I’m Richard, a software developer in Canberra. Most of these projects began as something I wanted to use, learn from, or make for someone I care about.
Read the latest project posts ↓ explore the projects$ tail ./project-notes
Stories from the apps and games as they develop, with a look at the work along the way.
Read the full project journal ↗The Expanded workspace is getting a native redesign across Mac, iPad and iPhone, with room to edit, run and check a simulated machine.
I’ve been giving TerminalDrill’s Expanded workspace a more coherent native interface. On the Mac, the editor, terminal and task can sit together; on iPad they share the available space, while iPhone keeps each step focused. Saving a file, running a command and checking the result still mean different things.
TerminalTribe’s native Mac rebuild carries the first campaign, with painted regions and lasting traces of the commands used along the way.
The native TerminalTribe now carries the whole first campaign. I’ve been working on what remains after a command succeeds: lights return to a settlement, a relay stays connected, and records survive. Twenty inspectable field traces tie those changes to the original work in your expedition.
A Neo Tide beta and a newer local pair of Retro Poolside swimmers bring more character to the ocean, costumes and movement.
Game design and creative direction: my wife. Development and implementation: Richard Ziolkowski.
I’ve been giving Tidewhim more sculpted pixel-art detail while keeping the ocean paintings and my wife’s creative direction. The Neo Tide overhaul reached beta build 11 on 18 October, with revised creatures, scenery, equipment and animation.
The 3D experiment is moving towards a chase camera, starting with the ship’s rear, underside and banking silhouette.
My first native volume experiment still felt like a top-down game with thicker ships. I’m now working on a proper view from behind Vector, with threats further ahead and commands kept readable.
A new Mac typing adventure follows Patch across a rainy city, with command practice woven into a delivery and a rescue.
Terminal Runner has become another way for me to explore learning through play. Instead of looking down a terminal, you follow Patch across a rainy city with an amber data vial and someone to bring home.
A saved 99-floor journey, independent activity climbs and a mountain trail that follows the traveller’s progress.
I’ve expanded Climb the Tower into a saved 99-floor journey. Walking, cycling, paddling and tennis can support separate climbs or a mixed adventure. The mountain now follows the selected climb: the traveller moves along a winding trail, completed landings keep their lights, and the full map opens at the current floor.
My little neon typing shooter has grown quite a bit. Now I’m experimenting with taking it into 3D.
TerminalShot started with a little neon ship and falling Linux commands. It’s since grown into a much more elaborate 2D game, with illustrated ships, bosses and combat that follows the music. Now I’m experimenting with giving that ship somewhere to fly, while keeping the typing at the centre of it.
An intro cinematic I generated for TerminalShot (TSHOT).
It’s a little janky, but I don’t mind a bit of jankiness. I thought it was pretty cool, so I wanted to share it here.
A programmer at his terminal sees an alien invasion over the city. After a helicopter arrives, he is recruited to operate a recovered spacecraft, boards it with his keyboard and launches towards an alien industrial world. The generated film includes dialogue, sound effects and music.
A small personal update on making things, sharing more of them, and getting better at the work.
I’ve finished a lot of development work lately and picked up some new techniques along the way. I’m excited about the progress, even if this portfolio does a fairly poor job of showing it.
Playtest feedback has led to longer ocean levels, a separate Free Swim, and a calmer home for outfits and achievements.
Game design and creative direction: my wife. Development and implementation: Richard Ziolkowski.
The playtest feedback has changed how you choose a swim. I’ve been working from my wife’s revised design: selected levels now have a finish, while Free Swim keeps travelling through the ocean. Voyage and Drift are now difficulty choices for either format. Reaching the end opens the next level; the postcard discoveries are optional things to look for along the way.
$ ls ./projects
Some are available to use, some are still taking shape. Each project has a little of its story, screenshots, and a note about where it stands.
$ ls ./featured
The projects I am spending the most time with.
$ ls ./active
More apps, games and experiments I am working on.
$ ls ./mods-and-ports
Side builds, emulator ports, and modding projects.
$ ls ./archive
Ideas I tried and projects I have since moved on from.
> no projects matched. esc to clear.
$ cat ./about.md
I am a Canberra-based software developer. I make iPhone apps, web tools, games, courses, local AI systems, and small developer utilities. Most of the projects here started as something I wanted to use, teach, or play myself. Tidewhim, Cat Climber and Whisker Witch are designed and creatively directed by my wife; I develop and implement them.
I usually work in Swift and SwiftUI, React and TypeScript, Python, and Docker. I like seeing an idea through: figuring out how it should work, making it, and coming back to the details after someone has tried it.
