GameMaker

 A lot of Different Definitions  Easier to Say What is NOT a Game  Movie is Not a Game  No Active Participation  Final Outcome is Fixed  A Toy is Not a Game  You play WITH a toy, You Play a Game  No Predefined Goals  A Drawing Program is Not a Game  No Predefined Goals  A Puzzle is Not a Game  Many Games contain Puzzle elements  Puzzles are Static, Games are Dynamic – change as you play

 A computer game is a software program in which one or more players make decisions through the control of game objects and resources, in the pursuit of a goal.  Does not include graphics, sounds, or movies  These items make the game look nice but are not essential to be a game

 A software program  Different from a board game or sports game  Involved Players  Not something to watch  Players are VERY Important – Must think about the players when designing a game  Kids games are different than Adult Games  Create for your Audience  Is About Making Decisions  Players Decisions can influence the rest of the game  Strategy is Important

 Playing a Game is About Control  Players should feel in control of the game  Includes Game Objects and Resources  Objects - Main Characters, Cars, Planes, etc.  Players control some Game Objects  Computer controls other Game Objects  Resources – Amount of food, Weapons, Gold Coins, etc.  Resources can add interest to the game  Must have a Goal  People want to WIN (Reach the Goal)  Long Games should have Sub-Goals / Levels

 Arcade Games  Reaction speed is very important  Puzzle Games  Cleaver Thinking is Needed  Role Playing Games (RPG)  Steer a Character through the Game / Worlds  Strategy Games  Real Time or Turn-Based  Player determines Character Strategy  Management Games  Building Games  Managing Resources

 Adventure Games  Storyline is Critical  Shooter Games  1 st Person Shooter  3 rd Person Shooter  Fast Paced Action and Reaction Speed  Sports Games  Racing Games  Simulator Games

 Develop / Create the Idea for your Game  Write a short description  1 st Game – Simple Design  Catch the Clown – An action game where a clown moves around a playing field for a period of time. The goal of the player is to catch the clown by clicking with the mouse on him. The clown will move faster throughout the game making it harder to catch the clown. Points are awarded each time the user catches the clown.  Goal- High Score

 Design Document  Create a more specific design of the game  Identify the Needed Objects and Resources  Sounds  Control  Game Flow  Levels

 Game Objects  Clown (moves around the game)  Bounces off the wall  Player earns 10 points for clicking on the clown  Clown moves somewhere else and speeds up  Wall (controls the area of the game)  Sounds  Bounce – used when clown hits a wall  Click – when the player clicks on the clown

 Controls  Player controls game with Mouse (left mouse click)  Game Flow  When game starts  Score is set to 0  Room with moving clown is shown  Game ends when player closes window  Levels  This game has just one level  Game gets harder as clown moves faster each time he is “caught”

 Open “Game Maker”  Click on the Game Maker Icon  Click on the “New” Tab New

 Save Game  1) Directory - Student’s Jump Drive  2) Name: Catch The Clown 1) Drive Location 2) File Name

 Copy the necessary Resources to the Same Location on the Student’s Jump Drive  Desktop Folder: “GameMaker Files”  Copy to Jump Drive  Sound Files  Image Files

 Add Game Objects  Sprites  Clown  Wall  Resources Menu  Create Sprites Resources

 Name: sprClown  Load Sprite Button  Find Clown.png in Resources Folder  Click “Open” Name Load Sprite Drive Open

OK

 Follow the Same Steps to Add the Wall  Name: sprWall  Picture File: wall.png

 Left Column shows Resources of Game  sprClown  sprWall  Can click on Resources to Edit, Copy or Delete

 Resources Menu  Create Sound  Name: sndBounce  Click “Load Sound” button Resources Load Sound

 Locate bounce.wav file on Student Jump Drive  Click OK to Select File  Click OK again to Add Sound Effect Bounce.wav Add Sound

 Follow the same steps to add the sndClick sound effect  Name: sndClick  Sound File: click.wav  Green “PLAY”Arrow  Test Sound Play

 We need to create game objects to play the game  One (or more) instances of the game object will be on the screen during the game  Can have multiple instances of the object  Many wall instances to surround the game field  Only one Clown  You have to tell game objects what to do / how to act  React to “Event” – things that happen

