Let's make a PICO-8 Game in 30 Minutes!

In this 2021 GDC Game Career Seminar session, game developer Matthew Lindsay demonstrates the abilities of PICO-8-a fantasy console for making, sharing, and playing tiny games and computer programs-by building a game within 30 minutes.
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[@Lunareon]

Seems like a tool which should be in wider use in education. Thank you for the great and compact tutorial.

[@whocaresanywaybecauseidont]

The developer does offer education discounts for the app.

[@woncre2515]

I have always been tempted to pick up pico-8 for making games. I really like the constraints given to you as a dev.

[@hamedahmed6348]

شكرا لتقديم المعلومات النافعه للمطورين المستقلين مجانا، 🇪🇬❤️

[@mobyokelly52]

Thank you! Was waiting for PICO-8 tutorials, it's great to have it here on GDC.

[@kevinbatdorf]

Awesome video. But I don’t think your comment about the MIT license at 4:00 is accurate. MIT-licensed code is compatible with any license. Maybe you were thinking of GPL?

[@awyeagames]

pico 8 is such a joy to use!

[@Rikaisan]

3:48 That's the opposite of what open source means, if something is open source, you are allowed to use, modify and redistribute it in any way. I think what you meant is "If something has its source available", 'source available' and 'open source' are different things, there's also 'fair code' which is another software model.

[@christian5256]

Ahhh I love pico-8 so much!

[@AmityRosefist]

GOBLINS OUT HERE

[@MyEconomics101]

@ GDC, that lua is being used should be in the description box and for SEO optimisation

[@oopsy444]

I've made several pico 8 games and it's such a fun console.wish it was able to port to more platforms like console and mobile

[@williamsmith6921]

web based pico8 games can run on mobile

[@oopsy444]

@@williamsmith6921 but theyre harder to monetize due to how they're played. For example being unable to go on g play and apple stores.

[@etclee6630]

so cool!!!

[@hrnekbezucha]

There's also restricted edu browser version.
And if the paid-for proprietary nature of Pico-8 offends you, the free and open-source TIC-80 is a great alternative.

[@FishcatGames]

is it possible to upload MIDI music from another software instead of. making the music directly in pico 8? like how you can use other software to write the code and make sprites. thanks in advance ✌️

[@ma_gician]

There are programs to convert midi to pico8 music

[@terry-]

Nice!

[@RomekRJM]

I love the concept of Pico-8, bought the paid version to support it. My only concern is text editor. It is quote limited. Hard to be efficient, lacks some crucial features like changing font size or code competition. It makes reading, jumping around code harder.

[@madmandiscobear2352]

Say are we able to export pico 8 games that are already existing in the game like celeste to celeste.html and celeste.js

[@hanagomikusohana9118]

[@DAYDAYBEATZ]

Until the picotron comes out!! (PICO64)

[@Biker_Gaming]

I love pico8
I can code a lil goofy stuff on it 😎

[@a1b2c3589]

Open source: "denoting software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified"

[@0815Snickersboy]

I feel like this makes you actually worry about a lot of stuff that other engines already do for you

[@c4llv07e]

PICO-8 is just a simple TempleOS.

[@deBaer]

3:47 Open Source exactly means you have the right to modify and publish it. That's literally the definition.

[@drewsclues8625]

old comment but that is the definition of free (libre) software, not open source. It depends on the license.

[@deBaer]

@@drewsclues8625 Oxford dictionary: "open-source, adj.: Denoting software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified."
Merriam-Webster: "open-source, adj.: having the source code freely available for possible modification and redistribution"
Wikipedia: "Open source is source code that is made freely available for possible modification and redistribution."
There is no single open source licence that doesn't allow the user to modify and redistribute the software.

[@NihongoWakannai]

What he means though is having access to the code doesn't mean having the right to redistribute. Maybe a misuse of the term "open source" but his intent is clear.

[@DAYDAYBEATZ]

Redistribution is one thing, commercialization is another

[@zzador]

So showing precoded code and premade sprites is "Let's make a game in 30minutes" ?