View source for How to Make a Mini-Game

The purpose of this tutorial is to help a new developer get started with their own mini-game addition to the project.

It's expected that reader will have some knowledge of programming, preferably C# and XNA.

==Your Project==

It's not necessary for your mini-game to be integrated into the main code base. To get started, create a new XNA Project using either the Windows Game or Windows Game Library template. Next, your project needs to reference the main code. Right-click on References in your project and select 'Add Reference', Navigate to the main code base, either via SVN or from an installed copy, and select Util.dll. Util.dll is a shared library that contains many common elements between the existing mini-games.

==Your Game==

Next, we need to modify the XNA code to work with the mini-game system.

===Game.cs===

First, open the Game.cs file that came with the XNA template. Instead of being a subclass of Game, change it to be a subclass of GameScreen. GameScreen is a DrawableGameComponent that contains common functionality for mini-games to use, and is run by the main system for your game to be played.

====Constructor====

Because your mini-game object may be constructed at any time, your constructor should contain as little as possible, and need not exist.

====Initialize====

The Initialize method should contain all of your mini-game's start-up logic. In particular, you should do the following, if needed:
* Call GetLogger(); and initialize your logger object.
* Call GetInputHandler(); and initialize your input handler object.
* Bind the inputs your mini-game needs in your InputHandler. (see information on event codes)

(example)

====Update====

The Update method should contain all of your mini-game's runtime game logic. In particular, you must handle input, if set up in your initialization.

(example input handling loop)

===Game Info===

In order for the main system to find and display your mini-game correctly, you need to provide some additional information. For this purpose, you will need to create a new class in your project. The class will be a subclass of MiniGameInfo, which is also from Util.dll. MiniGameInfo specifies a number of abstract methods, which must be overridden. 
* GetDisplayName() - Return a string that will be used by the main system for display of your mini-game in menus and the like.
* GetGameScreen() - Return a constructed instance of your main Game, in this case, a new Game() from the code we edited above.

==Playing==

For the main system to find your mini-game, the built exe or dll and any required content must be placed in a subdirectory of the main project. It's recommended to follow the pattern of /minigames/"minigamename"/ currently used, to prevent conflicts. That's all.