To make a variable simply type:

var variablename;

Variables are used in almost every script of code that you will ever write. Why because variables store information!
You can type:

var hello;
hello = 2

And now hello is storing the number to 2, or in other words hello now has the value of  2. Variables are not very limited. You can store text as well! Normally when writing code it's called a string. 

var hello;
hello = string('Hello world!')Now the variable hello is storing the string "Hello World!"

You can use this variable to say this to the user like this:
var hello;
hello = string('Hello world!')
show_message(hello);
When you run this code, a box will pop up and say: Hello world! Why? Because you are using a function called show message, this function shows a message to the user in a pop up box, and when you told it to display the information held by the variable hello it did and the information of hello is the words "Hello world!". You do not have to use variables. You can just say:

show_message('Hello World!')

You might have noticed that this time inside the () I placed '' that is because that means that what ever I place inside those is a string. Before I wanted to use a variable that held a string, not a direct string. Going back to variables you can add them multiply them and divide them.

var hello, hi, greetings;
hello = 3 +4
hi = 5 * 6
greetings = hi - hello
show_message(greetings);

If you run this code then you will see the number 23.
That is because the script was run from top to bottom (as always) and it first established that there were 3 variables hello hi and greetings, then it realized that hello = 3+4 it added it up and knew that hello = 7, then it saw that hi = 5*6, a definite 30, then it saw that greetings = hi - hello, knowing that hi = 30 and hello = 7 it arrived at the conclusion of a total 23. Then it was told to tell the user in a pop up box what it had just found out: what does greetings =?                                             
                                                 23!

So you see, it's very simple. You just got the computer all exited and let him tell you what he found out. No. Actually you just made a program that calculates variables and displays the answer to the user. 


                                     Do you feel smart? 
     You should! Because you know now how to program with GML!
                                   Want to know more?
                         This post was a good start but,
                     for a really good gml reference got to: 

     http://www.gmdeveloper.com/gml/basic_programming

Due to a request the first subject that we will dive in to will be animation!

OK, this was going to be a long explanation of how to make animations but we are just going to cover the basics.
This, is Gamemaker's animations studio.
To get to it, (if you don't remember) you must first create a sprite.
Then click the edit button, and here you are.
We will start by clicking the new button right next to the green check mark. 
You will now see this:

The basic size which is right before you is 32 by 32 pixels, a perfect square. This is most likely the size that you will be using.
Draw whatever you want. Then create a new image. Then draw the same thing only slightly moved to the right, left, up, or down.
Or you can just leave it empty. (that will make it flash)
The more images the longer the animation. You can make a short animation and then stretch it using the stretch option in the animation menu at the top of the animation window. You can do a lot of other things like rotate:

This is a simple rotation animation. 
You can build off of this and create a animation of a person walking, talking, etc... I hope you got something from this if you want further detail please ask!

The gammaker UI is a simple drag and drop system with optional scripting. You don't really technically NEED any programming experience but if you do have it then the time that it takes to make a game is split in two. The UI is actually rally simple. You've got your, files, shortcut icons, and your main tool bar. 

                                                   (tool bar)
..........................................................................................................................

                                             (gamemaker UI)

As you can see above there is nothing intimidating about this UI, but the deeper you go the more confusing it gets with so many options.
Take the object for instance. The power CORE. Objects are simply programmable instances that Sprites are assigned to. (see image below)

As you can see there is a nice little system here.
It's called drag and drop. :) Surprise!
The area to the top left is where you can assign a sprite to the object.
The bottom left is where you can set basic things like: make the object Visible, or Make the object Solid, or set the depth, parent, and mask of the object. As you can also see there are to areas named: EVENTS and ACTIONS. You use these areas to assign behavior to the object. You simple set and event and then drag the actions that you want to be executed when that event occurs into the Actions area. 

Let's say that you want to create and assign a sprite to this object. You would click the new button below the sprite index layer, and then this would pop up! (see image below)

Very simple... Load, Save, and Edit sprite. Modify the sprite Mask,
set the origin for the sprite, etc...
When you press "Edit" it pulls this up: The animation screen.

AGAIN, very simple. You will find that everything is simple in gamemaker, and yes it is spelled that way if you were wondering by this point. 
Here is where you can create images or animations.
There are very simple options. These options will be explained later.

Here (the image above) you can create and edit your individual images. You have your basic pencil, stiles, eraser, tube, lines, squares, circles, smooth edged squares, selecting tools, text with editing features such as font, size, crossed out, underlined,etc..., the dump bucket, and change color. At the top you can toggle a pixel by pixel grid, copy, past, cut, zoom in and out. On the right you can see the basic color options.
One you create multiple different images you create a animation sequence like so:

This is an animation of a rotating smiley face.
You can easily create animations like this with the animation options from the animations drop down. It's on the top tool bar. You can grow, shrink, fade, rotate, stretch, and do a whole lot more with the animations drop down.


