Info about Retro Gadgets: Official game description: You look up from your cosy little workbench. It's dark out, what time is it? It doesn't matter; you've been in the flow and are adding the final touches to your latest retro gadget. Just one more line of code, a spray of paint here, a sticker there – it's done. You power it on... The start-up sound kicks in... the needles on the gauges flutter, and the screen lights up... it's glorious. It's ready to share with the world. Now, all it needs is a name. The Gadget Maker ---------------- Feel the exhilaration of building your own eye-popping real-working gadgets. Lose yourself as you build, solder, code, customise, and play with electrifying gadgets at your relaxing workbench. Build video game consoles, weather machines, lightboards, radios, drum machines... any gadget you can think of. What will you come up with next? Feel the Power -------------- Retro Gadgets gives you the power to invent! Solder circuit boards, add buttons and switches, speakers and lights, connect and code CPUs, audio and video chips, flick the on button and see your gadget come to life. You have the vision, you can build the gadgets! A World of Gadgeteers --------------------- Check out gadgets made by people all over the world. Download any gadget, play with it, take it apart, see how it works, build your own version. Is the world ready for your awesome gadget? Cosy Workbench -------------- Tinker, test and lose track of time at your friendly pixel art workbench. Everything feels tactile and satisfying to use. Open drawers to find what you need. Solder and paint. Print and place stickers with tweezers. Connect parts with magnets. Twist knobs, tap buttons, flick switches. Trust us, you've never played anything like this! Unbeatable Components --------------------- There is an ever-growing collection of buttons, switches, dials, gauges, lights, LEDs, LCDs, chips, joysticks, speakers, circuit boards, and more. Everything you need to create a lean mean sexy machine. Now, all it needs is a name! Striking Styles --------------- Make your gadgets feel truly personal. Connect boards to make new shapes. Spray components with different colours. Design and use stencils to create unique designs. Draw, print, and apply your own stickers. Or upload a logo for that more professional touch! Be a Software Superstar ----------------------- You've built your gadget, now it's time to code! Write and debug your own code in our Lua coding environment, or upload it directly to the CPU. Program games, live weather stations, drum machines, cameras, video players, radios... the possibilities are endless. Gadget Archive -------------- We know what it's like - you're busy spray painting your latest masterpiece, when BOOM, inspiration hits and a new idea flashes into your mind. Well, simply store your gadget in the archive drawer, pull out an old gadget to work on and fix, or start a whole new gadget. Make as many as you want! Untether Your Gadget -------------------- Your gadgets don't have to stay in Retro Gadgets, oh no! With the flick of a switch bring your gadgets to your computer desktop! Release date: Nov 30, 2022 Categories: Simulation, Sandbox Creation, Programming Logic, Electronics Simulation, Pixel Art Style, Mod Support, Relaxing and Cozy Gameplay, Creative Gameplay Feature scans: - Proton/Linux: score 30; verdict: Minor Linux/Proton Friction; summary: Linux/Proton feedback is limited but consistent: the game is playable through Proton, yet users report performance issues under Proton, a desire for a native Linux build, occasional hassle when running it, and missing Linux widget functionality. There is no sign of anti-cheat, launcher, or crash blockers, so the Linux experience appears mostly functional with minor friction. - Steam Deck: score 50; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The audit reveals that the game is playable on Steam Deck but requires Proton due to the lack of a native Linux version, leading to performance issues and poor battery life. Users report that it can be a pain to run and only works with Proton, indicating tinkering is necessary. Positive feedback includes overall enjoyment and working controller support. The friction score is 50, reflecting a tinkering required experience. - Hardware Profile: No data Feature extractions: - Community Price: No data - Playtime Metrics: - Game completion: N/A - Story completion: N/A - Session length: 4.5h - Endgame: N/A - Reasoning: Session length is supported by reports of 4 hours and 5 hours played in a single day, plus 16 hours over the first two days, indicating long individual play sessions. The '10+ hour' comment describes time needed to grasp the toolset across days, not a campaign or story completion. No review describes finishing a main story or reaching a defined endgame in this sandbox creation game, so gameCompletion, storyCompletion, and endgame are