![Hexgon cells - How to draw [Game Maker | Basics] @1upIndie](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fXYyV3OnidA/maxresdefault.jpg)
Uploaded March 2023 | Updated September 2026, 7 hours ago
This basics video tutorial shows you how to setup hexagon cells in GameMaker.
Hexagon cells are pretty popular in strategy games and can make each cell look fancy. Drawing/placing these cells can be challenging because their shape is not as straight forwards as rectangles. So what you need to understand here is that you have to place them correctly near to each other. Each horizontal line of cells is a sum of the cell width or the sum of a cell width plus half. The height is bit wonky also, since you cannot take the full height nor the half.
Tldr: It is complicated, not too much but a bit
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📜 Udemy: udemy.com/course/become-a-video-game-developer-with-gms-23 (See youtube about page for discount)
CHAPTERS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0:00 What we will do, hexagon cells/shapes
0:38 Subscribe
0:55 How hexagon shapes stick to each other
3:55 Quick setup, a spawner creates all hexagonal instances
4:50 Double repeat loop to add cells vertically and horizontally
5:30 Create each time a loop ends a hexagon instance
5:48 Set xx and yy to place the instances in their correct spot
7:16 Setting xx to with the width of a cell
7:52 Nullifying the iterated hor_ADD values to create a new row
8:17 Setting yy to with the height of a cell
8:37 Adapting the xx to snap correctly horizontally
9:10 Correcting the nullifyed xx values
This basics video tutorial shows you how to setup hexagon cells in GameMaker.
Hexagon cells are pretty popular in strategy games and can make each cell look fancy. Drawing/placing these cells can be challenging because their shape is not as straight forwards as rectangles. So what you need to understand here is that you have to place them correctly near to each other. Each horizontal line of cells is a sum of the cell width or the sum of a cell width plus half. The height is bit wonky also, since you cannot take the full height nor the half.
Tldr: It is complicated, not too much but a bit
👑 Support me and get fresh game art and game maker projects every month:
patreon.com/1upindie
Follow me on:
📸 Instangram: instagram.com/1upindie
🐦 Twitter: twitter.com/1upIndie
💬 Discord: discord.gg/gvr98nb
📜 Udemy: udemy.com/course/become-a-video-game-developer-with-gms-23 (See youtube about page for discount)
CHAPTERS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0:00 What we will do, hexagon cells/shapes
0:38 Subscribe
0:55 How hexagon shapes stick to each other
3:55 Quick setup, a spawner creates all hexagonal instances
4:50 Double repeat loop to add cells vertically and horizontally
5:30 Create each time a loop ends a hexagon instance
5:48 Set xx and yy to place the instances in their correct spot
7:16 Setting xx to with the width of a cell
7:52 Nullifying the iterated hor_ADD values to create a new row
8:17 Setting yy to with the height of a cell
8:37 Adapting the xx to snap correctly horizontally
9:10 Correcting the nullifyed xx values
![Hexgon cells - How to draw [Game Maker | Basics]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fXYyV3OnidA/mqdefault.jpg "Hexgon cells - How to draw [Game Maker | Basics]
This basics video tutorial shows you how to setup hexagon cells in GameMaker.
Hexagon cells are pretty popular in strategy games and can make each cell look fancy. Drawing/placing these cells can be challenging because their shape is not as straight forwards as rectangles. So what you need to understand here is that you have to place them correctly near to each other. Each horizontal line of cells is a sum of the cell width or the sum of a cell width plus half. The height is bit wonky also, since you cannot take the full height nor the half.
