WIP Wednesday:WIP Wednesday:WIP Wednesday:April 15, 2026April 15, 2026April 15, 2026

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Hey, everyone! I’m here for one more Work-In-Progress Wednesday ahead of VGM Con. Let’s dive right in and see the fun new objects, enemies, and effects in Atmocopter that folks at the convention will get to play around with!

Fans + Fan Switches

Making their return from the old version of Atmocopter are fans! Fans are objects which Atmocopter can grab and move around to blow wind at other objects. Blowing wind at a fan switch causes it to turn, which unlocks doors. In this version, fans have gotten a big upgrade- You can turn grabbed objects, and blow wind in other directions!

This is not only useful for permanently clearing clouds…

…But you can also point the fan downwards and use it as a vertical boost! This will help Atmocopter get to hard-to-reach places. This is still kind of the first draft of this effect, so it might change in the future.

For some objects like fans, only certain rotations are valid. For example, you can’t turn the fan to face up. The reason is for gameplay- It would be really hard to grab the fan again if you turn it upwards and let go of it! The code correctly skips these invalid rotations, no matter which direction you rotate in.

New Enemy: Blasturret

This enemy’s graphics have been complete for a while, but this little guy never made it into the game, until now! Blasturret starts out hidden in a little dome on the ground, then pops up to deliver a volley of three energy blasts before retracting again. While inside the dome, Blasturret is invincible. As you can see in the GIF, you can duck under Blasturret’s shots. Depending on the enemy’s placement, it won’t always be this easy to dodge them!

A Lil’ Juice

Atmocopter now has a liftoff and land dust effect! There are new sound effects for jump, land, and hover as well, but of course that’s a little hard to bring to you in GIF form.

…And of course, lots and lots of bug fixes along the way! I’ll be hard at work on the game right up until the convention on Friday. I think I’ll be able to bring a whole new level!

See you after VGM Con with a postmortem of the experience, and then it’s back to pixel art!

-Will

WIP Wednesday:WIP Wednesday:WIP Wednesday:April 8, 2026April 8, 2026April 8, 2026

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Hey, everyone!

I’m gearing up to show my in-development game Atmocopter at VGM Con, so today’s Work-In-Progress Wednesday is all about a tool I’ve been working on: SparkBolt Studio. I’m happy to report that it reached a very big milestone last night. SBS can now fully edit Atmocopter levels, and Atmocopter can load and play those levels! This has been one of my main goals from the very start with SBS, and it has come a very long way.

Take a look at the difference between my last level editor, ObjectMaker…

…And my new level editor, SparkBolt Studio!

One of the main differences, aside from more features, newer code, and better UI, is that I plan to eventually release SparkBolt Studio as a full product for others to use. A combined pixel art sprite / tileset / level editor has been something I’ve wanted for a long time, not just to use for myself, but to improve the tool ecosystem out there for other devs!

Let’s take a look at the latest improvements…

The asset library section now has thumbnails for each object, which makes things way more useful.

You can also now easily select an object to place from a scrollable list, which displays the object thumbnails and their names…

…and it’s searchable! This is going to really make level editing a smoother experience.

Copy/paste for objects is also working! You can also do shift+D to duplicate objects, similar to Blender. Plus, you can copy/paste across scenes.

Finally, you can now define custom shapes (and snap the points to grid)! I actually forgot I needed this for Atmocopter’s levels (to define paths for moving objects), so I quickly added this tool earlier this week.

The shapes don’t have to be closed- You can add any number of line segments, for whatever kind of shape your level needs. A future version will allow you to see and edit the points after shape placement.

That’s all for today- I’ll be hard at work on Atmocopter until VGM Con, which runs from April 17 through April 19. If you’re in or around the Minneapolis metro area, come try the game out! After the convention, I’ll do a little postmortem post about the convention experience, and then we’ll be back to our regularly scheduled pixel art with new Gigapack effects.

Wish me luck, and see you next week for a final look at Atmocopter before the convention!

-Will

Super Pixel Effects GigapackSuper Pixel Effects GigapackSuper Pixel Effects Gigapackv2.0.0v2.0.0v2.0.0

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Hey, everyone! I’m proud to bring you Super Pixel Effects Gigapack version 2.0.0 today!

Let’s take a look at all the latest effects:

Lots of brand-new effects, including your first look at an RPG-style sleep spell! A “status effect” looping version is also included.

Also new: A visual guide (paid version only), where you can see all the effects in GIF form in one easy place! Just open Guide/index.html in the web browser of your choice.

See the changelog in the zip file for a complete list of additions and updates.

Ready to get it for your game?

Not into Patreon? Never fear- The Gigapack can also be purchased below!

It’s been a long road- Enjoy version 2.0.0!

