Game Maker's Garage Forum

Game Maker's Garage => Trash Talk => Topic started by: Gnome on March 11, 2008, 07:29:01 PM

Title: How did you find GM or silver creator?
Post by: Gnome on March 11, 2008, 07:29:01 PM
I found mine like this.

After getting fed up with my friend constantly bragging about how he makes games I decided to try to make some on my own. So I went on the site
http://www.yoyogames.com and found that it was not mac compatible. so I googled "mac gamemaker" and found Al's site. I liked the demo and learned the language fast. my parents were so impressed they let me get the full version. Now I  impress my friend with my awesome games. ( well maybe not so awesome, but still)
Title: Re: How did you find GM or silver creator?
Post by: Silverwind on March 12, 2008, 03:34:17 AM
That's excellent Gnome. :) What I really like about the story is how you thought yourself the language, and didn't need someone else to teach you. And more importantly that you decided to put in the hard work of learning the language out of your own free will. The story shows the positive side to education, where people want to learn. It also shows that you don't need to sit in school 7 hours a day in order to learn. ;)

I found GM after months of MMORPG engine searching. It's funny, because back then I was looking for an engine that would allow me to make a game without any knowledge of programming, but now nearly a year later I find programming the most enjoyable part of game making.
Title: Re: How did you find GM or silver creator?
Post by: jeremymaharg on March 12, 2008, 02:31:35 PM
I was interested in making some games of my own, so over time I downloaded and experimented with a large number of game creator apps, and even repeatedly rented and eventually bought a PlayStation "game" called RPG Maker. I eventually found GameMaker, and decided it was the easiest to use out of all of the things I tried out (plus it was able to make standalone game apps, which was a particularly nice feature that few of the other apps could do).
Title: Re: How did you find GM or silver creator?
Post by: Silverwind on March 12, 2008, 03:35:33 PM
Quote
I was interested in making some games of my own, so over time I downloaded and experimented with a large number of game creator apps, and even repeatedly rented and eventually bought a PlayStation "game" called RPG Maker.
Wow! I've heard of RPG Maker but never seen it running. Was it the PS2 version?
Title: Re: How did you find GM or silver creator?
Post by: jeremymaharg on March 12, 2008, 04:34:49 PM
Quote
Wow! I've heard of RPG Maker but never seen it running. Was it the PS2 version?
It's the PSone version. Its graphics look like a 2D RPG made for an NES console. It's a decent game creator, but it has many limitations. It (sort of) has a limited "scripting" capability, but it is very tedious to use, since it all has to be done with a PlayStation controller. I still have it and I could post some screenshots if you like...
Title: Re: How did you find GM or silver creator?
Post by: Silverwind on March 12, 2008, 05:52:24 PM
That'd be cool if you were able to. :) Yeah, I'd imagine a PS controller to be a difficult workspace for game design. :P I still find it time consuming typing with them. ::)
Title: Re: How did you find GM or silver creator?
Post by: jeremymaharg on March 12, 2008, 06:58:00 PM
Quote
That'd be cool if you were able to. :) Yeah, I'd imagine a PS controller to be a difficult workspace for game design. :P I still find it time consuming typing with them. ::)
Here are a few of the screenshots i did. This isn't all of them, but these are a few of the better ones (I don't want to flood this post with pics). The game content featured in these screenshots are from the included sample game, Gobli.
Events (scripting):
(http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/9081/eventscriptingcj4.th.jpg) (http://img217.imageshack.us/my.php?image=eventscriptingcj4.jpg) (http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/7681/eventplacementml5.th.jpg) (http://img228.imageshack.us/my.php?image=eventplacementml5.jpg)
Items:
(http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/451/itemeditingix6.th.jpg) (http://img85.imageshack.us/my.php?image=itemeditingix6.jpg)(http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/1318/itemtypesdf8.th.jpg) (http://img215.imageshack.us/my.php?image=itemtypesdf8.jpg)

The remainder of the screenshots I captured will temporarily be available here (http://jeremymaharg.macintoshdevelopers.net/TEMP/rpgmscreenshots.html) as a .sit archive.
Title: Re: How did you find GM or silver creator?
Post by: Gnome on March 12, 2008, 09:51:08 PM
Typing on a Playstation controller :o that's hard!

