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Solitare card games for the Lynx


karri

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I was thinking a little about the colors to use. As green/red stuff poses problems for color blind people I changed the background to blue. Would this be ok?

 

Actually I like this second card deck best. The others with the LYNX text and Fuji get completely covered during play and do not work well.

 

Karri

Hi Karri,

 

Ooo, I like the blue! Though the green background is reminiscent of the old ST desktop color, I always changed mine to blue...that shade of blue, actually. Interesting.

 

Both decks look good in blue, but yes, I think I like the second one a little better as well.

 

Cheers,

Smeg

Edited by Atari Smeghead
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I like the blue better. The green reminded me of Microsoft's version of Solitaire. Don't know if that's a good or bad thing, though. Just a question: I'm planning on getting this game if it doesn't cost a whole lot. I know Lynx homebrew games are higher in price, and just wanted to know if you know the cost yet or not. It's coming out in October, right?

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I'll try this out on actual hardware later this evening.

But thus far, the Blue is much much better. At least to me it is. Is it possible to make the background selectable upon playing?

 

More Game suggestions and ideas (please keep in mind this is all just brainstorming)

In the blank spots where you place the Aces on the top in Klondike: It seems like a bit of wasted space there. It could be juiced up a notch. Maybe it can have a pixel character from some other Lynx game in each of the squares. Or even something as a simple Lynx logo... or fuji symbol.

 

Here's a small idea (probably huge being that I don't know how to program....) What if you get a plain jane board for the first few games. If you beat Klondike say 5 times, you get a Themed version of Klondike. A Lynx Theme (where the card back s show the Lynx logo. The table can have a small banner that says LYNX and then use Lynx logos in the Ace hole area. After 10 wins, perhaps you can have a Guantlet themed table. 4 symbols or characters from Guantlet. Perhaps the deck of cards could have something on the back that represents that game. You could do it with the Batman game as well... and many many others. After beating Guantlet theme you get a Batman Theme, after 10 times of that... you get to unlock other mystery themes. If worried about possible copywright issues, you could always just make a general refrence and change up the characters or something. I'd be interested in trying to come up with a set of cards for you if I can figure out how to do it.

Maybe one time you don't unlock a theme, but you get access to a hidden game somewhere. Small type arcade games like Space invaders, pong, a mini pacman game. The possibilities are endless! But I think each time you unlock something there should be a pop-up or something to tell you what you did! Think of it like the cards that pop-up in Lynxopoly. Some of them are even animated.

 

Possible awards: you talked about earning coins for the jukebox and then paying for songs that way. I think that is brilliant.

Perhaps you can do the same with certain games (if you beat this game so many times, you get your themes unlocked, plus as the grand prize you get a virtual Lynx Prototype game. The Prototype games could be like Platnium trophies on the PS3. Something you keep striving for. If you do like PS3 achievements, I'd say have fun with the titles of the achievements (like Brass Balls in Bioshock, etc). You could also make it to where you can unlock "You have won INSERT GAME NAME HERE cart for the Atari Lynx". Maybe your high score tracking could be an Atari Lynx Game list checkoff. You can include a virtual list of all lynx games with perhaps a picture of the box. And you get a check mark for each one you unlock with the entire goal to collect all Lynx games!

 

I have lots of great ideas. I just don't know how feasable they are being that I can't program (yet). I just know what seems like fun ideas and stuff that will keep me coming back for more (for example: Alpine Games kept me coming back for more because of the World Records).

Can you imagine having a Lynx game with say 30 random achievements... 4 or 5 unlockable themes... 125+ lynx games that you have to collect (reminds me a bit of Pokemon)... 5 or more songs to unlock on the jukebox.... and then who knows... perhaps you can make a special run of 5 carts or so. The first 5 people to unlock all items and all songs, and collect all virtual Lynx games get 1 of the special carts for their collection. Make it eligible for only those who buy an actual cart release (not available to Handy players)

 

I think that type of game will light a fire into the Lynx community. I was thinking of implementing some of those ideas onto my Dark Tower game if I ever figured out how to program.

 

 

Note on something I noticed on the last release (as I have not checked out this one yet): If you have a King, Queen or Jack in the bottom right hand corner (the last row... while playing Klondike) the K for the King was distorted. It almost looks like half of it is erased or gone.

 

Also, is it possible to maybe add a sound effect to the play field. What I mean by that: If you try to make an illegal move it honks or bleeps at you. If you have a card move to the ace hole (the top foor slots) it makes a small chime or something. That may be a bit much, but who knows.

 

There... I'll shut up now. LOL

You do have another writer here that may be ale to help out as well. I write fiction as well. (although my board posts may not represent me that well, I can actually clean up my writing and sound halfway decent. What I do here is basically my chance to just 'talk out loud'. That's why I like AA and don't really care about bothering to spellcheck or use proper sentance structure. LOL)

 

Talk at you later....

