Change Log - What's new?

• Feature: PIXELFALLS very own intro tune on the game loading screen — tune by SquireZero.
• Code Editor
  • Feature: Warnings when engine calls sit in the wrong lifecycle method (for example playTune belongs in update, not draw).
  • Update:Props removed, everything is now a Node. Hollow cube = no script (static); solid cube = has a script (dynamic) - Thanks TheLastRobot.
  • Update: Solution Explorer - Visual improvements.
  • Update: Solution Explorer - Double-clicking a node now opens the node settings.
  • Update: Solution Explorer - Hovering a node now shows a larger sprite preview.
  • Update: Solution Explorer - Lists folders first (A–Z), with main pinned at the top.
  • Feature: Node Editor - Nodes without a sprite can have an IDE/Level Editor only icon, to help identify triggers etc (not drawn in-game).
  • Update: Node Editor - UI polish, more consistent with other editors.
  • Update: Node Editor - Arrow keys to nudge colliders/origin
  • Update: Node Editor - Colliders/origin may sit outside the sprite bounds.
• Level Editor
  • Feature: Classes with no sprite show their editor icon on the map and as the placement preview.
• Debugger
  • Feature: The debugger can pause on an uncaught Lua error
  • Update: Debug panel layout toggles for Call Stack/Watches and Locals/Globals.
  • Update: Add locals/globals to watches from the context menu.
• Engine
  • Feature: Named collider queries — hasCollided / getCollidedEntities accept an optional collider id (e.g. self:hasCollided("feet", tag.wall)).
  • Feature:getCollidedPairs returns { selfCollider, other, otherCollider } for each overlap this frame.
• Sprite Editor
  • Fix: Reduced memory usage when drawing sprites — thanks 8Bit Jellyfish.

• Code Editor
• Update: Added Close All/Close Others buttons to the Solution Explorer file tabs.
• Update: Files open as preview, until edited or 'Keep Open' is selected.
• Update: Nodes changes to props, now prompts to confirm.
• Engine
• Update: Several performance improvements.

Big Update! Multiple game resolutions, a new sound editor, and full debugging in the IDE.

• Feature: Multiple game resolutions added.
  • Note: Games will likely not display correctly on play.pixelfalls.co.uk at the moment.
• Feature: Big sound editor overhaul with a new timeline, tempo, and note editing.
  • Massive thanks to SquireZero for all his time, knowledge, and testing of this feature.
  • Feature: Tracks up to 3 minutes long.
  • Feature: Insert tracks into the timeline to create complex arrangements.
  • Feature: Live updates when editing notes.
  • Feature: Selection tools for notes.
  • Feature: Scope preview for easier note editing.
  • Feature:playSFX can loop a sound or play part of it. playSFX("Alarm", true) loops on any channel. playSFX("Jump", 2, false, 16, 24) plays from column 16 until column 24 on channel 2. Column 24 is not played.
  • Feature: Many more improvements.
• Feature: Full debugging now available in the IDE.
  • Feature: Breakpoints can be set in the code editor.
  • Feature: Step through code execution.
  • Feature: View call stack, local variables, and global variables.
  • Feature: Watch expressions can be added to the debugger.
• Feature: Sprite Editor - Hold Shift with the brush tool to draw a straight line.
• Update: Play - Can now copy the console output to the clipboard (copy button added) - Thanks Pops.
• Update: Sprite Palette - Tooltips now show the sprite index - Thanks SquireZero.
• Update: Additional syntax analysis in the code editor.
• Fix: Sprite Palette tile highlighting no longer lags - Thanks 8Bit Jellyfish.
• Fix: Further fix for iPhone play controls causing text selection - Thanks 8Bit Jellyfish.
• Fix: Lifecycle methods now work correctly with node instances - Thanks 8Bit Jellyfish.
• Fix: Save As now correctly updates the Game Title - Thanks 8Bit Jellyfish.
• Fix:setPaletteRemap now correctly swaps colours on a sprite - Thanks SquireZero.
• Fix: A custom node destroy method was preventing the node from being removed in the engine - Thanks TheLastRobot.
• Fix:drawFillCircle now draws a circle - Thanks SquireZero.

