GameMakersToolkit posts
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GMTK Digest (February 2025)
Hello GMTK supporters!It feels like the games biz just woke up from its post-Christmas slumber. We got massive new Monster Hunter, Civilization, and Kingdom Come games, plus big industry news. To help you make sense of it all, here's your monthly digest.I'll start with my takes on this month's new releases. Then there's the biggest news headlines you need to know. And finally, the best bit - 28 articles and videos that any GMTK fan should enjoy.New ReleasesGuns of FuryImagine Metal Slug as a Metroidvania and you're about 90%...
Why Monolith Mattered
Hey PatronsI'm back! Last night I saw the news that WB Games has shuttered Monolith Productions.I've been watching these stories about layoffs and studio shutdowns with sadness and despair. But, man, this one just really hit me. I love so many of Monolith's games and I truly believe they're a really underrated developer.So I wanted to make a quick GMTK Mini episode to talk about the news and chat about my favourite games from the studio.Thanks. If you've been affected by the changes in the industry... I'm sorry, and I ho...
How to find amazing game ideas
Hello Patrons!So this is the start of a new series I'll be running throughout 2025. It's called Game Dev 101 and it will walk you through the indie game production process.You can watch it on YouTubeor Nebula, or read it as an article on Substack. It's kind of like Developing... but with the hindsight of actually releasing the dang game! In fact that's kind of the impetus for the series - I didn't really understand how a game actually got made, which is why MOM took so long to produce.I talked about this a little in my inter...
(Early / Ad Free) How to come up with great game ideas
Hey Patrons!This video is going out to the world tomorrow, so here's your early and ad free version!This is the first episode in a new series I'll be releasing throughout 2025 where I break down the indie game production pipeline - from ideation through prototyping, production, and so on.This is the penultimate draft so there's a little more to change before final release - we're currently having a debate on the Discordabout whether games really do need win states and lose states - so lemme know if you have any feedback!CheersMa...
Can I fix Zelda's UI using Unity? (+ Unity project download)
Hey Patrons!"The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom has some baffling user interface design. So I decided to make some alternative versions in Unity to see if we could improve things."You can watch the video on YouTubeor on Nebula, or read it as an article on Substack.You can also try the UI demonstrations yourself at Itch.io.This video was really fun to make! I've done a lot of UI work in Unity now, across Mind Over Magnet and my upcoming word game, so I could put those skills to good use. But I also had to learn a whole bunch of ne...
Early / Ad-Free - Can I fix Zelda's UI in Unity?
Hello Patrons.My next video is something I've never really done before! It's a critique of the UI in the latest Zelda game - but instead of just complaining, I put my money where my mouth is and actually coded up a few potential replacements. So in this video you can see me using Unity to recreate the game's menu system - and then try a bunch of different options.You can watch it early and without ads, here.I hope you dig it! The video will be out for everyone tomorrow - which is also when you can play the interactive showcase on It...
Mark's Month (January 2025)
Hello Patrons! Mark here with an inside look at what I've been up to this month.What I madeSo January started off with a big video - a nearly 30 minute deep dive into the design of Smash Bros. fighters. It was really fun to make - lots of research, loads of motion graphics, and other fun touches. I wrote more about how I created the video here.And then I brought back Weekender, with a look at an upcoming detective game. I was a bit unsure whether or not to feature a demo on the series but as someone who knows what it's like to get wishl...
GMTK Digest (January 2025)
Hello! Happy new year!Sorry, it's a bit late for that. But this is also the first GMTK Digest of 2025 and I'm excited to kick off the year's newsletters.If you're new here, the GMTK Digest is designed to get you up to speed on what just happened in the world of games. I'll share my thoughts on the newest releases, tell you the biggest headlines, and pick out a handful of articles and videos that any GMTK fan should find interesting.Also... in last month's newsletter I said that I endeavoured to actually play some dang ga...
Ad Free - A detective demo inspired by Geoguessr
Hey! I'm back! I'm working on a new video but in the mean time here's a rapid-fire recommendation from me - an upcoming detective game called Locator. The demo is available nowand I'm gonna tell you why it's cool.Watch it on YouTube(and here's the version you can comment on) or Nebulaor read it on Substack.I'm excited to be able to use my platform to shout out cool games that deserve a bigger audience. And so you'll see more of this sort of thing on Weekender throughout 2025!Cheers,Mark
Making "How a Super Smash Bros. Fighter is Designed"
Hi Patrons!I just released a new video to the world. It's called How a Super Smash Bros. Fighter is Designed and you can watch it on YouTubeor Nebula, or read it as an article on Substack.To thank you for supporting this video, lemme share a little about how it was put together...The ResearchBack in October, developer Masahiro Sakurai ended his YouTube channel "Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games". This was an amazing resource... over 200 videos about game development and design, straight from the creator of Kirby and Smash Bros!So I...