The way I learned the code was by looking at the example and adding it to a game and such. I would then see how I could modify it as you can see in my battle engine, it's a hybrid between Al's example and some of my own, most these experiments are on Gnome quest.

Then I downloaded Epicus. I loved so much the leveling up system worked to perfection as well as everything else, so I tried to make an engine like that. It blew up in my face. I still working on a leveling up system and a weapon system, but it still needs work, and I won't be worked on until Trench warfare is done.
Title: Re: How did you find GM or silver creator?
Post by: Silverwind on March 13, 2008, 04:04:01 AM
I can make you a really easy to understand weapon and armor system. :) And an exp system too. I'll post on the MGM forums when I finish the engine.

Also, thanks for the pics Jeremy. :)
Title: Re: How did you find GM or silver creator?
Post by: Gnome on March 13, 2008, 03:01:20 PM
thx Silverwind!
Title: Re: How did you find GM or silver creator?
Post by: Silverwind on March 13, 2008, 03:56:34 PM
Ok, It's finished and downloadable from www.roguesoft.co.uk
Title: Re: How did you find GM or silver creator?
Post by: Silverwind on April 07, 2008, 04:54:11 PM
Wow, it's nearly exactly a whole year since I discovered GM and started programming. I'm amazed with what I've learned in such a short space of time, but I can only wonder what more I'll know another year down the line...
Title: Re: How did you find GM or silver creator?
Post by: GMG Tim on April 07, 2008, 05:43:45 PM
I discovered GameMaker when I was 11 or 12, learned the language, and made a few games. Since then I've learned Python, C, BlitzMax, REALbasic, TNT Basic, C++, Ruby, Cocoa, Lua, and Java. Now I'm a computer science major, and I enjoy all the stuff I do, thanks in part due to GameMaker!

Ghost
Title: Re: How did you find GM or silver creator?
Post by: Mystor on April 07, 2008, 07:14:57 PM
Quote
I discovered GameMaker when I was 11 or 12, learned the language, and made a few games. Since then I've learned Python, C, BlitzMax, REALbasic, TNT Basic, C++, Ruby, Cocoa, Lua, and Java. Now I'm a computer science major, and I enjoy all the stuff I do, thanks in part due to GameMaker!

Ghost
You make me look pathetic...

I found it when I was 8ish... and since then I have learned: AS2, AS3, PHP, HTML and... that... is... about... it...

OUCH :P

Mist
Title: Re: How did you find GM or silver creator?
Post by: Swamp7hing on April 07, 2008, 07:33:19 PM
Well....

One day I was strolling down the street after just having completed an epic mac game (forget the name). I wanted to try and express my creativity in this medium, so I started looking for mac game creation programs. After a week of toiling, I found and purchased GM. The more I used it, the more I learned, and the more I liked it in turn. From that moment on, GM was my favourite game creation program. (That is, until I buy Torque 3d :P)

Nah, GM will still be up there for its simplicity in code and flexible engine. Great stuff Al, great stuff.

P.S I know some actionscript, and also some html. Not massive compared to you both. :D
Title: Re: How did you find GM or silver creator?
Post by: GMG Tim on April 07, 2008, 08:24:59 PM
Quote
You make me look pathetic...

I found it when I was 8ish... and since then I have learned: AS2, AS3, PHP, HTML and... that... is... about... it...

OUCH :P

Mist

Keep in mind I'm a junior in college, so I've got some age advantage. =P I omitted web languages because I was trying to focus on compilable languages you can use to make standalone apps.

Web-wise, I know PHP, AJAX/Javascript, CSS, HTML/XHTML, SSI, Adobe Flex/Flash, XML, and Perl.

- Ghost
Title: Re: How did you find GM or silver creator?
Post by: Mystor on April 08, 2008, 05:19:13 AM
Yah...

