Gamemaker - Intro and Core Objects

Gamemaker - Intro and Core Objects

• 1.
  Introduction to GameMaker GameMaker Series jhealy@Microsoft.com @devfish
• 2.
  Game Maker Firstversion 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
• 3.
  Game Maker: GlobalIdea 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
• 4.
  Game Maker: GlobalIdea 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
• 5.
  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
• 6.
  Game Maker: Games All genres of games • Maze, Platform, Puzzle, ... • 3D games • Multiplayer games
• 7.
  Welcome Screen •Demos and tutorials • News • Release notes • Other stuff…
• 8.
  Game Studio
• 9.
  Game Maker: Structure DATA: •Sprites •Sounds •Backgrounds •Fonts CONTROL: •Objects •Timelines •Scripts •Paths LEVELS: •Rooms •Views •Tiles Can all also be created from code
• 10.
  Catch the clown DEMO
• 11.
  SPRITES CORE OBJECT
• 12.
  SPRITE • Imagecontainer • Image editor built-in • Can contain sprite sheets • Supports • BMP, PNG, SWF, JPG • SPINE • GameMaker files • Name appropriately – “spr_clown”
• 13.
  SPRITE SHEET •Set of images • All same size • Nameofsprite_stripNN • NN is number of sprites in sheet – firefly_strip15.png
• 14.
  Sprite – SWF • SWF – adobe format • Search “glitch” swfs for some freebies
• 15.
  Sprite - spine • Spine is hot new animator - http://esotericsoftware.com/ • $69-$289 depending
• 16.
  SOUND CORE OBJECT
• 17.
  SOUND • WAVor MP3 • Caution: Not all work • AUDACITY is your friend • HTML5 / Win8 may no like your sound system • Switch to legacy under global game settings
• 18.
  OBJECTS • ObjectOriented, 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
• 19.
  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
• 20.
  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
• 21.
  BACKGROUNDS One bigpicture Tiled picture Can move and scroll when placed in room
• 22.
  TIP OF THEDAY - 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
• 23.
  Joe Healy /jhealy@Microsoft.com / @devfish Thank You http://www.yoyogames.com http://dfwiki.devfish.net – search GameMaker