Welcome to XNA Game Studio 2.0! You are about to download and install the latest release of XNA Game Studio, a new product from Microsoft that gives you the chance to make your own great games on Windows and Xbox 360.
Follow these instructions to get started making games with XNA Game Studio 2.0:
Install Visual Studio 2005
Decide what development environment you will use. XNA Game Studio 2.0 supports the following editions of Visual Studio 2005:
- Visual C# 2005 Express Edition
- Visual Studio 2005 Standard Edition
- Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition
- Visual Studio 2005 Tools for the Microsoft Office System
- Visual Studio 2005 Team Edition for Software Architects
- Visual Studio 2005 Team Edition for Software Developers
- Visual Studio 2005 Team Edition for Software Testers
- Visual Studio 2005 Team Edition for Database Professionals
- Visual Studio 2005 Team Suite
If you are new to game development, and do not currently own a version of Visual Studio 2005, start with Visual C# 2005 Express Edition. It’s free and simple to install. For professional development tasks, consider Visual Studio 2005 Standard Edition or higher.
Update Visual Studio 2005
Once you have installed a development environment, install the necessary updates to prepare your development environment for XNA Game Studio 2.0.
If you are using Visual C# 2005 Express Edition:
If you are using Visual Studio 2005 Standard Edition or higher:
Install XNA Game Studio 2.0
With your development environment ready, install the XNA Game Studio 2.0. XNA Game Studio will install and extend your Visual C# 2005 Express Edition or Visual Studio 2005 environment.
For last-minute changes and updates to XNA Game Studio 2.0, view the Readme.
Subscribe to the Creators Club (Optional)
If you would like to develop games for Xbox 360, as well as get access to premium XNA content, join the XNA Creators Club. Follow the instructions to subscribe and connect your Xbox 360 console with XNA Game Studio 2.0.
Start Using XNA Game Studio 2.0
Start XNA Game Studio 2.0 by clicking on your Start Menu, then on Microsoft XNA Game Studio 2.0, then either Microsoft Visual C# 2005 Express Edition or Microsoft Visual Studio 2005. You’re ready to start making games. You have several options:
- Press F1 on your keyboard to access the XNA Game Studio 2.0 documentation. Try the Getting Started, Going Beyond section for a quick primer on making your first game.
- For a single-player experience, create a Spacewar Starter Kit from within XNA Game Studio 2.0 by clicking the File menu, then New Project. Select the XNA Game Studio 2.0 node in the tree on the left, then Spacewar Windows Starter Kit (2.0) in the box on the right. Click OK to create the project, and then press F5 on your keyboard to build the game and try it out.
- To learn how to create a multiplayer game using the new networking features of XNA Game Studio 2.0, download the Net Rumble Starter Kit. Once it is installed, create it just like the Spacewar Starter Kit, by clicking the File menu and clicking New Project.
- Try the updated samples available on the XNA Game Studio 2.0 Getting Started page to learn more about game development techniques and effects.
If you get stuck, be sure to join the XNA Game Studio 2.0 forums to read or post your tips and suggestions along with other XNA Game Studio 2.0 users.
To send feedback to Microsoft about XNA Game Studio 2.0, sign up for Microsoft Connect at http://connect.microsoft.com and click the XNA Game Studio connection under available connections. Once connected, you can begin sending feedback to Microsoft.
