Game Maker’s C++ Runner is in Testing
June 23rd, 2009 by Philip Gamble
| Categories: Game Maker 8, Game Maker Development
Very little is known about the progress of the C++ Game Maker runner re-write which YoYo Games intend to use with Game Maker 8. There is however a version of the runner, created in November last year, that works with (some) Game Maker 7 games which is currently in testing.
Click to view full-sized image
I know this is probably not of interest to the majority of readers, and this is certainly not time sensitive, but it is proof that something was happening and there has been little information posted elsewhere.
Wow.
A “semi”-working version already in existence since November, definitely good news. I definitely look forward to some public testing of the C++ runner, whenever its supposed to happen.
Phil, question: any information on the filesize of the new executable or performance change in games (provided that the conversion works, that is).
@Eyas No new executable file is created. Presumably when run the beta is run it strips the old runner from a Game Maker 7 executable file and appends a C++ runner which is then used. However the executable file remains unaltered in size.
If there is a new file created i think it will be in a temp folder, i’ve never really done much digging so i assume its all done in memory. The version in the screen shot is also the last version YYG released for testing.
I’m still not sure how [removed by GMB admin] (yes, i saw his comment) got a screen shot of it.
He was sent a copy of the runner by someone at YYG.
What does a C++ runner mean for Game Maker? Will this make the games run faster? The executables smaller?
This is gonna be soo p00wnage.
Rivius: it just means that it will be easier to maintain in the future. This is also a golden chance for YYG to clean up and optimize GML, so there may be a bit of a speed boost, but like I said, the main motivation for rewriting in C++ is that C++ is easier than Delphi to maintain and update.
The main reason for the c++ rewrite was for portability. So, for example, it can be compiled for the mac version.