Skip to content

Releases: bleelblep/GlyphCade

Release list

v0.1.0 - "Holy Shit We Did It"

v0.1.0 - "Holy Shit We Did It" Pre-release
Pre-release

Choose a tag to compare

View all tags
@bleelblep bleelblep released this 17 Dec 11:52
v0.1.0-coin-powered-particle-physics
3439052
This commit was created on GitHub.com and signed with GitHub’s verified signature.
GPG key ID: B5690EEEBB952194
Verified
Learn about vigilant mode.

Release Notes

v0.1.0 - "Coin-Powered Particle Physics" 🪙✨

Release Date: December 2025
Codename: "It Actually Animates Now"

🎉 New Features

Coin-Drives-Zoom Narrative Animation

The coin insertion animation now tells a story:

  • Coin shrinks into slot → Powers on the arcade cabinet
  • Energy particle emerges at CRT screen center (gold → cyan → white)
  • Particle pulses with anticipation (2-3 rhythmic pulses)
  • Particle explodes outward, driving the zoom into the game world

Finally, a reason why inserting a coin makes you zoom into LED games.

Energy Particle System

  • Appears at 60% animation progress (during CRT bloom)
  • Color transitions: Yellow (coin) → Cyan (CRT glow) → White (high energy)
  • Synchronized easing curves for buttery smooth motion
  • Expanding burst rings during zoom phase
  • Creates visual continuity between coin and gameplay

🚀 Performance Improvements

Coin Rendering Optimizations

Fixed the stuttering that made the coin look like it was having an existential crisis:

  • Grid size capping: Max 50x50 pixels (down from 90x90)

    • Reduced draw calls from 8,100+ to 2,500 per frame (70% reduction)
    • Your frame rate thanks us

  • Squared distance calculations:

    • Early exit for out-of-bounds pixels without expensive sqrt()
    • Only calculates sqrt for pixels that will actually render
    • ~40% CPU reduction for circle edge detection

  • Conditional glow rendering:

    • Skips glow effects when coin is small during animation
    • Reduces overdraw and gradient calculations
    • Sparkles disabled during animation (they were off anyway)

  • Result: Smooth 60fps coin shrink animation

    • No more stuttering
    • No more dropped frames
    • No more questioning life choices

🎮 Games Included

Six arcade classics, rendered entirely on Nothing Phone Glyph Matrix LEDs:

  1. Breakout - Tilt your way to brick-breaking glory
  2. UFO Abductor - Beam up cows, cars, and confused people
  3. Space Invaders - Save Earth from 8x8 pixel aliens
  4. Runner - Jump, duck, survive (in that order)
  5. Snake - The classic that definitely needed LED treatment
  6. Tower Stack - Build high, stack precise, don't screw up

🎨 Visual Polish

  • CRT Effects: Scanlines, phosphor bloom, screen curvature
  • Neon Color Palette: Cyan, yellow, magenta, green (very 1982)
  • Pixel-Art UI: Everything rendered on Canvas like it's 1985
  • Arcade BGM: Looping retro vibes for that authentic feel
  • Chromatic Aberration: During CRT power-on (because why not)

🛠️ Technical Details

Built With:

  • Jetpack Compose (for drawing too many rectangles)
  • Nothing Glyph Matrix SDK (for LED shenanigans)
  • Kotlin (because Java is so 2010)
  • SharedPreferences (for high scores nobody will beat)
  • Too much caffeine

Architecture:

  • Custom Canvas rendering pipeline
  • Tilt control via accelerometer
  • Touch gesture detection
  • State management with Compose
  • Sound system with per-game overrides
  • Settings persistence

Optimizations:

  • Grid-based rendering with caps
  • Distance-squared calculations
  • Conditional effect rendering
  • 60fps target maintained

🐛 Known Issues

Things that are weird but we're shipping anyway:

  • Energy particle might be too subtle on first viewing (blink and you miss it)
  • Coin animation optimized but still complex (it's drawing 2,500 pixels per frame)
  • CRT effects can't be toggled off (they're baked into the aesthetic)
  • Entire app concept remains questionable
  • Battery drain varies by game (Space Invaders is hungry)
  • Easy mode in Space Invaders might be too easy
  • No multiplayer (how would that even work on LEDs?)
  • Glyph Toy integration disabled for Breakout (for reasons)

🙏 Credits

  • Nothing: For making a phone with LEDs that devs can abuse
  • Compose: For making Canvas drawing fun-ish
  • The coin: For being a good sport about shrinking 87%
  • Energy particle: For existing and looking cool
  • My sanity: For not existing anymore

📱 Requirements

  • Nothing Phone 3
  • Appreciation for retro arcade aesthetics
  • Tolerance for experimental LED gaming
  • Low expectations

💾 Installation

  1. Download APK
  2. Enable "Install from Unknown Sources"
  3. Install
  4. Grant Glyph Matrix permissions
  5. Insert virtual coin
  6. Question your life choices
  7. Play anyway

🎯 Feedback

Found a bug? Feature request? Existential crisis?

File an issue on GitHub (if this ever goes public).

Or just enjoy the LED arcade in your pocket.

TL;DR: Coin goes in, energy particle goes brrr, games appear on LEDs, your battery cries.

"We spent way too much time making a particle animation for a coin insertion screen."
— Development Team (it's just me)

Full Changelog

Added

  • Energy particle animation system
  • Coin-to-zoom narrative continuity
  • Color lerp utility function
  • Performance optimizations for coin rendering
  • Proper README documentation
  • This release notes file you're reading

Fixed

  • Coin shrinking stuttering (massive performance win)
  • Grid iteration overload (capped at 50x50)
  • Unnecessary sqrt calculations
  • Glow overdraw during animation

Changed

  • Commented out Radial Defender game
  • Disabled Breakout Glyph Toy (in-app game still works)
  • Added Tower Stack icon to game selection
  • Space Invaders now has Easy Mode toggle

Performance

  • 70% reduction in draw calls during coin animation
  • 40% CPU reduction for circle edge detection
  • Smooth 60fps throughout animation sequence
  • Grid size cap prevents performance degradation

Version 0.1.0 - December 2025
"It runs on LEDs, somehow."

Loading