UPDATE 2/09/2017: After about a week of back and forth with YYG support, I was able to get the HTML5 module working. It turns out that GMS v1.4 had several bugs preventing most HTML5 games from running properly when using certain functions.
Eventually, I was instructed to download the “Early Access” build (v1.9.525) which resolved this issue. There were a few more code optimizations I needed to make, but the game-breaking bugs were gone.
The Good
With a helping hand from an old and dear friend of mine, I was finally able to make the some important steps forward. Some of you may notice that www.vtoadgames.com now supports SSL!
I’m also in the process of obtaining a Code Signing Certificate so that Windows Exports (.exe files) won’t display a Smartscreen warning that the publisher (yours truly) is unknown – I should have that today if everything is in order.
Additionally, I’ve also purchased GMS Professional and the HTML5 export module as I feel pretty comfortable with GML at this point.
The Bad
YoYo Games, creators of GameMaker Studio (GMS), have elected to go the way GameSalad and discontinue offering a free ‘standard’ edition of their product once GameMaker Studio 2 (currently in beta) is launched.
While those who already obtained a free Standard Edition license for 1.4x will get to keep it, no one else will be able to get one going forward. A similar thing happened with GameSalad, which went to a subscription model after discontinuing it’s free version.
Cui Bono?
Surely not YoYo Games…The reason GameMaker Studio was so appealing to many Students and Hobbyists was it’s accessibility – they said it themselves:
We want to make game creation accessible to everyone. We think that once people jump in and start creating a game, they’ll see firsthand how easy it is with GameMaker: Studio. – James Foreman, April 11, 2016. GameMaker Studio: Standard Goes Free FAQ
While most users would be content with the Standard version, some might decide they have a knack for it and take the plunge. The only thing that cutting out the free version does is bar entry for those who aren’t prepared to spend $150 to satisfy their curiosity. I know, I was one of them. Had I not had the opportunity to learn GML before buying the Professional Edition, I probably would not have.
With that said, if you still on the fence, pick up 1.4 Standard for free while you still can!
The Ugly
Please see the update above.
I purchased the HTML5 Export Module with the reasonable expectation that a program which performed flawlessly as a Windows target and compiled .EXE file would work fine when ported to HTML5. I was wrong…
Just about everything failed from the particle effects, collision events and everything in between, making the game unplayable. I submitted a ticket to YYG, but I’ll probably have to go back through the code and optimize it to get it to work. In any case, it was a good learning experience…
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Welp, back to finishing up the last Level of the GPC!