Early / Ad Free - How a Super Smash Bros. Fighter is Designed
Hello Patrons!This is the first video of 2025 - a chunky look at how a Smash Bros. character is designed, packed full of details and trivia about Masahiro Sakurai's process.This is the almost-finished version - so there may be some small changes in the version that will be released to the world tomorrow.Hope you dig it - and let this mark the start of this prosperous year of GMTK videos!Mark
The most innovative games of 2024
Hey all!As you might know, I like to end the year with a video about "the most innovative game" of the last 12 months. So I've analysed games like Her Story, Baba Is You, The Forgotten City, and Jusant.But you might also know that in November of 2024, I released my first proper video game on Steam: Mind Over Magnet. Which was amazing, exciting, and... utterly exhausting!Once the game was done I had to tap out and take a big break from all of GMTK - which meant I wasn't able to do a new entry in the "most innovative" seri...
GMTK Digest (December 2024)
Hello Patrons!Apologies for the delay. But it's time to round out 2024 with a look back at what happened in December. I've got headlines, new releases, and plenty of articles and videos to check out.Let's jump in!HeadlinesEverything announced at The Game Awards 2024As always, the actual awards at the Game Awards are overshadowed by big new game announcements. This time we got a first look at The Witcher 4, a co-op Elden Ring thing, a surprise Okami sequel, and a look at what Naughty Dog's doing next.PEGI rates Balatro 18+The add...
2024 Year in Review
Hello Patrons!So, this is usually the post where I deconstruct the last year of Game Maker's Toolkit. I look at the YouTube stats, talk about how each video performed, and figure out about plans for the next year.And I'll do some of that in this post - but it won't be like a normal post-mortem. Because 2024 wasn't like any other year. 2024 was the year where everything changed.So in November, I finally released my cute puzzle platformer, Mind Over Magnet, on Steam.And now, more than a month after the game was released, I've ...
What it's like to release a game on Steam
So this is it! The final episode of Developing.In this one I break down the launch of Mind Over Magnet, talking about the release, the sales numbers, the bugs, the reviews... and where the money you make actually ends up going!And I also talk about the lessons learned from making this game. What went right? What went wrong? And what would I do differently if I ever make another video game?You can watch it on YouTubeor Nebula, or read it as an article on Substack.I want to give a heartfelt thank you to all of you for your support. Not only did y...
Ad Free / Early - The Mind Over Magnet Post Mortem
Hello! This is it: the final episode of Developing. And it's a big one. I look back at the launch of the game... but also the whole development process. How many copies did the game sell? Did I make loads of dosh? Were there bugs? What did people think? And what did I learn?A reminder that this is the penultimate draft version of the video, so there will be a few little fixes and tweaks before I release the video to the public tomorrow. But that means you get to see it early and without any adverts!CheersMark
Mark's Month - November 2024
Hello lovely Patrons! Thank you for another month of support. Here's a rambling diary diatribe of what I've been up to in the last month - and what's happening in the future.What I've Been Working OnWell... a video game! I finally released Mind Over Magnet on Steam in November. After a lengthy development period I was able to wrap the game up and stick it up for sale.Now, I'm actually working on a video about the game's launch, talking about what it was like to release the game (scary!), how well the game did (great!), h...
GMTK Digest (November 2024)
Hello gamers! You'll have to forgive me for being a little self indulgent on this one (starting with the header image!) - it's not every day you release your own video game on Steam.But there was more to November than just Mind Over Magnet (though it certainly didn't feel that way!). So let's take a moment to remember the headlines, new releases, and must-read articles in your handy GMTK Digest.HeadlinesSony Working on Handheld Console for PS5 Games to Rival Switch- File this one under rumour, but Bloomberg is reporting that Son...
The Magnus Plush is here!
Hello!First things first - thank you so much for all of your support, kind words, and generosity with Mind Over Magnet. The game has sold over 10,000 copies in less than a week - a testament to the incredible GMTK community.And now... I've got one more way to support me: the official Mind Over Magnet plush!I teamed up with Makeship to make an adorable and totally awesome plush toy for Magnus. And you can order one right now, if that's your kind of thing!Oh, and because you're a Patreon supporter - use the code MS-B53PBD09GWWQ to get...
I made a game about magnets
Phew! Here we are. After three long years of game dev... Mind Over Magnet is out. You can get it on Steam right now. As I say in the video... this has been a wild ride! I've made so much stuff, learned so many things, and worked with so many cool people. And I'm really quite proud of the final product.And yet... I think my overwhelming feeling... is just a sense of relief.This project has felt like a bit of a millstone around my neck, at times. A constant, massive item on my mental to-do list. And it massively impacted GMTK as a channel...
