Arrays in GameMaker Studio - Part 1

[@ross9195]

This was the best tutorial for arrays in gamemaker i have found. Thank you for uploading this.

[@sirGuy1995]

Thank you! As someone without a ton of professional coding knowledge, this was an excellent introduction to the concepts!

[@zarteen]

Thank you for this. This was exactly what I needed to really start improving c:

[@a.vanmeel1208]

Great Job. Thank you for this tutorial.

[@danieladamczyk4024]

Understunding of arrays is thing what i need to make my game. Keep going whit it. Good stuff.

[@LetsLearnThisTogether]

+Daniel Adamczyk Part two is coming out soon.

[@danieladamczyk4024]

Beyond Us Games thank you

[@winniZX81]

Excellent video. Keep up the good work

[@Quentin94]

Thank you, this will help a lot.

[@Cablesfish]

Awesome video. Thanks a lot!

[@spiritgame6259]

Excellent video!!!!

[@SonictheHedgehogInRealLife]

Your intro is really cool

[@astrobread7300]

thank you man this helps

[@Clod15]

Thank you very much! =]

[@NaikoArt]

awesome!

[@ryarod]

Hello. Regarding the making of the "menu" array: Is creating an array as simple as just typing one word with a "[#] =" attached? Or is there something else we have to do in order to make that an array in the first place? I ask because I see you typing "menu[0] = "New Game""; "menu[1] = Load Game"; etc., and you achieve results for your tutorial; and yet, I try something similar in my project and I've yet to achieve critical mass, as if it doesn't read that the array is there. That being said, I'm doing something different from making a menu, so it could be I just have the wrong context; hence why I'm asking.

[@LetsLearnThisTogether]

Yes, creating an array is as simple as that. GML makes it very easy. What are you trying to do?

[@ryarod]

@@LetsLearnThisTogether I am making a point-and-click adventure game. I have given my cursor icon separate sprites for separate states, depending on what the cursor is hovering on. I want the cursor to change its shape if it lands on any of several particular objects of interest. I have successfully made it change shape like this for when it's on top of one particular object. I wanted to create an array that contains all objects of interest, and then just put that array's name where that one object is. This has yet to work.

[@LetsLearnThisTogether]

Hmmm. I might do an array like you’re saying, and then just have each object have a number and that number corresponds to what slot in the array the mouse should look like.

[@ryarod]

@@LetsLearnThisTogether I'm about to try it. I must say though that seems in text to be nearly the same: I still have to code an entire block per individual object, it's just I'd be using a number instead of the object name. If I could type a range, I could use just one block to react to all those objects. Hence my being here on Arrays.

[@LetsLearnThisTogether]

Hmm, maybe we’re not communicating clearly. I think I understand what you’re trying to do, and the solution I suggested would have you create just one array and then one variable in each object. You don’t need a lot of code. The mouse object has an array of all the different sprites it can be. The other objects just contain a number, an index in that array, that the mouse changes to when it’s colliding with them.

[@whoolieman]

nice tut !

[@elbituan]

My friend, for some reason the machine translation subtitles are failing, can you please verify your video in video editing CC options and validate the overlap?

[@Orangetictac]

Did you figure out how to not have it go a mile a minute at the 12:47 mark without slowing the room down? This is what I am stuck on, trying to get text to stay there for a while but picking randomly after that while is down. Thanks!

[@marzipug5439]

I assume you could put the code to randomly draw the text in an alarm with a timer on it. Just set the alarm to room_speed*(seconds) and then make sure to reset the alarm to make it loop (put alarm[0] = room_speed*(seconds) at the end of the alarm[0] event.)

[@Troylglover]

how do I write this, outside of a 'text' ? I can't figure out how to write the random 'menu' menu[0] = "0"; //E menu[1] = "45"; //NE menu[2] = "90"; //N menu[3] = "135"; //NW menu[4] = "180"; //W menu[5] = "225"; //SW menu[6] = "270"; //S menu[7] = "315"; //SE menu[irandom(array_length_1d(menu)-1)]; if(menu = 0){ sprite_index = sguardwalke; } else if(menu = 1){ sprite_index = sguardwalkne; }

[@LetsLearnThisTogether]

The problem I see is you're wrapping your integers (numbers) in quotes, which makes them a string. You can store anything in an array. Remove the quotes. Then when you compare, be sure to use == instead of just = (I know GM won't throw a fit most of the time, but it's better to learn good coding habits now). After that, it should work, because you'll no longer be comparing a string to a number, but a number to a number.

[@Troylglover]

@@LetsLearnThisTogether Thank you for helping me. I made the changes. It only chooses either 0 or 180 but the sprite_ index wont change. I'm very new to GMS, I don't see what I'm wrong lol

[@mchsprod]

I was a bit “eh” about arrays until you talked about the for loop not caring about the amount of items. At that moment I had flashbacks to programming with Scratch, having to make a new variable for every item, having to copy code and dealing with so many problems. I knew arrays were helpful, but you made me realise that a world without arrays would be a nightmare.

[@LetsLearnThisTogether]

Glad to hear I was able to induce flashbacks to traumatic events :)

[@naelpontes8444]

You can also make an empty array by just typing smth like array_name = [ ] , iirc

[@lauren9290]

that do be useful

[@realpunkfruit]

i think i have arrays down, for loops are still giving me a headache tho ;P

[@LetsLearnThisTogether]

Yep, sounds about right. They take a lot of practice, so just don’t give up.

[@sev7nsev7n7]

how can I use an array as a variable, and if any of the elements in there is true then do whatever?

[@LetsLearnThisTogether]

Just like anything else in GMS. myArray[0] = true; myArray[1] = false; Your variable is myArray and then you've got index's you access with the brackets []. If you put a value in there, then you can access it, but if you don't and try to access it you'll get an error.

[@Troylglover]

I have this in the create event menu[0] = 0; menu[1] = 45; menu[2] = 90; menu[3] = 135; menu[4] = 180; menu[5] = 225; menu[6] = 270; menu[7] = 315; image_speed = 1; -------------------------------------------------------------- I have this in the spacebar event menu[irandom(array_length_1d(menu)-1)]; if(menu == 0) {sprite_index = sguardwalke;} else if(menu == 1) {sprite_index = sguardwalkne;} else if(menu == 2) {sprite_index = sguardwalkn;} else if(menu == 3) {sprite_index = sguardwalknw;} else if(menu == 4) {sprite_index = sguardwalkw;} else if(menu == 5) {sprite_index = sguardwalksw;} else if(menu == 6) {sprite_index = sguardwalks;} else if(menu == 7) {sprite_index = sguardwalkse;} this is the error message I get Error : gml_Object_oguard_KeyPress_32(0) : malformed assignment statement

[@LetsLearnThisTogether]

Upload your project somewhere and send me the link, I'll take a look at it. You can also email me at [e-mail]

[@Troylglover]

@@LetsLearnThisTogether do you have dropbox?

[@LetsLearnThisTogether]

Sure do.