XNA Game Studio 3.1 revealed

Microsoft has unveiled details about the next update to XNA Game Studio.

Version 3.1, which will be released ‘in the next few months’, adds avatar support to the framework, letting Xbox Live Community Games developers to take advantage of user’s own avatars, as well as being able to dynamically generate new characters in a simple manner.

XNA developers will also get access to a Maya rig, with other formats to follow, that enables them to use a range of stock avatar animations as well as create their own, without detailed knowledge of 3D packages.

"This is great for starting developers, because the samples and rig will let anyone get an animated character up and running really quickly," said XNA program manager Boyd Multerer.