11 Games and Content Session 4.1

Session Overview  Show how games are made up of program code and content  Find out about the content management system in XNA  Discover how content is integrated with XNA Game Studio and an XNA program  Add some content to an XNA Game Studio project  Show how games are made up of program code and content  Find out about the content management system in XNA  Discover how content is integrated with XNA Game Studio and an XNA program  Add some content to an XNA Game Studio project Chapter 4.1: Games and Content2

Games and Content  The first programs were nothing but code  They simply worked with text and numbers  The increasing power of computers made them capable of manipulating images and sounds  This ability was quickly incorporated into the software development process  Users now expect programs to have graphical icons to describe the way they are used  Such assets form a huge part of the gameplay  The first programs were nothing but code  They simply worked with text and numbers  The increasing power of computers made them capable of manipulating images and sounds  This ability was quickly incorporated into the software development process  Users now expect programs to have graphical icons to describe the way they are used  Such assets form a huge part of the gameplay Chapter 4.1: Games and Content3

Content Management in XNA  Content is such an important part of games that the XNA Framework provides a set of tools to manage it  These are often referred to as the “assets” of a game  Resources are managed by the XNA “Content Pipeline”  Raw resources go in at one end and appropriately formatted assets are produced for use by the game program during gameplay  When the game runs the Content Manager component of XNA it fetches content the game needs  Content is such an important part of games that the XNA Framework provides a set of tools to manage it  These are often referred to as the “assets” of a game  Resources are managed by the XNA “Content Pipeline”  Raw resources go in at one end and appropriately formatted assets are produced for use by the game program during gameplay  When the game runs the Content Manager component of XNA it fetches content the game needs Chapter 4.1: Games and Content4

Assets and the Content Pipeline  The Content Pipeline is there to process game content: 1. Artists create the raw content 2. This is given an asset identifier and stored in the Content Management framework 3. The game program loads the game asset and the Content Manager provides it during gameplay 4. The assets are encoded for storage as part of the game distributable  The Content Pipeline is there to process game content: 1. Artists create the raw content 2. This is given an asset identifier and stored in the Content Management framework 3. The game program loads the game asset and the Content Manager provides it during gameplay 4. The assets are encoded for storage as part of the game distributable Chapter 4.1: Games and Content5

XNA Content Manager  All content (sound, images, etc.) is treated the same way  Filters are provided to import the content into the game program  There are also filters to encode the content for storage as part of the game distributable  As an XNA programmer, you don’t have to worry about any of this  All content (sound, images, etc.) is treated the same way  Filters are provided to import the content into the game program  There are also filters to encode the content for storage as part of the game distributable  As an XNA programmer, you don’t have to worry about any of this Chapter 4.1: Games and Content6

Displaying a Picture  We are going to display a picture of Jake  The picture was taken with a digital camera and is in the.jpg format  We will consider other formats later  I adjusted the image size to suit the XNA display (800 x 600 pixels)  We are going to display a picture of Jake  The picture was taken with a digital camera and is in the.jpg format  We will consider other formats later  I adjusted the image size to suit the XNA display (800 x 600 pixels) Chapter 4.1: Games and Content7

Game Content and the Visual Studio Project  Visual Studio organizes all the files that make up a program project  This includes the actual program code and also the files containing any resources that the project needs  When a program is built, content of the project is prepared for use by the program when it runs  Content that is added to an XNA game is held within the Visual Studio Project for that game  Visual Studio organizes all the files that make up a program project  This includes the actual program code and also the files containing any resources that the project needs  When a program is built, content of the project is prepared for use by the program when it runs  Content that is added to an XNA game is held within the Visual Studio Project for that game Chapter 4.1: Games and Content8

1. Investigating an Empty Project Chapter 4.1: Games and Content9  Visual Studio creates and manages a number of folders which all hold parts of the game project  This includes a folder that contains the content for the game  Visual Studio creates and manages a number of folders which all hold parts of the game project  This includes a folder that contains the content for the game

Solutions and Projects  A project is a list of the things that are required to build that project  A solution is a list of projects that are required to build a particular program  A project is a list of the things that are required to build that project  A solution is a list of projects that are required to build a particular program Chapter 4.1: Games and Content10

The Visual Studio Solution Explorer  Visual Studio provides an explorer interface that lets you see the contents of solutions and projects  The Solution Explorer is normally in the top, right- hand corner of the Visual Studio display  There is an entry here for each of the project items  Visual Studio provides an explorer interface that lets you see the contents of solutions and projects  The Solution Explorer is normally in the top, right- hand corner of the Visual Studio display  There is an entry here for each of the project items Chapter 4.1: Games and Content11

Adding Resources to an XNA Game Project  Content can be added using the Context Menu in the Solution Explorer  Visual Studio can create new content or add existing content items  Content can be added using the Context Menu in the Solution Explorer  Visual Studio can create new content or add existing content items Chapter 4.1: Games and Content12

Browsing for Content Resources  You can browse for content the same way as for items in other programs  Selected resources are added to the project when you click Add  You can select multiple items by holding down the CTRL key  You can browse for content the same way as for items in other programs  Selected resources are added to the project when you click Add  You can select multiple items by holding down the CTRL key Chapter 4.1: Games and Content13

Sharing a Content Resource  If you want several games to share the same resources you can add a link to a resource  In this case the resource is not copied into the solution, instead the project file contains a link to the resource item  If you want several games to share the same resources you can add a link to a resource  In this case the resource is not copied into the solution, instead the project file contains a link to the resource item Chapter 4.1: Games and Content14

