Game Maker is a popular computer program designed by YoYo Games that allows the user to create video games without the need for advanced programming knowledge. Game Maker was designed to be user-friendly by using a series of drop-down menus that allows you to pick and choose the features and programming you want to use for your specific game. One of the most basic needs for any game is a start menu. Making a menu is a quick and simple procedure.
Step 1
Click on the "Create a Sprite" icon at the top of the Game Maker page and then select "Load Sprite" to pick a selection from the Game Maker catalog. This will allow you to make buttons for your menu.
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Step 2
Select the button you wish to use for your menu. For example, if you are adding a play button, choose the preexisting "play" button from the sprite menu. You can then give it a file name. Click "Okay."
Step 3
Load the same sprite you just used in the procedure above but rename it with the word "pressed" after the initial file name. This will be a modified button for when the mouse is on top of it during the game.
Step 4
Click on the "Edit Sprite" button to edit the look of your pressed button. Use the "Image" option to change the look of your pressed button. For example, if you want the button to brighten while the game mouse is on it, adjust the intensity to reflect this or you can change the button's color. Click "OK" when satisfied. You'll need to click "OK" twice more on the previous menus to get back to the main screen.
Step 5
Back at the main menu, click on "Create an Object" at the top of the screen. Choose the button that you just created when the selection menu comes up. Give it the same file name as the sprite name. Do the same for the pressed version of the button to create objects for both.
Step 6
With one of the objects opened, add an event by clicking on the "Add Event" option near the bottom of the window. Click on "Mouse" from the following selection menu and then on "Left button" on the subsequent menu. This tells the computer that you are creating an action for when the left mouse button is clicked on your button.
Step 7
Add an action by selecting the "Go to the Next Room" option on the right side of the screen. This tells the system that when the button is clicked with the left mouse button, the program should go to the next room of the game.
Step 8
Add another event and select either "mouse enter" or "mouse leave," depending on which button you are programming. Select "change instance" on the right side of the screen and then choose the other button that you created. This makes the button change colors from when the mouse is on it to when the mouse is off it by connecting the two buttons you created.
Step 9
Click "OK" and do the same for the other button.
Step 10
Create a room by choosing the "Create a Room" option at the top of the main screen. Select the first button that you created and use the mouse to drag it to where you want it to be on the menu.
Step 11
Create a second room that will later become part of your actual game. Add other buttons to the first room (which is your menu screen) following the same procedures and then test that the menu works by clicking on "Test Game."
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