Alex Khayrullin
@alexkhayrullin.bsky.social
Webdev by day, gamedev by night. Here be video games and stuff I should be too old to care about, I'll leave the war on my 𝕏 profile (same handle). 🇺🇦➜🇫🇷➜🇺🇦, reads/writes 🇬🇧 🇫🇷 🇺🇦, reads 🇪🇸 (just barely though). Posts are my own.
This is the last huge bug I need to fix before completing the Sonic 1 part of #Sonic8BitAdvance: something about slopes put against walls makes Sonic bounce back.
For a while I had no idea what caused it, I just got the Eureka moment. Of course it had to happen in the final hours of the weekend...
For a while I had no idea what caused it, I just got the Eureka moment. Of course it had to happen in the final hours of the weekend...
November 16, 2025 at 7:40 PM
This is the last huge bug I need to fix before completing the Sonic 1 part of #Sonic8BitAdvance: something about slopes put against walls makes Sonic bounce back.
For a while I had no idea what caused it, I just got the Eureka moment. Of course it had to happen in the final hours of the weekend...
For a while I had no idea what caused it, I just got the Eureka moment. Of course it had to happen in the final hours of the weekend...
The Steam Machine looks good, but I'm still curious to see how well it will fare against the competition Valve themselves helped create: PCs with Bazzite. Or whether it will come up with something unique to offer.
I'm optimistic though. Valve knows what they're doing and the Steam Deck still rocks.
I'm optimistic though. Valve knows what they're doing and the Steam Deck still rocks.
November 12, 2025 at 11:27 PM
The Steam Machine looks good, but I'm still curious to see how well it will fare against the competition Valve themselves helped create: PCs with Bazzite. Or whether it will come up with something unique to offer.
I'm optimistic though. Valve knows what they're doing and the Steam Deck still rocks.
I'm optimistic though. Valve knows what they're doing and the Steam Deck still rocks.
Man, I wish UT2004 got some love (and an OK from Epic to distribute it) too.
But the original UT is still a great time too.
But the original UT is still a great time too.
The classic Unreal Tournament gets a big upgrade with the v469e patch from OldUnreal
#UnrealTournament #FPS #Gaming #PCGaming #RetroGames
#UnrealTournament #FPS #Gaming #PCGaming #RetroGames
The classic Unreal Tournament gets a big upgrade with the v469e patch from OldUnreal
The team from OldUnreal have put up a rather big patch for the classic Unreal Tournament, bringing lots of improvements and fixes to the classic Epic shooter.
www.gamingonlinux.com
November 11, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Man, I wish UT2004 got some love (and an OK from Epic to distribute it) too.
But the original UT is still a great time too.
But the original UT is still a great time too.
Randomly thought about that time when I reported a bug with Sonic Origins only to be told that, no, it was a bug with Sonic 3K that was fixed in Origins.
But I can't help thinking that the original "bugged" behavior makes more sense than the "fixed" one.
Sometimes keeping bugs in is a good thing.
But I can't help thinking that the original "bugged" behavior makes more sense than the "fixed" one.
Sometimes keeping bugs in is a good thing.
November 11, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Randomly thought about that time when I reported a bug with Sonic Origins only to be told that, no, it was a bug with Sonic 3K that was fixed in Origins.
But I can't help thinking that the original "bugged" behavior makes more sense than the "fixed" one.
Sometimes keeping bugs in is a good thing.
But I can't help thinking that the original "bugged" behavior makes more sense than the "fixed" one.
Sometimes keeping bugs in is a good thing.
While playtesting #Sonic8BitAdvance, I made a jump in Jungle Zone I thought was impossible. So I launched the original game to see how badly I messed up.
To my surprise, this jump turned out to be, granted, harder to make but entirely possible.
My own remake taught me something about the original.
To my surprise, this jump turned out to be, granted, harder to make but entirely possible.
My own remake taught me something about the original.
