Game Mechanics Tutorials

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TinyGamesLab

Guest
Game Mechanics - TinyGamesLab

GM Version: 1.4 (Should work on v2 also)
Target Platform: ALL
Download: https://tinygameslab.itch.io/game-mechanics
Links: N/A

Summary:
Hello Folks!
I'm starting a biweekly series of tutorials focused on showing off how to adapt famous game mechanics into GMS.
The idea is to have a 10 - 20min video explaining how to get it done. Games will be simple but the mechanics will be complete and visuals will be ok.
I'll also post the final game is free to download at itch.io.

Tutorials:

Typing / Tapping Game:
First game is a tapping/typing game, like a game called Duelito. General idea is to use a ds_list to hold the sequence to be pressed and to have a state machine controlling it all.
It can be watched here:

Throwing / Hit Game:
This tutorial teaches you about a simple state machine that you can use yourself and about arithmetic to get everything right on the screen.

Flappy Bird
It's a tutorial on how to make a flappy bird type of game where we use a parallax effect for the background and a object spawner for the obstacles. I also did a state machine using a tip from @NeZvers .

Mahjong Connect as per @HW. request!
In this tutorial we'll be using a lot of recursive scripts and a ds_grid to keep track of all of our instances. It is definitely a more advanced tutorial but it is still doable within 30 minutes.

Tennis / Pong Game:
This time you'll learn how to create an awesome game similar to the Timber Tennis and the old school Pong game.
This tutorial also teaches you about easing and how to fake object height while handling collision.
It can be watched here:

If you have any comments, complaints or suggestions, feel free to reply!

Also, if you'd like to see me making a tutorial of a specific game, just let me know! I'll eventually run out ideas if the community does not help me out!

Rgds,
TinyGamesLab
 
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TinyGamesLab

Guest
I run out of space on the previous post so the tutorial list will continue on this one:

Don't Touch The Spikes
You can now create a game similar to "Don't touch the spikes" in less than 20 minutes! In this game you learn how to use a ds_list to keep track of the spikes positions and to use a script in order to populate such list.

Boulder Dashing
Learn how to create a boulder dashing game! In this game you'll learn about easing player movement and how to spawn objects randomly.

If you have any comments, complaints or suggestions, feel free to reply! I've received some feedback on youtube and I'll be including the asked tips on the next tutorial!
Rgds,
TinyGamesLab
 
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HW.

Guest
Nice videos! Here is an idea for your next game mechanics tutorial,

Please make another tutorial for a "Mahjong Connect" Game (not the standard regular mahjong game, but the "simpler" one which is more fun to play), it is widely known as "Onet Connect" classic game. Please google it for some details.

That should match with your theme, tiny/mini games video tutorial series.

Thanks and waiting for it to be uploaded soon :)
 
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TinyGamesLab

Guest
Hello @HW.
Thanks for the suggestion. I'm currently about to publish another video in the series but have already started working on the "Mahjong Connect" concept. As you can see the demo I"be built is working but I have to clean up the code to make a tutorial about it (It is using a lot of ds_lists, and when I mean a lot it means a whole lot). I've built a recursive script to see if the match is valid or not, since it was the first thing that came to my mind, but maybe there is a better solution (An A* modified algorithm would work also). It will definitely be an "advanced" level tutorial.
Check the demo out:
 
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HW.

Guest
Hello @HW.
Thanks for the suggestion. I'm currently about to publish another video in the series but have already started working on the "Mahjong Connect" concept. As you can see the demo I"be built is working but I have to clean up the code to make a tutorial about it (It is using a lot of ds_lists, and when I mean a lot it means a whole lot). I've built a recursive script to see if the match is valid or not, since it was the first thing that came to my mind, but maybe there is a better solution (An A* modified algorithm would work also). It will definitely be an "advanced" level tutorial.
Check the demo out:
You're Awesome!

After watching the video, It looks like the demo mechanic is already according to the game rule (not just able to match same icons anywhere but also have to calculate how many lines for the pathway that connect tiles only if can make the connecting move within 3 steps)

I can't wait to learn it from the tutorial on your YouTube channel! ;)
 
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TinyGamesLab

Guest
One more tutorial for you guys:
It's a tutorial on how to make a flappy bird type of game where we use a parallax effect for the background and a object spawner for the obstacles. I also did a state machine using a tip from @NeZvers .
I hope you like it!
As always, please leave your comments and suggestions!
 
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NeZvers

Guest
He he nice to see you are liking that approach. Thanks for shout out!
I think your channel is becoming the best for new GMS users, because you show very important knowledge that every game developer should know.
 
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immortalx

Guest
Please keep those videos coming! I really like the idea of seeing someone's approach at a specific game's mechanics. Even if someone knows how to do it, it's sometimes an eye-opener to see another approach.
 
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TinyGamesLab

Guest
Thanks @NeZvers and @immortalxfor the comments! The idea is to give back to the community along with learning new things (I have to learn a lot for each tutorial). It's funny but I actually got into a zone where I play/see games and I tart to imagine how I would go about coding its mechanics. This exercise is definitely helping me improve my skills (Even my artistic skills, which are very poor at the moment).

