iOS GMS2 & Mobile Game Development challenges!

Q

QatariGameDev

Guest
Hi GMfolks,

Not sure if this only me or not, But since GMS 2 released, I started to see the most games have been published or promoted in YoYo Games mostly are pixel arts or retro-inspired games that targeting the consoles (Switch, PS4, etc..).

That's fine, But for mobile game development, I see Game Maker Studio 2 still require more features to ease the process.

1- The camera and game resolutions system:
This requires too much work to make you adapting all the mobile screen resolutions compared to other competing game engines, Or the game will be stretched horribly if not designed wisely.

2- True vector graphics support:
I know this feature already in Game Maker Studio 2, but I don't see much spotlight or tutorials to encourage the usage, Even with bitmap sprites, I made a comparison with Game Maker sprites scaling with another game engine, Game Maker result still look more pixelated and blurred, Why?

3- In-game loading scenes/levels over the network feature:
Not sure if this supported or not, But when developing a mobile game you might end with huge file size, How we surpass this issue for mobile games?

4- Multiplayer support for Mobile Games: Even Game Maker Studio support networking but compared to Unity3d and Unreal engine for mobile games, Game Maker Studio 2 is not recommended for making mobile online games (Correct me here if I am wrong)

Despite the points I have listed, I still believe the camera and screen resolutions set up in Game Maker Studio 2 requires more focus to ease the process for the game developers, This purely an opinion and I might be all wrong.

Thank you.
 

Toque

Member
I think mere numbers are in play here.
More people use pc and not Mac.
Pc games over mobile.
I had some of these same concerns for mobile.

I’ve been told I’m not a real gamer because I developed and play mostly mobile games. Mobile games are not serious or real games.

But a lot of good mobile games have been made with GM.
 
Q

QatariGameDev

Guest
I’ve been told I’m not a real gamer because I developed and play mostly mobile games. Mobile games are not serious or real games.

This very shallow, Mobile game scene is a huge market and very rewarding, Not only just for casual gaming, Most organizations and companies in my country are investing in Mobile games. Especially games for kids and educational purpose.

For example, see Unity3d and buildbox, Thier games more polished for mobile, See for instance the PUBG how the mobile version helped it for thier success, Casual gaming is a huge market, ignoring the market exists is very stupid.
 

Toque

Member
People are entitled to their opinions.
It doesn’t bother me.

I’m not sure I would say mobile is being ignored.
Updating the different ads and store changes is a lot of work.

I just noticed my previous engine made mobile publishing easy and and simplified handling different screen ratios.

But I’m still learning basic GML. I can’t blame GM because I’m old and slow.

Your opinions are valid.
 
Q

QatariGameDev

Guest
I just noticed we are lack of having multi-screen resolutions simulator testing integrated within GameMaker Studio 2 when we run the game in testing. A feature like this can save us a lot of time instead of changing the codes manually in GML or room settings; Perhaps we can assign different mobiles and tablets devices aspect ratios in the Preferences?
 

Toque

Member
A mobile preview run would be great. Preview with drop down menu with different ratios and you could add custom ones....... select the ratio you want. My Previously used engine had this.

I guess we could add to GM feature request?

I have been developing for mobile for 4 years but only started with GM for a short time.

I know there are mobile devs here on the forums. My experience you will get little response.

My unscientific biased opinion is the vocal majority of forum users are not mobile devs. A very friendly and helpful bunch. I’m not bashing them at all.

But they are not going to be asking for mobile specific features. I would think they would oppose them and want other things added or fixed.

My humble opinion. I wish to be proved wrong.

I try and support iOS mobile users by downloading and playing / feedback/ testing any game posted.

Funny. An hour ago I thought about posting a mobile design topic. But I didn’t bother as I didn’t think there would be any interest.
 
Q

QatariGameDev

Guest
A mobile preview run would be great. Preview with drop down menu with different ratios and you could add custom ones....... select the ratio you want. My Previously used engine had this.

I guess we could add to GM feature request?

I have been developing for mobile for 4 years but only started with GM for a short time.

I know there are mobile devs here on the forums. My experience you will get little response.

My unscientific biased opinion is the vocal majority of forum users are not mobile devs. A very friendly and helpful bunch. I’m not bashing them at all.

But they are not going to be asking for mobile specific features. I would think they would oppose them and want other things added or fixed.

