How to Participate in the GameMaker Community Forum

The GameMaker Community forum (forum.gamemaker.io) is an official-style discussion board for GameMaker users, built on XenForo. You can read most boards as a guest, but to post, reply, or join events like the GMC Jam you need a registered account. Participation works best when you post in the right board, include enough detail for others to reproduce your problem, and follow the community guidelines. Below is what you need to know before your first post.

Getting started: account and access

The forum shows a Log in / Register option in the header. Registration is the gate for anything beyond reading.

• As a guest, you can browse boards, open threads, and read replies. The forum greets you as "Hey, Guest!" and prompts you to log in or register.
• With an account, you can start threads, reply, react to posts, and take part in community events.
• JavaScript should be enabled for the full experience; the site explicitly notes that disabling it degrades the forum, and that an outdated browser may render incorrectly.

There is no pricing information on the page, so nothing here should be read as confirming a free or paid membership — the visible action is simply register or log in.

Finding the right board before you post

The forum is organized into sections, and posting in the correct one is the difference between a fast answer and a moved or ignored thread. The main areas visible on the index include:

The index makes the rule blunt: in Community Chat, "DO NOT POST PROGRAMMING OR TECHNICAL QUESTIONS HERE." If your question is about code, put it in Programming.

How to ask a question that actually gets answered

The recent thread list shows the pattern of what works. Threads marked SOLVED — such as a surface-clearing issue, a text box bug, or a JSON load error — tend to be specific and reproducible. Vague titles sit unanswered.

A practical checklist for a Programming post:

1. State the goal in one sentence — what you expected to happen.
2. State what actually happens, including the exact error text if there is one (for example, a JSON load error message).
3. Show the relevant code, not your whole project. Paste the event or function involved.
4. Say what you already tried, so people don't repeat suggestions.
5. Mark the thread solved once it's fixed, so others can find the answer later.

Threads like "Persisting issue with vertical moving platforms" get multiple replies because the problem is concrete; a post that only says "my game is broken" gives nothing to work with.

Community rules and etiquette

• Read the Community Guidelines first. The forum points new users there before posting anywhere else.
• Stay on topic per board. Technical questions belong in Programming, not Community Chat.
• Don't hijack threads. If your issue differs from the original post, start your own.
• Be patient and civil. Replies can take hours or days; the timestamps on the index show threads often resolve within a day when the question is clear.
• Use the search and "New posts" / "Latest activity" views before asking — your question may already be answered.

Joining community events

The forum runs its own game jams under the GMC Jam board. The index advertises the next one, The Interstellar GMC Jam 60, running October 21st–26th, 2026 (12:00 UTC to 12:00 UTC), with a "Clash of Gangs" team element alongside individual prizes. To take part, register or log in, then follow the GMC Jam board and the linked event page for rules and submission details. The board also hosts a sub-forum for individual jams and discussion threads such as the Slow Jam.

Quick answers

• Can I read without an account? Yes — browsing and reading threads works as a guest.
• Where do I ask a code question? The Programming board.
• Where do I chat about the community? Community Chat — but not for technical help.
• How do I join a jam? Register, then follow the GMC Jam board and the current event announcement.
• Why does the site look broken? Enable JavaScript and update your browser.