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Paul

@paulhamx

Hobbyist #pico8 and #picotron game dev https://pahammond.itch.io

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24.09.2023
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Latest posts by Paul @paulhamx

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#picotron "Ice Dice" update. Grass! Blocks only slide 1 square so more scope for different types of puzzles!

#gamedev #retrogaming #nes

07.03.2026 00:48 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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First moving enemies in Ice Dice for #picotron.

Definitely makes for a different type of puzzle!

Having fun with this one but really want to get back to finishing off my Grid Runner game soon(ish) - I hope! I usually do 1 project at a time. Now I remember why πŸ˜€

#gamedev #nes #retrogaming

06.03.2026 07:18 πŸ‘ 26 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Having fun creating a few training levels for #picotron "Ice Dice".

Portraits by Ctskelgysth Inauarua add a great aesthetic
opengameart.org/content/tric...

My 16yo tester is back on board after a couple of years hiatusπŸ₯°

#gamedev #nes #retrogaming #puzzle

04.03.2026 08:17 πŸ‘ 17 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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New #picotron NES-style game idea, "Ice Dice".

Inspired by:
* Adventures of Lolo
* Pips (NY Times mobile game)
* Kickle Cubicle
* Pushingo (www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUhg...)

#gamedev #retrogaming

03.03.2026 23:03 πŸ‘ 13 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0
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First video clip of my #picotron #gridrunner game. Demoing the massively overpowered double ghost-ships.

Some zones have an invisible grid and instead show a star field which seems to work pretty well, especially when used in conjunction with the phoenix-type bird enemies.

#gamedev #retrogaming

15.02.2026 01:23 πŸ‘ 40 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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QOL feature for my #picotron #gridrunner; you can now see where the patrollers will fire next (which you could in Llamasoft's iOS version)!

Also some power-up text effects which make things even more arcadey!

#gamedev #retrogaming #arcade #gaming

12.02.2026 19:08 πŸ‘ 34 πŸ” 7 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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"Slow-down" power-ups in my #picotron #gridrunner game.

#gamedev #c64 #arcade #retrogaming

10.02.2026 18:59 πŸ‘ 33 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Okay, I think that's all the enemy types done for my #picotron #gridrunner game. Now seems chaotic enough!

Re-used my #phoenix birds & added saucers, both of which poison pods so when a centipede hits it, it turns into a trailer which move erratically down the screen.

#gamedev #retrogaming #arcade

05.02.2026 07:26 πŸ‘ 26 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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New power-up type for my #picotron #gridrunner game.

Extends the play area the player ship can move.

#gamedev #arcade #retrogaming

01.02.2026 08:08 πŸ‘ 27 πŸ” 7 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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My #picotron #gridrunner game now has a title screen and a highly original name: grid rider πŸ™„

Starting to come together. Want to work on the "mystery" mode level generation next but have a few more enemy types I want to get into place first.

Oh, and sfx, can't wait to get those it!

#gamedev #c64

01.02.2026 04:14 πŸ‘ 28 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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For no reason whatsoever, I decided to name the modes in my #picotron #gridrunner after ice creams!

A bit incongruous with the space-shooter theme but... video games πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ

"popsicle" is a bit of an outlier being an American term but it conveyed exactly what I wanted: beginner mode!

#gamedev #c64

29.01.2026 08:11 πŸ‘ 28 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Thank you!

27.01.2026 18:15 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Level selection (data based on my #pico8 levels) in place for my #picotron #gridrunner game.

This is "vanilla" mode (the power-ups are just tests in this mode at the moment).

Can't wait to get some meaty sfx in place!

#gamedev #retrogaming #c64 #arcade

27.01.2026 08:50 πŸ‘ 28 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks. Having fun with it

24.01.2026 20:07 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Thank you!

24.01.2026 20:07 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Nice. If you liked pico 8, you’re gonna love picotron. I’d say the biggest thing is the music editor where you have to define different wave forms. Pico 8’s predefined ones definitely make it simpler.

24.01.2026 09:35 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Trying a few effects for my #picotron game. Simple stuff. Nobody compares to Jeff Minter for this stuff so I'm not even gonna try πŸ˜ƒ. Thinking of having 2 game modes. One, a kinda classic #gridrunner, the other an enhanced version (power-ups, effects etc).

#gamedev #arcade #retrogaming #c64

24.01.2026 08:37 πŸ‘ 49 πŸ” 11 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 0

Yeah, there’s loads of versions. The iOS one was great but never made it back to the App Store when Apple went full in on 64-bit

22.01.2026 19:10 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Picotron

22.01.2026 02:03 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks but it’s totally based on Jeff Minters 1982 game gridrunner. Which was an amazing take on centipede

21.01.2026 19:00 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Stackable powerups (e.g., ghost ship + rapid fire) in my #picotron #gridrunner game.

#gamedev #retrogaming #arcade

21.01.2026 08:34 πŸ‘ 21 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Yup. Certainly was

20.01.2026 18:08 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Thank you. Think I need to play a but of matrix for some inspiration

20.01.2026 08:10 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Poison pods make the centipede segments bounce around the screen in my #picotron #gridrunner game. A bit like Matrix I think. Certainly gets the heart racing! Just need to figure out how the pods turn into "poison pods" now.

#gamedev #c64 #arcade #retrogaming

20.01.2026 07:40 πŸ‘ 24 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0

Yup. Based on Jeff Minter’s game which was in turn based on centipede. Might look at doing a millipede type game when I’ve finished this one. Plus, I’ve got a trackball! Perfect

18.01.2026 18:00 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Testing out "ghost ships" as a type of power-up. Massive increase in fire-power but pretty fragile!

Next, some non-grid enemies. Maybe bouncing segments like Matrix and also some #centipede inspired enemies.

#picotron #gamedev #gridrunner

18.01.2026 04:42 πŸ‘ 40 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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That's the main grid portion of my #picotron #gridrunner game in place, including full-size sprites that look suitably early 80s (to my eyes).

Have added some of the nicer touches of the iOS version like flashing pods and flashing/pausing trackers at the sides. Can't wait to add some sfx!

#gamedev

16.01.2026 21:37 πŸ‘ 18 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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#picotron #gridrunner session before work. Firing and variable top-limit line (power-ups or different levels will vary this?).

My #pico8 version was limited to the grid but this one will have both grid and non-grid (free roaming?) enemies hence had to re-do bullet logic.

#gamedev #retrogaming #c64

14.01.2026 19:15 πŸ‘ 23 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Gradually scaling up my #picotron #gridrunner to look more like an early 1980s arcade game. Still many place holders and tiny sprites in there at the but I like the aspect ratio.

#gamedev #retrogaming #arcade

13.01.2026 08:42 πŸ‘ 43 πŸ” 6 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1

My #pico8 version was brutally fast, especially the "pod bombs" so I've slowed those down for a start.

12.01.2026 07:58 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0