MASSIVE Changes to GameMaker -- JavaScript, Prefabs and Maybe C# Support Coming in 2024!

GameMaker have just released their developer roadmap for 2024 and wow are there some exciting new features on the horizon.
Features including:
- first class JavaScript support
- new Plugin system for extending GameMaker
- new UI system
- support for Prefabs
- and.... possibly C# support
Those are some pretty massive announcements.
Links
gamefromscratch.com/gamemaker...
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[@gamefromscratch]

Links gamefromscratch.com/gamemaker-in-2024/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Support* : www.patreon.com/gamefromscratch *GameDev News* : gamefromscratch.com *GameDev Tutorials* : devga.me *Discord* : discord.com/invite/R7tUVbD *Twitter* : twitter.com/gamefromscratch -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[@jdeckgaming3565]

Can you make videos on how to code in gamemaker studio

[@just_yuumi]

JS and (potential) C# support is massive, Godot is going to get huge competition in 2D with that, especially given Godot's approach to C# being a second-class language.

[@themore-you-know]

the prefab also looks AMAZING for gamejams; Now I wish Godot had that feature

[@GodotNoContext]

Godot suffers from NIH syndrome, trying to dominate the market with its in-house GDScript and whatnot. While GameMaker also has its own scripting language, it's more low-level in contrast to Godot's, making it more suitable for professional game development. Godot only added C# support because of an initial grant received with the help of the founder of the GNOME, Mono, and Xamarin projects, Miguel de Icaza. Ironically, Miguel now advocates for using SwiftGodot instead of Godot's C#. Which means that C# investment was largely wasted.

[@themore-you-know]

@@GodotNoContext , I know your position. I've watched some of your videos. Although you make many reasonable points, you seem more bitter than objective about the subject of Godot's development, per your lack of attempts at steelmanning the opposite camp's position.

[@GodotNoContext]

@@themore-you-know Yeah, because saying that someone is "bitter" is easier than responding to concrete arguments. The us-vs-them mentality is very prominent in the Godot community, one cannot even compare things without being labeled as a hater or similar. If you disagree with what I've said, make counterarguments, otherwise, what's the point of your comment? And for your information, bitter food is good for your health! 🙃

[@themore-you-know]

@@GodotNoContext , see: you did it again. I provided a constructive argument, and you just ignored it. Which goes back to my exact point about your flaws, and the reason why your communications cannot be trusted as face value.

[@foldupgames]

Using a mainstream coding language would be HUGE news! That would mean learning Game Maker would not be a dead end for new coders.

[@Xorcist77]

C# in GameMaker would be a GameChanger for me. I'd 100% be on board for that sooner rather than later.

[@yeanedits]

C# support would be wild. But the game maker language isn't that bad either.

[@tuures.5167]

Yea, as someone who learned to program with Game Maker and GML, I'll always have a soft spot for it ❤

[@phnkcell710]

Yeah a love it

[@BRBS360]

It's been some time since I used GameMaker, but does it still use a weird way to define colors, i.e. not the standard RGB(A)?

[@loli42]

​@@BRBS360 it wasn't that weird, it was just 0xBBGGRR format. but you can use #RRGGBB constants now.

[@Zizaco]

That might be true now. The older versions of GML were very, very limited.

[@Zizaco]

5:55 I totally agree. If they had C# a couple of years ago, Gamemaker would be the de facto standard for all games 2d. GML, their own proprietary language, is what kept me and many others away from Gamemaker. I remember that a few years ago they released an update that made GML less worse, but it was still very limited compared to most popular programming languages.

[@TechBoxNorth]

bringing in transferable skills like javascript and c# to GameMaker is very exciting news indeed!

[@loli42]

learning _any_ programming language is a transferrable skill.

[@bluzenkk]

I'll only try GM if they have C# full support.

[@musicdudem6673]

The language is so easy it’s not worth the wait

[@Starpelly]

@@musicdudem6673 Right, but the language is not *good*, that's the problem.

