Picotron
 | |
Screenshot  | |
| Developer(s) | Lexaloffle Games |
|---|---|
| Initial release | 31 December 2022 (WIP) 14 March 2024 (Alpha) |
| Stable release | 0.1
/ 14 March 2024 |
| Engine | |
| Operating system | Web, Windows, Mac OS, Linux |
| Platform | PC, Raspberry Pi, HTML5 |
| Available in | English, Japanese |
| Type | Virtual machine, game engine |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | www |
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Picotron is a virtual machine and desktop environment created by Lexaloffle Games. It’s a fantasy workstation that is aimed at making retro games and mimics the specifications of 16-bit computers of the late 1980s.[1] It’s said to be a successor to PICO-8 and Voxatron.[2][3][4] Alpha release of Picotron became available on March 14 (Pi Day), 2024.[5]
It has a virtual toy operating system and built-in tools that allow software development, game development and customization of the system itself. It runs on top of Windows, Mac OS, and Linux, with support for Raspberry Pi and export to stand-alone binaries or Web apps planned. Similarly to PICO-8, programs made with Picotron can be shared directly with other Picotron users in a special 256k png cartridge format.[6]
Capabilities
Picotron has an embedded Lua editor compatible with both PICO-8 and Lua 5.4 syntax. It supports 480x270 or 240x135 screen modes with a default 32 system colors and 64 definable colors in total. For audio, it has a 64-node synth and an 8-channel tracker.[7]
All of the software comprising Picotron is written in Lua and is editable from inside the machine itself. System tools including the file browser, code editor and the terminal are implemented in userland, compiled just-in-time therefore changes in source code take effect immediately. Custom tools can be created from scratch that run in fullscreen workspaces alongside the bundled editors. These additions and the subsequent shift in focus of the machine give Picotron the title of 'Workstation' rather than 'Console'.[8]
Development
Development of Picotron started as early as 2017 with Lexaloffle working on an sfx editor reportedly for Voxatron.[9]
See also
References
- ↑ "Picotron by Lexaloffle". www.lexaloffle.com.
- ↑ Beschizza, Rob (Mar 22, 2024). "Picotron, a fantasy pixel-art gamedev demoscene workstation". Boing Boing.
- ↑ "Picotron: a fantasy workstation for making pixelart games, animations, music, demos and other curiosities – OSnews". Retrieved 2024-04-18.
- ↑ Pierce, David (2024-04-07). "AI is taking over your web browser - Crowdsourced". The Verge. Retrieved 2024-05-06.
- ↑ "Picotron Roadmap". www.lexaloffle.com. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
- ↑ "Picotron FAQ". www.lexaloffle.com.
- ↑ "Picotron by Lexaloffle". www.lexaloffle.com. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
- ↑ JP (2024-04-09). "Exploring Picotron". moddedbear.com. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
- ↑ "x.com". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 2024-05-30.
External links
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