The 13 Bytes of October

DOWNLOAD THE ASSETS FOR THIS PROJECT HERE.

Developing your own NES games doesn’t have to be scary! This year, in the spirit of spooky season, we’ll be working together to create a new NES game using a cauldron of pre-built Halloween themed assets and the electrifying NESmaker software to help tame your fears. This series of bite-sized video tutorials will start super basic with a prebuilt game for you to mutate, and by it’s end, will begin to delve under the skin to look at how the bones of NESmaker work.

(Even though this is called 13 bytes, there are only 10 lessons)

Starting a Project and Understanding the Interface

Tile Types

On day two, we learn how to add a new screen, discuss new tile types, and have a look at how the UI is tethered to the code underneath.

Adding Monsters

On day three, we learn about adding monsters! We also create a new tile type that will only affect monster type objects and not our player.

Weapons and Ammo

On day four, we fight back! We give the player a weapon with ammo.

Warps and User Screen Bytes

On day five, we learn how to create a warp tile that will take us to other screens, and even how to set up a secondary warp tile using the versatile UserScreenBytes.

Building Tilesets

On day six, we play around with the pixel editor, learn how to make a scratch canvas for creating pixel art, and how to use different screen modes to use different groupings of tilesets for our screen.

Smarter AI

In this tutorial, we’re going to make a new monster that actually evaluates the player’s position before taking action!

Creating a Dry Bones type monster

Today, we’re going to dive more into Assembly scripts by iterating a formative script to make a special monster that behaves sort of like Dry Bones skeletal type creature from Mario.

Making a custom meter in the HUD

Today, we’re going to work on new ways to display information in the HUD. First, we’ll take a look at how common hud text / variables work, and then we’ll draw a custom “fear meter” that works with a timer.

Making a Locked Door

On day ten, let’s make a lock block that is great for single screen game puzzles! And also, let’s synthesize what we’ve learned to give our player an indicator in the HUD as to whether or not he’s acquired a key.

The 13 Bytes of October

DOWNLOAD THE ASSETS FOR THIS PROJECT HERE.

Developing your own NES games doesn’t have to be scary! This year, in the spirit of spooky season, we’ll be working together to create a new NES game using a cauldron of pre-built Halloween themed assets and the electrifying NESmaker software to help tame your fears. This series of bite-sized video tutorials will start super basic with a prebuilt game for you to mutate, and by it’s end, will begin to delve under the skin to look at how the bones of NESmaker work.

(Even though this is called 13 bytes, there are only 10 lessons)

Starting a Project and Understanding the Interface

Tile Types

On day two, we learn how to add a new screen, discuss new tile types, and have a look at how the UI is tethered to the code underneath.

Adding Monsters

On day three, we learn about adding monsters! We also create a new tile type that will only affect monster type objects and not our player.

Weapons and Ammo

On day four, we fight back! We give the player a weapon with ammo.

Warps and User Screen Bytes

On day five, we learn how to create a warp tile that will take us to other screens, and even how to set up a secondary warp tile using the versatile UserScreenBytes.

Building Tilesets

On day six, we play around with the pixel editor, learn how to make a scratch canvas for creating pixel art, and how to use different screen modes to use different groupings of tilesets for our screen.

Smarter AI

In this tutorial, we’re going to make a new monster that actually evaluates the player’s position before taking action!

Creating a Dry Bones type monster

Today, we’re going to dive more into Assembly scripts by iterating a formative script to make a special monster that behaves sort of like Dry Bones skeletal type creature from Mario.

Making a custom meter in the HUD

Today, we’re going to work on new ways to display information in the HUD. First, we’ll take a look at how common hud text / variables work, and then we’ll draw a custom “fear meter” that works with a timer.

Making a Locked Door

On day ten, let’s make a lock block that is great for single screen game puzzles! And also, let’s synthesize what we’ve learned to give our player an indicator in the HUD as to whether or not he’s acquired a key.