kittenm4ster [Lexaloffle Blog Feed]

UFO 50 menu/library music

Sun, 01 Dec 2024 21:03:51 UTC

[sfx]

a cover of the track "UFO 50" from the rad album "UFO 50" by Eirik Suhrke which is the soundtrack for the game UFO 50

King's Quest

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 18:59:55 UTC

kquest

by kittenm4ster

[Click to Play]

a short, dumb adventure game made over the course of about 10 days for PiCoSteveMo 2

waveform editor corrupts first note of sfx 63

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 20:24:46 UTC

I just found a weird bug where pushing play in the waveform editor seems to corrupt the first note of sfx 63

Steps to reproduce

click the "waveform" button in any sfx 0-7 and push spacebar to play
view sfx 63 and see that the first note has now changed to a C2 using the waveform instrument that you were just editing

using version 0.2.6b

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 00:02:21 UTC

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 06:32:25 UTC

This one weird trick will make your platformer better!

Fri, 24 Nov 2023 19:53:06 UTC

poke(0x5f5c, 255) -- disable btnp repeat

lol ur welcome

love,
kittenm4ster

u can eat a butt

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 04:20:51 UTC

buttworm

by kittenm4ster

[Click to Play]

This software product was made for https://itch.io/jam/picostevemo and is based on the 2001 science fiction horror novel Dreamcatcher by American writer Stephen King.

binary table serializer and deserializer

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 23:25:51 UTC

I think table serialization is a pretty well-known token-saving technique but I hadn't seen anyone post one like this that just operates via peek and poke rather than using strings, so I thought I'd share my table serializer and deserializer here (originally written for PIZZA PANDA) in case this is useful to anyone.

The serializer writes binary data directly to memory so you can use the output however you want, e.g. you can use the "storing binary data as strings" technique to store it as a string, but you could also just store it anywhere in the cart's data.

The deserializer (the part you need to include in your final cart) is 170 tokens and it similarly reads bytes directly from memory.

The serialized format is pretty efficient and uses data types which are more specific than Lua itself, in order to save storage space; each one of the following is a separate "type":

8-bit integer
16-bit integer
full "number" (32 bits)
boolean true
boolean false
string
empty table
array
table

This way if your table has a bunch of little 8-bit integers in it, you're not storing a bunch of whole 32-bit numbers for no reason.

The serialized format has the following limitations in order to keep the deserializer small:

max 255 properties in a table
max 255 characters in a string
no "function" type support

Serialize Table

function serialize_table(addr, t, isarray)
	poke(addr, count_props(t))
	addr += 1

	if isarray then
		for v in all(t) do
			addr = serialize_value(addr, v)
		end
	else
		for k, v in pairs(t) do
			addr = serialize_value(addr, k)
			addr = serialize_value(addr, v)
		end
	end

	return addr
end

function serialize_value(addr, v)
	if type(v) == "number" then
		if v & 0x00ff == v then
			poke(addr, 0)
			addr += 1
			poke(addr, v)
			return addr + 1
		elseif v & 0xffff == v then
			poke(addr, 1)
			addr += 1
			poke2(addr, v)
			return addr + 2
		else
			poke(addr, 2)
			addr += 1
			poke4(addr, v)
			return addr + 4
		end
	elseif type(v) == "boolean" and v == true then
		poke(addr, 3)
		return addr + 1
	elseif type(v) == "boolean" and v == false then
		poke(addr, 4)
		return addr + 1
	elseif type(v) == "string" then
		poke(addr, 5)
		addr += 1

		local len = #v
		assert(len <= 255, "string must be <= 255 chrs")
		poke(addr, len)
		addr += 1

		for i = 1, len do
			poke(addr, ord(v[i]))
			addr += 1
		end

		return addr
	elseif type(v) == "table" then
		if is_empty(v) then
			poke(addr, 6)
			return addr + 1
		elseif is_array(v) then
			poke(addr, 7)
			return serialize_table(addr + 1, v, true)
		else
			poke(addr, 8)
			return serialize_table(addr + 1, v)
		end
	end
end

function count_props(t)
	local propcount = 0

	for k, v in pairs(t) do
		propcount += 1
	end

	return propcount
end

function is_array(t)
	return #t == count_props(t)
end

function is_empty(t)
	for k, v in pairs(t) do
		return false
	end

	return true
end

Deserialize Table

-- 170 tokens
-- limitations:
-- * max 255 properties in a table
-- * max 255 characters in a string
-- * no "function" type support

function deserialize_table(addr, isarray)
	local t, propcount, k, v = {}, @addr
	addr += 1

	for i = 1, propcount do
		if isarray then
			k = i
		else
			k, addr = deserialize_value(addr)
		end
		v, addr = deserialize_value(addr)
		t[k] = v
	end

	return t, addr
end

function deserialize_value(addr)
	local vtype, v = @addr
	addr += 1

	if vtype == 0 then     -- 8-bit integer
		return @addr, addr + 1
	elseif vtype == 1 then -- 16-bit integer
		return %addr, addr + 2
	elseif vtype == 2 then -- number
		return $addr, addr + 4
	elseif vtype == 3 then -- boolean true
		return true, addr
	elseif vtype == 4 then -- boolean false
		return false, addr
	elseif vtype == 5 then -- string
		local len = @addr
		addr += 1

		v = ""
		for i = 1, len do
			v ..= chr(@addr)
			addr += 1
		end

		return v, addr
	elseif vtype == 6 then -- empty table
		return {}, addr
	elseif vtype == 7 then -- array
		return deserialize_table(addr, true)
	elseif vtype == 8 then -- table
		return deserialize_table(addr)
	end
end

btw if you want to see more context for how I used this in an actual project, here is the source code of that project: https://github.com/andmatand/pizza-panda

also here is a quick example:

