SynthwaveOS

SynthwaveOS - Devlog #3
It is finished. Most of the time was spent fixing the some issues rather than adding brand-new features. The biggest change i added was the music player, so that you can now load any MP3 from disk, the player remembers it for the whole session, updates the track label to the filename, and lets you switch away to the synth tracks and back again without losing it. I also expanded the built-in tracks so they feel more like real songs. Neon Drive, Midnight Run and Afterglow now run through longer chord progressions with 32-step patterns, and Afterglow has a slow filter sweep drifting over the top so it evolves over time. I also optimised the drawing code so it runs more smoothly. At this point all is in place and done.

SynthwaveOS - Devlog #2

The whole thing actually looks like an OS now instead of a wireframe. I dropped the full synthwave theme on top of the previous skeleton: an animated perspective grid scrolling toward you, a sunset sun, scanlines, neon magenta/cyan glow on everything, and proper retro fonts (Orbitron + VT323). Now each track is its own little pattern - Neon Drive is a busy sawtooth lead with a square bass and hats on every beat, Midnight Run is punchier with offbeat hats and gaps, and Afterglow is a slow soft triangle with a filter sweep and no drums. I also split the visualiser so the bass drives the left bars, the lead and harmonics the middle, and the hats the right. I also added MP3 support with a Load MP3 button that picks any file off disk, so the visualiser reacts to your own music too.

SynthwaveOS - Devlog #1

I started building SynthwaveOS, my very own web-based operating system with an 80s synthwave theme. The idea is a little neon command centre you can boot up in the browser with a Winamp-style music player with a visualiser that reacts to the audio. I’ve set up the whole skeleton from scratch - three windows (Welcome, Player, Tracks), a top bar with a live ticking clock, and three desktop icons that select and open their windows. For now, the windows drag around, close with the x, and raise to the front when you click them, with the top bar always staying on top. I wanted the whole thing working and testable first, so if something breaks later I know it’s the styling or the visualiser. Next up: the full synthwave with animated perspective grid wallpaper, the sunset gradient, glow everywhere, a proper retro font, and the gradient magenta→cyan visualiser bars.