 Things that can happen during the Game  Create Event – Start of the Game  Collision Event – When 2 instances collide  Clown collides with wall)  Mouse Event – When user clicks the Mouse  Actions  Responses to these Events

 Resources Menu  Create Object  May need to set window to Full Screen  Name: objWall  Sprite: sprWall Resources Name Sprite

 Make Wall solid  Don’t allow other objects to go through it  OK SOLID OK

 Use the same steps to create the Clown Object  Resources  Create Object  Name: objClown  Sprite: sprClown  Does Not need to be set to SOLID

 Specify Behavior of Clown  Events Window  Add Events for Clown to Respond To  Buttons indicate available actions / movements Add Events Actions

 What to do when the clown is created  Start moving in an random direction 1) Add Event 2) Create Event

 Move Fixed – Drag to “Actions” Window Moved Fixed

 Applies to Self  Random Direction  Select ALL 8 Directions  Do Not Include Middle button  Set Speed to 4  Click OK  Clown will start moving in a random direction when created

 Add Event Button  Collision Event  objWall Create event for Colliding with the Wall Add Collision Event

 Drag “Bounce” button to “Action” window Bounce

 Settings are Fine  Click OK  Add Sound  Click “Main 1” tab Main 1

 Select “Play Sound” Button  Drag it below the “Bounce” Action in Action Window Play Sound

 Play Sound  Sound – select sndBounce object  Leave Loop Set to False (play only once)  Click OK sndBounce OK

 Clown Object now has 2 Events  Create  Collision

 Add Event  Mouse Button  Left Pressed (when user clicks left mouse button) Add Mouse

 Select “Score” tab  “Set Score” Action 1) Score 2) Set Score

 Set Score  New Score: 10  Click “Relative”  Adds new score to existing score  OK New Score Relative

 Add Click Sound  Follow Steps Add Before to Add sndClick Sound  Main1 Tab  Play Sound  sndClick  Loop - false Play Sound Main 1

 Move Clown to a New Location  Select “Move” Tab  “Jump to Random”  Default settings are Good – Click OK Move Jump to Random

 Clown Needs to Start Moving Again  Move Fixed – Drag to “Actions” Window Moved Fixed

 Applies to Self  Random Direction  Select ALL 8 Directions  Do Not Include Middle button  Set Speed to.05  Click “Relative” to increase Speed  Click OK  Clown will start moving faster in a new direction

 Clown object is now Ready  Create Event  Collision Event (with Wall)  Left Mouse Click Event  Click OK OK

 Rooms (also called Levels)  Resources  Create Room Resources

 Settings Tab  Name: rmMain Settings

 Objects Tab  Check  SnapX = 32  SnapY = 32  Our sprites are size 32 so this makes it easier to set them at specific locations Snap

 Add One Instance of Clown to Room  Clown is the Selected Object  Click any Gray Square to add Clown

 Add the Walls  Click on Clown Object  Select objWall  Click all outside Gray Boxes to Add the Walls around the room Click to Change

 Room is Created  Click Green Check to Close Room Close

 Game is Ready  Sprites have been Added  Sound Effects in Place  Game Objects Designed  Rooms (levels) Created  2 More Things to Do  SAVE  TEST

 File Menu  Save  Will Save Changes to Jump Drive  Creates a GameMaker file  Not a stand alone game file (yet) File

 Test it yourself  Allow others to test your games  Run Menu  Run Normally  Catch the Clown  Does it Work Correctly  Speed Up  Close Window to Quit Run

 Background Music  Resources  Create Sound  Name: sndMusic  File Name: music.wav  OK

 Background Music  Create a PlaySound Event  Reopen Clown Object (double click clown object)  Edit the “Create” Event (click on it)  Main1 Page  Play Sound – sndMusic (Loop set to True) Clown Create Event Main1

 Background Image  Resources  Create Background  Name: backMain  Load Background  Select file: background.png  Open  OK Load Background

 Background Image  Add to Room  Open Room Object – rmMain (double click on it)  Click “Backgrounds” tab Room Backgrounds

 Background Image  Click “off” Draw Background Color  Select File for Background Image  backMain  Make sure “Tile Hor” and “Tile Vert” are checked to repeat for the entire room Background Color Background Image

 Save Game again to Save Changes  Create an Independent Game Program  File Menu  “Create Application”  Create on Jump Drive  This allows the game to be installed and played without the GameMaker software.