So its now the summer holidays, well its the perfect time to get skilled up for Windows 8, to do this you will need to be fully prepared. To confirm RTM of Windows 8 has been confirmed for August and General Release for Oct 2012.
So to help you get prepared we have created a 6 week plan for you.The plan is based on a minimum of 10 hours study time per week. The better prepared you are the better you will do with implementing Windows 8 within your curricula or even simply having the discussion with students using Windows 8 next term.
From a Microsoft perspective we have a massive amount of materials to help you prepare and create a very comprehensive application and we provide you with the suite of Tools and Documentation to help you create their very first Metro 8 App.
Additionally we have also made available a large array of Samples, Examples and Templates as well as Video tutorials and blogs. If you follow these you will find the path to releasing your first game or application for Windows 8.
Apps can be written in C#, C++, HTML or even using a new bespoke tool aimed at Designers. The most import thing is to start right now, read and work your way through the plan, install Windows 8 and the Metro SDK and start developing.
So here is the six week plan for Windows 8 development.
1. Introduction
a. What is a Windows 8 Metro App, click Here
b. A great intro Blog for you, click Here c. Understand the UX Guidelines click Here
b. A great intro Blog for you, click Here
c. Understand the UX Guidelines click Here
2. Getting started with Metro style apps, click Here
a. Installing Windows 8
b. Download and install SDK & Dev Tools
3. Get the Developer Licence, Click Here
a. Install the" Windows 8 camp in a box", click Here
b. Quickly get an overview of all the presentations
4. Choose your preferred Development environment/Language
a. JavaScript and HTML (recommended for Designers & Artists)
b. Download relevant documentation, click Here
c. C#, Visual Basic and XAML (recommended for Designers & Artists)
d Download relevant documentation, click Here
e. C++ and DirectX (recommended for Programmers or teams with Programmers in)
f. Download relevant documentation, click Here
5. Understanding What makes a great Metro app, click Here
6. Planning your first App, click Here
a. Planning for Monetisation, click Here
b. Planning for Quality and Certification, click Here
c. Planning for different devices, click Here
d. Plan for a Global Market, click Here
e. Plan for Usability, click Here and Here
1. Review available Templates and sample Apps, click Here and Here
2. Take a look at the Samples and Examples in the Windows 8 Camp in a box
a. Work through these Examples
3. Take a look at the Windows 8 Faculty game examples, click Here
a. Consider how you could use these examples to create your own game
4. Download Designer PSD’s, click Here
5. Play, with your chosen development
a. Set up Visual Studios
b. Work through a simple “Hello World”, style tutorial
c. C++, click Here
d. HTML5/Javascript, click Here
e. Visual Basic, click Here f. C#, click Here
e. Visual Basic, click Here
f. C#, click Here
f. Get your development processed organised and ready to go
6. Plan and design your first simple app,
7. Create it
1. Re-review progress so far, and create second more complicated app
2. Further reading on what makes a great Metro App, click Here
3. Looking at ways to speed up your development, click Here
4. Using Blend, click Here and Here
5. Continue with your chosen Development training
a. C++, click Here
b. HTML5/Javascript, click Here
c. Visual Basic, click Here d. C#, click Here
c. Visual Basic, click Here
d. C#, click Here
1. Continue with your detailed studies and tutorials
2. Watch as many YouTube Tutorials and App sample videos as you can
3. Advanced considerations, click Here
a. Selling apps
b. Concepts and architecture
c. API reference
d. End-to-end apps.
2. Planning for the Assessments or Developing Games
a. Some Great Game building Links, click Here
b. How to Design a great Metro 8 Game, click Here
c. More Game / Entertainment considerations, click Here
2. Finally, understand about Metro 8 App Publishing, click Here
a. Market Opportunity
b. Designed for discovery
c. Flexible business models
d. Uber-transparency
e. Best economics
Microsoft's official Metro 8 App site
Microsoft's UK Student and Faculty resources
A complete list of resources for METRO Windows 8 Developers
Microsoft's App Publishing – Declaring capabilities
· Manifest Designer
· How to specify capabilities in a package manifest.
