SO, WHO'S USED GAME MAKER AND CAN TELL ME HOW AWESOME IT IS?

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slash
APATHY IS FOR COWARDS
4158
I'm in the middle of a project now, but I plan on wrapping that up fairly soon (within-the-month-ish) and I already have a lot of ideas for a new game. Stripped down to the basics, it's similar to a classic, top-down Legend of Zelda game. From what I've read (and seen) of Game Maker, it seems to be the engine of choice for this sort of game.

Does anyone have any thoughts, opinions, etc. about Game Maker or its possibilities? Also - how does the multiplayer feature of Game Maker Pro work, if you know?
GameMaker is very robust and you can do a lot with it, much more if you pick up the scripting aspect.

It excels at making smaller games or games based heavily on the gameplay and with little database-like content. Most of the more powerful editors really lack any central organization for data because they're not specific enough to have an interface for it.

To get used to GM you'll want to do some tutorials and easy games, then make some really short shooters, etc, yourself - don't try to jump right into something major, but your smaller games don't even need to be released if you don't want, they just give you some experience with the editor and structuring a game where your engine isn't as pre-built for you.

Ideally make a small game-play game like a shump or block chaser or something with some unique graphics and gameplay that'd make it a fun small release if you feel comfortable enough with it - surprising how popular those can become if they're fun.

Regarding multiplayer - if it's not using more than one controller or a set of keyboard buttons, don't mess with it yet. You need to have really advanced scripting knowledge and a very solid understanding of how multiplayer works, and even then you don't want to use the built-in GM multiplayer, you want to use one of the socket add-ons.
The lite edition has some pretty simple drag and drop options in regards to basic layout, design, and some pretty basic programming to it. I'd suggest going for the pro edition because it opens a lot of helpful features and programming is easier(of course if you know the code). I'm unsure of the MultiPlayer but I would suppose Anayru is right there.

Oddly, your project sounds similar to something I'm just now getting into.
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APATHY IS FOR COWARDS
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Thanks guys! I figured I'd tool around with the basic tutorials and such for a little while - I'll probably start picking up on schoolwork and things so I won't have time for a full-fledged project anyway, and minigames are fun too.

I definitely plan on picking up Pro, since 25$ is worth it for the features of an engine that could make Spelunky and the like.

But now that you mention it - how difficult is the scripting? I have a lot of experience with languages like Python and Actionscript (and even more with Java/PHP). Is the GM language similar to those?
Craze
why would i heal when i could equip a morningstar
15150
Anaryu
GameMaker is very robust and you can do a lot with it, much more if you pick up the scripting aspect.

This, really. It's barely scripting, too - it's simply more powerful and much less restrictive. I find it easier than drag-and-drop!
Though it has its own set of issues, GM can produce sme pretty incredible games.

http://www.remar.se/daniel/iji.php

http://studioeres.com/immortal/
i agree with everything said in this topic.

also buy Pro if you're really into it. $25 is a paltry price to pay for all this:

Game Maker Pro has the following additional functionality:

* No Game Maker logo is shown when running a game.
* No regular popups to remind you of upgrading.
* Use rotated, color blended and translucent sprites.
* Additional options in the sprite and image editors.
* More actions e.g. CD music, rotated text, and colorized shapes.
* Special sound effects and positional sound.
* Create splash screens with movies, images, web pages, text, etc.
* A particle system to create explosions, fireworks, flames, rain, and other effects.
* Advanced drawing functions including example colorized text and textured polygons.
* Create 3D games.
* Multiplayer functions allowing you to create network games.
* Define your own room transitions.
* Create, load, and modify resources whilst the game is running.
* Create and use data structures.
* Functions for motion planning.
* Include additional files in the game executables.
* Use extension packages.
* Define your own trigger events.
* Game collaboration tools.


bolded features are the reasons i find GM Pro indispensable and a bargain for the price you pay. having data structures in particular available will make databasing, for example, an RPG much easier.
Translucent sprites! Because simple alpha-blending is a $25 feature!
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APATHY IS FOR COWARDS
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author=Nullmech
Translucent sprites! Because simple alpha-blending is a $25 feature!


They gotta make money somehow.
I remember being able to make sprites fade in and out on the free version...

Still, it's half the price of any of Enterbrain's sterling products for something that can do way more. If you're making an action RPG this is actually easy to do in GameMaker even with the whole RPG part of it.
Craze
why would i heal when i could equip a morningstar
15150
Nullmech, alpha blending is free now.
author=Nullmech
Translucent sprites! Because simple alpha-blending is a $25 feature!


Yes being a smartass about a single product feature is incredibly productive and helpful.

I salute you sir.
WIP
I'm not comfortable with any idea that can't be expressed in the form of men's jewelry
11363
He's got a point, though. WOW PAY $25 FOR LATE 1990's FEATURES! AMAZING BUY NOW
It is... $25. That is the price of a shirt, a pair of shoes or like, an extra large pizza with a few toppings.

You need to spend $30/$60 to even use RMXP/VX. :P
WIP
I'm not comfortable with any idea that can't be expressed in the form of men's jewelry
11363
Despite the price it is still kind of silly. You'd think with a "pro" version it would have "pro" features. Not features you could code yourself in about 5 minutes.
author=Craze
Nullmech, alpha blending is free now.
author=WIP
Despite the price it is still kind of silly. You'd think with a "pro" version it would have "pro" features. Not features you could code yourself in about 5 minutes.


i consider grid-based pathfinding you can set up in about five minutes pretty pro
Its silly. I'd rather hand code games.
slash
APATHY IS FOR COWARDS
4158
poor poor MS paint
nobody loves you and your lack of alpha channels
Actually, if you use programs like GIMP or Photoshop, you wouldn't need the sprite editor to make sprites translucent.
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