November 9, 2025 at 9:17 PM
While playtesting #Sonic8BitAdvance, I made a jump in Jungle Zone I thought was impossible. So I launched the original game to see how badly I messed up.
To my surprise, this jump turned out to be, granted, harder to make but entirely possible.
My own remake taught me something about the original.
To my surprise, this jump turned out to be, granted, harder to make but entirely possible.
My own remake taught me something about the original.
Coins won't be a thing anymore in #Sonic8BitAdvance. I had plans for them that, while interesting to me, could end up becoming too intrusive and cumbersome.
I had an idea of a shop of sorts where after winning, losing or quitting either game, the player would get a certain number of coins... (1/11)
I had an idea of a shop of sorts where after winning, losing or quitting either game, the player would get a certain number of coins... (1/11)
Unlike Sonic 1 8-Bit, 2 8-Bit uses foreground tiles rather sparcely. Secret paths in particular aren't obscured by foreground tiles in 2 8-Bit, as seen in zones 1 and 3.
So my secret paths with new Coin boxes follow the same logic, no matter how bad it makes them look in 2🙃. Compare and contrast.
So my secret paths with new Coin boxes follow the same logic, no matter how bad it makes them look in 2🙃. Compare and contrast.
November 7, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Coins won't be a thing anymore in #Sonic8BitAdvance. I had plans for them that, while interesting to me, could end up becoming too intrusive and cumbersome.
I had an idea of a shop of sorts where after winning, losing or quitting either game, the player would get a certain number of coins... (1/11)
I had an idea of a shop of sorts where after winning, losing or quitting either game, the player would get a certain number of coins... (1/11)
I'm still amazed with the C++ framework for the GBA, Butano, that I'm using for Sonic 8-Bit Advance.
They finally added the question "Is there any way to donate to Butano?" to their FAQ and the answer basically is... no.
Bummer, I'd like to send them a few bucks though 😅.
They finally added the question "Is there any way to donate to Butano?" to their FAQ and the answer basically is... no.
Bummer, I'd like to send them a few bucks though 😅.
November 3, 2025 at 12:44 AM
I'm still amazed with the C++ framework for the GBA, Butano, that I'm using for Sonic 8-Bit Advance.
They finally added the question "Is there any way to donate to Butano?" to their FAQ and the answer basically is... no.
Bummer, I'd like to send them a few bucks though 😅.
They finally added the question "Is there any way to donate to Butano?" to their FAQ and the answer basically is... no.
Bummer, I'd like to send them a few bucks though 😅.
As huge a Pokémon fan as I am, I'm still rooting for Palworld to win and for their victory to set a precedent. Nintendo makes great games, but as a company IMHO they do need a big slap in the face.
I've played Palworld in early access and enjoyed it quite a lot. Now waiting for a stable release.
I've played Palworld in early access and enjoyed it quite a lot. Now waiting for a stable release.
Nintendo’s Anti-Palworld Patent Application Gets Rejected in Japan
insider-gaming.com/nintendos-an...
insider-gaming.com/nintendos-an...
Nintendo's Anti-Palworld Patent Application Gets Rejected in Japan
A new report reveals that one of Nintendo's anti-Palworld patent applications has been rejected in Japan. Here are more details.
insider-gaming.com
October 31, 2025 at 1:32 PM
As huge a Pokémon fan as I am, I'm still rooting for Palworld to win and for their victory to set a precedent. Nintendo makes great games, but as a company IMHO they do need a big slap in the face.
I've played Palworld in early access and enjoyed it quite a lot. Now waiting for a stable release.
I've played Palworld in early access and enjoyed it quite a lot. Now waiting for a stable release.
Heard on a podcast today that DS-like emulation consoles by Anbernic etc were a waste because "you can still buy a used DS for half less".
Counterpoint: wear and tear. DSes are 20+ years old. If I look to buy one today, I'll probably have to choose between scratched touchscreen and cracked hinges.