null. - Time-to-fun: - Summary: Retro Gadgets can become fun after players push through a steep coding and tutorial barrier using trial and error and Workshop inspiration, but early guidance is widely reported as weak or nonexistent. - Stance: Clicks after - Anchor: Making a few working gadgets after trial and error and workshop inspiration - Time to anchor: N/A - Friction: Large learning curve and time investment for newer programmers; No meaningful in-game tutorial or online answers; Unclear tutorial start (must press print); Tutorial expects players to understand sample gadgets; Reliance on external YouTube videos; Steep cliff for newbies - Unlock drivers: Brute forcing and trial and error; Workshop inspiration - Conditions: Being a newer programmer makes the learning curve daunting; Better-designed tutorial and Lua coding guide would increase enjoyment; Preference for in-game teaching over YouTube videos; Expectation of campaign/progression may lead to disappointment; Understanding what code does rather than copying tutorial projects - Player Archetypes: - Aspiring Coder Learning by Tinkering (buy) - Motivation: Learning programming fundamentals (loops, types, data structures) in a playful, hands-on environment - Playstyle: Follows guides and documentation to write small scripts and experiment with basic logic - Experience: newcomer - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: beginners; intro devs - Reference games: Python - Hardware Tinkerer / Electronics Hobbyist (buy) - Motivation: Prototyping gadget and circuit ideas before committing to physical hardware - Playstyle: Assembles circuits and devices in-game with attention to realistic detail - Experience: familiar - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: tinkering with electronics - Reference games: N/A - Experienced Coder / Audio-DSP Builder (buy) - Motivation: Creative freedom to build complex, code-driven systems and sound tools from scratch - Playstyle: Writes Lua directly to construct synths, sequencers, and procedural audio gadgets - Experience: veteran - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: coding - Reference games: N/A - Non-Coder Seeking Easy Sandbox (Deterred) (no buy) - Motivation: Wants an approachable sandbox where creative building does not require learning to code - Playstyle: Prefers immediate pick-up-and-play building and requests accessible block-based coding - Experience: newcomer - Purchase stance: no buy - Labels: N/A - Reference games: N/A Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category. Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews. What players like: - Broadly praised as fun (weight 0.33): Many reviewers simply describe the game as good, entertaining, wonderful, or really fun. The sentiment is overwhelmingly positive with little caveat. - Excellent gateway to Lua (weight 0.25): A recurring theme is that the game makes learning Lua approachable, even without prior experience. Players appreciate the built-in teaching and documentation. - Creative sandbox for gadgets (weight 0.25): The game is described as a full playground for building gadgets, gizmos, toys, and even games. Endless possibilities and user creations are highlighted. - Appeals to programmers (weight 0.23): Reviewers who enjoy programming find the game especially rewarding. It is frequently recommended for programmer-minded players. - No real electronics needed (weight 0.12): Players appreciate that they do not need to worry about wiring, resistors, power supply, or grounding. This lowers the barrier to creating circuits. - Cozy and chill atmosphere (weight 0.11): Some describe the overall experience as cool, cozy, and chill. It is a relaxed environment for experimentation. - Highly educational for coding (weight 0.08): The game is seen as a great way to learn coding, including C, while pushing creativity. It is fun for both beginners and experienced programmers. - Deep satisfaction from creation (weight 0.08): Reviewers describe enormous satisfaction when a created gadget finally works after hours of effort. This rewarding loop is a core strength. - Charming pixel art style (weight 0.08): The retro pixel-art aesthetic is frequently called out as very well done. It adds to the overall appeal of the game. - Cool concept and coding dream (weight 0.08): The idea behind the game is considered one of the coolest, fulfilling a dream of a game where you can code. The concept itself is a major draw. - Gadgets can connect online (weight 0.08): Players note that gadgets can be given access to a camera or the internet. This allows for creative networked projects. - Strong potential for growth (weight 0.07): Reviewers see a lot of potential in the game, especially from its expansiveness. They expect future updates to expand on the foundation. Common complaints: - Frequent bugs break functionality (weight 0.62): Reviewers report numerous bugs that hinder