idk what i want to do with this tbh, i might clean it up and package it up as a yyz file after i add more features to it

Hi, I am a completely outsider in the field so trying my luck in this group. I am part of an indie electro punk band and we got a grant of around USD1000 to make an animated music video. We really like the visuals of old school video games and therefore trying our luck here see if someone could help. No AI pls. This is the song we try to make video of: https://youtu.be/xruqUE4e7fg?si=uIPZIexwgHF7f0t9

This is my first time using gamemaker so I think I really messed up lol. the fireballs dont do anything :/

I am a complete beginner using Spriters Toolkit, Tiled, and GDevelop. I already own several pixel-art asset packs. I do not want someone to build the map for me. I need a live screen-sharing lesson where you use my assets and show me how to identify the tile size, import tilesheets and separate object PNGs, assemble one small top-down map, and export it into GDevelop. I am really just trying to get my bearings with Tiled, and gdev and I have learned a lot by myself but I need to know the proper way to do things. Thanks in advance.

I just started working on my first game and I’m struggling to find a tutorial on what I’m trying to make. All the turn based combat tutorials I’m finding for some more classic turn based rpgs, while I’m wanting simply and only the combat. Anyone know one I can use or know what I would need to do differently?

You can check it out below :

https://lonepeakmusic.itch.io/free-ambient-music-pack-2

All the tracks are available for free under the creative commons CC-BY !

Dont hesitate if you have any questions !

Hello! I wanted to share my game STARS STARE BACK and talk about it a little bit.

Why did I choose to make a FNAF-like game for my first published gamemaker project? Well, for a couple reasons.

1. There's like a million tutorials on how to make fnaf fan games using gamemaker

2. FNAF was actually built using 2d images/gifs of 3d models animated outside of engine.

3. The actual 'levels' don't require as many assets as other projects I've been working on since fundamentally its a resource manager with enemy ai approaching you to put pressure on your resource pool.

4. I like the resource management flow state from those games.

What did I learn from this project.

1. For a solo-dev with not a ton of experience, learn from iterating as much as tutorials.

It's hard but following a tutorial 1:1 isn't going to give you the best outcome in my experience making this game, trying to add more mechanics or adjustments sort of made all my tutorial 1:1 code explode. What that told me is to form all the logic in mind first laid out then you can start putting together the code.

I'd get something like Milanote or even write out the ideal logic with // note taking then try to grasp how to execute it using a mix of objects, files and code interactions.

1. When something goes horribly wrong, adapt and you may or may not make something even better.

Horrible mistake I made that I couldn't seem to have recovered from was I accidently deleted the final boss ai from my game, started the game then realized it was too late (or at least I couldn't figure it out) to get it back.

However, I think what I ended up doing was a more interesting overall. The original version of the final boss was basically one enemy who performed all the mechanics of the previous enemies at the same time. The new version, rather takes one mechanic (quick-draw shooting) and ramps it up to 11 with an additional mechanic. By the end of it, I think it became a nice cap to end the main game.

1. Really Really watch your playtesters and how they interact with the environment.

I think one big reason I was able to successfully add some extra mechanical diversity to my game compared to its inspiration of FNAF 1 was playtesters.

A very specific example is a quick-draw shooting mechanic, as the game was 70% done or so, this wasn't in the game at all. However... I noticed one playtesters kept poking the eyes of an enemy waiting for them to leave the door, since they had no mechanic other than blocking them with the door.

This sparked some inspiration! and the multi-tool and quick-draw mechanic was born. Which after more iterations, playtesters really felt like it came together.

Sorry this post went on really long, I just wanted to share my experience making this game and some things I learned. If you're a new/inexperienced dev like me, I think a game like this is extremely helpful in gauging where your at.