Counterpoint: wear and tear. DSes are 20+ years old. If I look to buy one today, I'll probably have to choose between scratched touchscreen and cracked hinges.
October 29, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Heard on a podcast today that DS-like emulation consoles by Anbernic etc were a waste because "you can still buy a used DS for half less".
Counterpoint: wear and tear. DSes are 20+ years old. If I look to buy one today, I'll probably have to choose between scratched touchscreen and cracked hinges.
Counterpoint: wear and tear. DSes are 20+ years old. If I look to buy one today, I'll probably have to choose between scratched touchscreen and cracked hinges.
Still no GB Studio projects for the foreseeable future, but for the GBA I finally found a better flashcart.
The old one works well with my project, but only because I use standard 2D sprites and backgrounds without any visual effects. The moment things get fancy, it starts stuttering, then crashes.
The old one works well with my project, but only because I use standard 2D sprites and backgrounds without any visual effects. The moment things get fancy, it starts stuttering, then crashes.
October 29, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Still no GB Studio projects for the foreseeable future, but for the GBA I finally found a better flashcart.
The old one works well with my project, but only because I use standard 2D sprites and backgrounds without any visual effects. The moment things get fancy, it starts stuttering, then crashes.
The old one works well with my project, but only because I use standard 2D sprites and backgrounds without any visual effects. The moment things get fancy, it starts stuttering, then crashes.
In the French gaming culture, the Arabic word "cheh" is often used to express gloating over someone's misfortune or defeat.
That's why I burst out laughing when I saw this.
I'm keeping this screenshot of the feisty Chespin from Legends Z-A, who knows, I might need it as a reaction image someday.
That's why I burst out laughing when I saw this.
I'm keeping this screenshot of the feisty Chespin from Legends Z-A, who knows, I might need it as a reaction image someday.
October 28, 2025 at 9:29 AM
In the French gaming culture, the Arabic word "cheh" is often used to express gloating over someone's misfortune or defeat.
That's why I burst out laughing when I saw this.
I'm keeping this screenshot of the feisty Chespin from Legends Z-A, who knows, I might need it as a reaction image someday.
That's why I burst out laughing when I saw this.
I'm keeping this screenshot of the feisty Chespin from Legends Z-A, who knows, I might need it as a reaction image someday.
As I've said before, I'm reworking the Sonic 1 engine for #Sonic8BitAdvance before continuing the Sonic 2 part.
The movements have been adjusted and GHZ Act 1 plays quite nice. But I'll have to do all of it two more times.
Once for the underwater parts and once just for THIS ONE-OFF THING:
The movements have been adjusted and GHZ Act 1 plays quite nice. But I'll have to do all of it two more times.
Once for the underwater parts and once just for THIS ONE-OFF THING:
October 25, 2025 at 10:31 PM
As I've said before, I'm reworking the Sonic 1 engine for #Sonic8BitAdvance before continuing the Sonic 2 part.
The movements have been adjusted and GHZ Act 1 plays quite nice. But I'll have to do all of it two more times.
Once for the underwater parts and once just for THIS ONE-OFF THING:
The movements have been adjusted and GHZ Act 1 plays quite nice. But I'll have to do all of it two more times.
Once for the underwater parts and once just for THIS ONE-OFF THING:
Pokémon Legends Z-A done. Say what you want about this game (and, granted, there are things to say and flaws to point out), but I couldn't put it down from the moment I got it until now, when I literally ran out of things to do.
Not a GOTY by a long shot, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Not a GOTY by a long shot, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
October 24, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Pokémon Legends Z-A done. Say what you want about this game (and, granted, there are things to say and flaws to point out), but I couldn't put it down from the moment I got it until now, when I literally ran out of things to do.
Not a GOTY by a long shot, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Not a GOTY by a long shot, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Just walked my sexagenarian father through installing VLC on Linux (Kubuntu) on the phone. Just a couple of clicks and a password to enter, no terminals necessary.
