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Nonogram - game released


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I like this thread/game concept. Thanks for taking the time to program it!

 

Thanks for the feedback, Jim. I guess you still haven't found the source code for Parsec ? :cool:

 

This update has the last numbers calculated (the ones on top). So you can actually now sort of start playing the game. Try and guess the pattern (see post #1 for link to game rules/solution techniques) even though nothing happens when you've got the right solution. Next up will be the "check solution" and ... "advance to next puzzle". Guess something has to happen when you've solved the puzzle, like at least showing the name of the puzzle before advancing ...

 

:)

Edited by sometimes99er
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The 0.11 version does not have the markers... Also, how do you try the 22 puzzles? Come on, come on, hurry up! :-)

Hehe, this version has markers and all 23 puzzles available (might crash beyond that). When you have the right solution, it moves on to the next puzzle in a blink of an eye. I have to display the name of the puzzle and let you enjoy the image/pattern for a while. Thinking about having some sort of animation - like "well done" dancing around ...

 

:)

Edited by sometimes99er
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Cool. Actually, just a user controlled "Next" button or something would be fine. Also, it might be fun to have names for the puzzles instead of just numbers. Finally, is there any way to start at a particular puzzle? I would like to do them all, but don't necessarily have the time to complete them all in a single sitting.

 

It has been pretty fun so far. Twice I thought one of the puzzles was wrong, but I found *my* error. :-) Good work!

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Cool. Actually, just a user controlled "Next" button or something would be fine. Also, it might be fun to have names for the puzzles instead of just numbers.

 

It has been pretty fun so far. Twice I thought one of the puzzles was wrong, but I found *my* error. :-) Good work!

Thanks. Name of puzzle will be displayed when solved. A next button is being added.

 

Finally, is there any way to start at a particular puzzle? I would like to do them all, but don't necessarily have the time to complete them all in a single sitting.

That was originally the plan. The name of a solved puzzle would then be the password for entering the game immediately thereafter.

 

Up until now I'm not using console ROM, GROM or interrupts (turned off immediately, but off course I'm reading the VDP status). Several years ago I did both custom keyboard read and input routine for some demos of mine. I'll take a look at those and see how compact it is compared with the Mini Memory examples (in manual).

 

Presently we're at 3,658 bytes, so it should still all fit well in the 8K cart format.

 

:)

Edited by sometimes99er
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So the Rainy Day Game Contest (RDGC) has been extended to September 1st. This is good. Half an hour of development here and there should do fine.

I've experimented with quite a few palettes, and have finally settled with the palette as is (ignoring the recent update to colors in Classic99). That's light yellow as background, text is black, board is grey, cells taken are dark green and tube fluid is dark red. No changes to miniature board, which is black on white, and cursor is still flashing using black, grey and white.

This update displays the name of a puzzle - when it's solved. Also a message is displayed instructing you to press N to go to the next puzzle. Cursor movements and other actions are disabled while waiting for you to press N.

There's 23 puzzles to be solved, and things go a little crazy beyond that. The names become strange and puzzles are sometimes very hard to solve (you have to guess and the puzzle might have more than one solution, though only one solution will be the right one). The final version will have a complete new set of puzzles, hopefully 40 or more to solve. I'll arrange them nicely going from the easier ones to the more hard.

I'm thinking about an intro for the game. Maybe even something about the RDGC. Then perhaps a button (key) for clearing a puzzle (to start all over). A button for pausing the puzzle (screen or board will go blank or something, and tube fluid will of course stop descending). When the fluid runs out, I guess I just freeze the game, display a message and wait for press of a key. The test tube should have sound and colors somehow. I don't know about soundeffects for the cursor, think I will concentrate on a piece of music instead. Guess you should be able to mute music and still have the tube warning (whatever drives you insane first). Ah, and then I shouldn't forget about the password system ...#39;s 23 puzzles to be solved, and things go a little crazy beyond that. The names become strange and puzzles are sometimes very hard to solve (you have to guess and the puzzle might have more than one solution, though only one solution will be the right one). The final version will have a complete new set of puzzles, hopefully 40 or more to solve. I

:)

Edited by sometimes99er
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Is the final game going to be timed (via the tube on the right)? I think that would freak me out. :-) I think of this more of a puzzle game rather than an action game.

