by BRIAN FETCHER
GAZETTE — Softwrap (popularly known as SoftCrap among a vast number of GM users in the Game Maker Community) handles registration upgrades (GM Lite to GM Pro). Softwrap was to distribute GameMaker without fear of piracy (as they do with many other products). Sandy Duncan just received the following letter from Softwrap, which he says "will make some long term GameMaker devs smile quite a bit". Softwrap service termination date has been announced for: September 1st, 2013.
by BRET HUDSON
YOYO GAMES — The official, non-beta version of the Windows 8 native export was released on May 16th, 2013. The export is now available to all users with FREE, STANDARD, PROFESSIONAL, and MASTER collections. The export allows for easy deployment of GameMaker: Studio games onto the Windows store. Along with the release, YoYo Games is hosting the "WIN BIG Competition", which allows users to submit their games to the Windows Store to win part of the $35,000 in prizes. Check out http://www.yoyogames.com/promotions/win_big for more information. Also:
YoYo Games is also offering GameMaker 7, 8, and 8.1 customers to upgrade to GameMaker: Studio PROFESSIONAL for only $50! This is a unique opportunity so upgrade now before it is too late.
by BRET HUDSON
GAME MAKER COMMUNITY — The GMC Jam #8 theme was just announced, revealing it as "Disaster", along with the handicap of "Cannot use text". Have fun working with this theme, as well as trying not use any text in your game! Post in the GMC topic to enter your game in and win prizes.
by BRET HUDSON
YOYO GAMES — YoYo Games has finally hosted their first official competition since May of 2010, with their "Discovery" competition. The new competition has been started in celebration of GameMaker: Studio™'s new Windows 8 Export feature, allowing users to export their games for the Windows Store. We'll do a quick rundown of the major rules here, however, if you'd like to look at the full list of rules, please read the official announcement page. All games must be created with GameMaker: Studio™, using the Windows 8 export. The export is free for all Standard, Professional, and Master Collection Studio™ users. Competition entrants have to register as a Windows Developer, either using the free Student registration or the paid Professional registration. Using this account, you can submit your game to the Windows Store by December 8th, then officially enter the competition by submitting your game to the submittion page. The winner of this competition gets a lovely $500 Visa gift card, along with tons of bragging rights that they've won the 7th official YoYo Games competition!
by MATT CHELEN
GAME MAKER COMMUNITY — Picks of the Week is an article done by Matt where he informs you, the reader, of games and a tutorial that he's seen in the past week that he found interesting or fun enough that thought he you should know about them.
Insane Balancing On One Leg In Extremely High Places!
Insane Balancing On One Leg In Extremely High Places! is a game that is simple fun with flashy, colorful graphics. It consists entirely of balancing on one leg in high places, and having to adjust yourself as you get thrown back and forth, while simultaneously jumping to avoid thins such as birds and jumping sheep. The controls make it easy to pick up and play while the precision involved ensures that it is hard to master.
DarkVN
DarkVN is an interesting beast. It's a single-script port of VNDS to Game Maker 8.1 for intended use on Windows. So far, it's confirmed to be compatible with two VNDS powered visual novels, Clannad and Tsukihime, and it, along with its more advanced sibling, AngelVN, is continuing to receive post-release support from its author.
One to Watch - Legena: The New Dawn
Legena: The New Dawn has been in development for almost a year. In that time, it has slowly been shaping into a good-looking RPG. With SNES-inspired graphics, and an easy to use interface, it could easily put itself up there in Game Maker's best-of list sometime soon.
Tutorial of the Week - RGB CRT distortion effect
Having created one of the flashiest CRT effects I've ever seen, GMC user deluksic takes this week's Tutorial of the Week. It comes fully loaded with RGB phase shifting, shifty scan lines, and a faux TV glare.
by MATT CHELEN
GAME MAKER COMMUNITY — Next Friday, October 26th, 2012, will see the beginning of the Game Maker Community's eighth GMC Jam.
The theme has only barely been revealed as of yet, with the letter board currently consisting of nine spaces, the second of which is an "i", and the seventh of which is an "e".
There is quite a bit of speculation, and a bit of disappointment brought on by said speculation, that the theme will be "discovery." However, we will only know for sure once we get closer to the Jam's starting date.
