New Tools, Old Magic

Last week I joined a game jam for fun and tried to make a small BeepMini game. I got the basic idea working fast, but making lots of levels by hand felt painful. That pushed me to think about a level editor.

At first I planned a quick and messy tool. Then I realised my adventure game editor already did most of the work. So I’m turning it into a general editor that uses config files and can handle different types of games.

The first step is adding worlds and levels. This means I can build separate areas for each game and bigger spaces for adventure games. After that, I’m adding paths, which I need for my stealth game so guards can patrol. This will also help NPCs move around in adventure games.

All of this should make it far easier to build platformers and other multi-level games that use a grid. I’ll likely release several versions so others can build their own games too.

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Affinity Studio

I’ve never been a fan of Adobe’s licensing. It feels anti-consumer, which is why I made a whole site of alternatives in the first place (SwapCreate).

One of the best alternatives has always been the Affinity apps by Serif. They were bought by Canva last year, which worried me a bit, but we finally know what the merger means.

Affinity Photo, Designer and Publisher have now been folded into a single app called Affinity Studio. The old apps cost about $50 each as a one-off payment, which was already great compared to Adobe. Now the whole thing is one app and it’s free.

You can pay for extra Canva features if you want, they are mostly AI add-ons, but you don’t need them. The main app works fine.

It’s early days though, so things might change. Features might shift around. For now it feels promising and still sits comfortably as one of the best alternatives to the big Adobe tools.

Affinity Studio combines bitmap editing, vector editing and layout work in one place. You can jump between the modes instantly. It feels smooth and well thought-out.

I tried it today. I made a vector shape, switched to pixel mode to add some brush effects, then switched to layout mode and moved everything into place. It all worked without any fuss.

Right now it’s only on desktop (Windows and Mac). The team has said an iPad version is coming, and I’m excited about that. It’ll help my comic workflow a lot since I’ll be able to stay in one app on the iPad.

Who knows how it will grow from here, but it’s a great free option today. Well worth a look.

Try Affinity Studio

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The World of the Dark Crystal

This is a brilliant behind-the-scenes look at how The Dark Crystal was made. When I first saw it back in the 80s it absolutely floored me. It felt unlike anything else at the time. A full fantasy world brought to life with incredible puppetry from Jim Henson’s team.

I love fantasy in all forms, and this is one of the few films that leans into the genre without mixing it with science fiction or toning it down. It’s pure fantasy, start to finish.

I wish we got more films like this today. More original worlds, more bold ideas, fewer remakes and reboots. It’s hard not to miss that kind of creativity.

The video dives into the puppetry, the sets, the costumes and the practical effects. The scale of the production still amazes me. I had no idea the puppets were so huge and complex. Many of the characters had performers inside them, which makes sense now, but as a kid they felt like real creatures. The sets are just as impressive. They built full-sized environments packed with detail, all without a single CGI shot.

Netflix released The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance a few years ago, and that’s well worth watching too. It uses modern effects but keeps the heart and style of the original.

Every time I see behind-the-scenes footage like this, I want to watch the film again. It’s a classic.

Watch the video

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Sparked Discoveries

Here’s a handful of links I found intriguing recently:

Castle for Sale?

It’s not often that I will link to a house for sale and claim it’s inspiring, but this one is different. Hadlow Castle in Kent, England, is a unique property with a rich history and stunning architecture. The castle features the world’s tallest Victorian Gothic Tower and has been lovingly updated to include modern amenities while preserving its historical charm. It looks amazing. I’d love the £2.8 million to buy it!

Doctype: Type-in programming magazine

Back in the 80s and 90s there were quite a few programming magazines that featured type-in code to make games and programs. Most of the time you would spend hours typing the code into your computer, and then when you ran it there would be an error. At least that was my experience! Doctype is a modern take on this concept and features code you can type-in to create small web programs. It’s a fun idea and I’m looking forward to getting my copy!

LEGO MRI Scanner: Helping Children Cope with Anxiety

This is a really cool idea. MRI scanners are scary for anybody, especially children who don’t understand what is happening. To help with this, some hospitals in the US have been giving out LEGO models of MRI scanners to children before their scans. The models are designed to look like the real thing. They have found that children who build the models are less anxious and less likely to need sedation during their scans. It’s a great example of how a simple idea can make a big difference.