Getting Started with Stencyl

Welcome! This article is designed to help you get up and running. Within minutes, you'll be creating your first game. Before you begin, it's good to know what Stencyl actually is and what its parts are.

What is Stencyl?

The Stencyl Platform consists of three parts — Stencyl (the toolset), StencylForge and Stencyl.com. Each plays a role in helping you "find the fun" starting from a game's conception all the way up to publication and beyond.

Step 1: Download Stencyl

Now that you know what Stencyl and its various parts are, let's begin!

Start by downloading Stencyl and installing it.

(Having trouble installing or launching Stencyl? Ask on the forums.)

Step 2: Go Through the Crash Course

After downloading Stencyl, we strongly recommend going through the Crash Course. If you're launching Stencyl for the first time, you'll be automatically asked to go through the Crash Course. If not, click on the Help Center button to find it.

If you complete the Crash Course, you'll have successfully completed your first game! What comes next?

Step 3: Go through Stencylpedia

After you've made your first game using the Crash Course, we highly recommend reading through the first few chapters of Stencylpedia (up to the end of Chapter 4).

Stencylpedia will teach you the fundamentals of game creation through Stencyl, in a way that poring over many example games won't do.

Step 4: Create a Game from a Kit

After you've gone through Stencylpedia, you should create your first real game, based off a Kit. Kits are templates for creating certain kinds of games such as Platformers, Shooters and Action Games.

If none of the kits are to your liking, you can also select Blank Game to create a game entirely from scratch. Either way, gather your game's graphics and sounds, build scenes, test your game, then publish it. It's that easy!

Step 5: Check Out the Example Games

Your copy of Stencyl comes with simple example games that teach you more about Stencyl. You can find more example games on StencylForge.

Final Step: Make Your Own Games!

Now that you're familiar with Stencyl, you're now ready to take on a game of your own.

The sky's the limit, and virtually anything can be done with Stencyl, particularly if you make full use of our powerful but intuitive visual Behavior designer ("Design Mode") or our code editor.

Great things have been accomplished by creators who were new Stencylers just like you not long ago. If you strive to improve yourself every day and take baby steps, you'll become a master Stencyler in no time.

Before you take off to create your games, it's essential to know how to look for and ask for help.

How to Get Help

At some point in the future, you'll get stuck or need to ask a question. Where should you start?

1: Start with Stencylpedia

If you're starting out, Stencylpedia is the first place to go. We've recently revamped it to cover pretty much every topic of importance.

If you're new to Stencyl, work through Chapters 2, 3 and 4, and you'll in be in great shape by the end of Chapter 4 and ready to make games.

If you prefer a more "book" like format, we've got a special Book version of Stencylpedia.

2: Ask on the Forums

The forums are best when you've got a specific question to ask. In most cases, you'll get a prompt response within the same day, often sooner.

3: Chat with other Stencylers

Our Chat Room is great for seeking real-time help. We don't officially provide chat support, but community members lurk and if they're around, they're generally eager to provide help.

austincw
Shut up bucksjt
-2 3 months, 4 days ago

chambels
shut up person

-2 3 months, 4 days ago

burksjt
thanks for help
1 3 months, 5 days ago

TPing
OMG! I was finding information to make a game for many many times with Flash till I realized that in this hi-tech world now, there must be someone created a program that is easier than Flash.... and Finally I found you! ToT" #Iwannacry Thanks ! I will try it out, and if this goes well, I will buy your add-ons or whatever !! :}
0 10 months, 1 week ago

Bumer
Hello

Thanks so much for these articles are helpful, wonderful to use this engine to make flash games easily.

But they are ignoring the community, who speaks Spanish, I mean there are many like me who want to use stencyl, but do not speak English, and it takes like using stencyl articles in Spanish, would be perfect to do some tutorials in Spanish, people Spanish speakers would appreciate it very much.

Greetings and thank you very much.

Excuse my English.
1 11 months, 4 weeks ago

HighPockets
WOW, Awesome!! I have been searching for something to get creative without having to loose my heart for a project while programming. You guys have really made things simple! Thanks!!
1 1 year, 1 month ago

driver8086
fantastic! ive been looking for a easy (ish) game creation kit
to flesh out ideas. thanks.

btw, for linux users, make the .sh executable or it will not run.
1 1 year, 1 month ago

angelozero
praise the gods of gaming, finally, POWER TO THE PLAYERS XD
1 1 year, 2 months ago

GemMustafa123
Awesome Thx
1 1 year, 4 months ago

CH4o5
Is it possible? is this realy free?????
2 1 year, 5 months ago

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