FutureBASIC: My Weird First Experience With Programming

I’m currently creating a video game, and I’ve been struggling with the idea of how to write about it without spoiling the game itself. With this article, which I’m very non-committingly considering as part 1 of my devlog, I think I’ve found a happy compromise. I’m not sure if this format will work as a… Continue reading FutureBASIC: My Weird First Experience With Programming

Opinion: Quick-Time Events in Video Games Are Almost Always Stupid

It’s been awhile since I’ve shared a rant about game design. This is a mistake that developers seem to keep on making, so I’ll talk about it and offer some suggestions for better alternatives. All of this is opinion, of course. Quick-Time Events, or QTEs, are a type of gameplay element in which the player… Continue reading Opinion: Quick-Time Events in Video Games Are Almost Always Stupid

Game Boy Advance Screen + Shell Upgrade

Metroid Fusion with new display

While I was recently disappointed to narrowly miss the pre-order window for the Analogue Pocket, I ended up discovering an alternative (more affordable) way to improve the Game Boy console experience. After seeing this video, I decided to modify my own original GBA with a new screen and case. I bought the Funnyplaying IPS V2… Continue reading Game Boy Advance Screen + Shell Upgrade

The Unreleased E.T. Game for PlayStation 2 Has Fantastic Music

It’s no secret that the score to the movie E.T., composed by the legendary John Williams, is one of my favorite film scores of all time. So it made me happy to discover this unreleased PlayStation 2 E.T. game and its music on YouTube, in which the composer (Dean Evans, I believe?) incorporated a lot… Continue reading The Unreleased E.T. Game for PlayStation 2 Has Fantastic Music

The Analogue Pocket Sold Out Before I Could Get the Page to Load

Exactly what the title says. I had been looking forward to getting an Analogue Pocket, a fantastic-looking Game Boy clone with very interesting hardware and features, since the day it was announced. Pre-orders sold out in under seven minutes. So annoying, because I had my finger over the buy button at 8am PST on the… Continue reading The Analogue Pocket Sold Out Before I Could Get the Page to Load

“The Lunarians” by Nobuo Uematsu recreated on NES sound chip

I’ve always been intrigued by a piece of software called FamiTracker, which lets you create music for the NES console sound hardware. If you are used to using your DAW to create music, then FamiTracker presents a significant learning curve compared to that. But as with anything, if you are patient and committed to learning… Continue reading “The Lunarians” by Nobuo Uematsu recreated on NES sound chip