okay honestly this all can and should just be CSVs

the_parser.p8

@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+pico-8 cartridge // http://www.pico-8.com
+version 41
+__lua__
+-- the parser
+
+parser = {}
+mknew(parser)
+
+-- calls parse_into with a nop
+-- emit function.
+function parser:parse(str)
+ self:parse_into(str, function() end)
+end
+
+-- read a file of commands and
+-- execute them, emitting the
+-- results from each call into
+-- `emit` as a table per row.
+--
+-- a "command" is a method on
+-- self. a row alternates
+-- commands with args. when
+-- calling a command, it also
+-- gets a table of previous
+-- results as the first arg.
+-- args are split on ','.
+function parser:parse_into(str, emit)
+ for row in all(split(str, "\n")) do
+  local prev = {}
+  local sectors = split(row, ":")
+  for i=1,#sectors,2 do
+   local x = self[sectors[i]](self, prev, usplit(sectors[i+1]))
+   if (x) add(prev, x)
+  end
+  emit(prev)
+ end
+end
+
+-- saves prev[sel] as self.name.
+-- if sel is unspecified, saves
+-- all of prev (as a table).
+function parser:saveas(prev, name, sel)
+ self[name] = sel and prev[sel] or prev
+end
+
+-- returns its args, ignoring
+-- prev. Used to stuff things
+-- into prev. args are packed
+-- if there's multiple.
+function parser:val(_, ...)
+ local ret := pack(...)
+ if (#ret == 1) return ret[1]
+ return ret
+end
+
+function parser:bind(_, fn, ...)
+ local f = self[fn]
+ return function()
+  f(...)
+ end
+end

updatedshmup.p8

@@ -416,66 +416,6 @@ function grab_p1_butts()
  }
 end
 
--->8
--- the parser
-
-parser = {}
-mknew(parser)
-
--- calls parse_into with a nop
--- emit function.
-function parser:parse(str)
- self:parse_into(str, function() end)
-end
-
--- read a file of commands and
--- execute them, emitting the
--- results from each call into
--- `emit` as a table per row.
---
--- a "command" is a method on
--- self. a row alternates
--- commands with args. when
--- calling a command, it also
--- gets a table of previous
--- results as the first arg.
--- args are split on ','.
-function parser:parse_into(str, emit)
- for row in all(split(str, "\n")) do
-  local prev = {}
-  local sectors = split(row, ":")
-  for i=1,#sectors,2 do
-   local x = self[sectors[i]](self, prev, usplit(sectors[i+1]))
-   if (x) add(prev, x)
-  end
-  emit(prev)
- end
-end
-
--- saves prev[sel] as self.name.
--- if sel is unspecified, saves
--- all of prev (as a table).
-function parser:saveas(prev, name, sel)
- self[name] = sel and prev[sel] or prev
-end
-
--- returns its args, ignoring
--- prev. Used to stuff things
--- into prev. args are packed
--- if there's multiple.
-function parser:val(_, ...)
- local ret := pack(...)
- if (#ret == 1) return ret[1]
- return ret
-end
-
-function parser:bind(_, fn, ...)
- local f = self[fn]
- return function()
-  f(...)
- end
-end
-
 -->8
 --ship behavior
 
@@ -907,7 +847,9 @@ end
 
 -- a level is a map from
 -- effective frame number to
--- callback for that frame.
+-- a list of actions for that
+-- frame. an action is a
+-- method name and its args.
 
 -- effective frame number stops
 -- when freeze count is nonzero
@@ -931,16 +873,20 @@ freeze = 0
 
 eol = {}
 
-function load_level(lvltbl)
+function load_level(levelfile)
  distance = 0
  lframe = 0
  freeze = 0
  current_level = {}
- -- copy the level so we can
- -- modify it dynamically
- -- without losing the original
- for frame, cb in pairs(lvltbl) do
-  current_level[frame] = cb
+ for row in all(csv(levelfile)) do
+  local x = current_level[row[1]]
+  if row[2] == "eol" then
+   assert(x==nil, "events on eol frame")
+   row[1] = eol
+  else
+   add(x, row)
+  end
+  row[1]=x
  end
  leveldone = false
 end
@@ -950,13 +896,16 @@ function level_frame()
  if (current_level == nil) return true
  if freeze == 0 then 
   distance += 1
-  local cb = current_level[distance]
-  if cb ~= nil then
-   if cb == eol then
+  local cbs = current_level[distance]
+  if cbs ~= nil then
+   if cbs == eol then
     current_level = nil
     return true
    else
-    cb()
+    for c in all(cbs) do
+     assert(c[1] == distance)
+     level_events[c[2]](unpack(c.params, 3))
+    end
    end
   end
  end
@@ -965,24 +914,27 @@ end
 -->8
 -- example level
 
-level_parser = parser.new{}
-mknew(level_parser)
-
-function level_parser:parse_level(lvl)
- local ret = {}
-  self:parse_into(lvl, 
-   function(row)
-    if (#row < 2 or type(row[1] ~= "number")) return
-    local idx = row[1]
-    local x = ret[idx] or {}
-    for j=2,#row do
-     add(x, row[j])
-    end
-    ret[idx]=x
-   end)
- return ret
+function std_spawn(tnm, n, blocking, goodie)
+ -- TODO: implement
+ -- look up enemy type from tnm
+ -- spawn n of them at random positions,
+ -- see spawn_rnd_x.
+ -- if blocking, patch the blocking logic in.
+ -- if they drop a goodie, find the goodie,
+ --  then patch the bonus logic in.
 end
 
+-- to implement: repeat(times, interval, f, ...)
+-- once on this frame, then times-1 times after that spaced interval
+-- frames apart, f(...). schedule this like the one-off written in
+-- example_level.
+
+-- then convert sample_level to csv.
+-- spawn_spec_gun_at and spawn_main_gun_at will need parsed forms.
+-- the boss also needs to be reachable, but one-off is fine.
+-- each row of level csv is offset,event,event-args...
+-- where offset,eol is a special case.
+
 function spawn_rnd_x(typ)
  s = typ.new{
   x = rnd(104),