Game Maker

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Game Maker

The Game Maker user interface. An example of the room properties, sprite properties, object properties and path editor are visible.
Developer(s)	YoYo Games, Mark Overmars
Initial release	November 15, 1999
Stable release	7.0.5.1 [+/−]
Preview release	8.0 Release Candidate 2 [+/−]
Written in	Delphi/C++
Operating system	Microsoft Windows (Mac OS X under development)
Available in	English
Type	Game development/Program development
License	Proprietary
Website	YoYo Games

Game Maker (often abbreviated to GM) is a Windows computer program originally developed by Mark Overmars in the Delphi programming language. It is currently developed and published by YoYo Games, a software company which Overmars is a part. Game Maker allows users to easily develop computer games without the requirement of prior computer programming experience, while allowing advanced users to create complex applications with its built-in scripting language.

The latest stable release of Game Maker is version 7.0.5.1 as of December 2009. Since its initial release in 1999, Game Maker had gathered a significant user base, with YoYo Games providing free hosting for user-created games. A Mac OS X version under development was put on hold indefinitely.^[1]

Development history

Game Maker was originally titled Animo,^[2] a program specializing in 2D animation. Overmars released the first public version (version 1.1) on November 15, 1999. While this version of Game Maker had a built-in scripting language, which was not as complex as in more recent versions, it and the next few versions of Game Maker did not have DirectX support, a separate runner to run games independently from Game Maker, or the ability to compile games into executable files. ^[2]

Each major release of Game Maker added substantial new features and improved stability, while gaining steadily in popularity. In 2001, version 3.0 implemented DirectX for the first time^[3], while version 4.0 (released July 2001) was rewritten from scratch, changing the interface significantly. Version 5.0 was released in April 2003, adding support for external data files and time lines.^[4] In version 6.0, released October 2004, Game Maker's graphics engine was rewritten using Direct3D as a base, allowing for more complex operations such as easier alpha transparency and sprite rotation, as well as introducing 3D graphics functions.^[5] Overmars began work on version 7.0, which introduced the ability to extend its functionality, around the summer of 2006^[6], and released it on February 28, 2007, through YoYo Games.^[7]

Starting with Game Maker 6, game data created with the program was encrypted, due to concerns over hacking.^[5]

Design and uses

Game Maker's primary development interface uses a drag-and-drop system, allowing users unfamiliar with traditional programming to intuitively create games by visually organizing icons on the screen. Game Maker comes with a set of standard action libraries, covering such things as movement, basic drawing, and simple control structures. To extend the drag-and-drop functionality of Game Maker, users can use custom-built action libraries to add new actions (drag-and-drop command icons) to their games. These can be created (generally by more advanced users) using the official special library builder tool.

This program is designed to allow its users to easily develop computer games without having to learn a complex programming language such as C++ or Java, while at the same time teaching the user basic syntax and OOP. For experienced users, Game Maker contains a built-in scripting programming language called the Game Maker Language (GML), allowing the user to further customize their game and expand features. Games can be distributed under any license subject to the terms of Game Maker's EULA, in non-editable executable .exe files or as .gmk (Version 7.x), .gm6 (Version 6.x), .gmd (Version 5.x and 4.x), and .gmf (Version 3) source files. Users of Game Maker are allowed to distribute and even sell their creations as long as they comply with the terms of the Game Maker EULA, which prohibits a number of illicit programs such as those which involve unauthorized use of copyrighted material or those which are unlawful in general.

Game Maker is becoming more widely known and used. It has attracted many users, mainly because of the program's accessibility to beginners while allowing complex tasks to be done by more advanced users. It is not as narrow in game creation as some other programs, as it allows the creation of many types of games, including platform games, first-person shooters, third-person shooters, massively multiplayer online games and construction and management simulation games. It is also possible to create standard applications with Game Maker.

Educational use

As a professor of the University of Utrecht, Mark Overmars developed Game Maker partly as a teaching aid for his students. It is gaining recognition as a useful teaching tool in primary and secondary schools because of its easy entry and sophisticated scripting language.^{[citation needed]}

Features

As of July 2009, Game Maker is at version 7, released on February 28, 2007. The Beta version for Game Maker 8 was released on July 3, 2009. It still incorporates the use of Direct3D, allowing the use of limited 3D graphics, and adds limited support for simple 3D models. Converters make it possible to use more popular 3D formats such as .3ds, and .obj for use in a 3D project. It also supports the ability to create particle effects such as rain, snow and clouds.

Game Maker is available as an unregistered version ("Lite") free of charge and a registered version ("Pro"). The registered version costs €20, $25 (American), £20, or $38 (Australian). This extends the features available, such as the ability to incorporate DLLs, and use Direct3D, particles and advanced drawing functions. The free version displays a small Game Maker advertisement during the loading of the game, while the registered version removes this.

The new website from which Game Maker can be downloaded is YoYoGames.com. Game Maker's runner program has improved over the years and gained wider functionality, particularly in the graphics area, allowing for easy alpha adjustments and blending settings for sprites and other shapes. Starting with version 6, Game Maker has adapted to use DirectX 8, making some of these effects possible, though it has led to an increase in the system requirements.

