So, which is better?

[Professor-J]

I've flicked through the last few pages and havn't seen a topic about this, which is better for producing a Sonci type game? MMF or GM? Also, someone mind telling me the difference between MMF and MMF2?

Sorry if this has already been discussed further back, just needed to know.

[Damizean]

It's not a matter of wich one produces better Sonic games but wich one you like. Both produce similar stuff, though GM can do a lot more of advanced tricks, even though you need to learn the GML (built-in C/Pascal style syntax script language). I personally like Gamemaker a lot better since, after you learn how to code; it's a lot faster to program stuff than MMF and becomes far more flexible (to the point you can control almost all of the application's inner working). Also, it's cheaper (the basic version is free forever, the advanced version only costs 14€) ^^

As for MMF and MMF2, it's almost the same, but with a new GUI and some new effects and speed improvements (at least it did seem like that when I tryied it)

[PkR]

* whispers: MMF is cool for Sonic games...

MMF2 disappointed me a little, although 60FPS feels great.

GM is less convenient (IMHO), but it gives you more freedom because it comes with its own scripting language. Besides, it's free.

Although if you're seeking ease of use, I would personally recommend MMF 1.5. That's because MMF2 isn't stable yet.

[Professor-J]

I already have GM 6.1 registered but my PC can't play any GM games or test runs for some reason which really p_sses me off. The bar loads then nothing happens...

It didn't do this on my old PC when I registered GM though...

[LarkSS]

The same happens to me. It's due to not having enough video memory to run GM6 or something like that.

[Professor-J]

The same happens to me. It's due to not having enough video memory to run GM6 or something like that.

So, like, how do you get more VM?...

[LarkSS]

If you use a computer, I guess you could get a better video card. If you use a laptop though like I do, you need a whole new one.

GM5 should work for you anyway. It does for me. It can almost do the same things GM6 can too if you use it right. Not only that, but it lets more people be able to play it who can't run GM6 on their computer.

[Professor-J]

If you use a computer, I guess you could get a better video card. If you use a laptop though like I do, you need a whole new one.

GM5 should work for you anyway. It does for me. It can almost do the same things GM6 can too if you use it right. Not only that, but it lets more people be able to play it who can't run GM6 on their computer.

Can you still download GM5 from the official site, if not can someone link me to a download? Also, this may be asking for a bit much but does anyone have like, an old Sonic GM game file so I can see the sort of shizz I would need to program? I've never tried making a Sonic game in GM before, only basic stuff like Pacman and mini-games...

[LarkSS]

GM5 is still on the official site. Just check Old Downloads. And about the Sonic GM game, I'm releasing an engine either today or tomorrow ( probably tomorrow ), so just wait until then I guess. Of course you could always look at the tutorials on the main site.

[Professor-J]

GM5 is still on the official site. Just check Old Downloads. And about the Sonic GM game, I'm releasing an engine either today or tomorrow ( probably tomorrow ), so just wait until then I guess. Of course you could always look at the tutorials on the main site.

Ahh, so using an engine is basically the basic programming done for you? Sweet.

I shall get to work right away.

[LarkSS]

That's not all my engine will be good for. I commented it step by step ( literally ), added hints for better programming here and there, and made it extremely easy to customize the engine's values. ( Whoops, I really shouldn't be revealing things before I even show what I've done )

[Professor-J]

That's not all my engine will be good for. I commented it step by step ( literally ), added hints for better programming here and there, and made it extremely easy to customize the engine's values. ( Whoops, I really shouldn't be revealing things before I even show what I've done )

Isn't it coming out, like, tommorow though?

[MidimanNull]

I've flicked through the last few pages and havn't seen a topic about this, which is better for producing a Sonci type game? MMF or GM? Also, someone mind telling me the difference between MMF and MMF2?

Both are pretty useful, but however you fancy creating coding/events matters between programs.

MMF Uses a Event approach, with low-end coding ( ie, you have simple equations, not extremely long lines of CODE )

GM uses a drag-n-drop interface in conjuction with a very extensive coding language. even though the DND feature is pretty useful ( along the same line as MMF in the way it works ), you wouldnt get far without learning code.

[ila]

I still prefer using good ol MMF 1.5 for my stuff, but I'm going to be honest: that is because I never actually paid full price for it. I might try Game Maker some day, but I personally hate coding as I have no desires to go into a computer related field.

[Damizean]

I still prefer using good ol MMF 1.5 for my stuff, but I'm going to be honest: that is because I never actually paid full price for it. I might try Game Maker some day, but I personally hate coding as I have no desires to go into a computer related field.