[@sattmowards]

@@Starpelly I agree, C# isn't the best of languages. Hopefully they reconsider and choose C++.

[@sssp3066]

@@sattmowards he is saying it for GML not C#

[@gludion]

Good news :) I investigated GM a few years ago. Surprisingly there was neither built-in support for "container" object or node hierarchy (ie move/rotate the container => all sub-objects move/rotate accordingly), nor animation/timeline editor. Although in simple situation it's usually possible to find an alternative, and "missing features" make the product easier to learn, it seems that some parts of GM still look like prehistory to me. (Plz reply if I missed GM updates)

[@darecagames]

nor animation/timeline editor = sequencer in Game Maker

[@in-craig-ible6160]

More choices to developers is always good.

[@TheMegamanan]

with C# and UI tools... i would consider trying gamemaker again

[@nullKass]

I read the Steam comments saying that the users who previously purchased GameMaker Studio 2 should purchase this one again to port mobile devices, is that true?

[@200percentmicky]

pretty much. correct me if im wrong, but afaik the steam license is linked to the gms2 runtime. once the gmrt runtime is release, you'll need to buy the license again. im unsure if the steam license ever had mobile exports...

[@kelownatechkid]

Reading and messing around with The Game Maker's Apprentice is one of my most precious memories. Glad to see the project continue to improve

[@ninstars]

They actually promissed JavaScript support a long time ago, it originally was in the roadmap for GameMaker Studio 2 before it released, and in all honesty, now that they are going to do that (and potentially C#) I don't understand why they had to turn GML into a frankenstein with the changes made in 2.3, not that the features added were not good, but doesn't fit the language design at all.

[@risingforce9648]

good desicion , I remember that days that Unity includede Java....I think Csharp it is huge in case to increase loyal competition.

[@nullx2368]

people love unity because of c#, num 1 reason. I'd try eny engine that has proper c# support and considers it a main language

[@disruptive_innovator]

Good news for devs, it's a fun engine. I remember when they messed with my perpetual license by changing the terms of service, similar to the shenanigans that Unity tried recently so it just isn't my jam anymore. But this sounds cool for non-jaded folks.

[@iampremo]

The commercial terms for your perpetual licence never changed, new products and subscriptions were introduced but nothing you had purchased was ever lost

[@disruptive_innovator]

​@@iampremo That was not true at the time. Not at all. In fact for a while opening the app and logging in forced users out of their perpetual license and into the new recurring one. This has been since rectified, but that was a very unpleasant experience when it first happened. Its funny how new people insist this never occurred. It did.

[@iampremo]

@@disruptive_innovator the ide cannot change anything about your licences, it can only be told what you own so there is no way that it "forced you into a subscription".. there are occasions when the ide can't get your licence or it thinks that it's logged in when it not, which might make it look like you dont have a licence. The only time when things have been removed were for uwp and tizen but support for those was stopped so that's a different thing. As for new users weighing in on things, I wouldn't know about that, I've been using GM pretty much every day for the last 12 years ;)

[@disruptive_innovator]

​@@iampremo no, the license was temporarily converted into something like a 1 year subscription and the engine updated to the subscription version when logged into the editor. Both things have since been corrected, after many complaints and apparently forgotten about. I love that you think I meant that the Editor was randomly changing licenses, that is not what happened ;)

[@kirkfriend5410]

Javascript support is a game changer. What personally put me off about GM was using their own proprietary language.

[@loonatron4524]

@@_I-OvO-I_ Well, if I write a book in tilimilitryamski language, are you gonna learn it in order to read my book?

[@loli42]

​@@loonatron4524don't compare learning a written/spoken language to learning a programming language unless you think you can parse a syntax tree for english. most programmers know a dozen programming languages, because learning a new language after your first one takes a matter of hours. that's why GML is so valuable; it's a very low friction way to learn the basics of programming.

[@kirkfriend5410]

@@_I-OvO-I_ but it serves no purpose outside of GM. If I can use something that I use daily at work then that would be preferred. I'm not hating on GML I don't know it and have no interest in learning it. Which is why I've never tried GM.

