Windows 7.1 Mango Announcement
Today, along with the release of the new Windows Phone Developer Tools for Mango, we are proud to announce a set of new and updated samples and articles tailored for Windows Phone game developers to get up to speed on Mango changes quickly, all free, and all on App Hub!
To jump right in, see the new and improved Game Development page on App Hub with a section just for Windows Phone OS 7.1 and the Mango Tools.
The Game Development Tutorial, launched less than two months ago, has already seen over 50,000 unique visitors, over 175,000 aggregate page views, and close to 7,000 “graduates”.
Here's a full list of the new and updated samples and articles that we have for you in this release!
Remember, this content is designed for Windows Phone OS 7.1 and the Windows Phone Developer Tools for Mango. Be sure to download the update to the Tools before trying out this content!
Articles
What's New for Games in Mango
This high-level article calls out a few of the changes in Windows Phone OS 7.1 and Windows Phone Developer Tools that affect game developers.
XNA Game Studio or Silverlight - Which is Right for Me? (Updated for Mango)
This article, which discusses the differences between Silverlight and XNA Game Studio on Windows Phone, has been updated to include information about the new combined Silverlight and XNA architecture in Mango.
Migration Guide: From the Game Class to Silverlight/XNA
This article explains why and how to move your Windows Phone game to an architecture that integrates Silverlight with the XNA Framework.
Visual Basic Support in XNA Game Studio
Beginning with XNA Game Studio 4.0 Refresh, the XNA Framework expands programming language support to include Visual Basic (VB). This article introduces basic XNA Game Studio programming concepts for Windows Phone in VB.
Samples
Game State Management (Updated for Mango)
This popular sample, showing how to manage the transitions among menus and gameplay states, has been updated for Mango to handle the new Fast App Switching feature in Mango.
Paddle Battle
This new sample shows a very basic game written on top of the new Silverlight/XNA application model.
Model Viewer Demo
This new sample showcases a complex application built on top of the Silverlight/XNA application model, leveraging full 3D rendering, Silverlight’s animation engine, and the use of dependency properties to act as the proxy between Silverlight UI and the XNA Framework based rendering system.
Silverlight/XNA Game Components
This new sample provides an implementation and demonstration of a GameComponent system for use in games leveraging Silverlight and the XNA Framework.
Your task is now simply go and Create Games for Windows Phone!