GameMaker

Language


Note:
Remembertheseareexcerptsfromtheroughdraft
editionofthebook.TherewillbemistakesandIwillvery
likelychangetheorderof,andrewrite,entiresectionsof
thebook.Ivelookedthroughthestructure,grammar,and
codebutImnotaneditorsoImsureIvemissedthings.If
youseeanymistakesorhaveideasonsomethingyou
wouldliketoseedonedifferentlyshootmeanemailat
heartbeast.studios@gmail.com .Ireallyappreciatethe
feedbackyouguysprovide.Forthefinaleditionofthe
book,Iwillpayafeweditorstogothroughthebookand
fixanymistakesthatImighthavemissed.

Thanksagainforyoursupport!EnjoythesamplePDF!



SettingupInheritance
YoucanmakeoneobjectinheritfromanotherwithGameMakersparentsystem.
GameMakerusesthetermsparentandchildtodescribetheinheritancerelationship
betweenobjects.Thechildobjectwillinheriteventsfromitsparentobject.Illdescribe
thespecificsofhowthatworksinjustasecondbutletslookathowyoucansetupthis
relationship.

Whenyouopenuponeofyourobjectsfromtheresourcetreeyouwillseea
propertynexttothemaskpropertycalledparent.Clickonthatpropertyandselectthe
objectyouwanttobethisobjectsparent.Youcannotselectthesameobjectasthis
wouldcreatealoop.

Oncetheparent/childrelationshiphasbeensetthechildobjectwillinheritevents
fromtheparentobject.Therearesomeimportantrulesthatyoushouldbemadeaware
ofinregardstohowtheinheritanceactuallyworks.

1. Childobjects willnotinheriteventstheypossessthemselves.
2. Childobjects will
inheriteventsfromgrandparents,greatgrandparents,andso
on(followingthefirstruleofcourse).
3. Itispossibleforchildeventstohavetheirowneventandstillruntheparents
eventusingtheevents_inherited()function.

Letstalkaboutrulethreealittlebecauseitisextraimportant.Therewillbe
caseswhereyouwanttocreateabaseparentobjectandhavechildrenexecutethe
baseeventsoftheparentbutalsocontaintheirownuniqueadditionstotheevent.

GenerallywhenIstartcreatinganewgame,Itryandthinkaboutthemain
objectsinmygameandwhatactionstheywillbeperforming.AfterIfigurethesetwo
thingsoutIstartseparatingthoseactionsintotwocategories, actionsthatwillbethe
same betweenobjectsand actionsthatwillbedifferent .Letmegiveyouaquick
example.

Youarebuildingaplatformgame.Youhavetwomaintypesofobjects.Youhave
yourplayerobjectandyouhaveyourenemyobjects.Youwanttheplayerobjectand
thenenemyobjectstobeabletointeractwiththeworldinanormalplatformertypeway
(gravity,jumping,andsuch).Youwantyourplayerobjecttobeabletoshootarrowsat
theenemiesandyouwanttheenemiestoshootfireballsattheplayer.

Steponeistoseparatetheactionsthatwillbethesameandtheactionsthatwill
bedifferent(therearemanygoodwaystosetthisup,Imonlygoingtoshowyouoneof
them).

Actionsthatwillbethesame
1. Gravity
2. Jumping
3. Collisions

Actionsthatwillbedifferent
1. Input(Usercontrolsplayer,A.I.controlsenemy)
2. Attacking(Enemyshootsfire,Playershootsarrows)

Oncesyouhavetheactionsseparated,itistimetocreateyourobjects.Youwill
createaparent objectthatcontrolsthe
actionsthatarethesame andthentwo
children objectsthatwilladdtotheparentsactionsandcontroltheactionsthatare
different.

