Picotron

File:Picotron pal wip v5.png

Picotron has an embedded Lua editor compatible with both PICO-8 and Lua 5.4 syntax. It supports 480x270 or 240x135 screen modes with default 32 system colors and 64 definable colors in total. For audio, it has 64-node, 16-channel synth and a 8-channel tracker.{{Cite web |title=Picotron by Lexaloffle |url=https://www.lexaloffle.com/picotron.php?page=faq |access-date=2024-05-29 |website=www.lexaloffle.com}}

All of the software for Picotron are written in Lua and can be edited from within 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 get into 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'.{{Cite web |last=JP |date=2024-04-09 |title=Exploring Picotron |url=https://moddedbear.com/exploring-picotron/ |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=moddedbear.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Picotron (et Tic-80) - LinuxFr.org |url=https://linuxfr.org/users/zurvan-0/journaux/picotron-et-tic-80 |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=linuxfr.org}}

Picotron is backward compatible with PICO-8 cartridges but the backward compatibility remains partial due to the virtual machine difference especially depending on the point math behavior.{{Cite web |title=Picotron by Lexaloffle |url=https://www.lexaloffle.com/picotron.php?page=faq |access-date=2025-01-10 |website=www.lexaloffle.com}}

Development of Picotron started as early as 2017 when Joseph White, who is better known with his nickname Zep and his company Lexaloffle, developed an SFX editor for Voxatron, his second console along with PICO-8.{{Cite web |title= |url=https://x.com/lexaloffle/status/895527914434830338 |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=X (formerly Twitter)}}{{vn|date=December 2024|reason=no content is displayed}} Around that time he was asked if he considers developing a PICO-16, to which he replied that he would not consider working on a third console.{{Cite web |author=Zep |title= |url=https://x.com/lexaloffle/status/935339886025912321 |website=Twitter}} In 2018 he mentioned that in his free time he "designed a PICO-16 just to remind himself to not make that" and that "PICO-16 does not work at all".{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87jfTIWosBw&t=2037s |title=PRACTICE 2018: Joseph White |date=2018-08-07 |last=NYU Game Center |access-date=2024-11-12 |via=YouTube}} PICO-8 community expressed great interest in the possibility of a 16-bit fantasy console,{{Cite web |title=PICO-16 - My wish for a bigger PICO-8 |url=https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=42206 |access-date=2024-11-12 |website=www.lexaloffle.com}} which convinced Zep to develop a third console that he dubbed Machine 3.{{Cite web |author=Zep |title= |url=https://x.com/lexaloffle/status/1397545624724119554 |website=Twitter}}{{Cite web |author=Zep |title= |url=https://x.com/lexaloffle/status/1404920423439949826 |website=Twitter}} He announced Machine 3 to be Picotron next day on June 16, 2021.{{Cite web |author=Zep |title=So that I don't have to keep calling it "Machine 3" |url=https://x.com/lexaloffle/status/1405128873650450438 |website=Twitter}}

Zep started to work openly on Picotron after its announcement, occasionally sharing updates via his Twitter account and Lexaloffle BBS blog where he got suggestions and feedbacks from the community. On 31 December 2022, Zep announced Picotron Playground, an early web based version of Picotron's runtime and API for users to test the base features.{{Cite web |title=Picotron Playground |url=https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=50923 |access-date=2024-11-12 |website=www.lexaloffle.com}} On March 14, 2024, he released the first alpha version of Picotron available for purchase.

• TIC-80

{{refs}}

• [https://www.lexaloffle.com/picotron.php Official Picotron page]
• [https://twitter.com/lexaloffle Zep's X account]

Category:Fantasy video game consoles

Category:Virtual machines

Category:Lua (programming language)-scriptable game engines

Category:Game engines for Linux