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Game Maker iOS Decompiler Released

A decompiler has been released which can convert games published by YoYo Games on iOS to editable GMK files.

The authors of the Game Maker iOS decompiler are Zach Reedy, who has already created a Game Maker 8 decompiler, and Brad Triebwasser.

The release of this decompiler makes it increasingly likely that a successful attempt will be made to reverse the process.  This could mean it will soon be possible to convert a .gmk file to YoYo’s .ios format where it can be bundled with YoYo Games’ iOS runner, thus enabling user creations to be playable on iDevices.

I am currently aware of two separate parties who are attempting to create their own compiler to enable Game Maker games to run on iOS.

How to use:

  1. Download one of YoYo Games’ apps from the iTunes store (Solitaire is free as is Teka Teki Lite)
  2. Download the decompiler
  3. Locate the downloaded game on your computer by right clicking on it within iTunes and selecting “Show in Windows Explorer”
  4. Open the decompiler and enter the location of the .ipa file and the desired .gmk output file
  5. Import the GML iOS Library into the game
  6. Run the game

What do you think?

30 Comments

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  1. step five is a load of scripts with yoyo’s iOS functions.Those are things you can’t do with the default GML or are really hard to do, like log on Game Center, post a score, add a virtual key…

  2. Thanks Zach Reedy and Brad Triebwasser, i didn’t even know this existed until now 🙂 I can now compare the speed of the yyg ios games and the enigma ios games when I have added enough functionality, can’t thank you enough 😀
    Plus looking forward to the source and compiler 🙂

  3. Just grabbed the skydiving game off a jailbroken iPhone, renamed the .ios file to .ipa and the decompiler worked great but it said it the .ipa contained timelines and it didn’t do them “yet”. Well brought the GMK into GM8 and everything was there, including a number of calls to routines that GM8 didn’t recognize. Once I removed these the game functioned and played *mostly* normally in its tiny 320×240 window. Very cool…

  4. Duh ok sorry didn’t initially get step #5! Yeah just import the YoYo scripts from the link, ok easy…

    And 320×480 window, not 320×240. I wish they would let them use the retina graphics 960×640 resolution for iPhone.

  5. Just grabbed the skydiving game off a jailbroken iPhone, renamed the .ios file to .ipa and the decompiler worked great but it said it the .ipa contained timelines and it didn’t do them “yet”.

    Well brought the GMK into GM8 and everything was there, including a number of calls to routines that GM8 didn’t recognize. Once I removed these the game functioned and played *mostly* normally in its tiny 320×240 window.

    Very cool…

    • Timelines are not implemented yet, because none of the iOS games released so far use Timelines, so we can’t document the format. We will be documenting them as soon as YYG releases a game that uses timelines. The reason it said it uses timelines, was because the game had “1” timeline (which was NULL) because someone had added a timeline and then removed it at one point.

      Those calls to the Routines were the functions that Phil posted in the first post. Add those scripts to your game.

      And obviously the tiny 320×480 window is because the iPhones resolution is 320×480.

    • I meant to make it add the pseudo-functions that emulate YoYo’s plugins but Brad released before I got there 8D.
      He provided a link to the functions you should include.

  6. When the compiler is released, I’m hoping YoYo Games change their revenue model to allow us to purchase the official compiler for a price. I think I’d happily pay $100 for it, and would be glad to officially support YYG by purchasing rather than using a 3rd party compiler.

    But, I think it is unlikely YoYo Games will change their model, and if that is so I wouldn’t hesistate to use the 3rd party compiler rather than give up a 50% prifit share…

    • I think a white label solution would sell for more than $100 but have no idea if YoYo Games have any intention of releasing one as they clearly want to become big in publishing games themselves.

  7. The implications of a GMK -> IOS format compiler being released are mind boggling! I can’t begin imagine how YoYoGames will react! I guess we’ll just have to wait and see…

  8. Also, when is the source for this being released? Just in case other people want to try a go at the ‘compiler’ project?

    I’m personally really excited about this. It shows YoYo that they can’t stop the community from ripping the precious iOS runner from their hands and making it usable to the world. Very, very nice.

    • ugriffin :Also, when is the source for this being released? Just in case other people want to try a go at the ‘compiler’ project?
      I’m personally really excited about this. It shows YoYo that they can’t stop the community from ripping the precious iOS runner from their hands and making it usable to the world. Very, very nice.

      The decompiler’s source will not be available for public download until:
      1. We release the compiler
      2. I clean up the hastily prepared code

      At the same time the decompiler source releases the format documentation will also be released.

  9. Not particularly interested in using it myself. I’ve never been a fan of the PC decompiler (people are generous with open source nowadays anyway, if people don’t want their code rifled through I respect that) and I’m very much anti-piracy so I wouldn’t be using it to get games on a jailbroken iphone. Additionally, the runner is still in development, so potential developers are tied to Yoyo anyway for the immediate future.

    THAT SAID

    I am interested to see Yoyo’s reaction. This development can be seen as a threat to the revenue stream Yoyo is setting up, and there are any number of ways they could go from here (they could ignore it, try and stop it or try and provide a competing service etc). Should be interesting 😀

    • “I’m very much anti-piracy so I wouldn’t be using it to get games on a jailbroken iphone.”

      What exactly are you trying to say here? You have to already have the game to decompile it. Using decompiled games someone else pirated is somewhat indirect, since you would need to recompile them rather than just use the original file. I don’t really see what either a decompiler or a compiler have to do with pirating GM games on iPhone.

  10. Interesting. I don’t think a .gmk-to-.ios compiler would be useful. Simply because YYG won’t allow people to use their runner.
    However: interesting.

    • They don’t officially want you to, but if you have one of their games then you can send custom game data to your device by using a USB explorer or by jailbreaking and sending it over SFTP.

  11. Philip, the GML iOS library you have uploaded is slightly out of date and won’t run with some of the released games.

    I currently do not have access to my FTP account so I can’t update it, but as a heads up in the YoYo_Achievement* functions replace every “return false;” with “return true;”.

  12. I wonder how one would handle making an iOS compatible game in GM8 in the first place. What functions would need to be left out, what would you do for touch controls (just mouse clicks), etc.

    Otherwise, good news for all. Since I have an iPod touch I’d probably port good GM games to the runner so I could play them on the go (Ark 22, anyone?)

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