Ifyouarenewtoprogrammingyoumightbeaskingyourselfwhyyouwoulddo
this.Theansweristhatitwillmakeyourlifeeasierlater.Letssaythatinsteadofusing
aparentobjectyoujustcodedthe actionsthatwillbethesame twiceintoeachchild
object.Thecodewouldworkexactlythesame,right?Andyouwouldnthavetoworry
aboutparentobjectlogicandsuch.Youwouldberighttomaketheseassumptions.But
whatifinsteadofhaving2childrenobjectsyouhave20?Thenyouwouldhavetowrite
thesamecode20times.Whatifyoustilldecidedtojustpushthroughandwritethe
code20timesbutthenlateryouwantedtochangeit?Youwouldhavetochangeyour
codein20differentplaces.Thiscouldcauseerrorsanddiscrepancies.Ifyouusea
parentsystemthenyouneedonlywritethecodeonceandthen,ifneedbe,changeitin
oneplace.

GettingusedtotheinheritancesysteminGameMakercanbetrickysometimes,
buttheeffortiswellworththebenefitsandonceyougetitdownitwillbecomeoneof
yourfavoritesfeaturesofGameMakerLanguage.

IdentifyingInstances
 Wevealreadytalkedaboutthedifferencesbetweenobjectsandinstances.
Therearetimesinyourlogicwhereyouwillwanttoworkwithaspecificinstance.One
waytodothisistocreateareferencetotheinstanceatthetimeofcreation.Acommon
placeforthisiswhenanenemyobjectfiresabulletattheplayer.

Theinstance_createfunctionreturnstheidoftheinstancethatiscreated.
Becauseofthis,weareabletocreateareferencetotheinstancelikethis.

// Creates a bullet instance

varbullet
=instance_create
(
x
,y
,obj_bullet
);

Afterwehavecreatedtheinstanceandwehaveareferencetoit,wecansetits
propertiesandhaveitcallfunctions.

// Set the direction of the bullet instance

bullet
.
direction
=dir;

// Call a script inside the bullet instance.

with
(
bullet
){
scr_move
();
}

Thisisallmadepossiblebecausewehaveareferencetotheinstance.

Iftheinstancehasalreadybeencreated,itisstillpossibletogetareferencetoit
byusingits
idproperty.

UserInput
InGameMakerStudio,therearemanydifferentwaysyoucangetinputfromthe
user.Inthischapter,Iwillbecoveringthethreemostcommonmethods:MouseInput,
KeyboardInput,andGamePad(Controller)Input.

MouseInput
KeyboardandMouseinputarearguablythemostcommonformofinputon
computers.MouseinputinGameMakerStudioissimpleandeasytolearn.Youcanuse
thebuiltinobjectevents,butImalsogoingtoshowyouhowtocheckthoseeventsin
code.

Letsbeginbyshowinghowtocheck,incode,ifamousebuttonisbeing
pressed.

if
(
mouse_check_button
(
mb_left
)){
// The left mouse button is being pressed
}

mb_leftisaconstantinGameMakerLanguagethatreferstothenumber
associatedwiththeleftmousebutton.Therearethreethatyoucanuse.

mb_none // No mouse button

mb_left // Left mouse button
mb_right // Right mouse button
mb_middle // Middle mouse button
mb_any // Any mouse button

mouse_check_button()isafunctionthatreturnstrueifthebuttonisbeing
pressedandfalseifitisnot.AtthispointIshouldclarifythedifferencebetweenifthe
mousebuttonis being
pressedandifthemousebutton is
pressed.Thefirstimpliesthat
theusercouldbeholdingthebuttondownanditwouldstillreturntrue.Thesecond
impliesthatitwillonlyreturntrueinthestepwherethemousebuttonispresseddown.
Afterthat,itwillreturnfalseeveniftheusercontinuestoholdthebuttondown.Lets
lookathowyoucanchecktoseeifthemouseispressed.

if
(
mouse_check_button_pressed
( )){
mb_left
// The left mouse button was pressed.
}

MousePosition
InGameMakerLanguagetherearetwovariablesthatyoucanusetoaccessthe
mouseposition.


mouse_x
mouse_y

Thesetwovariablesareglobalandassuchcanbeaccessedinsideanyobject.