gameplay, such as UI buttons not working, menus getting stuck, and tools animating only partially. These issues often require restarting or even using external methods to close the game. - Lua is a steep barrier (weight 0.51): Many reviewers without Lua experience find the game impossible to enjoy because creating anything requires scripting knowledge. The game offers little to no in-game guidance for learning Lua, leaving newcomers frustrated. - Tutorials are unclear and unhelpful (weight 0.43): Players frequently struggle with the introductory experience, often not knowing what to do after the first launch. The tutorial and documentation are considered sparse, clunky, and even in need of their own tutorial. - Abandoned in early access (weight 0.43): The developers released the game in early access and seemingly abandoned it, with no meaningful updates for a long time. They also moved on to another early access game and abandoned that as well. - Code editor is severely limited (weight 0.3): The in-game code editor is criticized for missing basic features like find/replace, navigate to definition, automatic formatting, and full-screen mode. It also sometimes falsely reports syntax errors. - Building gadgets is clunky (weight 0.29): Placing and connecting components is frustrating due to lack of snapping to grid, offset mats, and pieces getting stuck. Wiring is unrealistic and often confusing. - Performance and stability issues (weight 0.26): The game runs poorly on battery, has background processes that persist after launch, and can freeze or crash. Stability is hard to guarantee. - Documentation is sparse and missing (weight 0.25): The game lacks built-in documentation for its programming environment, forcing players to search online. Many essential details are not explained in-game, and official docs are incomplete. - Difficult onboarding and early grind (weight 0.22): New players often find the initial hours confusing and grindy, with little direction on what to do. The heavy grind requires a second life to progress. - UI is unintuitive and frustrating (weight 0.2): The user interface is hard to navigate, with common functions difficult to find and menus that are not straightforward. This leads to a steep learning curve even before tackling the programming aspects. - Sound and music limitations (weight 0.18): Audio features are rudimentary, with laggy sound buffers, lack of spatial audio, and limited to WAV files. There is no custom sound generator or low-level control. - Security chip harms sharing (weight 0.16): The security chip feature allows creators to hide their code, which discourages learning from others and goes against the spirit of sharing. Beginners cannot examine how gadgets work. - Not a game, but an emulator (weight 0.15): Some reviewers note that the software is more of a game engine or emulator than a traditional game, which may not appeal to everyone. It lacks story and classic game elements. - Limited hardware simulation depth (weight 0.14): The game is more of a software sandbox than a realistic electronics simulator, lacking diodes, resistors, capacitors, and power management. Soldering is simplified to a single tool. - Language and localization issues (weight 0.14): The game only supports English, and even Japanese characters are not supported in scripts or comments. This forces non-English speakers to rely on translation tools. - Lua instead of Python (weight 0.11): Several reviewers express a preference for Python over Lua, believing it would be more accessible or familiar. The game currently does not support Python at all. - No external editor integration (weight 0.09): Players cannot use an external code editor directly, forcing them to copy code back and forth. This exacerbates the limitations of the in-game editor. Gameplay feedback: - Requires learning Lua programming (weight 0.99): Many users note that using the game fully requires learning Lua scripting, which can be a barrier for those without programming experience. Some players appreciate the opportunity to learn coding through the game. - In-game programming and coding (weight 0.6): The game involves programming gadgets with Lua, providing a coding sandbox environment. Players can create games, toys, and systems from scratch using Lua scripting. - Building gadgets and devices (weight 0.47): Players can construct various electronic gadgets and devices from components, making them functional. This includes building drum machines, synthesizers, and other interactive projects. - Steam Workshop integration (weight 0.2): The game features Steam Workshop integration, allowing players to browse, share, and play gadgets made by others. This fosters a community for learning and collaboration. - Sandbox game with no story (weight 0.18): Players describe the game as a sandbox where you can do everything, with no story mode. Some mention a planned campaign mode, but