Task 2 Using 2D Game Engines

     Workflow

                                                                           Work Flow

Sprites

Sprites are the bitmap images that game maker uses for characters, props and backgrounds.

The name of your sprite is key as you need to go back and use the sprites again and again.

The sprite is in pixels and you can change the size of it as you like however as you  make a bigger sprite it will require more memory space from your pc. This also means if your sprite is of a large size (set by you) there can me more definition on it meaning you can put more detail on it as you design.

A collision mask also known as a kill box decides whether a character or prop is affected when it comes in contact. By modifying the sprite’s mask properties you can choose if the object is able to get hit or come in contact with other things.

Objects

This is the base of anything that moves (Player(s) ) or is animated. You can add events to an object to make it do certain things for example by choosing the step option under event you can give the object a loop of repeating an action. You can also choose how long the loop is for example if you want the object to stutter or shake you would make it happen for every frame of the game instead of a 5 second (Onwards) delay.

Coding

A hint is to help us understand what a code is so you know what the coding under it is for and means.

Codes are used to bind functions to keys for example ‘if keyboard_check (ord(‘’W’’))’’ means If the W key is pressed, the code above it will come into action.

You can be more specific on the movement of an object or the player when the button is pressed by putting in coordinates i.e on the axis.

Levels

The size of a level can be changed to your desire. You can  make it as big or small as you like but like a sprite, the bigger its size the bigger amount of memory will be used.

You can create a level to use the player and test the controls in. By enabling the player object for the level I can use the character see if the keys I binded in the coding function correctly.

Setting movement limits (Walls/Invisible walls)

This requires coding meaning you can limit quite a lot if you desire. For the player to stay within the level, there needs to be a limit set up around the level, like walls. You can choose where a player cant go or is stopped by coding restrictions to the player’s coordinates meaning he/she cannot go any further than the limit.

To create the wall, you will need to know the exact coordinate of the axis of the level so you do not end up limiting too much of the area in the level.

Scrolling background

Parallax scrolling is when the background of the game has more than one layer simultaneously moving/playing.

A background is made in an image editor where you can draw up many layers of backgrounds for example background1 can be the clouds (made by you) which moves at a faster rate than background2 which are trees. The maximum number of background layers you can have in Game maker are 8 layers that will play simultaneously.

Particle system effects

This function can give objects and characters a constantly animated look. For example by adding particle effects on a barrel I can make smoke come out of the top of it making it look a bit more logical. To add particles you code functions onto coordinates of the object and player.

Player Projectile and Sound

Player projectiles are projectiles that emit from the player when the bound key is pressed. To add this you must add a few events and write some code and add scripts in the events in order for a visible projectile to come out of the added points of creation on the axis.

To add sound you simply get a sound file that suits the projectile and add it from the sound option.

Animated enemy sprite

An animated enemy sprite is a set of images drawn or imported by you which move in a sequence for example one frame has a circle and a dot inside, for it to be an animated sprite the circle must move in the next frame so when played it works in a sequence to give a feel of animation.

Enemy object spawner

This is where and how your enemy objects spawn but not only that, you also choose how long the spawner takes to reset meaning when a new enemy spawns from the same spot or whether the spawner only works once for the level.

Enemy destroyed by lazer

For an enemy to be able to get destroyed by a lazer projectile shot by the player you must first add the basics i.e collision between the lazer projectile object and enemy object. Then you can go on to code particle effects that emit from the enemy when contact between the projectile and enemy object is made.

Enemy projectiles

In order to create projectiles that affect the player, you must create projectiles that are linked to the enemy object. Rather, inside the enemy object files.

The same procedure applies to enemy projectiles as the player lazer projectiles.

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