KeyboardInput
KeyboardInputisprettyeasytolearnhowtouseifyoualreadyknowhowtouse
mouseinput.Thetwoareverysimilar.

if
(
keyboard_check
(
vk_right
)){
// The right arrow key is being pressed
}

vk_rightisanotherconstantsimilartothemb_leftconstantthatthemouseinput
uses.Therearequiteafewdifferentvk_prefixedconstantsthatyoucanuse.

vk_right // Right arrow key

vk_left // Left arrow key
vk_up // Up arrow key
vk_down // Down arrow key
vk_nokey // No key
vk_anykey // Any key
vk_enter // Enter key
vk_escape // Escape key
vk_space // Space key
vk_shift // Shift key
vk_control// Control key
vk_alt // Alt key

Therearemorethanthis.Mostofthemareratherobviousandifyouwantthefull
listyoucansearchanyoneofthemintheGameMakerhelpfile.

Theimportantthingtonoteisthatyoucannotusesomethinglikethis.


if
(
keyboard_check
(
vk_a
))
{
// Causes an error
}

Ifyouwanttocheckiftheplayerhaspressedanyoftheletterkeys,youneedto
useaspecialfunction.

if
(
keyboard_check
(
ord
('
A
')){
// The "a" key is being pressed
}

Maybeyouwanttocheckforanykeyandthendisplaythekeypressedtothe
screen.Youcandoitlikethis.

if
(
keyboard_check
(
vk_any
)){
show_message
(
keyboard_lastchar
);
}

keyboard_lastcharwillreturnastringofthelastkeyboardkeypressed.Thiswill
onlyworkwithlettersandnumbersthough.Itreturnsanemptystringforeverything
else.Ifyouwanttocheckforakeythatisntanumberoraletteryoucanuse
keyboard_key.Thisglobalvariablereturnstheasciivalueofthekeypressed.

if
(
keyboard_check
(
vk_any
)){
show_message
(
string
(
keyboard_key
));
}

Therearetimeswhereyouwillwanttohavetwokeysdothesameexactthing.
Forexample,manygamesallowtheplayertouseboththearrowkeysandASWDletter
keystomovetheircharacter.Youcanmapkeystoeachotherlikethis.

 // Map the ASDW keys to the arrow keys

keyboard_set_map
(
ord
(
'D'
),vk_right
);
keyboard_set_map
(
ord
(
'A'
),vk_left
);
keyboard_set_map
(
ord
(
'W'
),vk_up
);
keyboard_set_map
(
ord
(
'S' );
),vk_down

Youonlyneedtocallthesefunctionsonce,say,inyourcreateevent.Youwould
continuetoprogramyourgameandcharacterusingthearrowkeysbuttheASDWkeys
wouldworkaswellbecausetheyaremappedtothearrowkeys.

GamePadInput
Usinggamepadinputisalittleharderthankeyboardinputbutitisverysimilar.
Mostofthetimeyouwillprogramyourgametobecompatiblewithatleasttwoinput
devices.Youmayhaveitsetuptowheretheplayercanusethekeyboardbydefault
butiftheypluginagamepadthenthekeyboardwillbedisabledasinputandthe
gamepadwilltakecontrol.Letmeshowyouasimpleexamplethatallowsyoutodothis.

vardevice =
0;
if(
gamepad_is_connected
(
device
)){
// Get gamepad input
}else{
// Get keyboard input
}

Thatcodecheckstoseeifafirstplayergamepadconnected.Thedeviceisthe
assignedplayernumber.Ifyourcontrollersaysthatyouareplayernumberone,then
thedeviceshouldbe0.Ifitsaysyouareplayernumbertwo,thenitshouldbe1.Three
is2andfouris3.Thisisimportantbecausethedevicenumberisusedinmostofthe
functionsforgettinggamepadinput.Letslookatsomeofthem.Assumedeviceisstill
setto0.

if(
gamepad_button_check
(
device
,gp_face1
))
{
// Do something cool
}

Thiscodecheckstoseeiftheuserispressingabuttononthegamepad.The
buttonbeingcheckedisgp_face1.OnanXboxcontroller,thatistheAbutton.Thereis
anentirelistofbuttonconstantsassociatedwiththesefunctions.Youcancheckthe
GameMakerhelpfileforthatlistaswell.

