Sprites - GoKawiil

Fly.io replaces custom JuiceFS setup with new Sprites Block Device filesystem

Fly.io has introduced the Sprites Block Device (SBD), a new filesystem replacing the modified JuiceFS system it built at launch for its Sprites product. The original setup used a rewritten SQLite metadata backend kept durable with Litestream, storing a single 100GB disk image mounted as a loop device backed by object storage. SBD keeps the same core design—object storage as the root of a Sprite's disk so it can sleep and wake across servers—but replaces the custom tooling with a simpler, more reliable implementation.

fly.io · 2026-10-22

Essay explores 'bomb sense' as core skill in shoot-'em-up games

A game design essay examines the concept of 'bomb sense' in shmups—the intuitive judgment players develop about when to deploy limited-use smart bombs that clear bullets, deal damage, and grant temporary invincibility. The piece argues that mismanaging bombs, whether by using too many or too few, is often what causes players to lose runs, turning bomb usage into an ongoing mental negotiation with oneself.

danboland.net · 2026-09-09