I have been looking at a number of posts recently regarding vector based graphics as I am in the beginning stages of coding a level editor for a 2d platformer.  First and foremost, it seems that rendering vector-based graphics in XNA is not an immediate option, but I am more interested in understanding what specific value vector-based graphics stand to provide to developers. 

I have read that these types of graphics (such as svg files) can be scaled extremely high without losing fidelity, so I suppose that is one obvious advantage.  I am most curious though about the possibility of having a non-tiled environment by use of such graphics.  I'm not sure if that is possible, but it is my understanding at this point that you can create one massive level, complete with layers, and use that as a map rather than having many many tiles to represent the map.  For me, the first option is preferable, but I don't understand necessarily if it's possible (even if vector graphics were supported by XNA).  Much of my curiousity stemmed from researching these games:

http://www.vimeo.com/952390    // Castle Crashers

http://devblog.wakfu.com/en/posts/9-map-editor-%E2%80%93-part-i.html  // Wakfu

The Wakfu editor looks especially incredible and is something that I would like to replicate (within the parameters of my own capabilities).  My main reasons for wanting to pursue this route is to make the animation easier for an artist (from what I gather, creating animations is much easier in flash/vector-based graphics) and the ability to create entire levels without the need for tiles.  I may have totally misunderstood something along the way, so by all means let me know if that is the case.  Thanks for your time!

I don't think it is off-topic, just a fairly broad question!

It's not strictly true that you can scale vector graphics without losing fidelity. Yes, you don't get jaggies but you still need to draw detail in to the object so that when it is scaled up, curves are not shown as lots of straight lines.

XNA sort of supports vector drawing as the gpu is great for drawing lines and filling them, and that is the bare-bones of vector graphics.

Personally, unless you are going to be doing massive scaling, I would get the artist to design the characters in a vector based package for animation and design and then 'bake' frames of animation to bitmap images. It'll be faster, simpler and will still allow your artist the benefits of vector based design.

I'm pretty sure the artists for castle crashers drew their graphics vectorwise and then exported them as bitmaps or whatever. they're not drawn as vector graphics.  

ilikegames11:

I have been looking at a number of posts recently regarding vector based graphics as I am in the beginning stages of coding a level editor for a 2d platformer.  First and foremost, it seems that rendering vector-based graphics in XNA is not an immediate option, but I am more interested in understanding what specific value vector-based graphics stand to provide to developers. 

I have read that these types of graphics (such as svg files) can be scaled extremely high without losing fidelity, so I suppose that is one obvious advantage.  I am most curious though about the possibility of having a non-tiled environment by use of such graphics.  I'm not sure if that is possible, but it is my understanding at this point that you can create one massive level, complete with layers, and use that as a map rather than having many many tiles to represent the map.  For me, the first option is preferable, but I don't understand necessarily if it's possible (even if vector graphics were supported by XNA).  Much of my curiousity stemmed from researching these games:

http://www.vimeo.com/952390    // Castle Crashers

http://devblog.wakfu.com/en/posts/9-map-editor-%E2%80%93-part-i.html  // Wakfu

The Wakfu editor looks especially incredible and is something that I would like to replicate (within the parameters of my own capabilities).  My main reasons for wanting to pursue this route is to make the animation easier for an artist (from what I gather, creating animations is much easier in flash/vector-based graphics) and the ability to create entire levels without the need for tiles.  I may have totally misunderstood something along the way, so by all means let me know if that is the case.  Thanks for your time!

 

cannontrodder:

I don't think it is off-topic, just a fairly broad question!

It's not strictly true that you can scale vector graphics without losing fidelity. Yes, you don't get jaggies but you still need to draw detail in to the object so that when it is scaled up, curves are not shown as lots of straight lines.

XNA sort of supports vector drawing as the gpu is great for drawing lines and filling them, and that is the bare-bones of vector graphics.

Personally, unless you are going to be doing massive scaling, I would get the artist to design the characters in a vector based package for animation and design and then 'bake' frames of animation to bitmap images. It'll be faster, simpler and will still allow your artist the benefits of vector based design.

Leo H:

If you baked vector to bitmap after, why wouldnt you just start making bitmap in the first place?