VB.NET Game Programming Tutorial (XNA) - PART 4h: Menu System (Visual Basic .NET)

TUTORIAL 4e - In this segment we will be creating our first game menu that we can navigate through via key inputs. We will also be creating a graphical template base that we can use with future menus and game dialogs.

In this intermediate Visual Basic .NET game programming series we'll be exploring many of the exciting game development features that XNA 4.0 provides. We'll jump right into setting up project for a Super Nintendo styled RPG game.

PROJECT TOPIC SHORTCUTS:

SOURCE CODE:

Tip Jar:

:-)

[LordPhia]

I really like your videos and tutorials, keep up the good work they're all really good and helpful. Hopefully you can get more out soon but take your time.

[AardaerimusDAritonyss]

Sorry about the confusion! I actually decided to not post 4i for a few reasons. My recording was terrible, for one. It also doesn't really add anything good at this point. It's just a slight visual enhancement to menus and dialog boxes, so I'm thinking I'll try to cover that when I get into those parts. For now it just goes on to 5a.

[AardaerimusDAritonyss]

Hi there :-) Sorry about the confusion! I actually decided to not post 4i for a few reasons. My recording was terrible, for one. It also doesn't really add anything good at this point. It's just a slight visual enhancement to menus and dialog boxes, so I'm thinking I'll try to cover that when I get into those parts. For now it just goes on to 5a.

[Speek]

Oh wait! The reason mine works is because I have indeed put it as Height and not width for the second view port parameter!! Lol, Sorry its been a long day at work! I even replicated your error just to be sure :) thanks again!

[cherylklimack]

Thanks again! I have finally found the time to go through these, and today got this far. I also am using C# and MonoGame to create this Adventure, and learning both of those as I go. Easy to do because your explanations are good, and the pacing is right for me to switch languages and keep on typing!

[AardaerimusDAritonyss]

Hello there, ricande! :-)

When I think of "layers" I think specifically of any elements that overlap each other or have a specific drawing order.

As for "Screens", I think of these as logical or artificial windows or "view ports" that can be managed and manipulated via the physical view port.

Hope that makes sense.

[AardaerimusDAritonyss]

Heheh I'll try my best to keep it rolling! :-D It's just hard because it takes hours to record, produce, and upload all of the segments for each episode. Getting there slowly but surely. :-)

[christopherbarnes]

Hi you vids are amazing please keep doing more. Can you help, my code is not recagnicing inputs what should I do.

[CALiiGeddn]

How would I go about adding a mouse click to select the menu options.  I figure it's somewhere with the Input.keyPress(Keys.Enter) and just add an Or with a mouse click or something but I am not sure.  Aardaerimus D'Aritonyss 

[Speek]

Hi Aardaerimus! Oddly my menu does actually draw correctly with the credits within the screen even though I haven't altered the back-buffer viewport line in game1.vb. You say there's a fix for this, any chance we can know what it is? Sorry if you put it in video 5 I haven't got there yet :) Thanks man!