As for the purpose to run a Winform XNA game without installing a XNA redist, I drag the Microsoft.Xna.Framework.dll to my project, trying to load a xnb for Texture2D, and draw, and it works on my computer!

But unfortunately, it doesn't works on another computer, which haven't had the XNA redist installed, and the error message said it can not find the file.

I think that maybe something relative to the content pipeline for this error, but I have no ideas because I use none of any importers of the content pipeline.

So my problem is:
 
How can I make the game runs on another computer, when I don't need to install the XNA redist on that computer?

It's very nice of you if you can give me any idea of this.

Thanks in advanced!

AI2D:

How can I make the game runs on another computer, when I don't need to install the XNA redist on that computer?

You can't. It's a violation of the EULA to manually distribute the DLL files. You need to have the user install the XNA redist. I recommend making an installer for your app that automatically installs the redist.

Nick Gravelyn:

You can't. It's a violation of the EULA to manually distribute the DLL files. You need to have the user install the XNA redist. I recommend making an installer for your app that automatically installs the redist.

Thanks, Nick, it is really a bad news for me.

AI2D:

it is really a bad news for me.

Why?!? It's not like it's difficult to install the runtime. It's no worse than having to install the DirectX runtime for a game. It should take less than 2 minutes. :|

Jim Perry:

Why?!? It's not like it's difficult to install the runtime. It's no worse than having to install the DirectX runtime for a game. It should take less than 2 minutes. :|

7.31M(XNA redist) is not a small stuff, I think, and secondly, it's quite annoying when you want to play a game, and you have installed an extra runtime.

Most windows user would have the DX runtime installed with the OS, but not the XNA.

But for developing a easy game, the XNA fx is first choice, that I have to admit.

Most gamers that I know wouldn't even blink at a 7MB (or even 70MB) download. I personally don't have a problem with downloading demos that are a couple of GB. Unless you're using dial-up it shouldn't be an issue.

As for the DX runtime, it depends on the version. And it's not like you have to keep downloading it every time. Just like the DX runtime it's once and done. I don't know why this keeps coming up. It just boggles my mind.

AI2D:

Most windows user would have the DX runtime installed with the OS, but not the XNA.

Many users will have the core files for DirectX but often that is not enough to run XNA, or a game - the DirectX has many optional bits, and other pieces that change 3 times a year. You can NEVER rely on the OS version.

Most games have more than 7Mb of content... its irrelevant unless you happen to live in a region that still uses analog modems...

AI2D:

t's quite annoying when you want to play a game, and you have installed an extra runtime.

If you use a good setup technology (for instance the ClickOnce support that is built in to Game Studio) the user never needs to know or care what runtimes are being installed. The setup package will automatically download and install only those runtimes which are not already on the machine, without the user having to do anything special.

Any time you are distributing software on Windows (not just games, and not just using the XNA Framework!), it is important to use a proper setup rather than just copying executables around. Otherwise you'll land in a world of pain where your app works ok for some people, but then mysteriously fails for others.

Shawn Hargreaves:

If you use a good setup technology (for instance the ClickOnce support that is built in to Game Studio) the user never needs to know or care what runtimes are being installed. The setup package will automatically download and install only those runtimes which are not already on the machine, without the user having to do anything special.

Any time you are distributing software on Windows (not just games, and not just using the XNA Framework!), it is important to use a proper setup rather than just copying executables around. Otherwise you'll land in a world of pain where your app works ok for some people, but then mysteriously fails for others.

Thanks for this information, I knew the ClickOnce but not too much, I would try to figure it out later since you recommend it.

And also thanks for all your guys informations.

Shawn Hargreaves:

Otherwise you'll land in a world of pain where your app works ok for some people, but then mysteriously fails for others.

Or if you include every dependent executable/library with your distribution, users who install multiple programs from you (or people doing the same thing) will end up with many copies of the same EXEs and DLLs. This may be better or worse than the program simply failing to work, depending on your point of view, but it's certainly not good!