ACTION GAME MAKER News

Hello again! It’s ACTION GAME MAKER Producer Morino with more information for everyone!
In this 11th letter, I think it’s safe to say that we’re in the release period now with just about 3 weeks to go! So it’s time to cover some important pieces of information.

[h2]Current Development Status[/h2]
Thanks to the support of our beta testers we’ve been finding and fixing many issues. Thankfully though, we’ve been lucky enough to not find any issue that is serious enough to cause a delay in the release. So we remain on track for the June 17th (16th in PST) release date.

So we hope that you’re looking forward to the 10% launch sale as well as the discount for previous purchasers of Pixel Game Maker MV that we announced some week ago!

While we’re not taking pre-sales, we do have further news to announce prior to release so please consider wishlisting in order to make sure you get the latest information!

[h2]A Change to Minimum System Requirements[/h2]
We have made the following change to ACTION GAME MAKER’s minimum system requirements:

OS: Windows 10
Processor: Intel Core i5-6600K, AMD Ryzen 5 1600
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 (Pascal), AMD Radeon RX 460 (GCN 4.0)
> Intel(R) HD Graphics 530 or better
Via the efforts of our QA/debug process, we have determined that the minimum spec will allow for older integrated graphics to be used.

However, this is old hardware which means that some functions, such as reflections, will not run well. Please keep this in mind when deciding to run ACTION GAME MAKER on integrated graphics near the minimum requirements.

[h2]Export Build Functionality[/h2]
ACTION GAME MAKER will support Microsoft Windows and HTML5 web platforms as export (build) targets at release.

As the web target will run in browsers, there is significant risk of performance concerns from the browser environment. This applies especially to action games with a strong reliance on real-time processing. Due to the complexity of game design & variety of browsers and hardware environments, we will not be providing any performance guarantees for games exported using the Web platform option.

While default Godot Engine does support exporting for Android, iOS, and some other platforms, the need to create new Export Templates for ACTION GAME MAKER means we are only officially supporting 2 platforms at launch. We will be considering support for additional platforms for future updates.

Also, we previously announced talks with W4 Gameshttps://www.w4games.com/w4consoles with regards to preparing console export support. Those talks are still on-going, and we will make information available in a future announcement.

[h2]Linux Editor Support[/h2]
Due to a large number of requests, we have been testing both running the ACTION GAME MAKER editor on Linux as well as testing the Linux export function. As the tests are not finished yet, we will update everyone as soon as our testing is finished.

However, we have confirmed that Wine or Proton can be used to run the Windows build on Linux without issue. Regardless, use of the Windows build on Linux is outside of official support – so proceed with caution!

And that’s it for today’s letter! There’s just a little time until release now, and the team is hard at work putting in the finishing touches! So please be patient for just a bit more.

Also, I do hope to make one more announcement prior to the release, so please keep your eyes peeled! And that’s it from me! Until next time~!

Hello, everyone! Producer Morino here again!
In this 10th producer letter, I'd like to talk about new features that will make visual scripting easier to use and provide some information about our plans for the user community. But first let me share some information for users of the previous tool, so please bear with me.


In our previous tool, Common Actions (actions that can be triggered from any state when conditions are met) were configured in a separate tab from the visual scripting, and only one action could be set for each Common Action. However, we’ve add a special state called "AnyState," to turn any action into a Common Action. Note that you can return to the preceding action with a dedicated return action.

Multiple actions can be connected to “Any State”, and those actions can connect into your normal logic, providing you with more freedom than ever before.


This is a brand new function! With it, you are able to select part of a visual script and save it as a “Module” for repeated use. Modules can also be exported and imported.
This means that it is both easy to reuse specific functions and easy to share them between projects!
And of course, you can share these with other people, enabling improved shared development opportunities.

[h2]Using Modules[/h2]
Simply select the states (action boxes) you wish to include in the module, and select “Create Module” from the right-click menu! A popup window asking you to input a file name, creator’s name, description, and other information will appear.