My humble opinion. I wish to be proved wrong.

I try and support iOS mobile users by downloading and playing / feedback/ testing any game posted.

Funny. An hour ago I thought about posting a mobile design topic. But I didn’t bother as I didn’t think there would be any interest.


Agreed,

Since GMS 1 the mobile was the primary thing for Game Maker Studio back then. But since they started to support consoles they almost didn't improve much more for the mobile workflow compared to other 2d game engines. That respected because it's not the main focus for YoYoGames and they have a small team.. But I see they focus mostly on pixel games recently, which it's not much fit for smartphones due to frequent changes in aspect ratios which will harm their design.

BTW, I have checked this in GMS2 Roadmap:
Mobile Templates - indication of what room views will look like on popular platforms.
Hopefully this will be considered in the next updates.

link:
https://help.yoyogames.com/hc/en-us/articles/231719448-GMS2-Roadmap
 
Q

QatariGameDev

Guest
you could use the Android Virtual Device
Still requires to compile even on testing for Android devices, It will be useful to be able switching aspect ratios within game running on windows/mac.
 

Toque

Member
So out of GM feature games first 60 titles 4 are mobile. So thats like 5%. Not sure if thats a reflection of their customer base but I don't think mobile dev is a huge market for them.

I hope to keep learning and getting better. Try and publish some good mobile games and maybe get some mobile attention. If people see GM as a mobile dev tool it could attract new customers. That could motivate GM to put some time and money into mobile feature requests.

I really don't want to turn it into a desktop vs mobile thing. They need to keep desktop customers happy.

I don't think they would have to do much to make it a bit more mobile friendly though. But as you see from the lack of posts on this thread there isn't much motivation?

I am glad you posted it though. Thanks
 

Toque

Member
https://www.appbrain.com/stats/libraries/tag/game/android-game-libraries

380000 Game Apps are at Google Play
2570000 Apps are at Google Play * 0.0035 (% of GMS Apps) = 9000 GMS Apps at Google Play

lets say every dev has 3 Apps --> 3000 GMS Devs
Those numbers on the link don’t add up. I would have to read more. There are over 2 million games in the google play store?? Many engines not mentioned. Only adds up to 27%.


Lifetime vs current. My point was GM users not store numbers.
Sorry not sure what it’s all about.
 

FrostyCat

Redemption Seeker
Except for point 2 which is a genuine no-contest, every other point on your list is basically the fault of unskilled usage or technically improper GML fashion trends, not of GMS 2 itself.

1- The camera and game resolutions system: This requires too much work to make you adapting all the mobile screen resolutions compared to other competing game engines, Or the game will be stretched horribly if not designed wisely.
Deliberate design has always been part of the handling resolution diversity, no matter the engine. Examples include 9-patches instead of naive scaling (which has solutions in the Marketplace), fraction-of-screen dimensions instead of hard-coded dimensions (which is just additional math in the Draw and Draw GUI events), and separate landscape and portrait designs instead of one-size-fits-all designs (which is just a matter of self-initiative). In addition, because things may not stay at the same coordinate from resolution to resolution, doing this properly requires a strong separation of model from presentation, which has been chronically under-promoted in GMS 2 despite it being technically attainable and proper.

Besides, adapting to mobile screen resolutions is something you should have done in the wireframing phase of the design, not in the phase where you're implementing code logic. It's not GMS 2's fault that you struggle by being too visual a coder or doing things out of sequence.

3- In-game loading scenes/levels over the network feature: Not sure if this supported or not, But when developing a mobile game you might end with huge file size, How we surpass this issue for mobile games?
Level editors have been possible and achieved in GM for a long time, and this is just adding a new http_get_file() call on top. Nobody with a genuine grasp of data structures and file handling would struggle with this. You questioning the possibility of this severely undermines your credibility.

4- Multiplayer support for Mobile Games: Even Game Maker Studio support networking but compared to Unity3d and Unreal engine for mobile games, Game Maker Studio 2 is not recommended for making mobile online games (Correct me here if I am wrong)
GMS 2 is perfectly fine for making the user-end mobile client, again I have no idea where you got your news from. What I would not recommend are: 1) writing the server in GMS 2, and 2) attempting an online or commercial GMS 2 mobile project without knowledge of Java and Objective C.
 

