https://dancingdots.itch.io/zen-men

https://itch.io/s/184536/zen-men-free-release

Watch an island of Zen men slowly evolve.

Their society shifts over time as they search for something deeper—the one true creation myth. They meditate. They argue. They try to understand. But they also get distracted… jealous… and sometimes just grow into bitter old men clutching a few shiny medallions. 

Watch them question their existence in this strange, living simulation.

Maybe I should remove the folder from the game directory to reduce confusion. Basically, I have them in that directory to copy them to the other folder where you will not get the permissions error. This only needs to happen once, so the solution might be to delete that folder after the first time it copies?

Thank you again, this feedback is helpful!

Love your world btw!

Good to hear! Again, I appreciate the feedback.

https://dancingdots.itch.io/gatocat-world-maker

GatoCat World Maker is a lightweight fantasy map creation tool that lets you quickly generate and edit procedural worlds. Paint biomes, countries, religions, cultures, rivers, roads, mountains, and settlements directly onto a grid map, then annotate your world with labels and notes. Designed for worldbuilders, writers, and game designers who want a fast, visual way to develop and organize their story settings.

Still very much in development. Feedback is welcome. 

Thank you for the detailed feedback! I should be able to fix this.

https://itch.io/s/152223/idle-bazaar-free-release

Idle Bazaar is a minimalist, hands-off trade war simulation where grid-based empires compete for survival through expansion, trade, and conquest.

• No player control needed — sit back and watch the empires fight and trade.
• Dynamic resource economy — nations buy, sell, and black-market their goods based on need.
• Expansion and conquest — empires aggressively seize land when others weaken.
• Live stats — see each empire's money, land, resources, and trading activity.

Empires have a population determined by their land size. This population determines their demand for resources along with a unique multiplier assigned every time the board is reset. This multiplier is displayed next to the empire's stockpiles of each resource. Based on this calculation, they will try to have an ideal amount of a resource in stock. If they have more than they need, they will sell to the market (other empires) for money. If they cannot find another nation with demand, they sell to the 'black market' at a steep discount. 

If a country has no money, its tiles are vulnerable to being stolen. Empires prioritize control over resource tiles. 

Values of resources:

Yellow Buzz: $2

Blue Powder: $3

Blood Vines: $6

Sorrow Stalks: $7

Green Sludge: $1

Orange Fuel: $4

Info Panels:

Info panels showcase the remaining empires and display their land and money. If a country has bought more of a resource in the last five turns, the circle next to it will be red. If they sold more to other empires, it would be green; if they sold mostly to the black market, it would be grey/dark green; if they mostly bought from the market, it would be red.  This panel also shows the empire's demand multiplier for each resource.

Controls:

Press R:

Reset the game.

Press Keys 1-5:

Speed setting, slow to high.

Press 0:

Speed is set to very slow.

Press T: 

Toggles on and off turn-based mode. Step through the turns by pressing Space

Press A:

Toggles auto-mode. The game will automatically reset itself a short time after there is a winner when on.

Left-click on Info Pane:

Give the empire you clicked on 100 money.

Right-click on Info Pane:

Give the empire you clicked on 1000 money.

Free as part of this deal:
https://itch.io/s/151349/kinda-a-big-deal

A basic particle life sim in 3D. Each particle follows rules around gravity and conversion. This leads to interesting and emergent behavior.

This is essentially this project:

https://15joldersmat.itch.io/bots-of-boria

... in 3D!

Hoping to add new levels soon.

Commands:

Press R: Reset the level with new rules for the particles to follow based on color and shape.

Press 0-1: Go to a specific level. These have things like the size of the particle space, number of colors/shapes, and distance of interaction predefined. 

Press L: Go to a random level.

Press C: Change the color of particles.

Press B: Change background color.

Honestly just speed. I'm much more proficient in Python and just like working with it.

Thanks for the question!

Yes the file size is bigger than I would like too. This seems to be a limitation with the way I convert from Python code to a .exe (Pyinstaller). So most of my games (the ones written in Python), even relatively simple ones, have around this minimum size. 

Definitely something I can look at though. Maybe I can remove some of the stuff that's getting bundled with it and see if it doesn't break anything.

https://itch.io/s/151201/everstem-free-release

Welcome to Everstem!

