Matthew Parker
@pillbuggames.bsky.social
Indie game developer. Games are Mech Shuffle (released on Steam) and Drop Command (release Q1 2026).
Loving the mushroom biomes in the Centurius system. Can't wait for everyone to try the Drop Command campaign demo on Friday! #screenshotsaturday #indiegamedev
January 24, 2026 at 10:55 PM
Loving the mushroom biomes in the Centurius system. Can't wait for everyone to try the Drop Command campaign demo on Friday! #screenshotsaturday #indiegamedev
One week until the campaign demo! You will be able to try out the early game and expand through a solar system. Join us on January 30th (Friday of next week) to check out our Mech combat 4x empire builder! #indiegame #gamedev
January 24, 2026 at 7:24 AM
One week until the campaign demo! You will be able to try out the early game and expand through a solar system. Join us on January 30th (Friday of next week) to check out our Mech combat 4x empire builder! #indiegame #gamedev
In Drop Command, Stellar Gates allow fleets travel between the stars! Now part of the procedural generation, planets with Stellar Gates will have them visible from missions on the planets surface. #indiegamedev #gamedev
January 23, 2026 at 7:12 AM
In Drop Command, Stellar Gates allow fleets travel between the stars! Now part of the procedural generation, planets with Stellar Gates will have them visible from missions on the planets surface. #indiegamedev #gamedev
I think I need to take a day off. Save system is 90% done. Still lots to do before launching the demo. But I need to make sure I don't get burnt out. Back to productivity tomorrow. Today? Maybe play some games!
January 18, 2026 at 6:21 PM
I think I need to take a day off. Save system is 90% done. Still lots to do before launching the demo. But I need to make sure I don't get burnt out. Back to productivity tomorrow. Today? Maybe play some games!
Writing save systems is one of the few programming tasks that I dread. Today was spent getting file IO working, getting the UI setup for create/load/delete save slots, and connecting saves with meta data. So much work and I haven't saved or loaded a single piece of actual game data yet! #gamedev
January 17, 2026 at 2:23 AM
Writing save systems is one of the few programming tasks that I dread. Today was spent getting file IO working, getting the UI setup for create/load/delete save slots, and connecting saves with meta data. So much work and I haven't saved or loaded a single piece of actual game data yet! #gamedev
Added Sumerian names to the name generator, and got the escape menu to play nicely. Ben worked on the promo art for the game! Here is the WIP HD models for the Opifex VTOL! Will be used for marketing artwork and some in game still shots. #gamedev #indiegamedev
January 16, 2026 at 4:41 AM
Added Sumerian names to the name generator, and got the escape menu to play nicely. Ben worked on the promo art for the game! Here is the WIP HD models for the Opifex VTOL! Will be used for marketing artwork and some in game still shots. #gamedev #indiegamedev
Busy day! Added 4 more of the updated cockpits (Stinger VTOL and Zorilla light mech shown below). Finished adding the new mountains for horizon detail, added craters for asteroid and moon biomes, and I added a new splash text system for low priority messages (ammo depleted, etc). #gamedev
January 15, 2026 at 2:04 AM
Busy day! Added 4 more of the updated cockpits (Stinger VTOL and Zorilla light mech shown below). Finished adding the new mountains for horizon detail, added craters for asteroid and moon biomes, and I added a new splash text system for low priority messages (ammo depleted, etc). #gamedev
Added mountains to enhance the skyline! Also new ground details like grass and rocks in the style of MechWarrior 2. #gamedev #indiegamedev Getting closer to the Drop Command campaign demo later this month!
January 11, 2026 at 11:56 PM
Added mountains to enhance the skyline! Also new ground details like grass and rocks in the style of MechWarrior 2. #gamedev #indiegamedev Getting closer to the Drop Command campaign demo later this month!
Seize the capitol, control the planet! New parliament buildings are looking good =)
youtube.com/shorts/Y4EDD... #indiegamedev
youtube.com/shorts/Y4EDD... #indiegamedev
Seize Capitol Buildings | Drop Command #indiegamedev #gamedevelopment #mechgames
YouTube video by PillBugGames
youtube.com
January 9, 2026 at 11:59 PM
Seize the capitol, control the planet! New parliament buildings are looking good =)
youtube.com/shorts/Y4EDD... #indiegamedev
youtube.com/shorts/Y4EDD... #indiegamedev
Updating the mech cockpits with more detail. Below is the Armadillo light mech new/old cockpit views. Also a sneak peek at the new planet Belisarius, home planet of the (barely) edible fungus that feeds half the star cluster. #indiegamedev #gamedev
January 8, 2026 at 7:16 PM
Updating the mech cockpits with more detail. Below is the Armadillo light mech new/old cockpit views. Also a sneak peek at the new planet Belisarius, home planet of the (barely) edible fungus that feeds half the star cluster. #indiegamedev #gamedev
Drop Command now has parliament buildings for the planet annexation missions. Got to sit your planetary governments somewhere! #Mechs #indiegamedev
January 8, 2026 at 1:05 AM
Drop Command now has parliament buildings for the planet annexation missions. Got to sit your planetary governments somewhere! #Mechs #indiegamedev
More progress on the star map in Drop Command. Mostly improving the communication of information to the player by adding event icons around stars (uprisings, major battles, political events, etc). #gamedev
January 6, 2026 at 10:35 PM
More progress on the star map in Drop Command. Mostly improving the communication of information to the player by adding event icons around stars (uprisings, major battles, political events, etc). #gamedev
Adding cockpit geometry to the Mechs in Drop Command! Hoping to have the new campaign demo ready by the end of the month. Big 'to do' items left: save/load system, color blind accessibility options, demo content optimization #gamedev
January 4, 2026 at 9:46 PM
Adding cockpit geometry to the Mechs in Drop Command! Hoping to have the new campaign demo ready by the end of the month. Big 'to do' items left: save/load system, color blind accessibility options, demo content optimization #gamedev
It's Christmas eve, and I am fully stuffed with hot pot. Hope everyone else is having a great evening!
