Using XNA Game Studio 3.0, any programmer can master the art of game development and begin selling games to millions of Xbox 360 users worldwide. Now, there’s a practical, comprehensive guide to game development with Microsoft’s powerful new XNA Game Studio 3.0 and the entire XNA Framework.   In Microsoft® XNA® Game Studio 3.0 Unleashed, XNA expert Chad Carter covers the entire XNA platform, presents extensive sample code, and explains that code line by line. Carter walks you through the entire process of game development, including installing XNA, creating objects, handling input, managing and extending the content pipeline, optimizing game performance, and creating both 3D and 2D games. Carter presents sophisticated coverage of using XNA’s high level shader language; creating physical effects; and endowing characters with realistic artificial intelligence.   A case study section walks through the entire process of planning and coding a game, improving it, and putting on the finishing touches that make it marketable. This edition contains nine new chapters, including all-new sections on creating networked games, programming games for the Zune handheld, and preparing and submitting games to Xbox LIVE, where accepted titles will reach gamers worldwide. Plan your games to deliver solid performance on the platforms you’ve targeted Understand essential XNA Framework concepts, including object creation, cameras, input handling, libraries, game services, and managing and extending the content pipeline Create a 2D game that will run across 3 platforms (Windows, Xbox 360, and Zune) with a single code base Create a Visualizer media player for the Microsoft Zune Use the High Level Shader Language (HLSL) to communicate directly with graphics hardware Bring realistic physics to your game action and realistic artificial intelligence to your characters Create sophisticated 3D effects that use advanced texturing and a particle system Build networked games, including multiplayer demos, turn-based games, and real-time network games Create 4 full games–2D parallax side scroller, 3D shooter, multiplayer turn-based 2D card game, and a multiplayer real-time 3D game Discover best practices for creating Xbox LIVE Community Games Sell your finished game on Xbox LIVE Marketplace  CD-ROM includes: All C# examples and source code presented in this book.

Table of Contents:
Introduction    1 Part I Get Up and Running with XNA Game Studio on Your PC and Xbox   360 1 Introducing the XNA Framework and XNA Game Studio    7 2 XNA Game Studio and the Xbox 360   19 3 Performance Considerations    33 Part II Understanding XNA Framework Basics 4 Creating 3D Objects    55 5 Handling Input to Move Our Camera    83 Part III Content Pipeline 6 Loading and Texturing 3D Objects    113 7 Sound and Music   123 8 Extending the Content Pipeline   151 Part IV 2D in XNA Game Studio 9 2D Basics   171 10 2D Effects    191 11 Creating a 2D Game    217 Part V XNA Game Studio and the Zune 12 Programming for the Zune   255 13 Running the Game on the Zune    273 Part VI High Level Shader Language 14 HLSL Basics   291 15 Advanced HLSL   311 Part VII Physics and Artificial Intelligence 16 Physics Basics    325 17 Finite State Machines and Game State Management   343 18 AI Algorithms   375 Part VIII 3D Effects 19 Advanced Texturing Techniques   391 20 Special Effects   417 21 Particle System   435 Part IX Putting It into Practice 22 Creating a 3D Game   471 23 Improving the Game   501 24 Finishing Touches   525 Part X XNA Framework Networking 25 Networking Basics    549 26 Creating Multiplayer Demos    565 27 Creating a Networking Game Skeleton   583 28 Creating a Turn-based Multiplayer Game   631 29 Creating a Real-time Multiplayer Game   671 Part XI Xbox LIVE Community Games 30 Best Practices for Creating an Xbox LIVE Community Game   719 31 Selling the Game on Xbox LIVE Marketplace    727 Index    739