How Do I Fix the Game Maker Studio Android Error at Compile

I recently ran into a frustrating issue while compiling an Android APK in GameMaker Studio Pro v1.4.1567. After setting everything up and hitting the build button, I got this error:

Error Code

BUILD FAILED  
C:\Program Files\Android_SDK\tools\ant\build.xml:649: The following error occurred while executing this line:  
C:\Program Files\Android_SDK\tools\ant\build.xml:694: null returned: 1

At first glance, it looked like a cryptic build issue. But after some digging, I figured out what was wrong and how to fix it. In this post, I’ll walk you through everything from identifying the cause to enhancing your test project with Android features.

Basic GameMaker Android Build Code

Before troubleshooting, I like to make sure the project itself is working. Here’s a super simple GML code snippet that runs on Android:

// Create Event
show_message("Hello Android!");

This helps verify whether GameMaker can successfully compile and launch your game on Android. If this doesn’t build, chances are something is off in your SDK/NDK or Java setup.

The Compile Error

If your build fails with this message:

BUILD FAILED  
C:\Program Files\Android_SDK\tools\ant\build.xml:649:  
C:\Program Files\Android_SDK\tools\ant\build.xml:694: null returned: 1

It means ANT (the build system used by GameMaker Studio 1.x) ran into a problem usually related to paths, tools, or missing dependencies.

Explanation of the Error

The error comes from Apache ANT, which uses XML scripts (build.xml) to handle compiling the Java/Android parts of your GameMaker project.

Specifically:

• Line 694 fails when ANT expects a valid return value or path, but gets null.
• It returns exit code 1, which is a generic “something broke” signal.

This usually points to something being misconfigured, outdated, or missing in your Android toolchain.

Like Causes & Fix

Here’s a quick table of what might be going wrong and how I fixed it:

My GameMaker Android Configuration Checklist

Here’s what finally worked for me. Double-check these:

• SDK Location:
  C:\Program Files\Android_SDK
• NDK Location:
  C:\Android\ndk\android-ndk-r10e
• JDK Location:
  C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.7.0_80
• Build Tools Version:
  22.0.1 installed inside:
  C:\Program Files\Android_SDK\build-tools\22.0.1
• Target SDK in GameMaker Project Settings:
  Set to match the installed Android API level (I used 14 or 16).

More Practice Functionality to Add in Your Game Code

Once your basic build is working, you might want to test some actual Android-specific features. Here’s what I added to my test project:

Vibrate the Device

// Create Event
if (os_type == os_android) {
    show_message("Running on Android");
    android_vibrate(500); // Vibrate for 500 ms
}

Play Background Music

// Create Event
audio_play_sound(snd_music, 1, true); // Loop the background music

Note: Make sure snd_music is added to your project’s sound assets.

Animate a Sprite

// Step Event
image_speed = 0.2; // Slows down the sprite animation

Attach a multi frame sprite to your object to make it animate smoothly on-screen.

Final Thought

If you’re still sticking with GameMaker Studio 1.4, you’re not alone I get the appeal of its simplicity. But working with older SDKs and tools means you’ll occasionally run into strange build issues like this.

Just remember most of the time, it’s about toolchain compatibility especially Java, NDK, and build tools. Take the time to align those, and your Android builds will compile like butter.