Hi,

I am a new developer. I was wondering IF game maker was any good? I'm a new developer and i would not like to use Unity or any other complex engine. Could anyone confirm (or answer) these questions:?

1. Can i use Programming languages (HTML, Java, etc)

2. Can you import Background images from say photoshop

3. Can we design our own character in like other modeling software?

4. Can you have cutscenes?

5. Can i publish with the free version on like Steam?

6. Is this a good way to start off career in the industry?

7. Does it have IOS and Android publishing? Cost?

8. Is their Xbox One publishing?

What are some examples of popular games made with GM!?

1) No.  Coding is done with GML (Game Maker Language) or 'Drag and Drop'.

2) Yes

3) Yes

4) Yes

5) No

6) Not really no

7) Maybe, check the features on their site.

8) Probably not

There are none that are popular that I know of but if you want examples of games there are some on their website.

What are you looking to do?

I would say it is a good way to start out, there is a low barrier to entry, it's possible to make good quality games on it (see Gunpoint & Hotline Miami), it has it's own scripting language which you don't need to use but you can if you want to take things further, any design skills will be transferable should you feel like GameMaker is no longer suitable for your needs. etc.

Personally I don't think it too great but I know better now not to underestimate it.

1) yes they have their own language

6) vlambeer is doing quite well http://www.vlambeer.com

Game maker is a nice tool for 2D games, but it's not gonna land you a job anywhere fancy.. But then again no single engine will do that. Make a super game and take it from there. And for that vlambeer have proved that it works great. Check out ridiculous fishing if you want to see what game maker is great at.

He mentioned specific languages, and languages plurals... Unless they have updated that since I used it, no they can't. They have their own scripting language, but that's all they have. (just checked, they have support for HTML5)

And for the price, no it isn't a good thing to start with or really use. You are wasting money to give to an inferior product. Any one that needs it would do much better to use basic javascript + CSS or HTML5 or learn a language to make a basic text based game than using it and anyone that just wants a tool to make things simpler, there are much better and cheaper options out there.

But over all, DL the free version, see if you like what you see and decide for yourself... Though I would suggest a much better option is simply, instead, grab its tutorials and you can use them to construct the game in python or C++ or anything else, and that would serve you much better.

1) yes they have their own language

6) vlambeer is doing quite well http://www.vlambeer.com

Game maker is a nice tool for 2D games, but it's not gonna land you a job anywhere fancy.. But then again no single engine will do that. Make a super game and take it from there. And for that vlambeer have proved that it works great. Check out ridiculous fishing if you want to see what game maker is great at.

He mentioned specific languages, and languages plurals... Unless they have updated that since I used it, no they can't. They have their own scripting language, but that's all they have. (just checked, they have support for HTML5)

And for the price, no it isn't a good thing to start with or really use. You are wasting money to give to an inferior product. Any one that needs it would do much better to use basic javascript + CSS or HTML5 or learn a language to make a basic text based game than using it and anyone that just wants a tool to make things simpler, there are much better and cheaper options out there.

But over all, DL the free version, see if you like what you see and decide for yourself... Though I would suggest a much better option is simply, instead, grab its tutorials and you can use them to construct the game in python or C++ or anything else, and that would serve you much better.

Game Maker HTML5 can use JavaScript, and it is also possible to write extensions for it. GML is also fairly powerful and can do quite a bit of things.

The price is cheap for the product compared to the cost of developing a game. For example Game Maker Standard is $50. Professional is $100. For $800 you get a ton of features including IOS, Android, HTML5, Ubuntu, Windows Phone 8, Windows, and Mac platform support. If that is too pricey then the modules are sold individually as well ($200 for Android export is not expensive IMO). If Game Maker is so "inferior" and if there are better/cheaper options out there, please suggest the superior options.

Using Game Maker is perfectly valid and I feel it is a great way to start out. I started out many years ago using similar programs (although less powerful!).

Game Maker HTML5 can use JavaScript, and it is also possible to write extensions for it. GML is also fairly powerful and can do quite a bit of things.

The price is cheap for the product compared to the cost of developing a game. For example Game Maker Standard is $50. Professional is $100. For $800 you get a ton of features including IOS, Android, HTML5, Ubuntu, Windows Phone 8, Windows, and Mac platform support. If that is too pricey then the modules are sold individually as well ($200 for Android export is not expensive IMO). If Game Maker is so "inferior" and if there are better/cheaper options out there, please suggest the superior options.

Using Game Maker is perfectly valid and I feel it is a great way to start out. I started out many years ago using similar programs (although less powerful!).

HTML5 without javascript isn't HTML5. GML is it's own script.

Unity free

RPG maker is better for at least RPGs

I'm sure if I looked around I could find more, but for the price and for what it allows you to do it just isn't worth the money. It's inferior overall as there are others do the same and better.

As far as it being valid. Sure, it just isn't worth the money, at least from my point of view. I got it a long time ago when it was much cheaper and the license somehow vanished. The licensing is cheaper than unity, more expensive than RPGmaker. The abilities are greater than RPG maker, less than unity. You can learn with it, but the things you'd need to advance with it requires you to purchase it so it's better just to go to something else...and if you're going to use something else you might as well start with something else.

It's a valid way to start, but it seems to me it's just a waste of time to learn that system and then have to learn something else to advance rather than building on what you already know.