Sign in

Peter Conlin

@peterconlin.bsky.social
713 followers 691 following 591 posts

Currently working on BotHacker. Previously Cinematic Designer @DeckNineGames and Indie Developer @BaetylusGames | Seattle | (he/they) peterconlin.com

PostsRepliesMedia
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
I've been reworking the battle UI and noticed that if I remove ever instance of "Name used Attack!" and just attached an action tag, it no longer reinforces the names in my memory. It makes me wonder if that's why Pokemon players can remember so many of their favorites. #indiegame #gamedev
A green robot with four legs shoots a laser (labelled Laser pulse) at a large armored robot with a single red eye.
1187
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Astrea Six Sided Oracles is free on Epic game store currently. highly recommend it for just being really pretty and fun. It's a rogue-like, dice deckbuilder.
screenshot shows an Anubis headed character with blue energy facing off against some sort of corrupted robot on the sea floor.
000
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
The thing I always remember is she created this meme, or at least the art behind it. Apparently it's not a popular meme anymore which I think is quite the shame.
a pear with teeth and the text "LOL WUT"
010
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
I'm not saying I need a loading spinner for anything but if I did I'd be really tempted to use this. #BotHacker #indiegame #gamedev #pixelart #animation
1208
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Ok so genuinely this game is amazing and you should go play the demo/wishlist immediately. I've tried to learn to make music a couple times and could not wrap my head around all the options. This game teaches you! It feeds you little bits so it's not overwhelming while you learn! Also WHAT?!
All the music you make in this game belongs to you. Use it for whatever you want. It's yours to keep.
2259
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
My Union rep says we're in a work stoppage until demands are met.
A tuxedo cat is laying in front of my keyboard. Any attempts to reach it will result in pain.
1112
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
Writing myself little notes to find later. 🥰 #indiedev
PRIORITY

Upload and test on itch.io

GENERATE REVIEW BUILD AND LOCK.
this is what we're submitting. once it's tested and stable we SIT ON IT.

