What Are the Hundred Rabbits Tools Like Orca, Left, and Dotgrid Used For?

Hundred Rabbits publishes its tools as part of an artist collective that documents low-tech solutions aboard a 10 m sailboat named Pino. On its itch.io page, the tools are grouped under a Tools heading, and each one targets a specific creative or programming job: Orca is a livecoding environment, Left is a text editor, Nasu is a spritesheet editor, Noodle is a sketch tool, Dotgrid is a vector tool, and Ronin is a graphic design tool. The page also lists Pilot, a small synthesizer for Orca and Marabu, and notes that Noodle runs in the browser.

The tools at a glance

Orca and Pilot: livecoding and sound

Orca is described as the livecoding environment, and Pilot is a small synthesizer made for Orca and Marabu. If your task is generating patterns or sound through code rather than drawing by hand, this pair is the relevant starting point. The page does not spell out a full workflow, so treat Orca as the coding surface and Pilot as the companion synth when you plan a session.

Left, Nasu, and Noodle: writing, sprites, and sketching

Left is the text editor, Nasu handles spritesheets, and Noodle is a sketch tool that runs in the browser. These cover three common production steps: drafting text, preparing sprite sheets for animation, and quick freehand sketching. Because Noodle runs in the browser, it is the easiest of the three to try without installing anything, based on the page's own labeling.

Dotgrid and Ronin: vector and graphic design

Dotgrid is the vector tool and Ronin is the graphic design tool. Use Dotgrid when the work is vector-based, and Ronin when the task is broader graphic design. The page lists both under Tools without further feature detail, so check each tool's own page before committing a project to it.

How to decide which tool to open first

1. Identify the output. Code or sound patterns point to Orca (with Pilot); text points to Left; sprite sheets point to Nasu; freehand sketches point to Noodle; vectors point to Dotgrid; general graphic design points to Ronin.
2. Check the run method. The page explicitly says Noodle runs in the browser. For the others, confirm how they run on their individual listings before planning around them.
3. Match the collective's context. Hundred Rabbits frames its work as low-tech solutions for a more resilient future, so expect lean, focused tools rather than large suites.

A practical example: if you need a quick concept sketch before building a sprite sheet, start in Noodle in the browser, then move the idea into Nasu for the spritesheet itself.

What the page does not tell you

The itch.io listing gives names and one-line roles but not pricing, system requirements, or download formats for each tool. Those details are not stated on the page, so verify them on each tool's own listing before you rely on a specific platform or cost assumption.