\Managed DirectX and XNA Framework news
Yeah right !
Though I would like to thank the folks who bought stuff through Amazon
I don't ask for much, but obviously the site takes time and money to keep up so I appreciate people using these links. So if you ever buy anything from Amazon
You don't even have to buy Managed DirectX books, anything you buy after following a link contributes. So if you are like other readers who purchased GURPS
Firstly, just to be clear, Game Engine Toolset Development is not a book *about* Managed DirectX like the others on this page. But it is a book that uses Managed DirectX in some of it's chapters and it's also all about using C# and .Net for game development tools. The author, Graham Wihlidal, is a regular on gamedev.net. The book releases at the GDC2006 but you can, of course, pre-order it from Amazon, though ignore the editorial on Amazon as it's very old. Instead check out the book's website where you can also see the table of contents.
1/24/06: Added link to new Direct3D tutorials
Peter has a a set of tutorials implementing a 2D breakout game using both DirectDraw and Direct3D. Great for anyone who wants to learn how to convert between the two or how to do 2D graphics.
Tutorials
- 7 part tutorial using DirectDraw to implement a 2D game.
- 9 part tutorial using Direct3D to implement *the same* 2D game.
Goblin is an innovative platform for developing 3D augmented and virtual reality applications and games from some folk at the University of Columbia. Augmented reality means you wear a transparent display device and the computer overlays 3d graphics onto the real world. Check out the video on the site showing a game where you can shoot at imaginary aliens. They have full source available for download on the website.
(from Tom)
1/13/06: Added normal map sample
Finally, someone with code that *isn't* how to create a device from scratch*. Pieter's website and blog have several advanced tutorials and code samples. He's working on a managed DirectX engine called Xilath, and has some cool screen shots: shader support, shadows and reflections. In addition Pieter did a talk on Managed DirectX and you can download the presentation.
* I lied slightly, he has those tutorials too.
Tutorials
- --Index--
- Render to texture
- Bump mapping
- Alpha Blending
- HLSL parts 1, 2 and 3
Sample Code
1/12/06: Fixed link to Aaron's site. Added links to tutorials
I don't know how long it took Aaron to put this together, but its a magnificent bit of coding and graphics for one guy to do in his spare time. If you didn't download and play it then do it now. I hope his girlfriend appreciated it!
Texas Quest is a 2d side scroller, much like Mario World. Aaron wrote it for his girlfriend :-). Read more and download here and see more screen shots. Aaron has generously made the full source available for the game so if you want some 2-D scrolling sample code this would be a great place to look.
Aaron has a couple of tutorials talking about how this was developed. 2D rendering, design part I. Also see Aarons other projects.
Aaron's main claim to fame is that he's the only person I have heard of who wrote a game (in Managed DirectX) for his girlfriend. We have never heard what the response from his girlfriend was but he moved to Tokyo to be with her so I think we can assume she wasn't disappointed :-)
Other than Texas Quest, it looks like he has some isometric wargame type thing (more) under way.
Tutorials
- Texas Quest - 2D rendering in a side scroller, Game design
Sample Code
- Texas Quest - complete source code for a 2d scroller game
Thanks to Mykre for pointing out Aarons updates, my blog reader apparantly had given up on the blog. Resubscribed....
1/11/06: Chad updates UI widgets sample for managed directx beta
A nice set of tutorials from a guy named Chad over at C-Unit.com. There really is very little information about who Chad is and why he has Managed DirectX tutorials but I did find a picture of him painted green and he has a cute dog so now you know as much as I do.
Tutorials
- --Index-- including the usual getting started tutorials.
- Dynamic Buffers - very useful and efficient for particles, 2-d tiles and mesh animation where you need to update vertices on each frame.
- Texture mapping
- Lighting - normally I would include lighting in with the getting started stuff but in this case he discusses why spotlights often don't look like you expect them to.
- Finally a series of terrain rendering tutorials Rendering a height map, Moving a camera around and Adding detail with multitexturing
- Frustum Culling - how to only draw items in the view frutum
- 2d sprites - uses the D3DX Sprite class
- Building your own UI widgets using managed DirectX. Parts 1, 2, 3, 4. Update for Managed DirectX for .Net 2.0 beta.
- Texture Compression, Filters, and Transformations
- Offscreen Surfaces and Screenshots
- Tetris with Managed DirectX
I think I get asked about once per month why there are no forums on the site. My reasoning has always been that we already have the managed directx newsgroup, the MSDN forums and the Gamedev.net DirectX forum which are read and answered by many more folk than read The ZBuffer. I try to cover the 1st 2 of those forums and there are others who cover gamedev pretty well so if you ask in one of those 3 places you will likely get an answer to your question (for the record that doesn't mean ask in ALL 3 places like I've started to see recently). I also point out that a few of the other managed directx sites tried forums and have very few posts, though they probably get less traffic than me.
However, I do understand people who think that as a one stop shop for Managed DirectX there should be some discussion area. So I figure lets be democratic about it.
If you have an opinion, please email me and let me know what you think. Some suggestions:
- Forums: yes or no based on the logic above
- If yes:
- Should we leave technical support in the other forums
- What other forums would you like to see other than technical support
A first chance exception of type 'System.Runtime.InteropServices.SEHException' occurred in microsoft.directx.direct3dx.dll
Additional information: External component has thrown an exception.
This error appeared in a multi project solution when the versions of microsoft.directx.direct3dx.dll did not match across all the projects.
1/4/06: Added overlay sample and installer guide
Muhammed is a DirectX MVP and Gamedev forum administrator.
Articles
Sample Code
There I was 9:50am having a nice nap and dreaming of render loops when the FedEx man rings the doorbell. Barking at people who walk in the street or dare to slam their car doors is high on the ZHounds list of fun things, so someone actually coming to their door and ringing their doorbell is the Olympic games of barking in our house. I sent the ZChick because she was expecting a package but it wasn't for her. Turns out it was my 'congratulations on being a DirectX MVP' package.
Sadly there was not a large check involved in the transaction, but I gather Steve Ballmer comes to yours house on your birthday to sing Developers, Developers, Developers. So thanks to those who nominated me.
Artificial Engines is a graphics engine written in VB.Net and therefore usable from any .Net language. They have a very nice demo reel available for download. I've not taken a deep look yet so no 'editorial' comments. The engine is free, but is provided in a compiled form so no source code.
Thanks deis for the link
