SKYLAND
A realtime strategy game for Gameboy Advance.
Overview
The gba_jam_2021 folder contains the original open-source codebase from the alpha version of the game.
To download the latest Beta version of the game, see here. If you're using a desktop PC, you may also try the beta via web-based emulation on my personal website.
Modding
I designed the Skyland to be moddable, and wrote all level scenarios in a custom scripting language called Skyland LISP. The script in modding/unpack_rom.py extracts the game's filesystem from the Skyland.gba ROM, producing a SkylandEngine.gba ROM and directories full of lisp scripts. The encode_files.py script in the extracted tools/ directory repacks the filesystem into a file called fs.bin. Then, simply run cat SkylandEngine.gba fs.bin > Skyland.gba to repackage the gba game. Skyland uses unicode internally, and you'll find much of the menu text in strings/strings.txt. You'll find the rest of the text scattered throughout the lisp scripts. See help/localization.txt for more info.
Features
Skyland is jam-packed with stuff, some of the highlights:
- Roguelike Adventure mode, some similarities to FTL
- Isometric 3d island building macrocosm mode, with freebuild creative mode
- VS multiplayer and Co-op multiplayer modes
- Skyland Forever, a procedurally generated endless arcade mode
- Share macrocosm islands and adventure mode highscores on skylandgame.io by scanning QR codes
- An integrated lisp interpreter
- Uart serial console, serves a shell or a lisp repl over the link cable port in developer mode
- Builtin filesystem and text editor, as well as onscreen lisp repl, available in developer mode
- A checkers AI
- A robust event-driven game engine with support for fast-forwarding and even rewinding gameplay
- Scriptable button combos in lisp, similar to emacs keybindings
- A builtin Unicode engine, with support for English, Spanish, French, Italian, Russian, and over 2000 Chinese words
- A scriptable tutorial system
- Support for saving on several types of bootleg flashcarts
- Builtin glossary system
- Extensive help documentation for the scripting API
License
All artwork and music assets are proprietary. I'm providing the source code itself under the terms of the GPL license. If you want some code snippet or a few files under a more permissive license like BSD or MIT, then contact me.