Essential XNA Game Studio 2.0 Programming provides both hobbyists and experienced programmers with the information they need to take advantage of Microsoft s powerful XNA Framework and XNA Game Studio to produce professional-level games for both the PC and the Xbox 360. Beginners learn the fundamentals of 2D game development, creating a complete top-down shooter. Intermediate and advanced users can jump right into 3D game development and create a version of the 3D game that takes advantage of hardware acceleration using High-Level Shader Language (HLSL). Learn how to: Build an input system to receive events from devices. Use the Microsoft Cross-Platform Audio Creation Tool (XACT) to integrate sounds and music into your game. Design difficulty systems to tailor your game to players with different skill levels. Create a multiplayer game using the networking features of the XNA Framework. Implement an achievement system to provide incentive for continued play of your game.