Tag: legacy code

New GML variable scope rules will break old code

[Update: Please read the comments from YoYoGames CTO Russell Kay, at the bottom of this article. As it turns out, the implications of the changes that I expressed concerns about in this article were overblown. The YoYoGames tech blog article that caused my concerns wasn’t clear enough in describing them, resulting in my misunderstanding of the severity of the changes.]

Today’s YoYoGames tech blog deals with GML variable scope rules. I was dismayed to read that they are changing the scoping rules, which will result in old code breaking.

I’m normally very supportive of the decisions YYG has made with the development of GameMaker, particularly in the GM:S era, but this is probably the single worst thing that I’ve read about the development of GameMaker since I started using it in 2010.

I have a lot to say about this. First, I’d like to address the specific changes. Then I’ll talk a bit on the philosophy of how I would like YYG to treat me as a developer who relies on their tools.

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