Overview of Game Maker

Game Maker

Version 7.0 Lite (free version)

For MS-Windows platforms

www.yoyogames.com/make

Key Parts of the Game

Rooms

Objects

Sprites

Events & Actions

Sounds

Scripts, Paths, etc.

Rooms

Scenes (or levels) where objects “live”

Flat

Can be used for game levels

Has background (a color or image)

Can change rooms during game

Objects

Things in the game that you create, control, and interact with

Examples– Walls– Moving objects like balls

Can have many instances of an object

Made visible by sprites

Sprites

Images used to show objects

Makes objects visible

Not objects themselves!

Events & Actions

Events: things that happen during game– Keystroke– Mouse Click– Collision

Actions: what objects do in response– Change direction of movement– Play a sound– Increase the score

Sounds

Background music

Sound effects

Not required

Scripts, Paths, etc.

Scripts: small pieces of code used to extend the game

More advanced topics

Distributing Games

You can give games to your friends!

No charge ( unless you want to :-) )

Names in Game Maker

Only use letters, numbers and the underscore (_) character

Moving Objects

Where is it?

What direction is it heading?

Where is it?

Game area (room property)X

Y

What is Speed in Game Maker?

Speed is measured in pixels per step X

Heading direction

Measured in degrees: 0 - 3600: heading “East”

90: heading “North”

180: heading “West”

270: heading “South”

Your First “Game”

Create a room (and background)

Create an object (and sprite)

Action: When an arrow key is pressed

Event: Move object in the appropriate directionUp, down, right, or left