This book 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 2D 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 multi-player game using the net-working features of the XNA Framework; and implement an achievement system to provide incentive for continued play of your game.