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José Pérez

@jos3k4.itch.io

110 followers 1.2K following 37 posts

Technology enthusiast 💻 IT Support Manager. Videogames as passion, love game development, especially game design and Pixel Art 🎨 PICO-8 Fan 🕹️ Creator of www.gamedevpills.com - Gamedev learning and gaming industry thoughts.

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José Pérez @jos3k4.itch.io · Aug 10

Enjoying Sunday with a quick #pixelart animation executed with #aseprite — my new logo ✨

Pixel art is like a great game: easy to pick up, hard to truly master. Nintendo’s been proving that with every single game they make.

See more on my Substack: www.gamedevpills.com
#gamedev #indiedev

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José Pérez @jos3k4.itch.io · 3d

RPG Maker MV released on 2015 is still a really decent tool and it is at 85% discount store.steampowered.com/app/363890/R... (3/3)

Enjoy!

#indiedev #gamedev #rpg

Save 85% on RPG Maker MV on Steam

POWERFUL enough for a developer SIMPLE enough for a child VERSATILE enough for any platform!RPG MAKER MV allows you to make the RPG of your dreams! This latest version includes a host of new featuresa...

store.steampowered.com

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José Pérez @jos3k4.itch.io · 3d

Aseprite. It is a must have for 2D pixel artist and hobbyist store.steampowered.com/app/431730/A... (2/3)

I use it on a daily basis as my default editor not only for game assets but for UIs and other material

Tons of videos and documentation to learn

#pixelart #indiedev

Save 20% on Aseprite on Steam

Aseprite is a pixel-art tool to create 2D animations, sprites, and any kind of graphics for games.

store.steampowered.com

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José Pérez @jos3k4.itch.io · 3d

Before Steam sales are over (Oct 6th)

I would like to highlight some interesting tools for those willing to do some #gamedev and #art 🧵(1/3)

PicoCAD created by @johanpeitz.com is a tiny tool to create low-poly assets, developed with Pico-8 limitations is a really good creativity playground.

Save 40% on picoCAD on Steam

A tiny modeler for tiny models! Unleash your creativity in retro 3D and find a fun, easy, and accessible way into 3D modelling by focusing on the bare essentials.

store.steampowered.com

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Reposted by José Pérez

Alex Antra - Reconnect / Barely Managing @antranaut.com · 4d

Reconnect Recommends:

This Hit Viral Game From The Early 2000s Is Making A Comeback Next Year

#gaming #videogames

This Hit Viral Game From The Early 2000s Is Making A Comeback Next Year

This article has been curated by Reconnect, the games writing discovery platform.

www.timeextension.com

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José Pérez @jos3k4.itch.io · 4d

September by the numbers.

Top Releases, Trending Games, and a few ouch price changes.

Dive into the full Game Dev Pills Industry Snapshot

#gamedev #gamingnews #indiedev #steam

Videogames Industry Snapshot - September 2025

From releases trends to pricing — the state of the industry before GTA VI’s release.

www.gamedevpills.com

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José Pérez @jos3k4.itch.io · 7d

Sadly, most conversations about the games industry these days feel negative — layoffs, uncertainty, broken launches.

Now add $80 releases and subscription hikes on top.

I wrote about why pricing became the scariest part of 2025.

#GameIndustry #gamedev

The True Horror Lurking in the Industry: Rising Costs

From Game Pass math to Nintendo’s $90 cartridges, here’s why pricing feels more frightening than ever.

open.substack.com

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Reposted by José Pérez

Alex Kanaris-Sotiriou @kanaratron.bsky.social · 10d

Don't mind me, just setting up my new Dreamcast memory card in the year (checks notes)...2025.

A Dreamcast memory card unit. On the screen it shows me setting the year to 2025

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José Pérez @jos3k4.itch.io · 11d

Most studios dream of one breakout.

Sokpop just keeps dropping experiments — and they all feel connected.

That’s identity. That’s coherence.

#gamedev #indiedev #Sokpop #GameDesign

Visual Unity, Playful Spirit: The Sokpop Collective Way

A lens on how Sokpop Collective crafts a recognizable identity across dozens of small games.

open.substack.com

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José Pérez @jos3k4.itch.io · 13d

Games aren’t just rules and mechanics—they’re freedom and creativity. I explored this question in my latest post

How would you define play?

#gamedev #playful #toys

What Is The Definition of Play?

Exploring the essence of interaction, fun, and meaning in games

open.substack.com

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José Pérez @jos3k4.itch.io · 17d

Ever noticed how Gran Turismo isn’t called “The Real Racing Simulator”?

It’s “The Real Driving Simulator.”

A small detail — but connected with the way Japanese Culture make things.

www.gamedevpills.com/p/reading-th...

#gamedev #gamedesign #racing

Reading the Game: The Japanese Spirit Behind Gran Turismo Saga

A journey through Japanese design, spirituality, and the birth of The Real Driving Simulator.

www.gamedevpills.com

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Reposted by José Pérez

Ori-Warui @oleivarrudi.bsky.social · 19d

been working on some castle ruins tilesets today. big teslagrad vibes

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José Pérez @jos3k4.itch.io · 22d

You suddenly get the best idea ever.
You sketch the mechanics, dream about the art, maybe even write a GDD.
Fast forward a few weeks… Nothing moves forward.

