Archive note: This post was originally published on April 14, 2024. It captures the plan and perspective I had at the beginning of this game-development chapter.

I’m at the beginning of a fresh adventure, revisiting my passion for game development. Despite several previous attempts that didn’t work out, I’m determined to see it through this time and finally release a game.

Each obstacle I’ve faced has taught me something valuable, and I’m ready to apply those lessons as I embark on this new journey. With persistence and creativity, I’m confident I can achieve my goal and bring my vision to life.

So… what’s the big idea this time?

I’m coming out of a long and difficult breakup with Unity, and while I think I’ll still try to make a small game with it next year (I have so many assets, and I honestly need to justify the amount of money I’ve spent in the Unity Asset Store), I don’t see myself returning as a full-time Unity developer. Or, more accurately, trying to become one.

And the plan?

This is where things get a little messy. For better or worse, I’m the kind of person who likes to do everything. In most cases, that means it takes time before I can make high-quality work.

What I’m trying to say is that I need to go back to the basics. I need to learn everything from the beginning.

To make that easier, I’m choosing PICO-8 this time.

PICO-8

PICO-8 is a fantasy console for making, sharing, and playing tiny games and other programs. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux and includes a command line, cartridge-creation tools, and an online cartridge browser called SPLORE.

Pros

  • PICO-8 will force me to stay focused.
  • I’ll most likely avoid falling into the “getting assets” void.
  • Its limits on code, tokens, and assets encourage a small scope.
  • Implementing systems myself may help me improve at math and physics.
  • I’ll learn about every aspect of making games because each asset must be created within the console’s tools.
  • Lua.

Cons

  • The PICO-8 console is great, but its editor feels like a step down from editors such as VS Code. I’ll do my best to improve that workflow, hopefully without turning it into another side project. 🥴
  • I’ll have to make everything myself. That’s a good thing, but it’s also a little scary.

What’s the plan moving forward?

For now, I’ll dive into tutorials and familiarize myself with PICO-8. Then I’ll start making small games, repeating the process until I feel prepared to tackle a project worthy of Steam.

I think of that as my “PICO-8 graduation”: not an abandonment of PICO-8, but an expansion into other engines and ways of making games.

Stay tuned for updates in future posts.

Happy coding!