sonnik
@sonnik.substack.com
Our retro platformer tutorial is complete! The final article for "Candygrab" is up, covering the last tweaks and releasing the full code. Grab the project and start building your own game.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
#Coding #GameDev #Python
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
#Coding #GameDev #Python
September 17, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Our retro platformer tutorial is complete! The final article for "Candygrab" is up, covering the last tweaks and releasing the full code. Grab the project and start building your own game.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
#Coding #GameDev #Python
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
#Coding #GameDev #Python
The latest update to our Python-based retro game project is here! This time, we're tackling music and sound, from authentic tracker files to custom effects. Get the full scoop on how we're building an 8-bit masterpiece.
#python #retro #gamedev #retrogaming
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
#python #retro #gamedev #retrogaming
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Sprite Sheet Part 4: The 8-bit Experience
Now With Sound!
open.substack.com
September 3, 2025 at 11:35 PM
The latest update to our Python-based retro game project is here! This time, we're tackling music and sound, from authentic tracker files to custom effects. Get the full scoop on how we're building an 8-bit masterpiece.
#python #retro #gamedev #retrogaming
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
#python #retro #gamedev #retrogaming
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
The future of free TV is in trouble. My latest article details the ongoing battle over ATSC 3.0's rollout, focusing on how DRM and a confusing market are hurting consumers and frustrating independent manufacturers.
sonnik.substack.com/p/the-atsc-3...
sonnik.substack.com/p/the-atsc-3...
The ATSC 3.0/DRM Debacle
Why the future of TV is stuck.
sonnik.substack.com
August 26, 2025 at 11:38 PM
The future of free TV is in trouble. My latest article details the ongoing battle over ATSC 3.0's rollout, focusing on how DRM and a confusing market are hurting consumers and frustrating independent manufacturers.
sonnik.substack.com/p/the-atsc-3...
sonnik.substack.com/p/the-atsc-3...
New … Part 3 in our sprite sheet Python/Pygame series: Scoreboards, candy collection, and real danger from Vaccy the robot villain are now live.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Sprite Sheet Part 3: Combat!
Vaccy and our candy-collecting hero go head-to-head.
open.substack.com
August 20, 2025 at 12:21 AM
New … Part 3 in our sprite sheet Python/Pygame series: Scoreboards, candy collection, and real danger from Vaccy the robot villain are now live.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Debugging Part 3 in this series: sonnik.substack.com/p/sprite-she...
I’ve added score/lives remaining, and player battle. Post should ready Tue 8/19.
I’ve added score/lives remaining, and player battle. Post should ready Tue 8/19.
August 15, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Debugging Part 3 in this series: sonnik.substack.com/p/sprite-she...
I’ve added score/lives remaining, and player battle. Post should ready Tue 8/19.
I’ve added score/lives remaining, and player battle. Post should ready Tue 8/19.
Passkeys promise a passwordless future… but without a plan, you could lock yourself out before hackers even try. Here’s my guide to using them smart, avoiding pitfalls, and keeping your digital keys in your own pocket. 🔑
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Passkeys: The Good, the Bad, and the Locked Out
Go passwordless without locking yourself out.
open.substack.com
August 12, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Passkeys promise a passwordless future… but without a plan, you could lock yourself out before hackers even try. Here’s my guide to using them smart, avoiding pitfalls, and keeping your digital keys in your own pocket. 🔑
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
👻 Sprite fixes, smarter enemies, and one very determined AI vacuum.
Our next Pygame dives deep into AI logic, animation tweaks, and classic game dev chaos.
Catch up on the status ...
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Our next Pygame dives deep into AI logic, animation tweaks, and classic game dev chaos.
Catch up on the status ...
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Sprite Sheet Part 2: Debugging an Animated Vacuum Robot
Ladder logic, sprite flipping, and the birth of a villain with a funnel hand.
open.substack.com
August 6, 2025 at 12:19 AM
👻 Sprite fixes, smarter enemies, and one very determined AI vacuum.
Our next Pygame dives deep into AI logic, animation tweaks, and classic game dev chaos.
Catch up on the status ...
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Our next Pygame dives deep into AI logic, animation tweaks, and classic game dev chaos.
