Why is game maker considered to be "bad" tool?

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veko

Guest
Yeah, it does have cheesy name and it's easier to use then c++ or javascript, but it's for making games, does it really matters which program is harder to use when all it really matters is the quality of the product.
So why so many people think game maker is 💩💩💩💩ty? Hyperlight drifter, Deaths gambit, damn even UNDERTALE one of most popular games of 2015/16 is made in game maker!
 

Jabbers

Member
GameMaker was considerably more basic in the 00's, it wasn't nearly as advance as Studio. It developed a reputation for being limited and inefficient, and because it was heavily marketed towards non-programmers by highlighting the "drag and drop" functionality, it was seen as more of a toy for beginners. Even today, there is a lot of misinformation in game development circles about the capability of the modern GameMaker engine.
 
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Ethanicus

Guest
Most of those arguments I hear seem to be from people who'd be happiest if they were programming with a magnetized needle. They seem to think that because it's easy it's not powerful.
 

RekNepZ

GMC Historian
Even in the 00s GM was pretty advanced. a lot of games popular today could probably be made as early as GM5. The people who complain about Game Maker don't know what they're talking about.
 

Jabbers

Member
Even in the 00s GM was pretty advanced. a lot of games popular today could probably be made as early as GM5.
Can you explain why you think this? GM5 lacked a lot of convenient functions (I seem to remember drawing was handled differently) and it was pretty slow. You also didn't even have basic things like a standard debugger (the one included pre-Studio was garbage) texture page management, shader support, or even a good sound engine. If you couldn't write DLLs, you were stuck to making very basic games.
 
Note, I've only used GM8 and above. Mostly I use GMS.

I mean I'll say that if you want 3D I'd seriously consider Unity or UE4 over Gamemaker. Multiplayer is also a little limited with GM. (Both are possible of course though).

But other than that, Gamemaker is at least a completely valid option, and I'd daresay superior than most other options.

I've had friends say, "I'm going to make a game too! And I'm better than you, because I use a real engine". Some have said they're making their own engine. And my response is, "If that's so much better, how come I have games finished and you don't?" Some of my friends seem to think they must be better programmers than me because they know formal Java and can make a text adventure game in eclipse. I've watched them program stuff, and I don't think they actually know how to use "if" statements sometimes. The reason I don't bother with Eclipse much is that GMS is soooo much faster to do the same stuff.

Another point to make is that AAA companies don't use Gamemaker. They use Unity or UE4 or other things. So if you want to be hired by Nintendo, GM experience doesn't count for as much as we'd all like. Also, GM does have a lot of high quality games, but still not as much as other options. That has more to do with the number of users than anything. But also percentage wise, the fact that GM attracts so many non-serious programmers, the overall percentage of good games coming from GM is lower, because they're diluted by all the lame ones.

I think people think we're taking the easy path. Which is true of course, and the easy path is usually held in low regard. But just because we can make a game in 15 seconds doesn't mean we stop there, that'd be stupid. No, while everyone else is making those same 15 second games over several months, the rest of us make a full scale RPG and publish it on Steam. I think it's an issue of the "pros" distancing themselves from the "noobs" whereas the true pros ignore that separation and just make games.
 
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icuurd12b42

Guest
My 2 definitions of bad sw tool
-When the tool undermines the user's ability
-When the tool overwhelms the user's comprehension
 

matharoo

manualman
GameMaker Dev.
I think the reputation of GameMaker is building up quite nicely and more great games are being released as well. I can imagine GM being a more respected and well-known engine in some years.. But on the other hand, other engines like Unity and UE are free which can make people choose them over GM, since YYG has decided not to make GM free anymore...
 

Perseus

Not Medusa
Forum Staff
Moderator
The topic doesn't break any rules, but the GMC would not be able to provide an unbiased answer to the original question, since almost everybody here loves GameMaker. The community might be more interested in topics that suggest how GM could be improved. But asking why non-GM developers think of GM as a "bad" tool is actually out of the GMC's scope for two reasons. First, we have very few haters on the forums. Second, the haters we have around might descend into promoting other engines, which is against the forum rules. So I'll have to close the topic. Sorry.

An unbiased community or one where such sterotypes are prevalent might be better suited for such a question, if permitted by the respective community's rules. You can tell them why GM is not a child's toy and why they're wrong, for on the GMC, it's falling on deaf ears. Moreover, spending time with those who love GM would be a better way to spend it. ;)
 
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