-Will

WIP Wednesday:WIP Wednesday:WIP Wednesday:March 25, 2026March 25, 2026March 25, 2026

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Hey, everyone!

Busy with family stuff this week, so just a short Work-In-Progress Wednesday today. I’m excited to share the last sneak peek of Gigapack v2.0.0 before it releases on Friday!

Above, we have two symmetrical effects- An explosion and a big impact animation! I’m saving my favorite of the bunch for last, so stay tuned for the release on Friday!

The version 2.0.0 update will bring seven total new animations to the pack. I’m also in the initial stage of looking into some kind of visual guide to see all the effects at a glance, ideally with GIFs if the file size is reasonable.

See you on Friday!

-Will

WIP Wednesday:WIP Wednesday:WIP Wednesday:March 18, 2026March 18, 2026March 18, 2026

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Hey, everyone! I’m here tonight with a Work-In-Progress Wednesday post. I’ve been hard at work on… just about everything lately! Let’s dive right in.

Gigapack: v2.0.0 Preview

Starting things off: A brand new sneak peek at an effect for the upcoming v2.0.0 update of Super Pixel Effects Gigapack! This one is a fancy “dash” effect, perfect for a character’s quick movement. So juicy!

The v2.0.0 update is planned to arrive on March 27. Stay tuned!

SparkBolt Studio Progress

For those of you who are new here (welcome!), SparkBolt Studio is my work-in-progress all-in-one pixel art sprite / tileset / level editor. I’ve been working hard on it ahead of VGM Con, where I’ll be demoing Atmocopter, my in-development game. I’m hoping to get it to a point at which it can serve as a working level editor so I can use it to work on levels for the game. I think that point is coming soon!

As you can see above, SparkBolt Studio can now load full Atmocopter levels! The levels were built in Tiled, so this is the end result of importing a Tiled *.tmx file. New since last time I showed it off: Objects, point objects, and rectangle objects are now loaded successfully. Woohoo!

You can also place both all three types of objects manually now. Plus, you can change the point and rectangle object color! Object names are also drawn for point/rect objects. The imported objects from the *.tmx are linked as external images for now, and can be refreshed at any time. And of course, lots and lots of bugs were fixed along the way.

The next big major issue I’m going to have to address is importing multiple *.tmx files. Atmocopter has two levels right now, and both of them pull from the same tilesets (objects are also considered “tilesets,” in Tiled):

That means if I import a second level to SBS, it will try to re-import the dependencies, even though they’re the same. Currently, it will terminate when you try to do this, but what I’d like to have it do is tag the previously imported assets with what file they came from, and recognize that when it tries to re-import the same thing.

There are a lot of little things to finish up too- I’ll need snapping for object placement and adjustable grid settings to make this really usable for Atmocopter work. And then I have to actually start working on the game, at some point! I’ve already kind of decided that if I don’t get a whole lot done on the game ahead of this convention, that’s alright. The progress on SparkBolt Studio is definitely worth the tradeoff. Still, hoping for a few new enemies / levels!

Zephyr Time!

Zephyr is back to feeling 100%! Here’s a couple pics of what she’s been up to lately.

That’s all for today- I’ll be hard at work on pixel art for the big Gigapack update, and I’ll check in ahead of that next Wednesday for another WIP post! See you then.

-Will

New Gigapack Effects!New Gigapack Effects!New Gigapack Effects!(v1.9.0)(v1.9.0)(v1.9.0)

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Hey, everyone! I’m here today with some brand new Gigapack effects! I first want to thank you for your patience- I had to push this update back a couple times due to some family issues coming up. Most recently, Zephyr has been sick for a little bit. She’s on the mend and just needs to take some meds and rest up. The vet thinks she had a stomach bug. She’s excited to see all her dog friends again soon!

Anyway- Let’s dive in to today’s effects! I put some extra polish on them, so I think you’ll enjoy them.

This update brings five new effects: Two different directional fire bursts, a directional particle burst, a round bubble burst, and an “alert” text animation. The fire bursts are perfect for magic spells or for hazards / enemy attacks in a platformer game. I had a “level up” effect in mind when I drew the directional particle burst, so it would fit well with that! The bubbles could be either a poison effect or a heal animation, depending on the context. Lots of possibilities here!

See the changelog in the zip file for a complete list of additions and updates.

Ready to get it for your game?

Not into Patreon? Never fear- The Gigapack can also be purchased below!

Coming Up Next…

Next up is the big one- Version 2.0.0! I’m continuing to work on new effects for it. I’m also planning a way to easily preview the effects in the pack, to make it easier to see what’s available at a glance for you to use in your game. This update is currently slated for 3/27.

In the meantime, I’ll see you next week for Work-In-Progress Wednesday, where I’ll share brand new animations and the progress so far on SparkBolt Studio!