Mool

Member
380000 Games at Google Play
2570000 Apps (Games + Other stuff like Tools; Flashlights etc) at Play Store

Yeah it just shows us all devs not the current ones.
 
Q

QatariGameDev

Guest
Deliberate design has always been part of the handling resolution diversity, no matter the engine. Examples include 9-patches instead of naive scaling (which has solutions in the Marketplace), fraction-of-screen dimensions instead of hard-coded dimensions (which is just additional math in the Draw and Draw GUI events), and separate landscape and portrait designs instead of one-size-fits-all designs (which is just a matter of self-initiative). In addition, because things may not stay at the same coordinate from resolution to resolution, doing this properly requires a strong separation of model from presentation, which has been chronically under-promoted in GMS 2 despite it being technically attainable and proper.

Besides, adapting to mobile screen resolutions is something you should have done in the wireframing phase of the design, not in the phase where you're implementing code logic. It's not GMS 2's fault that you struggle by being too visual a coder or doing things out of sequence.
To clear things up, I am still experimenting and constructing this feature by implementing various ways using mathematic equations which effect rooms, cameras view, and GML display functions to create universal resolutions for mobile/tablet devices. The problem is not about GMS2 possibilities; It's more about the lack of faster approach, For example, the why of Canvas in Unity3d and other game engines already doing proper scaling from the background when you use it, Having an alternative fast way to do the scaling will help a lot of developers. The point of using GMS2 or any other game engine to have a speedier way of building the game.


Level editors have been possible and achieved in GM for a long time, and this is just adding a new http_get_file() call on top. Nobody with a genuine grasp of data structures and file handling would struggle with this. You questioning the possibility of this severely undermines your credibility.
I wasn't aware of this possibility for iOS/Android mobile games besides windows, and I remembered I have struggled to access user contents or getting clouds files into mobile projects.


GMS 2 is perfectly fine for making the user-end mobile client, again I have no idea where you got your news from. What I would not recommend are: 1) writing the server in GMS 2, and 2) attempting an online or commercial GMS 2 mobile project without knowledge of Java and Objective C.
As far as I know, The network system is not useable for Massive Online Multiplayer Games on mobile and not recommended compared to other game engines like unreal or unity. Even a udemy course from an expert game maker developer and he managed a python server to support GMS, Claiming the same thing?
https://www.udemy.com/suspendee-networking-with-gamemaker-studio/
 

FrostyCat

Redemption Seeker
As far as I know, The network system is not useable for Massive Online Multiplayer Games on mobile and not recommended compared to other game engines like unreal or unity. Even a udemy course from an expert game maker developer and he managed a python server to support GMS, Claiming the same thing?
https://www.udemy.com/suspendee-networking-with-gamemaker-studio/
I've dealt with that moron before. If I identified him correctly, he wrote the course with just under half a year of experience in Python under his belt, which may be enough for a rookie but definitely not enough for an instructor. It's probably his code that is unsuitable for MMORPGs, not GMS 2.

And you don't have to use the built-in functions, there is such thing as third-party API integrations available through extension work. Look on the Marketplace and you can find a number of pre-built solutions. You might not want them now because some of the solutions are overcharging in a virtual monopoly, but they are evidence that it's attainable with skill.

In short, if you're serious about this, don't count on GMS 2 being the only thing you need. When need arises, get a taste of what extensions are capable of and write some yourself.
 

Toque

Member
380000 Games at Google Play
2570000 Apps (Games + Other stuff like Tools; Flashlights etc) at Play Store

Yeah it just shows us all devs not the current ones.

I guess your saying that few games are made by GM currently published in the store?
So mobile devs are choosing other options for their dev?
So is that a problem? Does YOYO care? What can be done to the software to promote GM as a good mobile tool?

Is investing in GM for mobile a worthy investment?

What makes other software a more attractive option if that is true?

Better to focus on Desktop and consoles than mobile? Better profit margins in other platforms than mobile? Can't do everything for everybody?
 

Mool

Member
I think 0.35 % is still ok -> its 1.3% of all games. If you click on GameMaker at that AppBrain Website you can see there are good games made with it.