Game Maker itself is not limited to the functions and abilities included in the Game Maker Language. Game Maker games can load and use DLLs for additional functionality. The community has developed a variety of DLLs to extend Game Maker with things such as socket support and MySQL connectivity. As of version 7, the new extension mechanism allows users to include DLLs, GML scripts and action libraries in pre-built extension packages.

There are many tools for Game Maker including the Library Maker, a program to create libraries of drag-and-drop functions, and the Extension Maker, which allows for the creation of scripts and functions in GML. Several resource packs can be downloaded on the website. The older versions are also available for download.

Lite and Pro editions

When downloading the software, only the Lite Edition is free of charge. In the Lite Edition of the software, fewer functions are available and some demo games, such as Asteroids, do not work as they use functions that are only available in the Pro Edition of the software. The Lite Edition is free but displays the logo of Game Maker and gives a limited availability to all the functions written on the Game Maker software. The Lite Edition of the software lacks some functions, such as basic 3D game making, playing music from a CD in the CD drive, extended graphic options, such as transforming the image to a new size/shape, and creating a particle system which gives the option to create some effects such as rain, explosions, fireworks and sparks without downloading third-party extensions and scripts.

Upgrading to the Pro Edition costs $25 (USD). One license works on three user accounts on one or different computers, but an extra $9.95 can be paid to get a backup CD for running the Pro Edition on any computer with the CD in the drive. There are a number of known problems with the upgrade, including a tendency for the Pro mode to revert to Lite mode. This problem seems to happen frequently, yet to a very small number of users.

Game Maker Language

Game Maker Language (GML) is the primary scripting language used in Game Maker. It allows users to further enhance and control the design of their game through conventional programming, as opposed to the drag-and-drop system. The syntax of GML borrows aspects from other languages such as C, C++ and Pascal. This has led to some confusion and has caused some to believe such languages can be used directly within Game Maker.

Originally, GML was designed to supplement the drag-and-drop interface, allowing advanced users to add greater functionality to their games or programs. Newer versions of Game Maker actually use GML as their base, with all drag-and-drop functions as pre-written GML scripts.

GML is an interpreted programming language instead of a compiled language. When Game Maker creates a stand-alone game, all GML (including drag and drop functions) is packed into the game executable. Every time the generated program is executed, an included interpreter carries out the commands indicated by the GML code. As an interpreted language, GML is often slower than compiled languages such as C++ or Delphi.

GML also includes support for loading and using DLLs. This allows functions and routines to be written in other programming languages such as C++, Delphi, Pascal and others.

Extension packages

Game Maker supports the use of both specially programmed DLLs and specialized Game Maker extension files created with a separate editor which can contain DLLs, Libraries, GML scripts and any other desired resource. This allows users of Game Maker to add new features and functions to the program using GML or a compiled language such as C++ or Delphi. Several websites have been created since the addition of extensions in version 7.0 of the program to let users upload and share their extensions including a dedicated section of the GMC and also a section of YoYo Games.

System requirements

The following specifications reflect the system requirements of Game Maker's exported executable files. The Game Maker tool has unspecified, but significantly lower requirements.^[8]

System requirements for Game Maker 7.x:

• Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7
• DirectX 8 or later
• DirectX 8 compatible graphics card with at least 32MB of video memory
• Pentium or equivalent processor
• DirectX 8 compatible sound card
• 128 MB of memory or greater (noted only in official Game Maker help file documentation)
• 800×600 or greater screen resolution with 16-bit or 32-bit colors

System requirements for Game Maker 6.x:

• Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista (Only for Created Games, Through the Vista Converter) or Windows 7 (Only for Created Games, Through the Vista Converter)
• DirectX 8 or later
• DirectX 8 compatible graphics card with at least 16MB of video memory (32MB or more recommended)
• Pentium or equivalent processor
• DirectX 8 compatible sound card
• 64 MB of memory or greater (noted only in official Game Maker help file documentation)
• 800×600 or greater screen resolution with 16-bit or 32-bit colors

System requirements for Game Maker 5.x:

• Windows 95 (GM5 is not supported on Windows 95), Windows 98, Windows NT 4, Windows 2000, Windows ME, Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7
• DirectX 6 or later
• Pentium or equivalent processor
• 800×600 or greater screen resolution with 16-bit or 32-bit colors

Versions 6.x and the .exe files from those versions do not work with the Microsoft Windows Vista or the Windows 7 operating system, due to an incompatible compression implementation in its creation of executable files. Version 7 of the program, however, works correctly with Vista, as well as most supported functions in versions 5.x and prior. As of June 24, 2007, Mark Overmars made a program to convert .exe files created with version 6 to work on Windows Vista.^[9]

YoYo Games

YoYo Games

Type	Partnership
Founded	2007 (2007)
Founder(s)	The YoYo Games group
Headquarters	Zeist, Netherlands
Key people	Sandy Duncan Mark Overmars James North-Hearn Michel Cassius Spencer Hyman
Website	http://www.yoyogames.com/