That's probably because you never tryied, or at least not in depth: coding isn't that bad, you only have to learn 5 code flow control statements (if/else, while, repeat, do/until, for). After this, all the functions work like if you were using D&D, but with the bonus of being able to do complex stuff faster. And since variables are variant type (they can be a double precission floating point number or a string) it makes easier even to do stuff:

As for example, moving a character is pretty easy. Changing the x and y values of it's just doing this:

x = x + 1;
y = y + 1

If you want to detect collision with another object:

if (place_meeting(x, y, solid_object)==true) // If current object meets solid_object at x, y...
{
     Stuff happens
}

Also, you can check exceptions easily, something that with MMF could take hundreds lines of code (Not in this particular case, but yes in more complex checkings).

if (name == "ila") // Check if the variable "name" contains the string "ila"
{
   show_message("Hello, ila!");
} else {    // It's another person!
   show_message("Who are you? :o");
}

Also, you can do drawing tricks easily, for example, if you want to have the player carry an sword, but this to be different. This can be done without the need of two objects

// In draw event...
draw_sprite(player_sprite, current_frame, x, y);
if ( sword == 1) draw_sprite(sword_sprite, current_frame, x, y);
if ( sword == 2) draw_sprite(sword_sprite_2, current_frame, x, y);

And do special effects like rotation/scale/alpha in one line of code.

draw_sprite_ext(sprite, frame, x, y, scale_x, scale_y, rotation, color, alpha);

Or do blending effects

draw_set_blend_mode(bm_add); // Set current blend mode to ADD, all the subsequent drawings would use this blend mode.
draw_sprite(sprite, frame, x, y);

And not only this, you can also create offscreen drawing surfaces, so you can draw on them and after that, show them on screen with deformations and such; it also comes with built-in multiplayer functions, a direct3D mode for doing basic 3D stuff (changing rotation matrix, displaying models and lighting), positional sound, sound effects like chorus, compressor, echo, flanger, gargle, reverb, etc...

You can also make complex data structures: for example, you can have object to reference to others, being able to create stuff like linked lists easily. As for example, I've been working on a menu machine (kinda like a state machine), wich you can attach various "interfaces", and those interfaces are attached to controls using a list. In each node of that list, there's a reference to an object (objMenuControl) wich contains the actual information (kind of control, shape, data, callback code to execute if pressed, etc.). I was going to put up some code, but the board's characters limit told me to do not.

Anyway, this way I can have a generic way to create menus anywhere, with common selectable options, counters, slidebars, textboxes, etc... And even to link the menus between then (I only need to set one of the option's code to set a new interface from the machine's interface list).

Of course, there's a big downside while using Gamemaker. Even if the own language allows you to do ultra-awesome things, the room editor itself sucks. Mark Overmars should've added better support for placing objects, and also, make the room tiles being able to collide. Otherwise you need to create the world using tiles and after that, create the collisions using invisible objects (This is the fastest way to do, of course you can do a whole level using objects only, but it'll result on slow stuff). MMF wins in that aspect. Anyway, after some time, you might care less about it, because it gets easy aswell.

If you want perfomance, try out GM5 (uses DirectDraw). If you want quality, try out GM6 (uses Direct3D).

[LarkSS]

If you want perfomance, try out GM5 (uses DirectDraw). If you want quality, try out GM6 (uses Direct3D).

OMG, that must be the reason I can't run GM6 on my comp. They should really make that selectable or something.

Reading all that stuff about code is making me want to try it out some time. Maybe when I get bored of MMF since it's steadily getting simpler for me.

[rogueyoshi]

OMG, that must be the reason I can't run GM6 on my comp. They should really make that selectable or something.

Reading all that stuff about code is making me want to try it out some time. Maybe when I get bored of MMF since it's steadily getting simpler for me.

if you have anything under dx8, games made with it wont run.

[Kain]

Besides, you can't just turn D3D on or of. GM6 is constructed completely on the back of D3D the way GM5 and some earlier versions were made from DirectDraw. That's why you can the D3D functions even when D3D supposedly isn't turned on.

Of course, there's a big downside while using Gamemaker. Even if the own language allows you to do ultra-awesome things, the room editor itself sucks. Mark Overmars should've added better support for placing objects, and also, make the room tiles being able to collide. Otherwise you need to create the world using tiles and after that, create the collisions using invisible objects (This is the fastest way to do, of course you can do a whole level using objects only, but it'll result on slow stuff). MMF wins in that aspect. Anyway, after some time, you might care less about it, because it gets easy aswell.

There are some tricks for adding objects to the editor. For example, holding shift will create objects as you hold click and drag it along. Also, holding ctrl will let you grab and drag an object and holding ctrl and right-clicking will let you edit its properties (including giving that instance specific code). And of course you can turn off "delete underlying" which makes objects be able to overlap without deleting them. Anyway, the tile system is rather limited, even more so than with previous versions. Hopefully it's something mark's fixing. But you could always make your own tile system.

Edit: But it needs some work and has been virtually unchanged since version 4. Some things the map editor can benefit from to get an idea of what it's lacking: multiple undos and redos (even MSPaint has 3), an editable object menu so you don't have to go through a path every time you need to change an object, intigration of object and tile placement.

[Damizean]

Yeah, but I meant something along the lines of MMF. Meaning that you should have a list/tree of objects like in MMF and for creating them just drag and drop. That way you can use the common click to select objects, copy them and copy big blocks.

[Kain]

Oh, well I've never used MMF's editor with more than a small degree of understanding.

[Professor-J]

Hmmm...That code Damizean posted doesn't make it look so bad. I think I'll definatly give GM a try then.

[LarkSS]

I released my engine now incase you didn't notice. It's the thread called BasicSonicEngineGM5 in General Fangame Discussion. You can give it a look over. I commented everything so you shouldn't have a hard time understanding what I did.

[djtjj]

game maker is best its cheap, its easy, and is useable even in the unregisterd version, when you get a registerded version you get a GM5 and GM6 code, so i would suggest GM insted of multimedia