currently it lacks narrative. - Desktop widget functionality (weight 0.17): Players can pull gadgets onto the desktop as widgets by pressing F11, pinning them for desktop use. This extends the game's utility beyond the in-game environment. - Customization options for gadgets (weight 0.17): Players can customize gadget exteriors with paint, laminated images, buttons, colors, icons, stickers, and spray paint. This allows for personal expression and design flexibility. - Creating custom handheld consoles (weight 0.16): The game allows creating custom handheld game consoles, including niche concepts like Tetris. This showcases the flexibility of the building tools. - Virtual hardware simulation features (weight 0.13): The game simulates embedded development and virtual hardware, including soldering and connecting boards. This appeals to those interested in electronics and programming. Performance notes: - Game crashes during play (weight 0.05): The game can crash unexpectedly while playing, which can lead to loss of progress and frustration. Crashes are a serious stability issue. - Freezes on launch (weight 0.05): The game can freeze on launch, preventing players from starting the game. This is a critical startup issue. - Poor battery performance (weight 0.04): The game does not run well on battery power, likely causing higher power consumption or reduced performance. This is a concern for laptop users. - Non-fullscreen display bug (weight 0.04): There is a bug when running the game in non-fullscreen mode, resulting in large black borders that cannot be fixed. This affects visual experience and usability. - Laggy sound buffer (weight 0.04): The sound buffer is laggy, causing audio delays or stuttering. This degrades the overall gaming experience. - Poor performance on reviewer's PC (weight 0.04): The reviewer's computer cannot play the game very well, suggesting performance optimization issues on some hardware. This may indicate a lack of optimization or high system requirements. - Tutorial print bug (weight 0.04): On the first launch, the tutorial would not print, but it worked on the next launch. This indicates a bug that can confuse new players. Recommendations: - Recommended for coding enthusiasts (weight 0.41): Players who enjoy programming, tinkering with gadgets, or building things from scratch highly recommend the game. It appeals to those who like coding and creating physical or virtual devices. - Recommended for beginners with patience (weight 0.38): Some reviewers recommend the game for beginners who are patient and willing to learn coding basics, noting that it can be a good entry point for those new to programming. - Not for non-coders (weight 0.3): Multiple reviewers explicitly warn that those without coding knowledge should stay away, as the game offers little fun or value for them. It is deemed unsuitable for non-programmers. - Great for electronics tinkerers (weight 0.2): Players who enjoy tinkering with electronics and building gadgets find the game highly suitable and recommend it for like-minded individuals. - Good for learning programming logic (weight 0.18): The game is praised for teaching programming logic and serving as a tool to learn Lua through practical projects. It is recommended for those interested in coding and problem-solving. - Worth the price (weight 0.15): Several reviewers consider the game worth its price despite being expensive, indicating good value for those interested in the concept. - High barrier to entry (weight 0.12): Some reviewers note a high barrier to entry, especially for those with no knowledge of gadget making or coding, which may deter casual players. - Limited appeal for casual players (weight 0.12): Casual players or those expecting an easy sandbox experience may struggle to find enjoyment, as the game requires significant effort and coding knowledge. - Nostalgic for early 2000s gadgets (weight 0.11): The game appeals to those who love early 2000s gadgets, offering a nostalgic experience for enthusiasts of that era. - Free version available (weight 0.08): There is a free version called Retro Gadgets Playground that offers similar functionality, leading some to suggest trying it before purchasing. - Good for prototyping hardware (weight 0.08): The game is useful for prototyping virtual hardware before moving to real devices, according to some reviewers. - Not suited for circuitry design (weight 0.05): Players expecting to design actual circuitry with components like diodes and resistors will be disappointed, as the game does not cater to that. - Community Discord recommended (weight 0.04): Joining the official Discord community is highly recommended for sharing creations and getting help. - PC requirements may matter (weight 0.04): One reviewer advises buying only if your PC meets the requirements, suggesting performance concerns. - Export field disappointing (weight 0.04): The export functionality