-- step 1. do something like this in your build cart
t1 = {
  -- put lots of stuff in here
}

-- this returns the address right after the end of what
-- was stored so you can store multiple tables in a row
addr = serialize_table(0x2000, t1)

t2 = {
  -- another table
}
addr = serialize_table(addr, t2)

-- etc.

-- step 2. do something like this in your final published cart
t1, addr = deserialize_table(0x2000)
t2 = deserialize_table(addr)

PIZZA PANDA

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 19:54:44 UTC

PIZZA PANDA

by kittenm4ster

[Click to Play]

Straight out of the Bamboo Forest!

Meet PIZZA PANDA, a fluffy little fast-driving bear, as he beeps, bounces, and barrels his way through 20+ levels in search of the lost pizza slices. He'll have to zigzag through city streets to beat the clock, delivering the freshly reconstructed pizzas straight into the mouths of hungry citizens.

But that's not all! Puzzling hats, helpless rats, and meddlesome cats also await PIZZA PANDA and his trusty red automobile. It's non-stop action all the way to the top of the winner's podium!

Controls

Jump: 🅾️
Honk/Start Level: ❎
Move Left/Right: ⬅️/➡️

(open the pause menu to restart a level or return to the overworld)

Source Code

I had to minify the source all to heck in the final cart and use a bunch of data serialization and compression, but I've posted the original files here for the curious: https://github.com/andmatand/pizza-panda

keyboard navigation in music editor breaks when on empty pattern

Mon, 01 May 2023 18:45:36 UTC

I'm pretty sure I remember this working correctly in a previous version but as of version 0.2.5g if you navigate left/right through patterns in the music editor using the -/= keys on the keyboard, if you get to an empty pattern, the keys no longer work and I haven't been able to find any way to regain control of moving through patterns except by using the mouse.

0.2.2 menuitems always respond to L/R??

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 04:29:40 UTC

as of 0.2.2, all menuitems now have their functions called when left/right are pushed while the menuitem is selected?? It took me an embarrassingly long time to realize this... (probably due largely to a bug where the menu doesn't actually close but the items are still triggered, even if the function does not return true which helped to obscure this behavior)

@zep it seems like this change to menuitem's functionality was intended to be extra functionality and only improve the capabilities of menuitems, but the problem is that the new functionality is always activated, even it's not needed or wanted, so if the user accidentally presses left or right (which is very easy to do with a joystick or with the mobile D-pad UI, and this is how I noticed it!) the menuitem's function gets triggered, and the only way to prevent that (i.e. in order to maintain the old behavior where left/right do not trigger the function) is to use up more tokens in the menuitem's function to check which button was pressed!

it seems backwards from most of the nice feature changes we've had in recent releases which tend to result in added convenience and token efficiency :D

I know I'm responding very late to this change :D but it seems like it would have been preferable if the new functionality was only activated if an extra param was given to menuitem or something like that...because it is very frustrating for a user to accidentally trigger "restart level" for instance when they were just intending to move down the list of items using a joystick!

Regioni d'Italia

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 06:59:33 UTC

regioni

by kittenm4ster

[Click to Play]

solo un piccolo cart per aiutarmi a imparare

aprire il menu per attivare la modalità "quiz"

bird sprite adapted from @SirTimofFrost's picobirds :>

exit early from print delay?

Sat, 30 Apr 2022 18:25:59 UTC

Does anyone know if there is a way to exit early when a print command is running with the \^d p8scii special command that adds delay frames in between each character?

I'm in token crunch mode and realizing this new special command could be extremely handy for easy RPG-style printing delay with zero code in certain situations, but if there was a way to exit early, it would be even more useful!

And if this is not currently possible, consider it a feature request :p

Cassino

Sat, 19 Mar 2022 23:13:08 UTC

cassino

by kittenm4ster

[Click to Play]

I've been playing a bunch of Cassino lately in real life, so just for fun I thought I'd try making a simple PICO-8 version of it where you play against an AI.

The suits are all just built-in PICO-8 glyphs so note that the stars are spades.

If you've never played Cassino before, it's a really fun two-player card game (it can technically be played with more than 2 players but it doesn't work nearly as well) with an uncommon "fishing" mechanic and I highly recommend trying it with a real human!