Endless procedurally generated plants. Different growth patterns, textures, color patterns, and info every time.

Save and catalog your favorite specimens. 

Simple Commands:

Press Space - Grow new plant

Click Screen - Toggles between viewing screen and info screen

Press S - Save current plant

Press O - Load a plant

https://itch.io/s/150733/abstractia-free-release

https://15joldersmat.itch.io/abstractia

What is Abstractia?

Abstractia is a symbolic cellular automaton where symbols evolve on a grid through endlessly unique, randomized rules. Patterns emerge, shift, and dissolve as you watch — or intervene.

 How to Play:

• Press a letter key (A–Z) to select a symbol.
• Click or drag on the grid to place symbols like a brush.
• Spacebar pauses/unpauses the simulation.
• Keys 1–6 adjust simulation speed.
• Key 0 generates a new set of unique rules.
• Key 7 randomizes the grid.
• Key 8 clears the board to a blank state (A).
• Key 9 toggles rule behavior (swallow vs. coexist).
• Key 6 toggles generation mode (equal vs. dominant states).

 Features:

• Infinite symbolic evolution.
• Procedurally generated rule sets — never the same twice.
• 26 unique symbol types with optional color mode.
• Pause, paint, and observe how rules unfold.

https://15joldersmat.itch.io/gridsim-evolution

https://itch.io/s/150360/gridsim-evolution-10-free-release

A brain controls each creature — a simple neural network of weights inherited from its parents, with slight mutations each generation. Over time, through natural selection, creatures evolve to become better at surviving and duplicating. This leads to emergent behavior, where they appear to "learn" how to thrive across generations.

How do they sense the world?

Each creature uses a cone of vision to detect:

• Food
• Creatures of the same color
• Creatures of a different color
• Whether another creature’s bulb is on
• Distance, energy, and age of nearby creatures
• Their age and energy

What actions can they take?

Based on these inputs, their brain chooses from:

• Turn left
• Turn right
• Move forward
• Move backward
• Toggle bulb (also costs energy)

Evolution in action

If a creature gathers enough energy (with higher thresholds as the population grows), it duplicates — creating a new creature with slightly mutated brain weights. Occasionally, large mutations happen, leading to surprising new behaviors.

Predator and Altruist Behavior

White-nose pokes drain and steal energy, leading to predation. Yellow nose transfers energy, allowing for altruistic behavior to emerge naturally.

If any species’ population drops below three creatures (typically, it depends on the exact sim), a new random creature of that color will spawn.

https://15joldersmat.itch.io/fires-of-arder

A simulation I'm working on based on firefighting. 

It's straightforward.

Gameplay:

Civilians move from town to town along roads and from their houses to grocery stores. Firefighters move to and fight fires, often trying to prioritize ones near their fire stations/towns. Fire burns things down and turns them to ash. Ash regrows into forest or open space.

Player commands:

Left-click - start or put out fire

Right-click. place fire station and new firefighters 

Middle mouse - place retardant 

R - reset map

M - reset to metropolis mode

W - Wasteland mode, sets everything to dry brush (set before starting fires)

P - Pause

LEGEND: 

H - House 

G - Grocery

FS - Fire Station 

R - Road (Do not burn)

A - Ash 

F - Forest (burns longer than open space) 

D - Dry brush (sets fire easier) 

O - Open Space 

! - Fire 

RE - Retardent (does not burn as easily)

White circles - Civilians 

Flashing orange circles - Firefighters

New features: Metropolis map mode.

https://15joldersmat.itch.io/battle-hell-the-vant

Now on sale with the rest of the series for a buck:

https://itch.io/s/137215/battle-hell-bundle-five-for-one

Follow the monarchist Vanti defending against the Republican Defense Pact (RDP) invasion.

Battle Hell: The Vant, An AI War Simulator: Witness Epic AI Battles in a Tile-Based Strategy Game

Immerse yourself in the ultimate strategic AI war simulation! Battle Hell: The Vant, brings you into a dynamic, tile-based world where AI-controlled factions clash in epic, unpredictable battles. Watch the rise and fall of empires, strategic maneuvers, and the chaotic brilliance of war unfold right before your eyes.

Legend:

Give the Republican Defense Pact(shown as RDP in Blue) Money with D, and give the Vanti(Orange) money with T. They will also generate money over time based on the territory they control. 

