GameMaker:Compiling
From GMG Manual
Depending on the version of GameMaker you are using, there may be quite a few compiling options. The current version of GameMaker only compiles for Mac OS X 10.1 or higher, but older versions allowed for various possibilities to support just about every Mac that ever existed. Depending on what your game does, it may require a faster machine to run reliably. Heavy use of sprites, for example, will require a faster system than a game with minimal use of scripting. In the current version of GameMaker there is an overhead of about 400k. This means that a compiled game is 400k larger than your GM project file.
It is wise to avoid saving over your GM project when you compile so you can make changes later without starting from scratch. GM isn't capable of editing compiled games.
GameMaker 3.5 had the most options available for compiling applications. It could compile for 68K, FAT, PPC, and Carbon. GameMaker 3.9.7 and higher only compile for Mac OS X.
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[edit] Compiling Options
These games run natively on Macs with a 68K processor. These games also run on PPC Macs through emulation. These games require a Mac running System 7.5, at least a 68020 processor, and a monitor capable of displaying at least 16 colors or grays. They run natively on 68k Macs, in 68k emulation on PPC Macs with 9.2 or earlier, and in Mac OS X's Classic environment. Intel Macs and PPC Macs running Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard are unsupported since the Classic environment no longer exists on these machines.
These games contain code for both 68k and PPC Macs, and therefore run natively on either type of Mac, similar to today's Universal Binary. Requirements are similar to 68k, except that they run natively on PPC Macs without any 68k emulation.
These games drop support for 68k Macs, and run natively on PPC Macs. These games require System 7.5, a PowerPC processor, and run natively on PPC Macs with Mac OS 9.2 and earlier, and run in the Classic Environment in Mac OS X 10.4 and earlier.
These games run on PPC Macs running Mac OS 8.6-9.2.2, and run natively in Mac OS X. Runs in PowerPC emulation on Intel Macs.
These games drop support for Mac OS 9.2.2 and earlier. They run natively on PPC Macs running Mac OS X 10.1 and higher, and through PPC emulation on Intel Macs. Sadly, this is the only available option in GM 3.9.8 and higher.
[edit] Distribution
When you are ready to distribute your game, use an archiving utility such as DropStuff to create a .zip or .sit archive that can be uploaded to your own website. Make sure the archive utility you use preserves the resource forks.
[edit] Packaging your game
An easy method of packaging your game that doesn't require any third-party software is to use Disk Utility (the same utility you use to repair your hard disk) to make a disk image. Create a new folder, and place the folder containing your game and its files into it, for example:
My Game Install Disk (this will be a folder at this point, but will become the name of your disk) :My Game (your game folder, possibly with a custom icon) ::App (Your app) ::Other DATA ::README
The reason for the double-packaging is to make the disk image contain only one item for the user to copy over. The user then installs your game by dragging the game folder to a location of their choice. When all of the files are ready to package, open Disk Utility and choose File Menu > New > Disk Image from Folder... and choose the folder named "My Game Install Disk". Press Image, and save your disk image as a compressed or read-only image. Upload this .dmg disk image to your website, and it is ready for users to download and play!
[edit] Supporting older versions of MacOS
If you want to allow your game to also run in Mac OS 9 or older, a better choice is to use DropStuff (version 5.5 for OS 9 tends to work best for .sit files) to make a .sit or .zip archive. You will need an older version of GameMaker that compiles for the platforms you want to support (3.5 supports the widest range, from 68K to Carbon). Compile your various versions of your game, giving them appropriate suffixes (68K, Classic, Carbon, OS X, etc.), and place them all in your game folder. Open DropStuff, and add your game folder to the archive. Upload this archive to your website for users to download and play on their older Macs!
[edit] Making your game available for download
If you do not currently have a webhost, sign up for a GMG Hosting account. You will be given a username and password to access your website using an FTP client such as Fetch or Cyberduck.
Enter the following in the appropriate fields to log in to edit your website:
Hostname: ftp.gamemakersgarage.com Username: your username Password: your password (don't forget your password!)
Click Connect, and you will see a list of files and folders. Open the one that looks like "username.gamemakersgarage.com". Copy all of your HTML files and game archives into here.
If you prefer a free ad-supported GeoCities-like webhost, there are a few options still available, such as Tripod. These kinds of sites appear to be dying in popularity, however, so there is the possibility of losing your site or having to move it if your webhost decides to shut down. In addition, they are usually ad-supported, which may drive away some visitors. Many of these free webhosts offer ways of making websites without the need to know HTML coding.
It is also possible to use file hosting websites like RapidShare, Megaupload, or MediaFire. Some may not even require signing up for an account with their service. However, some of these sites only make your files available if they continue to be downloaded. If noone downloads your games after a certain number of days, your game will no longer exist and it will no longer be available. Some file hosting sites also only allow your game to be downloaded a small number of times, meaning it is gone after, say, 10 people download it. It also tends to be more inconvenient for downloaders because these sites make heavy use of javascript and very annoying advertising. In addition, the URL of the download link isn't very descriptive, causing it to possibly get lost in the shuffle.