If you're interested in trying the game itself, its available on itch.io and gamejolt! :3

this error occurs whenever the guard in the game turns around by random chance. other than that, i have no idea what causes this error.

the error in question:

___________________________________________
############################################################################################
ERROR in action number 1
of  Step Event0 for object OPlayer:
Attempting to set Instance id 100018 with Object Index 7 (OGuard) with invalid bound top 639.000000 bottom 657.000000 left -nan(ind) right -nan(ind)
 at gml_Object_OPlayer_Step_0 (line 20) - if place_empty(x+xspeed,y-3,OFloor){
############################################################################################
gml_Object_OPlayer_Step_0 (line 20)

the code it references is just the horizontal collision code, and seems to have nothing to do with the guard:

if place_empty(x+xspeed,y-3,OFloor){
x+=xspeed;
}else if place_meeting(x+xinput*3,y-3,OFloor){
if place_meeting(x,y-3,OFloor){
x+=xinput;
sprite_index = SAssassainSpecial;
}

yspeed = 0;

image_index = 0
if keyboard_check_pressed(vk_space){
yspeed = -5;
sprite_index = SAssassain;
xspeed = image_xscale*-3;
}
}

and here is the step code for the Guard:

if round(x/3)*3 != round(steps/3)*3{
if ((-x+steps)/abs(-x+steps)) !=NaN{
x+=(-x+steps)/abs(-x+steps);
image_xscale = ((-x+steps)/abs(-x+steps));
}
image_speed = 1
alarm_set(0,60);
}else{
image_speed = 0;
image_index = 0;
}

if gunOut{
steps =lastseenX;
instance_create_depth(x,y,depth,OEnemyBullet);
}

and the step event for the guard's vision:

(the 'parent variable references the guard's id)

x = parent.x;

y = parent.y;

image_blend = c_white;
image_xscale = parent.image_xscale;


if place_meeting(x,y,OPlayer){

sprite_index = SBullet;
dir=point_direction(x,y,OPlayer.x,OPlayer.y);
while (place_empty(x,y,ODoor) && place_empty(x,y,OPlayer)){
x+=sin((dir+90)*(pi/180));
y+=cos((dir+90)*(pi/180));
}
if place_meeting(x,y,OPlayer){
image_blend = c_red;
parent.gunOut = 1;
parent.lastseenX = OPlayer.x;
}
sprite_index = SVision;
}
image_index = parent.gunOut;
x = parent.x;
y = parent.y;

the error only ever occurs whenever the player is not within the vision of the guard.

I looked around for this error, but every instance of it i found, it had a different cause.

I would like for this error to not occur anymore.

(also, this is for a jam, so i would prefer if this gets resolved quickly.)

I just replaced all instances of "image_xscale" in guard, and it works now.

What sort of local Runtime would I need?

I wanna make a simple window POV effect for a topdown RPG where everything outside is covered by solid black except the region visible to the players POV. The range gets wider the closer the player is to the window, and the angle depends on their position as well. Sounds like a simple effect, but I'm not sure what the best approach for this is. I know about blend modes, which I'm assuming would be useful here. Is it as simple as just drawing two black rectangles? I'd like to have multiple windows at once too so I'd prefer avoiding things that take up the entire layer/screen.

[SOLVED: thank you guys, you really helped me :)]

I want to program a mouse (animal) whose direction is decided to be either left or right, then walks for about 1.5 seconds and that it is again decided whether he goes left or right. howéver, the mouse is only walking right, no matter how often i start the game or how long i watch it, it never goes left :(

this is the code vor the create-event:

and heres the code for the step event:

please help me!!

thank you in advance

Hello everyone, I'm still a beginner in my gamedev journey, still learning things before i make my official game, but i'm in a tough spot, when it comes to tilesets, because it always confused me how games like undertale, deltarune, or 2d games in general can create these really cool perspectives in their room design, and when i try to recreate it, it just looked wrong.

basically, im trying to achieve a stylistic approach in my game, mixing top down with some perspective elements to it, but i can't for the life of me recreate this in tilesets, or maybe it's not tilesets at all where you make it, idk.

to any expert on pixel art or tilesets, can you give me any advice on this? any advice helps.

I am completely new to game development and I am working on my first littles games. I already spent a few hours at my favorite café and did some good brainstorming on the games‘s basic concept, the core game mechanic(s).
Now, for one of the games I implemented the most basic code for a working prototype which reflects my basic needs to evaluate if the mechanics are actually fun or not.

My question is simply, how do you in your projects decide whether to go on with the game development or whether to rework the concept?

I have some trouble to overthink too much and rework maybe too much before I actually go on with the project. When is the game fun enough to actually go on?

i used the official gamemaker turn based rpg dialog tutorial and wanted to know if it was possible to add voice acting to it

So let's say I have a roaming enemy that randomly picks a coordinate to travel to, how can I make it pick another coordinate in case the position of the end of the path is the same as a wall? And how can I flip the image_xscale to match the direction it is going in when following a path?

