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Developing games

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Windows 10 offers new opportunities to create, distribute, and monetize games. Learn about porting and publishing your game.

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Choose DirectX and C++ for your Windows games

DirectX gives the highest fidelity and richest experiences in 3D gaming. DirectX supports a wide range of graphics feature levels, from DirectX 9.1 to all the latest hardware features exposed in DirectX 11 and 12. DirectX allows you to tailor your game to every PC, from power-efficient ARM-based portable tablets, to over-clocked multi-GPU gamer rigs.

With C++, you write high-performance code that has a direct line to the GPU, CPU and low-level platform services. The syntax of the C++/CX language extensions approaches the simplicity of C#. You get transparent object management via reference counting, and yet there’s no runtime layer, garbage collection or just-in-time compilation behavior that could compromise the smooth performance of your game.

It's easy to integrate the various components of the DirectX graphics stack by using DXGI, the DirectX graphics infrastructure. Direct2D, Direct3D, DirectCompute, and Microsoft Media Foundation components are easier to use together and require fewer duplicated resources than in previous versions of DirectX. There is built-in support for the Xbox controllers with the XInput library. To learn more, see Working with input and controls in your DirectX game. The improved APIs for audio and sound mixing with XAudio2 are covered in the Working with audio in your DirectX game section, and simplified math functions and types are covered in the DirectXMath Programming Guide.

XAML DirectX 3D shooting game sample

XAML DirectX 3D shooting game sample

DirectX marble maze game sample

DirectX marble maze game sample

Hydro Thunder Hurricane

Hydro Thunder Hurricane

Pinball FX2

Pinball FX2

 

Why create a game for Windows 10?

Perhaps you are a game developer coming from a different platform, or you have previously developed a game on an earlier version of DirectX on Windows. You want to explore whether developing your game for Windows 10 is an attractive proposition for you. Here are some reasons to make that investment:

  • Reuse your code and leverage your game development experience: One big advantage of DirectX/C++ development is that you can reuse significant amounts of your Windows Desktop game code. Use this porting guidance to leverage your existing code and game idea:
  • Great development tools: Great games are made with great tools. Visual Studio provides a sophisticated environment for game development, debugging and profiling that eases your entry into game development, such as the Graphics Diagnostics tools.
  • New horizons for your game: Windows 10 has changed the PC landscape with innovative form factors, new chip architectures, and exciting commerce models that present new opportunities.
  • Rich entertainment experiences: Windows 10 is designed and engineered specifically for the enjoyment of entertainment experiences. The User Experience (UX) guidelines promote full screen imagery, as well as fast and fluid interactions with no borders. It is more convenient than ever to support touch, pen (ink) and mouse with the same code so you don’t have to design special mechanics for different form factors.
  • Broad range of devices: To enable the highest possible performance, C++ with DirectX is the language of choice for Windows apps. Since performance is linked to device efficiency, C++ provides a route to the lowest possible power consumption rate, thereby enabling your game to run on the broadest range of devices.

GDC 2015 game dev session videos

Previous GDC and //build session videos

GDC 2013 game dev session videos

//build/ 2013 games and graphics dev session videos

 

 

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