Steven()#6 [Lexaloffle Blog Feed]

Font Creator

Mon, 12 May 2025 22:19:52 UTC

font_creator

by Steven()#6

[Click to Play]

Export & Use

1) Use 🅾️/❎ to copy a binary string of your font.

2) Copy the following code into your cart and fill out the necessary parameters.

local font_dat="" -- place binary string here

-- extra parameters:
local width=8
local big_width=8
local height=8
-- optional:
local offset_x=0
local offset_y=0
local flags=0
local tab_width=8

--
function ords(str)
	o={}
	for c in all(split(str,"")) do
		add(o,ord(c))
	end
	return o
end

-- convert into font
poke(0x5600,unpack(ords(font_dat)))
poke(0x5600,unpack({width,big_width,height,offset_x,offset_y,flags,tab_width}))

Dev Journal

This one has been sitting in my pocket for a while... I just needed to add an export feature!
That said, I wanted to push it out there to see if people get any use out of it. I don't know how people make their fonts w/o a visual editor, or if something like this already exists?
Anyways, I hope it makes your workflow easier.

A few notes:

There is no import/save (you'll have to keep it open if you want to come back).
drawing in the top row might affect character width/y offset? (I didn't know this was a feature!)
Not all of the bugs are fixed yet!

10 Years of PICO-8

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 04:27:59 UTC

a10yr_p8

by Steven()#6

[Click to Play]

It's been 10 years since PICO-8's release...

Let's celebrate! here's a small cart with some PICO-8 history and trivia.

I've been so glad to have found PICO-8 a year ago, and couldn't wait to add to the PICO-8 lore in my own way. That said, I am very happy to have been able to research and share this history with you! Feel free to share what you love about PICO-8 below, etc. Thanks for making the PICO-8 community great!

(The music is Space Lizards by @Gruber.)

4 Short Games about Food

Sat, 29 Mar 2025 18:27:48 UTC

4 Short Games about Food

by Steven()#6

[Click to Play]

Pico-8 How to: Pixel Art

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 13:52:43 UTC

I've seen many people on the BBS/Discord struggling to grapple with intermediate pixel art concepts, so I wanted to write a post commemorating Pixel Art etiquette so that you, even you, reader, can create your own pixel art.

What is Pixel Art?

Pixel art is any drawing made from a set palette of colors where the colors act as though limited by a grid. Pixel art is art made from squares. It was widely used in early video game and computer graphics, and has grown a large following for its pleasing aesthetic.

Why Should I Learn Pixel Art?

There is no formal reason to learn pixel art. It is not often enough to stake a career on. In many circles, pixel art is considered dated, if not obsolete. The only reason to learn pixel art is for the fun of learning pixel art within itself, though it does have applications within stylized/indie game development and graphic design for retro machines. If you master pixel art, you may also find an improved skill in art and graphic design.

Intro. to Pixel Art

Experience is the best teacher, so how about a little test? Draw a duck using any set of colors. Try drawing the duck at 8x8, 6x6, 4x4, and 2x2. Afterwards, ask a friend if they understand what you were trying to draw. Show them the smallest first, and work your way up to the largest.

It's pretty tricky, isn't it? Though as you go smaller, you may have felt an inverse reaction to your limitations. At 2x2, there is no way to draw a duck, so it's ridiculous to spend much time thinking about how to fit one on the page.

Here's another test. Try drawing a man at 4x4. Take two full minutes to come up with an adequate solution. Now, draw a man at 8x8.

The duck was difficult to draw at 8x8, but the man was much easier. Why is that? Could it be that the micro pixel art man taught you something about larger pixel art?

Conclusion

If I gain more time, I may write a part two. Pixel art is numerously fun on many occasions. If you put your mind to it, there's nothing you can't draw on that microscopic grid.

Ball Game

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 21:13:26 UTC

ball_game

by Steven()#6

[Click to Play]

In the heavens, Asi and The Ball battle for dominance. The Ball cannot be beaten, but Asi's will is indominable.

[MOUSE]- AIM

[LEFT CLICK]- SHOOT

Color Studies 0

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 00:03:57 UTC

I want to write a post on a PICO-8 color study I did about a year ago. I think it has potential to help PICO-8 artists new and seasoned. I'm not an art student or a journal writer, I just want to write a post about my discovery, but I'm poor at writing walkthroughs.

	[32x16]

If anyone has tips, I'd be thrilled to hear them out.

	[128x32]

METRO

Fri, 23 Aug 2024 00:01:32 UTC

METRO

by Steven()#6

[Click to Play]

The great wizard is taking over Netpacron. The only hope of stopping him is to scale his tower. Luckily, you were built to scale nasty towers.