Black square upper left: City, important for making units and getting money. Often a target. 

Small brown square upper left: Mountain (Advantage to mountain units, harder for others to take).

Small aqua square upper left: water/river (harder to move across if contested).

Tiny pink and blue squares on the upper left: Fort (Harder to take)

Key Features:

• Epic AI Battles: Observe as intelligent algorithms control factions, each with unique strategies and tactics, vying for dominance.
• Tile-Based Strategy: Engage with a world where every tile matters. Cities (black squares) in the upper right are key sources of wealth and high-value targets for both factions.
• Factions and Units: Follow the monarchist Vanti defending against the RDP invasion. Units are represented on the right side of the tile: RDP on the bottom and Vanti on the top. Recon units (small dots) freely traverse territories, unlike other units that must convert tiles to their faction.
• Terrain Challenges: Navigate mountains as strong points and rivers as obstacles, adding depth and complexity to the battlefield.

Why Download Battle Hell: The Vant?

• Unique AI Simulation: Experience a war game where you're an observer, watching advanced AI make strategic decisions in real-time.
• Dynamic World: Every battle is different, with intelligent AI adapting to the ever-changing battlefield.
• Strategic Depth: The tile-based system and varied terrain offer limitless strategic possibilities and challenges.

Join the battle in Battle Hell: The Vant Witness the thrill of AI warfare and the strategic depth of a tile-based war simulator. Perfect for strategy enthusiasts and AI aficionados alike. Don't just play a war game – experience the future of AI-driven strategy!

Should be fixed in 1.3! 

It looks like the font file was missing.

Thank you for catching this!

https://15joldersmat.itch.io/celestial-front

Watch as stars battle for control of a simple simulated galaxy. Each star belongs to a faction, indicated by its color, and combat happens automatically between neighboring stars. Your role is to observe the dynamic battlefield as stars change ownership.

Gameplay:

• Stars: Stars are connected by lanes. Stars of different colors represent different factions. Over time, stars may change color as they are conquered by neighboring stars.
• Combat: Stars automatically engage in combat with nearby stars. The outcome is random (unless in momentum mode, then the larger faction has an advantage), and the color of a star changes if it is conquered by another faction.

Controls:

• F: Speed up combat.
• S: Slow down combat (default).
• P: Pause combat.
• Number keys (1-9): Reset the game and change the number of star connections.
• M and D:  Switch between Default and Momentum mode. 

Enjoy watching Celestial Front!

On free now with my entire catalog as part of the Everything Sale:

https://itch.io/s/134875/the-everything-sale

My new platformer is out now, on sale, for free!

https://15joldersmat.itch.io/enlightment-now

*SUMMARY*

Climb the platforms to enlightenment before you grey and die. 

Hold space to meditate and levitate. You have limited energy for this, so you will need to rest with your eyes open on the platforms to recharge (represented by the bottom bar).  The more open your eyes the quicker the recharge. Click or hold the mouse in the direction you wish to fly. 

Collecting golden merit orbs will give you points and extend your life.

M to mute and unmute.

Get this and ALL of my other games for free with the Everything sale:

https://itch.io/s/134875/the-everything-sale

Game Here:

https://15joldersmat.itch.io/1000-missiles-2-defense-of-tornwa

Sale with the original game included here:

https://itch.io/s/134489/1000-missiles-2-defense-of-tornwa-free-release

Missile Defense Game: Protect Your Country

Goal: Defend your nation from 1000 enemy missile attacks using Anti-Aircraft (AA) systems.

Instructions:

• Placing AA Systems:
  • Left-click on an empty land square to place a basic AA system (Cost: 1 AA System).
• Upgrading AA Systems:
  • Left-click on an AA system to upgrade it to a fast-shooting AA system (Cost: 2 AA Systems).
  • Right-click on an AA system to upgrade it to a fast-shooting AA system (Cost: 2 AA Systems).
• Game Controls:
  • Press P to pause and unpause the game.
  • Press R to restart the game.
  • Press E to restart in Endless mode.

Key Mechanics:

• AA System Replacement: Your AA systems are gradually replaced by your undestroyed factories, marked in orange.
• Willpower: Losing factories, houses, and apartments reduces your willpower.
• Adaptability: The enemy will employ various strategies to breach your defenses. Stay adaptable to survive.