On January 26, 2007, Mark Overmars announced that he would be working with a company in the UK named YoYo Games.^[10] The company, headed by CEO Sandy Duncan (ex Vice President of Xbox Europe),^[11] was founded to support the future development of Game Maker, and to develop a community for developers and casual gamers. The motive behind the cooperation is that it would bring faster and better development to Game Maker, as well as provide a better website for its users. The website is a community in which users can upload, share, and play their created games and those made by others while having the ability to review and discuss these games, and games in development on the website. It will also provide a much more extended help system and support for the sharing of digital assets. YoYo Games is recreating the GMC (Game Maker Community) and YoYo Games has published Game Maker 7. As of April 28, 2007, the YoYo Games website has been officially released to the public (in beta).^[12]

YoYo Games provides a free hosting service for any Game Maker games — by early January, 2008, over 11,000 user generated games had been uploaded. The website has an instant play feature so people can play games online (similar to Adobe Flash), and allows games to be downloaded if the individual creators choose so.

On January 10, 2008, YoYo Games concluded its first Game Maker competition, with a theme of "Winter",^[13] awarding $1750 in prizes to the three winning developers. On February 1, 2008, YoYo Games announced the second competition, based on the theme of "Ancient Civilizations" with total prize money of $1750. There have since been two more competitions - themed "Cooperation" and "Save the Planet".

Game Maker Community

The Game Maker Community is an online forum with over 84,000+ members, made to discuss Game Maker and games created with it. It also discusses more general game design topics. The current forum was created by Mark Overmars^[14] on September 18, 2003^[15], a month after the first release and is now a subdomain of the official YoYo Games website.

Ports and future versions

Macintosh version

In 2008, Sandy Duncan announced a port of Game Maker for Mac OS X was being developed. A beta version should have been running by the end of March 2008, but was delayed until sometime in late April, then again until November, when it was released in a private beta. The reasons for the delays were mostly due to a lack of some required functionality in the development suite being used.

YoYo has announced in their "glog" that they are currently fixing some bugs and putting on the final touches.^[16] To start with, the runner was released without the editor. This rendered the runner unusable, but soon after the fault was corrected and the editor was made available to those in the private beta. The beta is full of bugs; however, most of the issues are minor. In June 2009, Sandy Duncan announced that the second beta of the Macintosh version of Game Maker 7.0 was being released. He mentioned that it is "not bug free, but very usable". Beta 3 was available in public beta form, until October 2009.

On December 4^th, 2009 YoYo Games' Mac Developer resigned forcing them to make the difficult decision to temporarily suspend their plans to produce a Mac version of Game Maker. They are currently seeking anyone with extensive experience with Lazarus development and a good understanding of OpenGL to contact them at http://yoyogames.mojohelpdesk.com/

Game Maker 8

A Game Maker 8 Beta was released on July 3, 2009. This beta removes the use of Softwrap (even though for the course of the beta, the software will always stay Pro), and includes many new functions and improvements. This was released to the public along with a bug reporting system to help find problems. The system has been re-opened after it was closed for Yo Yo Games to work on the second beta.

The first beta was time-constricted, and ceased to work in August 2009 on any computer with an internet connection.

The second beta release is also time-constricted, and improves on the first beta with many of the 500 bug reports fixed.

Sandy Duncan announced, July 2009, that the new version of Game Maker is to be a free upgrade for GM7 Pro users who purchased the software after January 1, 2009^[17]. To download it, you must register on the GM8 website.

On September 20, 2009, Overmars announced that the Game Maker 8 release candidate was available for testing^[18], shutting down on November 1, however some users report, that changing the date on their computers back to before November 2, makes the program usable. This has been proven true. The second release candidate has been released, however has not been announced officially. ^[19]

In November 2009 a second Game Maker 8 Release Candidate was released and set to expire December, 2009. Because of this, users have speculated that Game Maker 8's release has been delayed until 2010, but this has yet to be confirmed.

Game Maker 8 logo controversy

Previous GM8 Logo

New GM8 Logo

On November 27, 2009 a new logo was announced on the YoYo Games Glog.^[20] The decision received substantial criticism via the Game Maker Community and YoYo Games Glog with thousands of comments posted in protest.^[21] Petitions were started in hope of convincing YoYo Games to retract their decision.^[22] Games mocking the logo were created as well. According to his own blog posts and Twitter feed, CEO of YoYo Games, Sandy Duncan has considered "evolving the logo," but has no plans to drastically change it.^[23][24]

In response to the criticism, a topic was posted on the Game Maker Community where users could post suggestions to the Game Maker logo^[25], and on December 9, a new logo from the community vote was chosen. ^[26]

See also

• Game Maker Language
• Mark Overmars

References

External links

Wikibooks has a book on the topic of Programming:Game Maker

• YoYo Games — Official website
• Game Maker Community — Official forum
• YoYo Games Wiki — Official wiki