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PX8 – A PICO-8 compatible fantasy console written in Rust

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Re: PX8 – A PICO-8 compatible fantasy console written in Rust

#11

Post by dsnuh »

Grognak wrote: post #3

My first thought is that such a focused environment for the code to run in might make this a helpful tool to teach kids programming in a fun and engaging way. I sincerely believe that game creation is the single best vector to get children interested in programming, and this seems like a cool possible vector. (Python is a great beginning language!)

My kids actually caught on to Voxatron (PICO-8's 3D sibling) a little easier than PICO-8. I think Minecraft has a lot to do with that.

AFAIK both are Lua based, not Python. Both programs are absolutely recommended and are a joy even if you don't have kids to share with.

Re: PX8 – A PICO-8 compatible fantasy console written in Rust

#12

Post by haberman »

Ursium wrote: post #6

To understand why some people (including myself) are going nuts about Pico-8, here's one random feature: when you save your virtual cartridge as 'mygame.p8.png' it automatically generates a neat cartridge png representation with the screenshot of your choice from the game. Like so: http://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/cposts/1/10022.p8.png . Big deal you say! well, check this out: this png IS the game. It embeds the executa…

Great post! I have only the smallest correction, since many people aren't aware: the creators of Lua strongly prefer that people not write "LUA" (it is not an acronym). See: https://www.lua.org/about.html ("What's in a name")

Re: PX8 – A PICO-8 compatible fantasy console written in Rust

#13

Post by rtpg »

Ursium wrote: post #6

To understand why some people (including myself) are going nuts about Pico-8, here's one random feature: when you save your virtual cartridge as 'mygame.p8.png' it automatically generates a neat cartridge png representation with the screenshot of your choice from the game. Like so: http://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/cposts/1/10022.p8.png . Big deal you say! well, check this out: this png IS the game. It embeds the executa…

While Pico-8 itself isn't open, the creator has been pretty accepting of emulators for running the game.

I'm pretty interested in open source as a whole, but having pico-8 be a steady stream of revenue has let zep concentrate on it/voxatron, and help do things like maintain the BBS or run the monthly picotachi[0] events to help the community.

Though I wonder if there's more success in a patreon-style model...

[0]: http://www.picopicocafe.com/?id=picotachi-en

Re: PX8 – A PICO-8 compatible fantasy console written in Rust

#14

Post by bootload »

0xcde4c3db wrote: post #5
lelandbatey wrote: post #2

Wow, I've never heard of the PICO-8 before, but it's fantastic ! This is exactly what I've always wanted, some ultra-simplified game console/emulator that's easy to create content for and easy to distribute that content. People have even built cool demoscene-esque content for it![2] And some of the games people have made are fantastic, and you can play them in your browser here: http://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?mode=ca…

Is it an actual VM with its own bytecode and so on? As far as I've looked it's more like the idea of a VM built as a set of Lua APIs and memory constraints. However, the creator seems to be doing a Java-like push where the language, runtime, standard library, and development tools are all marketed as one "technology", so it's not especially clear to me.

"a VM built as a set of Lua APIs and memory constraints. However, the creator seems to be doing a Java-like push where the language, runtime, standard library, and development tools are all marketed as one "technology", so it's not especially clear to me"

Look beyond the technology and you see a tool that allows you to; play games other people make; let you tinker with; or build your own.

Re: PX8 – A PICO-8 compatible fantasy console written in Rust

#15

Post by greggman »

lelandbatey wrote: post #2

Wow, I've never heard of the PICO-8 before, but it's fantastic ! This is exactly what I've always wanted, some ultra-simplified game console/emulator that's easy to create content for and easy to distribute that content. People have even built cool demoscene-esque content for it![2] And some of the games people have made are fantastic, and you can play them in your browser here: http://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?mode=ca…

AFAICT it did not start in html/js. it's C or C++ with lua. it exports to all kinds of formats including native executables for windows/Linux/Mac/iOS/android as well as html/js. the js impl uses asm.js

Re: PX8 – A PICO-8 compatible fantasy console written in Rust

#16

Post by 0xcde4c3db »

bootload wrote: post #14
0xcde4c3db wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is it an actual VM with its own bytecode and so on? As far as I've looked it's more like the idea of a VM built as a set of Lua APIs and memory constraints. However, the creator seems to be doing a Java-like push where the language, runtime, standard library, and development tools are all marketed as one "technology", so it's not especially clear to me.

"a VM built as a set of Lua APIs and memory constraints. However, the creator seems to be doing a Java-like push where the language, runtime, standard library, and development tools are all marketed as one "technology", so it's not especially clear to me" Look beyond the technology and you see a tool that allows you to; play games other people make; let you tinker with; or build your own.

I'm not trying to suggest that there's something deficient in the approach, just that it makes it harder to answer the sorts of questions I have. I mostly want to know:

1) What does it mean for PX8 (or any other program) to be "PICO-8 compatible" in this context?

2) Does PICO-8 resemble CHIP-8 only in general concept and name, or also in structure?

Re: PX8 – A PICO-8 compatible fantasy console written in Rust

#17

Post by bootload »

0xcde4c3db wrote: post #16
bootload wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"a VM built as a set of Lua APIs and memory constraints. However, the creator seems to be doing a Java-like push where the language, runtime, standard library, and development tools are all marketed as one "technology", so it's not especially clear to me" Look beyond the technology and you see a tool that allows you to; play games other people make; let you tinker with; or build your own.

I'm not trying to suggest that there's something deficient in the approach, just that it makes it harder to answer the sorts of questions I have. I mostly want to know: 1) What does it mean for PX8 (or any other program) to be "PICO-8 compatible" in this context? 2) Does PICO-8 resemble CHIP-8 only in general concept and name, or also in structure?

good Qs @0xcde4c3db, dunno.

Re: PX8 – A PICO-8 compatible fantasy console written in Rust

#19

Post by vvillena »

0xcde4c3db wrote: post #16
bootload wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"a VM built as a set of Lua APIs and memory constraints. However, the creator seems to be doing a Java-like push where the language, runtime, standard library, and development tools are all marketed as one "technology", so it's not especially clear to me" Look beyond the technology and you see a tool that allows you to; play games other people make; let you tinker with; or build your own.

I'm not trying to suggest that there's something deficient in the approach, just that it makes it harder to answer the sorts of questions I have. I mostly want to know: 1) What does it mean for PX8 (or any other program) to be "PICO-8 compatible" in this context? 2) Does PICO-8 resemble CHIP-8 only in general concept and name, or also in structure?

2) CHIP-8 is a tiny computer with a case, a keyboard, a screen, and PICO-8 preloaded.

Re: PX8 – A PICO-8 compatible fantasy console written in Rust

#20

Post by Clownshoesms »

ld38_ninja wrote: post #7

Just a quick heads up. Ludum Dare 38 is happening this weekend (theme: "a small world"). And I've certainly noticed an uptick in gamedevs targeting PICO-8 and SCUMM-8 platforms. Rather apropos given the theme, no? A few Gifs of WIPs: https://twitter.com/Huginn18/status/855857089960345600 https://twitter.com/quaIiaa/status/855878802563633152 https://twitter.com/topkeki69/status/855743127616970752 https://www.youtube.c…

I've been hankering to do a Bolo port on Rust. I'm terrified of change and unable to adapt, being 40, but I will try.
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