Intro to Window 8 & the App store
One on One style tutorial Webcasts on Metro 8 development
BUILD Conference Resources
Designing for Windows
UX GuideLines
Windows User Experience Training
Windows Camp Resources
Additional Videos
Content
URL
Details
Windows 8 Consumer Preview Download
http://bitly.com/WIN8cp
Windows 8 Consumer Preview download (web installer or ISO’s), videos, and FAQ’s.
Developer downloads for Metro style apps
http://bitly.com/metroDwnld
Visual Studio 11 Express and the Windows 8 SDK + all the extra tools and SDK’s for Metro style app development.
Design assets for Metro style apps
http://bitly.com/MetroUX
100+ Photoshop files with common controls, shell components, tiles, icons, animation clips, color wheel references, and more.
Metro style app developer content
Windows Dev Center home
http://bitly.com/DevCtr
Links to Metro style app, Desktop app, Hardware, and IE development.
Metro style app development home
http://bitly.com/MetroCtr
Links to key resources for designing, developing, and selling Metro style apps.
Product guide for developers
http://bitly.com/PGwin8
Windows 8 Consumer Preview Product Guide for Developers.
Official documentation
http://bitly.com/MetroDocs
Comprehensive docs, articles, quickstarts, roadmaps, tutorials, checklists, developer agreements, and whitepapers covering all aspects of app design, development, and selling:
· Getting started
· Planning apps
· Designing UX for apps
· Developing apps
· Packaging apps
· Debugging and testing apps
· Selling apps
· API reference
· Concepts and architecture
· Language reference
· End-to-end apps
Design resources
http://bitly.com/DesignUX
Design principles, UX design patterns, detailed UX guidelines, downloadable design assets, assessing usability.
Selling apps in the Windows Store
http://bitly.com/W8Store
Windows Store markets, developer agreements, and checklists to prepare.
http://bitly.com/DwnldsMetro
Visual Studio Express and the Windows 8 SDK + extra tools and SDK’s for Metro style app development.
Metro style app samples
http://bitly.com/MetroSmpls
Over 200 official samples from Microsoft are available in multiple programming languages. You can copy code inline, upload new code, rate, and leave comments.
Developer forums
http://bitly.com/MetroForums
Developer forums for Metro style apps covering designing, developing, and selling apps.
Blogs for developers
Blog Name
Building Windows 8 blog (B8)
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/
An inside look at how, what, and why different features of Windows 8 are being built. This blog is written by Windows President Steven Sinofsky together with members of the Windows engineering team.
Windows Store blog for developers
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/windowsstore
All about doing business in the Windows Store. Members of the engineering team who’ve built the Windows Store write posts along with Antoine Leblond, Vice President of Windows Web Services.
Windows 8 app developer blog (D8)
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/windowsappdev
Explores best practices for coding and designing Metro style apps. It is written by the team of developers who are building Windows 8.
IE blog
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/
Windows Internet Explorer Engineering Team Blog.
Inside Windows Live blog
http://windowsteamblog.com/ windows_live/b/windowslive/
The engineering being Hotmail, Messenger, SkyDrive, and Windows Live.
Visual Studio Blog
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/visualstudio/
The official source of product insight from the Visual Studio Engineering Team.
The Windows Blog
http://windowsteamblog.com/
Consumer and general interest topics.
"4. Choose your preferred Development environment/Language"
Where is C#?
"5. Play, with your chosen development"
"5. Continue with your chosen Development training"
I'm afraid you have forgotten us C# developers. The temrm "C#" appears only once in this blog post. Anyway, I think is useful so, thanks.
Ruben
Thanks for the comments, I have added C# links!
"Installing Widows 8"
I think there's a Henry VIII joke here somewhere.