Bixel:

Strangely enough the debugging never brought up the CharacterClassWriter issue.

Why would it know you wanted to write this object out? It only does what you tell it and has no idea of what it is you are wanting to store.

Could it be that it doesn't work with C# Express Edition? Soon I'll be getting the full version through Dreamspark.

~Trent

On trying to convert the starter kit to work with the XNA 3.0 CTP. When i unzip the installed template, and make the changes from v2.0 to v3.0 and zip it back up, neither visual studio 2005 pro or visual studio 2008 express c# will recognize the altered template. Also, just unziping, and rezipping with no modifications it causes it not to appear. I have also tried changing the extension on the .vsi installer file to .zip to try and locate the problem there. However i get an error saying that the compressed folder is corrupt. According to the directions from microsoft for manually creating a vsi, and for creating a template, the fix should be as simple as some of the previous posters have recommended. That all you have to do is change the v2.0 to v3.0 and the assembly versions from 2.0.0.0 to 3.0.0.0.  I can repeat this problem with any created template that uses the export template wizard with the following:

This problem exists on XP SP2 and Vista SP1, with both Visual Studio 2005 and 2008

1) create a new project of any type

2) select File->Export Template

3) follow the steps to create a template from the newly created project and click Finish

4) select File->New Project and verify that the template is visible under My Templates, click cancel

4) go to the location where the template zip file was created (on my machine it was C:\Documents and Settings\<userName>\My Documents\Visual Studio 2008\Templates\ProjectTemplates)

5) right click the zip file and choose Send To...->Compressed (zipped) Folder

6) follow the steps on the wizard to extract the file (just accept the defaults)

7) delete the zip file you just decompressed

8) right click the folder that was created in step 6 and choose Send To...->Compressed (zipped) Folder

9) follow the steps in the wizard excepting the defaults

10) go back to Visual studio and select File->New Project .. the template is no longer visible undere My Templates

with all that having been said, If the original RPG template would just load all of the projects (it does not load the executable project) i could just manually change the invalid references to the correct xna v3.0 references and continue working from there.

I'm trying to locate a different work around at the time. If i come up with a workable solution i will post it here as soon as i find out, one way or the other.

Okay, I have figured out how to get this to work with 2008 express. The process is rather tedious, and I'm not sure if it matches the original project structure. However it does compile and run.

1. Create a Solution named RolePlayingGameWindows and add the following projects
    > RolePlayingGameWindows - Windows Game (3.0) project
    > RolePlayingGameDataWindows - Windows Game Library (3.0) project
    > RolePlayingGameProcessors - Windows Game Library (3.0) project
2. Unzip the project template inside the unzipped folder will be 3 folders named RolePlayingGame, RolePlayingGameData, and RolePlayingGameProcessors: these folders correspond to the project folders like so:
    > RolePlayingGame -> RolePlayingGameWindows
    > RolePlayingGameData -> RolePlayingGameDataWindows
    > RolePlayingGameProcessors -> RolePlayingGameProcessors
3. copy the contents of each folder in the uzipped file to its corresponding project folder EXCEPT for the following:
    > any files that end in .csproj
    > any files that end in .vstemplate
    > the Content folder
    > the Properties folder
4. now go into the unzipped RolePlayingGame/Content folder and copy everything except for the Content.contentproj file into the RolePlayingGameWindows/Content folder
5. in the unzipped RolePlayingGame/Content folder open the Content.contentproj in note pad and copy everything from:
    <ItemGroup>
       <Compile Include="Gear\Armor\BronzeArmor.xml">
      up to but not including:
    <ItemGroup>
       <ProjectReference Include="..\..\RolePlayingGameProcessors\RolePlayingGameProcessors.csproj">
6. Open the Content.contentproj file in the RolePlayingGameWindows/Content folder and paste the contents in there. I don't think it matters where it goes so long as the xml is well formed (correct me if i'm wrong)
7. save this, and open the RolePlayingGameWindows solution in Visual studio
8. in the solution explorer select each project (one at a time) and click the show all files button (just above) add all the files and folders EXCEPT the bin, obj, and Content folder for each project
9. Now we are going to add references
10. in the RolePlayingGameProcessors project make sure there are references to the Microsoft.Xna.Framework, and Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Content.Pipeline assemblies (don't remove the others, just make sure those are there)
11. add a reference to the RolePlayingGameDataWindows project
12. in the RolePlayingGameDataWindows project add a reference to System.XML
13. in the RolePlayingGameWindows project add references to RolePlayingGameDataWindows, and System.XML
14. Now open the Content node of the project and add a reference to the RolePlayingGameProcessors project in there
15. Delete the Program.cs and Game.cs files from the root of this project
16. in the other projects delete the Class1.cs files from the root of those projects
17. Right click the RolePlayingGameWindows project and select Set as Startup Project
18. compile and run