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• Feature: Sprite Editor - Preview background colour added to the Sprite Canvas and Sprite Palette.
• Feature: Change chequerboard background colours in IDE settings
• Feature: Sprite Editor - Export Sprite Sheets as PNG files - Thanks SquireZero.
• Update: Sprite Editor Fill Tool - Hold Shift to fill beyond the 8x8 tile boundary.
• Update: Added non-destructive paid-to-free tier clamping - Thanks Carl - Ukiyo.
• Fix: iPhone mobile play controls should no longer cause text selection.
• Fix: Collision Tags no longer persist between carts - Thanks 8Bit Jellyfish.
• Fix: Code Editor should correctly reset between cart loads/new games - Thanks 8Bit Jellyfish.
• Fix: Issue where UI states were saved in cart, resulting in an "unsaved changes" warning when just navigating.
• Fix: Pause menu now correctly pauses everything - Thanks SquireZero.
• Fix: Play View area now correctly resizes when it does not fit the screen - Thanks 8Bit Jellyfish.
• Fix: Select Sprite missing from Node Settings modal - Thanks 8Bit Jellyfish.
• Fix: Node Settings modal now checks for duplicate node names and Cancel button ignores changes.
• Fix: Changing from Node to Prop caused incorrect sprite selection.

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• Feature: API - Added screenWidth() and screenHeight() functions to get the width and height of the viewport - Thanks Carl - Ukiyo.
• Feature: UI - Added Restart button to the play page - Thanks Carl - Ukiyo.
• Update: Added variable scope documentation to the docs - Thanks TheLastRobot.
• Update: Eraser tool in the Level Editor can now erase nodes - Thanks 8Bit Jellyfish.
• Update: Tile only tools, are now disabled on node layers in the Level Editor.
• Update: Added cursor over node visual indicator in the Level Editor.
• Update: Added Ghost node visual indicator under the cursor when adding a node to a node layer.
• Update: Removed unnecessary .lua extension and prefix path when creating a new node or prop.
• Fix: Sprite Palette - Multi-select visual indicator now persisting - Thanks 8Bit Jellyfish.

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• Feature: In-game CONTROLS mapping menu added (pause → CONTROLS) to remap keyboard and gamepad buttons for all logical BTN_* inputs.
  • Bindings save in the browser and apply across every game on that device.
• Update: UX improvement to the menu system to make it more consistent and easier to use.
• Update: Quit option removed as it had no functionality.
• Fix: Fixed bug where Restart did nothing.
• Feature:time() / t() — returns seconds since the game booted - continues when the menu is open.
• Feature:gameTime() — returns seconds since the game started - pauses when the menu is open.

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Overhaul of the Sprite Editor Paste functionality.

• Update: Sprite Editors - Big overhaul of paste functionality - Thanks TheLastRobot.
  • Update: Sprite Editor - Pasted and selections stay floating until you press Enter or click outside. Escape cancels a paste.
  • Update: Sprite Editor - Can now paste from system clipboard or sprite editor.
  • Update: Sprite Editor - Resize with corner and edge handles (hold Shift to keep the aspect ratio).
  • Update: Sprite Editor - Choice of resizing algorithm when resizing.
• Fix: Sprite Editor - Fixed bug where pasting a selection from the sprite editor would cause transparent pixels to change colour during selection.
• Fix: Level Editor - Undo was not working on the node layers.

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• Fix: Can now draw in all sprite rows

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Gamepad support, multiple sprite sheets, and several editor and billing fixes.

• Feature: Gamepad support added. Keyboard and standard controllers both drive the same BTN_* buttons (D-pad or left stick, A/B/X/Y, shoulders).
  • Start opens the pause menu, the same as Escape.
• Feature: Multiple sprite sheets. Each sheet is now fixed at 16 columns × 16 rows (256 sprites).
  • Paid plans can have up to 8 sprite sheets (2048 sprites).
  • Free Tier has 1 sheet (256 sprites).
  • drawSprite still uses global 1-based IDs (sheet 0 is 1–256, sheet 1 is 257–512, and so on).
  • Existing carts load as they did before; extra-tall sheets split into 16-row chunks.
  • Fix: This should resolve the performance issues seen with excessive number of rows - Thanks AndyH.
• Update: Added confirmations to Switch Tier modal - Thanks AndyH.
• Update: Added confirmation statement about feature limits when switching to Free Tier.
• Update: Documentation now returns to last page and position when navigating back to it - Thanks AndyH.
• Fix: Resolving payment after past-due, now restores tier paid for - Thanks Garlic Bread Boi.
• Fix: Added, very generous map, size limit to prevent crashes - Thanks AndyH.
  • Paid maps are limited to 65,536 tiles (for example 4096×16 or 256×256)
  • Optimised editor performance by only painting the visible area, so very wide maps no longer crash or show a blank canvas.
  • New maps now start with default size of 16×16.
• Fix:print() now uses Lua __tostring and default type formatting, so class instances and tables no longer show as <value> - Thanks TheLastRobot.
• Fix: Code editor no longer flags tables made callable with __call as undefined functions.