[@AliceErishech]

@@kirkfriend5410 There's not a huge amount of difference between JavaScript and GML to begin with. I'm not sure why people would complain about GML when everyone seems to love Godot's GDScript despite it being based on Python, which means that its application to other languages is much more limited than GML which at least has a similar structure to basically any C-style language. (Though GDScript could be worse, it could be LUA instead, in which case I'd have entirely passed oneven trying the engine.)

[@Derrickasaur]

@@AliceErishech exactly, GML is based on JavaScript anyway - as a newcomber to GM a couple years ago for a gamejam it took me about 10 minutes of coding in it to start longing for the ability to just use JavaScript; to any JS coder it feels like handicapped so this is the right move now GML can get out of the way and we have a vastly more robust API to work with.

[@Dustpetro]

They're finally really trying to take hold of the 2d game dev market now! If they throw c# into the fray, the userbase will skyrocket. I can't wait to see a year after that happens as we'll be getting loads more tutorials/assets/extensions!

[@WorstDeveloper]

I wonder if the JS support also includes TS. If Game Maker does not support TS I'm not sure if it's worth it for me.

[@terohannula30]

JS will come first, and TS will come later.

[@WorstDeveloper]

@@terohannula30 Where did you find out about that?

[@Derrickasaur]

TS is pointless there is no performance benefit and it increases debugging complexity. Not to mention that flexible types in JS is a huge benefit you can use to your advantage in gameplay control flow (you can make your functions do different things and handle different situations depending on type and/or number of parameters supplied). If you want strict types use a language like C++ that actually has tangible performance benefit.

[@yojanselcuevas9829]

Wow! 2 big updates in 1 month. They're really getting serious

[@musicdudem6673]

Gotta go heavy for that unity refugee crowd

[@brodriguez11000]

@@musicdudem6673 Except one's 2D, while other is 3D.

[@chrismcpherson7582]

​@@brodriguez11000Unity has been used to make thousands of 2D games you chud

[@musicdudem6673]

@@brodriguez11000 unity has made a lot of 2d stuff

[@DragoniteSpam]

They've been pretty regular with updates for a while, the last few are just the ones that got the attention of GFS

[@igorgiuseppe1862]

great moves, but a bit too little too late for me, sticking with godot, but that is great news for those who still use game maker.

[@Freiheit-XXL]

thanks Mike,. can we use GameMaker on Linux too?

[@rolandixor]

Yes

[@Cineas127]

@@rolandixor The Ubuntu version of the IDE is still in beta, though

[@rolandixor]

@@Cineas127 True, but it's usable at least. Personally, I haven't done more than looked around in it (last used GM in version 6, so it's very unfamiliar now), but it did at least run smoothly for me.

[@lucazfc]

These "prefabs" are not exactly like unity prefabs or godot scenes. They are meant to be shared "between completely different projects" and the way they will be shared is using the package manager. I don't use game maker but I suppose that even before this update nowadays game maker must have some kind or mechanism for you to create say, an enemy object (I'll use the word "object" just to avoid using "prefab") and instantiate the same object in completely different scenes in the same project.

[@terohannula30]

Yeah, in GM a "object" is its own asset type, which you use to create instances. Now what I have understood of Prefabs in context of GameMaker, is that those can be any assets, not just objects. This would be really useful with your own libraries, so you don't need to copy them separately to each project, and maintaining them would be much easier

[@Derrickasaur]

As JS/HTML5 native coder primarily I have been using JS modules for re-useable game code for a longtime; and npm is handy for managing multiple versions of said modules ie- so that you don't break your old games when you want to add (or break, ahem) a feature to the module when hacking out features on a newer game (and you can use npm pack + npm link to do this all locally without needing to use the public registry btw). Given Opera's obvious web roots I can only guess they see this exact benefit and wish to bring that same versioning pattern into their prefabs which will very likely look and or simply be ES modules (and an ES module can simply be an object or a class so yeah)

[@patrickcarter1820]

JS support will be amazing.