Once you click “OK” the module gets saved to the Module List.

Modules can be added to any visual script simply by selecting it from the Module List and dragging it into the visual script panel. It will be added as a Group.

Modules only save the configured states and actions included in the visual script data, and other data, such as visual assets or animation data, is not included. However, as the saved information does include the file path to such data, it will be loaded automatically if that data exists at the saved file path in the local file system.
[h2]Why Modules?[/h2]
We’ve had a powerful and highly flexible visual scripting system since our previous tool released, but it does have a learning cost. The predecessor didn’t have a way of sharing just visual script, so you had to share sample projects or import whole Objects to get learning materials and then manually recreate those structures. It was inefficient both for learning and for power users needing to recreate stuff every time.
For the new ACTION GAME MAKER, we wanted to harness the power of Godot to make it to give users the luxury to share a scene, an object, a visual script state as needed.
And it is thanks to this Module function that we are able users to share visual script quickly and easily – even if it is just 1 single state.
We also hope that, because it is easier to share, our user community will be active in sharing interesting bits of script, provide more samples to help new users learn and study from, and build a sense of togetherness that was difficult with Pixel Game Maker MV.


On launch day we will also be launching an official Discord and official user forum!
The official forum will include a dedicated section for sharing Modules, and we’ve implemented a way to show forum posts directly from the ACTION GAME MAKER launcher.
Our hope is that by providing these places for getting official information and communicating with other users, it will help users to quickly and easily get the support they need to continue their game dev journey smoothly!

We’ll be at Tokyo Game Dungeon 8, the next installment of one of Japan’s most popular indie game events! It’ll be held on May 4th, in Hamamatsu-cho, Tokyo.
We’ll be allowing people to check out the latest version of the launcher and play a sample game.
I’ll be there in person, so please feel free to ask me questions if you stop by!
https://tokyogamedungeon.com/
And with that, we’ve come to the end of this producer’s letter! But I’ll be back again at the end of May with the next one. We’re just 2 months away from release, so we hope your excitement is building!

Hello everyone, this is ACTION GAME MAKER producer Morino again! Have you had a chance to check the sale price and early purchase discount that we announced the other day? https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2987180/view/529841080810602499
In this ninth producer letter, I'd like to explain things in a little more detail.


We announced $99.99 (USD) as the sales price, but I'd like to explain what is included with your purchase a bit more.
I'll explain it by dividing it into two parts: the main visual scripting and related functions, and the bundled resources such as images, music, and sample projects.


[h2]Visual Scripting[/h2]
First and foremost, the visual scripting function is not just visually depicting existing Godot functions and classes in a visual form.
As is typical for "Maker" products, it has been specially built with a design to make it accessible for people who are not programmers. To achieve this, many custom classes have been added, and we’re already over 200 classes now.
[h3]Unique Action/Link Conditions[/h3]
Approximately 100 types of executable Actions and Link conditions, redesigned from Pixel Game Maker MV, have been implemented specifically for ACTION GAME MAKER.

[h3]Custom Nodes[/h3]
Invincibility time, Connection Points, Bullet Settings, Parent-Child relationships, and dedicated variables/switches: there’s approximately 40 different customized nodes to control all the functionality offered by ACTION GAME MAKER. In addition, when the root node is one of our GameObject nodes you can use both ACTION GAME MAKER visual scripting and Godot native nodes simultaneously.

[h2]Related Functions[/h2]
Simply being able to use visual scripting isn't enough to make a game, so we've designed and implemented some new features that don't exist in native Godot to help our users. I’ll introduce the two largest of those features today.
[h3]Scene Transitions[/h3]
Using an interface derived from our visual scripting system, you’ll be able to link up and configure transitions between different game scenes.
For example, moving from a title screen to a stage selection screen to a specific stage just requires drawing links between the scenes and assigning the link conditions for the transition!