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PIXELFALLS is here — our first official release!

Jump in, make something weird, and share it with the world.

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v0.0.18

• Feature: Delete account option added to Account Settings
• Fix: Removed unnecessary URL calls when logging in
• Update: Cleaner Console Log: Only user print() and errors will be logged to the console by default.

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v0.0.17

• Feature: Share Game; branded QR code for the play link.

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v0.0.16

• Update: Additional game buttons added and remapped (BTN_UP/DOWN/LEFT/RIGHT, BTN_A–BTN_D, BTN_L/BTN_R). Games poll buttonDown/buttonPressed with these IDs; default keyboard binds are Z/X/A/S/Q/W + arrows. Existing carts migrate KEY_Z→BTN_A, KEY_X→BTN_B, KEY_M→BTN_C, and direction KEY_*→BTN_* on load.
• Update: Mobile Virtual Pad layout improved for better touch interaction.

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v0.0.15

• Feature: Share Game; Share your game with the world.

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v0.0.14

• Feature: SFX Editor; playSFX() function now working in the engine.
• Feature: SFX Editor; playSFX() support sound name as a string parameter instead of index. playSFX("jump")
• Update: Engine; drawText now supports \n in the text string to start a new line.
• Fix: Fixed ticket #35 - Bleed through when using Show Colliders in Play mode.
• Fix: Fixed ticket #42 - Game instructions are not updated when changing between carts
• Fix: Fixed ticket #39 - Editor switching Tabs loses position

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v0.0.13

• Update: SFX Editor; Removed multi column note style change
• Update: SFX Editor; Mouse cursor row and column highlighting.
• Update: App wide; removed browser default context menu.

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v0.0.12

• Update: More changes to the SFX Editor

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v0.0.11

• Feature: SFX editor added to the IDE
• Feature: Code Editor; spotlight appears when switching back to a code tab. Can be turned off in IDE Settings.
• Fix: Code Editor; Cursor and Scroll position of each tab now remembered.
• Update: Solution Explorer; Folder and File context menus now use PF modal prompts.
• Update: Solution Explorer; Folder state now remembered and expanded/collapsed.
• Update: Solution Explorer; Right Click Context Menu added for Folder and File.
• Update: Solution Explorer; UX improvement by simplifying solution explorer items.
• Update: Solution Explorer is now resizeable.

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v0.0.10

• Feature: Subscription integration with Stripe
• Feature: Cloud storage integration
• Feature: Font trim options added to Game Settings
• Feature: New viewport overlay in the Level Editor to help level design within the game screen bounds
• Feature: Customizable grid and viewport color in Home → IDE — one setting for all grids
• Update: Home section added for Projects, IDE, Account, and About (Therefore removed Settings section)
• Update: Styling updated for consistency across the app.
• Update: Tidy up of NavBar lower buttons.
• Update: Improved code suggestions with Node method referencing.
• Update: Added collidersEnabled(boolean) function to nodes.
• Update: Added Changelog images and GIFs support.
• Update: Improved Node and Prop Palette to show more items and improved layout
• Fix: Enhanced code suggestions with Node method referencing and properties.
• Fix: Code spawned node instances now have colliders
• Fix: Font now has complete character set
• Fix: Local/Cloud timestamp check performed to ensure use is in sync with the latest changes.

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v0.0.9

IDE

• Fix: Sprite editor now correctly renders palette color index 0 as the default background color..0
• Feature: Tags are now enums. Add/Remove tags in Game Settings, then use them in code by typing tag. and it will list available tags.
• Update: After confirming Start New Game, the IDE now automatically switches to Game Settings.
• Update: Cleaned up the Node Settings modal.
• Update: Improved Level Editor Collider Show visuals
• Fix: Map node/prop visible now only affects rendering. Collision participation now depends on enabled, so invisible-but-enabled instances still collide.
• Feature:Collide checkbox on map node/prop instances (enableCollisions, default on): turn off to exclude a placement from hasCollided* while keeping it enabled and visible.
• Update: Clean up and styling update to Game Settings screen
• Feature: Multiple selected entities can now be move/copied/pasted/delete together.
• Feature: Function names are background highlighted for easier visual scanning (togging on/off in settings > IDE)