Tldr: It is complicated, not too much but a bit
👑 Support me and get fresh game art and game maker projects every month:
https://www.patreon.com/1upindie
Follow me on:
📸 Instangram: https://www.instagram.com/1upindie
🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/1upIndie
💬 Discord: https://discord.gg/gvr98nb
📜 Udemy: https://www.udemy.com/course/become-a-video-game-developer-with-gms-23/ (See youtube about page for discount)
CHAPTERS
0:00 What we will do, hexagon cells/shapes
0:38 Subscribe
0:55 How hexagon shapes stick to each other
3:55 Quick setup, a spawner creates all hexagonal instances
4:50 Double repeat loop to add cells vertically and horizontally
5:30 Create each time a loop ends a hexagon instance
5:48 Set xx and yy to place the instances in their correct spot
7:16 Setting xx to with the width of a cell
7:52 Nullifying the iterated hor_ADD values to create a new row
8:17 Setting yy to with the height of a cell
8:37 Adapting the xx to snap correctly horizontally
9:10 Correcting the nullifyed xx values")
![Bat Boy - Better then Shovel Knight? [Game Review]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fz1uDPOVQK0/mqdefault.jpg "Bat Boy - Better then Shovel Knight? [Game Review]
To be clear from the start, both Games are excellent (S-Tier). But only Shovel Knight has been a big success so far (deserved!). I think Bat Boys quality should put it into the line of best retro platformers on par with the inspiration. This review shows you what you can expect from the game in 2026 and what Bat Boy changes/adds to the mixture.
If you compare both games, they do have a lot of similarities, one is a goofy Knight with a shovel where as Bat Boy is trying to do that from the sports angle. The main difference is that Shovel Knight starts off strong but never evolves beyond that. Yes, Shovel Knight has spells to compensate for his short range but they are mostly used for combat. His mobility, doesnt change at all (beside one dash item). Boy Boy in contrast gets from each boss their signature ability which makes him at the end of the game a mobility power house. That gives the player a lot of ways to exploit the level design if they wish too. I am actually confused why nobody is talking about this game in high praises (maybe sports angle isnt doing so well as the joke knight angle). It does deserve it.
Tldr 9.5/10:
- Great graphics, charming animations, good music
- Tons of secrets, great level design
- Fair gameplay, no cheap deaths, Game feels like a breeze
- Abilities make the player a mobility power house
- Rewarding exploration
- 6 hours completion time (I want more!)
Bat Boy found here:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1709350/Bat_Boy")
![Patch V2.3.7 - New exciting features [GameMaker Studio 2]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gAhffsHxrN8/mqdefault.jpg "Patch V2.3.7 - New exciting features [GameMaker Studio 2]
The newest patch comes with some good quality updates and some new features. Nothing that would be ultra exciting but good stuff anyway. The 3 new effects/filters for the fx layer are my highlights of this patch 2.3.7 but the some minor changes to performance are also very welcome.
Release notes:
https://gms.yoyogames.com/ReleaseNotes.html
👑 Support me and get fresh game art and game maker projects every month:
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📜 Udemy: https://www.udemy.com/course/become-a-video-game-developer-with-gms-23/ (See youtube about page for discount)")
![Placing Towers on click [#3 Tower Defence in GameMaker ]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gL-ZSEaecXc/mqdefault.jpg "Placing Towers on click [#3 Tower Defence in GameMaker ]
This is the 3nd video in a short Tower Defence series made in GameMaker.
What is left now is to have a mechanism that allows us to place dynamically in the game houses on a grid. To snap to a grid we use the mouse x,y coordinates and substract the mudolo (rest values) from it. Then we assign a random sprite index to the instance and pass that information to on click created house also in. And last but not least we have two checks which if true disable placing a house at this part of the grid. First we check by a collision check if there is already a house being created on this spot/grid part and second a tile index check if on this mouse position a tile other then 0 was set (0 is default and not set). Thats it!