That’s the reality for most of us. The trick? 30 minutes a day.

Tiny tasks > big abandoned dreams.

#gamedev #indiedev #timemanagement

Why Did You Stop Working on Your Game? Try Gamedev Timeboxing

Small habits, big results in your gamedev journey.

open.substack.com

José Pérez @jos3k4.itch.io · 24d

A small studio in Seville.
A vision shaped by tradition.
A miracle called Blasphemous.

Full story on Gamedev Pills.

#gamedev #Indiedev #Blasphemous

Holy Imagery, Indie Glory: The Game Kitchen’s Miracle - Masters of Indiedev

How a small Sevillian studio transformed Spain’s sacred traditions into one of indie gaming’s most acclaimed sagas.

open.substack.com

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José Pérez @jos3k4.itch.io · 29d

Exactly, is a really cool concept as soon as you understand the meaning and purpose

José Pérez @jos3k4.itch.io · 29d

Did you ever coded a player that attacks mid-air by mistake? Or your character keeps swinging their sword forever?

That’s what happens without a Finite State Machine.

How FSMs keep your game logic within a solid structure.

#gamedev #indiedev #gamedesign

Finite State Machines: Creating Structure for your Character Control

A clean way to manage every action — from standing still to full combat.

open.substack.com

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José Pérez @jos3k4.itch.io · Sep 7

Probably that’s the reason why we all are here, learning through the process, reading to be where the masters are. Bluesky being one of our enablers :)

José Pérez @jos3k4.itch.io · Sep 7

August Snapshot in games: launches, gaps, and lessons.

Data, trends & context for gamers and devs who want the full picture.

If you like this content, every like & share keeps Gamedevpills.com growing 📈 thanks!

#gamedev #indiedev #gamingindustry

Videogames Industry Snapshot (August 2025)

From releases trends to layoffs — the state of the industry before GTA VI’s release.

open.substack.com

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José Pérez @jos3k4.itch.io · Sep 5

It was about time… Freedom to write and explore one of the youngest industries

#gamedev #indiedev #videogames

Gamedev Pills - Doses of Game Design and Industry Insight | José Pérez | Substack

Learning game development and exploring the industry’s shifts — in small doses. Click to read Gamedev Pills - Doses of Game Design and Industry Insight, by José Pérez, a Substack publication. Launched...

gamedevpills.com

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José Pérez @jos3k4.itch.io · Sep 4

I know, I know... Today is Hollow Knight: Silksong Day — an extremely well-designed title, hidden rooms, challenging enemies, and power-ups.

But you know what else is a power-up?

A Game Jam. 48 hours, one small game.

Have you tried one? Read more on gamedevpills.com

#gamedev #silksong #indiedev

How a Weekend Jam Can Teach You More Than a Month of Tutorials

Where constraints fuel creativity, and failure is part of the lesson.

open.substack.com

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José Pérez @jos3k4.itch.io · Aug 30

Supergiant Games has never missed. Here’s why they’re the indie studio I recommend the most.

#gamingindustry #gamedev #indiedev #hades

From Bastion to Hades: How Supergiant Games Became Masters of Indiedev

An industry lens on how their gamedev philosophy shaped one of the most consistent indie studios of our time.

www.gamedevpills.com

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José Pérez @jos3k4.itch.io · Aug 29

Before art, before story, before music…
You know if a game feels right within seconds.

That’s the 3Cs at work: Character, Camera, Controls.

New post on Gamedev Pills

#gamedev #gamefeel #framework

The 3Cs Framework: Character, Camera, Controls

A small dose of design: how the 3Cs shape every player’s experience. This is the meta-game of emotions

open.substack.com

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José Pérez @jos3k4.itch.io · Aug 26

I love to visit small retro shops around the world to find interesting titles.

This time I’ve been on #denmark at Nintendopusheren (I really recommend this shop)

Reposted by José Pérez

Jason Schreier @jasonschreier.bsky.social · Aug 22

Something I didn't mention in my story yesterday: one of the reasons that Team Cherry had such an enjoyable time making Silksong is that it's 2D. Nice and flat. Don't have to worry about 3D art pipelines.

In other words, all video games should be 2D

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José Pérez @jos3k4.itch.io · Aug 24

How much time do we really spend playing?

Players don’t need more endless games — they need games that respect their time.

In my latest piece, I take a closer look at the games industry.

#videogames #layoffs #indiedev #gamedev

Why Bigger Isn’t Always Better: Lessons from the Industry’s Transformation

Videogame industry is suffering a transformation process, that could be easily read as a crisis.

open.substack.com

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José Pérez @jos3k4.itch.io · Aug 20

Gamedev Pill #2 is live!

This time we’re diving into Pixel Art — building a tiny 16×16 tilesheet with just three essentials:

- Character
- Enemy
- Platform

Perfect for prototyping your first platformer.

💊 One pixel at a time, in small dev doses.

#gamedev #pixelart #indiedev #godot #design

Pill #2 - PixelArt Tilesheet for our 2D Prototype

A tiny boilerplate spritesheet to kick off your first platform game.

open.substack.com

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