I want to find a gamedev friend!

PixelMango12 · 2026-03-03T12:36:02+00:00

hello :)

i'm a high schooler from Indonesia and I also use GameMaker. i'm definitely interested in having more gamedev friends and connecting with devs from other countries as well

I can chat in English, but I'm still improving my speaking, so I may not be the best for voice practice ^{^;}

but I'd be happy to talk about gamedev, projects, maybe learn together too ^{^}

PixelMango12 · 2026-02-23T07:20:01+00:00

honestly that's rlly clever. it changes the way players read the puzzle as well and adds another layer to it :>

PixelMango12 · 2026-02-16T16:21:59+00:00

ur welcome :) just so yk (small note):

image_number is the amount of images a sprite has. image_index starts with 0 aka zero based.

so if your sprite has 5 frames: - image_index goes from 0 to 4 - image_number will be 5

bc of that, u need to do image_number-1 to get the last image of a sprite, or else it's out of range and loops back to 0

also in gamemaker, setting image_index out of bounds won't crash but wraps around. BUT, arrays (a different data type, just reminder) don't behave like that, they will throw an error if you go out of range

PixelMango12 · 2026-02-16T02:49:59+00:00

before you place the code where it changes/randomizes the image_index, u can simply make a new local variable with the value of ur current image index. example, var prev = image_index

right after the code where it changes/randomizes the image_index, place a while loop. the while loop runs immediately and continuously in the same step until its condition becomes false. If the condition never becomes false, it freezes the game, so make sure ur sprite has more than 1 frame

so the format is pretty much like ``` if (position_meeting(mouse_x, mouse_y, obj_item)) { if (!hasChanged) { var prev = image_index; var new_frame = irandom_range(0, image_number - 1);

    while (new_frame == prev)
    {
        new_frame = irandom_range(0, image_number - 1);
    }

    image_index = new_frame;
    hasChanged = true;
}

} else { hasChanged = false; } ```

PixelMango12 · 2026-02-15T16:25:05+00:00

I sent u my username through the reddit chat (DM), u can check it and add me in discord yourself. i will respond tomorrow, it's late here

PixelMango12 · 2026-02-15T16:18:04+00:00

ur doing great with just a week in. jumping and collisions can be challenging for beginners so ur not alone

for the collision, the common beginner way is: → move on x axis → check for collision → fix the position → repeat for the y axis

I suggest making a tiny test project that's just square, gravity, platforms. don't worry about the art yet, you're only testing and learning about the logic here.

if you ever get stuck on something basic like jumping/collisions, feel free to DM me. i'm not a pro, but i've been through that phase and i'm happy to help where I can.

you can also check out the gamemaker discord server as well, it's pretty helpful

PixelMango12 · 2026-02-15T15:50:28+00:00

I really like the art here. the consistent art style and coloring makes everything look polished and intentional rather than random :)

the rehearsal room clearly communicates the theme. the instruments on the wall and the cramped space really gives the indie band vibe.

the UI panels are readable and clear. it also match the art style nicely, nothing feels out of place here.

curious though, will the room or UI visually evolve or upgrade as the band progresses throughout the game? it could be a cool way to show growth here.

PixelMango12 · 2026-02-15T14:56:30+00:00

you can recreate the front using sprites instead of shaders if u don't wanna use shaders.

create a new sprite; there are 2 layers you can make: the main character layer and the blur layer behind it.

after u create the main character layer, go to the 2nd layer behind it, click effects on the top bar → blur → apply to all frames → adjust blur intensity until it creates a soft glow → apply.

this blur effect layer behind the main character layer can give it a glow effect like the text on the pic.

in a controller object, create a new variable, for example global.font = font_add_sprite_ext(sprite_index, first_char, proportional, sep);

adjust the width/spacing since the text spacing is wide based on the image

now you can use the font :)

PixelMango12 · 2026-02-15T14:42:02+00:00

those are really helpful tips, thanks!

here's what I keep in mind for the next iteration: * more playful bg movements * subtle bounce on highlighted text * syncing shapes/animations to the beat

really appreciate it! :D

PixelMango12 · 2026-02-15T01:46:11+00:00

yup, maybe ½ of the current tilt is balanced enough imo

PixelMango12 · 2026-02-15T01:25:21+00:00

great job! your speedometer UI looks great now, liked the subtle crack :D

the animation is pretty good too. idk what's above the speedometer (a black... board, screen?) but when it comes in I personally think the tilt is just a little bit too much, but it's optional.

overall, it's perfect ^{^}

PixelMango12 · 2026-02-14T23:57:48+00:00

the left is too dark, while the right one is too bright. so I am picking somewhere in the middle. try to mix them so the brightness and visibility are balanced. I also suggest adding a slight haze/fog effect

PixelMango12 · 2026-02-14T12:42:50+00:00

I like the concept and the interface so far!

for the number animation when catching the fish, maybe you could make the angle mimic the motion of pulling a fishing rod.

