My review.

[DescipleOfZen]

Posting my review here because you need to have used software for at least 5 minutes, i have 0 minutes on the steam release. I am not sure why i even have it on steam as i have a active license (sadly) already via the yoyo website.

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I've been working with GML since game maker 5..; I've always used game maker for quick prototypes and as i got better (and Yoyo was adding support for console and other target platforms; looking more and more promising), i was considering working on a beyond-prototype project that might blossom into something final.

That's a joke, now.

I have a few months experience with GMS2; I don''t know why i own it on steam, since i have my own licesne via their website store. But it turns out i have it on steam, for some reason, and i am writing my thoughts about it.

Studio 2 is junk, plain and simple. The new UI is gross; it's a messy bootleg of unreal engine and really adds to development time. It's a total pain!

Studio 1 and below, especially GML8, had a simple and archaic looking but FUCTIONAL AND CLEAN workflow.

Click on your object or script, edits the junks in the window, save, close, run.

GMS2 is so bad.... "modules" all over the place within "workplaces"... jesus.

I'll tell you what really takes the cake for me, though. The lack of 32bit building.

Good job yoyo, you just alienated half of the planet as a target audience. This is also ironic since you're European! - 88& of Europe still uses 2G networks and Windows XP is also huge there, still.

The fact a can't build anything and deploy to both 32 and 64 is laughable. When i use GML to write joke programs or installers for game cracks i make, i use GML8. It was so good and quick.

Now you've got people running around a dirty UI.. sad. Studio 1 wasn't that great either, but it AT LEAST had a good IDE interface..

Oh, and i really hate the new "sandbox" crap for directory paths. You ninny, if i wanna call a file from my server, i am gonna do it! Don't limit me, ya' hounds!

In GML8, you could call any file from anywhere and it was great. Felt like a normal high level language.

Studio 2 is a toy.

[redforest]

Finally, somebody figured that: "it's a messy bootleg of unreal engine".

What I expected from GMS2?

More platforms to export (why not Arduino...), more platforms to develop (browser engine, mobile engine, simpler versions for basic purposes.), more free modules, more DND functions for complex issues, instant testing, shorter compiling, a layer system (especially for large sprites)...

What I found?

Different, messy and slower interface, online obligation, more expensive modules, total removal of free version, irrelevant changes in GML, longer install & update time, longer boot time, longer test time, longer compile time, longer help look up time, useless tools, removal of some useful functions (for instance background remove tool), a layer system and some little good functions.

In sum, GMS2 has three superior aspects for me. 1. Layer system. 2. Beautiful design 3. Colorful code editor. So, it only adresses 1 critical issue (layers) that I expect from GMS2.

Also, since GMS2 was introduced, Yoyo had a bad PR for me. They removed the critiques in forums, killed GMS1 easily, tried to use engine to collect data by tricky methods, could not eliminate bugs, could not manage server downs, could not obtain satisfactory answers...

GMS was a different, a very unique tool. Now it is getting closer to some other tool in the market. It is getting more market oriented, more profit making, maybe more "professional" but losing the amateur spirit which is the primary basis of game development.

Thus, it seems like a huge backstep.

Yes, I think that way...Studio 2 is a toy. It is a toy, just to be sold by a gambling company. It can take your eyes off but actually it gives you very less than GMS1.

Believe me, there is no love under this beauty.

[GDS]

I reaally love the way that a regular double click anywhere on my PC means:
Open the file im clicking

But on GMS2: Double-click? you want to open the rename interface right?

[DarklinkFighter]

Originally posted by Peitolino:

I reaally love the way that a regular double click anywhere on my PC means:
Open the file im clicking

But on GMS2: Double-click? you want to open the rename interface right?

Like in windows... Make a slow frequency double click and you get the renaming.
Make a fast double click and you open...
(Same in GMS2 - So I guess they only havce to adjust the open click speed)

[DarklinkFighter]

Originally posted by redforest:

Finally, somebody figured that: "it's a messy bootleg of unreal engine".

Different, messy and slower interface, online obligation, more expensive modules, total removal of free version, irrelevant changes in GML, longer install & update time, longer boot time, longer test time, longer compile time, longer help look up time, useless tools, removal of some useful functions (for instance background remove tool), a layer system and some little good functions.

Oh ok... Thats interesting...
I don't know the previous versions so I can't tell if it realy is a step back but I enjoy the work with GMS2 so far.
But maybe I should buy the old version too... :D

So in General... I kinda like the workflow idea... but you are right it is a complicated implementation currently. But I think if the devs realy put a lot of effort into this system it can still change to a very great system.
I think there are just to less shortcuts to see the benefits of this system.
The most important one currently for me is CTRL + T to jump around in my workspace to the type I want to change... Like in any other Code IDE where you use a Shortcut to get to a new Class File you want to edit...
Much worse is that you loose the overview so quickly...
So I think it would be better to Zoom in and out with Mousewheel instead of Scolling down and up...
Again like you mentioned... In Unreal - there this System works very well while still keep track of everything. And I don't think that copying a good UX is bad :-)

So this is my point to the GMS2 Devs... I like GMS2 in many ways and I think the workspace system is also great but they have to focus on the user expierence for this system a lot and change some stuff in minor ways and build in new navigation features for workflows and it is a much better system.

[DescipleOfZen]

Originally posted by DarklinkFighter:

Originally posted by redforest:

Finally, somebody figured that: "it's a messy bootleg of unreal engine".

Different, messy and slower interface, online obligation, more expensive modules, total removal of free version, irrelevant changes in GML, longer install & update time, longer boot time, longer test time, longer compile time, longer help look up time, useless tools, removal of some useful functions (for instance background remove tool), a layer system and some little good functions.

Oh ok... Thats interesting...
I don't know the previous versions so I can't tell if it realy is a step back but I enjoy the work with GMS2 so far.
But maybe I should buy the old version too... :D

So in General... I kinda like the workflow idea... but you are right it is a complicated implementation currently. But I think if the devs realy put a lot of effort into this system it can still change to a very great system.
I think there are just to less shortcuts to see the benefits of this system.
The most important one currently for me is CTRL + T to jump around in my workspace to the type I want to change... Like in any other Code IDE where you use a Shortcut to get to a new Class File you want to edit...
Much worse is that you loose the overview so quickly...
So I think it would be better to Zoom in and out with Mousewheel instead of Scolling down and up...
Again like you mentioned... In Unreal - there this System works very well while still keep track of everything. And I don't think that copying a good UX is bad :-)

So this is my point to the GMS2 Devs... I like GMS2 in many ways and I think the workspace system is also great but they have to focus on the user expierence for this system a lot and change some stuff in minor ways and build in new navigation features for workflows and it is a much better system.

Workflow UX was never good. It's just a hinderance.