[h3]Database Functionality[/h3]
We provide a multi-functional database that is easily configured with elements such as a sound assets list, common variables/switches, and whatever other content you might need to access with our visual scripting system.

The key feature of ACTION GAME MAKER is that by combining the power of the visual scripting and these related functions anyone can create a game – from start to finish – without doing any programming at all.

As is appropriate for any Maker product, we are including enough content with your purchase that you can make a full game without any extra resources. Let me break down the list for everyone:
[h2]Audio Files (400+)[/h2]

• Music: 46 Tracks (of which 28 are from Pixel Game Maker MV)
  
• Audio Effects: 263 (of which 180 are from Pixel Game Maker MV)
  
• Vocalizations: 105
  

[h2]2D Bone Rigging (9 Variants)[/h2]

• Character Bone Rig: 2 (General & Beastman)
  
• Regular Enemies Bone Rig: 5 Variants (Zombie, Skeleton, Wolf, Bat, Cannon)
  
• Boss Bone Rigs: 2 Variants (Vampire, Dragon)
  

[h2]Character/Enemy Graphics (28)[/h2]

• Character Sprite/Skin: 2 Variants (Male, Female)
  
• Character Illustrations: 12 Variants (Male and Female, 6 facial expressions each)
  
• Regular Enemy Sprite/Skin: 10 Variants (2 variants for each of the 5 enemies listed above)
  

[h2]Character & Enemy Animations (200+)[/h2]

• Character Animations: 47 Male, 50 Female
  
• Regular Enemy Animations: 14 Zombie, 31 Skeleton, 17 Wolf, 6 Bat, 7 Cannon
  
• Boss Animations: 16 Vampire, 35 Dragon
  

[h2]Stage/Environment Assets[/h2]

• Backgrounds: 5 Sets (Plains, Forest, Caves, Snowfield, Castle)
  
• Auto-Tile Sets: 27 Variants
  
• Object/Doodads: 300+ (including set dressings, weapons, items, etc.)
  
• Effect Graphics: 62 variants
  

While the music and sound effects does include content previously released in Pixel Game Maker MV, this does ensure there’s more than enough to start game development right away. On top of this, it is of course acceptable to make modifications to the provided assets as you need and we are providing an asset sharing agreement to allow you to use our assets with other tools.

We are also working on multiple sample projects for learning ACTION GAME MAKER in addition to a web manual and a special users forum to make it easy for creators to interact with each other.

The price of $99.99 USD is by no means cheap, but we hope you will consider it reasonable after careful consideration of the value provided by the bundled content & functionality on offer.


Although previously announced, we would like to reiterate that ACTION GAME MAKER will support the following 6 languages at release in addition to Japanese, English, and Simplified Chinese:

• Traditional Chinese
  
• Korean
  
• Russian
  
• German
  
• Brazilian Portuguese
  
• Latin American Spanish
  

While we initially did not plan for this selection of languages, it is thanks to the large support from those communities via wishlisting that made it possible to do!

Due to the additional time and costs associated with translations we aren’t able to add them all, but we are still open to adding more based on the wishlist numbers. If you’d like to see another language added, please encourage people from that region to wishlist ACTION GAME MAKER.


Let me end this letter by providing some information about how the closed beta test has been proceeding.
The testers have been hard at work, and many issues have been found and resolved. They’ve also created some interesting things already, and I’d like to share some of those creations with you!

[h2]Shiouhuamien’s 2.5D Plugin[/h2]
https://youtu.be/4U5uxnP1ex8?si=AtIGxVcGZZb1YJG0
This plugin allows the use of a 3D scene with ACTION GAME MAKER. Typically we hide access to the 3D functionality, but it isn’t removed. This means this is unsupported, use-at-your-own-risk activity, but tricks like this are definitely possible!
[h2]Steam Achievement Guide from korytoombs[/h2]
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3428532670
There’s already an add-on for Godot to enable Steam achievements. It takes a little bit of programming to enable, but this confirms that it is indeed possible to get Steam achievements working with ACTION GAME MAKER games!

