iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

RetroDotCards.com dev log (alt account) @devlog.retrodotcards.com · 23h

Now that I have a functional menu system, it's time to start tackling a basic 1-on-1 fight system. My goal is to have a basic, but complete, battle/fight system in place for the Detroit Retro Gaming Show on November 7th. A lofty goal, but I think it's doable.

A screenshot showing the (for now) complete action menu. It has entries for "Move", "Attack" and "End Turn". Move and Attack both cost 1 action point, so they have a '1' icon next to them.

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RetroDotCards.com dev log (alt account) @devlog.retrodotcards.com · 29/09/2026

Total coincidence, but it does happen sometimes :) (turn the sound on if you're confused)

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RetroDotCards.com dev log (alt account) @devlog.retrodotcards.com · 27/09/2026

Finally getting somewhere with the ui on the GBA. This is gnarly stuff, and game devs of the past did things like this in their sleep. "Attack" wraps incorrectly, so there's the first of many bugs...

A screenshot showing an action menu being displayed on top of the battle field. Since it's so early, the "field" is just a simple grid, and there's just two basic characters (the player's hero and one enemy).

The menu has "Move", "Attack" and "Done" options.

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RetroDotCards.com dev log (alt account) @devlog.retrodotcards.com · 25/09/2026

These little bundles of dynamite we're currently fostering are slowing my game dev progress a bit. A worthy, but often exhausting, distraction.

Two small kittens playing on a circular ball track. The cream colored one is Frankie, and the black one is Bruce.

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RetroDotCards.com dev log (alt account) @devlog.retrodotcards.com · 23/09/2026

I chopped the menu into 8x8 tiles in a way it's not too dense and not too sparse. With these tiles I can grow the menu in both directions as needed.

A screenshot of a menu in Eridin. On the left is a typical "battle action" menu with Move, Attack, Item and Done menu entries. Then to the right the menu is broken down into 8x8 tiles.

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RetroDotCards.com dev log (alt account) @devlog.retrodotcards.com · 22/09/2026

I used Pixel Pup's code as the basis for Eridin. Pixel Pup had simple needs for the most part, so I need to make a lot of improvements. Here I've added support for 2 color fonts and kerning. But text is limited to being drawn onto a 64px wide sprite, which won't cut it, so I need to address that.

A test screenshot from the Game Boy Advance showing the text "Eridin is fun" rendered at three different kerning levels. The second and third example get cut off due to the 64 pixel limitation.

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RetroDotCards.com dev log (alt account) @devlog.retrodotcards.com · 22/09/2026

Time to start building a menu system. This game will have many and the entries in the menu will change depending on what is going on, so this needs to be quite flexible.

A mock upped menu. It shows a floating gloved hand with a pointing finger acting as the cursor on the left. The menu entries are: Move, Attack, Item and Done. Move, Attack and Item each have a "1" to their right.

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RetroDotCards.com dev log (alt account) @devlog.retrodotcards.com · 21/09/2026

I'm changing this account to be my dev log in general: coding, pixel art, illustration/drawing, music, the whole shebang. My goal is to post to this account regularly as I work on things. Posts will be raw and show early work. Like this video, where I just got a very basic walk animation in place.

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RetroDotCards.com dev log (alt account) @devlog.retrodotcards.com · 10/09/2026

Working on some pixel art for my next game. Very much a WIP, there will be 4+ other characters, text, animation, etc.

Pixel art with a fantasy style map in the background with an anthropomorphic rabbit holding a sword in the foreground.

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RetroDotCards.com dev log (alt account) @devlog.retrodotcards.com · 23/11/2025

I have let my drawing slip! But I did draw this for my wife’s birthday :)

Linda and Bob from Bob’s Burgers entering a house. Linda says “sorry we’re late, Sarah! Bob had diarrhea! But happy birthday!”

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RetroDotCards.com dev log (alt account) @devlog.retrodotcards.com · 22/10/2025

Not that anyone cares, but I just switched this account from daily to weekly. I do draw daily, but I'm now taking on more elaborate drawings and it felt weird just posting WIP things.

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RetroDotCards.com dev log (alt account) @devlog.retrodotcards.com · 16/10/2025

Bees are really furry! One thing I'm going to try to do with some photo editing magic is make the wings truly translucent.

The E-Reader puzzle pack card for Entomology. It shows a color pencil illustration of a honey bee, on top of an orange geometric background.

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RetroDotCards.com dev log (alt account) @devlog.retrodotcards.com · 15/10/2025

Mostly happy with this one. But I dunno, it's missing something. I'm sure I'll revisit it.

An E-Reader card for The Nineties puzzle pack. It shows an illustration of a portable game console very similar to a game boy but not actually a game boy. It has a green geometric background.

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RetroDotCards.com dev log (alt account) @devlog.retrodotcards.com · 08/10/2025

I already posted this on my main account but here's my required drawing for the day :) This one has some minor fixes and is pretty close to what I think will be the final version. Onto drawing lots of bugs next!

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RetroDotCards.com dev log (alt account) @devlog.retrodotcards.com · 07/10/2025

I think I’m narrowing in on what the main PixelPup card will look like. Creating a non pixel Franny has been challenging but I think I’m closing in on her look.

A sketch of the main PixelPup e-reader card. It’s almost entirely just simple pencil lines but with a more detailed ink drawing of Franny the dog smiling. She is wearing a collar that has an “RDC” pendant on it.

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RetroDotCards.com dev log (alt account) @devlog.retrodotcards.com · 05/10/2025

Not too happy with this one. But hey, that’s why I’m doing this.

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RetroDotCards.com dev log (alt account) @devlog.retrodotcards.com · 04/10/2025

Drawing for October 4th, my first one! I will try to post a new drawing every day. I am using this account to motivate me to practice and get better. My main account is @retrodotcards.com , I make games for the Nintendo E-Reader. Stop on by!

Three sketches of Franny the dog. The left is her head with a collar on. The collar has a medallion that says "RDC" on it (retro dot cards). The upper right is a line ink drawing of her entire body, and the lower right is a drawing of her holding up a sign that says "pixel pup".

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