bitsy-handout

A BITSY HANDOUT

Link to this handout’s GitHub repo: https://github.com/rahji/bitsy-handout

Link to the Bitsy 8 editor: https://ledoux.itch.io/bitsy (and a link to the old Bitsy 7 editor https://bit.ly/oldbitsy)

Bitsy 8 adds features like sound and music, but the editor had some bugs the last time I checked. Also some of the stuff below won’t work in version 8.

Beginner Tutorials

• A super basic intro from the Video Game Museum https://github.com/rahji/bitsy-handout/blob/main/archive/GettingStartedwithBitsy.pdf
• Clair Morwood’s tutorial https://www.shimmerwitch.space/bitsyTutorial.html
• Slides from nywf talk https://golancourses.net/60120/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/BITSY-WORKSHOP.pdf includes information about adding audio and some links to games
• Bitsy Wiki https://bitsy.fandom.com/wiki/Bitsy_Wiki
• A workshop worksheet https://zeroday.camp/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Bitsy-Guides.pdf

More Tutorials

• Bitsy variables tutorial https://ayolland.itch.io/trevor/devlog/29520/bitsy-variables-a-tutorial
• Even more in-depth information about variables https://paolojcruz.itch.io/anon/devlog/22949/anon-post-mortem-notes-on-using-variables-in-bitsy
• Great information about how to use dialogs https://cephalopodunk.itch.io/bullshit-fish-names/devlog/23122/time-for-some-rambling-about-dialog
• Bitsy FAQ https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jRz3wgkQU3kZN_LGChw4UlMWhVoc145J-euBtkr7NeE/edit includes how to edit Bitsy code to have more colors, extra animation frames, etc.
• Really advanced info https://seansleblanc.itch.io/torch/devlog/44317/ok-wait-but-howd-you-do-that-in-bitsy describing how Sean Leblanc made his Torch game https://seansleblanc.itch.io/torch
• A playlist of the Bitsy video-tips I’ve made so far https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNE1nfKgKSv7cR7QG7IIu-nEMHiVQsGNM

Hacks

• Sean Leblanc’s Bitsy Hacks GitHub Repo https://github.com/seleb/bitsy-hacks includes instructions for how to install hacks via cut-and-paste
• Borksy https://ayolland.itch.io/borksy allows you to select and import hacks without cutting-and-pasting
• Bitsy-savior https://aloelazoe.itch.io/bitsy-savior is a Bitsy editor on your computer. It makes using hacks easier.

Tools and Resources

• Pixsy https://ruin.itch.io/pixsy changes image files into Bitsy rooms!
• Fontsy https://seansleblanc.itch.io/fontsy allows you to edit the default Bitsy font
• Adding background sound to a game https://candle.itch.io/bitsy-audio
  • A web interface to the Bitsy muse hack (which can be found in Sean’s Bitsy hacks) https://kool.tools/bitsy/tools/bitsymuse-ui/ also allows per room audio
• Tracery tutorial https://web.archive.org/web/20230408064434/http://www.crystalcodepalace.com/traceryTut.html for algorithmically generating text/dialogue (see also Sean’s Bitsy Hacks)
• Sean Leblanc’s page https://seansleblanc.itch.io/ includes a list of other tools they’ve made for Bitsy
• Bitsy Dungeon Tiles https://enui.itch.io/bitsy-dungeon-tiles free-to-use tiles for a dungeon game
• Pixlart https://www.pixilart.com/ is a drawing tool for tiles and sprites. There’s even a mobile app
• Draw a grid of tiles with Pixlart (above) and use Tilesy https://ruin.itch.io/tilesy to turn them into Bitsy tiles!

Discussion

• It used to happen in the (now read-only) Bitsy Talk discord server: https://discord.com/invite/9rAjhtr
• Official discussion now happens in the itch.io community: https://ledoux.itch.io/bitsy/community

Writing About Bitsy

• How small game makers found their community with Bitsy https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/how-small-game-makers-found-their-community-with-bitsy includes game examples

Games

Lists of Games

• itch.io list of Bitsy games https://itch.io/games/tag-bitsy
• Enormous list of Bitsy games https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1eBUgCYOnMJ9REHuZdTodc6Ft2Vs6JXbH4K-bIgL9TPc/edit#gid=0
• Sean Leblanc’s Games https://seansleblanc.itch.io/

Some Selected Games

• I Am Working https://boticelly.itch.io/i-am-working critique of life as a game developer
• Roomba Quest https://st33d.itch.io/roomba-quest adventure game
• An autobiography https://rhythmlynx.itch.io/wip linear narrative of someone’s journey creating Bitsy-type games
• I Wonder https://seansleblanc.itch.io/i-wonder a super short game in which the avatar is a thought bubble
• Silence Would Be Better https://cephalopodunk.itch.io/silence-would-be-better in which you tune a radio
• Novena https://haraiva.itch.io/novena a poem
• Junk Shop Telescope https://cephalopodunk.itch.io/junk-shop-telescope a mini sci-fi game

Examples of Games using Clever Techniques

• Little Legs https://cephalopodunk.itch.io/little-legs has a very clever use of dialogs (described in dialogs tutorial linked above)
• Cat game https://cephalopodunk.itch.io/stacotmam that is also referenced in the dialogs tutorial
• Maze The Ritual https://beelzebub.itch.io/maze-the-ritual features a Wolfenstein-like 1st-person maze run and sound as well
• Lesbian Winter https://digital-poppy.itch.io/lesbian-winter features (and names) a bunch of hacks and, as such, has a different aesthetic than other Bitsy games

Claire Morwood’s games

• Cat’s out of the Bag! https://shimmerwitch.itch.io/cats-out-of-the-bag
• Sojourn https://shimmerwitch.itch.io/sojourn
• Snowlapse https://shimmerwitch.itch.io/snowlapse make for Bitsy Snow Game Jam
• Limbo Train https://shimmerwitch.itch.io/limbo-train

Miscellaneous Links

• Calendar of all game jams https://itch.io/jams

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