Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 Game Development

CHAPTER 11

Getting Started with XAML

For the next few chapters, we will head in a different direction as we explore the options for using the main user interface environment provided to Windows 8 and Windows Phone apps: XAML. Short for “eXtensible Application Markup Language” and generally pronounced as “zammal,” XAML provides an optional mechanism for easily adding powerful and flexible user interface constructs to your games.

So, why would you want to use XAML when you could create your own user interface using MonoGame? It’s a good question, and in some cases it will be advantageous to use MonoGame and to ignore XAML. Reasons for this may ...