Introduction to GameMakerGameMaker Series

jhealy@Microsoft.com@devfish

Game Maker

First version in 1998

Goal was • Let everybody have fun creating games

• Age range 8-88

• For non-programmers and programmers

• Let people be creative

• No limitation to particular game types

• User feels she created the game

• PRO: Have fun

• EDU: Teach (unconsciously) basic concepts in computer science

• Create interest in computer science

Game Maker: Global Idea

Rapid Application Development Environment• Create and include sprites, sounds, music

• Define game objects and their behavior

• Level design

• Creates single executable

Focus on ease of use• More features not

neccesarily make the

product easier

Game Maker: Global Idea

Primarily 2-dimensional but support for 3D graphics• Alpha blended graphics• Particle systems• Surfaces

No programming required but built-in language• Functions for advanced graphics, path planning, data

structures, files, network play, ...

Extendible• Actions, functions, DLLs• Many extension packages available

Game Maker – License Model

• Free edition for Win Desk – commercial ok – locked splash screen

• Pro - $99 - Windows 8

• Other modules available on various prices for other OS

• Mac, Ubuntu, HTML5, Android, iOS, WP8, Tizen, Xbox, PS4, PS3.... More coming...

http://www.yoyogames.com/studio

Game Maker: Games

All genres of games• Maze, Platform, Puzzle, ...

• 3D games

• Multiplayer games

Welcome Screen

• Demos and tutorials

• News

• Release notes

• Other stuff…

Game Studio

Game Maker: Structure

DATA:

•Sprites

•Sounds

•Backgrounds

•Fonts

CONTROL:

•Objects

•Timelines

•Scripts

•Paths

LEVELS:

•Rooms

•Views

•Tiles

Can all also be created from code

Catch the clownDEMO

SPRITESCORE OBJECT

SPRITE

• Image container

• Image editor built-in

• Can contain sprite sheets

• Supports• BMP, PNG, SWF, JPG

• SPINE

• GameMaker files

• Name appropriately – “spr_clown”

SPRITE SHEET

• Set of images

• All same size

• Nameofsprite_stripNN

• NN is number of sprites in sheet – firefly_strip15.png

Sprite – SWF

• SWF – adobe format

• Search “glitch” swfs for some freebies

Sprite - spine

• Spine is hot new animator -http://esotericsoftware.com/

• $69-$289 depending

SOUNDCORE OBJECT

SOUND

• WAV or MP3

• Caution: Not all work

• AUDACITY is your friend

• HTML5 / Win8 may no like your sound system

• Switch to legacy under global game settings

OBJECTS• Object Oriented, Event Driven

• Everything is an object

• Object can have a graphical representation (sprite)

• Objects react to events• Collisions, user input, timers, etc.• Actions are then executed

• Objects can have parent objects and inherent their behavior

INVISIBLE OBJECTS

• Useful as controllers

• Play background music

• Can be used to ‘overlay’ draw things on forms

• Watch out, don’t place multiples on form if only one is desired

ROOMS

• Think “screen”

• Can actually be bigger than the screen

• Used for play surface

• Also used for menus, title screens, et cetera

• Order of rooms is important – can navigate from one room the next and back

BACKGROUNDS

One big picture

Tiled picture

Can move and scroll when placed in room

TIP OF THE DAY - CLOUDS

• Open paint.net new blank image

• Edit Select All, hit Delete. Everything left is transparent.

• Save as “cloud.png”

• Draw with big brush some white and grey clouds

• “Hardness set to low”

• Pull into room as layer

• Set motion on layer to 4 or such

Thank You

Joe Healy / jhealy@Microsoft.com / @devfish

http://www.yoyogames.comhttp://dfwiki.devfish.net – search GameMaker