Each blob has different color and opacity, but the mixed color (over background) is the same
When working with images and websites I deal with many different tricks and challenges, but some of them slightly more often than others.
Continue readingBuilding a better localization system for GameMaker
We recently added localization support to Ghost Croquet!
In doing so, I have also improved the localization system that I use in my projects (and perhaps you could too).
This is a post about the process, architecture, and challenges.
Continue readingSome extensions are now GM8.1-compatible
Thanks to my further advancements[?] in technology, some of my extensions can be used in even older GameMaker versions, such as GameMaker 8.1.
Continue readingTrackball “gestures” and other mouse trickery
So I've had this idea for an AutoHotKey script that could turn motions from any pointing device (mice, trackballs, trackpads, etc.) into custom actions.
I guess you might call them gestures?
Continue readingQMK/Vial: communicating state to PC
A tray icon showing default/navigation/numpad states
This is a little post about a trick for displaying a programmable keyboard's state (generally just the active layer) on a computer without fiddling with firmware code.
Continue readingGameMaker: filtering strings
Alternatively titled "string_letters but for any kind of character".
Using the Sofle keyboard for software development
The keyboard in question
But also Cyrillic text input, playing games, and more.
A layout-focused continuation of my recent newsletter post.
Continue readingWriting Steam guides in Markdown
Markdown / BB Code / displayed result
Do you write Steam guides and walkthroughs? Or, perhaps, you are a game developer and you have to write game announcements and changelogs now and then?
And if either, has it recently occurred to you that it is not 2008 anymore and writing formatted text in BB Code isn't so convenient, even if sometimes slightly less ambiguous?
In process of working on the recent few big guides, it sure did to me, and this is a post on how to spare yourself of misery.
Continue readingVariable references in GameMaker (2023 edition)
It's been 5 years since my "variable references in GameMaker" post and people are still interested in passing variables by reference, so this I'm giving the idea a little refresh with new tools that are now available.
Continue readingGameMaker: “Can you make a game in an old GM version?”
Does it belong in a museum... or my game?
This is a post about practicality of using variously old GameMaker versions and what it'll take to make your project run correctly for most users.
Continue reading