tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 02/10/2026Thanks for running a great jam. Appreciate the work you put in. 120
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 30/09/2026Here's a modified 60 FPS wide-screen version (no longer compresses to 1k though). pico8 -displays_x 2 load #mot_drive1k_wide 040
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 30/09/2026What has two thumbs and just sorted 1.6M Morton codes in 3.1ms? 101
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 27/09/2026I put the commented and un-minified source code up here: www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=159...lexaloffle.comDrive1K 1131
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 26/09/2026True biblical fact: I had to sacrifice this cow to fit the gameplay logic in. 2160
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 26/09/2026A little #pico8 rally driving game for the #pico1k comp. tommulgrew.itch.io/drive-1k 1121227
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 11/09/2026Can we redraw the world map without New Zealand again? I felt a lot safer when you didn't know where we were. 030
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 06/09/2026Yeah. Download file. Run file. Drag and drop some models in. Start building a scene. Crazy. 010
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 06/09/2026Bonkers how easy it was to download and start using #Godot. Should have tried it ages ago. 181
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 06/09/2026Sometimes I like to refactor code, and then bask in the glow of how tidy and organized it looks. 030
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 15/08/2026I have some mad plans for networked nodes exchanging raw sparse voxel octree data (for reasons). It will require a heap more code before I know if it works well enough to be useful. But for now there's this to look at. #voxel #octree #svo 050
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 02/07/2026It didn't result in any more browser plays or downloads though. Perhaps it popped up in the search results for some unrelated slightly newsworthy search, and people clicked it by accident...? 🤷 040
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 02/07/2026Yeah. The station UI is a separate cart. It's also in charge of scripting the gameplay - i.e. passing instructions to spawn different ship types to the main cart. So if you sign up to a mission to fight space aliens it will schedule some alien ships to spawn. (Or at least that's the plan :) 010
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 02/07/2026June 29th is Google-my-obscure-pico8-game day. 2140
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 28/06/2026Working on the hyperspace logic. You select you destination while docked to the station, then leave the station and fly to the jump point, which triggers the jump. You then have to dock with the station before jumping again. (Still needs a warp animation.) #pico8 2372
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 21/06/2026Starting on the space station interface. I'm thinking Elite-like commodity trading, but with the option to sign up for missions, and tracked standings with different factions. #pico8 050
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 20/06/2026What limits are you hitting? There might be a few tricks to squeeze a bit more in. 000
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 20/06/2026Using Perlin noise to determine the star factions, so humans are mostly top-left, droids mostly bottom, aliens mostly top right. I might do something similar for technology levels etc to set prices for tradeable goods. #pico8 2120
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 20/06/2026Note to self: Stop provoking people on the Internet. 0110
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 20/06/2026Procgenning a little star chart for my space sim. #pico8 1310
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 14/06/2026Yup, ptron handles solid poly 3D fine. (Chopper isn't even optimized for ptron - literally pico-8 rendering code dropped in. Still runs ok.) 010
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 14/06/2026I finally got around to putting my Picotron port of Combat Chopper on Itch. Plays identically to the Pico-8 version but with higher res and better game controller support. This type of game suits Picotron quite well imo. Gives Amiga flight-sim vibes. tommulgrew.itch.io/combat-chopp...tommulgrew.itch.ioCombat Chopper+ by Tom Mulgrew80's helicopter combat flight simulation 1464
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 07/06/2026I will probably add robot faction as the 3rd faction, with a boxy non-aerodynamic theme for their ships. I had planned 4 factions, but I've already used 10k of my 32k model budget on the ships and space station, and I still want to add pirates and traders. 030
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 07/06/2026Aliens have orange bug-like ships. ... although I went a bit overboard with the command ship - might tone that down a bit later. 140
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 07/06/2026I'm trying to create some factions with distinct visual styles. Humans have gray ships based on vehicles (cars, planes, ships). The command ship needs a bit of work to make it less ship and more spaceship I think. #pico8 2170
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 01/06/2026I don't really have anything new to show. I just like watching these mayhem space battles. It is remarkable how much of an object's shape and direction your brain can deduce from just a few pixels. #pico8 0130
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 31/05/2026This runs a bit better. Pairs of bullets are treated as 1 entity now (not 2). Which is a bit of a compromise, but worth it. Also added a basic sphere test to quickly discard impossible combinations. #pico8 1171
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 31/05/2026That was the first thing I checked :) Turns out no, but the logic for checking against other ships was a bit inefficient. Also each bullet is checked independently.. I'll probably change it to treat pairs of bullets as a single entity. 010
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 31/05/2026TIL what line wars 2 is :). Some serious 90s 320x240 VGA vibes there. 110
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 31/05/2026After some investigation it looks like the gameplay is tanking the CPU when lots of bullets are in the air, rather than the rendering. There might be some low hanging fruit in there. 130
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 30/05/2026Bayonetta had the same input for winding up torture devices, and I've probably seen it in other games. Never as a steering wheel though. 120
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 30/05/2026This just makes so much sense. Like I'm surprised I haven't seen it before. 110
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 30/05/2026Nice. I like how 3 circles can make the top area look like a legit 80s videogame background. 110
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 30/05/2026They just sit there in the big "command" ships, acting all... "commandy" and stuff 010
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 30/05/2026And the radar needs a bit of thought - e.g. distinguish squad from enemies from neutral. Also it adjusts the range based on the closest ship, which means far away ships aren't visible. Separate close-range and long-range radars might make sense. 010
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 30/05/2026Also need to decide the difficulty balance. Currently player has the same ship as AI fighters w same shield, firepower, handling. Which means you can quickly get destroyed if several opponents randomly target you at the same time. Might give the player an advanced ship to compensate. 110
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 30/05/2026Need to decide on the core gameplay. Players can be part of squads (or even lead them). So some scripted or proc gen missions could be possible. Although I was thinking of an Elite-like w players jumping between stars, trading and upgrading. Maybe picking up missions from space station job boards. 100
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 29/05/2026Current gameplay: Ships are grouped into squads, which have flight plans (waypoints). Squad leaders follow flight plans, other squad members follow the leader. If squad leader detects an enemy squad nearby it vectors towards it. When fighters detect an enemy ship in range they target it. 100
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 29/05/2026Ooh, I like the idea of the command ships deploying new fighters. That would be cheap to implement and give you a reason to target them. I did consider destructable components (e.g. turrets), but I won't have enough tokens - have to look for low hanging fruit. 000
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 29/05/2026Starting to feel like a space battle now. Some perf issues when lots of bullets in the air - might need to switch from polys to particles. And I need to figure out what role the large command ships will play - currently they just sit there. #pico8 49013
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 24/05/2026I had to go back to the drawing board, but formation flying looks like it's working now. The large ship is the leader, and flies from waypoint to waypoint. The rest of the squad tries to maintain their relative formation positions. #pico8 1112
tommulgrew.itch.io @tommulgrew.itch.io · 19/05/2026I'm not sure I've nailed the flying-in-formation code yet... #pico8 3403
