64Digits

Game Maker Studio: Standard, free upgrade

Posted by Astryl on Nov. 26, 2013, 4:09 a.m.

Thanks to RC for pointing this out to me.

YoYo Games has decided to allow GM:S Free users to upgrade to Standard for… free.

To do this, install that standalone version of GM:S Free (The Steam version will not work), then choose the Beta Update channel and let it update.

Don't choose a license yet (If you've already chosen the Free license beforehand, just delete the C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Game Maker Studio folder to reset it, and reinstall).

After the update, the launcher screen will provide you with three license choices. Free, for Free. Standard, for Free, or the upgrade to Professional (For not-so-free).

Doing this upgrade also shaves $50 off any future upgrade to Professional.

Why is YYG doing this? It's kinda obvious. Unity comes along and starts providing 2D functionality out of the box, allows all sorts of exports to various platforms for free, and is generally doing a better job of providing tools to hobbyist game developers.

Took 'em long enough to figure out that their gypped 'Free' version was unusable.

Anyway, enjoy everybody.

Comments

KyleKubik 10 years, 11 months ago

Quote: Glen

Wait, so what was the point of me buying it for $100 last year? -.-

You got to use it for a whole year before anyone who didn't pay. congratulations.

KaBob799 10 years, 11 months ago

So basically it's just a gimmicky way of saying they are adding vector image support

Powerful Kyurem 10 years, 11 months ago

I use GM 8. Really, I have no intentions of ever upgrading. From what I have heard over the years, GM is a horrible product. I have a couple projects to finish up, and then I am throwing it out.

Castypher 10 years, 11 months ago

Quote:

From what I have heard

Yes, but how do you feel about it?

Use whatever will allow you to be most productive. If you're more productive in C++, use C++. Likewise, if GM helps you be productive, use GM.

A lot of people insist that there's a "best" development tool or programming language. But they're not writing your program, you are.

Toast 10 years, 11 months ago

It is pretty bad tho

Astryl 10 years, 11 months ago

Well, I've officially tried Unity 4.3… and the 2D support is really half-arsed.

Kunedon 10 years, 11 months ago

Quote:

From what I have heard over the years

Yes, that's what you've heard. But what's your personal opinion on it?

I'm giving Studio a chance since I'm still using good ol' GM 7 and am in need of an upgrade. With Studio Standard going free this is a good time to try it and see if I'll stick with it or run back to 7 with my tail between my legs, so to speak.

GM 7's nice and all, but…Studio. It looks to be better performance-wise.

Quote:

the 2D support is really half-arsed.

I guess the hype just wasn't all it's cracked up 2B.

Astryl 10 years, 11 months ago

Unity doesn't like my pixel art. It keeps trying to interpolate my nice sharp colors into smooth blends that make my NES Dragon look like it came from a GBA game.

Though using two light sources is interesting:

Castypher 10 years, 11 months ago

Quote:

Well, I've officially tried Unity 4.3… and the 2D support is really half-arsed.

That depends. I've been playing with it this week and it's really something to get used to, but it's not that bad. The main issue is that you're making a 2D game in an engine built for 3D, but once you start thinking about it like that, instead of working in a 2D engine, it gets easier.

Quote:

Unity doesn't like my pixel art. It keeps trying to interpolate my nice sharp colors into smooth blends that make my NES Dragon look like it came from a GBA game.

When you import the sprite, you can change how it's filtered by clicking the sprite in your hierarchy. One of the options turns it off entirely, giving you that nice pixel look.

Powerful Kyurem 10 years, 11 months ago

Kilin: Good point. GM 8 is great for me. However, reading about the issues people are having in later versions, and how YYG is acting, makes me feel its not that great to upgrade. Not to say that GM is bad, but the current versions have several bugs that just shouldn't be there. (One glitch actually caused the compiler to delete the source code when testing the game! That is really bad considering that the test exe is a temporary file that gets deleted upon closing!)

GM 8 is probably the best version right now. The other ones might have more functionality, but they come with tons of glitches. Just read the help section of the gmc. YYG doesn't even seem to care most of the time.