MethodsofControllingInput
ThemethodIgenerallyuseforcontrollinginputistoseparatetheinputfromthe
actualmovementwithvariables.Thisallowsmetomoveacharacterorenemywiththe
variablescreatedanditdoesntactuallymatterhowthevariablesgetset.Imgoingto
setupasimpleexampleofthis.

Firstletscreatethevariables.

CreateEvent

xaxis
=
0;
yaxis
=
0;
abtn
=
false;

Nowletssettheminourplayerbasedontheinput.

SetEvent
if
(
gamepad_is_connected
(
0
))
{
// Get gamepad input
xaxis
=gamepad_axis_value
(
0
,gp_axislh
);
yaxis
=gamepad_axis_value
(
0
,gp_axislv
);
abtn
=gamepad_button_check
(
0
,gp_face1
);

}
else{
// Get keyboard input
varright
=keyboard_check
(
vk_right
);
varleft
=keyboard_check
(
vk_left
);
varup
=keyboard_check
(
vk_up
);
vardown
=keyboard_check
(
vk_down
);

xaxis
=right
-left;
 yaxis
=down
-up;
abutton
=keyboard_check
(
ord
('
A
'));
}

Oncewehavecreatedthevariableandsetthemaccordingtotheinputthe
playerhasgivenusthenwecandecidehowtomovetheplayer.Thiscodeassumes
youareusingobj_solidasyourwalls.

StepEvent
// Set the speed
varspd
=
4;

// Horizontal movement
if
(!
place_meeting
(
x
+
xaxis
*
spd
,
y
,
obj_solid
)){
x
+=
xaxis
*
4;
}

// Vertical movement
if
(!
place_meeting
(
x
,
y
+
yaxis
*
spd
,
obj_solid
)){
y
+=
yaxis
*
4;
}

if
(
abtn
){
// Shoot a bullet
instance_create
(
x
,y
,obj_bullet
);
}

States
Settingupastatesysteminyourobjectsissmartifyouwantthatobjecttohave
differentbehaviors.Letssayyouwantyourplayerobjecttobeabletoswipeasword,
rolloutoftheway,andthencontinuerunning.Eachofthesebehaviorscouldhavetheir
ownstatewithintheobject.TherearedifferentwaysofimplementingthisandImbyno
meansaprobutIcanshowyousomeverygoodwaysthathavebeenhelpfultome.

WhenIwasfirstlearningtosetupstatesystems,Itriedcreatingadifferent
objectforeachstateandthenIwoulduseinstance_changetochangestates.This
workedbutnotverywellbecauseofthewayinstance_changeworks.Instance_change
isgoodforsomethingsbutIwouldntrecommenditforastatesystem.Aftertryingthat,
IrealizedthatIcouldjustuseastatevariablecombinedwithaswitchstatementinthe
stepeven.Letmeshowyou.

CreateEvent

/// Create the state variable

state
=
' ';
idle

StepEvent

/// Control the state

switch
(
state){
case
'idle
'
:
scr_idle
();
break;

case
'
move
':
scr_move
();
break;

case
'
attack
':
scr_attack
();
break;

case
'
roll
':
scr_roll
();
break;
}

InordertohelpmeorganizemycodebetterIchosetocreateascriptforeach
stateandthenjustrunthoseineachcase.

IvelearnedsomedifferentwaysofdoingthisandIcameupononethatIlike
quiteabit.Ofcourseitisntperfecteitherandcouldbeimproved,butitsprettysimple
andeasytounderstand.Thiswayusesacombinationofmacrosandscript_execute.
Letmeshowyouasimpleexampleofhowitworks.

OneofthecoolfeaturesofGameMakeristhatyoucanassignanexpressiontoa
macro.Youcanassignascripttoamacro.Forthesakeofthisexample,Illusesome
fakecodewiththeassignmentoperatorbutinreality,youwillsimplyusethe
GameMakeruserinterfacetocreatethemacro.

=scr_player_walk
PLAYER_WALK

Onceyouhavethatasyourmacroyoucansetyourstatelikethisinthecreate
even.