NO NEW FEATURES UNTIL AFTER SUBMIT.
YOU CAN MAKE ART.
YOU CAN ADD AUDIO.
ATTACK ANIMS ARE OK.
NO NEW CODE.
NO NEW SHADERS.
BUG FIXES ONLY. NO LARGE STRUCTURAL FIXES.
1101
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
One more. Because bots are of different sizes and have different centermass, shadow offset, and shooty zone, I've setup an lookup list for offsets which is visible in debug view. It's incredibly handy.
shows battle screen with FPS overlay and three colored markers on the players and enemy bot marking offset points for effects.shows battle screen with FPS overlay and three colored markers on the players and enemy bot marking offset points for effects.
020
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
One of the things I really truly love about gamedev is the opportunity to make a really detailed debug overlay. The depth of information about what the code is actually doing is so so valuable. #indiedev #debug #gamemaker #BotHacker
1116
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
I'm in my spreadsheet era. #gamedev #indiedev #BotHacker #RPG
google spreadsheet showing bot stats.A googlespreadsheet sowng moves, with descriptions, values an flags.A spreadsheet showing which bots learn what moves at which level. includes details of the move values.
0186
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Oops #gamedev
Shows two robots facing off. There's HP bars and other UI. both bots are rendered with significantly fewer/larger pixels than the rest of the screen.
182
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
More recent the robot sketches. First page is a gardening bot line, the second, for a planned radioactive zone. I particularly like the rust 'bleeding' eyes. The goo will be bright green as if they are vacuuming up toxic waste and it leaks back out. #indiegame #sketch #bothacker #gamedev #robots
Several bots. Various roundy bodies with beady eyes. some are arborists with chainsaws, some gardeners with watercans, snips and trowels. A robot teddybear, a spider thing, a skeleton bot, and several stages in a rusted and leaking bio-decontamination bots. Those will be rusted and leaking glowing green goo. They have eerie smiling faces that sometimes leak rust from the eyes.
0248
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
A Duncan for your consideration. #cattax #cat
Cat Tax. Duncan the Tuxedo boy loafing in his window bed.
063
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Admiting I have a problem with scope creep... I've mapped out what the world might look, like because planning is better than winging it. The Miro board is linked on Patreon for members, if you want to follow development. www.patreon.com/c/BotHacker #BotHacker #gamemaker #map #rpg #indiedev
Rough world map broken up into chunks. Labels show towns, dungeons, sites of interest, rival encounters, bosses, and the critical path the player would follow. There is a square over three chunks on the right side labeled Existing Game Content So Far.Rough world map broken up into chunks. Labels show towns, dungeons, sites of interest, rival encounters, bosses, and the critical path the player would follow. There is a square over three chunks on the right side labeled Existing Game Content So Far.Rough world map broken up into chunks. Labels show towns, dungeons, sites of interest, rival encounters, bosses, and the critical path the player would follow. There is a square over three chunks on the right side labeled Existing Game Content So Far.
1113
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
This is my tentative solution: Hydro/Titanium, Thermal/Magnetic, Sonic/Polymer. Sonic vibrates through titanium, Hydro puts out Thermal, and Thermal melts Polymer. It's not as clean, but also it diverges from a limiting concept. What do you think? Does it work or should I redesign?
shows chart of Scubot, Beepy and Radar matching up Hydro/Titanium, Thermal/Magnetic, and Sonic/Polymer with attacks of the same types. each has one advantage and some disadvantages.
000
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Further work on Type countering: I like the list more but I struggled to find an obvious trinary for the starters. Hydro > Thermal > Voltaic felt like a reach, and Hydro > Thermal > Cryo felt lopsided. Lets look past the fact I did the bot art before the design please. #gamemaker #RPG #indiedev
Chart shows comparative matchups between types. list shows Hydro Thermal Cryo Voltaic Polymer Titanium Steel Rust Atomic Lead Magnetic Sonic Aero Cyber.
152
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
I've been hesitant to add type advantages to BotHacker so far because I didn't feel like it fit the theme, but I'm considering this. What do you think? Anything you'd add? #gamemaker #indiegame #RPG #indiedev
a spreadsheet of attack types vs defender traits. the cross of each reads either 0, 1, 0.5 or 2. the list is rust, electric, hydro, thermal, atomic, sonic, nano, cyber, and kinetic, with slight differences on the defender side having pressurized, nano, polymer, and carbonsteel.
3142
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
Subnautica 2 is so beautiful. 😭
underwater scene of a reef with rainbow refractions.
010
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 09/05/2026
I've started a Patreon for the development of project BotHacker. I'll be posting concept art, screenshots, and early development builds! Please share! www.patreon.com/posts/bot-sk...
083
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
Had to go and make this a little bit extra, but it's oh so satisfying. #BotHacker #indiegame #indiedev #gamemaker #creaturecollector #pixelart #robots #art #gamedev #digitalart #screenshotsaturday
0215
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
Don't talk to me or my son ever again.
two robots stand together on a broken road. one is big and one is small.
1154
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
Third! I really love how this turned out. I modelled it off retro toy robots. #BotHacker #gamedev #indiegame #indiedev #creaturecollector #retro #robot #gamemaker #GML
three red and yellow robots reminiscent of retro wind-up toys. they have silly antennas and pressure gages on front panels. they range in size from small to large.
0135
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
Another one. I love turtle-with-a-radar-dish so much. #bothacker #indiegame #indiedev #gamedev #pixelart #gamemaker
Three green and red turtle-like robots with radar dishes and scifi recievers on their backs.
14112
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
Working on the various bot 'upgrade' stages. #bothacker #indiegame #gamemaker #pixelart
three blue and gray robots. small, medium and large. they vaguely resemble diving suits. the largest has a large arm mounted harpoon.
1286
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 04/04/2026
