Getting Back into It

// 2024-03-11, 2 min read, #game design #heartgirl #pico-8

I finally started working on Heartgirl (PICO-8) some more after running into so many roadblocks on Heartgirl (GB Studio). My first step had to be reducing the token count, since my game simply wasn't booting anymore.

Tokens are an arbitrary limit placed by Lexaloffle, developer of PICO-8, in order to make the experience feel a bit more retro. I think they're just simply annoying, but hey, I could always port my game to LOVE2D if it bothered me too much. Anyway, before I started I was at 8299 out of 8192. At my lowest I got to 7542, which afforded me plenty of room to start working on things again. Currently I'm at 7602. Once I refactor my collision detection code that number will drop by a ton. But I'm putting that off as much as possible.

Otherwise, let's see, what else did I get done?

• New, prettier, and more efficient vignette effect brought about by using PICO-8 0.2.6b's brand new ability to reverse fill draw! I was using someone else's hacked together vignette effect before

• Lots of code optimization and simplification in search of lower token counts

• Adjusted conveyor belt speed to be more challenging and impactful, without being unfair
• - Also fixed a bug where by walking on to left-moving belts would not propel player (jumping on to them still worked)
• - Also scrapped my "define levels in code" idea, which was at the time only being used for.. conveyor belts. Belts are now created the same was any other level element: on the tilemap

• Modified some existing levels to make them more interesting

• Focusing now on level creation and then decided what new features to implement if a level calls for it
• - I have such a solid structure for the game already, I don't need to keep implementing features to move forward with game design

• Added the ability to start the player facing left if a level calls for it (e.g. player spawn on right side of level)

• Simplified the status bar to take up less space and to move from top to bottom if the player is nearing the top of the screen

• Implemented a respawn timer for the heart macguffin! Much like Donkey Kong 94, the goal item will disappear if you get it stuck somewhere for too long or you take way too long to get to it after putting it somewhere.

• Located a load bearing if block that has no actual code in it 🤔

Donkey Kong 94

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