Thank you for your support, and see you then!

-Will

WIP Wednesday:WIP Wednesday:WIP Wednesday:February 18, 2026February 18, 2026February 18, 2026

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Hey, everyone! Just a quick Work-In-Progress Wednesday tonight. I’d like to show off the newest Atmocopter enemy:

Say hello to “Hopbot-L!” This is a large version of a planned small enemy. I thought I’d do the large version first and see how it felt first. The enemy design should speak for itself- It’s only vulnerable when it raises its face-plate to attack! It’ll fire three times, then pause for a moment and replace its face-plate. Then, it’ll hop menacingly towards Atmocopter!

In the true spirit of WIP Wednesday, above you can see how the robot design started. Originally, it was quite a bit simpler. I was still planning on having it fire at the player- As I was drawing, I thought maybe the purple dome could rise up, revealing a cannon of some sort. However, it was placed a bit too high to hit the player this way with a straight shot, so I adjusted the design and added the shield feature.

I think this will be a fun enemy to come up against in Atmocopter! Will you wait for the right moment to attack while the face-plate is up? Or will you hop over Hopbot-L and attack from the back where it’s vulnerable? I can’t wait to see how players will approach it!

That’s all for this quick WIP Wednesday- I’ll see you next week with another and with the next round of Gigapack effect animations!

-Will

New Gigapack Effects!New Gigapack Effects!New Gigapack Effects!(v1.8.0)(v1.8.0)(v1.8.0)

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Hey, everyone! On this heart-filled Valentine’s Day, I’m here with some heart-themed effects! Let’s check ’em out:

In addition to the rising hearts from last time, we’ve now got a “heal spell” animation, plus a few sci-fi themed EKG readings! The heartbeat readings come in three flavors: Slow, fast, and the dreaded flatline. They’d fit well with a horror or medical game, and would make for good background, menu, or UI elements in a sci-fi game.

See the changelog in the zip file for a complete list of additions and updates.

Ready to get it for your game?

Not into Patreon? Never fear- The Gigapack can also be purchased below!

New as of this version: You can now download just the new stuff, instead of re-downloading the entire asset pack! This was a good suggestion from a commenter on itch, who mentioned that the asset pack is getting quite big (60MB+) and that it takes a while to download when I update it. To upgrade this way, just download “New in Gigapack v1.8.0.zip” and extract the folders to your existing Gigapack folder.

Coming Up Next…

I’ve got a new tentative schedule through mid-April:

We’re going to squeeze in Gigapack v1.9.0 later this month, and that’ll give me time to complete version 2.0.0, which will be a larger update. After that, we’re going to slow down just a little bit as I ramp up work on Atmocopter ahead of VGM Con, where I’ll be exhibiting the game. I won’t be slowing down the Work-In-Progress Wednesday posts, though! I’m going to keep ’em coming and check in regularly with the latest I’m working on, whether it’s asset packs or SparkBolt Studio or Atmocopter. I think you’ll enjoy what I have in store!

Following the convention, I’ll take a short break. Conventions are so fun and rewarding, but always take a lot out of me! Then I’m planning on returning to the Gigapack and frequent updates.

That’s all for today- Happy Valentine’s Day! ♥

-Will

WIP Wednesday:WIP Wednesday:WIP Wednesday:February 11, 2026February 11, 2026February 11, 2026

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Hey everyone! I’m here tonight with another installment of Work-In-Progress Wednesday. Let’s see what I’ve been up to!

Gigapack: Effects Preview

The next Gigapack update is on the way later this week! Given the timing, I thought it’d be fun to add some brand new heart-themed effects for Valentine’s Day. More are on the way! ♥

Above, you can see another effect that will be coming your way in the version 2.0.0 update: A fancy magic smoke puff! It kind of gave me Aladdin vibes while animating it, as if a genie were about to pop out. Looking forward to drawing more!

SparkBolt Studio Progress

The latest from SparkBolt Studio isn’t anything super exciting- Lots of bug fixes, mostly. I do have a couple new features though:

It’s a dead simple feature, but you can now use input widgets to set the location, rotation, scale, origin, and name of selected objects. Pretty standard.

The thing I’m more excited for right now is that I’m working on the object placement tool, and you can now place point objects! They come with their own map-like location marker sprite, and are selectable just like any other object. You’ll be able to change their color from a few presets, to easily see which points are which at a glance. I’m also planning on showing the name of the point above each point. I use point objects in Atmocopter to indicate the player start location, which rooms are checkpoints, and which rooms have messages that will be read to the player upon entering. SparkBolt Studio’s points will handle this no problem, as they can have custom properties just like any other object.