Peek at the game I'm calling #BotHacker. I added a energy based stamina system so attacks are limited by available energy and regen rate. It's changed the feel of things a lot. I think I like it. #indiegame #indiedev #gamemaker #pixelart #robots
A small quad standing robot called a Pintlet stands off against your burly looking green robot called a sentinel. there's two health bars and various other UI.
1145
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
Do you like cute little guys?
Three little baby robots.
110
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Made a repair station for the bots. #indiegame #gamemaker #robots
0167
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
If you see this, post a robot.
a green robot that looks like a can on 4 spidery legs. it has one eye on the left side of it's head/body and a machine gun on the other. it's kinda rusty and peeling.
0152
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
Wait. Oh no.
shows the character has been overrun by a massive crowd of bots. I messed up something...
020
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
anyways I didn't want to do random encounters. It's always felt jarring to be walking and get battle music out of nowhere. So now each map has spawn points and each bot has their own movement style. You can fight them or try to avoid them. Some will chase you, some will run away. #gamemaker
2102
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
So angy!
150
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
Makin my way down town. #gamemaker
2194
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
Speaking of new starters... Yes I have lost control of this project.
three little baby robots. a red and orange boxy one with grabby camps and antenna, a blue one that kinda looks like a little diving suit, and a green and red quadruped with a radar dish on it's back.
073
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 22/02/2026
I last did pixel art when I was 15 or so. It's come back to me like a long lost old friend.
screenshot of a top down pixel art game. looks like a very busy and chaotic factory with tubes and overhanging walkways.screenshot of a top down pixel art game. A desert. a broken down factory, shipping crates a truck and smokestacks is overrun by sand dunes.screenshot of a top down pixel art game. A desert rocky vista with several large agave plants.
051
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
Starting to figure this out... Most of the buttons do nothing but I can win and lose. Sprite type is just the first thing I really liked. In practice don't think it would actually be able to do damage. Annoying but harmless. Need to figure out what kinda status effects I want.
A battle screen showing two pixelated sprites of old looking CRT monitors on facing off. The one opposite has an angry face. They each have health bars and there is a menu of options on the bottom of the screen.
0203
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
question for #gamemaker folks: what is the deal with Instance names changing to a integer on play? I feel like the inst_ name is just not functionally accessible as a string? My work around is make a UID var, but it's a pain and will lead to bugs. it'd be so much safer if I could just use the name.
231
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 23/12/2025
This is Poppy. I hope you feel better. :)
Tabby cat by window chews on own foot.Tabby cat by window monches on tail.Tabby cat by window rolls and exposed belly.
1143
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
I'm in danger.
A very hungry cat on my desk.
092
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
I'm really don't understand how LinkedIn is so bad at this.
Shows a screenshot of a email from Linkedin. Reads: Your job alert for "3D environment artist" 
-Freelance Illustrator - comic lettering
-Associate 3D design director, experience design
- Experiential designer
090
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
I also have a kitty with short legs. (And extra toes!)
A tabby sleeps on her back with front paws on her belly.A tabby with short little legs stands on a chair illuminated by a lamp.
110
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
There's also these metal ones. Which if you want to really liven up a street scene or bar interior you can really go ham with there. Delivery day means they'll be all over the floor and empty ones outside on the street for pickup. Plus they'll have the beer's branding, and be scuffed all over.
Three sizes of metal ceg.
110
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
I found loosing what they would look like originally.
Three different sizes of plastic cegs.
172
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
Asking the important question: What if they kissed? #pixie #dryad #comic #art #Illustration #ClipStudio #mythology #fantasy
A comic depicting a pixie kissing a dryad on the nose, then the dryad (whom is much larger than the pixie) kissing the pixie's full head. Pixie pulls back in surprise, drops on to a flower and blushes.
193
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 08/03/2025
So to get this tablet to work as a monitor for my desktop I had to use an app called SuperDisplay. I noticed it could link via wifi, but figured it wouldn't be responsive and I wouldn't like it. Turns out, EXTREMELY responsive. Latency is non-existent. Now I draw wherever I want.
A tablet sitting on a blanket with clip studio paint open.
030
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
I would be interested in being on a list! peterconlin.com
010
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
Ok ok I'll post this. On an aside, if anyone is interested in commissioning me for for a bookcover or such I would love to chat! #Illustration #BookCover #moss #forest #stump #sleep #ClipStudio
12311
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 01/03/2025
A little sneak peak at something I'm calling 'The Desire to Become Moss'. ko-fi.com/i/IL3L21BCEIF Do you ever wish to wander into the forest, lay down, and just let the moss take you? It seems quite peaceful.
092
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
I could probably keep noodling over this, but I won't. I love how it turned out. Getting the face and atmosphere right and everything fell into place. spoilered cause it contains a small butt. consider yourself made aware.
1186
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 17/02/2025
Ok artist friends, not finished but I need fresh eyes. Something feels wrong about this, either compositionally, lighting wise, silhouette, or a secret third thing. I feel it, but I can't nail down what it is or how to fix it. What do you think?
A pixie meets a dryad in the forest
251
Peter Conlin @peterconlin.bsky.social · 09/02/2025
I drew some inspiration from Caspar David Friedrich's forest scenes at the start. Trying to feel out how he did trees. I think I ended up with something kinda hazy and sketchy, which was always kinda my style for better or worse.
091