A downloadable assignment

Overview

For the second half of class, you'll be building games that could run on the Game Boy using a hobbyist tool called GB Studio. You'll also be learning a bit about the art process and workflow by using two other tools that will integrate GB Studio.

To get started...

Download GB Studio (make sure to download version 3.2.0)
Download Piskel or use the web version for pixel art editing (you can also use Photoshop, Pixelorama, or Paint.net)
Download Tiled for making game environments

I recommend putting these on a USB Drive to bring to class because none of the tools have cloud sync features and all files must be stored locally.

GB Studio is very different from P5.Play in that you won't be writing any code. Instead, you'll use a scripting system built out of drop-down menu options. But you will continue to use the foundations of what you learned in terms of the flow of events, conditionals, variables, and progression.

Building Your Games

GB Studio

Documentation: GB Studio Docs
GB Studio Central (guides and resources)
GB Studio Tutorials with Robert Dorman
GB Studio series with Pixel Pete ← (for version 1)
Assortment of GB Studio videos
Walkthrough: Murder Mansion

Creating Art

Reminder: actor sprites are 16 ✕ 16 pixels

Using Piskel

Help from Pixel Vixen

Help from Pixel Pete

Help from Brandon James Greer

Analysis: Ninja Turtles' Leonardo

Adam Moos works in Paint.net

Making Backgrounds

Reminder: tiles are 8 ✕ 8 pixels

GB Studio Central Basics: Backgrounds
How to use Tiled to create environments for your level

Sprite Colors

#071821

#86c06c

#e0f8cf

#65ff00

(GB Studio: Sprites)

Background Colors

#071821

#306850

#86c06c

#e0f8cf

(GB Studio: Backgrounds)

Assets

Sprites and Backgrounds (as shown above) are limited to four colors in total. When you seek out art to use, ensure that they're using these colors above and that your actor are 16x16 and tiles are 8x8.

Keep track of where you get your assets so that you can give credit on your Itch page.