is considered disappointing by some players. - Support the developers (weight 0.04): A reviewer encourages supporting the developers by purchasing the game. - Avoid these developers (weight 0.04): One review expresses a strong negative opinion about the developers, advising others to avoid them. Other player notes: - Extensive in-game documentation and tutorials (weight 0.25): The game includes comprehensive documentation for Lua and the game itself, along with tutorial projects and interactive examples. A PDF covering Lua basics is also provided, and documentation is being completely redone. - Steam Workshop gadget sharing (weight 0.21): Players can upload and share their gadget creations via Steam Workshop, and browse or use others' designs. Workshop support is a major community feature, allowing non-programmers to enjoy gadgets made by others. - Early access with ongoing updates (weight 0.2): The game is in early access and continues to receive content updates, including new features and planned additions. Developers have published a roadmap and gradually add new content. - Programming with Lua language (weight 0.2): The game uses Lua (specifically Luau) for coding, a real-world programming language, and includes a sprite editor and auto-completion. Learning Lua is considered a bonus, though some users wish for Python support. - Compared to other coding games (weight 0.19): Reviewers compare it favorably to other programming games like Pico-8, RPG Tsukuru, Retro Gadgets Playground, and Plasma. It is described as more friendly and fulfilling than alternatives. - Community creations and impressive builds (weight 0.17): The community produces outstanding and impressive user creations, some of which are open-source. Community creations are integrated into the game, enhancing the experience. - Game as a development platform (weight 0.16): Some reviewers consider this an emulator or development platform rather than a traditional game. It serves as a simulator for building devices and programming ideas, helping people learn programming. - Active developer community support (weight 0.15): Developers are active on Discord and forums, responding to feedback and shaping the game through community input. They also provide tutorials on YouTube and maintain a Discord server for questions. - Feature suggestions and limitations (weight 0.12): Reviewers suggest adding a GPU-like component for parallel computing, more language options like Java, and better support for controlling multiple CPUs. Some wish to distribute completed gadgets. - English-only language support (weight 0.12): All in-game text and tutorials are in English only, with no support for Russian or full Japanese. This limits accessibility for non-English speakers. - Charming but directionless and unfinished (weight 0.11): Some reviewers find the game charming but lacking direction and feeling unfinished. It is described as stuck in a limited state needing attention it is not getting. - Low PC requirements (weight 0.09): The game has low system requirements, making it accessible on a wide range of hardware. Reviewers rate the PC requirements as decent and potato-friendly. - No native Linux support (weight 0.08): The game lacks a native Linux version but can be played via Proton. This is a limitation for Linux users. - Retro pixel-art aesthetic and vibe (weight 0.08): The game features a distinct retro pixel-art style that many reviewers appreciate. It has a unique vibe that sets it apart. - No bugs and stable performance (weight 0.08): Players report that the game has no bugs, providing a smooth experience. However, some network-related stability issues may occur in China. - Slow start and steep learning curve (weight 0.08): Players should expect a slow start, and those without coding knowledge may struggle. Some users have refunded due to lack of coding knowledge. - Developers unresponsive to suggestions (weight 0.04): One reviewer notes that developers do not respond to suggestions. This contrasts with other reports of active developer engagement. - Won Day of the Devs award (weight 0.04): The game won the Day of the Devs award, indicating recognition in the industry. This is a notable achievement. Emotions: - Frustration (weight 0.14): Players face severe technical issues like bugs, crashes, and a broken UI that prevent basic interaction, including quitting the game. The steep Lua coding learning curve, poor tutorials, and insufficient learning resources leave many unable to create or understand gadgets. This combination of instability and inadequate onboarding makes the game feel unplayable for many. - Disappointment (weight 0.14): A promising concept is undermined by bugs, scripting difficulty, and a lack of updates or roadmap delivery, leaving key features missing. The game's reliance on Lua without Python support and limited export options further restrict its appeal. Many feel the experience