🚧 For the future: This series will have 3 videos where all the basics are setup and a 4th optional one where constructors are used as a solid spawning setup. The project can be downloaded and since it is ultra small, is free to use (graphics are free also, check out the notes)
💻Project + assets found here:
https://1up-indie2.itch.io/free-tower-defence-project-gamemaker
overworld graphics: Beast CC0
https://opengameart.org/content/overworld-grass-biome
Enemies:
ThKaspar Orga by
https://opengameart.org/content/micro-character-bases-basics
explosion:
JROB774 CC3by
https://opengameart.org/content/pixel-explosion-12-frames
👑 Support me and get fresh game art and game maker projects every month:
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📜 Udemy: https://www.udemy.com/course/become-a-video-game-developer-with-gms-23/ (See youtube about page for discount)
CHAPTERS
0:00 What we will do
0:49 Subscribe
1:01 The concept what we do
2:00 Draw and snap to grid
4:17 Place a house on mouse click
5:25 Assign random preview sprite for houses
6:52 Check if we can place the house there
11:48 Game shown: Itorah")
![Pathfinding #3 - Best with grid [Game Maker Studio 2 | Advanced]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gqzsBhb7ov4/mqdefault.jpg "Pathfinding #3 - Best with grid [Game Maker Studio 2 | Advanced]
This advanced video tutorial shows you how to create the most powerful target ai/pathfinding with mp grid in GameMaker Studio 2.
The idea is quite simple. You need only 2 objects, one that setups the grid to be used. And the other object which can link their own path with the grid to create an optimal route to a destination. This is a very power tool that does the pathfinding for you.
// previous videos:
https://youtu.be/RmOqnp5d33Q
https://youtu.be/UZhLV13HAno
// General video on paths in GameMaker:
https://youtu.be/2xpqQ9rqFLI
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0:00 Introduction to the pathfinding series part 3
0:49 Subscribe
1:07 The setup object
8:05 The ai/enemy
14:48 Game shown: Astalon: Tears Of The Earth")
![Homing Rocket in 2 lines [Game Maker | Basics]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/guKiHqvvpxY/mqdefault.jpg "Homing Rocket in 2 lines [Game Maker | Basics]
This basics video tutorial shows you how homing can work in GameMaker Studio with 2 lines of code. There will be a follow up video on a homing rocket barrage like you see in games like Armored Core, but the cheap mans 2D version.
I got the inspiration from Ellaris who is a discord member, so thanks for the idea buddy! The 2 lines are very easy to do and work more or less but are a building block to advance this concept.
First we need to create the rocket and give it an inital speed, direction and angle to start of with and gradually change the flying direction.
So what are those 2 lines? Well, we add constantly in the step event of each rocket to it a value that gradually (delayed) turns towards its target position. For that we need the current direction of the rocket and the perfect direction from the rocket to the target (which we get by the rockets x,y and the targets x,y and get it by point direction). Then we get the resulting angle difference and use sign to clamp the result to 0,1,-1. That added to the current direction turns the rocket towards the the target, but we can use a fixed value to increase/decrease the turning around speed to our liking. Then we set the new direction to the image angle so that visuall it looks sound aswell. Thats it!
The code if found as usual in the comment section.
🚧 For the future: There will be follow up video that shows how to visually advance this core setup to an homing missile barrage
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CHAPTERS
0:00 What we will do
0:59 Specific hit animation (elemental, weapon etc.)
1:11 The 2 lines that steer the rocket
2:28 When the rocket hits an enemy
2:45 Player setup, input and spawning a rocket
5:13 What the 2 lines mean in detail")
![Xp and popUp system [#11 Vampire Survivors Remake in GameMaker ]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/h5uuTQHDq90/mqdefault.jpg "Xp and popUp system [#11 Vampire Survivors Remake in GameMaker ]
This is the 11th and final video in a series on remaking Vampire Survivors in GameMaker.
The first part of this video tutorial shows you how to make a xp system that makes scale upwards. Before we can make a menue popup system possible we need to block things to like spawing, player movement, enemy redirecting. That we do by a simple check if the an obj_upgrade is present in the room. This object is being spawed if we have a level up and goes away if one of 3 choises is being selected. So we block coin collecting, the spawning of new weapons, player input (to move while an upgrade is happening) and the enemy control loop is being overritten so that the enemies dont animate and move towards the player. Thats it!