[@JC-jz6rx]

JS is huge. I have never bothered learning gm because their language is proprietary. I make a living as a web dev. And learning something I’ll never use in the wild feels like a waste. Especially when I’m not counting on any money from game dev. Now atleast I can practice my JS skills and dev at the same time

[@judejanith]

Just wondering whether I choose gDevelop or Game maker?

[@TeckGeck]

It all depends on your personal preference I've been using GDevelop for 2 years now, GDevelop is perfect for beginners and it's free to use. Though the new Game Maker developments makes me wanna test it out

[@judejanith]

@@TeckGeck Thanks! I've used gDevelop for several projects. I used to work as a 3D designer with Unity/ Godot as well. So I kinda miss attaching events/ scripts to separate game objects (so they can act as independent prefabs) because it's quite familiar to me. I wonder whether some engines have this feature for non-coding people like me. I love gDevelop's easy learning curve compared to other engines but lack of the "object oriented programming" thing, I am exploring other options to switch for my own 2d game

[@neonswift]

Tue javaxcript addition seems like nothing to me. Gml is already somethinf you cak write in a very javascript like aybtax. Theres also elements of c# to it too. So im not clear yet in how js cosibg would actually be any sifferent. I could see c# being very different as there are very specific ways functions and sybtax work. But well need to aee it in action.

[@mohsenafshan7908]

it's nice to see gm having a comeback. specially with adding JavaScript.

[@noiJadisCailleach]

GM is making a comeback... But not GML. Seems they're having a hard time solving its problems so they're passing the ball to JS (and later C#) so it's not their problem anymore. It's exciting, funny, and sad at the same time. Kinda like a sweet, sour, and salty candy! LOOOOL!

[@jackssrt]

is the "kkl" at the end of the title intentional?

[@gamefromscratch]

Totally a coded secret message and not me screwing up... :)

[@MangaGamify]

i think his hands slipped to l, and was suppose to be kkk

[@sherekhangamedev]

Kudos, those are important changes, more options for all. I'll keep with GMS.

[@antoniocapraro89]

C# would be a big thing

[@WagnerGFX]

I understand C# support, that can bring in users from Unity, Godot and a few other engines. Since it's compiled, multiplatform, strongly typed and somewhat versatile language. But why Javascript? Since they already have their own language, having to support 3 languages can become quite troublesome, even Unity dropped mono in favor of C#. The only thing I can imagine is that they are considering sunsetting their own language in favor of Javascript, that is quite similar, but more mature and widely known.

[@hipflipped]

They're desperate. Realize they're becoming quickly irrelevant.

[@meosart1758]

I want to learn JavaScript for a long time but don't have a real reason for it. Well it's may be it

[@Volt-Eye.]

JS for sure makes the deal for me.

[@kirkfriend5410]

I was literally thinking just that.

[@jugibur2117]

May I ask why? Is the JS so much "nicer" or "better" or is it simply because you have a lot of practice at it?

[@sshmru]

@@jugibur2117 because building you experience (and your own code for further use) in JS has great market value I'd argue even better than c# because i think its closer from gamedev to frontend than to backend

[@kirkfriend5410]

@@jugibur2117 it's not so much JS being better, I can't say for sure since I don't know GML but I have a lot of experience in JS. Also let's say your not a programmer using GM but want to eventually get a job as a programmer in the future, you would have lots of experience in JS already and could find it easier getting a job in web development.

[@Volt-Eye.]

@@jugibur2117 Web Games, It can help me build games for jams better as JS builds for web are lighter than Web Assembly.

[@erikafurudo9960]

When unity trying to self destruct, other engine trying to get better.

[@zestaboy2455]

thats cool. I might mess around with it. Godot is based though

[@helloward9759]

I wonder why they picked Javascript? Just because it's so ubiquitous I guess. I think C# would be the better play. There's already a ton of code examples out there for gamedev and it would allow them to snipe some of Unitys users.