Catch up on the status ...
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Want to learn about sprite sheets?
Part 1 of a new Pygame series focuses entirely on this concept. Learn how to put them to work in a simple retro-style video game.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Part 1 of a new Pygame series focuses entirely on this concept. Learn how to put them to work in a simple retro-style video game.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Python/Pygame: Sprite Sheet Savvy
Part 1 in Series For Building a New Game: Candygrab
open.substack.com
July 29, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Want to learn about sprite sheets?
Part 1 of a new Pygame series focuses entirely on this concept. Learn how to put them to work in a simple retro-style video game.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Part 1 of a new Pygame series focuses entirely on this concept. Learn how to put them to work in a simple retro-style video game.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
We’ve built better tools for a website to prove it’s real than we have for a person. Why are we still relying on a 9-digit number standard from 1936 to secure our financial lives? My latest post asks why identity is stuck in the past.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Your Identity: Stuck to Nine Digits
Why Financial Identity Remains Stuck in the Past While Fraud Moves Forward
open.substack.com
July 23, 2025 at 7:16 PM
We’ve built better tools for a website to prove it’s real than we have for a person. Why are we still relying on a 9-digit number standard from 1936 to secure our financial lives? My latest post asks why identity is stuck in the past.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Most text to speech tools are either too limited or too expensive. I broke down how to use Google Cloud’s API to generate natural voice-overs with Python. More control, lower cost, no monthly subscription.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Smarter Speech on a Budget
Skip the subscriptions and speak through code
open.substack.com
July 15, 2025 at 11:25 PM
Most text to speech tools are either too limited or too expensive. I broke down how to use Google Cloud’s API to generate natural voice-overs with Python. More control, lower cost, no monthly subscription.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Music videos deserve more than blurry 480p uploads.
They’re part of our cultural memory — not just promo clips, but real visual storytelling worth preserving.
New article on the rise, fall, and 4K rebirth of the format:
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
They’re part of our cultural memory — not just promo clips, but real visual storytelling worth preserving.
New article on the rise, fall, and 4K rebirth of the format:
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Restoring Music Video History
Past, present, and 4K future of an often-overlooked art form
open.substack.com
July 8, 2025 at 11:46 PM
Music videos deserve more than blurry 480p uploads.
They’re part of our cultural memory — not just promo clips, but real visual storytelling worth preserving.
New article on the rise, fall, and 4K rebirth of the format:
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
They’re part of our cultural memory — not just promo clips, but real visual storytelling worth preserving.
New article on the rise, fall, and 4K rebirth of the format:
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Ever miss those old-school cable info channels with automated text and soothing music? I recreated one as a livestream to YouTube and built it using modern tools like Python, Pygame, and FFmpeg.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
The Charm of the Cable Info Channel
Lo-fi cable nostalgia, streamed live with Pygame and FFmpeg
open.substack.com
July 2, 2025 at 3:50 AM
Ever miss those old-school cable info channels with automated text and soothing music? I recreated one as a livestream to YouTube and built it using modern tools like Python, Pygame, and FFmpeg.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Have you ever wondered if you're getting the most from your home network?
If you're just using ISP-provided equipment, you might be missing out. Features like device control, custom DNS, bandwidth visibility, and secure remote access are all within reach.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
If you're just using ISP-provided equipment, you might be missing out. Features like device control, custom DNS, bandwidth visibility, and secure remote access are all within reach.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Can a Dedicated Firewall Help at Home?
Smarter Networking Without the ISP Box
open.substack.com
June 25, 2025 at 2:38 AM
Have you ever wondered if you're getting the most from your home network?
If you're just using ISP-provided equipment, you might be missing out. Features like device control, custom DNS, bandwidth visibility, and secure remote access are all within reach.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
If you're just using ISP-provided equipment, you might be missing out. Features like device control, custom DNS, bandwidth visibility, and secure remote access are all within reach.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Ever heard of Gopher? WAIS? Finger?
If those ring a bell (or don’t) take a stroll through the dial-up era when getting online meant more than opening a browser.
It’s a nostalgic look at the protocols that powered the early internet.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
If those ring a bell (or don’t) take a stroll through the dial-up era when getting online meant more than opening a browser.