API

• Feature:buttonDown() and buttonPressed() now support no-argument calls to query whether any tracked key is currently held or was pressed this frame.
• Update: Map-node collision participation uses enabled and per-instance enableCollisions (default true). visible controls rendering only.
• Feature:getAllEntities(tag) returns live instances with overloads for no arg (all), type query (path/class/instance), and tag id (e.g. tag.wall).
• Feature: Added built-in global state table as a shared data namespace between main.lua and nodes/props.
• Fix: DrawText now correctly uses the setColor value if drawText colour parameter is omitted. Ticket #20
• Feature: Added runtime map-entity loading APIs: loadMapEntities(mapIndex), loadMapLayerEntities(mapIndex, layerIndexOrName), unloadMapEntities, and unloadMapLayerEntities — always restart-style (reset engine entities and tiles for that scope, then spawn).
• Feature: Default behaviour to loadMapEntities(0) automatically on first run can be turned off in Game Settings: Auto-load first map entities on startup
• Feature:saveSnapshot([replaceSnapshotId]), loadSnapshot(snapshotId), deleteSnapshot(snapshotId) — engine checkpoints for the current logical level (tracks last loadMapEntities / loadMapLayerEntities); console logs approximate snapshot sizes.

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v0.0.8

API

• Feature:instance:getCollidedEntities() or getCollidedEntities(instance) — for a node placed on the map, returns a list of the other instances overlapping it this frame (pickups, doors, hazards, etc.). See the collision docs for examples.
• Feature:instance:isType(NodeName) or isType(instance, NodeName) - Check if an instances if of a type.

IDE — Creating classes

• Update:New Node (+N) and New Prop (+P) in Solution Explorer now open the full Create Node / Create Prop dialog.
• Feature: Creating a node or prop class prevents create if the name would clash with an existing node or prop type.

IDE — Sprite & level editors

• Feature:Eyedropper tool in the Sprite Editor (shortcut I or Right-Click anytime) to sample pixels from the sheet.
• Update: Draw tool hover tips use a clearer label + shortcut style.

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v0.0.7

Engine

• Update:30 FPS is now game default, option to change to 60 in game settings. Older carts will be set to 60 FPS to run as they were.
• Update: Delta time now passed to update(dt). Existing carts that use update() with no args are unchanged.
• Update: Fixed issue with just a few nodes causing slowdown.

IDE

• Update: Added FPS stats current / min / max / Avg30s when playing the game.
• Update:Loading Game screen while game loads

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v0.0.6

** Switch a node to a prop and visa versa has not been tested - suggest avoid doing this for now **

API

• Fix: Renamed 'mapGetTile' to 'getMapTile' and added level and layer index to parameters.
  • API is now 'getMapTile(levelIndex, layerIndex, tileX, tileY)'
• Feature: Added 'setMapTile(levelIndex, layerIndex, tileX, tileY, spriteIndex)'
• Feature: Initial work for collisions with the following APIs
  • 'hasCollided(instance, instance)'
  • 'hasCollided(tag, instance)'
  • 'hasCollided(instance, tag)'
  • 'hasCollided(tag, tag)'
  • 'self.Collided(instance)'
  • 'self.Collided(tag)'

Node/Prop Settings

• Update: Unified origin and colliders in UI
• Feature: Add tag field

Level Editor

• Feature: Now able to select multiple sprites in Sprite Palette, with Click-Drag, and then draw them with the brush tool.
• Feature: Easily create Nodes/Props by right clicking a sprite(s) in the Sprite Palette
• Feature: Added Node/Prop Ghost when adding to Node Layer
• Feature: In Node Layer, hold Shift to 'Snap' nodes/props to grid

Code Editor

• Feature: Added code formatter button

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v0.0.5

IDE

• Added migration scripts to automatic upgrade carts going forward
  • Migration: drawText to swap last 2 parameters (now colour then size, both optional)
  • Migration: enabled is now enable
• Added 'About' tab in the settings model
• API documentation re-organised
• Reduced font and control sizes to be more inline with typical online apps, giving more real-estate

Node system

• Feature: PIXELFALLS Lua Sugar — Added compile-time sugar support for x++, x-- (postfix), and compound assignment operators (+=, -=, *=, /=, %=).
• Feature: Lifecycle callbacks — Nodes can define onEnabled(self), onDisabled(self), onShown(self), and onHidden(self).
• Breaking:enabled renamed to enable — The built-in property is now enable (and visible unchanged). Existing carts that use enabled continue to work; the runtime treats enabled as an alias for backward compatibility.
• Feature:spawn() options — You can pass an options table as the last argument: spawn(node, x, y, ...args, { enable = false, visible = true, z = 0, scale = 1 }). Or use a single config object: spawn(node, { x = 10, y = 20, enable = false }). All other arguments are still passed through to init(self, ...).
• Fix: Node init parameters — spawn(node, x, y, a, b, c) now passes all arguments to init(self, x, y, a, b, c); previously only the first three were passed, which broke nodes like pixel that take extra parameters (e.g. colour, speed, y_stop).
• Fix: Deferred init order — When a node is first enabled (e.g. play1.enable = true), init(self, ...) now runs before onEnabled(self), so refs you set in init (e.g. bucket1 = spawn(bucket)) exist when onEnabled runs.