🚧 For the future: This series will will build expanded the further we go into the series. This series has ended offically with this video. The current project and an upgrade version will be added to my patreons and itch.io buyers.
💻Project + assets found here:
https://1up-indie2.itch.io/vampire-survivors-mini-engine
👑 Support me and get fresh game art and game maker projects every month:
https://www.patreon.com/1upindie
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💬 Discord: https://discord.gg/gvr98nb
📜 Udemy: https://www.udemy.com/course/become-a-video-game-developer-with-gms-23/ (See youtube about page for discount)
CHAPTERS
0:00 What we will do
1:03 Subscribe
1:15 The concept what we do
3:18 xp system
4:34 Define the popup/upgrade instance for blocking
5:24 Block player input
5:50 Block coin collecting
6:22 Block weapon spawning
6:57 Block enemy spawning
7:24 Over ride enemy control by nullifying speed and animation
8:48 Block player animation
9:58 PopUp/upgrade position and setup
10:42 Setting up obj_Upgrade
13:41 Create a bouncing animation with an animation curve
21:12 Congrats and thank you for watching")
![Bitmap/Sprite fonts - How to use [Game Maker | Basics]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hM3qN0CXl2M/mqdefault.jpg "Bitmap/Sprite fonts - How to use [Game Maker | Basics]
This basics video tutorial shows you how to use sprites as a font in GameMaker.
The idea is quite easy. You have a cool looking font but it is an image. To use the is as a normal font you need to a few things. 1st you need to import it into GameMaker and slice it up as single images (control + I) 2nd you need to tell GameMaker with font_add_sprite_ext that you want to use this sprite as a font and give GameMaker the instructions what each character means (represents). Here you have a string (mapstring) with all the characters you use sprite as sprite and the corresponding character that it is representing. 3rd you need to store the newly created font (asset) into a variable and set with draw_set_font this spritefont to be used. Thats it!
Trivia: GameMaker once your export/run your game takes your used normal fonts and converts them into glyphs (images), which is the same as the sprite font and you can see both in the texture page.
Tldr:
1. import sprite font,
2. set a mindmap string what each image means
3. store and set it to be used
Cool font found here, if used please credit!
https://opengameart.org/content/superpowers-assets-bitmap-fonts
👑 Support me and get fresh game art and game maker projects every month:
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📜 Udemy: https://www.udemy.com/course/become-a-video-game-developer-with-gms-23/ (See youtube about page for discount)
CHAPTERS
0:00 What we will do, use sprites as a font
0:46 Subscribe
0:55 Context and example of normal font use
2:17 Find a good looking sprite/bitmap font
2:58 Import sprite font
5:39 Add the font as a useable font into GameMaker
5:02 Have string (mapstring) that gives the images meaning
7:09 Set the sprite font to proportional drawing or not and the distance between each image/glyph
7:37 Store the added sprite font into a variable to be set and used")
![Wall bouncer - [Game Maker Studio 2 | Enemy Ai]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hTPHzHM2KQ0/mqdefault.jpg "Wall bouncer - [Game Maker Studio 2 | Enemy Ai]
This enemy ai tutorial shows you how to make an enemy that bounces off walls (ricochet) with only 3 lines of code in GameMaker Studio.
The idea is quite simple. You give you enemy a start speed plus a direction where to go to. Movement is now setup, the automatic bouncing work when you have a collision with an instance wall which needs to be flagged as solid. To automatically change the enemys direction just input move_bounce_solid and viola, it does now bounce off walls
This system can be used for bullets that reflect, bounce of walls also.
