(Used for making "POP" or "Population" incremental games, similar to A Dark Room or Candy Box)
What it is:
A minimalist JavaScript game framework for browser-based idle/clicker games. Version 1.2 was a stable release around 2015–2017.
Guide for POPMaker 1.2:
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Before Ableton’s Session View became famous, POPMAKER 1.2- - had the "Horizon Lane." This was a left-to-right playlist where each row represented a pattern, and each column was a 1-bar step. Users could "paint" patterns across a 64-bar grid. The - - version added a hidden feature: holding Ctrl + Alt + Shift while clicking a step enabled "Probability Mode," allowing patterns to trigger only 25%, 50%, or 75% of the time—a Godsend for generative, glitchy beats. POPMAKER 1.2- -
The manual never mentioned it, but in 1.2- -, pressing the Insert key while a pattern was playing activated "Turbo Repeat." The speed of the repeat was tied to the project BPM. At 120 BPM, it gave 16th notes. At 140 BPM, it gave 32nd notes. At 90 BPM? Triplets. Discovering this felt like finding a cheat code.
Because the software’s master output was prone to random 1 dB volume jumps, veteran users developed the "Dash-Bounce." They would run the song through twice. First pass: record internally to a WAV. Second pass: record the same song but with the master fader lowered by 3 dB. Then, they would phase-invert one file against the other in Audacity to cancel the random jumps. The result was a pristine mix with the hardware grit intact. (Used for making "POP" or "Population" incremental games,
Before we dissect the specific "1.2- -" build, we must understand its parent software. POPMAKER was a lightweight, Windows-exclusive loop-based sequencer launched in the late 90s. It was designed for one thing: rapid-fire pop, hip-hop, and dance beat construction.
Unlike modern DAWs with hundreds of tracks and unlimited plugins, POPMAKER was a "closed environment" tool. It featured a proprietary sample library, a 16-track pattern sequencer, and a unique "Harmony Grid" that locked chords to pop song structures. By version 1.0, it had gained a reputation as the "Tracker for Pop Kids"—a blend of ProTracker’s speed and Acid Pro’s loop manipulation. Before Ableton’s Session View became famous, POPMAKER 1