5 Easy Steps to Print in GameMaker Studio 2

Delving into the realm of game development, GameMaker Studio 2 (GMS2) emerges as a formidable tool. Its intuitive interface and robust feature set empower developers of all levels to craft captivating experiences. Among its many capabilities, GMS2 boasts an impressive printing module that allows users to seamlessly integrate printing functionalities into their games. Whether you seek to generate physical copies of high scores, create in-game receipts, or produce printable assets, GMS2 has got you covered. In this comprehensive guide, we will embark on a journey to uncover the intricacies of printing in GMS2, empowering you to harness this feature and unlock the full potential of your game creations.

At the heart of GMS2’s printing capabilities lies the versatile surface system. Surfaces act as virtual canvases upon which you can draw, manipulate, and display graphical content. To initiate the printing process, you must first create a surface object within your game. This surface will serve as the blueprint for your printed output, allowing you to define its dimensions, resolution, and color depth. Once the surface is ready, you can proceed to populate it with the content you wish to print, utilizing GMS2’s extensive drawing and text rendering functions. By carefully crafting the contents of your surface, you can generate visually stunning prints that will leave a lasting impression on your players.

With your printable surface meticulously prepared, the next step involves configuring the print settings. GMS2 provides a user-friendly print dialog that grants you granular control over various printing parameters. You can specify the printer destination, select the desired paper size and orientation, and fine-tune the print quality to suit your specific needs. Additionally, GMS2 empowers you to preview your print layout before committing to the actual printing process. This preview functionality allows you to verify the accuracy and positioning of your content, ensuring that your prints turn out exactly as intended. By leveraging the print settings, you can optimize the printing process to achieve the highest possible quality and minimize potential printing errors.

Configuring Print Settings

To configure the print settings in GameMaker Studio 2 (GMS2), you will need to access the Print Settings dialog box. This dialog box can be opened by selecting “Print” from the “File” menu or by pressing the “Ctrl+P” keyboard shortcut.

Printer Selection

The Print Settings dialog box has a number of options that you can use to configure how your project will be printed. The first option is the “Printer” drop-down list. This drop-down list contains a list of all the printers that are currently available to your computer. If you have multiple printers installed, you can select the one that you want to use to print your project.

Page Setup

The next option is the “Page Setup” button. This button opens the Page Setup dialog box, which allows you to configure the page size, orientation, and margins for your printed project. The Page Setup dialog box also has a number of other options that you can use to customize the appearance of your printed project, such as the ability to add a header or footer.

Print Quality

The final option in the Print Settings dialog box is the “Print Quality” drop-down list. This drop-down list contains a number of different print quality options, from “Draft” to “High Quality”. The higher the print quality, the more detailed your printed project will be. However, higher print quality also takes longer to print and uses more ink.

Print Preview

Before you print your project, you can use the “Print Preview” button to see how it will look when printed. The Print Preview window will show you a preview of your project as it will appear on the printed page. You can use the zoom tools to zoom in and out of the preview, and you can use the page navigation buttons to navigate through the pages of your project.

Printing Scores and High Scores

In this section, we will discuss how to print scores and high scores in your GMS2 game. This can be useful for displaying the player’s progress, providing feedback, and creating a sense of competition.

Printing Scores

To print a score, you can use the draw_text() function. This function takes several parameters, including the text to be printed, the position on the screen, and the color of the text.

draw_text(x, y, "Score: " + string(score));

In this example, the score is printed at the position (x, y) in the color specified by the color variable.

Printing High Scores

Printing high scores is similar to printing scores, but it requires a bit more setup. First, you need to create a data structure to store the high scores. This could be an array or a dictionary, depending on your needs.

Once you have a data structure to store the high scores, you can use the sort() function to sort the scores in descending order. This will ensure that the highest score is displayed at the top of the list.

sort(high_scores, compare_scores);

function compare_scores(a, b) { return (a > b); }

In this example, the compare_scores() function is used to sort the high scores in descending order. The sort() function is then called, passing in the high_scores array and the compare_scores() function as arguments.

Once the high scores have been sorted, you can use the draw_text() function to print them to the screen. You can use a loop to iterate through the array and print each score, or you can use a table to display the scores in a more organized way.

Rank	Score
1	1000
2	900
3	800

Optimizing Print Performance

To achieve optimal print performance in GameMaker Studio 2 (GMS2), consider the following factors:

1. Use Scalable Graphics

Design graphics at a higher resolution than necessary and scale them down for printing to maintain clarity. This allows for high-quality prints regardless of the target size.

2. Optimize Image File Formats

Use file formats like PNG or JPG with appropriate compression settings to balance file size and image quality.

3. Reduce Object Count

Limit the number of objects in your scene to improve print performance. Remove unnecessary objects or combine them into spritesheets.

4. Use Sprite Batching

Group similar objects into sprite batches to reduce draw calls and improve performance.

5. Disable Effects

Turn off unnecessary effects like shadows, blurs, and glows during printing to minimize computational overhead.

6. Optimize Font Rendering

Use high-quality fonts and optimize text rendering settings to ensure clear and legible typography.

7. Use External Libraries

Consider using external libraries like Skia or Cairo for faster and more efficient printing.

8. Streamline Code

Review your GML code and remove any unnecessary loops or calculations that may impact print performance.

9. Advanced Optimization Techniques

For advanced users, consider the following techniques to further optimize print performance:

Technique	Description
DirectX Print Mode	Uses the DirectX API for faster printing on Windows platforms.
OpenGL Print Mode	Leverages the OpenGL API for improved printing on macOS and Linux systems.
Custom Print Engine	Develop your own print engine with direct access to the printer’s hardware for maximum performance.

How to print in GMS2

Printing in GameMaker Studio 2 (GMS2) is a relatively simple process. You can use the `print()` function to print text, variables, or expressions to the console. The `print()` function takes a single argument, which is the value you want to print.

For example, the following code will print the text “Hello, world!” to the console:

“`
print(“Hello, world!”)
“`

You can also use the `print()` function to print variables. For example, the following code will print the value of the variable `score` to the console:

“`
print(score)
“`

Finally, you can use the `print()` function to print expressions. For example, the following code will print the sum of the variables `a` and `b` to the console:

“`
print(a + b)
“`