Teaching game development using microsoft XNA game studio
Yuzhong Shen · Spring Simulation Multiconference · 2009
Electronics games, including video games and computer games, are an important part of American culture and entertainment. According to the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) [1], about 65 percent of American families play video or computer games. With the introduction of new generation game consoles, including Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, and Sony PlayStation 3, the game player population is growing and becoming more diverse and as a result, the game industry has undergone substantial growth in the last few years. Using commercial consoles for teaching game development appeals to many students. Microsoft XNA Game Studio is a set of tools and libraries to facilitate game development for Windows PC, Xbox 360, and Zune device. XNA is an excellent tool for teaching game development due to its integrated development environment, extensive tutorials, starter kits, and comprehensive and detailed documentations. XNA is selected as the teaching tool in the course Introduction to Game Development offered at Old Dominion University. This paper briefly introduce the XNA Game Studio and discusses its use in the course Introduction to Game Development as well as the course content.