TIC-80 Game Development Extension for Visual Studio Code

Overview

A comprehensive extension for developing games for the TIC-80 fantasy console directly within Visual Studio Code. This extension provides a complete workflow for creating, building, and running TIC-80 cartridges with support for multiple file projects, resource management, and seamless integration with the TIC-80 emulator.

⚠️ Important Beta Warning

This extension is currently in BETA version (v0.1.0).

Data Loss Warning

There is a risk of data loss due to potential bugs in the synchronization and file management features. The extension performs automated file operations that could potentially overwrite or modify your game files.

Safety Recommendations

ALWAYS use version control (Git recommended) for your TIC-80 projects
Regularly create backups of your project folders
Test the extension with sample projects before using it for important work
Monitor file changes when using auto-sync features

Features

Project Management

Create new TIC-80 projects with standardized structure
Automatic project detection when opening folders
Project configuration via tic80_project.json file
Support for multiple Lua code files with automatic concatenation

Build System

Compile projects into TIC-80 .lua cartridges
Combine multiple source files in specified order
Add proper cartridge headers and metadata
Support for all TIC-80 resource types (sprites, tiles, maps, sounds, etc.)
Resource organization across 8 memory banks

TIC-80 Integration

Launch games directly in TIC-80 emulator
Automatic TIC-80 executable detection
Configurable run arguments and options
Support for Windows, macOS, and Linux

Resource Management

Resource file scanning and validation
Automatic synchronization between cartridge and project files
Two-way sync: project files ↔ TIC-80 editor
Support for all resource types: TILES, SPRITES, MAP, WAVES, SFX, PATTERNS, TRACKS, SCREEN, PALETTE
Bank-based resource organization (banks 0-7)

Development Workflow

Status bar integration showing project state
Quick access to common commands via command palette
Contextual menus for Lua files and project folders
Keyboard shortcuts for build and run operations
Real-time error validation and notifications

Project Structure

my-game/
├── tic80_project.json     # Project configuration
├── src/
│   ├── main.lua         # Main game code
│   └── *.lua            # Additional Lua modules
├── assets/
│   ├── tiles.tic_data   # Main bank resources
│   ├── sprites.tic_data
│   ├── bank_1/          # Additional resource banks
│   └── bank_2/
└── dist/
    └── game.lua         # Built cartridge

Usage

Getting Started

Install the extension from VS Code Marketplace
Open Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P)
Run "TIC-80: New Project (Current Folder)"
Enter project details (if no folder is open, you will be asked to pick one)
Start coding in the src/ directory

Basic Commands

New Project (Current Folder): Set up a new TIC-80 game project in the open folder
Build Project: Compile project into .lua cartridge
Run Project: Launch game in TIC-80 emulator
Build and Run: Combine build and run in one step
Sync Resources: Update project files from cartridge changes

Configuration

The extension can be configured through VS Code settings:

tic80.executablePath: Path to TIC-80 executable
tic80.runArguments: Custom arguments for running TIC-80
tic80.autoSyncResources: Enable/disable automatic resource sync
tic80.autoBuildBeforeRun: Build automatically before running
tic80.author: Default author name for new projects

Requirements

Visual Studio Code 1.85.0 or higher
TIC-80 pro version (version 1.0 or higher recommended)

Supported Platforms

Windows (x64)
macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon)
Linux (x64, ARM)

Contributing

This extension is open for contributions. Please report issues and feature requests on the GitHub repository.

License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

TIC-80 Cartridge Tool

HanamileH