TIC-80 version 0.80

https://github.com/nesbox/TIC-80/releases/tag/v0.80.1344

by andraaspar • 6 years ago

102 26 6 years ago

andraaspar2• 6 years ago

TIC-80 is a fantasy computer for making, playing and sharing tiny games. Version 0.80 brings numerous enhancements and a new UI.

mkesper• 6 years ago

As you can see here: https://github.com/nesbox/TIC-80/releases/tag/v0.80.1344

K0balt• 6 years ago

I wonder if there are aspects of this that would make it difficult or impossible to port to, say, the Esp32 microcontroller? An inexpensive and ubiquitous hardware implementation would make this perfect!

roywiggins• 6 years ago

There's apparently a port floating around to run it on OpenDingux devices (little handheld gaming devices with MIPS CPUs), so it is at least fairly portable. If the OpenDingux port works- I haven't tested it yet- that's a good bet for a cheap platform that'll run it.

Of course a MIPS device is a lot more powerful than the ESP32.

sedatk2• 6 years ago

Is this a successor to PICO-8? Both projects look very similar.

RodgerTheGreat• 6 years ago

Well, for one thing, PICO-8 is a commercial product, whereas TIC-80 is free and open-source.

dudus• 6 years ago

Pico-8 other than licensing is superior. But TIC-80 has a pro version that is paid and has some features locked behind it. I generally dislike the practice. You either release the whole software as open source or release a commercial product.

andraaspar2• 6 years ago

Apart from design differences, the TIC-80 is free and open source. PICO-8 is not. This could mean that whatever you create in the PICO-8 will be playable only as long as the owner of the platform is interested. Whatever you create in the TIC-80 can continue to be playable even after the original developer loses interest in the project. There is a healthy community around the TIC-80 that cares about the continuous development of the platform. There is an open atmosphere around it. Anyone can be a developer in the TIC-80. Students don't need to ask mom to buy a license for them. On the opposite, PICO-8 feels like a walled garden. This was the main reason I chose to develop my tiny games in the TIC-80.

sedatk2• 6 years ago

Thanks, that clears it!

pvg• 6 years ago

Previously: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16967664

dang• 6 years ago

Also this small thread from a few weeks ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24403211

grugagag2• 6 years ago

It would be useful if there were links to examples of tic-80 games. Nonethelesw, this looks very promising and is noncommercial which is great for growing a community. I’ll definitely give this a try when i get a chance

abrookewood2• 6 years ago

There are loads of them on the website: https://tic80.com/play

jmiskovic2• 6 years ago

There's also possible to explore and load them from within the TIC-80 by executing SURF command. All projects are loaded as code/sprites/maps/music so you can freely browse and make changes. Really awesome project.

grugagag2• 6 years ago

Thank you! These are wonderful!!

MikaelMich• 6 years ago

Renkel are you behind this? It's cool, but looks like a clone to me (i.e. APIs)..

tachyonbeam• 6 years ago

I tried some games at https://tic80.com/play. Looks cool and I'm impressed by how many games there are. Two comments:

1. I find the font really hard to read. I really wish it was 2x the resolution. I think it would still have a cool retro pixelated look but be so much more legible.

2. The keyboard controls don't always seem to register on my system (Chrome, MacOS). Or maybe it's just not obvious which keys to press. I tried playing two games, they loaded, music started, but I wasn't actually able to get to the point where I'm actually playing the game.

mhd• 6 years ago

I'm quite charmed by the code editor aesthetics.

scambier2• 6 years ago

I've not written TIC-80 games for like 3 years, but I'm still happy to see it grow. One major advantage (IMO) over PICO-8 is that you're not limited to Lua, and can write games in JavaScript.

And since JavaScript implies TypeScript, I once wrote a small tool to automatically build games from .ts files, with functions declarations for the whole API: https://github.com/scambier/tic80-typescript

I don't use it anymore, but try to keep the declarations up-to-date :)

abrookewood2• 6 years ago

As an aside, I went down a rabbit hole trying to work out whether to look into this or PICO-8. I found a pretty good summary of the differences here: https://nerdyteachers.com/Explain/FantasyConsoles/

Personally, I'm still undecided as I like the use of JavaScript in TIC-80 and the fact that it is open source, versus the wealth of materials available for the PICO-8.

TIC-80 version 0.80

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