It’s a nostalgic look at the protocols that powered the early internet.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Before the Internet Was Easy
How NNTP, Gopher, IRC, and Other Protocols Built the Online World
open.substack.com
June 17, 2025 at 11:34 PM
Ever heard of Gopher? WAIS? Finger?
If those ring a bell (or don’t) take a stroll through the dial-up era when getting online meant more than opening a browser.
It’s a nostalgic look at the protocols that powered the early internet.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
If those ring a bell (or don’t) take a stroll through the dial-up era when getting online meant more than opening a browser.
It’s a nostalgic look at the protocols that powered the early internet.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Just published a new post: I recreated Blackjack and Jacks or Better in Python using Pygame... inspired by bar-top casino machines and 80s shareware.
Includes card graphics, sound, and even MOD music support. Full code + setup guide inside 🎰
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Includes card graphics, sound, and even MOD music support. Full code + setup guide inside 🎰
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Build Your Own Bar-Top Casino
Blackjack and Jacks or Better Recreated in Python with Pygame
open.substack.com
June 12, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Just published a new post: I recreated Blackjack and Jacks or Better in Python using Pygame... inspired by bar-top casino machines and 80s shareware.
Includes card graphics, sound, and even MOD music support. Full code + setup guide inside 🎰
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Includes card graphics, sound, and even MOD music support. Full code + setup guide inside 🎰
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
I’m putting the finishing touches on my next pygame article, in a series paying homage to 1980’s computing magazines with type-in listings.
It’s a two-for-one! I’m trying to emulate the blackjack/jacks-or-better video games you’ll find embedded into casino bars!
Available tomrrow (6/12/25)
It’s a two-for-one! I’m trying to emulate the blackjack/jacks-or-better video games you’ll find embedded into casino bars!
Available tomrrow (6/12/25)
June 11, 2025 at 8:19 PM
I’m putting the finishing touches on my next pygame article, in a series paying homage to 1980’s computing magazines with type-in listings.
It’s a two-for-one! I’m trying to emulate the blackjack/jacks-or-better video games you’ll find embedded into casino bars!
Available tomrrow (6/12/25)
It’s a two-for-one! I’m trying to emulate the blackjack/jacks-or-better video games you’ll find embedded into casino bars!
Available tomrrow (6/12/25)
Ever wondered what would happen if you gave Mars a better spin, turned Jupiter into a sun, or let an asteroid hit Earth? I ran the sims so you don’t have to, plus a shoutout to Algodoo for good old 2D chaos.
Read the full breakdown here: open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
#PhysicsGames #Simulators
Read the full breakdown here: open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
#PhysicsGames #Simulators
Moon Crashes, Martian Makeovers, and Other Minor Experiments
A Tour Through Digital Chaos with Universe Sandbox and Algodoo Physics
open.substack.com
June 9, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Ever wondered what would happen if you gave Mars a better spin, turned Jupiter into a sun, or let an asteroid hit Earth? I ran the sims so you don’t have to, plus a shoutout to Algodoo for good old 2D chaos.
Read the full breakdown here: open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
#PhysicsGames #Simulators
Read the full breakdown here: open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
#PhysicsGames #Simulators
I just published a new post on using VapourSynth to clean up old TV footage. Some progress, some plugin headaches, and a few lessons learned along the way.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Vintage Film, Modern Tools
The uphill climb of cleaning classic footage with VapourSynth
open.substack.com
June 5, 2025 at 8:26 PM
I just published a new post on using VapourSynth to clean up old TV footage. Some progress, some plugin headaches, and a few lessons learned along the way.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Built a live video text crawl system with Python + OpenCV + Pygame.
• Real-time updates
• Logo separators
• Works with OBS, vMix, signage setups
Perfect for DIY broadcast tools.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
• Real-time updates
• Logo separators
• Works with OBS, vMix, signage setups
Perfect for DIY broadcast tools.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Roll Your Own Crawl
Create a flexible crawl overlay for live video using Python
open.substack.com
May 29, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Built a live video text crawl system with Python + OpenCV + Pygame.