Take that, "Linux is too hard to use" crowd.
Take that, "Linux is too hard to use" crowd.
October 23, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Just walked my sexagenarian father through installing VLC on Linux (Kubuntu) on the phone. Just a couple of clicks and a password to enter, no terminals necessary.
Take that, "Linux is too hard to use" crowd.
Take that, "Linux is too hard to use" crowd.
Just FYI: taking a break from developing #Sonic8BitAdvance, I'm playing Pokémon Legends Z-A and can't put it down.
I'm in the postgame with a completed Pokédex already, so it shouldn't be long. Although I am dead set on finishing all the sidequests and finding all the collectibles.
I'm in the postgame with a completed Pokédex already, so it shouldn't be long. Although I am dead set on finishing all the sidequests and finding all the collectibles.
October 21, 2025 at 8:24 AM
Just FYI: taking a break from developing #Sonic8BitAdvance, I'm playing Pokémon Legends Z-A and can't put it down.
I'm in the postgame with a completed Pokédex already, so it shouldn't be long. Although I am dead set on finishing all the sidequests and finding all the collectibles.
I'm in the postgame with a completed Pokédex already, so it shouldn't be long. Although I am dead set on finishing all the sidequests and finding all the collectibles.
Apparently there was a mistake on this front.
The game loads the map by chunks, as it should. A single Lumiose city model does exist, but is only used in a cutscene.
The game loads the map by chunks, as it should. A single Lumiose city model does exist, but is only used in a cutscene.
October 21, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Apparently there was a mistake on this front.
The game loads the map by chunks, as it should. A single Lumiose city model does exist, but is only used in a cutscene.
The game loads the map by chunks, as it should. A single Lumiose city model does exist, but is only used in a cutscene.
I knew I would eventually go back to the Sonic 1 part of #Sonic8BitAdvance and revise the engine to make it more faithful now that I got the technique of analyzing the RAM directly.
I'm not procrastinating before implementing the contents of Sonic 2, but I'm doing it now. It would bug me otherwise.
I'm not procrastinating before implementing the contents of Sonic 2, but I'm doing it now. It would bug me otherwise.
October 13, 2025 at 12:32 AM
I knew I would eventually go back to the Sonic 1 part of #Sonic8BitAdvance and revise the engine to make it more faithful now that I got the technique of analyzing the RAM directly.
I'm not procrastinating before implementing the contents of Sonic 2, but I'm doing it now. It would bug me otherwise.
I'm not procrastinating before implementing the contents of Sonic 2, but I'm doing it now. It would bug me otherwise.
Unlike Sonic 1 8-Bit, 2 8-Bit uses foreground tiles rather sparcely. Secret paths in particular aren't obscured by foreground tiles in 2 8-Bit, as seen in zones 1 and 3.
So my secret paths with new Coin boxes follow the same logic, no matter how bad it makes them look in 2🙃. Compare and contrast.
So my secret paths with new Coin boxes follow the same logic, no matter how bad it makes them look in 2🙃. Compare and contrast.
October 10, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Unlike Sonic 1 8-Bit, 2 8-Bit uses foreground tiles rather sparcely. Secret paths in particular aren't obscured by foreground tiles in 2 8-Bit, as seen in zones 1 and 3.
So my secret paths with new Coin boxes follow the same logic, no matter how bad it makes them look in 2🙃. Compare and contrast.
So my secret paths with new Coin boxes follow the same logic, no matter how bad it makes them look in 2🙃. Compare and contrast.
After taking tons of screenshots in Meka to analyze Sonic's speed on slopes in the Master System original, I fire up #Sonic8BitAdvance with the player object replaced with a special "test player" object... only to take tons of screenshots again and compare the numbers.
It's tedious, but it works.
It's tedious, but it works.