[X]- SPRINT

[Z]- JUMP

College

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 18:43:56 UTC

College

by Steven()#6

[Click to Play]

Captain Mario

Sat, 23 Mar 2024 13:18:17 UTC

Captain Mario

by Steven()#6

[Click to Play]

This is a retexturing of Captain Neat-O in the Time Nexus by @paranoidcactus, done by my little brother. He wanted to show it off. Get to the final boss to see who it is! :)

Lego Builder

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 00:00:48 UTC

Been inspired by old Lego products and PC games. I drew up some standard Lego pieces in the Pico-8 and was pleased with how they turned out. Should I make a Pico-Lego Builder out of this? I know it's been done, but I'd like to try my hand at it.

Custom Colored Fonts

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 11:06:13 UTC

ascii_demo_1

by Steven()#6

[Click to Play]

Not sure if anyone's done this before, but I created code to use the tile-sheet as a font. This allows you to use multi-colored fonts inside your cart.

This works for all ASCII characters (except for tab and new-line).

x or o - CPU usage

Cat Vox!

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 00:56:24 UTC

Just wanted to share what I spent the weekend on.

Dungeon Cat!

He moves, but doesn't collide with anything...

Been thinking how to use 3D in a game, and decided to mockup a level.

I've been wanting to do more, so we'll see whether this turns into anything...

HTML / Windows / Mac / Linux Export

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 20:20:09 UTC

@zep

I'm sure this is more complicated than I would understand, so I apologize for asking.

Is there any chance of getting a patch for non .vx exports? I'm new to Voxatron, but I was poking around at the idea of making a game, and realized there's no way to share with non-Voxatron users. You can share cartridges on the BBS, but this isn't without strain on certain operating systems. What I really need is some way of sharing it with people of all operating systems, all computer types.

If you could do this, that would really be nice, but I know you have other things to do.

Thanks for reading.
With care,
Steven

Drayman Goes to the Ophthalmologist

Sun, 06 Aug 2023 13:17:58 UTC

Drayman Goes to the Ophthalmologist

by Steven()#6

[Click to Play]

Day 3 of 27 creating a game each day! This is another game for the A Single Bird's Tabernacle Kickstarter promotion.

Drayman's mom is making him go to the Ophthalmologist, but his eyesight is really bad! If Drayman loses his cool shades, he will go from cool to drool!

Do your best to prevent Drayman from sub coming to his biological weaknesses, or figure out a way to cheat the test to prevent Drayman from living a life of shame! Ace the test quickly, so that Drayman isn't stuck his whole life as a nerd-kid. :)

Courtyard: the Changing Game

Sat, 05 Aug 2023 11:15:57 UTC

Courtyard: The Changing Game

by Steven()#6

[Click to Play]

Stand in the Courtyard and wait for something to happen! A game that changes each day. Another promotional video game for the A Single Bird's Tabernacle Kickstarter. Thanks for playing!

Day 15 Update:

Due to a matter of personal circumstance, "Courtyard" is being suspended from future updates.

I've really enjoyed getting to know all of you in the BBS, and look forward to more conversations and games with you guys. If you are still interested in doing so, be sure to support the Kickstarter (though it's looking like it might turn over).

I really wanted to wrap up some awesome ending for the two turnips by the end of the Kickstarter, but I guess that'll have to wait. Thanks for supporting and playing. :)

Peace out.

Garden, but You can Only Move Up and Down

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 12:49:26 UTC

Garden, but You can Only Move Up and Down

by Steven()#6

[Click to Play]

A part of promotion for my new Kickstarter, A Single Bird's Tabernacle. This one's more limited, but I hope you enjoy.

Box Placer 0.1

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 14:58:41 UTC

boxplcr

by Steven()#6

[Click to Play]

Box Placer is a bare-bones tool for ui visualization.

Controls:

Grow Mode:

right - grow horizontally
left - shrink horizontally
up- grow vertically
down - shrink vertically
'x' - change mode (to Move)
'c' - finish and add new box

Move Mode:

right - right
left - left
up - up
down - down
'x' - change mode (to Visual)
'c' - change box color

Visual Mode:

'x' - change mode (to Grow)

Wiggly Worm Eating Through the Hard Drive on Your Computer 0.1

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 15:52:02 UTC

Wiggly Worm Eating Through the Hard Drive on Your Computer 0.1

by Steven()#6

[Click to Play]

He likes eating through your hard drive because it tastes like the milkweed leaves he used to eat back home.

A hardcore action game about a bloodthirsty worm chewing through all the numbers that make up your computer. (Don't worry though: this game does not actually affect your computer.)