I'm trying to finish up the Mahjong connect tutorial before I have to leave for a business trip in the following 2 weeks (in which I'll only be able to poorly record audio at the hotel room at night). I have all the coding filmed (It'll be about 30min of coding) and I'm finishing up the introduction part (I hope to have it very well explained before going into the coding itself).

I organized the initial post also and if GoogleDrive helps me (It won't load.... argh!) I"ll post the link with the complete game file for the latest 2 tutorials.
 
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TinyGamesLab

Guest
Hello Folks!
I was finally able to upload the Mahjong Connect tutorial as per @HW. request!
In this tutorial we'll be using a lot of recursive scripts and a ds_grid to keep track of all of our instances. It is definitely a more advanced tutorial but it is still doable within 30 minutes.
I'm sure there are more ways to make this game work than the one I found, so if you have any suggestions on improving my logic please let me know.
As always, thanks for the suggestions and I'll try to have a new video by the next 2 weeks!
 
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HW.

Guest
Thank you so much for the Mahjong Connect tutorial. I really appreciate it.

I love this specific Game Mechanic Tutorial thread and overall the contents of your YouTube channel.

I really like the way you systemize the mechanic tutorial video e.g. when in the opening, first of all you describe about the mechanic concept before you starts coding. I see you did well in delivering it (+1 for video editing: nice animation describing the tile and grids!)

I notice that you prepare not just your codes for the tutorial content, but also the other aspects (concept, list that what needs to do, plot, music, catchy thumbnail, etc), Well prepared, Splendid!

Not many of other YouTubers (including the popular one which i don't want to mention it here which :p) do the content delivery as good as your high quality presentation, that's why, no surprise that some of their so-long-duration-wasting-too-much-time-videos generally make me sleepy to watch their non-systematically contents (kinda a trial n error presentation) although their codes are perhaps good. But too much time is wasted that they don't edit and not presenting their videos well.

BUT, to the contrary, watching yours definitely gives different experience! Your presentation is very good! Because the trial and error is behind the scene, and it is not presented in the tutorial, so that it doesn't waste my time :cool:. I have to say this because these days many YouTubers (e.g. not the tutorial ones, which is sometimes f**ing trending) often do clickbait contents, really spammy, not-to-the-point, that prolongs the duration by design to loop thin contents of b**hits which many people hate that they were succesfully lured to watch the bad contents becaue of the catchy thumbnails. To the contrary, you are far from that. Fine thumbnail, Great content, efficient and compact in duration, but is full of knowledge and details, so perfectly complete for me as the viewer, i believe for others too! ;)

Not a second of my time was wasted by looking at your tutorial video, because you really made all preparations before and deliver it systematically to be easily understood. In under 30mins the core mechanic for this rather~advance tutorial is well explained and delivered. Oh man i enjoy the very second of it. :D

I enjoy watching your channel, and will absolutely stay tuned for your next mechanic tutorials.;)

Last but not least, I also like that you inserted a nice background music too, the music raises my mood, not too loud, not distracting at all, sounds good in the background, it is so calm, so relaxing, along with your clear talk, Perfecto! ;)

Keep up the great work!! I hope you keep this outstanding video tutorial format (simple, 10-30mins, to-the-point, complete for core mechanics, ok visual);)
 
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TinyGamesLab

Guest
Thanks for the feedback @HW. Reading this means so much! I love to teach people (I do it at work all the time) and these tutorials have became a passion for me during the last few months.
I've been using it to de-stress from my full time job and it does work! The last few days I spent more time on a plane and in hotels than at home, so i used every little bit of this time away from home to plan more tutorials! I'm planning on having small videos showing a single and simple concepts published every now and then in between longer tutorials.
It is incredible how much I have learned by making them also! I have sharpened my coding skills enough to give good answers in the forums and to quickly come up with coding solutions for mists problems I see.
@Toque I hope some tutorials do help you out also!
 
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TinyGamesLab

Guest
Hey Guys and Gals!
New tutorial is freshly out of the oven!

This time you'll learn how to create an awesome game similar to the Mobile Timber Tennis and the old school Pong game, with some changes.
This tutorial also teaches you about easing and how to fake object height while handling collision.
It can be watched here:

I've invested a couple bucks (more than a couple, actually) to get a good dynamic cardiod microphone to make the video sound better. Did you like it?

I've also used some zoom effect on the video to help out when typing code.

As always, let me know your thoughts and areas of improvement!
 
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greyzeb

Guest
Thank you for the Fake Bouncing explanation, this is very interesting. No wonder we always be able to hit the ball in these type of game by "hitting the shadows"! The shadow is the player.

And for the microphone, it is fine enough for me so no worries.
 
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TinyGamesLab

Guest
New tutorial is out! It's how to create a boulder dashing grid-type game!
Check it out:
 
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