Daniel JM
@danjohnston.uk
Game dev 🎮 Making game assets, tutorials & fonts. Creator of Gyro Boss 🛸
3-time winner & former host of the GMC Jam.
Find my stuff at https://chequered.ink/
3-time winner & former host of the GMC Jam.
Find my stuff at https://chequered.ink/
Pinned
Daniel JM
@danjohnston.uk
· Dec 1
HUGE NEWS: Today we're launching a pack of 10,000 game assets! All existing Chequered Ink Assets + hundreds exclusive to the pack, across a variety of genres for commercial use in all your projects. AND they're all made by HUMANS 🫨 ci.itch.io/all-game-ass... #gamedev #indiedev
Has anyone coined a term for the fake writing systems used in games so that textures don't have to be localised?
Nintendo uses them a lot these days in Splatoon, ACNH, Pokémon etc.
Does anyone know what they're called (if anything)?
Nintendo uses them a lot these days in Splatoon, ACNH, Pokémon etc.
Does anyone know what they're called (if anything)?
January 18, 2026 at 12:11 PM
Has anyone coined a term for the fake writing systems used in games so that textures don't have to be localised?
Nintendo uses them a lot these days in Splatoon, ACNH, Pokémon etc.
Does anyone know what they're called (if anything)?
Nintendo uses them a lot these days in Splatoon, ACNH, Pokémon etc.
Does anyone know what they're called (if anything)?
Reposted by Daniel JM
When we said NATO wasn't working we were derided.
When we said a nuclear weapons system relying on the US is dangerous we were called stupid.
The truth is the establishment are more interested in kissing US feet than keeping the UK safe.
It's time for a rethink.
When we said a nuclear weapons system relying on the US is dangerous we were called stupid.
The truth is the establishment are more interested in kissing US feet than keeping the UK safe.
It's time for a rethink.
January 18, 2026 at 7:36 AM
When we said NATO wasn't working we were derided.
When we said a nuclear weapons system relying on the US is dangerous we were called stupid.
The truth is the establishment are more interested in kissing US feet than keeping the UK safe.
It's time for a rethink.
When we said a nuclear weapons system relying on the US is dangerous we were called stupid.
The truth is the establishment are more interested in kissing US feet than keeping the UK safe.
It's time for a rethink.
Most of the way done with another tile set for our pixel platformer set, but stopping for the night now. This one's the "Milkshake Land" which we also included in our HD platformer pack! (see the right side of the image).
#gamedev #screenshotsaturday
#gamedev #screenshotsaturday
January 17, 2026 at 10:10 PM
Most of the way done with another tile set for our pixel platformer set, but stopping for the night now. This one's the "Milkshake Land" which we also included in our HD platformer pack! (see the right side of the image).
#gamedev #screenshotsaturday
#gamedev #screenshotsaturday
I finished the castle tile set today as well! All of these tile sets will be released for free as part of our Pixel Platformer Kit - but we'll also be adding them to our huge asset pack in the future: ci.itch.io/all-game-ass...
#gamedev #screenshotsaturday
#gamedev #screenshotsaturday
January 17, 2026 at 7:15 PM
I finished the castle tile set today as well! All of these tile sets will be released for free as part of our Pixel Platformer Kit - but we'll also be adding them to our huge asset pack in the future: ci.itch.io/all-game-ass...
#gamedev #screenshotsaturday
#gamedev #screenshotsaturday
Reposted by Daniel JM
🔥 Feature Friday! 🔥
Nildigo is a spicy-zen puzzle roguelite with dangerous money grids and hundreds of Perks and Powers.
Grab the money, avoid the Nils, make trillions of dollars before the board explodes.
🔗 store.steampowered.com/app/3769010/...
@chequered.ink
Nildigo is a spicy-zen puzzle roguelite with dangerous money grids and hundreds of Perks and Powers.
Grab the money, avoid the Nils, make trillions of dollars before the board explodes.
🔗 store.steampowered.com/app/3769010/...
@chequered.ink
January 16, 2026 at 3:03 PM
🔥 Feature Friday! 🔥
Nildigo is a spicy-zen puzzle roguelite with dangerous money grids and hundreds of Perks and Powers.
Grab the money, avoid the Nils, make trillions of dollars before the board explodes.
🔗 store.steampowered.com/app/3769010/...
@chequered.ink
Nildigo is a spicy-zen puzzle roguelite with dangerous money grids and hundreds of Perks and Powers.
