Last update: June 5th, 2026
GAM3 is a no-code piece of software. The pitch for GAM3 is the same it was in 2013: you shouldn’t need to be a programmer to make a game. Thirteen years later(!), that has never been more true. But in order to achieve the flexibility required to build complex games, I have had to make features which closely resemble programming.
Here’s a screenshot from the most complex thing GAM3’s ever made, URPG’s battle system. This is the skill Mighty Leap and what follows after this event is played, is a ton of logic smartly injected (and cached) to account for all the features that URPG’s alpha combat requires.
Most events aren’t nearly this complex, but if you look closely you’ll see a lotta code-lookin’ things. This isn’t a tutorial, so I’ll leave it at that and proceed with detailing the minimum knowledge you’ll need for a comfortable GAM3 development experience.
Programming 101
You should understand the concept of variables, conditionals such as if statements, and how to use functions. Any functions available to PHP are available to use, but there are restrictions on any functions that could lead to security issues.
In this (nonsensical) example, we say: if the player chose choice #2, set the variable [$foo] to the number of swords they have * 2. Next, we increase their dexterity by whatever that amount: if they have 3 swords, +6 dexterity xp.
Understand web technology: here’s a cute explainer I generated with ChatGPT which analogizes web development to building a house.
Styling With CSS
Websites are styled with CSS. Each game has its own stylesheet for overrides. We’re still working on making everything perfectly flexible, but you’re able to customize/override anything with CSS and most colors are based in configurable variables. Right-click on anything in the game and select Inspect Element to try changing a few properties and see what happens. :}
The layout itself is configurable through CSS grid. That’s a big topic, but chances are you’ll be able to figure out how to move things around easily.
Regardless, rest assured Tinydark is here for support should you need some styling help.
Game Design
Gasp! Yes. Game design is a real discipline. Here are a few resources I recommend.
Game Design Vocabulary – I never got to read Naomi’s part, but it’s a good primer.
Extra Credits – I was thrown for a loop when I tried to find the link to EC and it turns out they rebranded the channel as Extra History. You’ll have to scroll down to find the Extra Credits episodes. They were formative for me as a younger designer.
Lost Garden – A great general resource; Dan Cook is a brilliant designer and I have a lot of respect for him and Spry Fox. I recommend looking through his posts to find any that catch your eye.
Otherwise, it’s hard to say what got me to the point of confidence I have now. I’ve failed a lot. I’ve read a lot of post-mortems. I’ve written a lot. I’m happy to provide feedback and guidance on the design of your game as well as talk about GAM3’s strengths and weaknesses.
Finally, you’ll really want to learn how to write a Game Design Doc. It is absolutely critical that you get your thoughts all out on paper and get settled on design pillars, as well as how to pivot out of them and determine the risks for your game/design.