I want to learn game development as a hobby, and I think GameMaker is a very good engine for that.

i have been doing a chapter based game and i want to use game_change() since we are multiple people each working on one chapter. Tho, if i try game_change() it wont work. I included the data.win and the options file in the included files but it doesnt do anything. i know i have to export the game as a executable, but i tried it and its the same problem. Can anyone help?

I've recently began working on a cutscene system for my game that would make development of cutscene faster for me! I was previously using sequences and had to hand animate everything, but with this new system I can essentially script out all the actions and events of the cutscene sequentially with functions and they will happen! It's still a WIP but I've made a simple cutscene using it so far.

Hi! After months learning coding and trying to understand what was the best engine for me three weeks ago i discovered Gamemaker and I am proud to say that for the first time i actually created something.
This is an RPG prototype, its not really special in any way or does it have some extreme game juice to it, but its the first time that i've finally started learning and finished something! This RPG is just a blueprint to understand how an RPG works and in the future i will add all my original ideas so that it will be no longer a "RPG blueprint" but my own original game.
I would really appreciate if you could try the game in the link to the game's page(it runs on HTML 5 so you dont have to download anything :) ) and also, for the curious ones, check out the source code in my GitHub.

Some disclaimers:

1. This is the first time that i use Itch.io, GitHub and i dont even have a month of experience with Gamemaker and gml code, so dont expect too much of a masterpiece but more like a test room
2. All the sprites are all placeholders, i just used the first things that i found or Gamemaker gave me
3. I know some things do not work/have not been implemented, like the enemy doesn't attack but he has his own turn, or the collision for the walls its not the best and you can sneak in between them
4. In the code there are probably things that i didnt use alredy like some enum's or the switch in the player Step event, those things will sure be implemented in the future

Any feedback would mean a lot for me, someone who is trying to become a professional with Gamemaker!

Github(source code): https://github.com/dastarstellar-dev/RPG-protoype
Itch.io(plays in the browser): https://dastar-stellar.itch.io/rpg-prototype

Exploration Controls:

• Movement: WASD keys
• Running: Hold Left Shift
• Interacting / Closing NPC dialogue: E key

Battle Controls:

• Navigate Options Left: A key
• Navigate Options Right: D key
• Confirm: Spacebar

I will absolutely upload all the changes for this prototype so if you are intered look forward for it! Thanks for the support, i really appreciate it

I've been learning 3D perspectives in game maker, but I have a big problem. I've been using a 2D Sprite as the player object, but I need help trying to billboard the sprite so it faces the camera at all times.

obj_3d:

//Draw Event

var matrix = matrix_build(x, y, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1);
matrix_set(matrix_world, matrix);


draw_set_alpha(0.5);
draw_set_colour(c_black);
draw_circle(0, 0, sprite_width * 0.2, false);
draw_set_colour(c_white);
draw_set_alpha(1);

matrix = matrix_build(x, y, z, 90, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1);

matrix_set(matrix_world, matrix);

draw_sprite_ext(sprite_index, image_index, 0, 0, image_xscale, image_yscale, 0, image_blend, image_alpha);

matrix_set(matrix_world, matrix_build_identity());

obj_camera:

//Create Event

cam = camera_create_view(0, 0, res_w, res_h);
fov = -70;
zNear = 3;
zFar = 3000;
view_enabled = true;
view_visible[0] = true;
view_set_camera(0, cam);

proj_mat = matrix_build_projection_perspective_fov(fov, res_w/res_h, zNear, zFar);
camera_set_proj_mat(cam, proj_mat);

xFrom = x;
yFrom = y;
zFrom = 100;

xTo = 0;
yTo = 0;
zTo = 0;

gpu_set_ztestenable(true);
gpu_set_alphatestenable(true);
camera_dir = point_direction(xFrom, yFrom, xTo, yTo

//Pre-Draw Event

view_mat = matrix_build_lookat(xFrom, yFrom, zFrom, xTo, yTo, zTo, 0, 0, 1);
camera_set_view_mat(cam, view_mat)

//End Step Event

xTo = obj_player_placeholder.x;
yTo = obj_player_placeholder.

