I read online that default Lua doesn't have bitwise commands (and, or, xor), but I'm wondering if the version that used in TPT has the optional expansion pack I read about that DOES have bitwise ops? Please let me know. Something I'd like to make would be a LOT easier if it had bitwise ops.

I'd have some uses for generating some very interesting patterns using for loops, and bitwise operations to control the paticles created in a grid pattern using the current x and y coordinates.

TPT has standard Lua only.
Read here for some ways to implement bitwise ops in Lua using addon packages to Lua.
http://lua-users.org/wiki/BitwiseOperators

Please consider implementing these Lua addons in TPT.