Proper Structure for a VS Solution for multiple platforms...

So I’ve see some good stuff for Xamarin and Monogame and XNA, but with the prohibitive cost of Xamarin and the banishment of indie developers to Xamarin Studio, I want to get started, but my plan is this…

Begin my development in VS2013.
Write the initial code in a shared library and the UI for Windows Phone or Windows 8.

Then when I’ve done the core development and testing of the main libraries and Windows front-end, THEN buy a Xamarin iOS license, work on that UI over in Xamarin Studio. That way I’m not wasting the 1-year counter on my license when working in VS2013 for core functionality.

So will all that said… what is the proper structure of a game solution in VS? Any issues with this plan of attack that you can see?

Then if all is working great, sell 300 copies (lol) in iOS and buy an Android license and port it to that… :smile:

Yup, this is pretty much how I did/do things - although my first attempts were from pure XNA to Android, which might be a better starting block, as iOS has specific content compiling issues, which I for one am still struggling with! Althought that said, it’s probably easier to get people to buy stuff on iOS that Android…

But as you’ll see in my blog, the bulk of time getting from XNA to Android is firstly downloading, setting up and installing everything, and secondly, correctly linking in the content files and setting their properties (I tend to hack the .csproj file and do those en masse these days!) as XS2 won’t let you bulk-set them - not sure about XS3. But one you’re there with that, it’s just a matter of wrapping your Game1 class in the Activity, and it should just… work!

I’d advise downloading VS2010 Express. You’ll need this to compile your iOS content, and it’s also handy to throw together some quick “hello world” tests that you can then plug into Monogame, so you can make sure your setup is all correct before tearing your code apart to find some elusive error that doesn’t really exist… :smile:

Thanks… I’ll check your blog in the AM

Why VS2010 express if I’m already using VS2013?

I don’t think you can build the content compiler projects in VS2013 - which you’ll need to make your content usable in iOS.

Plus it’s useful for XNA prototyping, before going to Monogame.