I've found some interesting things tucked away in picotron's code, and I'd like to share them!
First off, you can edit and view any file by typing edit name.ext
, where name is the file and ext is the extension.
There are loads of gui features to mess with and ruin, and my favorite is notify_user(<text>)
. When called, it displays "text" in a little notification bar! Even works with vars! Another honorable mention is the gui text editor. It's buggy sometimes, but you can embed a text editor or code editor anywhere you want in your cart!
As for non-gui things, there are many. You can read keyboard presses (get_key_pressed(key)), actively playing sounds, running processes, open files, OPEN files, delete files, change and list directories, all from within your carts! I'm sure there's a way to make a program run in the background, so this could make for custom themes, keyboard remapping, BG music and sound effects, freaking integration with your, YOUR operating system, the list goes on.
Hello Lexaloffle community, I have spent a couple of days learning Picotron. Figuring out how to modify files etc. I was wondering if anyone would be interested in me writing a full tutorial/documentation on how to use it, containing a full list of terminal commands (not only the ones specified by using the help cmd) and a full list of commands for the programming language. Containing information about each command. If anyone is interested in this please tell me.
Best Wishes, @grandel234
Picotron Playground:
https://www.lexaloffle.com/picotron.php?page=playground
All Official Documentation:
Gfx Pipeline: https://www.lexaloffle.com/dl/docs/picotron_gfx_pipeline.html
Picotron Pod: https://www.lexaloffle.com/dl/docs/picotron_pod.html
Picotron Usr Data: https://www.lexaloffle.com/dl/docs/picotron_userdata.html









The Pixel Toy (TpxT)
2nd picotron game ever made!?
To play, copy and paste code below (click "show") into picotron playground (or actual picotron when it comes out!)
If it says "clipboard can not be read", then don't use base Firefox. if you aren't using base Firefox, then give picotron clipboard permissions in site settings.