TODO:

multiple rounds with alternating deals until someone reaches 21 points
SFX
title screen/better cart label?
instructions?
option to disable points for sweeps?

feature request: option to allow gamepad input when not focused

Mon, 27 Sep 2021 04:36:40 UTC

Feature Request:

a config.txt option to allow PICO-8 to respond to gamepad input even when the window is not in focus

I imagine this option would be disabled by default, but it would come in handy for a workflow which is very common for me, wherein both PICO-8 and an external text editor are open side by side (and sometimes also a terminal window for viewing printh output) and I want to be able to control something in the game with my gamepad, but then also be able to type in a different window using my keyboard, without having to switch windows as frequently. Obviously in this out-of-focus situation PICO-8 would have to ignore keyboard input, but still respond to gamepad input.

love,
kittenm4ster

line-drawing wraparound bug in v0.2.2

Fri, 26 Feb 2021 19:16:51 UTC

Run the cart at this link: https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=41062
Pick up the hen with the web
Slam into the right side of the screen repeatedly

observe that part of the lines which make up the web are visible on the left (opposite) side of the screen

This happens in v0.2.2 of the BBS player, the native version, and the HTML export from the native version. It does not happen in the previous version.

Spider-Bat: Horticultural Hero

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 00:50:10 UTC

Spider-Bat: Horticultural Hero

by kittenm4ster

[Click to Play]

This was made in two weeks for Toy Box Jam 2020, a jam in which we had to make something using only premade graphics/sfx/music assets.

splore/binary export: cstore file doesn't correctly overlay onto cart ROM

Fri, 11 Dec 2020 21:03:58 UTC

@zep it looks like if you do a cstore from a cart in splore or an exported binary, what it saves to the .lexaloffle/pico-8/cstore folder is only those regions of cart ROM that were cstored, and then next time you launch it from splore (or next time you run the exported binary), only those regions of the ROM are copied to base RAM; everything else is blank

I'm guessing the cstore file is intended be overlayed on top of the original ROM contents when copying from cart ROM to cart RAM (and that's why it only saves the changed parts?), but it looks like there was a mistake in implementation and the cstore file contents actually are the only thing copied to base RAM?

I can't reproduce the behavior when using a p8 or p8.png file; this happens only with splore or from an exported binary

To reproduce:

load a cart from the splore or launch a binary export of a cart that contains data and calls cstore specifying a partial section of cart memory, e.g. cstore(0, 0, 0x2000) (which is what my jigsaw puzzle cart does but I'm about to change it to write the entire ROM as a workaround ;p)
exit splore or close the binary export
relaunch the cart
see that now all data regions of cart ROM are "permanently" empty, except for the spritesheet

Jigsaw Puzzle Pack Pro: Xmas Edition

Fri, 11 Dec 2020 06:34:57 UTC

Jigsaw Puzzle Pack Pro: Xmas Edition

by kittenm4ster

[Click to Play]

~ ~ ~
The classic holiday pastime of jigsaw puzzles, now in the cozy confines of your PICO-8 fantasy console!
~ ~ ~

Like all "Pro" versions of Jigsaw Puzzle Pack sold by KITTENM4STERSOFT, this version allows any PNG image (up to 128x128 px) to be transformed into a custom puzzle via convenient drag-and-drop!

Features

4 Pixel Art Puzzles (+1 custom) In 1 Cartridge!
Drag-and-drop Custom Puzzles!
Auto-Save!
Devkit Mouse support!
Traditional Background Music!
RandoCut technology for random cuts every time!

Controls

D-Pad: move cursor
[O]: Pick up/drop
[X]: (Hold) move faster

When Mouse Is Enabled (in pause menu)

click to pick up/drop or click-and-drag
player 2 D-pad (ESDF) moves camera
scroll wheel scrolls up and down (just for the heck of it)

Credits

Images

"Snowman" by Aubrianne Anderson, CC4-BY-NC-SA
Untitled (VW Van) copyright Marco Vale, used with permission
Untitled (picnic) by zep, CC4-BY-NC-SA
John Berger from "Portraits 2" by PixellerJeremy, CC4-BY-NC-SA

Fonts

Gravity Bold 8 by John Watson, modified by kittenm4ster
Abaddon Bold by Nathan Scott, license CC BY 3.0

Music

"The Christmas Song" written in 1945 by Robert Wells and Mel Tormé, arranged by kittenm4ster

Libraries

This puzzle pack was made possible by PX9 Image Compression and Storing Binary Data as Strings

Everything Else

Everything else is by kittenm4ster and licensed CC4-BY-NC-SA

sfx(-1, -2) doesn't stop sound if triggered by menuitem

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 21:37:28 UTC

I seem to have found a weird bug. Normally sfx(-1, -2) will stop sfx on all channels, but if it is triggered by a menuitem callback, it doesn't work; in that case only explicitly stopping sfx on each channel works

to reproduce, enter some notes on sfx 8 (so you can hear when playback stops), then use this code and compare the behavior of the two menu items:

function stop_all_sfx_short()
  sfx(-1, -2)
end

function stop_all_sfx_long()
  for i = 0, 3 do
    sfx(-1, i)
  end
end

function _init()
  menuitem(1, 'stop sfx (-2)', stop_all_sfx_short)
  menuitem(2, 'stop sfx (long)', stop_all_sfx_long)

  sfx(8)
end

function _update()
end

function _draw()
end