The Silverlight and XNA Frameworks for Windows Phone
March 22, 2012
Windows Phone applications are written by using the Silverlight and XNA frameworks. This topic helps you to determine which framework you should choose for your application, or if you should use a combination of both.
The following sections provide the information you need to pick the best framework for your needs:
The following table lists the criteria that you can use to determine whether you want to use Silverlight or the XNA Framework for your Windows Phone application.
|
Use Silverlight if… |
Use the XNA Framework if… |
Combine the XNA Framework and Silverlight if… |
|---|---|---|
|
You want a XAML-based, event-driven application framework. |
You want a high-performance game framework. |
You want a XAML-based, event-driven application integrated with a high-performance game framework. |
|
You want rapid creation of a Rich Internet Application-style user interface. |
You want rapid creation of multi-screen 2D and 3D games. |
You want to create a multi-screen 2D or 3D game that incorporates a Rich Internet Application-style user interface. |
|
You want to use Windows Phone controls. |
You want to manage art assets such as models, meshes, sprites, textures, effects, terrains, or animations in the XNA Content Pipeline. |
You want to use Windows Phone controls along with art assets such as models, meshes, sprites, textures, effects, terrains, or animations in the XNA Content Pipeline. |
|
You want to embed video inside your application. |
|
You want to use Silverlight text rendering, including international text, instead of sprite fonts. |
|
You want to use an HTML web browser control. |
|
You want the page navigation model of a Silverlight application combined with the rich graphics power of an XNA Framework application. |
Silverlight for Windows Phone class library topics are documented in the Silverlight section of MSDN. In that section, you can also find conceptual and how-to topics that can help you to understand the differences between the Windows and Windows Phone application platforms when using Silverlight.
The following links take you to topics in the Silverlight documentation.
|
Topic |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Contains a comprehensive list of classes, interfaces, and value types in Silverlight. |
|
|
Contains a list of Silverlight features that are supported in Windows Phone. |
|
|
Differences Between Silverlight on Windows and Windows Phone |
Describes feature implementation differences between Silverlight on Windows Phone and Silverlight on other platforms. |
|
Describes media support for Windows Phone. |
|
|
Describes support for the .NET Framework Class Library for Silverlight on Windows Phone. |
To get started writing your first Silverlight application for Windows Phone, see How to: Create Your First Silverlight Application for Windows Phone. You can also participate in community discussions at Microsoft Silverlight.Net Site, Silverlight Forums, and the Silverlight Team Blog.
The XNA Framework class library is documented in the XNA Game Studio 4.0 section of MSDN. Also in that section are conceptual and how-to topics to help you create games for Windows Phone.
The following links take you to topics in the XNA Game Studio documentation.
|
Topic |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Contains a list of classes, interfaces, and value types that are included in XNA Game Studio. |
|
|
Describes how to use the XNA Game Studio environment to develop Windows Phone games. |
To get started writing your first XNA Framework application, see How to: Create Your First XNA Framework Application for Windows Phone. For more information about game development for Windows Phone and to participate in the community discussions, see XNA Game Studio and XNA Framework, XNA Game Studio Community Forums, and XNA Game Studio Team Blog.
In the past, you were forced to decide whether to use Silverlight or the XNA Framework to build your Windows Phone application. While some classes could be shared across frameworks, only one framework could be used for visuals. Starting with Windows Phone 7.5, you can combine Silverlight and the XNA Framework into a single application by using the new SharedGraphicsDeviceManager and the UIElementRenderer class.
The following links take you to topics on combining the XNA Framework and Silverlight in a Windows Phone application.
|
Topic |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Using the Project Template that Combines Silverlight and XNA |
Describes the Visual Studio project templates added to the Windows Phone 7.5 developer tools to support the creation of integrated Silverlight and XNA Framework applications. |
|
How to: Combine Silverlight and the XNA Framework in a Windows Phone Application |
A step-by-step description of creating your first combined Silverlight and XNA Framework application for Windows Phone. |
|
Contains links to the Silverlight/XNA Framework Sample and the MyLittleTeapot sample, both of which combine Silverlight and the XNA Framework in a Windows Phone application. |
For links to topics specific to Silverlight and to the XNA Framework, see Silverlight Application Development and XNA Framework Application Development.
