Designing Games with Game Maker - YoYo Games

Particle systems are meant to create special effects. Particles are small elements, represented
by a little sprite. Such particles move around according to predefined rules and can change
size, orientation, color, etc. while they move. Many such particles together can create e.g.
fireworks, flames, explosions, rain, snow, star fields, flying debris, etc.
Game Maker contains an extensive particle system that can be used to create great effects.
Because of its generality it is not simple to use so better read this section carefully before
trying.
If this is too complicated for you, there is also a very simple mechanism to create different
types of explosions, smoke, rain, and even fireworks.
Particle systems have many parameters and it is not always easy to understand how to create
the effects you want. First of all there are particle types. A particle type defines a particular
kind of particles. Such types have many parameters that describe the shape, size, color, and
motion of the particles. Particle types need to be defined only once and can then be used
everywhere in the game.
Secondly there are particle systems. There can be different particle systems in the game. A
particle system can have particles of the different types. A particle system has emitters that
create the particles, either continuously or in bursts. It can also have attractors that attract
particles. Finally, it can have destroyers that destroy particles. Once particles are created in a
particle system, they are automatically handled (updated and drawn) by the system.
Simple Effects
The easiest way of creating particles is to use the effects mechanism. Effects are created using
the particle system but you do not have to worry about all the details. You simply specify the
type of effect, the position where it must be created, its size, and its color. That is all.
There are a number of different kinds of effects:
• ef_explosion
• ef_ring
• ef_ellipse
• ef_firework
• ef_smoke