👑 Support me and get fresh game art and game maker projects every month:
https://www.patreon.com/1upindie
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Corey Archer CC0
https://opengameart.org/content/top-down-pokemon-esque-sprites
0:00 What we will do
0:37 Subscribe
0:48 Theory how it works plus a setup
1:23 Coding part")
![Steam capsule art, what is there to know? [Marketing for Indie developers]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hfZHMi1JFNY/mqdefault.jpg "Steam capsule art, what is there to know? [Marketing for Indie developers]
This video shows you the basic theory behind making a Steam capsule art image and what kind of trends are visible so that you can use these informations on your own games capsule art.
If you have been wondering what you can do to get more attention towards you game with your capsule art or why should be actually in there and as well as you are curious what kind of trends of the topseller are being set as standards, well then this video is for you. The second part (learn from the top seller what works and see trends) is a follow up video because it was too long and rambly.
If you just want the quick and dirty tldr info, here it is:
1. First establish some basic rules to follow:
- few elements, less is more
- focus points/high lighted things/visual hooks (via color/art)
- hierachy of elements (top left to right)
- style/color consistency
- balance/symmetry
3. Trends
- no pixel art
- dark themes, dark colors, male audience focus
- emphasis on a head/action/prop
- household names can get away with all
- text is mostly white/golden/orange/brown black
- no idea on your own capsule? Open skys and fog and text
- no gore/no sexual stuff
Game shown: BatBoy
👑 Support me and get fresh game art and game maker projects every month:
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CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
2:28 Basic rules on capsule art for Steam
9:49 Trends set by the best sellers on Steam")
![Access data structures + arrays [Game Maker | Basics]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hnYtW4ang4I/mqdefault.jpg "Access data structures + arrays [Game Maker | Basics]
This basics video tutorial shows you how to access data from structures like ds_list, ds_grid, ds_map or arrays in GameMaker.
The idea is quite simple. You create your own data like a ds list or an array and want to access/read out the value stored in there. Accessors are a shorter way to do that with a specific letter for each data structure. So if you want to access a specifc index of an array you can use the @ letter or for example for the ds_list the | letter. Thats it!
Video on arrays:
https://youtu.be/m4TzXe-hXpk
Video on ds lists:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ygcKjltSQY
Cool monster image from video thumbnail:
https://opengameart.org/content/main-art-from-monster-rpg-2
Offical manual on that topic:
https://manual.yoyogames.com/GameMaker_Language/GML_Overview/Accessors.htm
👑 Support me and get fresh game art and game maker projects every month:
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📜 Udemy: https://www.udemy.com/course/become-a-video-game-developer-with-gms-23/ (See youtube about page for discount)
CHAPTERS
0:00 What we will do
0:39 Subscribe
0:54 Theory of what accessors and data structures are
1:19 Example of a simple data structure, here a ds list
4:49 Same thing for accessing arrays
5:34 Foreshadowing of the evil to come, structs")
![Dead Cells style fog - The easy way [GameMaker | Vfx]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/i4EjrjoJzec/mqdefault.jpg "Dead Cells style fog - The easy way [GameMaker | Vfx]
This vfx tutorial shows you how to make the fog effect like in Dead Cells with a few mouse clicks in GameMaker.
Before the newest patch 2022.8 you could also create this effect with particles which is a bit more difficult and resource intensive then now. We now can use the newest visual effect: Fractual noise, which overlays the area/screen with a fog like texture to enhances the graphics of you game. You simply create a black colored sprite, give it a transparent opacity and place it on an asset layer. Then you assign this asset layer the fractual noise effect. Play around with the opacity and the values in the inspector until you get the result desired. Thats it!
For more detailed infos check out:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perlin_noise
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simplex_noise
👑 Support me and get fresh game art and game maker projects every month:
https://www.patreon.com/1upindie
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📜 Udemy: https://www.udemy.com/course/become-a-video-game-developer-with-gms-23/ (See youtube about page for discount)
CHAPTERS
0:00 What we will do
0:30 Subscribe
0:42 Quick peek how the result looks like
1:07 Bad way how to create the fog instantly
1:32 The easy way how to create fog with fractual noise
3:50 Game shown: Dead Cells")