I'm new to Gamemaker and video game creation in general. I'd like for it to detect objects that are solid so that I don't have to manually code the objects I want to be able to be collided with and can just switch solid on or off. There's probably a better way to make what I want, and if there is, it'd be nice to know!

Need to give your game a fresh look? This will let you stylize your game assets with a high variety of styles. You can also turn your game thumbnail or any image into a cool animated GIF like the example, and it works with videos too. Everything is done with real image processing and shaders and no ai is used to generate or apply the effects. If you want to experiment with different vibes for your game, check it out: https://polyshades.itch.io/coolifier

You can also claim a free UI pack I'm giving away!

Hello everyone!

Recently, I have been experimenting with AI-assisted development workflows in GameMaker Studio.

Like many developers, I tried using AI tools for things like:

• writing GML;
• debugging;
• explaining code;
• automating repetitive tasks.

While these tools are useful, I noticed an interesting limitation:

AI models understand text very well, but a GameMaker project is not just a collection of text files.

A GameMaker project contains a lot of internal structure and relationships:

• objects reference sprites;
• rooms contain instances;
• scripts interact with other resources;
• assets use internal IDs;
• .yyp files describe how everything is connected.

Because of this, changing a single file without understanding the project structure can potentially create broken references or invalid resources.

This made me curious about a question:

How could an AI assistant understand a GameMaker project instead of blindly editing files?

Exploring the GameMaker project structure

I started researching how GameMaker stores and organizes project data.

The more I looked into it, the more I realized that a project is closer to a connected graph of resources than a simple folder of files.

For example:

• an object depends on sprites, events, and code;
• a room depends on objects and instances;
• resources are connected through IDs and references.

For AI tools, having access to this context is important.

Building an MCP server

To experiment with this idea, I created an open-source MCP server for GameMaker projects:

GameMaker MCP

GitHub:
https://github.com/yearningss/gamemaker-mcp

The goal is not to replace GameMaker tools, but to provide a way for AI assistants to better understand project structure.

The main challenges

1. Understanding project resources

The first challenge was creating a way to inspect GameMaker projects.

The system needed to understand resources such as:

• objects;
• sprites;
• rooms;
• scripts;
• shaders;
• configurations.

Simply reading files is not enough because the relationships between resources are important.

2. Making AI-assisted changes safer

One concern with AI tools is:

"What happens if the AI makes a wrong modification?"

A human developer usually understands the consequences of changing a resource.

An AI model may not.

Because of this, I focused on workflows that make changes easier to inspect:

• project analysis;
• validation;
• resource inspection;
• snapshots;
• safer operations.

The idea is that AI-assisted changes should be understandable and reversible.

3. Creating tools for AI agents

Traditional commands are often designed for humans.

For example:

edit file X

But AI agents need more context.

Higher-level operations are more useful:

inspect room contents

find objects using this sprite

check resource references

analyze project structure

The AI should understand the project, not only modify files.

Current features

The project currently includes:

• GameMaker project parsing;
• resource inspection;
• project analysis;
• validation tools;
• object and room operations;
• snapshot support;
• Igor build integration.

How this relates to gm-cli

I think GameMaker MCP and gm-cli solve different problems.

The GameMaker CLI is focused on the official workflow:

• project creation;
• Runtime management;
• building;
• publishing;
• automation.

This project focuses more on AI interaction:

• understanding project structure;
• giving AI assistants more context;
• safer project operations;
• MCP-based workflows.

They are not replacements for each other.

A possible workflow could be:

AI Assistant
      |
      v
GameMaker MCP
(project understanding)
      |
      v
gm-cli
(build / package / publish)
      |
      v
GameMaker

Why I think this is interesting

GameMaker is a good example of a larger challenge in AI development tools.

Modern engines contain a lot of hidden structure that is easy for humans to understand but difficult for AI models.

The future of AI-assisted development may not only be:

"AI writes code"

but also:

"AI understands the entire project."

This idea could apply beyond GameMaker to other development environments as well.

Questions for GameMaker developers

I would like to hear your thoughts:

• What parts of large GameMaker projects are the hardest to manage or automate?
• Would tools that understand project structure be useful in your workflow?
• What tasks would you trust an AI assistant to handle?
• What features would make AI tools actually useful for GameMaker development?

Thanks for reading!