Edited by EricDeLee
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I like the blue better. The green reminded me of Microsoft's version of Solitaire. Don't know if that's a good or bad thing, though. Just a question: I'm planning on getting this game if it doesn't cost a whole lot. I know Lynx homebrew games are higher in price, and just wanted to know if you know the cost yet or not. It's coming out in October, right?

 

He already mentioned it would be on par with the cost of Yastuna...

So that means fairly cheap. Also he mentioned that it would possibly be available for free as well to use on the Lynx Flashcard.

 

 

Karri: The second card deck is better looking than the first from what I can see. I forgot to mention that in my brainstorming up there.

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Any volunteers for the box design?

 

Why not create a great box design and I add your name in the credits of this solitare game :D

 

I could work on something like that. Not sure how good I can be at it, but can give it a try.

Are there templates out there for this type of thing (Lynx boxes)?

Would you release it in a cardboard type box... or one of the cases that Lynxopoly came in?

 

Anyone out there have a general format for this type of thing?

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You do have another writer here that may be ale to help out as well. I write fiction as well. (although my board posts may not represent me that well, I can actually clean up my writing and sound halfway decent. What I do here is basically my chance to just 'talk out loud'. That's why I like AA and don't really care about bothering to spellcheck or use proper sentance structure. LOL)

 

Talk at you later....

 

Say Eric,

 

I've already written up the rules for the three games, but I haven't had the time to start working on the Lynx 20th anniversary part, so if you wanted to write that, feel free.

 

My thoughts on it... It would be a basic history lesson (perhaps with some personal thoughts/anecdotes), probably mentioning how many new games and accessories have come out since the Lynx "died."

 

Let me know if you want to tackle that. Otherwise, I'll get to it myself. But I don't mind sharing the fun!

 

Cheers,

Smeg

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Here is the latest version. Now the blue background rules. I also fixed the rules in spider. And the show-card feature by pressing B-button works for all games.

 

solitaire_2009_07_30.zip

 

I believe that playability and bugs should be fixed first. Once the basic gameplay is there we can start with eye candy, music and special effects.

 

So we have approximately one month time to find the bugs and fix them.

--

Karri

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I've never played Spider, but I will look up the rules and give it a try. Same thing with Freecell.

Klondike, I will play and play and play....

I'll see what pops up for you.

 

I have never played spider myself. I just coded it. Unfortunately Spider is not playable yet. There is a bug that crashes the game when a set is complete.

 

One problem with making a cart like this is that I only test 3 or four turns to see if it works at all. Most of my time goes into writing the still missing functions. I have not finished a single game yet.

 

--

Karri

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Sounds good to me, I'm a little red/green color blind myself but the original graphics seemed fine on a computer screen, don't know on a real lynx though

 

The cards turned out great on a real Lynx also. Thanks for the great design.

 

--

Karri

Edited by karri
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I hope that spider is playable now in this release.

 

I also fixed a bug in Freecell that required you to place a King on an empty store.

 

solitaire_2009_07_31.zip

 

Known bugs:

- old card images are not cleared from empty piles properly.

 

Games should not crash in this release. And all rules should be ok.

 

--

Karri

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Okay, I realize this is a bit corny, but while trying to type the word Solitaire, I mistyped it, and got to thinking...

 

A possible name for this collection: Solitari (or Soli-tari / Solatari / Sol-atari) ? Huh huh? :D

Cheers,

Smeg

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Karri,

 

One thing I'm curious about... how many decks of cards do you use for Spider? Specifically, is there any sort of routine programmed in so the cards being used are accurate? Does it know which cards have been used and makes sure it doesn't duplicate?

 

Reason I ask is, normally I'm a pretty good Spider player. On the one suit (easy) mode, I have been averaging around 83% success rate, out of over 350 games, on the Windows version. Some of that can be attributed to the UNDO option, but even without it, I'm sure I could clear 50% easily enough. (I'd never win the two-suit medium mode without UNDO, and as it is, I am around 20%.)

 

But on your version, I have yet to win in easy... heck, if I clear out 1-2 stacks, I feel I accomplished something.

 

***Never mind! Moments ago, I beat the game for the first time!***

 

Also, on a semi-related subject, what's the possibility of an UNDO feature? :D

 

Cheers,

Smeg

Edited by Atari Smeghead
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One thing I'm curious about... how many decks of cards do you use for Spider? Specifically, is there any sort of routine programmed in so the cards being used are accurate? Does it know which cards have been used and makes sure it doesn't duplicate?

 

The number of decks depend on the difficulty.

 

Easy = 8 decks

Medium = 4 decks

Hard = 2 decks

 

The number of cards is always 104.