Grab the money, avoid the Nils, make trillions of dollars before the board explodes.
🔗 store.steampowered.com/app/3769010/...
@chequered.ink
Finished an icy / tundra tile set for our Platformer Kit - complete with igloos and little candy canes. That's now five of these done and I'm half way through a castle one too! Maybe I can finish that later today.
#gamedev #screenshotsaturday
#gamedev #screenshotsaturday
January 17, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Finished an icy / tundra tile set for our Platformer Kit - complete with igloos and little candy canes. That's now five of these done and I'm half way through a castle one too! Maybe I can finish that later today.
#gamedev #screenshotsaturday
#gamedev #screenshotsaturday
Reposted by Daniel JM
Reposted by Daniel JM
We use stock images all the time - I've taken to sorting them by upload date. The older it is, the less likely it is to be AI (if I can find ones from like 2015 or whatever I'm usually happy)
January 17, 2026 at 10:09 AM
We use stock images all the time - I've taken to sorting them by upload date. The older it is, the less likely it is to be AI (if I can find ones from like 2015 or whatever I'm usually happy)
Reposted by Daniel JM
Incredible piece of Search Engine Optimisation
January 16, 2026 at 2:05 PM
Incredible piece of Search Engine Optimisation
Surprise surprise the CSAM generating paedo-machine was not neutralised by the nazi paedo company like they said it was (which was subsequently reported uncritically by every media outlet in existence)
X still allowing users to post sexualised images generated by Grok AI tool www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
X still allowing users to post sexualised images generated by Grok AI tool
Despite restrictions announced this week, Guardian reporters find standalone app continues to allow posting of nonconsensual content
www.theguardian.com
January 16, 2026 at 12:14 PM
Surprise surprise the CSAM generating paedo-machine was not neutralised by the nazi paedo company like they said it was (which was subsequently reported uncritically by every media outlet in existence)
Reposted by Daniel JM
New assets! Get arrows, notes, colorful text and other things for use in music rhythm games, 100% free for commercial use :) #gamedev
Music Game Sprites
High resolution sprites for use in your music games and other projects – there are a total of 43 sprites in this pack.
chequered.ink
January 16, 2026 at 10:01 AM
New assets! Get arrows, notes, colorful text and other things for use in music rhythm games, 100% free for commercial use :) #gamedev
Reposted by Daniel JM
Finished a small sprite pack that we'll release over at @chequered.ink tomorrow, plus still working on our big pixel platformer kit! Hoping to update our 10,000 Game Assets pack at the start of February... maybe by then it'll be an 11,000 Game Assets pack 😅
January 15, 2026 at 9:58 PM
Finished a small sprite pack that we'll release over at @chequered.ink tomorrow, plus still working on our big pixel platformer kit! Hoping to update our 10,000 Game Assets pack at the start of February... maybe by then it'll be an 11,000 Game Assets pack 😅
Reposted by Daniel JM
wikipedia turns 25 today! the last unenshittified major website! backbone of online info! triumph of humanity! powered by urge of unpaid randos to correct each other! somehow mostly reliable! "good thing wikipedia works in practice, because it sure doesn't work in theory" - old wiki adage
January 15, 2026 at 1:47 PM
wikipedia turns 25 today! the last unenshittified major website! backbone of online info! triumph of humanity! powered by urge of unpaid randos to correct each other! somehow mostly reliable! "good thing wikipedia works in practice, because it sure doesn't work in theory" - old wiki adage
Reposted by Daniel JM
Fixed the thumbnail on this post from earlier lol - ICYMI we wrote an article about different status effects and their names that we hope will inspire new ideas for your games! #GameDev chequered.ink/status-effec...
January 15, 2026 at 6:38 PM
Fixed the thumbnail on this post from earlier lol - ICYMI we wrote an article about different status effects and their names that we hope will inspire new ideas for your games! #GameDev chequered.ink/status-effec...
I spent 3 days on the post and 3 minutes on the thumbnail can you tell? (I forgot to set scaling to nearest neighbour pffffrr) Will fix later.
We've come up with a handy list of Status Effects and their synonyms to hopefully provide some inspiration if you're struggling with your RPGs! #GameDev
Status Effects & Their Synonyms
Status Effects are the spice that stops RPGs turning into a boring slugfest. Get inspired with our list of status effects and their synonyms.
chequered.ink
January 15, 2026 at 1:33 PM
I spent 3 days on the post and 3 minutes on the thumbnail can you tell? (I forgot to set scaling to nearest neighbour pffffrr) Will fix later.
