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Frequently Asked Questions and Known Issues

This topic answers some of the most commonly asked questions about using XNA Game Studio 2.0.

General Questions

How do I file bugs or make suggestions?

  • Sign up for Microsoft Connect at http://connect.microsoft.com and click the XNA Game Studio connection under available connections.

Is Visual Studio supported with XNA Game Studio 2.0?

Yes. XNA Game Studio 2.0 is designed to install custom extensions to supported versions of Microsoft Visual Studio tools, such as Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition, Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Standard Edition, and Microsoft Visual C# 2005 Express Edition.

For a complete list of supported editions, see Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 and Microsoft Visual C# Express Edition.

Can I use an existing XNA Game Studio Express game project with XNA Game Studio 2.0?

You will need to upgrade the project to the format used by XNA Game Studio 2.0, and update your game code to be compatible with changes in the XNA Framework. See Upgrade Guide: XNA Game Studio Express to XNA Game Studio 2.0.

Can I target both Windows and Xbox 360 platforms with the same solution?

Yes. See Cross-Platform Game Project Converter for details on how to convert a Windows game project into an Xbox 360 console game project, or an Xbox 360 console game project to a Windows game project, keeping both projects in the same solution.

Do I need a connection to Xbox LIVE to play my XNA Framework game? If I have written a multiplayer game, must the player with the XNA Creators Club membership sign in first?





How do I distribute my game?






To determine the version of DirectX installed on the computer

  1. Click Start, and then click Run.


To set hardware acceleration to Full on Windows XP

  2. Click the Settings tab, and then click Advanced.
  3. Click the Troubleshoot tab.
  5. Click OK, and then click Close.

To set hardware acceleration to Full on Windows Vista

  2. Click Display Settings
  3. Click Advanced Settings...
  4. Click the Troubleshoot tab.
  5. Click the Change Settings button, then move the Hardware Acceleration slider until it is set to Full. Note that for display adapters that do not allow hardware acceleration to be changed, the Change Settings button may be disabled.
  6. Click OK on the three open dialog boxes.

To determine which shader models are supported


How do I do video playback with XNA Game Studio?

The XNA Framework does not contain functions for video playback. We are investigating this for future releases.



What shader models does XNA Game Studio support?



Some starter kits may have more restrictive requirements. For example, the Spacewar Starter Kit requires Shader Model 2.0 or higher.

Can I use the Delay Sign feature for my Xbox 360 game?



When a program takes over the graphics device, sometimes it is unable to properly return the graphics device to Windows after a crash. Some things you can try:

  1. Press the Windows button or CTRL+ESC to bring up the Start menu. Sometimes this will restore the task bar, allowing you to bring up Visual Studio.
  2. Press ALT+TAB to return focus to Visual Studio, then SHIFT+F5 to stop the program you are debugging. Sometimes you may have to press ALT+TAB a few times to return the focus to Visual Studio before pressing SHIFT+F5
  3. Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE to attempt to bring up the Windows Security window. If the Windows Security window comes up, you can use Task Manager to end the task running your game and return to Visual Studio.


After upgrading my game from XNA Game Studio Express to XNA Game Studio 2.0, the game runs slower. Why?

The answer may lie with render targets. XNA Game Studio 2.0 introduces the ability to control whether render targets are kept or discarded from frame to frame. In XNA Game Studio Express, render targets were discarded on Xbox 360 but kept on Windows. XNA Game Studio 2.0 now keeps render targets from frame to frame on both Xbox 360 and Windows by default. This may result in decreased performance on Xbox 360.

To recover performance, change your game so that the render targets behave as they did in XNA Game Studio Express; pass RenderTargetUsage.PlatformContents when preparing your PresentationParameters class.

3D Graphics



How do I create my own effects?


What is an effect file?








No. The Xbox Guide button is reserved.







No. All wave files that you wish to play must be compiled into an XACT project before you can play them.

How can I get more information on using XACT?

For an easy guide to adding sound files to an XACT project and playing them, see How To: Add a Sound File to Your Game Using XACT and How To: Play a Sound. For detailed information on how to author audio in the XACT tool, including information on categories, variables, and other advanced features, see XACT Audio Authoring.

Why does calling GetCue from SoundBank never return a cue?



What coordinate system does the XNA Framework use?

The XNA Framework uses a right-handed coordinate system.





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