their platform. This release is also exciting for gamers who can look forward to a new family of independent games developed for the PC and Xbox 360 using XNA. With XNA, anybody with a creative vision for a game and basic programming knowledge can build it in their spare time without the huge license costs.
XNA will not replace commercial games. Commercial developers will always have the advantage of a payroll of full-time developers and paid artists. However, XNA will provide an exciting avenue for people to create games the way they want them made. The innovations from the XNA stream will certainly be a hit with game enthusiasts and commercial developers will be taking notes too. XNA will be taking game play to new and interesting worlds.

Showing how to Create a Complete 3D Game for PC
Pat McGee and Stephen Cawood have recently authored a text called the Microsoft XNA Game Studio Creator’s Guide. This book shows how to create a complete 3D game from scratch using Microsoft’s latest game development platform called XNA. It shows how to apply the math behind the game, how to develop all graphics effects and game routines, as well as how to develop 3D models and animate them. This book is suitable for beginner programmers, who as a minimum know how to write an if-else statement and for-loop, to computer science graduates with intermediate coding experience.
Pat has developed and has instructed several courses in games programming for the British Columbia Institute of Technology since 2001. His students range from persons with very little coding experience to computer science graduates. With such a broad range of programming experience in his classes when he began his teaching career, he had to deliver a lot of substance fast and make it easy to understand. To accelerate learning he developed a method that uses simple step-by-step examples to show how to develop each component of the game. Pat receives rave reviews from his students from all sides of development experience every term. Stephen has worked on a number of gaming titles including Halo 2 Hacks, Black Art of Halo Mods, and The Unauthorized Halo 2 Battle Guide. Stephen also brings relevant experience, having recently co-authored a book on applying 3D graphics for augmented reality. Stephen and Pat package their experience to offer the Microsoft XNA Game Studio Creator’s Guide which is now available from McGraw-Hill in a store near you. To learn more about the book go to:

http://www.mhprofessional.com/product.php?isbn=007149071X

Installing Microsoft XNA
If you want to try XNA installing it is simple. Your startup costs may range between $0 to $200 depending on your current graphics card and depending on whether or not you wish to run your games on the Xbox 360. If you have a suitable graphics card you can run XNA on your PC with XP or Vista free.

The coding tool, Microsoft’s Game Studio Express, is free. It runs as an add-on to Microsoft Visual C# Express which is also free. Microsoft Visual C# can be downloaded and installed from:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/

Once Microsoft Visual C# Express has been installed, you can download XNA Game Studio Express from:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/xna/

Your graphics card must support Direct3D 9.0 at Shader Model 1.1. Shader Model 2.0 or later is recommended. Most websites that sell graphics cards provide this information if you want to check your card for compatibility with XNA.

If you have all of this installed at this point you can run XNA on your PC with no additional charge. You can however purchase a wired game controller for the Xbox 360 and plug it into your USB port on your PC if you want to program the controller – or you can use a keyboard and mouse for input from the PC if you choose.

To run your games on the Xbox 360, a physical hard drive must be present on your Xbox 360 retail console. You must also be able to login to Xbox Live. The Silver edition of Xbox Live is free and will allow you to access the XNA game launcher. However, to deploy your games to the Xbox 360 you also need to be a member of the XNA Creator’s Club. The subscription to the XNA Creator’s Club costs $99 per year or $49 per four months.

This really is all you need to develop games for the PC or Xbox 360. You can use this set-up to develop commercial games for the PC. However, a commercial edition of XNA Game Studio will be released later this year which will provide options for commercial development on the Xbox 360.

PC Demo
This segment will introduce XNA Game Studio Express and show how to build and run a program on the PC. This will show a one minute demonstration of graphics and audio using XNA on the PC.

Xbox 360 Game
This segment will show Leo and I playing an XNA game on the Xbox 360. Before running it I will explain the code environment and how simple it is run the same code in Windows or the Xbox 360. Then Leo and I will play. The game will last about 1 minute.

RELATED WEBSITE LINKS
For information about the Microsoft XNA Game Studio Creator’s Guide:
http://www.mhprofessional.com/product.php?isbn=007149071X

Microsoft Visual C#:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/

XNA Game Studio Express
http://msdn.microsoft.com/xna/

PRODUCTS SHOWN
Microsoft XNA Game Studio Creator’s Guide (Price is $39.99)

Progressive image footage is important.
If it’s not shot progressive, then convert it.
Brief explanation of interlace versus progressive.

Converting interlace footage into progressive using FCP, Natress Film Effects or Magic Bullet. 24fps progressive will look more realistic than 30 progressive.

Characteristics of aged and damaged film.
Scratches, dust, mold, torn sprockets causing wiggle, fading, vignetting, splices and missing frames

A good film damage look.
Magic Bullet Misfire

Free plugins you can download right now.

CGM Aged Film LE (http://www.cgm-online.com/eiperle/cgm_aged_film_le_e.html)

2 Strip and 3 Strip Technicolor simulator (http://pistolerapost.com/pluginz/)

Rainer’s Wiggle – plugin to shake the image

RELATED WEBSITE LINKS
Magic Bullet Misfire at redgiantsoftware.com
Technicolor Looks pistolerapost.com/pluginz

PRODUCTS SHOWN
CGM Aged Film, free limited version, full version $179
Magic Bullet Editors “Misfire” $399
Technicolor Looks, free

Build the World in 3D
School’s Alex Oliver will introduce the popular 3D modeling program Google SketchUp, and explain how to bring SketchUp models into Google Earth. Specifically, Alex will show viewers:

How to use Google Earth to find your desired location and prepare it for use in SketchUp [Here he will tell the audience about The Sketchup Show and The Google Earth Show podcasts that give tips on the two programs]
How to quickly create 3D buildings in SketchUp, including adding images to buildings to make them look realistic [he’ll reference School’s SketchUp DVD training series here for full lessons on getting started in the program]
How to place your finished creation back into Google Earth
Options for sharing your file with others by email or in the 3D Warehouse
Options for bringing other locations from Google Earth into your own SketchUp file for modification [Here he will show some existing buildings created by The Blue Marble Project in Los Angeles]

RELATED WEBSITE LINKS

http://www.go-2-school.com/lab This is the School website landing page (not yet created) for The Lab show viewers. We will be sure to have links to all of the other content that is mentioned in the links below

http://bluemarbleproject.com This is the Blue Marble Project website. This is Alex’s other company, which specializes in creating 3D models for the 3D Warehouse and Google Earth

http://www.sketchup.google.com This is the website for Google SketchUp

http://www.sketchup.google.com/download.html This is the place to download Google SketchUp for free

http://www.sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/ This is the homepage for the Google 3D Warehouse

http://earth.google.com/ This is the homepage for Google Earth

PRODUCTS SHOWN

School SketchUp Level One training DVD, $79 – over 2 hours of content, interactive glossary and resources, curriculum created by Google SketchUp certified instructors, designed to get you modeling the right way in SketchUp.

School SketchUp Level Two training DVD, $79 – a follow-up to Level One, training you on several intermediate topics in SketchUp. Also contains over 2 hours of content, and interactive glossary and resources.

The Sketchup Show podcast, free – School’s free series of SketchUp tutorials available on the School website and through other popular directories such as Apple’s iTunes.

The Google Earth Show podcast, free – School’s free series of Google Earth news, product reviews, tips and tutorials available on the School website and through other popular directories such as Apple’s iTunes.