HTML5 Game Development with GameMaker

Jason Lee Elliott

• Publisher: Packt Publishing
• Year: 2013
• eBook ISBN: 9781849694100
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Computer Science
• Subtopic: Digital Marketing
• Index: Computer Science

In Detail

The introduction of HTML5 has revolutionized the web browser as a legitimate gaming platform with unlimited potential. Making games for the browser has never been simpler, especially with GameMaker Studio. Developers have full control over asset management, built-in systems for physics, particles and path finding. In addition, it offers a rich scripting language and extensions for developers now enabling everyone to create games and monetize them quickly and easily.

HTML5 Game Development with GameMaker will show you how to make and release browser based games using practical examples. This book utilizes GameMaker's powerful scripting language allowing you to create your first game in no time. With this guide you will develop a thorough skill set and a coherent understanding of the tools to develop games of increasing complexity, gradually enhancing your coding abilities and taking them to a whole new level.

The GameMaker Studio environment allows you to jump right into building browser based games quickly and releasing them online. The chapters focus on core practical elements, such as, artificial intelligence and creating challenging boss battles. This book guides you on how to use advanced features easily and effectively, these include, data structures and demonstrating how to create rigid body physics with simple explanations and visual examples. By the end of this book you will have an in-depth knowledge of developing and publishing online social browser based games with GameMaker.

Approach

The book is a friendly but explosive reference for all skill levels, with several action packed projects. You will develop the ability to build games from scratch with a comprehensive practical tutorial guide. This book is assured to boost your skill set to another level.

Who this book is for

This book is for anyone with a passion to create fun and action packed web browser games using GameMaker Studio. This intuitive practical guide appeals to both beginners and advanced users wanting to create and release online games to share with the world, using the powerful GameMaker tool.

HTML5 Game Development with GameMaker

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Table of Contents

HTML5 Game Development with GameMaker

Credits

About the Author

About the Reviewers

www.PacktPub.com

Support files, eBooks, discount offers and more

Why Subscribe?

Free Access for Packt account holders

Preface

What this book covers

What you need for this book

Who this book is for

Conventions

Reader feedback

Customer support

Downloading the example code

Errata

Piracy

Questions

1. Getting to Know the Studio with Your First Game

Making HTML game development easy

Setting up the software

Our first look at the Studio

The Menu

The Toolbar

The Resource tree

The Workspace

Exploring the resource editors

Loading your art assets with the Sprite Properties editor

The wall sprite

The player sprite

Creating game objects with the Object Properties editor

The Wall object

The Player object

Creating worlds with the Room Properties editor

Running the game

Introducing code with the Script Properties editor

Filling the scene with the Background Properties editor

Bringing noise with the Sound Properties editor

A little background music

Controlling the game with the Overlord

The collectible

Writing text and the Font Properties editor

Creating complex movements with the Path Properties editor

Using the Time Line Properties editor to spawn collectibles

Tools for debugging your games

Using the HTML5 DEBUG console

Using the Windows version debugger

Taking a look at the JavaScript code

Summary

2. Triple 'A' Games: Art and Audio

Manufacturing art assets

Understanding the image file formats

Importing sprite sheets

Introducing the image editor

Creating backgrounds with tilesets

Animating and creating sprites

The illusion of action

Maximize the sprite space

Looping an animation

Manufacturing audio

Understanding the audio file formats

Using the GM:S Audio engine

Raising the quality bar

Consistency

Readability

Polish

Summary

3. Shoot 'em Up: Creating a Side-scrolling Shooter

Coding conventions

Building the player

Setting up the player sprite

Controlling the player object

Building the bullet

Firing the bullet

Removing bullets from the world

Constructing three little enemies

Making the enemy parent

Building the FloatBot

Creating the SpaceMine

Making the Strafer

Controlling the game with the Overlord

Spawning waves of enemies

Building the Overlord

Dealing with the life and death of the player

Setting up the win condition

Respawning with a Ghost object

Drawing the user interface

Adding the finishing details to the game

Adding the game music

Making the background move

Creating the explosions

Summary

4. The Adventure Begins

Creating animated characters

Simplifying the character movement

Implementing a melee attack

Navigating between rooms

Setting up the rooms

Creating Room Portals

Teleporting a persistent player

Bringing enemies to life

Summoning the Ghost Librarian

Building a wandering Brawl

Creating the Coach

Adding finishing details to the game

Summary

5. Platform Fun

Structuring systems-based code

Creating gravity

Building an animation system

Creating a collision forecasting system

Checking the keyboard

Building the player

Setting up the room

Building a boss battle

Creating the indestructible Gun

Constructing the first phase: The Cannons

Building the second phase: The giant LaserCannon

Setting the final stage: The shielded Boss Core

Winding it up

Summary

6. Toppling Towers

Understanding the physics engine

Activating the world

Defining properties with fixtures

Connecting objects with Joints

Applying forces to objects

Building a tower toppling game

Constructing the Pillars and Debris

Breaking the Pillars into Debris

Adding in the collision sounds

Building the demolition equipment

Creating a Wrecking Ball

Making a Magnetic Crane

Completing the game

Setting the win condition

Creating the Equipment Menu

Constructing the towers

Summary

7. Dynamic Front Ends

Setting up the rooms

Initializing the main menu

Selecting levels with 2D arrays

Preparing the Shop using data structures

Rebuilding the HUD

Adding risk and reward to destruction

Adding introductory text to each level

Saving the player's progress

Understanding local storage

Writing to local storage

Saving multiple game profiles

Summary

8. Playing with Particles

Introducing particle effects

Understanding particle systems

Utilizing particle emitters

Applying particles

HTML5 limitations

Adding particle effects to the game

Creating a Dust Cloud

Adding in Shrapnel

Making the TNT explosion

Cleaning up the particles

Summary

9. Get Your Game Out There

Releasing a game on your own site

Creating the application

Hosting the game

Uploading the game with FTP

Integrating with Facebook

Adding a Facebook login button

Tracking the game with Flurry Analytics

Setting up Flurry Analytics

Tracking events in the game

Sending the data to Flurry

Understanding the Analytics

Making money with your games

Summary

Index

HTML5 Game Development with GameMaker

Copyright © 2013 Packt Publishing

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embedded in critical articles or reviews.

Every effort has been made in the preparation of this book to ensure the accuracy of the information presented. However, the information contained in this book is sold without warranty, either express or implied. Neither the author, nor Packt Publishing, and its dealers and distributors will be held liable for any damages caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by this book.

Packt Publishing has endeavored to provide trademark information about all of the companies and products mentioned in this book by the appropriate use of capitals. However, Packt Publishing cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.

First published: April 2013

Production Reference: 1150413

Published by Packt Publishing Ltd.

Livery Place

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Birmingham B3 2PB,...

Table of contents

• HTML5 Game Development with GameMaker