December 25, 2025 at 3:44 AM
It's Christmas eve, and I am fully stuffed with hot pot. Hope everyone else is having a great evening!
Reposted by Matthew Parker
Between Drop Command and now Steel Bounty, the Mech2/Earthseige fan cup runneth over! Iron Soldier 4 next?
Steel Bounty — MicroProse Publishing Announcement
YouTube video by MicroProse
youtu.be
December 18, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Between Drop Command and now Steel Bounty, the Mech2/Earthseige fan cup runneth over! Iron Soldier 4 next?
Drop Command is a game about piloting a mech, character progression, building a stellar empire, and commanding massive combined arms battles. It is the definition of scope creep, and it is going to be amazing. #gamedev #indiegames
November 5, 2025 at 6:16 AM
Drop Command is a game about piloting a mech, character progression, building a stellar empire, and commanding massive combined arms battles. It is the definition of scope creep, and it is going to be amazing. #gamedev #indiegames
Reposted by Matthew Parker
So happy I can finally share the card back for the special anniversary for #MechShuffle. It's on sale right now so go check it out!
I don't usually draw mech so this was super challenging for me. Even worse, I had an artist block for the colours when the deadline was fast approaching. #pixelart
I don't usually draw mech so this was super challenging for me. Even worse, I had an artist block for the colours when the deadline was fast approaching. #pixelart
October 26, 2025 at 7:09 PM
So happy I can finally share the card back for the special anniversary for #MechShuffle. It's on sale right now so go check it out!
I don't usually draw mech so this was super challenging for me. Even worse, I had an artist block for the colours when the deadline was fast approaching. #pixelart
I don't usually draw mech so this was super challenging for me. Even worse, I had an artist block for the colours when the deadline was fast approaching. #pixelart
#MechShuffle anniversary patch is now live! Check out the full notes here #gamedev #indiegamedev
store.steampowered.com/news/app/207...
store.steampowered.com/news/app/207...
Mech Shuffle - 2025 Content Update - Steam News
Celebrate 1 Year of Shuffling Mechs: New Units, New Rewards, New Game Mode!
store.steampowered.com
October 25, 2025 at 6:16 AM
#MechShuffle anniversary patch is now live! Check out the full notes here #gamedev #indiegamedev
store.steampowered.com/news/app/207...
store.steampowered.com/news/app/207...
Another peek at the #MechShuffle content patch! The ARMICUST Heavy Tank is a mobile fortress, with impenetrable armour plating and arrays of light weaponry. Specialized in swamping defences of even the biggest Mech, the ARMICUST prefers to ambush and overwhelm opposition. #indiegamedev #gamedev
October 24, 2025 at 5:25 AM
Another peek at the #MechShuffle content patch! The ARMICUST Heavy Tank is a mobile fortress, with impenetrable armour plating and arrays of light weaponry. Specialized in swamping defences of even the biggest Mech, the ARMICUST prefers to ambush and overwhelm opposition. #indiegamedev #gamedev
#MechShuffle Anniversary Patch in 2 Days! Here's a peek at one of the two new units coming in the patch: The OPIFEX light VTOL! This compact scout likes to fire from cover and keep out of reach of melee attacks. #indiegame #Mech
October 23, 2025 at 8:40 PM
#MechShuffle Anniversary Patch in 2 Days! Here's a peek at one of the two new units coming in the patch: The OPIFEX light VTOL! This compact scout likes to fire from cover and keep out of reach of melee attacks. #indiegame #Mech
Working on pilot customization in Drop Command. Added a level up system where you choose new pilot traits. Realized an rpg like stats system is needed to give pilots more room to grow and distinguish themselves. Exact details still in the works, but definitely needing a mix of combat and noncombat.
September 30, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Working on pilot customization in Drop Command. Added a level up system where you choose new pilot traits. Realized an rpg like stats system is needed to give pilots more room to grow and distinguish themselves. Exact details still in the works, but definitely needing a mix of combat and noncombat.
Today it took me 5 hours of debugging to learn the hard way that a struct is only surface-level value type. Since arrays are reference types, an array inside of a struct will only be copied by reference. The bug this was causing: modifying the loadout of 1 mech was changing the loadout of all mechs.
September 27, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Today it took me 5 hours of debugging to learn the hard way that a struct is only surface-level value type. Since arrays are reference types, an array inside of a struct will only be copied by reference. The bug this was causing: modifying the loadout of 1 mech was changing the loadout of all mechs.
Reposted by Matthew Parker
Going to be honest, I feel very demotivated to make art and work on the game 😔 I know it's not the biggest deal in the world to miss a deadline I set for myself. It's beyond that. The dev scene feels so commercialized and against indies. I just want to make silly little games.
September 25, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Going to be honest, I feel very demotivated to make art and work on the game 😔 I know it's not the biggest deal in the world to miss a deadline I set for myself. It's beyond that. The dev scene feels so commercialized and against indies. I just want to make silly little games.
Some of my favourite moments in gaming come from a sudden sense of scale when I see something I perceived as large, absolutely eclipsed by something new and gigantic. Trying to capture that feeling in #DropCommand #indiegamedev #screenshotsaturday
September 20, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Some of my favourite moments in gaming come from a sudden sense of scale when I see something I perceived as large, absolutely eclipsed by something new and gigantic. Trying to capture that feeling in #DropCommand #indiegamedev #screenshotsaturday