[@Derrickasaur]

And because GML is already based on JavaScript; it's essentially a fork of an early JavaScript much like ActionScript was back in the day. Plus its highly modular and modules can be extremely lightweight like we are talking a one line object if you so desire; it looks like their prefabs will essentially be a JavaScript object you can then save to a file and re-use across different projects ala npm pattern.

[@RprtBak]

C# support would 100% make me use GameMaker. I hate gml and same thing with godot and gdscript. I know Godot has C# support but it's always been a pain and has a ton of issues. I wish there was an engine w/ C# support that WASN'T UNITY.

[@_billz_]

I couldn’t agree more!

[@blossomcherrypink]

My experience with Godot's C# was so bad I don't care at all about what language the engine supports. Just give me an option that actually works. I'm trying out GDevelop with JS scripting and its fine.

[@ahettinger525]

Both Flax and Stride are C#.

[@Derrickasaur]

Just learn JavaScript, it's like C# but without all the rigaramorol and way more useful. Just imagine you are coding in C# but now you can take off the shackle of classes and abuse and refactor functions on a whim without worrying about types (the chad pattern in JS is to use types as a form of control flow; ie- you can craft your functions to do different things depending on the type of parameter coming down the chute)

[@_billz_]

As someone who grew up on GameMaker, GML isn’t bad and they’ve made great additions to the language in the last few years. However, JavaScript and C# would be absolutely incredible and I can’t wait because I love the C# language

[@karlstenator]

I for one welcome our new Javascript overlords!

[@LukanSpellweaver]

The C# support is most likely just for plugins to the IDE, not writing games in. I can't say for sure, but I am a user and active community member, and that seems to be the overall feeling towards it. The IDE is written in C#.

[@MangaGamify]

Thanks for the info, finally a realistic user, most comments are like what I call "passive support" or some sort of self-validation, aka "it's good something adapted a langauge I used for years" "maybe I'll deliver something once it actually pops off", mostly just self-validation for the langauge they used. I'm happy that more languages are supported indirectly or not, but to see the ratio of positive comments to deliveries is still yet to be seen.

[@iampremo]

IDE is C# but this is for the runtime so will be for your games :)

[@TakinDrasticMeasurez]

GML syntax is so similar already to C#, but adding full C# support would be wild and amazing!

[@awfyboy]

With all these big engines focusing on being the industry standard, GameMaker feels like a breath of fresh air. It's so fun to use and easy to learn. I love GML and coding in the engine is so fun. There is a reason why developers still use GameMaker to this day for 2D projects, and even for some 3D projects as well. It's just good fun.

[@ahettinger525]

It also makes me wonder if this language support additions will increase the binary's size.

[@karlstenator]

Why does that even matter? Disk space is cheap.

[@ahettinger525]

@@karlstenator In so far as we're just talking about storage, it's not as cheap on a cellphone (which gamemaker does support) There's also the _time_ to download your game, and the time for the player to load it. All of that time is a worse user experience. To take a bit from another industry, Google didn't win because their search was any better, they won because it was _faster;_ the speed alone was a better experience.

[@karlstenator]

@@ahettinger525 ahh I understand your concern now. Only a comparison of their compilers (there's a couple of them) over time can tell us if that's the case. I would argue though that assets are always the first to address when it comes to size of an app.

[@Neds_Severed_Head]

In case people don't know - you keep any platform export licenses you bought before Opera took it over. Even if you haven't used it for years you should still be good.

[@bearsoundzMusic]

C# would be a ..game-make changer... Cant help thinking about what Game-maker would have been now, if Overmars havent sold to that horrible Yoyo-franchise. They broke all agreements, made existing licenses void, and removed all community mods & alpha-testers, With one swing of an axe! -Even removed us from the acknowledgment list.

[@terohannula30]

Originally YYG bought GameMaker from Overmars and they have developed the GM ever since. At one point Playtech acquired YYG, which in my opinion was bad for GameMaker and development stagnated, as Playtech just didn't give enough manpower for YYG. Now after Opera acquired YYG, the development speed has skyrocketed and YYG is much more open to talk and be in contact with community. I think during Playtech era they denied YYG employees from openly communicating.