 

Reason I ask is, normally I'm a pretty good Spider player. On the oue suit (easy) mode, I have been averaging around 83% success rate, out of over 350 games, on the Windows version. Some of that can be attributed to the UNDO option, but even without it, I'm sure I could clear 50% easily enough. (I'd never win the two-suit medium mode without UNDO, and as it is, I am around 20%.)

 

But on your version, I have yet to win in easy... heck, if I clear out 1-2 stacks, I feel I accomplished something.

 

Ouch. Then there must be a problem somewhere.

I program in a cheat mode here

solitaire_2009_07_31.zip

that allows all movement of cards. Then you could go through the decks to see that all cards are there.

Press Opt1+Opt2 in Spider to toggle the cheat.

 

Also, on a semi-related subject, what's the possibility of an UNDO feature? :D

 

Not really. Undo eats too much memory.

 

--

Karri

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Wow Karri, you're fast on the draw! I edited my original post, but since you're already replied, I'll say it here...

 

***Never mind! Moments ago, I beat the game for the first time!***

 

So, on easy mode, the cards are correct. I think my problem might've been since I can't easily see all the cards at once, I might've been placing cards in the closest matching location, instead of using strategy. Or really, maybe I do use UNDO too much. :D

 

Yours not having UNDO won't be a problem. It'll make it that much more challenging.

 

Cheers,

Smeg

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Wow Karri, you're fast on the draw! I edited my original post, but since you're already replied, I'll say it here...

 

***Never mind! Moments ago, I beat the game for the first time!***

 

So, on easy mode, the cards are correct. I think my problem might've been since I can't easily see all the cards at once, I might've been placing cards in the closest matching location, instead of using strategy. Or really, maybe I do use UNDO too much. :D

 

Yours not having UNDO won't be a problem. It'll make it that much more challenging.

 

Cheers,

Smeg

 

Scary.

 

Is it possible to beat Spider with 4 suits at all? Perhaps that hi-score list will be empty :(

 

--

Karri

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[HS]

OK, I looked it up and apparently Yatsuna volume 2 was about $30, am I right? If this turns out to be $30, I want a copy.

In fact, Yastuna are freewares, distributed as ROM files for Handy.

But you can play them on real Lynx via a Flashcard, or build yourself a cartridge if you have technical knowledge, or buy a cartridge to someone else who have technical knowledge (there is no restriction in license to manufacture and sell games, only to keep binary unchanged, and licence text distributed - you can read more and get binaries on my web pages).

It's hard to give you a price, because, it depends on who made the cartridge, the packaging... but you can find high quality PCB, with great packaging for less than 20 euros.

[/HS]

 

I hope I may be able to find some spare time next week to give Solitare a try...

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Todays solitaire fixed these things:

- check for enough free cells to place cards.

- fixed some stupid bug in spider that I cannot remember

- erase background stuff

- add timer functionality to all games (no gui yet) but pause should work

- refresh screen by pressing B (it is also re-deal)

- fixed automove card to target algorithm for klondike and freecell. I finally understand the complaint about it a dozen messages ago. Now it is fixed!!!

 

solitaire_2009_08_01.zip

 

--

Regards,

 

Karri

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A couple things I noticed playing today while watching the Tigers (I mean Rodney) blow a save...

 

In Klondike, When all the cards in the draw pile are played (and the pile should be empty), there is still a facedown card showing, even though it can't be flipped. (Might be the same for Klondike draw three)

 

In Spider Easy, are you planning on making a completed suit automatically "go away?" As it is now, having to run all the way up the pile, one card at a time, then moving it is a bit of a pain.

Also, when the completed suit is "laid to rest," are you eventually going to have it show as one card, instead of the whole pile that the system needs to redraw each turn? When ya get near the end of the game, it takes a long time to get to the next play.

 

It's looking better all the time!

 

Cheers,

Smeg

 

PS - In regard to whether anyone ever beats Spider on Hard (with all four suits), I did some Internet research. While most people have never beaten it, there are people (a few, anyway) to claim to have... some say once, a couple folks have said they win 20%, and one guy had something ridiculous like 50% completion rate. I do not believe it. As for me, I'm going to play a few games a day until I beat it once. So far, I'm 0-9.

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I was playing Klondike draw 1 and the screen kinda looked weird when I put a whole bunch of cards on top of one. Take a look:

 

I fixed several display issues. The Lynx cart interface is not fast enough. In this case I have to make a choice between speed and visual quality. Once I know how much the final code will take place I can speed it up a little by a cache mechanism. But tuning the cache takes time so I postpone it until the game plays correctly.

 

Perhaps this approach is still fast enough.

solitaire_2009_08_03.zip

 

--

Karri

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