New HiDef Education and Avatar Samples for XNA Game Studio 4.0
Today, the full set of upgraded avatar samples and utilities for XNA Game Studio 4.0 are available for you to download on App Hub and use right away, including a brand-new Avatar Shadows sample. Additionally, explore performance tips and graphical capabilities with the new Graphics Profile Checker and Xbox 360 Performance Best Practices article. Read on to learn more and get links to download this new content.
Custom Avatar Animation Sample (Updated for 4.0)
The new, XNA Game Studio 4.0-compatible version of this popular sample, which shows how to get a custom avatar animation in your game, now also supports facial animations.
Avatar Animation Pack (Updated for 4.0)
This set of 21 custom avatar animations, updated for XNA Game Studio 4.0, has support for FBX, BIN, Maya, and Mod Tool formats.
Avatar Animation Rig (Updated for 4.0)
Interested in authoring your own custom avatar animations? These rigs, updated for XNA Game Studio 4.0, allow you to author your animations in Maya, Max, and the Mod Tool.
This brand-new sample shows how to add a dynamic planar shadow effect to your avatars, with a movable camera and lights.
Get detailed information about your Windows graphics hardware at runtime with this utility, which takes advantage of the same native-code checks performed by the XNA Framework.
Xbox 360 Performance Best Practices Article
Get the best performance out of your XNA Game Studio game on Xbox 360 by following these best practices, including tips on garbage collection, multithreading, and .NET conventions.
All of these items are also available in the "Hi-Def Development" section on the Educational Roadmap!