Map map = content.Load<Map>(mapContentName).Clone() as Map;

The exception's message is the following : "Message="Error loading \"Maps\\Map001\". Cannot find ContentTypeReader Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Content.ListReader`1[[RolePlayingGameData.MapEntry`1[[RolePlayingGameData.Portal, RolePlayingGameData, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null]], RolePlayingGameDataWindows]]."
  Source="Microsoft.Xna.Framework".

If someone understands this message and knows how to fix the problem, I would be very grateful if he would help me.

Thanks.

SnakiestSam:

sampyxis:

This is a great kit.

Is there any information on how the maps were made?  Is there a tile engine that was used for this?

The maps were made using TileStudio. It is a nice freeware tool. You can find it here: http://tilestudio.sourceforge.net/ts.zip. Also download the tilestudiodefinition file(RPGGame.tsd) from here: http://www.filecrunch.com/fileDownload.php?sub=7a7d08b1b1e384480170d1b98857f896&fileId=151708 Copy the RPGGame.tsd file to the directory where you extracted the ts.zip. Run tilestudio and make a map of your choice. Remember to put a map code of 01 for collidable tiles. Click "Code->Code generation settings" and select "RPGGame" from the drop down menu. Click "Code->Generate Code". You will generate a template for the map. You can edit the "???" in the map.xml file with appropriate values. Cheers.....:)

Mhm, I tried to download the tsd file for TileStudio, but when I click on "Download File" (on the filecrunch page), it gives me a "404 error".

Could someone who has this file upload it on another webspace?
Or also send it to me by email?

Carmine XX:

SnakiestSam:

sampyxis:

This is a great kit.

Is there any information on how the maps were made?  Is there a tile engine that was used for this?

The maps were made using TileStudio. It is a nice freeware tool. You can find it here: http://tilestudio.sourceforge.net/ts.zip. Also download the tilestudiodefinition file(RPGGame.tsd) from here: http://www.filecrunch.com/fileDownload.php?sub=7a7d08b1b1e384480170d1b98857f896&fileId=151708 Copy the RPGGame.tsd file to the directory where you extracted the ts.zip. Run tilestudio and make a map of your choice. Remember to put a map code of 01 for collidable tiles. Click "Code->Code generation settings" and select "RPGGame" from the drop down menu. Click "Code->Generate Code". You will generate a template for the map. You can edit the "???" in the map.xml file with appropriate values. Cheers.....:)

Mhm, I tried to download the tsd file for TileStudio, but when I click on "Download File" (on the filecrunch page), it gives me a "404 error".

Could someone who has this file upload it on another webspace?
Or also send it to me by email?

The tsd link expired. Heres the new location :

Rev2k9:

yes, can someone plz reupload the tsd file; its gone now.

Tryhttp://www.hal-pc.org/~swaim/xna/RPGGame.rar

It's less than 1K. I think that I can handle the load.

Hi,

I'm a software developer and I've taken an interest to game development.  Though I already have experience in .Net programming, I'm still very new to XNA (basically, I don't know anything about it yet).  Anyway, this kit, I think, is very nice and would be a good starting point for me to study on.  I installed the kit and built it.  Everything went fine.  However, when I tried to run it, it would fail, giving me a GamerServicesNotAvailableException or something.  Do I need a premium account to run this game?

Hope someone could answer.

Thanks!