Tutorial
Updated
Setup DS Game Maker for Windows 10 to Make Homebrew DS Games
UPDATE
If you're having issues with Ds Game Maker still not working after trying to create a .nds file from a blank project try doing the following:
During the PATH variable editing part of the video at 11:20 (min:secs) change c:\devkitPro\msys2\usr\bin to c:\devkitPro\msys\bin
For other information on DS Game Maker, consider checking out the following links:
DS Game Maker Discord Server
DS Game Maker Resource SiteINTRO
If you are familiar with DS Game Maker (DSGM) then you know it's early 2000's software for developing Nintendo Ds homebrew games with basic drag-and-drop visual coding or with the C programming language. In 2020 the Original creator of DSGM made the software available again by using Virtual Box to emulate a copy of Windows XP on your modern computer so that it can easily be installed and used with all its old software dependencies. Currently, that install method is still available if you want to go that route but I found over time that working within a virtual computer slowed down my workflow and so I wanted to just use DSGM on windows 10 natively. And so this tutorial goes over how to do that by installing and patching DSGM's software dependency DevkitPro for Nintendo DS, then installing DSGM version 5.12 followed by the updated 5.20 version before finally patching DS Game Maker and ensuring everything installed correctly and that Nintendo DS rom files can be created.
So let's get started!
FIRST STEP -- DEVKITPRO INSTALLATION
1. Download the latest DevkitPro Updater and install it with only the Nintendo DS tools option selected.
2. Assuming you installed Devkit pro to the C drive, go to C:\devkitPro\ and delete all the files and folders within the "devkitPro" folder.
3. Download the DevkitPro patch, extract it, and then copy all its files to C:\devkitPro\ to replace all the devkit files you deleted earlier. At this point, the newer DevkitPro has added all the Environment variables that DSGM needs to run and you now have an older version of Devkit pro installed which DSGM is compatible with.
SECOND STEP -- DS GAME MAKER INSTALLATION
1. First, download DSGM Version 5.12 and 5.20 below:
2. Next, install DSGM 5.12 FIRST and then install DSGM 5.20 NEXT (It's very important).
3. Then, download the DS GameMaker patch, extract the archive, copy all its files and folders and paste them into "DS Game Maker" application folder (i.e C:\Program Files (x86)\DS Game Maker assuming that's where you installed DSGM on your computer)
4. When the popup "Do you want to replace all the files?" is shown, press yes for all and wait until it's finished.
THIRD STEP -- ENSURE THE SYSTEM VARIABLES HAVE THE CORRECT VALUES
1. In windows 10 search for "edit the system environment variables" from your search bar and click on that option.
2. Then when the new window opens click the "Environment Variables..." button to be brought to where you can edit or create the needed system environment variables below.
NOTE: the environment variables and values are case sensitive so they must be entered or pasted in exactly as shown below. If you installed Devkit pro on a drive different than the C drive, then be sure to use the appropriate drive letter instead of "c" for variables' values.
System Variable: DEVKITPRO
Value: /c/devkitPro
System Variable: DEVKITARM
Value: /c/devkitPro/devkitARM
System Variable: Path
Values Added:
c:\devkitPro\msys\bin
c:\devkitARM\msys2\usr\bin
Note: Just add the two above values to the "Path" Variable because it may contain multiple values already.
FOURTH STEP -- Make DSGM always run as administrator
1. Right-click the DS Game Maker.exe within the DS Game Maker application folder and select "Properties".
2. Click on the "Compatibility" tab, check the "Run as administrator" box and hit apply, then close the Window.
LAST STEP -- CHECK IF EVERYTHING WORKS CORRECTLY
1. Run the DSGameMaker.exe
2. Test compiling a blank project by pressing the "Test Game" button from the top ribbon of DSGM's interface (it looks like a play button"
Depending on if you followed all the steps correctly and there could be three possibilities:
1. It works with no errors and you're ready for making DS Games!
2. If there is a "'make' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file." It's a devkitPro issue. First, confirm you have set up the right environment variables, then otherwise uninstall all devkitPro versions on your computer and try the DevKit Pro Installation steps again.
3. If there's an immediate crash or there is a Net Framework error: It's a DS Game Maker issue. check if the "Run as administrator" checkbox is checked and try to launch the program with right-click/RunAsAdministor. If that doesn't work, uninstall all DSGameMaker versions in your computer and reinstall it by following the DSGM installation steps again. You may also need the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 or higher to make the program work which should be installed by default on Windows OS 7 and higher.
FAQs
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QUESTION: Why can't I just use an older version of the Devkit Updater/installer to install the version of Devkit Pro I need?
ANSWER: the devkit pro updater is not like a typical installer, it downloads the install files from online then installs them and the devkitPro 1.5, the version DSGM uses is no longer available to install that way. Thus we need to install a newer version so your PC makes Devkit Pro recognizable in the system and then we replace that version with the older DSGM compatible one. However, the environment variables may not always install correctly and so you have to ensure they are correct in order for DSGM to work.
QUESTION: Why do I have to install DSGM version 5.12 before installing 5.20?
ANSWER: DSGM 5.12 was the most stable version of DSGM while DSGM 5.20 is more buggy but has the ability to be used offline since it was made free to the public during the time of its release. I'm not too sure how it works exactly but by updating to 5.20 after installing 5.12 we enable using DSGM offline and by patching it we get the same stability of DSGM version 5.12 more or less. Frankly, I never noticed a difference between the two versions in terms of stability.
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CREDITS:
Original Tutorial Reference and Files Source:
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Original Youtube comment instructions made by user: Chadribleu
Last edited by DigitalDesignDude,
