Hi,

 

I have the following scenario mapped out by folders

Gametile/Cars/Toyata/car1
Gametile/Cars/Toyata/car2
Gametile/Cars/Toyata/car3

 

Now what I need to know if I were to create an expansion pack for this game how would I do that, the expansion pack must add the following folders and content within the folders.

 

Gametile/Cars/Toyata/car4

Gametile/Cars/Toyata/car5

Without having to reload the game, this is easy on windows just create an installation with scrip to create the folders and copy the content, but how would one do this on xbox.360. Would I do it the same way?

The game will scan through the Cars folder and then it will add the cars automatically to the list including adding the xnb to the content pipeline loader once the content needs to be loaded.

Hope my question makes sense. Please advice on way forward.

 

 

You can't do this on Xbox using the XNA Framework. There is no way to add additional files to an existing game after you have deployed it: instead you must deploy a new version of the entire game that includes the extra files.

If you're planning a game with episodic content releases, I would probably do this like how Valve handled Half Life 2 episodes 1 and 2. They feel like content updates to the player, but are actually entirely separate game packages, each with its own copy of the executable, so each one can be deployed separately.

But how do they then create new maps on an existing game like Rainbow?
Must be a way to add new content to an existing game.

It is just the fist time it installes then I need to know if one can create a separate install to install content to an existing game-directory. The actual game code reads the folders for additional cars eec so no more exe copy.

Though I like the eposide 1-2 idea. But this sort of scenario will not work for the title we are working on.

mm so nobody has done this before?

 

christianv:

But how do they then create new maps on an existing game like Rainbow?

Must be a way to add new content to an existing game.

They aren't using XNA. It's possible if you are a certified developer with the XDK and all the tools and the publishing contract, but as an XNA Game Studio developer it simply isn't.

It is just the fist time it installes then I need to know if one can create a separate install to install content to an existing game-directory. The actual game code reads the folders for additional cars eec so no more exe copy.

Like Shawn said, no, not with XNA Game Studio. You have to deploy and either overwrite the entire existing game or deploy each pack as a new game.

mm so nobody has done this before?

Nobody has because nobody can. Not with XNA Game Studio.

Would it be possible to do this (Content add-on) and not re-write the code(XNA) if you become a certified developer with XDK? Or do you need to re-write all code?

 

Thanks for the valuable input thus far.

The XNA Framework does not currently support downloadable content regardless of whether you are a community developer or have a signed commercial contract. So at the moment your options are to use the XNA Framework and release each episode as a separate game, or write your game in native C++ (which depends on getting a registered developer contract, devkit access, etc).

Shawn Hargreaves:

or write your game in native C++ (which depends on getting a registered developer contract, devkit access, etc).

which would require huge amounts of money and time