ACTION GAME MAKER’s design intentionally retains the use of various Godot functions so that we can both utilize Godot's functions and add-ons in addition to our customized functionality.

However, we must strongly emphasize that these are Godot functions and not ACTION GAME MAKER's functions, so they are not covered by our warranty.

That’s all for this letter! I’ll see you again next month, when we’ll be just 3 month away from release! Thank you for your continued support!

The price of ACTION GAME MAKER has been set at $99.99 USD for the USA.


[h2]10% Off Launch Sale[/h2]
To celebrate the release of ACTION GAME MAKER, a 10% discount will be available for two weeks starting from June 16 (Mon) PDT.

[h2]Exclusive Early Purchase Bundle for "Pixel Game Maker MV" Owners![/h2]
A Complete Bundle featuring ACTION GAME MAKER and its predecessor, Pixel Game Maker MV, will be available!
This bundle offers a 10% discount, which can be combined with the 10% launch discount, allowing Pixel Game Maker MV owners to purchase at a 19% discount!
This bundle is exclusive to early purchasers and may be discontinued without notice after the launch sale ends.


In addition to the previously announced Japanese, English, and Simplified Chinese, we are happy to announced that the following six languages will be supported as well:

• Traditional Chinese
  
• Korean
  
• Russian
  
• German
  
• Brazilian Portuguese
  
• Latin American Spanish
  

These languages have been added due to the high number of wishlist registrations from users in these regions, despite not initially supporting these languages.

[h2]Regional Prices (Equivalent to Steam's Recommended Prices):[/h2]

• British Pound (GBP): £83.99
  
• Euro (EUR): €97.50
  
• Russian Ruble (RUB): руб.3,200
  
• Brazilian Real (BRL): R$269.99
  
• Indonesian Rupiah (IDR): Rp751,999
  
• Malaysian Ringgit (MYR): RM221.00
  
• Philippine Peso (PHP): P2,800.00
  
• Singapore Dollar (SGD): S$85.00
  
• Thai Baht (THB): ฿1,799.00
  
• Vietnamese Dong (VND): ₫1,170,000
  
• South Korean Won (KRW): ₩105,000
  
• Ukrainian Hryvnia (UAH): ₴1,875
  
• Mexican Peso (MXN): Mex$1,029.99
  
• Canadian Dollar (CAD): CDN$129.99
  
• Australian Dollar (AUD): A$145.95
  
• New Zealand Dollar (NZD): NZ$142.99
  
• Norwegian Krone (NOK): kr1,119.00
  
• Polish Zloty (PLN): zł462.99
  
• Swiss Franc (CHF): CHF110.99
  
• Chinese Yuan (CNY): ¥336.00
  
• Indian Rupee (INR): ₹4,000
  
• Chilean Peso (CLP): CLP$47,500
  
• Peruvian Sol (PEN): S/.193.00
  
• Colombian Peso (COP): COL$214,000
  
• South African Rand (ZAR): R829.00
  
• Hong Kong Dollar (HKD): HK$598.00
  
• Taiwan Dollar (TWD): NT$1,500
  
• Saudi Riyal (SAR): SR187.95
  
• UAE Dirham (AED): AED260.00
  
• Israeli New Shekel (ILS): ₪374.95
  
• Kazakhstani Tenge (KZT): ₸23,500
  
• Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD): KD16.00
  
• Qatari Riyal (QAR): QR204.99
  
• Costa Rican Colón (CRC): ₡39,900
  
• Uruguayan Peso (UYU): $U2,850
  
• CIS(USD): $45.99
  
• SASIA(USD): $31.99
  
• LATAM(USD): $45.99
  
• MENA(USD): $45.99
  

With just three months until the release of ACTION GAME MAKER, we appreciate your patience and look forward to sharing this exciting tool with you soon!