12 replies to this topic

[ZombieWolfPath]

I have been working on a RTS game for 6+ months now and i'm ready to give up because i don't know programming very well. Instead of just giving up all together and uninstalling Game Maker all together out of frustration, i decided to come and ask others this:

What is the best way to start learning GML?

Some REAL advice is very welcomed!

[Blackknight37]

There are several paths.

1.
Learning from the yo yo games wiki/site

2. teaching yourself by studying others work, figuring out what it does, and changing it up a little, and taking note on whats different!

3. Finding a good mentor!

[ZombieWolfPath]

3) I tried finding a mentor and one responded with "don't really have that much time" for which i really do understand.
2) That is a good idea, thanks for that.
1) I usually go to Youtube for answers, examples and/or tutorials because i see the results and then try it but sometimes it just goes wrong.

[Blackknight37]

I taught myself what I know of gml through the second method, although now most is forgotten, this magician still has some tricks left.

[ZombieWolfPath]

I'm gonna do that then, thank you for the advice. Is it best to continue with RTS and learning or to start with something more simpler (like an rpg or even more simpler)?

[Tobias(NL)]

Yeah, I've also used the second method. Basically I was just making games over and over again, and looking into examples to learn.
A RTS game is harder to program than a simple platform game for example. Try making something more easy to learn yourself the basics of GML!

Some options;
-A simple platform game
-A topdown/sideview dodging game
-A shoot 'm up (you know, with the planes and all the bullets)

Goodluck.

EDIT: RPGS, FPS and RTS games are probably more of a challenge than the genres I mentioned above.

Edited by Tobias(NL), 15 April 2012 - 09:42 AM.

[lukew23]

I think the best thing to do would be to follow the official tutorials on the yoyo site: http://sandbox.yoyog.../make/tutorials
then try making a simple platformer/top down/whatever game. Whenever you encounter a problem, post it in the novice forums here and someone should help you. make sure you understand how the answer works, rather than just knowing it does so. Also, try entering a jam such as the one coming up, see what you can make in a short time. This should help you learn gml.

[Zeddy]

Personally, I thought about what I wanted to make and flipped through the F1 manual until I found what I needed. Then I implemented that.

Your milage may vary on this method.

[karamja007]

I have been working on a RTS game for 6+ months now and i'm ready to give up because i don't know programming very well. Instead of just giving up all together and uninstalling Game Maker all together out of frustration, i decided to come and ask others this:

What is the best way to start learning GML?

Some REAL advice is very welcomed!

..just enjoy using GML and enjoy doing your project, patience is the best way to make you succeed


... of course,patience is more demonstrated than defined


..goodluck and once again enjoy

[racetan1]

I learn some advance programming browsing yoyo sites and researching other programs related to GML..

[2d_games]

I started learning GML by following this guys tutorials:

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=StlP7a69TNk

[mn_beta]

There is also the desperate way: Look at slayer64's humongous batch of editables.
I only learn from reading the code. None of the tutorials helped me whatsoever, so I had to manipulate preexisting samples to learn.

The truth is, I still have not looked at the gamemaker help file in 8, 7, 6, or even 5 when I first started.

[kburkhart84]

The way I recommend it simply to start small and grow. The first game I made in GM was a crappy asteroids game. I then proceeded to make a few more crappy arcade games, but this was mostly just to learn the software and coding, but it allowed me to run into things and posting in the Novice forum helped solve my problems.