Quality Guidelines

More updates to Game Maker Quality Guidelines are coming soon!

Contents

Optimisation

Testing

Playability

Text, Quests & Icons

Design Tips & Resources

Once you're finished building your Experience, you'll be checking it many times and ways to ensure the topics below have been done well (see Testing).

	Guideline (default camera)	Reason
Corridors	At least 5 blocks wide and 5 blocks tall, including objects on the sides or top of the walking area	Prevent "wall clipping" in hallways, caves, spaces between buildings, etc. where players walk
Traps	Do not have any "holes" two or more blocks high without an exit (ladder, steps, etc), and make sure there is no way players can be trapped behind or between assets	Prevents frustration and the need to respawn or restart an Experience
Tripping	Remove collisions from rugs, stones, grasses, etc. on the ground where players will walk	Reduce frustration so players will continue playing
Boundaries	Make sure that if players are not supposed to exit an area, there is a physical boundary, but try to keep it natural instead of invisible (e.g., a rock wall you can destroy after a quest rewards you with the right item to break it)	Prevent breaking the game flow of your narrative by accessing areas not meant for gameplay or intended for later
Guidance	Direct players in your Experience clearly with text and visual hints, quests, etc. Help them make decisions with information on the Heads Up Display (HUD) using the Game Rules system	Prevent players from getting lost and provide the information they need to enjoy all aspects of your game
Logic Sequence	Make sure the game will continue to flow logically as you expect no matter what choices players to make (test various ways to "break" your game)	Prevent the game from being broken or exploited (which can become a problem if you offered prizes to top players)
Dialogue States	Set up dialogue states to grab player attention to start a quest, remind them what needs to be done during, and provide some closure when the quest is complete	Keep the immersion by making player actions feel more natural
Fun	Modify your game loops and add choices (learn more about building specific game genres in the Experience Guide)	Players will abandon your game quickly if it's not fun
Replay Value	Learn how to use the Game Rules system to easily create advanced logic and make your game more appealing to replay
Aesthetics	Focus on a cohesive art style (though it may have different biomes), visually appealing layout, quality 2D texturing and 3D shape in its assets, and fitting use of weather, light, camera, and visual FX	Players will enjoy your Experience more if it is visually pleasing and cohesive
Sound	Set global sound in Gameplay: Ambiance and local sound with the Play Sound component)	Players will feel your Experience is complete with music and more responsive with sound effects