If you go down to the woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise: the arrival of our new 2D platformer template, Windy Woods!
Windy Woods is a simple 2D platformer where you gather coins, jump on enemies, and clear deadly spike pits as a daring woodland critter.
(We couldn’t decide exactly what kind of creature the hero of Windy Woods is, so we’ve settled on “critter” for now.)
Excitingly, Windy Woods is also the first of a brand new type of official GameMaker template, so you can expect even more like it in the future.
Download Windy Woods today and make your own 2D platformer with GameMaker.
>> Download Windy Woods (GML Code) <<
>> Download Windy Woods (GML Visual) <<
What are the new GameMaker templates?
Windy Woods is the first of a new type of GameMaker template. In the past, we’ve created tutorials such as Hero’s Trail and Little Town to help newcomers code their first game, but Windy Woods is the start of a different learning resource.
GameMaker producer Patrick Roche, who’s also behind our monthly Asset Bundles, explains why the GameMaker Templates are changing.
“Our new templates are here to replace the existing templates and demos currently available in GameMaker,” he said. “The Arena Shooter and Platformer templates were useful at the time they were released, but coding standards have changed.
“We’re looking to provide a more professional, extensible, and useful project for developers of all skill levels to use.”
What’s changing in the new GameMaker templates?
The new templates change the old demo structure in a few key ways:
- Remix new templates to create similar games with new art, mechanics, and gameplay features.
- Extend the template to create fully-fledged games using the art, audio and code provided.
- Learn not only how to make the games shown in the templates, but why things are done in specific ways.
Remixing the new GameMaker templates
These new templates let you add your own art and music, and create brand new levels to truly make Windy Woods your own.
When you’re done remixing, use your creation commercially, if you like.
You can also use the monthly Asset Bundles within these templates - Patrick tells us he has some Windy Woods-specific bundles planned for later in the year, so watch this space.
Self-guided learning
The new templates also give you the chance to learn coding best practices - something that Patrick and the team are keen to emphasise.
“We’ve gone to great pains to show best practices throughout the Windy Woods template to show you not only how something was done, but why something was done the way it was done.”
“If you’re curious, you can go digging through the code and learn the ins and outs of game development and game design from these new templates.”
“We’ve also coordinated with our tutorials and technical writing team to produce a line of tutorials that let you extend the template with new and exciting features, as well as teach you how to add those features to your own games.”
We’ll be talking a little more about those tutorials in the not-too-distant future.
In the meantime, download the Windy Woods template, make your own 2D platformer, and help us figure out what species the main character is.
Happy GameMaking!