• Real-time updates
• Logo separators
• Works with OBS, vMix, signage setups
Perfect for DIY broadcast tools.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
• Real-time updates
• Logo separators
• Works with OBS, vMix, signage setups
Perfect for DIY broadcast tools.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Just posted a new article: The Checkered Flag is a top-down racing game built in Python, inspired by Sprint 2 and the type-in listings from old computer magazines.
If you grew up typing in code from a printed page, this will feel familiar.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
If you grew up typing in code from a printed page, this will feel familiar.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
A Top-Down Python Racer with 1970s Soul
From mod music to drawn-by-hand track masks, this Sprint 2 homage is fully programmable.
open.substack.com
May 26, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Just posted a new article: The Checkered Flag is a top-down racing game built in Python, inspired by Sprint 2 and the type-in listings from old computer magazines.
If you grew up typing in code from a printed page, this will feel familiar.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
If you grew up typing in code from a printed page, this will feel familiar.
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
There’s a lot of racing on TV today; that works well for my article planned for tomorrow. I implemented some changes for AI; you’ll be able to design your own tracks with a simple graphic editor. Added some new car shapes, engine rumble and collision noises.
Will publish 5/26 afternoon.
Will publish 5/26 afternoon.
May 25, 2025 at 9:13 PM
There’s a lot of racing on TV today; that works well for my article planned for tomorrow. I implemented some changes for AI; you’ll be able to design your own tracks with a simple graphic editor. Added some new car shapes, engine rumble and collision noises.
Will publish 5/26 afternoon.
Will publish 5/26 afternoon.
Reposted by sonnik
Statement received by BNO News on the fire at a data center in Oregon which is causing outages on X/Twitter.
May 23, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Statement received by BNO News on the fire at a data center in Oregon which is causing outages on X/Twitter.
Everyone knows Steve Jobs, but the Apple II wouldn't have existed without Steve Wozniak. I grew up on that machine, and only later realized how brilliant the design really was. Here's why Woz deserves more credit.
sonnik.substack.com/p/the-engine...
sonnik.substack.com/p/the-engine...
The Engineer at Apple’s Core
Why Wozniak’s engineering mattered more than marketing
sonnik.substack.com
May 22, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Everyone knows Steve Jobs, but the Apple II wouldn't have existed without Steve Wozniak. I grew up on that machine, and only later realized how brilliant the design really was. Here's why Woz deserves more credit.
sonnik.substack.com/p/the-engine...
sonnik.substack.com/p/the-engine...
Reposted by sonnik
Hi! I'm Harry 😊
I'm an Australian writer who is published as a video games journalist, short story author, playwright and more.
You can find my work on "The Video Game Storyteller", a Substack all about the narratives in games and how they affect us.
Keen to connect with you all!
I'm an Australian writer who is published as a video games journalist, short story author, playwright and more.
You can find my work on "The Video Game Storyteller", a Substack all about the narratives in games and how they affect us.
Keen to connect with you all!
The Video Game Storyteller | Substack
A publication about the stories in video games and the stories they create for us. Click to read The Video Game Storyteller, a Substack publication with hundreds of subscribers.
thevideogamestoryteller.substack.com
May 16, 2025 at 12:13 AM
Hi! I'm Harry 😊
I'm an Australian writer who is published as a video games journalist, short story author, playwright and more.
You can find my work on "The Video Game Storyteller", a Substack all about the narratives in games and how they affect us.
Keen to connect with you all!
I'm an Australian writer who is published as a video games journalist, short story author, playwright and more.
You can find my work on "The Video Game Storyteller", a Substack all about the narratives in games and how they affect us.
Keen to connect with you all!
Tired of wrestling with keyframes in After Effects? See how a few lines of ExtendScript can animate a full 3D spiral path, sync rotation, scale, and even color… perfect for your next motion animation
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
Creative Coding in After Effects
Controlling After Effects Animation with Expressions and Logic
open.substack.com
May 19, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Tired of wrestling with keyframes in After Effects? See how a few lines of ExtendScript can animate a full 3D spiral path, sync rotation, scale, and even color… perfect for your next motion animation
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...
open.substack.com/pub/sonnik/p...