Code editor

• Feature: Right-click context menu (node files) now includes Insert Lifecycle: onEnabled, onDisabled, onShown, and onHidden alongside the existing init/update/draw/drawUI/destroy options.

API

• Breaking:drawText parameter order changed to drawText(text, x, y [, colorIndex [, size]]) and size as optional, defaulting to 1 when omitted.

Level editor

• Feature:Layered maps — Maps are now composed of ordered tile and node layers; the engine draws layers from bottom-up.
• Feature:drawMap(levelIndex, x, y) — Now treats the first argument as a logical level index and draws all tile layers for that level in order.
• Feature:drawMapLayer(levelIndex, layerIndex, x, y) — Draw a single tile layer of a level (e.g. for custom parallax or drawing sprites between layers).
• Feature:drawMapLayerRange(levelIndex, firstLayerIndex, lastLayerIndex, x, y) — Draw a contiguous range of tile layers for a level.
• Feature: Map layers panel — Add, remove, reorder, show/hide, lock, and rename tile and node layers; drag-and-drop reorder; single-click to select a layer, double-click to rename.
• Feature: Multiple tile layers render in the editor in the same order as at runtime (bottom layer first, transparent pixels reveal lower layers).
• Update: Selected tool icon is shown next to the cursor when over the map canvas.
• Update: Sprite Editor also: Draw Tools now have groupings (Shapes, AutoTile & Transform)
• Feature: Added outline draw tools for Rectangle and Ellipse
• Feature: Shift/Ctrl can now be used to select/deselect areas
• Feature: Drag select multiple sprites and draw them for quicker level creation
• Update: Moved Maps settings into top Right maps drop-down
• Fix: Stopped Sprite Palette overlapping other control cards

Sprite editor

• Feature: Selected tool icon is shown next to the cursor when over the sprite canvas.
• Update: Zoom level of sprite editor changed to zoom out more
• Feature: TileSet rows are highlighted and tooltip warning
• Feature: Shift/Ctrl can now be used to select/deselect areas
  • Works with double-click too for whole tile selection
  • Phase can now be used to paste multiple copies

Engine

• Update: Flow order changed to improve input responsiveness

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v0.0.4

Play Console Error Improvements

• General improvements to more clearly show lua errors
• File and Line numbers shown for most errors
• Errors with File and Line number are clickable to take you straight to the problem
• First error instance shown in the Error Bar at the top of the console.

Documentation

• First pass as improved API Reference documents
• First pass at explaining Nodes, with examples.
• Simple content added to Overview, Quick Start and Core sections

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v0.0.3

Authentication

• Forgotten password implementation added

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v0.0.2

Authentication & Access

• Feature: Replaced password protection with true Authentication
• Feature: Settings > Account tab with password change and sign out

Node System Updates

• Feature:spawn(nodeClass, ...) now accepts arguments to pass to init() function
  • Example: spawn(enemy, 10, 20) passes 10, 20 to the node's init(self, 10, 20) function
• Update: Node update function now properly handles missing implementations

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v0.0.1

Code Editor Updates

• Feature: Virtual Files and Folders added
• Feature: Files can be marked as a Node - Meaning they can have their own Life cycle methods
• Feature: ToDo List - start a comment with -- todo and whatever follows is added as an Item in the ToDo List
• Feature: Hover mouse over PIXELFALLS & Lua methods to popup explanation
• Feature: Right click for Insert Lifecycle methods (context aware i.e. node and non-node)
• Feature: F2 to rename selected Method and all references will be renamed too
• Feature: Code search - Ctrl + Shift + F, or Magnifying Glass button, to search across all code files
• Update: IDE Settings > Suggestion Insert can now be Tab or Enter
• Fix: Select Sprite popup, when using drawSprite, now all 16 columns should be visible

Node Specific

• Feature:spawn(node name) to create an instance of that specific node
• Feature:destroy(mode instance) remove the specific node instance
• Feature: All nodes have the following built in (so far):
  • x & y: coordinate values
  • z: draw order - Lower numbers drawn first
  • destroy(): - removes itself

Other Updates

• Update: New NavBar Icons
• Feature: This 'What's New' component 😁