Ok now lets look at sound!
Here you can load, save, or edit your sounds.
Now gamemaker does not have the ability to edit sound so that button will just send you to whatever application you link gamemaker up with for editing sound, but you can mess around with the sound as you can see below.

sadly you can not mess around with the sound unless you have gamemaker pro. About 2/7ths of the total actions cannot be executed in gamemaker light (the free version). Honestly I just got gamemaker pro, and you can do most of the pro actions with out paying the $40 to get pro, by your self it just takes longer.

It's now time to take a look at backgrounds!

Creating a background is easier than making a sprite.
there are less options and only one image to construct:

Backgrounds are the background images for "Rooms" which we will get to in a moment.
That's it. It's kinda quick.

Now lets look at paths!

A Path is simply a Path that an object can fallow. You can tell an object to do so with the drag and drop actions.
It's simple: just click anywhere and a path will be created from the last dote to the next in straight lines. If you then select smooth curve then it will smooth out like you can see above. 

Now how about FONTS!

There is not much to know about these guys that you don't already know. Here is just where you can create and edit them like so: (see image above)

Ahhh, here is a fun little subject, TIME LINES!
Time lines are simply a sires of events that occur in the order of steps. Step 1,2,3,4,5 etc... You can assign these guys to your objects buy using drag and drop actions. 
You might have noticed that a time line looks like an object.
That's because of the actions. You see, when an object starts a time line, it does whatever you said to do in the time line created here: (see image below). As the object goes through the steps it performs the actions included in each step. 

For instance lets say that you are creating a dog for your game, and you want it to stand up, then look around, and then lay down again. You can do that with time lines by creating 3 steps: 1, 2, and 3. In step 1 you drag in an action that makes the dog stand up, then the next step you drag in an action that makes the dog look around, then finally in the 3rd step you drag an action that makes the dog lay down again. See, simple!

Ok last but not least, the ROOMS!
Rooms are really simple. A room is where you place the objects. Every level of the game, every menu and store, and even every pause screen is a room. A room is just a place where things happen.
We will go into more detail with every element that I just showed you and more in the next posts.
Thanks for reading!

(SGA) SimpleGamings Admin

We are sorry to say that because NO ONE participated in the project that it will not be continued. The good news is that we will now start posting actual tutorials here on this page! :)
So get ready to learn!

What should the game look like.
What is the feeling that the game gives you?
What should the panda look like?

For the first interaction we will decide: "What will you do?" and  "What will it look like?". Now is when you get to decide what the game thyme will be: 


Please answer these questions("What will you be able to do in the game? " and " What will it look like") with comments. If you have pictures for this interaction you can send them to us by clicking the icon below. Thank you!

If no one participates we will stop this project and go straight to actual tutorials. 

We will launch the adventure by taking a look at Design.
 Game design-


“A complex design activity that gives rise to games through the creation of rule sets, resulting in play.”


Game design is not what the game really is... it is how the game was made.


Game design is the layout, the thyme, and the principles of the game.

If you were to design a game you would first decide the game idea (the thyme).

"What will you do?" and "What will it look like?" Then you would create a game layout. You would diagram the game, and sketch the top view of a level. Then you would create the principles. How you can fight, if there is gravity, how you can move, what you can do, and so on.


For the first interaction we will decide: "What will you do?" and  "What will it look like?". Now is when you get to decide what the game thyme will be: 


Please answer these questions("What will you be able to do in the game? " and " What will it look like") with comments. If you have pictures for this interaction you can send them to us by clicking the icon below. Thank you!

Before we start here is a document that hopefuly will help you understand game development! 3D video games include more coordinates, functions, and variables. As well as 3D modules, textures, animations, ringing, skinning, sculpting, etc...

This document will focus on 2D game development.

A 2D video game is composed of music, sound effects, code, images, and animations.

These elements allow the player to hear, see, and interact with the game.

Most game development kits are folder databases. Unity and Game maker, are a widely used game development application that develop 2D and 3D games. This doc will use game maker. Every thing must exist somewhere, there must be space for the mass to exist in it. This space this area is classified in game maker as a room. A room is a level, menu, pause screen, and congrats page at the end of the game. A background image is assigned to the room, and a OBJECT is created. A object is a programmable file. A SPRITE (a image and or animation)is assigned to the object in order to make it visible. Every sprite has a collision mask. This mask is never visible in the game. A collision mask is the area that interacts with other masks. Because the sprite is assigned to the object so is the mask. Now the object is placed in the room. You can run the game, but nothing will happen although you will see a image in front of a background. Let's go back to the object. Now the object must react to keys being pressed or when it runs it to something else, so the object is programmed.

In the programming process due to specific events actions will occur, such as playing music, sound effects, creating other objects, and moving in certain directions. Multiple objects are created developing buttons, players, walls, bad guys, bosses etc... This is the basic jist of a 2 dimensional video game.

In this blog simplegamings and it's followers will create a game. Let me further specify. As we develop the game YOU and your friends can decide what the story will be, what features to have, and what the big idea of the game is. Once we get enough people leaving a comment saying "I will", we will launch the expedition of development. 

Spread the word!