=PLAYER_WALK;
state

Youwouldusethissamemethodtochangestatesofyourobjectinsideother
events.Afterdoingthesefirsttwosteps,youstillneedtoactuallyrunthecode
associatedwiththatstate.Todothatyouwouldplacethisinthestepeventofyour
object.

execute_script
( );
state

Itsthatsimple!Inthefirststepyouassignthescriptidtothemacro/constant.In
thesecondstepyouassignthatmacro/constantthatcontainsthescriptidtothestate
variable,andinthelaststepyouexecutewhateverscriptisassignedtothestate.Itsa
simplesystembutitcanworkreallywellforseparatingthecodeoutforeachstate.

Makeanobjectfollowthemouse
Thisisaprettysimpletaskformostpeoplebuttherearesomereadersthatmight
notknowhowtodothisproperlysoImgoingtoputaquickexamplein.Thetrickwith
thisismakingsureyouusethe EndStepEvent

EndStep

 x
=mouse_x;
=mouse_y;
y

Thiscodesetsthexpositionoftheobjecttothecurrentxpositionofthemouse
attheendofeverystep.Ifyouusethenormalstepeventthetimingofthemovewillbe
offandtheobjectwillappeartolagbehindthemouse.

Makeagunaimtowardsthemouse.
Thisisalsoasimpletaskbutitisveryuseful.Thetrickhereisknowinghowto
usethebuiltinimage_anglepropertyandthepoint_directionfunction.

vardir
=point_directioin
(
x
,y
,mouse_x
,mouse_y
);
image_angle
=dir;
=dir;
direction

Youshouldalsomakesurethatyourspritehasitsoriginwhereyouwantthe
pivotpointtobeandthatthespritestartsoutfacingexactlytotheright(or0degrees).

Variables
VariablesinGameMakerLanguage(andineveryotherprogramminglanguage)
areusedtostorevaluesinmemory.Oncethevalueisstored,itcanlaterbeaccessed
andmanipulated.Thishelpscreatecodethatiseasiertounderstandandmaintain.As
youlearntousevariablesandbetterunderstandthemyouwillbeabletoappreciate
theirpower.

VariableTyping
Variabletypingshowsupinmanyprogramminglanguages.Generallywhenyou
createanewvariable,thecompilerwillwanttoknowifthatvariableisgoingtobeused
toholdastringvalue,anumbervalue,abooleanvalue,oranyothertypeofvalue
availableinthelanguage.Thiscangetconfusingfornewprogrammers,sovariablesin
GameMakerLanguageweredesignedtobelooselytyped.Thismeansyoudontneed
tonamethetypeofavariablewhenyoucreateit.Italsomeansthatavariablethatwas
onceusedtoholdanumbervaluecouldatanytimeinyourcodebechangedtoholda
stringvalue.

Evenjustthisbasicunderstandingofvariabletypingwillhelpyouasyoulearn
moreaboutGameMakerLanguageandhowtouseit.

VariableDeclaration
DeclaringavariableinGameMakeriseasy.Thereareafewdifferentwaysto
declarethem,dependingonthescopethatyouwouldlikethevariabletobein(seenext
sectionformoreinformationonvariablescopeandhowtodeclarevariableswith
differentscope),butforthemostpartallyouhavetodoisnamethevariablewithan
identifier,usetheassignmentoperator(singleequalssign),andtheninsertavalue.
Hereisanexampleofonewaythatyoucoulddefineavariable.

name
=
"Benjamin"
;
// String variable type
age
=
25
;
// Number variable type
happy
=
true
;
// Boolean variable type

Thenextsectionwillshowyoumoreaboutvariabledeclarationandhowyoucan
declarevariablesindifferentscopes.

VariableScope
Thescopeofavariabledescribeswhereinthecodeyouhaveaccesstothat
variable.InGameMakerLanguage,therearethreemainvariablescopes.Thereisa
globalscope instancescope
,an localscope
,anda .

