It's dangerous to go alone! So, hello everyone!

Razzie.P

Member
Hey guys! Name's Mark. I've been ready for the "next project" in my life, and after a lot of back n forth, I decided I'd take a shot at designing some projects for one of my childhood loves. So I picked up NES Maker, watched the tutorials, played around with the software, and realized I don't know what the hell I'm doing.

... yet. ;)

So once the forums came back online, saying "hi" and learning from/with you guys was the next logical step. I've done a bit of coding and design in the past, going back to the 90's with a bit of freelance work for companies like TSR and Steve Jackson Games (not video games there, but the foundation is more similar than you'd think for gameplay design), and have worked as a musician for a couple of decades. I realize I'm telling my age there.

With NES Maker, I followed along with the tutorials, doubling back to the ones I struggled to understand, ike pixel editor and understanding how the NES handles graphics. Most of my "hands on" has been just trying to play around with figuring out how it's all connected. Such as "why does this do that?" So yep, I'm really looking forward to getting over those initial hurdles and reaching the point where "creating the game" becomes the main focus rather than "learning the tools."
 

dale_coop

Moderator
Staff member
Hey Razzie.P :)

Welcome on board. We hare glad to have you here with us.

Yeah, like you said, NESmaker is not easy or obvious for new comers. But you are doing well so far.
First, watch the tutorial on www.thenew8bitheroes.com (all the let's started, ...), in order to get the basis, how the tool works (basically) how to make the initial set up, what and where are the different "editors" in the tool.
Then, follow the 20min making game tutorial video, you will make your first games. See how are set the objects and the screens... a quick tour.

After all that, you can try doing your first own game, choose one of the module (adventure, platformer, scrolling platformer) and make your graphics, your objects (player, death / win animation, ... monsters, pickups/powerups, ...), graphic assets and your screens.
If you keep the tutorials demos as reference (maybe open in a different nesmaker), in case you are lost or don't know to set an element.

For your first own game, I'd suggest to try a simple game (small adventure or platformer or shooter one). Don't try something complex for your first game.
NESmaker is young, a lot of missing features, missing scripts that would be useful... still some bugs and issues.

On the forum, in the community tutorials and scripts sections, you will find some useful additional for your game (use a melee object, fix the ignore gravity limitations, etc ...).

If you want more informations, your can still watch older videos on the official youtube channel. Some of the old ones are still relevant and goes deeper in some explanations or showing differently.

If you have some questions on how to do this or why it's doing that... need help on something, don't hesitate to ask on the forum (need help section). There always people trying to help you.

Also, feel free to share your projects, your ideas, comments...
Have fun!
 
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