10 Game Design Lessons from 10 Years of GMTK
Hello PatronsIt's an unfortunate day for an anniversary, but here we are - I'll try to make the best of it.Game Maker's Toolkit just turned 10 years old. So here are the ten biggest lessons I've learned from the last decade of learning about game design.You can watch it on YouTube, or Nebula, or read it on Substack.Hope everyone is safe and coping okay.Mark
Ad Free and Early - 10 Years, 10 Lessons
Hello!As I said the other day, GMTK turns 10 years old on Wednesday. So here's a video about the 10 key game design lessons I've picked up in my decade of doing the show. Hope you like it - it will be released for everyone else on the 6th.Mark
Mark's Month - October 2024
Hello Patrons. Here's your monthly Markly update for October.What I've Been Working OnOctober was all about finishing up Mind Over Magnet. That includes all those last minute things like Steam achievements. Plus a final extra feature: a developer commentary track!I then put together a small team of QA testers on the GMTK Discord and had them run through the game over and over again. Together they found over 80 bugs and problems, which was... fun!So every day I would update the bug spreadsheet (a Google sheet with a description for the b...
GMTK Digest (October 2024)
Hello! We're well into the final months of the year now, so that means big new game releases! But it also means time to snuggle up warm with a cup of cocoa and some of the best videos and writing on games. Here's what I've got for you this time around.HeadlinesThis Might Be The Biggest Hack In Pokémon History- Pokemon company Game Freak suffered a monster data breach this month. This hack spilled secrets on unused Pokemon designs, details on upcoming games and films, and even the Switch 2 codename.Switch emulator Ryujinx goes offli...
A decade of Game Maker's Toolkit - year by year
Hello Patrons!On November 6th, 2014, I uploaded the first video to a little YouTube channel called Game Maker's Toolkit. Which means in a couple weeks... GMTK will turn 10 years old!So I want to use this milestone moment to do some self-indulgent behind-the-scenes articles for all my lovely Patreon supporters.I'm going to start by looking back at everything that's happened in the last decade. Let's go year by year and look at the videos, events, and accomplishments that have defined this channel, my job, and my life!2014Started ...
Mark's Month - September 2024
Hey Patrons! Here's what I've been up to in SeptemberWhat I Made This MonthSo I started the month with the video for the best games from GMTK Game Jam 2024. In previous years I tried to get the video done within a couple days of the jam wrapping up. Which was quite a fun challenge: to play 100 games, pick my 20 favourites, write about them, and make the video, in just 48 to 72 hours. It was like my own version of the game jam!But in the spirit of reducing crunch during the jam, I gave myself a lot more time this year. So I was able to s...
The Secret to Designing Mysterious Games
What makes a game feel mysterious? And how do we make a player feel like an active participant in solving the mystery? Let's dig in to some amazing games to find out.Thanks for supporting this one, Patrons. You can watch it on YouTubeor Nebula, or read it on Substack.If you're a paid-up member of the Patreon you can also watch a bonus companion videowhere I pore over old instruction booklets in a slightly weird ASMR-style experience. I'm glad to have this one finally finished - now I can focus entirely on Mind Over Magnet ahead of i...
Bonus Video - My Favourite Instruction Booklets
Hi Patrons!My latest video (coming later today!) is all about mysterious games - including the wonderful Tunic. A game where you piece together the pages of a retro-style instruction manual.Playing this game got me super nostalgic for the booklets that came with old games - so I decided to make a bonus companion video where I flick through the manuals for games like Zelda, Mario, and Pokemon to look at the gorgeous illustrations, handy tips, and bizarre translations.I also realise that old games were perhaps not as mysterious as I assumed... pr...
GMTK Digest (September 2024)
Hello Patrons! This month has flown by - feels like I only just did one of these things. But no mind - I'm back! The gaming news and releases are kicking into high tempo. And there's loads of fantastic stuff to read and watch. So get cozy and let's cover the headlines, the new releases, and the reading list.HeadlinesNintendo and Pokémon are suing Palworld maker PocketpairNintendo finally decided to sue the "Pokemon with guns" game - though, not for copyright. Instead it's for infringing upon the firm's patents. We&#...
Early / Ad Free - The Secret to Making Mysterious Games
Hello top Patrons! You're my favourite ones. Don't tell the others.So I've been working on this video for... a while. And it's finally done! An investigation into the mechanics of what makes a game mysterious. And how games can turn players into secret solving sleuths. Hope you dig it! The video will be given to the rest of the world tomorrow - along with the bonus video mentioned midway through.Cheers!Mark
