| The Powder Toy | |
| Logo Size: | 50px |
| Author: | Stanislaw K. Skowronek |
| Developer: | jacob1, Simon, LBPHacker and various other GitHub contributors[1] |
| Released: | 2008 |
| Latest Release Version: | 98.2 |
| Latest Release Date: | [2] |
| Genre: | Single Player falling-sand game |
| Platform: | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android |
| License: | GPLv3 |
The Powder Toy is a falling-sand game originally created by Stanislaw K. Skowronek (also known as Skylark). It is now developed and maintained by LBPHacker, Simon, jacob1 and other contributors on GitHub. The Powder Toy is free and open-source software licensed under the GNU General Public License version 3.0.[3] A total of 193 (more may have been added since this data was gathered) different in-game materials (or "elements"), each with custom behavior and interactions, are available in the game.[4] In June 2024, The Powder Toy was released on Steam.[5]
The Powder Toy (abbreviated TPT), like most falling sand games, is a sandbox video game that allows users to create things in-game to share using its online level sharing system, which includes a Front Page (often referred to as FP).
A public server for sharing in-game creations is provided as part of the game itself, allowing users to share anything that abides by the rules. Examples of player shared creations include functioning circulatory systems, nuclear power plants, nuclear bombs, and computers. Content is rated using upvotes and downvotes, and can be reported to the moderators if it breaks the on-site rules or plagiarizes other works.
The Powder Toy allows users to change the game itself with Lua scripting, and C++ coding, as it was made using C++. The source code is available on GitHub and can be compiled using Meson.
A mod manager can be downloaded using the console with the following command: tpt.installScriptManager. It works on all versions of The Powder Toy.
Many users have created C++ mods and Lua scripts. The most popular of which include: TPTMPV2 by LBPHacker, SpikeViper's Biology Mod by SpikeViper, Jacob1's Mod by jacob1, and TPT-Ultimata by Lord_Bowserinator. The former is a Lua script and the latter three are all C++ mods.
The developers usually host an April Fools[6] joke every year. Notably, the 3D mode feature was added as an April Fools joke, alongside the addition of a new fake purchasable in game currency called Powdercoins. Normally all April Fools update features are removed very quickly after April Fools, and it is rare that any of them stay in TPT in the long term.
edgalaxy.com called The Powder Toy a "great science game" for its potential use as a learning aid through its accurate portrayal of physics, chemical reactions and more.[7]
Though it is 2D, it isn’t impossible to make electrical devices. A user named Synergy created an entire computer that can play multiple games. It can calculate, also. It mostly uses FILT. FILT (Short for filter) opens up many opportunities. It’s extremely important in many many builds. You can truly make anything. A user named “Loadstar” started creating human body saves, where he would keep upgrading them. It is widely known around The Powder Toy, and almost everyone you can find has seen his saves.