Code & Releases
All code is open source under the MIT license. Contributions, issues, and feature requests are welcome.
Python + Pygame arcade collection. Four desktop games with procedural audio, high score tracking, Port Royale save/load, cross-platform packaging, and full CI.
github.com/edonahue/pirate-arcadeThis site: Astro, TypeScript, vanilla CSS, deployed to Cloudflare Pages free tier.
github.com/edonahue/pirate-arcade-webDownload the latest desktop builds. Windows: standalone .exe. Linux: Debian .deb package. macOS: build from source.
github.com/edonahue/pirate-arcade/releasesBug reports, feature requests, and planned work. Check the ROADMAP in the repo for current priorities.
github.com/edonahue/pirate-arcade/issuesProof
The project uses a 29-check automated fast gate, extended for full releases. Every check must pass before deployment. Below are the key engineering practices in place.
Desktop games (Python/Pygame) and website (Astro/TypeScript) are separate repos with independent CI pipelines.
Astro 7 static output deployed to Cloudflare Pages free tier. No server, no database, no runtime.
3 Pygbag/WebAssembly ports (cached Python runtime) plus1 web-native Phaser 4 game (instant load, no download).
Seeded RNG, debug globals, Captains Log, input capture, and prewarm instrumentation for reproducible validation.
Playwright + Sharp capture 1280×720 PNGs; validator checks IHDR, dimensions, aspect ratio, brightness, and byte distinctness.
Required fields, enum checks, SEO length limits, screenshot file existence, engine/platform rules, browser/desktop URL consistency.
Multi-step automated (format, typecheck, build, SEO, copy tone, CSS tokens, contrast, CSP, SW, versions, performance budgets).
Per-route CSP in _headers; unsafe-evalonly on /play/*; global CSP is strict.
Playwright mobile viewports (Pixel 5, iPhone 13, iPad) with real touch helpers for input, pause, and navigation testing.
Experiment
Every tool used to build this project was free-to-use: open-source frameworks, free-tier cloud services, and local hardware. No paid AI models, no cloud compute, no subscriptions. The project now includes a web-native Phaser 4 game alongside the Pygbag/WebAssembly ports.
| Tool | Category | Used for | Cost | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenCode | ai-agent | Terminal-based AI-assisted coding; File generation and editing; Multi-step task orchestration | free | current |
| DeepSeek V4 Flash Free | ai-model | Game logic generation (Pong, Breakout, Asteroids variants); Python/Pygame boilerplate; CSS and layout generation | free | historical |
| Nemotron 3 Super Free | ai-model | Alternative generation runs; Comparison against DeepSeek output; Cross-platform packaging scripts | free | historical |
| Big Pickle OpenCode Zen | ai-model | UI component generation; CSS token system generation; Documentation first drafts | free | historical |
| Ollama (local inference) | ai-model | Local free-model inference on the builder workstation; Narrow documented patches | free | current |
| GitHub | platform | Source control; CI/CD (GitHub Actions); Release hosting; Issue tracking | free-tier | current |
| Cloudflare Pages | hosting | Static site hosting; SSL/TLS; Global CDN | free-tier | current |
| X600 Workstation | hardware | All development; AI model inference; Builds and testing | already-owned | current |
| Astro | framework | Static site generation; Content collections; Component model | free | current |
| Python + Pygame | framework | Desktop game engine; Procedural rendering; Input handling; Audio generation | free | current |
| NumPy | tool | Procedural audio generation; Signal processing for sound effects | free | current |
| PyInstaller | tool | Cross-platform executable packaging | free | current |
Notes on what each model was asked to generate and how well it performed. These are historical session notes, not benchmarks — they cover the initial game and website work, not later site sessions.
Observations are based on session notes and recollection, not controlled measurement. They capture what stood out during development rather than formal evaluation metrics.
| Model | Task | Observations | Era |
|---|---|---|---|
| DeepSeek V4 Flash Free | Cannonball Clash (Pong variant) — full game implementation |
| historical |
| DeepSeek V4 Flash Free | Treasure Cove (Breakout variant) — brick layout and ball physics |
| historical |
| Nemotron 3 Super Free | Kraken's Wake (Asteroids variant) — ship movement and enemy AI |
| historical |
| DeepSeek V4 Flash Free | Port Royale Tycoon (property-trading game) — board and game rules |
| historical |
| Big Pickle OpenCode Zen | Astro website scaffold — layout, components, styles |
| historical |
| Big Pickle OpenCode Zen | Build log post and documentation |
| historical |
| DeepSeek V4 Flash Free | Race to Treasure Island (Phaser racer) — game scene, physics, AI rival |
| historical |
| DeepSeek V4 Flash Free | Race to Treasure Island — HUD, overlays, finish, touch controls |
| historical |
See thefull experiment login the desktop repo for the complete methodology and desktop-game-specific notes.
Documentation
Detailed documentation for the experiment methodology, asset inventory, deployment, and roadmap.
Development journal covering the experiment, methodology, infrastructure, and browser port feasibility.
/build-logTooling inventory, model run observations, and methodology for the zero-cost AI-assisted development experiment.
EXPERIMENT.mdCurrent state of all visual assets: screenshots, icons, OG image, and desktop game assets.
ASSETS.mdCurrent development roadmap: completed phases, in-progress work, and planned features.
ROADMAP.mdCloudflare Pages setup, domain configuration, and deployment workflow.
DEPLOYMENT.mdArt & Attribution
This site uses public-domain pirate and Treasure Island illustrations by Howard Pyle (1853–1911) and Louis Rhead (1857–1926). Howard Pyle's illustrations are from Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates (1921). Louis Rhead's illustration is from the 1915 edition ofTreasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (Project Gutenberg). All are public domain in the United States. Seethe Credits pagefor the full breakdown orASSET_CREDITS.mdfor the complete inventory.
All images are optimized WebP conversions of the original public-domain scans. They are used decoratively on this site (hero backgrounds, section accents) with aria-hidden="true" or empty alt where appropriate.
Maker
Decision science, data products, practical systems, and creative technical work built in the open. Exploring AI-assisted development as a force multiplier for product-minded engineering. This project is my public workbench for exploring zero-cost AI-assisted development.