GlobalVariables
Ifavariableiscreatedintheglobalscopeitcanbeaccessedfromanywherein
thecode.Variableslocatedintheglobalscopearecalledglobalvariables(bigsurprise
there).Thesevariablesaredefinedbyplacingthekeyword global
andadotbeforethe
variableidentifier.

global
.
name
=
"Benjamin Anderson";

Aftertheglobalvariablehasbeencreatedyoucanaccessitinsideofanyscript
orobject.

InstanceVariables
Ifavariableiscreatedintheinstancescope,itcanonlybeaccessedwithinthe
codeofthatinstance.Variableslocatedintheinstancescopearecalledinstance
variables.Bestpracticeistodefinethesevariablesinthecreateeventoftheobjectin
ordertoavoidundefinedvariableerrors.Thereisnosecrettodefiningthesevariables,
yousimplynamethevariablewithanidentifierandthenassignavaluetoit.

name
=
"Benjamin Anderson";

Afterdeclaringit,youcanaccesstheinstancevariablesinsidetheobjectitwas
createdin.

InolderversionsofGameMaker,instancevariableshadtobedefinedinthe
createeventofanobjectorthecompilerwouldthrowanerror.

LocalVariables
Ifavariableiscreatedinthelocalscopeitcanonlybeaccessedwithinthat
actionorscriptinwhichitwasdefined.Variableslocatedinthelocalscopearecalled
localvariables.Definingalocalvariableisjustlikedefininganinstancevariableonly
youplacethevarkeywordbeforetheidentifier.

varname
=
"Benjamin Anderson";

LocalvariablesdontexistinolderversionsofGameMaker.Ifyoutrytocreatea
localvariableinanolderversion,youwillgetanerror.

MacrosorConstants
Aconstantissimilartoavariableinthatitcancontainavaluethatcanbe
accessedincodeitisdifferentfromavariableinthatconstantscanneverchange.
Onceyousetthevalueoftheconstant,itcannotbemodifiedinsidethegame.Inmany
programminglanguages,theidentifierfortheconstantiswritteninallcaps.Thishelps
theprogrammertodistinguishitfromothervariablesandremindshimorherthatit
cannotbealtered.

Todefineaconstant,youwillneedtoclickontheconstantsnodeintheresource
tree.Oncetheconstantswindowcomesup,youcanusetheaddbuttontocreateas
manyorafewasyouwillneed.Aftertheconstantisdefined,youcanuseitinsideyour
codejustlikeanyothervariable.

draw_text
(x
,y
,COMPANY_NAME
);

Itshouldalsobenotedthat
constantsfallundertheglobalscope andcanbe
usedanywhereincode.

Enums
Enumsarearathernew,butveryuseful,partofGameMakerLanguage.The
wordenumisshortforenumerator.Letslookathowyoucancreateone.

enumbasestat {
hp
=
50,
att
=
20,
def
=
18,
spd
=
24
}

Easyenough.Afteryouhavecreatedtheenumyoucanaccessthevaluesinitlikethis.

varbasehp
=basestat
. // Returns 50
hp;

Itsimportanttoknowthat
enums,likeconstants,areglobalscopesotheycanbe
accessedanywhereinyourcode .Theyareconstants,meaningtheycannothold
valuesthatwillchange.Enumsalsohavedefaultvaluesandyoudonthavetoassigna
valuetothem.Youcouldcreateanenumwithadefaultvaluelikethis.

enummonths {
january,
february,
march,
 april,
may,
june,
july,
agust,
september,
october,
november,
december
}

Thedefaultvaluesstartand1andcountsupfromthere.Inthisexample
month.january nowhasavalueof1andmonth.december hasavalueof12.

Inalaterchapter,Iwillshowyousomeusefulwaysthatyoucanuseenumsin
combinationwitharraystogiveyourcodebetterstructureandmakeiteasiertoread.

UndefinedVariables
Anundefinedvariableisavariablethathasneverhadavalueassignedtoit.
Thesetypesofvariableswillshowupquiteoftenwhenyouarefirstprogramming
becauseyouwilltrytouseavariablethathasnotbeendefinedandthecompilerwill
throwanerror.Ifyoureadtheerrormessagecarefully,itwilltellyoutheobjectand
oftentheexactlineofcodewheretheerroroccurred.