I only know web technologies :P

one second...
I forgot about applescript ::)

Mist
Title: Re: How did you find GM or silver creator?
Post by: EqwanoX on April 08, 2008, 07:50:35 AM
i never wanted to learn programming cause im more of an artist, i just wanted to make the graphics, and someone contacted me about remaking rpg neo and we started working on it, i eventually made all the graphics for it but the kid never really produced much. i thought al could do it sinse he made GM so i sent him the stuff but nothing happened, after months of sitting on the graphics i actually started makeing character animations that i would eventually use in mystic legend. but i couldnt just leave neo unfinished so at some point i decided to give sc a chance, it took me months to make neo, i practically reprogrammed it 3 times over before releaseing the final version and later i rereleased it two more times with better features. i also made gandel at the same time but i spaced out their release dates
Title: Re: How did you find GM or silver creator?
Post by: Silverwind on April 08, 2008, 12:53:10 PM
Wow, and you know more about SC than anyone. Shows you how you can learn what you need when you need to.
Title: Re: How did you find GM or silver creator?
Post by: GMG Tim on April 08, 2008, 02:21:58 PM
Quote
i never wanted to learn programming cause im more of an artist, i just wanted to make the graphics, and someone contacted me about remaking rpg neo and we started working on it, i eventually made all the graphics for it but the kid never really produced much. i thought al could do it sinse he made GM so i sent him the stuff but nothing happened, after months of sitting on the graphics i actually started makeing character animations that i would eventually use in mystic legend. but i couldnt just leave neo unfinished so at some point i decided to give sc a chance, it took me months to make neo, i practically reprogrammed it 3 times over before releaseing the final version and later i rereleased it two more times with better features. i also made gandel at the same time but i spaced out their release dates

How good are you with tiled graphics and animations? I'm working on a MMPORPG right now, and although I've only got the base engine down, I'll eventually need a graphics artist.

Ghost
Title: Re: How did you find GM or silver creator?
Post by: WarHampster on April 08, 2008, 03:25:17 PM
I've been obsessed with video games as long as I can remember... I always made up ideas and stories for games that I would make in the future. So one day I come home and decide that I am going to make a a game, and start searching for a free gamemaker. I found TNT Basic, and it was then that I realized that making a game actually involves effort and skill :P . So then I looked around for a easier tool and found gamemaker, but I read some review of gamemaker on a download site that said that there was a program that was basically the same as GM, but free. So now I use silver creator :D
Title: Re: How did you find GM or silver creator?
Post by: Silverwind on April 08, 2008, 04:50:08 PM
Quote

I'm working on a MMPORPG right now, and although I've only got the base engine down, I'll eventually need a graphics artist.

Ghost
Have you given any thought to stat balancing? I'd love to hear any formulas you're brewing, as I still find it immensely difficult.
Title: Re: How did you find GM or silver creator?
Post by: GMG Tim on April 08, 2008, 06:14:00 PM
Quote
Have you given any thought to stat balancing? I'd love to hear any formulas you're brewing, as I still find it immensely difficult.

I'm not familiar with what stat balancing is-- perhaps you could just explain it, because I don't know the term.

I'm not working on the MMPORPG in GameMaker, which means the system is completely different. It uses a Python server and a BlitzMax client, and creates a TCP socket connection to transfer data between the two. I can tell you how the game is structured, however.

There are 3 main arrays: one keeps track of what to draw on the screen (a text map), one keeps track of where the boundaries are, and one keeps track of where the other players are on the map.

There is a TCP server and a file server (just a basic web server). The TCP server sends/receives messages and player coordinates. The client downloads anything it needs (sprite sheets, map tiles, even maps), so that modifying maps is very easy, without downloading a whole new client.

Any other questions, just ask.

- Ghost
Title: Re: How did you find GM or silver creator?
Post by: jeremymaharg on April 08, 2008, 06:28:39 PM
Quote

I'm not familiar with what stat balancing is-- perhaps you could just explain it, because I don't know the term.
I think he means balancing of status points (like max. HP, MP, etc.) for RPG playable characters and monsters to make sure the monsters aren't easily beaten or unbeatable.
Title: Re: How did you find GM or silver creator?
Post by: Silverwind on April 09, 2008, 03:25:37 AM
Indeed. Balancing (or "stat balancing") is the real work behind games. From the simplest Flash RPGs to WoW, balance is the key to everything. Ensuring items are priced right, making monsters the correct strength, having the amount of treasure found in each area suit the players current level. It's all tedious work.