Avast is Blocking GameMaker Studio

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

I’ve been a diehard Avast user for well over a decade, but it’s getting in my way, now.

GameMaker Studio 2 updated, and now Avast is preventing it from functioning properly. Yoyo won’t do anything about it, I’ve already contacted them. They told me to add GameMaker as an exception, and that was it. They stopped replying to me. Avast doesn’t care about users unless you’ve given them money. There’s no way to contact them otherwise. This is my last resort.

First, my copy of GameMaker Studio 2 is completely legit. I love GameMaker too much to pirate it.

Second, GameMaker Studio 2.2 worked fine, as soon as it updated to 2.3, it stopped.

Third, Avast doesn’t see GameMaker as a virus, threat, PUP, or security problem. Scans completely ignore it, and it’s permitted to run in all ways, but not completely. It will not allow GameMaker to draw sprites to its own window, rendering the project unplayable.

Fourth, as advised by Yoyo, I added GameMaker_Studio.exe to Avast’s exceptions list. This solved the problem for 24 hours. As soon as I accidentally clicked to run GameMaker’s debug mode, and my firewall mentioned something (I didn’t bother to read it, assuming it was GameMaker) requesting access to the internet, and I clicked Allow, Avast (presumably) began blocking GameMaker’s sprite drawing capability again, despite the exception.

Fifth, GameMaker and all of its folders have full permissions on all of my accounts allowed, and GameMaker is allowed though my firewall.

Sixth, this is such a new problem that the only solution I’ve managed to find is “Add GameMaker to your Antivirus exception list”.

Last, I’ve tried disabling my firewall, I’ve tried uninstalling and reinstalling GameMaker, I’ve tried turning off Avast’s core shield, I’ve tried quitting Avast. It does seem to be Avast doing it.

I’m on a Windows 7 PC.

If I have to choose between my favorite antivirus and my life long dream, then I’m uninstalling Avast. Please help, I don’t know what to do, and I haven’t been able to use software I paid for, for weeks.

2

Hi,

When you turn off Avast Core Shields, does the program work?
Do you see the program in the “Exceptions” list?
How about in the “Blocked and Allowed apps”?

3

Turning off the shields doesn’t seem to help any. Though, I do have an experiment I can run first thing in the morning.

Yes, the program itself is visible in the exceptions list, and I did already try adding it to the allowed apps. Proof of these can be provided if you have any doubts that I’ve done it correctly, which admittedly, could be the case. I mean, the exe file is listed in both places, but that’s just going on the assumption that’s even the correct option to begin with.

I used to have the project in the exceptions, too, but not on the blocked and allowed apps. I actually haven’t tried that. If it weren’t 3 AM for me, I’d try that out. I’ll do that when I get up in the morning and get back to you.

Thank you for your response!

4

Ok, I’m back from sleeping. Tried a couple things.

First, Avast doesn’t allow GameMaker project files to be on the Allowed Apps list, because only .exe is allowed, and project files are .yyp.

Second, I tried turning off Avast’s shields and creating a new project. This worked perfectly. However, older projects were still failing, and as soon as I turned Avast’s shields back on, not only did it prevent GameMaker from interaction at all (still responding in task manager, but very much acting like it wasn’t, forcing me to close it down and reopen it) it also started clamping down on the new test project, and now the test project doesn’t work right either.

Edit: A second test project, created while Avast’s shields were off, failed out right. (I was going to see what would happen if I created a project while the shields were off, and then added it to the exceptions list, then turned the shields back on) I even double checked to make sure the shields were really off the entire time. They were.

All my tests managed to do is prove to me that I’m not just blaming Avast on a hunch, it really is causing the problem.

5

Yoyo was right, uninstalling Avast solved the issue.

I guess I’m going elsewhere for my virus protection from now on. Thanks for trying, though.