Game Maker

Game Maker (often abbreviated to GM) is a Windows and Mac IDE originally developed by Mark Overmars in the Delphi programming language. It is currently developed and published by YoYo Games, a software company in which Overmars is involved. Game Maker allows users to easily develop computer games without the requirement of prior computer programming experience, while allowing advanced users to create complex applications with its built-in scripting language.

The latest stable release of Game Maker for Windows is version 8 as of December 2009, and version 7 on Mac as of August 11, 2010. Since its initial release in 1999, Game Maker gained many new features, notably 3D graphics support, as well as a significant user base, with YoYo Games providing free hosting for user-created games.

Design and uses
Game Maker is designed to allow its users to easily develop computer games without having to learn a complex programming language such as C++ or Java.

Game Maker's primary development interface uses a drag-and-drop system, allowing users unfamiliar with traditional programming to intuitively create games by visually organizing icons on the screen. These icons represent actions that would occur in a game, such as movement, basic drawing, and simple control structures. Users also have the ability to create their own "action libraries" using the Library Maker.

For experienced users or those with computer programming experience, Game Maker contains a built-in scripting programming language called the Game Maker Language (GML), allowing more complex games to be made with the program.

Game Maker allows the creation of many types of games, including platform games, first-person shooters, third-person shooters, massively multiplayer online games and construction and management simulation games.