vvv Code vvv
[hidden]
-- ThePixelToy -- by antibrain --[[ todo: maybe some sort of GOL type sounds/graphics/prebuilt maps when ptron 0.1 comes out scene loader from clipboard to make something like TPT's save browser more pixel types more reactions make neut/prot act like they do in TPT instead of acting like GAS/FIRE saving/loading saves to hard disc. maybe using printh as file? cartdata? chemestry? air pressure heat simulate each pixel individualy so we can track its heat, speed, mass, weight, etc. virus because virus in TPT is very satisfying make fill/line tool not terrible deco layers ability to change sim speed full keyboard support? ]]-- j=0 dc=5 size=0 sim=1 function _update() --update loop mx,my,mb=get_mouse() --get mouse data simulatepixels() --simulate pixels controls() --allow game to be controlled end function _draw() --draw loop mousedraw() --draw with mouse ui() --draw ui end function simulatepixels() if sim==1 then for i=1,4000 do --4000 times per frame (30fps?) local x=rnd(480) --get random x and local y=rnd(270) --y values and local c=pget(x,y) --get the color of that pixel. if c==8 then --is red if pget(x,y+1)!=5 and pget(x,y+1)!=7 then --check all bordering pixels and if any of them arent a wall pset(x,y+1,c) --then set it to red end if pget(x,y-1)!=5 and pget(x,y-1)!=7 then --repeat for all other bordering pixels pset(x,y-1,c) end if pget(x+1,y)!=5 and pget(x+1,y)!=7 then pset(x+1,y,c) end if pget(x-1,y)!=5 and pget(x-1,y)!=7 then pset(x-1,y,c) end end if c==15 then --sand if pget(x,y+1)==0 then --sand pset(x,y+1,c) --f a l l pset(x,y,0) end if pget(x,y+1)==12 then pset(x,y+1,c) pset(x,y,12) end if pget(x,y+1)==1 then pset(x,y+1,c) pset(x,y,1) end end if c==2 or c==10 or c==11 then --gas (fire?)/neut/prot (i couldnt get neut/prot to act normal so i gave up :p ) local j=flr(rnd(4)) --pick random number local q=flr(rnd(2)) if q==1 and c==2 then --decay randoly pset(x,y,0) end if q!=4 and j==0 and pget(x+1,y)==0 then --go in random direction pset(x,y,0) pset(x+1,y,c) end if q!=4 and j==1 and pget(x-1,y)==0 then pset(x,y,0) pset(x-1,y,c) end if q!=4 and j==2 and pget(x,y+1)==0 then pset(x,y,0) pset(x,y+1,c) end if q!=4 and j==3 and pget(x,y-1)==0 then pset(x,y,0) pset(x,y-1,c) end if c==11 then if pget(x+1,y)==1 and pget(x+1,y)==0 then pset(x+1,y,11) end if pget(x-1,y)==1 and pget(x-1,y)==0 then pset(x-1,y,11) end if pget(x,y+1)==1 and pget(x,y+1)==0 then pset(x,y+1,11) end if pget(x,y-1)==1 and pget(x,y-1)==0 then pset(x,y-1,11) end end if c==2 and pget(x,y+1)==12 or pget(x,y-1)==12 or pget(x-1,y)==12 or pget(x+1,y)==12 then pset(x,y,0) end end if c==12 or c==1 or c==9 then --warder/deut/lava physics if pget(x,y+1)==0 then --let it fall down pset(x,y,0) pset(x,y+1,c) elseif pget(x-1,y)==0 then --if there's an open space and it isnt in free-fall, pset(x-1,y,c) --allow it to drip left and pset(x,y,0) elseif pget(x+1,y)==0 then pset(x+1,y,c) --right as well pset(x,y,0) end if c==1 and pget(x,y+1)==11 or pget(x,y-1)==11 or pget(x-1,y)==11 or pget(x+1,y)==11 then pset(x,y,11) end end if c==16 then --remove fill border pset(x,y,0) end if c==3 or c==4 then --wood/plant/foliage if pget(x,y+1)==2 or pget(x,y+1)==9 then pset(x,y,2) end if pget(x,y-1)==2 or pget(x,y-1)==9 then pset(x,y,2) end if pget(x+1,y)==2 or pget(x+1,y)==9 then pset(x,y,2) end if pget(x-1,y)==2 or pget(x-1,y)==9 then pset(x,y,2) end if c==3 then if pget(x,y+1)==12 then pset(x,y+1,3) end if pget(x,y-1)==12 then pset(x,y-1,3) end if pget(x+1,y)==12 then pset(x+1,y,3) end if pget(x-1,y)==12 then pset(x-1,y,3) end end end if c==14 then if pget(x,y+1)==0 then pset(x,y,0) pset(x,y+1,14) end if pget(x,y+1)>0 and pget(x,y+1)!=5 and pget(x,y+1)!=14 and pget(x,y+1)!=29 then circfill(x-4,y-4,16,2) end end if c==6 then if pget(x,y+1)==10 or pget(x,y+1)==9 then pset(x,y,9) end if pget(x,y-1)==10 or pget(x,y-1)==9 then pset(x,y,9) end if pget(x+1,y)==10 or pget(x+1,y)==9 then pset(x,y,9) end if pget(x-1,y)==10 or pget(x-1,y)==9 then pset(x,y,9) end end if c==7 then if pget(x,y+1)==0 then pset(x,y,0) pset(x,y+1,7) end if pget(x,y+1)==12 then pset(x,y+1,7) end if pget(x,y-1)==12 then pset(x,y-1,7) end if pget(x+1,y)==12 then pset(x+1,y,7) end if pget(x-1,y)==12 then pset(x-1,y,7) end if pget(x,y+1)==2 or pget(x,y+1)==9 then pset(x,y,12) end if pget(x,y-1)==2 or pget(x,y-1)==9 then pset(x,y,12) end if pget(x+1,y)==2 or pget(x+1,y)==9 then pset(x,y,12) end if pget(x-1,y)==2 or pget(x-1,y)==9 then pset(x,y,12) end end if c==9 then local q if pget(x+1,y)==6 and q==0 then pset(x+1,y,c) end if pget(x-1,y)==6 and q==0 then pset(x-1,y,c) end if pget(x,y+1)==6 and q==0 then pset(x,y+1,c) end if pget(x,y-1)==6 and q==0 then pset(x,y-1,c) end if pget(x+1,y)==12 or pget(x-1,y)==12 or pget(x,y+1)==12 or pget(x,y-1)==12 then pset(x,y,6) q=1 else q=0 end end end end end function mousedraw() if mb==1 and not(btn(5)) then --if left click then circfill(mx,my,size,dc) --draw red/wall at mouse pos elseif mb==2 then --if right click (or ctrl click) circfill(mx,my,size,0) --erase (draw black at mouse pos) end if btn(5) then --check if x is pressed if mb==1 and j==0 then --only do this once per fill! ox=mx --set old mx to mc oy=my --same for old my j=1 --j end if mb==1 then-- if mousedown omb=1 --set old mouse click to 1 rect(ox,oy,mx,my,16) --fill outline elseif omb==1 then --if its one then rectfill(ox,oy,mx,my,dc) --fill omb=0 --set old mouse button to 0 (because mouse was released) ox=nil --nil ox and oy oy=nil j=0 --j end else ox=nil --if x isnt pressed, nil x and y, then j oy=nil j=0 end end function ui() --ui bar rectfill(0,0,480,8,29) --bar circfill(4,4,2,dc) --current color rect(0,0,8,8,5) --outline on current color print("size:"..flr(size),50,1,0)--brush size print(scolor,12,1,0) print("Cpu: "..flr(stat(1)*10),100,1,0) if sim==1 then print("running",445,1,0) else print("paused!",445,1,0) end if dc==0 then scolor="erase"end if dc==1 then scolor="deut"end if dc==2 then scolor="fire"end if dc==3 then scolor="plant"end if dc==4 then scolor="wood"end if dc==5 then scolor="wall"end if dc==6 then scolor="stone"end if dc==7 then scolor="snow"end if dc==8 then scolor="eater"end if dc==9 then scolor="lava"end if dc==10 then scolor="proton"end if dc==11 then scolor="neutron"end if dc==12 then scolor="water"end if dc==13 then scolor="paint"end if dc==14 then scolor="bomb"end if dc==15 then scolor="sand"end end function controls() --controls if btn(1) then dc+=0.1 end --change brush color if btn(0) then dc-=0.1 end if dc<0 then dc=0 end --dont let color be too much or little or else if dc>15 then dc=15 end --the screen dies :( if btn(2) then size+=0.1 end --change brush size if btn(3) then size-=0.1 end if size<0 then size=0 end--dont let it go negative if btn(4)==true then sim=0 else sim=1 end --pause when z is held if btn(1)==false and btn(0)==false then dc=flr(dc) end end |


