I am TRYING to learn GML.I at first thought that reading the manual would do me good, then some kids at school told me the manual was useless.

I found Carl Gastafons (sp?) and saw that it was for GM 4.3, It also said it needed Game_Maker.pdf, which can be located off the site.Sadly, It ain't there.

So i was wondering, is there any good noobie GML tutorials for 5.0+?


Thanks!

The manual is the most helpful GM tool. ever.

I learned it through reading the manual, so it is not that bad.

RTFM!

the manual is the only thing you will ever need
first, read the basics stuff, then try to write something easy
like

i = 0

step event

i +=1
room_caption = string(i)

then when you get the hang of the basics, try to program a game, and when you need a function (instance_destroy()) for example, look in the manual, try to find it, then try it out. i didnt have inet back in 4.2, and i learned all by looking at the manual, and i still use it frequently for functions i dont really know where some stuff goes.

the help file is your best friend, print it out, read it before you sleep, and in no time you will know gml

im all behind that!

Ah, thank you guys

Love it

use the manuel

The manual doesn't always have the answer..

I just had a quick look at a couple of your topic post records (everyone)- and it would seem that many of you have asked questions. Why, if it's all in the manual?

The manual tells you what the GML syntax is and describes it's extensive command set. It doesn't really teach scripting, it just specifies the rules.

Although some may be able to learn programming from the manual, it is of best use if you have at least some scripting experience in a different language.

The manual may be a bit frustrating to some of the beginning scripters. Carl's guide was a good alternative, unfortunately it's a bit dated now.

Smarty

Most things I learned in GM I learned from the manual, though it would've been different if I registered on the forums right after I got it for I would've been asking quite a few questions.

The helpfile is not all a person will need it does not explain everything let alone in an understandable format and this is coming from a programmer.

Though ill admit i have never liked helpfiles or official documentation i prefer user written tutorials or forum help for questions i may have though i do search the helpfile first.

I learned my GML through manuals and some examples. Now Im a half-guru of game maker

Well once you start to understand gml a little you can use the manual as a reference but it doesn't help much if you don't know gml, I learned by looking at the tutorials on the gm page, I used the platform tutorial, back then they didn't have catch the clown, 1945, how to create a good game, making 3d games or first person shooters and it used to be on gml so I found out some stuff now its all on drag and drop, I also learned about variables with goomba's revenge and started learning by trying to make kirby game examples and looking at other people's codes and looking at the gml manual as a reference thats when the gml manual comes in handy and when you don't know what to do.

to learn gml, try to find gml based editables and mess around with the code. then try to re-create it. Thats how I figured out several do's and don'ts.

at first, i used examples,witch i did not understand. Then i thought about reading the manual but i was too lazy. After one year, i finally read the manual about 10 times and improved alot. Now all i can say is that gml is my third best language

Lazynesss can affect youre skill!

the best tutorial to use for game maker 6/7 by far is this one. its how i learned the basics of gml in a night!
gmc.yoyogames.com/index.php?showtopic=151003
best tutorial ever!
hope it helps,
benten

Err, you bumped a rather old topic! However, it seems like a useful one, so no troubles.

I beg to differ, but flexaplex created a gml tutorial, which I believe is even more useful than General Leo's one...
http://gmc.yoyogames.com/index.php?showtopic=424410

Don't get me wrong, I learnt GML off General Leo's tutorial.. it's definitely good! However, the 'newer' flexaplex tutorial just seems to cover much more than General Leo's.

[btw, aren't you missing an argument in the function in your signature?

it's just for fun

IMO the best manual is the one you can understand best of all.

I mean that if you're making a game (or learning from an example) you get it much better and it stays pretty clear for a while. But you should understand the whole procedure (algorithm).
Any programming (obviously but macro) is a detailed step-by-step instruction for PC.

For example, you need 'Send the letter' action for your robot, but if you just:


- it will go straight there braking cars and structures, pushing people, can get caught in an endless loop and so on. So you need to give it a more precise definition followed by more and more instructions for ANY expected situation...

I'm guessing English is your fourth?

EDIT: Ups, time machine...

Too true. The manual is good because its seperated into sections for easier browsing =D

The manual is an excellent manual, but pretty average as a tutorial.