GameMaker Essentials

Nathan Auckett

• Verlag: Packt Publishing
• Jahr: 2015
• ISBN:
  9781784396121
• Thema: Computer Science
• Thema: Entreprise Applications

GameMaker Essentials

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Table of Contents

GameMaker Essentials

Credits

About the Author

About the Reviewers

www.PacktPub.com

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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 color images of this book

Errata

Piracy

Questions

1. Introducing GameMaker

Understanding GameMaker

GameMaker: Studio

Installing GameMaker: Studio

What is this book about?

Summary

2. Getting Started

Licensing

The welcome window

The main toolbar

The drop-down menus

The resource tree

Summary

3. Resource Management

Resources in GameMaker

Sprites

Sounds

Backgrounds

Paths

Scripts

Shaders

Fonts

Timelines

Objects

Rooms

Extensions

Macros

Resource naming conventions

Organizing resources

Groups

Sprite animations

Importing and exporting resources

Importing graphics and sounds

Importing GameMaker resources

Exporting resources

Exporting scripts

Summary

4. Objects

Events

The step event

Room speed

The draw event

Parents

Making a parent

Parents and collisions

Depth

Depth ordering

Changing an object's depth

Drag and drop

Creating a sprite

Making our object

Creating a room

Summary

5. The GameMaker Language

Variables

Instance variables

Local variables

Global variables

Macros

Arrays

One-dimensional arrays

Two-dimensional arrays

Functions

Statements and loops

Statements

The if statement

The else statement

The else if statement

Loops

The repeat loop

The while loop

The for loop

Scripts

Creating a script

Naming a script

Writing a script

Executing a script

Arguments in scripts

Argument hints in scripts

Returning a value

Summary

6. Sprites

Loading a sprite

Sprite options

Sprite origins

Collision masks

Editing a collision mask

Texture settings

Sprite sizing techniques

The power of two

Templates

Editing a sprite

Starting from scratch

Effects

Sprites in the GameMaker Language

Setting an object's sprite

Getting the width and height of a sprite

Getting the offset of a sprite

Setting the animation speed of a sprite

Setting the frame of a sprite

Setting the alpha of a sprite

Setting the rotation of a sprite

Changing the scale of a sprite

Finding out how many subimages a sprite has

Summary

7. Making a Game

Making the sprites

Room setup

Views

Object creation

Programming the game

Collectables

Enemies

Summary

8. Debugging

Errors

Undeclared variable

Drawing information

Drawing text

Drawing lines and shapes

Simple toggles

The GameMaker debugger

Summary

9. Game Settings and Exporting

Global Game Settings

Analytics and advertising

Advertising

Analytics

Exporting a game

Publishing your game

YoYo Player

Game Jolt

Skill summary

Taking this further

Games made in GameMaker

GameMaker learning sites

The GameMaker Community

YouTube

Summary

Index

GameMaker Essentials

Copyright © 2015 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: March 2015

Production reference: 1230315

Published by Packt Publishing Ltd.

Livery Place

35 Livery Street

Birmingham B3 2PB, UK.

ISBN 978-1-78439-612-1

www.packtpub.com

Credits

Author

Nathan Auckett

Reviewers

Mark Alexander

John M. Walker, PE

Commissioning Editor

Nadeem N. Bagban

Acquisition Editor

Harsha Bharwani

Content Development Editor

Samantha Gonsalves

Technical Editor

Bharat Patil

Copy Editors

Relin Hedly

Laxmi Subramanian

Project Coordinator

Sanchita Mandal

Proofreaders

Simran Bhogal

Lauren E. Harkins

Indexer

Hemangini Bari

Production Coordinator

Conidon Miranda

Cover Work

Conidon Miranda

About the Author

Nathan Auckett is an advanced GameMaker user and has been using the software for over 7 years now. He started using GameMaker during its seventh version and has been using the built-in programming language ever since to create his own games. In 2012, he began creating small tutorials on various topics in GameMaker and has since then created over 50 tutorials helping people achieve a variety of different tasks in GameMaker.

About the Reviewers

Mark Alexander is a self-taught programmer and writer. He started using BASIC on an old ZX81 and progressed through the years using other languages and learning the tools of the programming trade until he discovered GameMaker in 2006. At that point, he fell in love with the software and now dedicates his time to making games and writing articles on using the program and on game design in general.

Mark currently documents produ...