Within each event are blocks of code, either GML scripts and/or Drag and Drop elements depending on the user’s preferred method and experience. Although they cover a variety of situations including Create, Step (action per frame) and Draw, many advanced users tend to just use the aforementioned three events as the remainder of GameMaker’s events can often be handled within one of these event archetypes with scripts.
GameMaker handles all its code within a series of events. I may not go into as much detail on GameMaker functionality as I would if I were introducing the IDE. I am still very new to the Unity engine and before totally adopting it as my development solution I want to ensure that I make a proper comparison between it and GameMaker’s features by means of a case study: I decided to port my existing game Grit Grumble’s Happy Factory (GGHF) over to Unity and note the hurdles involved in the process.īefore getting into this blog I want to note that this discussion is directed towards people who are already somewhat familiar with GameMaker’s functionality and are interested in adapting to features in the Unity engine. There are some excellent changes coming to the GML language soon, including lightweight objects, but for the time being the language pales in comparison to more industry standard languages.
The important remaining question for me is whether Unity has suitable, accessible replacements for the features in my GameMaker Studio development pipeline and IDE. In many ways, it is significantly faster to get a project developed in the Unity engine as well: Unity features built-in input handing, support for conventional programming languages (C#, Javascript) as opposed to GameMaker Language (GML), and a well-supported 3D engine with VR capabilities. Unity simply has more support thrown behind it as well as fewer financial barriers for developers looking to export to multiple platforms. GameMaker has been my primary game development tool for at least 10 years and it hasn’t been until recently that I’ve felt that simply using GameMaker for my development needs may not be the best way to go forward.
It’s really quick to get results with GameMaker, as we remove the repetition, and they can turn their games into amazing audio-visual experiences with our advanced graphic design and sound-mixing functionality.I suppose in any major transition between updates or software there comes a series of hurdles involved in familiarizing oneself with how the new engine works. For more established Indies and Studios, our workflow is what sets up apart. The drag and drop approach, creates real code that gives granular control, in our C based GameMaker Language (GML), to more experienced developers. The drag and drop design features provide beginners with a way into game design without having to become coders first, so the passion that got them into game design isn’t extinguished under a mountain of programming learning that can come later. He added, “GameMaker Studio is a 2D game design platform, but what makes it different is its breadth of application.
So, while the developer community is less Mac focused, across our whole market, there is much more of a mix.” It’s used in schools and is taught to, and purchased by children as young as eight years old, using the drag and drop features to quickly turn their ideas into living games. While it has a very high skill ceiling, it goes beyond the confines of the traditional developer market. In an email, Cox said, “GameMaker Studio is a product for all levels of developer. YoYo Games is based in Dundee, Scotland, and it has 40 employees. GameMaker Studio 2 can be purchased for Windows, Mac, and Ubuntu for $100 on the YoYo Games website. To date, the GameMaker Studio family of products has been downloaded more than 10 million times since 2012 and currently has 200,000 monthly active users.
The 2.1 version update introduces changes that make game development easier. Timed with the MacOS launch, GameMaker Studio 2 is also receiving a comprehensive update with new features and quality-of-life improvements.