My Experience Integrating Pybotchi with MCP (The Easy Way)

What You'll Need

This project is surprisingly light on components. Here’s what I used:

Hardware:

• An MCP board (I used a Raspberry Pi Pico)
• A 0.96" SSD1306 I2C OLED display
• Three tactile push-buttons
• A breadboard and some jumper wires

Software:

• Thonny IDE (a fantastic, beginner-friendly Python IDE for microcontrollers)
• MicroPython firmware installed on your MCP
• The following MicroPython libraries: pybotchi, ssd1306, and our magic mcp_display_adapter.

Step-by-Step Integration Guide

Alright, let's get our hands dirty. This is where the fun begins!

Step 1: Hardware Setup

The wiring is straightforward. The goal is to connect the screen and buttons to your MCP. Using my Pi Pico as an example:

• OLED Screen: Connect VCC to 3.3V, GND to a GND pin, SCL to GP5, and SDA to GP4.
• Buttons: Connect one leg of each button to a separate GPIO pin (I used GP13, GP14, GP15) and the other leg to a GND pin. We'll use the MCP's internal pull-up resistors, so no extra resistors are needed!

Place your components on the breadboard and use the jumper wires to make the connections. It should only take a few minutes.

Step 2: Install the Libraries

Open Thonny, connect to your MCP, and use the built-in package manager to install the necessary libraries. In Thonny, go to Tools > Manage Packages. Search for and install:

• micropython-ssd1306 (the driver for our screen)
• pybotchi (our pet's brain)
• mcp_display_adapter (our secret weapon for simplification)

This process downloads the files and saves them directly onto your microcontroller's filesystem.

Step 3: The Core Code - Bringing It All Together

Now for the main event. Create a new file in Thonny and name it main.py. This ensures it will run automatically when the board powers on. Here is the complete code, and I'll break it down below.

# Import all the necessary components
import time
from machine import Pin, I2C
from ssd1306 import SSD1306_I2C
from pybotchi import Pybotchi, PetActions
from mcp_display_adapter import DisplayAdapter

# 1. Initialize Hardware
# This is the only low-level hardware setup we need to do
i2c = I2C(0, scl=Pin(5), sda=Pin(4))
oled = SSD1306_I2C(128, 64, i2c)

# 2. Setup the Adapter and Buttons
# The adapter handles all the drawing and input mapping
button_a = Pin(13, Pin.IN, Pin.PULL_UP)
button_b = Pin(14, Pin.IN, Pin.PULL_UP)
button_c = Pin(15, Pin.IN, Pin.PULL_UP)

# Map physical buttons to Pybotchi actions
button_map = {
    button_a: PetActions.FEED,
    button_b: PetActions.PLAY,
    button_c: PetActions.HEAL
}

adapter = DisplayAdapter(oled, button_map)

# 3. Create our Pybotchi Pet
pet = Pybotchi(name="PicoPal")

# 4. The Main Loop
# This is where the magic happens, and look how simple it is!
last_update_time = time.ticks_ms()

while True:
    # Let the adapter handle input polling
    action = adapter.check_for_input()
    
    # If a button was pressed, perform the action
    if action:
        pet.perform_action(action)
    
    # Update the pet's internal state based on time passed
    now = time.ticks_ms()
    if time.ticks_diff(now, last_update_time) > 1000: # Update every second
        pet.update()
        last_update_time = now
    
    # Get the current state and render it to the screen
    display_data = pet.get_display_data()
    adapter.render(display_data)
    
    # A small delay to keep things stable
    time.sleep(0.1)

  

Look how clean that is! The mcp_display_adapter handles the nitty-gritty. Its check_for_input() method deals with debouncing and returns a clear action like PetActions.FEED. Its render() method takes the simple dictionary from pet.get_display_data() and knows how to draw the stats and the pet's current animation frame on the OLED screen.

Step 4: Run the Code

Save the file to your MCP as main.py. Press the reset button on your board or use the Run command in Thonny. Your OLED screen should flicker to life, and you'll see your new pet, "PicoPal," waiting for you! Press the buttons you wired up to feed, play with, and care for your digital companion.

Why This Method Is a Game-Changer

This adapter-based approach fundamentally changes the development experience.

• Focus on Fun: Instead of wrestling with I2C protocols or bitmapping fonts, I spent my time inside the Pybotchi library, designing my pet's personality and animations. That’s the creative part!
• Modularity: If I want to switch to a different screen or use a joystick instead of buttons, I only need to change a few lines in the hardware setup. The core logic in the main loop remains untouched.
• Readability: The main loop is now declarative. It clearly states its purpose: check for input, update the pet, and draw the result. It's easy for anyone (including my future self) to understand.

Conclusion

What started as a potentially complex integration project turned into a fun and rewarding weekend build. By using a simple adapter to bridge the gap between the application logic (Pybotchi) and the hardware (MCP), I was able to build a fully functional digital pet far faster than I ever thought possible.

So if you've been hesitant to start a project that mixes pure Python logic with real-world hardware, I hope this shows you there's an easier way. Grab a microcontroller, a screen, and give it a shot. The world needs more delightful little gadgets.

What will you build with Pybotchi? Let me know in the comments below!