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[Theophilus]

A week of a bump...

Anyway, GM8.1 Lite will not create executables. http://gamemakerblog.com/2011/03/30/game-maker-8-1-lite-cannot-create-executables/

[Μarkham]

So people pay for the removal of not being able to publish your games on your own? 

[Theophilus]

So people pay for the removal of not being able to publish your games on your own? 

A week of a bump...

Anyway, GM8.1 Lite will not create executables. http://gamemakerblog.com/2011/03/30/game-maker-8-1-lite-cannot-create-executables/

[DavidCaruso]

So basically the amateur market won't care now because they can already get other tools for free that don't restrict distribution (see: Unity, Flixel, etc.), and professionals won't care either because even if the only thing they wanted was an easy framework for rapid 2D development, GM has horrible issues (the biggest being the speed and atrocious memory usage, second biggest probably being the tearing)?

Hopefully this decision will just be reversed like that smiley face logo a while back. But man, the more I think about it the more I feel like I need to move on to something more advanced - even the GM8 Pro version is showing its limitations for stuff I want to do, despite how easy it is to get something up and running and how all the different tools (map editor, image editor, IDE, etc.) are nicely consolidated in one place. Maybe Python + Pygame or Lua.

[s0]

Can't say I'm too fond of the recent trend of game dev tool developers taking credit and money for the games created with their software.

[danny34]

Many GM users do not satisfy.
http://gmc.yoyogames.com/index.php?showtopic=504275&st=0
http://gamemakerblog.com/2011/03/30/game-maker-8-1-lite-cannot-create-executables/#comments

YoYo Games is too greedy.
Game Maker Community is really angry now.!!!!!!!!!

[PowRTocH]

Hopefully the cracked version comes out quickly.

[moi]

That would be acceptable if they had made their engine awesome and took it to new places.
But it seems that every new version is just tinkering with a few bits here and there.
Maybe they lost the source code or sthg.

[TeeGee]

I agree with Moi. If Game Maker would change direction to something more expensive and professional, I wouldn't mind changes like that. But for such a small upgrade, it seems they got ahead of themselves.

Though, it's not like GM Lite was very useful before.

[FrankieSmileShow]

I dont mind so much about this since I'm still using GM7, and would have bought the standard version anyway, but its still a pretty weird move on their part. Game Maker has not improved nearly enough since 8.0 to warrant such a setback. Why would anyone even get game maker 8.1 lite now? I guess they're planning to add a lot to GM from now on?

Or will they modify GM 8.0's lite version to take out the ability to export games there too? Maybe they got a secret killswitch that shuts off all non-registered games....   

[baconman]

*makes an immediate backup of his GM 8.0*

[TeeGee]

People really use GM Lite for their game making? 

[BoxedLunch]

looking forward to the screen zoom. 8x8 blocks and tiles...

[Theophilus]

I dont mind so much about this since I'm still using GM7, and would have bought the standard version anyway, but its still a pretty weird move on their part. Game Maker has not improved nearly enough since 8.0 to warrant such a setback. Why would anyone even get game maker 8.1 lite now? I guess they're planning to add a lot to GM from now on?

Or will they modify GM 8.0's lite version to take out the ability to export games there too? Maybe they got a secret killswitch that shuts off all non-registered games....   

YYG is going to take downloads of GM8 and all previous versions down. It doesn't stop other sites from hosting it, but it's all they can do. They're getting rid of Softwrap (FINALLY), imagine if someone purchased GM8 pro?

[BoxedLunch]

i remember having to re-purchase gm8 and gm7 pro so many fucking times, because it would deactivate and when i would try to get some fucking customer service, not only did it take fucking forever, but it didn't help at all.

[gimymblert]

Hey make backup of all version presto

http://wiki.yoyogames.com/index.php/Old_Game_Maker_Versions

[Desert Dog]

I agree with Moi. If Game Maker would change direction to something more expensive and professional, I wouldn't mind changes like that. But for such a small upgrade, it seems they got ahead of themselves.

Though, it's not like GM Lite was very useful before.

They've made it pretty clear that they're wanting to convert long-term lite users to finally registering.

I don't think this plan will do it. It may increase their conversion rate. They need to experiment, and I think they've started somewhere on the opposite end of the scale.

You have to remember they've hosted GM for a fair number of years now.. they know the number of downloads, and the number of purchases. I'd suspect that GM8.0 sales were pretty flat, and they're wondering why... I don't blame them for experimenting around.

For the record, they look like keeping .exe creation in the lite edition still, but working on this:

We use the GameMaker icon.
You can't go SMALLER that a 256x256 room/window size.
We put a "Make with GameMaker" thing in a corner of the screen (let you pick)
The game "title" is forced to something like "Made with GameMaker Lite - http://blah"
GameMaker advert on exit that stays up for 5-10 seconds. (any preference?)
However... We'll also add ZOOM and draw_self() into the Lite version.

For an e.g. of the watermaker, here's a mockup:
http://desmond.yfrog.com/Himg612/scaled.php?tn=0&server=612&filename=lcz.png&xsize=640&ysize=640

I dislike the splash-screen on exit thing, and I'm trying to argue against it. Sure, I rego-ed, but I try out a lot of GM games! :p

Mike Dailly has started a topic here, which you guys can place your input on the issue:
http://gmc.yoyogames.com/index.php?showtopic=504359&st=0

They want to hear you. They understand we're all pretty much gonna have issues with this, but they ARE going to be doing something, because they need a higher conversion rate... apparently piracy's a pain.

Btw for a dev which uses GM lite:
http://www.yoyogames.com/users/Maelron

Makes nice games.

[Blademasterbobo]

"I'd suspect that GM8.0 sales were pretty flat, and they're wondering why..."

uhhh, maybe because they literally did not update it at all aside from a feature that is unnecessary solely because MSPaint is something that exists?

This is not rocket science

"Oh hey they won't buy it when we didn't upgrade it at all, obviously the solution is to hike up the price, throw in some more features nobody cares about, and make the lite version completely useless! That'll make'em buy it FOR SURE!"

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

i don't think crippling the lite version so that it's even more useless is the way to go; what they should do instead is add new features which only the pro version has: add more new features that people need to register to use. for instance, shaders, etc.

[Desert Dog]

don't think crippling the lite version so that it's even more useless is the way to go; what they should do instead is add new features which only the pro version has: add more new features that people need to register to use. for instance, shaders, etc.

That seems to be the aim. Make it useless as as a complete dev tool, keep it accessible to kids.
Their aim is to get those 'lite' users to rego-up.

For the record, none of these changes will effect you running the game in the IDE. Only the .exe you publish. So you can still dev fine with it, but need to rego up to distribute (properly)

In Mike's words, he's working on upgrading GM, and making it better, and it is getting better, and it's being supported by people who pay for it. However, he views lite users who don't register as 'spongers' who get the benefits of GM's updates, while not paying up or supporting them.

Placing the logo's on .exe's is meant to route out there spongers.. pay up, and support the product like everyone else, or be stuck with GM labels on your game.

Tbh, of course we aren't gonna like this. But you have to respect that they need money, haven't turned a profit since they started, and need to continue making money.