Game Maker Programming

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Welcome to the Game Maker Programming tutorial at Wikibooks. Game Maker by Mark Overmars, which we deal with in these tutorials is not to be confused with GameMaker or The 3D Game Maker. Some of the chapters may be written using an older Game Maker version, so if the GUI does not look identical to your own, don't worry, these tutorials are all compatible with version 7.

Contents 1 Game Maker 2 Programming in Game Maker 2.1 Getting Started 2.2 Scripting Features 2.3 Problem Solving/FAQ 3 Add on Libraries 4 Library Builder 5 Game Maker News 6 What to Come? 7 External links 8 Authors and contributors

[edit] Game Maker

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Game Maker is a game development software application written by Mark Overmars in the Delphi programming language. It is designed to allow its users to easily develop computer games without having to learn a complex programming language such as C++ or Pascal. For experienced users, Game Maker contains a built-in scripting programming language called "GML", or "Game Maker Language". Games can be distributed either free, or for profit, as ".gmk", ".gm6", or ".gmd" source files, or as standalone ".exe" files.

To extend the Drag and Drop functionality of Game Maker, you can use files called Libraries to add new drag and drop items to the lists. These can be created by members with a special library builder, only available via the Game Maker Community, which has over 100,000 members.

Game Maker is not as widely known or as used as other game development programs, such as the RPG School (RPG maker) series for Role-playing games. It has, however, attracted a substantial number of users; mainly because of the program's accessibility to beginners while still allowing complex tasks to be undertaken by more advanced users. It is not as narrow in game creation as other programs, as it allows the creation of many types of games, including platform games, first-person shooters, third-person shooters, multiplayer online games, simulation games, programs, and more.

[edit] Programming in Game Maker

You can find Game Maker resources such as scripts, sprites, extensions, and more here.

[edit] Getting Started

• An introduction to Programming

You can find how to download Game Maker and how to make some of your first games here:

• Finding and Installing Game Maker
• Basics of Game Maker
• Game Maker GUI
• Creating a room
• Creating Objects

[edit] Scripting Features

These chapters look at the operations possible using the scripting component of Game Maker.

• Statements
• Variables
• Mathematical calculations
• Input Output
• Functions
• Expressions

[edit] Problem Solving/FAQ

This section approaches Game Maker issues from a different angle: problems, and how to solve them.

• Tough Topics

Q: How do I get my sprites animation speed to go faster?

A: 2 ways: in the sprite itself, it has preview, you can change the numbers, thus changing the speed, although this will affect all sprites, to make one sprite faster, in the objects create event (or the event you are using) and drag in "SET VARIABLE" in the variable box type in: "image_speed", and change the value. To change the value, 1 is normal, 0 is still, for say, a little more, change to 1.5, or a little less, 0.5, etc.

NOTE THAT THIS IS ONLY THE DRAG AND DROP SOLUTION

[edit] Add on Libraries

• This Area is for a command list of each user built library as well as a link to where it can be downloaded.

[edit] Library Builder

• Finding and Installing Game Maker Library Builder
• Basics of Game Maker Library Builder

You can download the Library Builder here.

[edit] Game Maker News

Game Maker 7 is the current version of Game Maker, and the only one that now has YoYo Games helping. YoYo Games is a team of professional programmers, which thus, will make Game Maker more convenient. Game Maker 7 will also work on a new Windows OS: Windows Vista, meaning Game Maker is still moving on. Recently, a Game Maker Decompiler has been released. Its authors are unknown. However, it has been found to decompile all game maker executables smaller than 10 mega bytes into readable source.

[edit] What to Come?

YoYo Games is currently working on Game Maker 8 which is going to be released on both the PC and Mac, enlarging the GM community. The interpreter will also be rewritten in c++, improving speed and compatibility.

[edit] External links

• Game Maker Official Site
• Game Maker Games
• Screencasts of Game Maker tutorials
• Interview with Mark Overmars (Creator of Game Maker) as part of a thesis on game development

[edit] Authors and contributors

This Wikibook has been written by:

• Gingi Prime author
• Toby (Contributions)
• Klingoncowboy4 (finished fixing naming conventions)

If you wish to contribute join me and post your ideas in the contributors' lounge.