Defend Your Nation: Use strategic placement and upgrades of your AA systems to fend off relentless missile attacks and protect your country's infrastructure. Are you ready to face the challenge

Thank you!

https://15joldersmat.itch.io/a-dandy-election

In Wysaddle: A Dandy Election, you are tasked with securing victory points by winning over states on the Dandy Continent. Each state contains cities with different population values, and the player competes with an NPC opponent to gain a majority of votes in these cities. The goal is to win more states than your opponent by increasing your poll numbers in each city through strategic clicks.

How to Play:

• Objective: Win a majority of the 6 states by gaining the most population points in each state.
• Gameplay:
  • Click on cities to increase your poll numbers. Each city starts with a random allocation of votes between the player, the NPC, and undecided voters.
  • The side with the most votes in a city gains all of its population points, and the side with the most population points in a state wins that state’s victory point.
  • After 30 turns, the election is held, and victory is determined based on the number of states won.

Features:

• Victory System: The game uses a winner-take-all system where winning a plurality of votes in each city grants all its population points.
• NPC Opponent: The NPC has strategic targets and will attempt to counter your moves, creating a competitive election race.
• Sound and Music: Clicking cities plays sounds, and background music sets the tone. You can mute/unmute the music during gameplay.
• Endgame: After 30 turns, the results are displayed, showing detailed breakdowns of votes and population points for each city and state.

Strategize, make the right moves, and secure enough states to become the first President of the Dandy Continent!

R to restart at any time, and M to mute the music.

The polling will be reset every election.

done

My new turn-based strategy game, Covens of Xetta, is now free!

https://15joldersmat.itch.io/covens-of-xetta

https://itch.io/s/129500/covens-of-xetta-free-release

Covens of Xetta Beta 1.0

Objective: Lead your coven to victory through Conquest or Victory Points.

Victory Conditions:

1. Conquest: Defeat your enemies and wipe them from Xetta.
2. Victory Points (120 to win): Build temples on your flag tiles (right-click on an unoccupied flag tile).

Actions:

• Build Warriors: Left-click on an unoccupied suburb or urban area you own (10 Charm).
• Build Suburbs: Left-click on an unoccupied flag tile you own (10 Charm).
• Build Temples: Right-click on an unoccupied flag tile you own (15 Charm).

Population and Charm:

• Suburbs: 1 population.
• Urban areas: 2 population, automatically created from suburbs when touching 3 urban/suburban tiles.
• Charm Generation: Based on the percentage of the global population you control.

Movement:

• Click on a warrior you own, then click on a connected tile to move or attack.

Unique Coven Traits:

• Jahahas - Martyrdom: +1 Victory point for every warrior they lose.
• Xil - Genuine Devotion: Temples only cost 5 Charm.
• Brine - Colonizers: Suburbs only cost 7 Charm.
• GreenFaces - Muck Lovers: Suburbs and urban areas have +1 population near water.

Game Controls:

• R: Reset Game.
• Space: End Turn.
• Mouse Left-Click: Select/Move/Build.
• Mouse Right-Click: Build Temple.

Good Luck, and may your coven reign supreme in the land of Xetta!

I'm happy to announce a new game, Gods of Crastle, a simple turn-based holy war experience (with local multiplayer). 

https://15joldersmat.itch.io/gods-of-crastle

It's free here:

https://itch.io/s/129282/gods-of-crastle-free-release

Gods of Crastle

Welcome to "Gods of Crastle" the realm of holy war where you lead your cult's worshipers to victory! Engage in epic battles, and strategic building, as you strive to conquer the land of Crastle and establish your dominance.

"Gods of Crastle" features exciting multiplayer gameplay for two players on the same PC. Battle your friends in strategic, turn-based holy wars to see who can dominate the realm of Crastle!

Objectives, two ways to win:

Conquest: Use your armies to defeat the heathens and wipe them from Crastle.

Victory Points: Build temples on your flag tiles. You get 1 victory point each turn for each temple. Reach 120 points to win!

How to Play:

Actions:

Build Warriors: Left-click on an unoccupied suburb or urban area you own. Costs 10 Awe (7 for Dartos).

Build Suburbs: Left-click on an unoccupied flag tile you own. Costs 10 Awe.