Added Content  When content is added the selected files are copied into the solution and the project is updated to refer to these items  Visual Studio maintains a content folder in the project which holds the content for the project  When content is added the selected files are copied into the solution and the project is updated to refer to these items  Visual Studio maintains a content folder in the project which holds the content for the project Chapter 4.1: Games and Content15

Content Properties  Visual Studio holds property information about items it is managing  For content items, the property information includes the type of the content and where it is stored  Visual Studio holds property information about items it is managing  For content items, the property information includes the type of the content and where it is stored Chapter 4.1: Games and Content16

2. Adding an Image Resource Chapter 4.1: Games and Content17  It is easy to add content to a project  The content is transferred to the target system when the game project is built  It is easy to add content to a project  The content is transferred to the target system when the game project is built

What Just Happened?  When we built the project, Visual Studio used the Content Manager to fetch the image resources and add them to the files that make up the program  These resources were then sent to the target device so that the XNA game can find them when it runs  At the moment the game does not draw anything however, because we have to add the code to do this  When we built the project, Visual Studio used the Content Manager to fetch the image resources and add them to the files that make up the program  These resources were then sent to the target device so that the XNA game can find them when it runs  At the moment the game does not draw anything however, because we have to add the code to do this Chapter 4.1: Games and Content18

Summary  An application is made up of much more than just a C# program  Visual Studio uses solutions and projects to manage all the items that make up an application  XNA Game Studio provides a Content Manager to import game content and prepare it for use in games  Game content is referred to by a Visual Studio project and can be held inside the project folders or a project can link to an external resource  An application is made up of much more than just a C# program  Visual Studio uses solutions and projects to manage all the items that make up an application  XNA Game Studio provides a Content Manager to import game content and prepare it for use in games  Game content is referred to by a Visual Studio project and can be held inside the project folders or a project can link to an external resource Chapter 4.1: Games and Content19

True/False Revision Quiz  Games are entirely made up of program code.  Visual Studio contains a Content Manager.  Images are processed by the Content Manager when they are added to a game.  Visual Studio projects contain solutions.  Image resources are held inside the project file in a game.  A game can only contain a single image resource.  Games are entirely made up of program code.  Visual Studio contains a Content Manager.  Images are processed by the Content Manager when they are added to a game.  Visual Studio projects contain solutions.  Image resources are held inside the project file in a game.  A game can only contain a single image resource. Chapter 4.1: Games and Content20

True/False Revision Quiz  Games are entirely made up of program code.  Visual Studio contains a Content Manager.  Images are processed by the Content Manager when they are added to a game.  Visual Studio projects contain solutions.  Image resources are held inside the project file in a game.  A game can only contain a single image resource.  Games are entirely made up of program code.  Visual Studio contains a Content Manager.  Images are processed by the Content Manager when they are added to a game.  Visual Studio projects contain solutions.  Image resources are held inside the project file in a game.  A game can only contain a single image resource. Chapter 4.1: Games and Content21

True/False Revision Quiz  Games are entirely made up of program code.  Visual Studio contains a Content Manager.  Images are processed by the Content Manager when they are added to a game.  Visual Studio projects contain solutions.  Image resources are held inside the project file in a game.  A game can only contain a single image resource.  Games are entirely made up of program code.  Visual Studio contains a Content Manager.  Images are processed by the Content Manager when they are added to a game.  Visual Studio projects contain solutions.  Image resources are held inside the project file in a game.  A game can only contain a single image resource. Chapter 4.1: Games and Content22

True/False Revision Quiz  Games are entirely made up of program code.  Visual Studio contains a Content Manager.  Images are processed by the Content Manager when they are added to a game.  Visual Studio projects contain solutions.  Image resources are held inside the project file in a game.  A game can only contain a single image resource.  Games are entirely made up of program code.  Visual Studio contains a Content Manager.  Images are processed by the Content Manager when they are added to a game.  Visual Studio projects contain solutions.  Image resources are held inside the project file in a game.  A game can only contain a single image resource. Chapter 4.1: Games and Content23

True/False Revision Quiz  Games are entirely made up of program code.  Visual Studio contains a Content Manager.  Images are processed by the Content Manager when they are added to a game.  Visual Studio projects contain solutions.  Image resources are held inside the project file in a game.  A game can only contain a single image resource.  Games are entirely made up of program code.  Visual Studio contains a Content Manager.  Images are processed by the Content Manager when they are added to a game.  Visual Studio projects contain solutions.  Image resources are held inside the project file in a game.  A game can only contain a single image resource. Chapter 4.1: Games and Content24

True/False Revision Quiz  Games are entirely made up of program code.  Visual Studio contains a Content Manager.  Images are processed by the Content Manager when they are added to a game.  Visual Studio projects contain solutions.  Image resources are held inside the project file in a game.  A game can only contain a single image resource.  Games are entirely made up of program code.  Visual Studio contains a Content Manager.  Images are processed by the Content Manager when they are added to a game.  Visual Studio projects contain solutions.  Image resources are held inside the project file in a game.  A game can only contain a single image resource. Chapter 4.1: Games and Content25

True/False Revision Quiz  Games are entirely made up of program code.  Visual Studio contains a Content Manager.  Images are processed by the Content Manager when they are added to a game.  Visual Studio projects contain solutions.  Image resources are held inside the project file in a game.  A game can only contain a single image resource.  Games are entirely made up of program code.  Visual Studio contains a Content Manager.  Images are processed by the Content Manager when they are added to a game.  Visual Studio projects contain solutions.  Image resources are held inside the project file in a game.  A game can only contain a single image resource. Chapter 4.1: Games and Content26