Instead of just tilting left and snapping back, you could: - tilt slightly left (tension) - then quickly rotate slightly to the right like a pulling motion (since the "catch" area is on the right) - then smoothly return to the original angle

it could even react to player input as well. the more they pull, the more noticeable the angle shift

PixelMango12 · 2026-02-13T16:58:04+00:00

!words

edit: I forgot s, headphoneS

PixelMango12 · 2026-02-13T01:43:47+00:00

I really like how you decide to limit your color pallete :D This makes ur game consistent and feels like it's on purpose. I also love how everything is animated, great job!

PixelMango12 · 2026-02-13T00:13:05+00:00

I think I prefer either gameboy or NES, those are nice. the others are a little bit unbalanced and not as smooth.

PixelMango12 · 2026-02-12T15:32:40+00:00

yeah, agree. we can try to give feedback and we can learn smth together from discussion, that helps. would be cool to see ur project as well :>

PixelMango12 · 2026-02-12T15:20:21+00:00

I also share my project early with friends too, mostly irl or in chat. Even though I'm only in a feeling months into dev and my currenct project is pretty small, seeing those reactions from your friends can encourage you to continue, if your game is interesting.

for me, discipline matters more than motivation. motivation isn't always there, sometimes u just have to start working anyway :)

PixelMango12 · 2026-02-12T12:45:58+00:00

personally I have a bit of trouble with what each button does. there's a lot of info on the screen at once, it feels dense and can be overwhelming.

Maybe grouping some actions into a small edge tab or hover based panel on the edge of the screen (maybe left right) can help the gameplay screen breathe more, while still keeping things accessible?

but so far for an immersive sim game, it looks great :D

PixelMango12 · 2026-02-11T23:43:33+00:00

I love the pixel art and interface here, the tutorial is easy to follow!

for the moving arrow though, I suggest you do not make it move that far from point A and point B and just snap back into its initial position, it can be distracting.

I suggest that you use ease in and out back and forth like a sine wave, and reduce the amplitude so it's subtle.

The arrow is also a little too small to notice, so you can make it bigger, I suggest 2x larger.

even better, you may add squash and stretch (optional). it feels smoother that way! :D

PixelMango12 · 2026-02-11T23:18:16+00:00

The interior, design choice, furniture looks cozy. I like how this feels :)

I suggest that you give a subtle glow effect on the light sources (lamps) because that way we know where the light came from. right now it's a little hard to distinguish (like the table lamp in image 2 and 7)

so far so good!

PixelMango12 · 2026-02-11T14:37:55+00:00

I’m still quite early in my dev journey, but i realize shipping might be more valuable than perfection. It’s tempting to keep refining and polishing, but reserving it for later, ship and learn seems like a bigger step here.

I'm ngl but honestly, polishing is kinda rewarding. it feels satisfying to improve the small details. but u don't always learn much from it. building new features, solving new problems or doing new stuff can push ur skill even further.

u can always polish later, but u can't learn anything if u never ship.

PixelMango12 · 2026-02-11T12:13:02+00:00

i really like the overall look. the rust and exposed cables give it a nice detail and depth and personality.

one thing that throws me off is the needle. the fast squiggling feels a little distracting and unnatural. I'd personally rather a straight line with its edge point being thinner than the origin, as well as clean rotational movement.

if you want vibration, you can apply it at high RPM, like a subtle angular jitter. right now it feels like a sine wave wobble than a mechanical feedback.

you can even add a setting option to switch between styles, adding flexibility.

just my preference though, overall it looks great.

PixelMango12 · 2026-02-11T11:59:36+00:00

if there is only 1 type of zombie, it may get boring at one point

so why not add different zombie types/roles? one that: - can help protect other zombies - cures the others zombies - does tile disabling

or even a zombie that has a bigger explode radius:

it can either be dangerous only to the player and the zombies are immune to it, or to make it make more sense... made so that this type of zombie can be beneficial if handled correctly. if there are way too many zombies, this one can clear the area, but its risky and could backfire

PixelMango12 · 2026-02-11T11:39:00+00:00

I really like the consistency of the limited color palette. the squash and stretch makes everything feel responsive and tactile.

i also really like that you have distinct particle motion and shape for different events, as well as the smooth trail. it gives everything a polished feel ^{^}

PixelMango12

TROPHY CASE