I see people complaining about ACNH on Reddit all the time like "I have 1500 hours of gameplay I'm bored give me more than just new items" and it's like, hey maybe 1500 hours is your limit idk. That's definitely "your money's worth" I think.
Dude on Reddit complaining that the ACNH update is shit because it just adds more decor and things to decorate:
Hey friend sorry i have to think for you, but you just don’t like animal crossing. Thats the whole fuckin game play loop. Shoo and let the big boys enjoy our lego crossover items in peace
Hey friend sorry i have to think for you, but you just don’t like animal crossing. Thats the whole fuckin game play loop. Shoo and let the big boys enjoy our lego crossover items in peace
January 15, 2026 at 9:44 AM
I see people complaining about ACNH on Reddit all the time like "I have 1500 hours of gameplay I'm bored give me more than just new items" and it's like, hey maybe 1500 hours is your limit idk. That's definitely "your money's worth" I think.
Not even half way through the month! I'm being very disciplined now with 🇧🇷 Portuguese 🇧🇷🎉 but it is SO HARD. Vocab is easy enough, just the millions of verb conjugations I struggle to remember mostly!
January 14, 2026 at 9:56 PM
Not even half way through the month! I'm being very disciplined now with 🇧🇷 Portuguese 🇧🇷🎉 but it is SO HARD. Vocab is easy enough, just the millions of verb conjugations I struggle to remember mostly!
The Animal Crossing 3.0 update came out! Bunch of cute little features added. I always get bored of it being snowy by this point though lol - roll on the spring so I can see everything in COLOR 🎨
January 14, 2026 at 9:03 PM
The Animal Crossing 3.0 update came out! Bunch of cute little features added. I always get bored of it being snowy by this point though lol - roll on the spring so I can see everything in COLOR 🎨
Reposted by Daniel JM
We've made two of our games mobile via the same GameMaker system project code that runs on other platforms. It's surprisingly straightforward.
One of the many reasons we like GameMaker for #gamedev.
One of the many reasons we like GameMaker for #gamedev.
January 14, 2026 at 3:15 PM
We've made two of our games mobile via the same GameMaker system project code that runs on other platforms. It's surprisingly straightforward.
One of the many reasons we like GameMaker for #gamedev.
One of the many reasons we like GameMaker for #gamedev.
Reposted by Daniel JM
How to abbreviate large numbers in GameMaker using either letters (e.g. 1 billion becomes 1b) or powers of 10 (one billion becomes 1 x 10^9) #GameDev chequered.ink/abbreviate-l...
Abbreviate Large Numbers in GameMaker - Chequered Ink
If you're adding obscenely high numbers to your own game, then you'll probably want to abbreviate them too.
chequered.ink
January 14, 2026 at 10:33 AM
How to abbreviate large numbers in GameMaker using either letters (e.g. 1 billion becomes 1b) or powers of 10 (one billion becomes 1 x 10^9) #GameDev chequered.ink/abbreviate-l...
This is fantastic - we have yet to see the surge in polling numbers for the Greens play out in council by-elections etc, but if Polanski can mobilise young people in bigger numbers for national elections we could start to see some incredible scenes.
Great progress in new poll for Wales.
Absolutely no complacency though. We're campaigning for every vote between now and May 7th.
Wales needs rent controls, nationalised water and funded public services. To do that, Wales needs to vote Green.
Absolutely no complacency though. We're campaigning for every vote between now and May 7th.
Wales needs rent controls, nationalised water and funded public services. To do that, Wales needs to vote Green.
January 13, 2026 at 8:19 PM
This is fantastic - we have yet to see the surge in polling numbers for the Greens play out in council by-elections etc, but if Polanski can mobilise young people in bigger numbers for national elections we could start to see some incredible scenes.
We have a section on our website for learning how to do things in @gamemaker.io! Like this tutorial / script for how to draw text in a circle :) chequered.ink/draw-text-in... #gamedev
Draw Text in a Circle in GameMaker - Chequered Ink
One effect that can elevate your game to a higher level is drawing your text in a circle. This simple script will help you out!
chequered.ink
January 13, 2026 at 6:31 PM
We have a section on our website for learning how to do things in @gamemaker.io! Like this tutorial / script for how to draw text in a circle :) chequered.ink/draw-text-in... #gamedev
Reposted by Daniel JM
January 13, 2026 at 2:52 PM