From: kbaum@novell.com (Kirk A. Baum)
Subject: Re: GAME.MAKER
Organization: Novell, Inc., Provo, UT, USA
Distribution: rec
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 22:41:26 GMT

In article <1ef2ddINNe18@TIGER.ZOO.CS.YALE.EDU> stone-andy@cs.yale.edu (Andy Stone) writes:
>From: stone-andy@cs.yale.edu (Andy Stone)
>Subject: Re: GAME.MAKER
>Date: 18 Nov 1992 22:41:33 -0500
>
>In article <SPURCELL.92Nov18001251@galadriel.mcd.intel.com>
>spurcell@galadriel.mcd.intel.com (Stacy Purcell ~) writes:
>
>>   Have any of you ever used GAME MAKER from Recreational Software
>>   Designs? It is supposedly software to aid in creating arcade games
>>   and adventure games, sort of a video game construction kit.
>>
>>   It seems like it might be useful for amateurs like myself who are
>>   interested in game design. According to the ad opposite page 54 in the
>>   November 92 issue of Computer Gaming World,
>
>>     "GAME.MAKER requires an IBM AT compatible 286, 386, or 486 with a color
>>      VGA monitor and mouse. Joystick optional."
>
>>  The ad also offers the following information.
>
>>    "A technological breakthrough by Recreational Software Desings lets you
>>     do the impossible. Now you can create 256 color VGA computer games
>>     without programming.
>
>>      +Design unlimited number of animated monsters and good guys
>>      +Animated characters walk, run, fly, hop, pop from scene to scene
>>      +Design your own sounds
>>      +Make arcade and adventure games as unique as your imagination
>>      +Modify and enhance GAME.MAKER games"
>
>>   So, has anyone tried this product? If so could you comment on its
>>   good and bad points.
>
>>   thanks,
>>   -stacy
>
>	Yes, I've used Game-Maker quite extensively.  In fact, I've
>probably used it more then anyone else, because I also wrote it!
>Although in most cases my testimony would be suspect, in this case, it
>really is not.  Why?  Because there is NOTHING ELSE to compare it to --
>there isn't any competing product to steal our sales.  Also, realise
>that I COULD have pretended that I was not involved in the project, and
>applauded it profusely, but I feel that the product stands solidly on its
>own...
>	Basically, I designed Game-Maker to allow people who know absolutely
>nothing about programming or game theory to create action adventure, 
>action role playing (ie, the character can increase his/her/its hitpoints,
>get more damaging weapons, etc), or shoot'em up style games!  Apogee's
>Commander Keen is a good example of the style of game play, except that
>Game-Maker uses entirely 256color VGA, while Keen is 16color EGA.
>   	EVERY aspect of a game is defineable in Game-Maker.  Sections
>accessible from a main menu let the user create palettes, picture blocks,
>monsters, characters, background scenes/worlds, and sounds.  Games created
>using these tools can be played from the main menu, or converted to an .exe
>format and distributed as ShareWare to the world.  A single game can have
>30 scenes, each one over 60 times the size of the screen.  Player's move
>inside a scene via a smoothly-scrolling background (This is the New
>Technology part.  I am unaware of any other VGA game which utilises the FULL
>SCREEN and allows smoothly scrolling backgrounds).  Unlike many
>non-professional attempts, everything in a game is defined by the creator.
>You can draw all the graphics of the game, creating original characters,
>monsters, and scenes.  You can then define strengths, movement patterns, and
>death sequences for the monsters and characters.  Characters can also have
>starting hitpoints, lives, inventory, and money.  Scenes are made up of
>a 100x100 grid of blocks each of which can be solid walls, one-way doors,
>monsters, animations, objects, and can have gravity in 8 directions.
>	For the artistically uninclined, we have included lots of pictures,
>and a utility which will "steal" pictures from .gif files.
>
>The Drawback:
>	You will not be making 3-man year professional games.  We purposely
>did not make the product for Game companies (except prototyping)...It does
>make darn good ShareWare, and I think it is being used by several companies 
>to create a "marketing video game" (Whatever that is--we'll have to coin a 
>new term: "infogame" maybe?).   Order from KD software 1-800-533-6772. 
>About 89$.
>
>****  I know that this might be construed as an advertisement, so before
>I am flamed, I have two statements to make:
>
>	1:  This is a reply (ie I was asked).
>	2:  Game Maker is a completely new product type.
>
>
>							Andy Stone.
>						stonea@MINERVA.CIS.YALE.EDU
>-- 
>                                                  |  Andy Stone |      


I would like to see some examples of what this program can do before I
shell out $89.  Anybody know where some are?  How about the games that
come with Game Maker as examples?

Thanks,

Kirk A. Baum

kirk@ernie.cs.byu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.programmer