[@Volt-Eye.]

8:06 Godohhttt ???

[@irql2]

Is he saying javascript like that on purpose? i know it aint just me lol

[@noiJadisCailleach]

So basically, because there's no easy way to implement dev-time friendly encapsulation in the language, they chuck in JS to solve all their problems. LOL! That's reeeeeally, really funny. LMAO!!! But okay, if JS is really integrated in gamemaker, and not just some sad implementation of it, i may just give gamemaker another go!

[@OscarTorresWork]

The era of Unity is over people are fed up of their nonsense looking into Godot and or this as well as Unreal.

[@thedrunkmonkshow]

Am I the only one hoping one of these modern game engines could provide support for VB? I mean...it's still .NET, can do just about everything C# can do, but then again I can see why there's no enthusiasm when Microsoft constantly prioritizes C# over it like a red headed stepchild. Such a fun and powerful language but what can you do given the circumstance they've created. 🤷‍♂

[@Derrickasaur]

yes

[@sean7221]

Gamemaker is not FREE or Opensource. It's just another Unity fiasco waiting to happen

[@ahettinger525]

Game Maker does have a free-as-in-beer option. Both that option and the paid option include the following langage "Unless required by law it is not permitted to make changes to this GameMaker Runtime Licence. In the event that a change is required you will be notified as soon as reasonably possible." That is _much_ stronger then Unity's license: "Unity may add or change fees, rates and charges for any of the Offerings from time to time by notifying you of such changes and/or posting such changes to the Offering Identification, which may include changes posted to the Site." (It's not as favorable as the MIT license, but it's definitely not similar to Unity)

[@jorgegomes83]

Everything in GameMaker comes way too late. By the way, this game editor should be called ChangeMaker. It has many things, except an identity.

[@consequenciasinimaginaveis6901]

Gamer maker is a thing of the pass. They made huge mistake with the subscription model. Godot is now the best engine for solo 2d devs.

[@Yusuf-ok5rk]

any man with 69 in their username speaks the truth. this is what I hold sacred.

[@Yusuf-ok5rk]

@@_I-OvO-I_ i am just a humble believer, but i have faith in the miracles.

[@backdoornight]

Wasn't that 10 years ago? GameMaker is literally free now.

[@terohannula30]

Nowadays you can use GM for free for non-commercial uses, and to go commercial, you need to pay single $100 license. Couple years back GM did adopt subscription model, but then luckily they changed to current model. Originally GM sold export target specific licenses.

[@disruptive_innovator]

@@backdoornight all I know is fool me once with a change of the ToS when I pay a couple hundred for a product and spend time and money developing in, attempting to turn off a perpetual license and forcing a pricey and unexpected subscription model on me, well... you never get to fool me again.

[@hipflipped]

Lol someone is concerned about Godot.

[@soran2290]

Godot is better 😊

[@Aliismail3D]

We need to have other options to choose from. Godot was suspiciously funded by big corps like Google through Bradley M.Kuhn and Karen Sandler in Brooklyn NY.

[@charlieking7600]

Only by license.

[@DylanMatthewTurner]

Still worse than GameMaker 8.1

[@chrismcpherson7582]

What's your reasoning for this position?

[@DynoStorm]

I know a lot of people like the super-old versions of game maker. Can you tell me more?

[@DylanMatthewTurner]

@@DynoStorm I think a big part of it is removal of very useful features (some of which were added back but behind a steep paywall; most were not added back).

[@DragoniteSpam]

@@DylanMatthewTurner Such as? The only runtime features that are gone from the pre-Studio versions are a handful of Windows API calls that either don't work cross-platform or don't work at all in Current Year, and the ability to execute code strings on the fly which was a bad idea anyway.

[@backdoornight]

GameMaker is free, with an one-time license purchase of $99 if your game is ready for commercial release and you expect to sell it.