Breakout clone - none of this stuff is serious, just playing with Lua for fun and to share with a couple of friends. Chill people.
x launches the ball.
Probs need to break up the hitbox detection so that I can change the angle the ball bounces - at the moment it just reverses DY, so DX never changes - I did notice the ball can get trapped on the right edge if you launch the ball with the bat off screen. Bugs hey?
Just the list of chr() numbers and corresponding outputs.
Some are invisible, like chr(8) since this is backspace or chr(129)(▒) for no reason (?).
https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/files/62268/testing.txt.
As the above file is weird, you can check it out on google drive:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DdpsxRyfPPM7pB-ukgd8aD_0eL-WqgrU/view.



Pico-View webzine for August 2023 is out now!
Here's the lineup:
-Cover Art and Gallery by PJBGamer
-What is a Lerp - Fletch
-Making Music with Loops - c.diffin
-Game Jam Interviews & Lineups - Nerdy Teachers
-Featured Interview: Canyon Crisis Team ft. Marina
-Featured Game Review: Occult Gunner - Achie
-PICO-1k Jam Announcement - Liquidream
-Cre8 Jam Announcement - Pico-8 Gamer
-The Death of a Frog - Marina
-New Release Recommendations
-Prototype Party - Color Combo
Once again thank you to everyone who participates, contributes, and reads the zine! I hope you all had a wonderful month of August, and here's to an even better September!
Happy Reading 🤓
https://nerdyteachers.com/PICO-8/Pico-View/?issue=8

The Death Of A Frog-

Introduction-
I come into this month from what might be my greatest failure as a game developer and artist- "Frogs vs Ghosts". Based off artwork by Jake Hall and developed for the "A Game By It's Cover" jam (a game jam where you pick from hundreds of imaginary Famicom game cartridges made months earlier).

This article will cover my mistakes while sharing my lessons during the development of "Frogs vs Ghosts". It took two months to make it realize it wouldn't ship and will continue to go unshipped. It reached the finish line (without polish), but it was not a good game. The two greatest reasons for this were: OVERSCOPING and LACK OF GAME-CORE.
Overscoping-
The worst mistake was made during the most critical part of the art process, choosing which project to pursue. I went over all my options, and chose the one I wanted to make the most: "Frogs vs Ghosts". I did not consider the amount of motivation and time it would take to finish my grand turn-based brawler/collect-athon with 16 characters (this sounds silly in hindsight)... That's a lie. I assumed I could replenish my motivation, and do more work in less time. This is a textbook example of overscoping.