Build Temples: Right-click on an unoccupied flag tile you own. Costs 15 Awe.

Population and Awe:

Suburbs: 1 population.

Urban areas: 2 population (3 for Fenwick). Automatically created from suburbs when touching 3 urban/suburban tiles.

Awe Generation: Based on the percentage of the global population you control.

Movement:

Click on a warrior you own, then click on a connected tile to move or attack.

Special Abilities (To Be Added):

Roe Warriors: Can move across the water.

Ran Warriors: Can move up to two spaces at a time (one move per turn).

Dartos Warriors: Cost 7 Awe. (Just added)

Fenwick: Gets 3 population from urban areas, but 0 from suburbs. (Just added)

My new idle simulation, The Very Little Bang, is now on sale for free!

https://15joldersmat.itch.io/the-very-little-bang

In the beginning, there was... WAR!!!

The universe will undergo a very small bang at the beginning to get started. 

Watch as factions compete for stars and power in a changing starscape dotted with supernovas. 

Over time, the stars will slowly fade as there is less and less cosmic dust for the universe to form new stars out of. The result is a sort of heat death. 

Thanks!

My idle sim, Orbital Empires, is now on sale for free to celebrate its 1.0 release!

https://15joldersmat.itch.io/orbital-empires

https://itch.io/s/128334/orbital-empires-release-sale

Watch as AI factions fight for control of the galaxy. 

It's a simple idle sim of a galaxy at war. The simulation features an auto-play mode.

Empires fight over planets that orbit stars, which orbit the galactic center.

Planets are capable of producing spaceships to capture more planets and stars.

My new game, Duels Of The Nombish is now live and on sale! 

https://15joldersmat.itch.io/duels-of-the-nombish

https://itch.io/s/127673/duels-of-the-nombish-release-sale

Dominate the Mean Streets of Gato-Cat: Become the Ultimate Duelist in This Arcade-Style Shooter!

#HOW TO PLAY#

• Start the Duel: Click the mouse when the indicator is in the pink zone. This represents your composure, which impacts your accuracy in the duel.
• Maintain Composure: The better your composure, the more accurate your shots will be.
• Stay Alert and Move: Your opponent will fire at you once the duel starts. Use the W and S keys to move up and down to avoid getting hit.
• Aim and Shoot: Aim your cursor at the black squiggly firing line between you and your opponent. Click within the black line to fire a shot. The bullet will fly toward your cursor, aiming to hit your opponent. Remember, the faster you move, the more squiggly the line becomes, making it harder to aim.
• Face Increasing Challenges: As you rack up wins, opponents become progressively harder. You'll encounter new characters, but remember, a single loss resets your wins to zero.

Challenge Yourself: How Far Can You Get?

Explore the thrilling world of Gato-Cat and test your skills as a duelist in this exciting arcade shooter. Can you become the best in the city?

M to mute and unmute the game. 

https://15joldersmat.itch.io/minimperiums

GAME TRAILER https://youtu.be/i9d-EvSzW2c

My new simulation is on sale for free. I developed it long ago but never took the time to polish it off until now. 

A brief overview, essentially ripped from the store page: 

In each newly generated world, different countries compete for survival and strive to dominate both land and sea.

In perpetual war mode, countries will expand and then break apart, with some of the new nations following old ways and others adopting new ways. These differences are represented by a nation's ideology, religion, and culture.

Countries that share more of these traits in common are more likely to join a faction together.

Factions share resources, which are generated by factories and represented by dots. Resources are used to conquer and defend territory. Countries within a faction will not attack each other, but faction alignments are always subject to change.

A faction's total number of tiles also generates resources. The amount a tile contributes is determined by its development level, which ranges from 1 to 6—the lower, the better.

In origin mode, the simulation starts as one nation before splintering off after the first rebellion. (Note that this can lead to a more uneventful start.)

In winnable war mode, rebellions will not take place, allowing one nation to eventually conquer the entire map. (There is a known bug where nations will sometimes not attack one another on land for an unknown reason.)

Countries will become

much more naval-focused after conquering all connected land.

**CONTROLS**

- Press **I** to see countries' ideologies.

- Press **R** to see countries' religions.

- Press **D** to see each tile's development.

- Press **SPACE** to see alliances/factions.