doesn't match the initial vision or price. - Satisfaction (weight 0.11): Players derive deep satisfaction from successfully programming and assembling gadgets, often after significant effort. The game's coding aspect, sound effects, and overall sandbox experience meet expectations, providing a rewarding creative outlet. Even simple creations bring a sense of accomplishment. - Excitement (weight 0.08): The game's potential for creating custom handhelds, complex projects, and a supportive community generates strong excitement. Features like Workshop support, planned campaign mode, and the ability to code without pre-preparation fuel anticipation for future possibilities. Players are eager to explore and share creations. - Enjoyment (weight 0.07): The creative freedom to build gadgets, learn coding, and see others' designs provides genuine enjoyment. The cozy atmosphere, pixel art style, and 'aha moments' while programming contribute to a fun and relaxing experience. Even tricky parts are eased by the game's design. - Enthusiasm (weight 0.05): Enthusiasts praise the game as a peak tool for both experienced Lua coders and learners, with endless possibilities and modern language features. The active community, developer updates, and workshop support sustain high enthusiasm. It's seen as an outstanding learning sandbox. - Love (weight 0.05): Players express love for the game's potential, the joy of building and programming custom devices, and the freedom to create even pointless but cool gadgets. The sandbox nature and expansiveness foster a deep affection. It's a space where self-taught programmers can thrive. - Fun (weight 0.04): Tinkering, learning, and making gadgets—even silly ones—is simply fun for those who enjoy coding. The game's coding mechanics and Lua scripting offer an enjoyable way to play and create. It's a playful environment for experimentation. - Annoyance (weight 0.03): Bugs, freezing on launch, and missing minor features like a soldering iron holder cause annoyance. These technical hiccups disrupt the experience and detract from the otherwise engaging gameplay. Persistent issues wear down patience. - Hope (weight 0.03): There is hope that the game will improve over time, with developers expressing intent to add functionality before final release. Players see potential for it to become a great teaching tool and avoid the fate of similar abandoned projects. Optimism for future updates persists. - Confusion (weight 0.02): Confusion arises from not understanding programming, particularly Lua, and a tutorial that fails to explain core concepts. Distinguishing between components and knowing what to do after the tutorial are common struggles. The lack of clear guidance leaves players lost. - Anticipation (weight 0.02): Players look forward to future updates, early access developments, and the road to 1.0. The game's promise and planned additions create a sense of eager waiting. There's excitement for what's to come. - Admiration (weight 0.02): Admiration is directed at the game's concept of teaching programming, the incredible projects created by the community, and its use of a real-world language. The parallels to real gadget-building challenges are impressive. It's seen as a valuable educational tool. - Amazement (weight 0.02): Players are amazed by discovering the game on platforms like TikTok and its freedom from hardware constraints. The ease of use and expansive possibilities evoke wonder. It's a hidden gem that surprises. - Amusement (weight 0.02): Amusement comes from the ability to write bad code, such as comparing a string to a boolean, and the unrealistic wireless power of components. These quirky aspects provide lighthearted entertainment. It's a playful take on programming. - Joy (weight 0.02): Joy is found in creating games with Lua and losing track of time in the fun gadget maker. The creative process brings pure happiness. Hours fly by in enjoyable engagement. - Distrust (weight 0.02): Distrust stems from the product requiring location data before launching and developers abandoning games in early access. These actions raise concerns about the project's integrity and future. Players are wary of being let down. - Mild frustration (weight 0.02): Mild frustration arises from limitations in multi-CPU control, particle simulation, and a code editor lacking full screen and auto-formatting. The use of Lua instead of Python and troublesome operation steps add minor annoyances. These are small but nagging issues. - Surprise (weight 0.01): Surprise comes from the game not being as impossibly technical as initially feared. It's more accessible than expected, which is a pleasant revelation. This lowers the barrier to entry. - Anger (weight 0.01): Anger is triggered by having to use task manager because alt-F4 does not work. This basic failure in interface responsiveness causes intense frustration. It's a critical usability flaw.}