October 8, 2025 at 6:47 PM
After taking tons of screenshots in Meka to analyze Sonic's speed on slopes in the Master System original, I fire up #Sonic8BitAdvance with the player object replaced with a special "test player" object... only to take tons of screenshots again and compare the numbers.
It's tedious, but it works.
It's tedious, but it works.
Oh God, I'll have to examine all slopes in the game if I want it to work normally, won't I?
At least with the first game, it was simple, the difference between the two types of slopes was: either Sonic slipped on it or he didn't. Here I'll have to examine his speed on each and every slope...
At least with the first game, it was simple, the difference between the two types of slopes was: either Sonic slipped on it or he didn't. Here I'll have to examine his speed on each and every slope...
October 5, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Oh God, I'll have to examine all slopes in the game if I want it to work normally, won't I?
At least with the first game, it was simple, the difference between the two types of slopes was: either Sonic slipped on it or he didn't. Here I'll have to examine his speed on each and every slope...
At least with the first game, it was simple, the difference between the two types of slopes was: either Sonic slipped on it or he didn't. Here I'll have to examine his speed on each and every slope...
BTW, me showing the list of ROMs in my latest screenshots of Meka wasn't me admitting to pirating, I'm not a fan of piracy.
I own all of these games as cartridges (obviously except for the homebrew MS one). Last year I bought a RetroN5 and hacked it so I could dump ROMs and voilà, legal collection.
I own all of these games as cartridges (obviously except for the homebrew MS one). Last year I bought a RetroN5 and hacked it so I could dump ROMs and voilà, legal collection.
October 5, 2025 at 8:25 AM
BTW, me showing the list of ROMs in my latest screenshots of Meka wasn't me admitting to pirating, I'm not a fan of piracy.
I own all of these games as cartridges (obviously except for the homebrew MS one). Last year I bought a RetroN5 and hacked it so I could dump ROMs and voilà, legal collection.
I own all of these games as cartridges (obviously except for the homebrew MS one). Last year I bought a RetroN5 and hacked it so I could dump ROMs and voilà, legal collection.
It turns out, despite strange audio glitches that made me think there was something wrong with the Master System ROM, the values in the RAM are the same as in the Game Gear ROM, meaning I can use the MS version as a base for figuring out how the engine works.
Good. Using the GG version was torture.
Good. Using the GG version was torture.
October 5, 2025 at 8:21 AM
It turns out, despite strange audio glitches that made me think there was something wrong with the Master System ROM, the values in the RAM are the same as in the Game Gear ROM, meaning I can use the MS version as a base for figuring out how the engine works.
Good. Using the GG version was torture.
Good. Using the GG version was torture.
After having analyzed simple screenshots of Sonic 2 8-Bit to figure out how slopes worked for #Sonic8BitAdvance and being stumped, I ended up finding Sonic's speed values in the RAM and taking a series of screenshots of the entire emulator as I made Sonic stop on the game's very first slope.
October 4, 2025 at 9:33 PM
After having analyzed simple screenshots of Sonic 2 8-Bit to figure out how slopes worked for #Sonic8BitAdvance and being stumped, I ended up finding Sonic's speed values in the RAM and taking a series of screenshots of the entire emulator as I made Sonic stop on the game's very first slope.
When something is ALMOST perfect to you, but not quite, the "not quite" part really sticks out. I love using @kde.org Plasma, it's been my DE of choice of over a decade. But...
Who thought the option to display subcategories in the Kickoff launcher was so useless it could be ditched altogether?
Who thought the option to display subcategories in the Kickoff launcher was so useless it could be ditched altogether?
October 4, 2025 at 7:27 PM
When something is ALMOST perfect to you, but not quite, the "not quite" part really sticks out. I love using @kde.org Plasma, it's been my DE of choice of over a decade. But...
Who thought the option to display subcategories in the Kickoff launcher was so useless it could be ditched altogether?
Who thought the option to display subcategories in the Kickoff launcher was so useless it could be ditched altogether?