Turn your ideas into professional-looking 2D Games
If you like playing games but want to find out about designing your own, this is the perfect introductory course. Using GameMaker software allows you to create professional-looking games quickly.
You'll be using GameMaker's in-built GML visual system to start creating games without code. GameMaker has an in-built image editor for designing your own sprites (graphical characters), manipulating sound effects and even handling animations. GameMaker can be used for creating PC, Android, iOS and even HTML5 games.
You'll work through tutorials to teach you the core skills as you create two games - a maze-based game with "bots" and a simple platformer. After that, it's up to you to use what you've learnt to create your own exciting game with the help of your tutor.
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Don't just learn about them - build your own games and take them home to continue creating
Learn the basics of event-driven programming
Create great-looking games easily and quickly with our unique templates, courses and tutorials
Game development can be difficult, and often uses complex professional-grade tools like Unity. We make learning as easy as possible even using tools like Unity in courses like 3D Game Design, but if you've not done a lot of coding before or simply prefer to build a greater variety of games than the FPS (shooting) game that you learn to make in 3D Game Design, then this course might be a better option for you.
GameMaker is perfect for creating a variety of 2D Games, and is designed to be simple enough for beginners to use but powerful enough to create professional-looking games and even commercial titles. If you'd like to see what sort of things you can make, have a look at GameMaker's showcase and GX.games - the latter containing playable games, all made using GameMaker.
Over the course of the week you'll work through out custom tutorials, creating two games including a maze-based game and a 'platformer'; both designed to teach you the skills needed to work on your own ideas at the end of the week, and indeed after the camp is finished. You'll take home all of your fles, assets and projects, and you can continue designing and creating more games at home, whether you use a PC or Mac.
This course is only run at our Winchester venue, as it's been designed by David Batty, a GameMaker expert and professional trainer who will be with us for three weeks at the Winchester venue in summer 2024 as our lead tutor.
Learning GameMaker
You'll start by learning the GameMaker interface as you build your first game. You'll learn about sprite creation, sound effects, event-based movement programming and more.
Honing your skills
As you work through the two major course projects (a maze game and platformer), you'll build on your skills to learn about animations, levels and splash screens.
Designing your own things
After you've learnt how to use GameMaker, later in the week you'll be able to try customising your games further and working on your own ideas with dedicated help from your tutor. When you leave to go home, you'll have all the knowledge and skills to continue your game design at home.