The only problem I have with GM is the long respond time if you have a bug.
I cant for example use the new runtime, because of bugs. Its not a problem to use the old one, but if google wants some critical changes, then i have to update my runtime and then im fu**ed.
I had 2 times such prooblems now. That would be the only reason for changing to a other engine for me. (Imagine if you life from your apps)
 

Toque

Member
I think 0.35 % is still ok -> its 1.3% of all games. If you click on GameMaker at that AppBrain Website you can see there are good games made with it.

The only problem I have with GM is the long respond time if you have a bug.
I cant for example use the new runtime, because of bugs. Its not a problem to use the old one, but if google wants some critical changes, then i have to update my runtime and then im fu**ed.
I had 2 times such prooblems now. That would be the only reason for changing to a other engine for me. (Imagine if you life from your apps)

Interesting. My previous engine had a hard time keeping up with all the iOS and google play changes year to year...... Its not a GM specific problem.

If you have any iOS games send me a PM link. Happy to download and play your games. That goes to anyone else....

I will check out APP Brain website and look at those games as well.

Thanks.
 
Q

QatariGameDev

Guest
I've dealt with that moron before. If I identified him correctly, he wrote the course with just under half a year of experience in Python under his belt, which may be enough for a rookie but definitely not enough for an instructor. It's probably his code that is unsuitable for MMORPGs, not GMS 2.
This odd, The lack of in-depth multiplayer tutorials or tech-blogs, Made me believe the information in his udemy course is accurate, unfortunately.

And you don't have to use the built-in functions, there is such thing as third-party API integrations available through extension work. Look on the Marketplace and you can find a number of pre-built solutions. You might not want them now because some of the solutions are overcharging in a virtual monopoly, but they are evidence that it's attainable with skill.
Agreed, But most are provided with the risk of the developer to abandon them at specific version or become outdated or not compatible, Investing them in your mobile game have a higher risk with frequent changes and updates in the apps market.

In short, if you're serious about this, don't count on GMS 2 being the only thing you need. When need arises, get a taste of what extensions are capable of and write some yourself.
The lack of having time and technical skills is what holding me to write my GMS extensions. Because learning another game engine to develop a mobile game sometime is much faster than to then Game Maker Studio approach.
 
R

RobertoP

Guest
To clear things up, I am still experimenting and constructing this feature by implementing various ways using mathematic equations which effect rooms, cameras view, and GML display functions to create universal resolutions for mobile/tablet devices.
Hi QatariGameDev, I too am interested in using GM2 for mobile dev and discovered your thread after searching how to implement a universal view for the different screen ratios of iPhones and iPads. Just wondering if you were having any luck with implementing your universal view system? Not sure if you're happy sharing the knowledge or if you're looking to put it on the marketplace as a Project for sale. Either way, I'm interested to see how you go!

I'm curious to know how you're approaching it: (1) design for the 4:3 iPad and reveal more of the rooms to FILL the taller/wider iPhones; or (2) design for the tallest/widest iPhoneX and zoom out to FIT everything inside the iPad? I guess the method you choose would depend entirely on the type of game you're making. Would your system cover both, or was there another method you were investigating?

Anyway, sorry for all the questions - I just wanted to let you know that you're not alone in wondering about the best way to implement this :)

Cheers,
Roberto
 
Q

QatariGameDev

Guest
Hi QatariGameDev, I too am interested in using GM2 for mobile dev and discovered your thread after searching how to implement a universal view for the different screen ratios of iPhones and iPads. Just wondering if you were having any luck with implementing your universal view system? Not sure if you're happy sharing the knowledge or if you're looking to put it on the marketplace as a Project for sale. Either way, I'm interested to see how you go!

I'm curious to know how you're approaching it: (1) design for the 4:3 iPad and reveal more of the rooms to FILL the taller/wider iPhones; or (2) design for the tallest/widest iPhoneX and zoom out to FIT everything inside the iPad? I guess the method you choose would depend entirely on the type of game you're making. Would your system cover both, or was there another method you were investigating?

Anyway, sorry for all the questions - I just wanted to let you know that you're not alone in wondering about the best way to implement this :)

Cheers,
Roberto
Hi @RobertoP
No success just yet, If I have the solution I have no problem to share it, But sometime it may work great on iPad but stretched horribly on iPhone and vice-versa..

I tried to follow this blog and converted to GMS2 but no luck, It may work on a particular device but not the newer devices.
https://www.yoyogames.com/blog/65/scaling-for-devices-part-1-the-gui-layer
 
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