XNACS1Lib: Tutorial Guide

Overview: The XNACS1Lib library supports the implementation of 2D simple interactive applications. This library is designed specifically for computer science students and faculty with no background in computer graphics or video games. This guide consists of a collection of tutorials demonstrating the basics of how to work with the XNACS1Lib.

Requirement: In order to work with the XNACS1Lib , you must download and install an appropriate IDE and the XNA SDK. Please refer to this download and installation guide .

How to begin working with XNACS1Lib: Assuming you know C# (or Java, or C++), we believe the easiest way to begin working with XNACS1Lib is:

1. Follow the first two tutorials to understand the basics of how to use this library.
2. Design/implement your own simple 2D interactive graphics application with simple colliding graphics objects.
3. Read and follow the subsequent tutorials on the more involved topics (working with Audio and showing/hiding groups of primitives ).
4. After you have some experience working with the library, you may want to refer to the complete library documentation: html-page or compiled html help file .

Keyboard mapping : If you do not have a XBOX 360 gamepad controller connected, you can use the keyboard and here is how the gamepad controller is mapped to the keyboard.

The Tutorials:

• Tutorial 1 : Basic Application Structure: Covers
  • Sub-class from XNACS1Base class.
  • Setting and working with convenient coordinate system.


• Tutorial 2 : Working with Primitives: primitives are objects that knows how to draw themselves and understand collision. Covers:
  • Primitive attributes: color, label text, texture
  • Primitive behaviors: collision, relative positions
  • World bound: colliding and clamping primitive with the world bound
  • AutoDrawSet: how to hide/draw primitives


• Tutorial 3 : Working with PrimitivesSet: PrimitiveSet is a simple collection structure that supports grouping mainly for AutoDrawSet membership control (group insert/remove from the AutoDrawSet). Covers:
  • PrimitiveSet: draw-set membership.
  • PrimitiveSet behaviors: limitations
  • Random number: utilities.


• Tutorial 4 : Working with Audio: Covers:
  • Creation and inclusion of *.wav sound cues.
  • The PlayACue() function.

Additional Implementation Guides:

• XGA-100 : covers
  • Object Color: changing of object color during run time.
  • Texture replacement during runtime: changing left/right facing.
  • Input: controlling object movements based on controller trigger.


• XGA-200 : covers
  • Drawing: random generation of colors and insects.
  • Drawing order: back objects first, front objects last, with status echo being drawn the very last.
  • Animation: Insects animation movement.
  • Object Interaction: intersection of hero's net and insect (circle-circle intersection).
  • Input: navigating the hero with thumbstick.


• XGA-300 : covers
  • Coordinate System: matching drawing coordinate system with array index.
  • Texture: using texture image for labeling (the numbers).
  • Source files: additional source files in the project.
  • Input: working with button clicks.


• XGA-400 : covers
  • Coordinate System: once again, matching drawing coordinate system with (2D) array index.
  • Input: discretized movement (from center of cell to center of cell).
  • Logic: clear separation of graphics and game-logic.


• XGA-500 : covers
  • Freefall: initial velocity with constant increment of y-component.


• XGA-600 : covers
  • Graphical feedback: echo user input in defined list (the object list at top).
  • Sub-classing from XNACS1Primitive objects
  • Object interaction: intersecting circle with axis-aligned rectangle.
  • Object interaction: bouncing of object off the window bounds.
  • Object: changing of object positions during runtime.


• XGA-700 : covers
  • Side scrolling: understand how to program and work with side-scrolling.
  
  

• Documentation for the library is generated by NDoc-Enhanced: http://sourceforge.net/projects/ndoc-e/ , detailed explanations for working with NDoc in general can be found at: http://www.codeproject.com/KB/XML/csharpcodedocumentation.aspx .
• Color :  defined in System.Drawing. Please refer to http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.drawing.color.aspx for more information.
• String : : defined in Sytem.String. Please refer to http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.string.aspx for more information.
• Vector2 : defined in Microsoft.xna.Framework. Please refer to http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/microsoft.xna.framework.vector2.aspx for more information.
• Gamepad Input with XNA : defined in Microsoft.xna.Framework.Input. Please refer to http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/microsoft.xna.framework.input.aspx for more information.

	This work is supported in part by a grant from Microsoft Research under the Computer Gaming Curriculum in Computer Science RFP, Award Number 15871 and 16531.
2/8/2010