I want to learn about programming 2D games in C#. What are the best tutorials that are beginner oriented, written for C#, and preferably use GDI+ (or something equally simple)? I am relying on the experience this community has to direct me towards the best.
Of course you can. Many games have been programmed in C (DOOM comes to mind). SDL is a game programming library written in C. Of course, it may be a little more difficult than using C++ for a big project, but it's possible.
Direct code compilation provides better code performance, making games more efficient with a faster gaming experience. Unlike C#, C++ is efficient in dealing with low-level C and assembly languages, making games developed in C++ relatively faster.
Using C++ and Lua, developers can create 2D and 3D games and other highly visual apps for free under the MIT license.
Books
Beginning .NET Game Programming
Beginning C# Game Programming
Links
Coding 4 Fun is a great .NET resource that has quite a few user-created games. They also have a book and a 2-D game primer
Tutorial Listing at C# corner
C# Game Tutorial for Beginners (video)
Link to more game programming e-books
Advanced Topics
The Farseer Physics Engine on Codeplex would be a good next step once you get comfortable with programming games. You could even end up contributing to the project if you like it enough. I'm sure they'd appreciate the help.
I watched these DNR TV episodes recently and thought they were very well done and informative.
http://www.dnrtv.com/default.aspx?showNum=165
http://www.dnrtv.com/default.aspx?showNum=166
These focus on XNA, which is definitely where I'd start if I was planning on creating a game. Their tutorial take you through:
creating a 2D game with:
If you haven't heard of XNA:
The framework runs on a version of the Common Language Runtime that is optimized for gaming to provide a managed execution environment. The runtime is available for Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Xbox 360 [also can be played on Zune HDs].
XNA attempts to free game developers from writing "repetitive boilerplate code" and to bring different aspects of game production into a single system. wikipedia
Even if you don't want to use XNA, I think these videos will help learn about the concepts and techniques common to most (if not all) game dev. Oh, and it's all C# :)
Good luck!
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