Next up will be rectangle objects, which will mostly be a UI/presentation challenge more than anything else. I use those in Atmocopter to indicate to the game which rooms are “large rooms,” and must scroll either horizontally or vertically. I also use them in conjunction with point objects to indicate “camera focus rooms.” When the player enters a room like that, the camera focuses on the point object. Below, you can see how I have them set up in Tiled. The long room on the left is a horizontally-scrolling room, and the tall room on the right is a camera focus room.

It’s coming along! It won’t be too long (hopefully) before I can actually start using SparkBolt Studio for Atmocopter’s levels. Then things will really be fun, as I can start identifying what would help me make levels better and faster, and how I can make things more clear in the editor. After using Tiled, I have some cool ideas for improvements… But the basics come first, so I can get back to work on Atmocopter!

That’s all for today- See you later this week with the next Gigapack update!

-Will

WIP Wednesday:WIP Wednesday:WIP Wednesday:February 4, 2026February 4, 2026February 4, 2026

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Hey, everyone- I’m here for the first Work-In-Progress Wednesday of February!

Effects Gigapack v2.0.0: First Look

I’m happy to bring you the very first sneak peek at what’s in store for version 2.0.0 of Super Pixel Effects Gigapack! This update is still in the works, but I just had to show off this slick RPG-style ice spell animation. This won’t be the only RPG-style spell coming your way! Other elements will also be joining the fun.

I’m really proud of the detail on the ice- It looks especially frosty. I like the way the animation begins as well. By building anticipation, that burst of the ice block popping in is that much more powerful. Depending on the game, those anticipation sparkles would be a good warning for the player to dodge an attack!

Stay tuned for more Gigapack action coming your way all month!

Super Fighting Robot!

You may or may not know this, but Mega Man is my absolute favorite game series ever. Like… Of all time. I’ve been a fan for as long as I can remember, from way back on the SNES. (The NES was just a little before my time, but I enjoyed those games later!)

I also remember playing Mega Man 8 back when I was a kid, and when I beat the game the credits showed all these sketches of the robot master (boss) designs. That was when I realized that FANS got to design the bosses! That was so cool, and I always wished I could participate. The design contests were always Japan-only, unfortunately.

Fast-forward to 2025, and imagine how excited I got when Capcom announced a worldwide design competition for Mega Man: Dual Override! In late December, I gave it a shot myself. Here are the two designs I entered:

The prompt for the contest was a robot master with a powerful suction arm. I first came up with Aquarium Man, and then Seed Man second. Both bosses started with a pixel art version, and then I upscaled them and drew over them in Photoshop. I’m not well-practiced in the Mega Man character art style outside of pixel art, but I gave it my best shot and I think I approximated it pretty well!

Aquarium Man is ambitious- He has a whole ecosystem in his chest! I think he would have made a great boss, and the theme of scrubbing aquariums made for good use of the suction arm.

Seed Man is my favorite! I put a little more into the pixel art for him, giving him a fully-detailed sprite (below).

I like his body language and I especially like how punchable his face turned out, haha.

The design was modeled after a pinecone, and my theory was that he collects rare robo-plant seeds using the vacuum appendage and then blasts them out of the brown chutes on his pinecone-themed torso to plant them. Perhaps he would use the suction arm to grapple onto the ceiling and launch seeds down at Mega Man!

While my designs didn’t make the cut for the next phase of the contest (which is why I’m finally able to share them here), I’m really proud of them and I think it was an honor to be part of the Mega Man design process! As you know, Atmocopter is directly inspired by Mega Man’s gameplay… So I’ll still get my Mega Man-esque design fix!

SparkBolt Studio Progress

I’ve been focusing on SparkBolt Studio, my work-in-progress pixel art / tileset / level editor, for the moment with the goal of being able to use it to develop Atmocopter levels. Last time, I mentioned that I’d like to have a property editor for objects.

…Well, now I do! It supports a wide variety of property types, and currently you can rename them, change their values, and delete them. Reordering them and copy/pasting them will be coming eventually, I just wanted to get the basics working for now.

Speaking of the basics:

SparkBolt Studio can now partially load Atmocopter levels! Currently, Atmocopter levels are made with Tiled. I have an importer set up for the game to load its own levels, and I leveraged that to allow SparkBolt Studio to do so as well. It’s a little trickier as Atmocopter is loading from its own packed archive file, while SBS loads from the filesystem and must correctly import any tilesets it finds in the Tiled *.tmx file.

The Tiled import process held together with mostly prayers right now, but hitting this milestone today was really encouraging! The next step will be to populate the objects of the level, and there are several UI improvements I also want to make for tile editing to make the whole experience smoother.

That’s all for today- I’ll see you next week with for WIP Wednesday and the next Gigapack update! In the meantime… Let me know who you like better: Seed Man or Aquarium Man!

-Will