New Dutch Game Maker Book

24 Sep, 2008

A new book on Game Maker has appeared: GameMaker4You, written by Pauline Maas. Contrary to what the title may suggest the book is in Dutch. It is a book aimed at young kids of age 10-12. It is full color and very visual and comes with a CD with the Game Maker software and a number of high-quality sprites and images. For more information see http://www.gamemaker4you.nl/.

There are four games that you make in the book. The games are actually available on the YoYo Games site. Here are the links:

Pizza

Doolhof

Botsauto

Draak

Of course these are all rather simple games as they are meant for learning Game Maker.

Posted by Mark Overmars
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15 Responses to “New Dutch Game Maker Book”

  1. NakedPaulToast Says:
    September 24th, 2008 at 7:11 pm

    Before anyone asks, the included Game Maker software, almost certainly, won’t be the professional version.

  2. Pallas Says:
    September 24th, 2008 at 7:18 pm

    Hmm… I find the proffesionality rather disappointing…
    The example games just don’t seem to be made with care. They lack interpunction for example. Also the site isn’t very impressive according to me. Though, this will not matter for the younger ones between us, the ones this book is meant for.

  3. Wyvernkni Says:
    September 24th, 2008 at 9:17 pm

    Hrm, I would at least expect it to look nicer. I haven’t and never will read the book, but I’m not impressed with the games. Pretty enough graphics, but they’re still not very professional. The games made in The Game Maker’s Apprentice looked much more professional. I actually bought the book.

  4. Caniac Says:
    September 25th, 2008 at 1:37 am

    No Offence, but do I really care about books in Dutch that I can’t read?!?

  5. ~Dannyboy~ Says:
    September 25th, 2008 at 3:31 am

    Without seeing the book, I have to agree with all 4 of those comments. The graphics are of excellent quality but the gameplay is terrible…

  6. elmernite Says:
    September 25th, 2008 at 4:23 am

    Hmm… Not to discourage whoever made the book, but the games aren’t of the greatest quality. Considering the book is for young beginners, the graphics were a little umm…. suggestive.
    I also think, although at first it may not seem critical, the games should be of high quality. especially for beginners. The first games they make will often be how they judge the program. (Even though the limitation is themselves not the program)
    However, I haven’t read the book and I’ll give it to them for taking the time to make the book. I just think that a little more time could have been spent on it, from a purely outside point of view. I cannot read Dutch (Or speak it for that matter) Just a little C&C.
    -Elmernite

  7. slarouche Says:
    September 25th, 2008 at 8:19 am

    Hmm, I think people are missing the point. This is a book for very young, aspiring game designers or game coders.

    and for the people complaining about the book being in dutch, well sorry to burst your bubble but the world doesn’t revolve around you. Game Maker was done in the Nederlands (were they speak dutch) and is aimed at young children that probably don’t speak or read good english yet.

    Simon

  8. mrsmes Says:
    September 25th, 2008 at 8:55 am

    the least have a translate button and language selection not everyone speaks dutch or English I am sure we can understand th@ right?…

  9. kc lc Says:
    September 25th, 2008 at 10:13 am

    Looks like a nice learning tool for young children. According to the front page, the chapters and game examples are designed to be done in less than an hour.

    I think this is a great way to introduce kids to programming: simple examples that can be completed quickly.

    Here’s some pictures of Ms. Maas in the classroom:
    http://www.gamemaker4kids.nl/content/auteur.htm

  10. Ruud Says:
    September 25th, 2008 at 4:22 pm

    This doesn’t look very professional…

  11. Bob the BlueBerry Says:
    September 25th, 2008 at 11:28 pm

    @KC LC
    Whoa.. They have scary teachers in the Netherlands, too.

  12. Andy Says:
    September 26th, 2008 at 1:47 am

    Although without a translator I will not be able to read this book, I am very happy to see that children and adults alike from other nationalities and languages have a good opportunity to learn Game Maker. I think Mark Overmars’ programmed Game Maker for English users originally, (although I am not sure.) But since the beginning it has been translated and made available in many lands. This can only show expansion in Game Makers future!

  13. Lapixx Says:
    September 26th, 2008 at 6:48 pm

    No, I think he made GM for Dutch students (or atleast students IN the Netherlands).

    Anyway, as said before, this is not meant for experienced programmers/designers.

    But, like we say in the Netherlands: “Wie het kleine niet eert, is het grote niet weert” ;)

  14. Mark Overmars Says:
    September 26th, 2008 at 7:46 pm

    I did not make Game Maker for Dutch students. I actually made it originally for a younger age group. But it soon developed into a tool for older people as well. And I did not make it for Dutch people (otherwise it would have been in Dutch) but for everybody in the world. So the more people use it, the better I feel. Hence, I encourage and support any book written about the topic in any language and for any age group. I hope we will in the future also see books in languages like Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, etc. I am still waiting for somebody who will take up the job of translating my own book to such and other languages.

    - Mark

  15. mrsmes Says:
    September 27th, 2008 at 5:03 am

    SWEET.

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