 

I like the addition of the puzzle name and the pause when the puzzle is complete, very nice! Is there a way to continue from your last puzzle yet? I got a little further than last time (and I wrote them down), so I'm anxious to continue! :-)

 

Music would be good too, but not necessary, and a mute would be good too if you include music.

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I've experimented with quite a few palettes, and have finally settled with the palette as is (ignoring the recent update to colors in Classic99).

 

Good plan, the palette is going to be reverted. ;) My artist was willing, but I didn't have any tools that worked in the color space she was familiar with. She did at least confirm the new palette is way off too, so we might as well stick with the original for now. ;)

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  • 1 month later...

So the RDGC has been extended to October 3rd, 2011. Good. icon_thumbsup.gif

Got some good and fun mockups from UnderExtended. icon_thumbsup.gif

 


I had been looking at Intellivision screenshots (at http://www.vgmuseum.com/intellivision.htm),and Mind Strike caught my eye as looking somewhat like a Nonogram type game. So I tried its style (and beyond) on your Nonogram.

 

0383.gif

 

There's some nice ideas, but basically I've tried to go for a simple look and feel, and have attention on the game itself. That's probably why I've also struggled with the colors, to get good contrast.

The checkerboard with two different base cell colors looks nice, but I think it will distract while playing.

The 3D effects on board and numbers actually looks quite cool. Maybe even more so when adding stars in the background. Again I would have to play with them colors again. Arghhh ...

Nice touch having other items scattered like a meteor, spaceships and a relaxing alien - hehehe, at first I thought there were something wrong with that ship.

Thanks for the feedback !

icon_smile.gif

Edited by sometimes99er
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The 3D effects on board and numbers actually looks quite cool. Maybe even more so when adding stars in the background. Again I would have to play with them colors again. Arghhh ...

 

Nice touch having other items scattered like a meteor, spaceships and a relaxing alien - hehehe, at first I thought there were something wrong with that ship.

Go for it! We are vision oriented mammals afterall :D

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Thanks for the nice comments, and the shout out! :)

 

The animated GIF is cool. It shows the mockups in the order that I made them (notice with the last one I quit trying different colors and went back to your original ones). Also, the one with the blue background was my first attempt, and it wasn't turning out that great, so that's why it's not finished.

 

I knew you want to keep the look of the game minimal, but I couldn't resist having a little fun. ;-) Maybe you could make the minimal version for the contest, and then if you feel like it, make the space version.

 

The flashing cursor effect is really cool, but since you were wondering (a while back in the thread) about just keeping it white, would it be too much trouble to make the flash so it can be turned on/off? Another thought would be to have it only flash when the timer begins its warning.

 

Choosing colors drives me crazy too. What about having a default color setting, and then the player can cycle through available colors with the keys, if they want to? Like cycle through background tile color of the board with one key, and cycle through foreground tile colors of the board with another key, etc.

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The animated GIF is cool. It shows the mockups in the order that I made them (notice with the last one I quit trying different colors and went back to your original ones). Also, the one with the blue background was my first attempt, and it wasn't turning out that great, so that's why it's not finished.

Since your files had a timestamp, I took care in ordering them. Thought you'd never notice, let alone mention it. Also guessed that the order might see a glimpse of "creativity unfolding".

 

I knew you want to keep the look of the game minimal, but I couldn't resist having a little fun. ;-) Maybe you could make the minimal version for the contest, and then if you feel like it, make the space version.

I can only encourage having fun (of course without deliberately hurting other people), I think it's healthy, and I appreciate your input very much.

 

Well, I think the idea with the rainy day contest was games with a bit more depth, maybe even opposed to length. Instead of a bit of action, and often seen rather repetitive, I thought Nonogram might be something I could do, quick and dirty, yet slick - and hence minimal. The depth might be a bit of increasing difficulty, the puzzles getting harder, and maybe doing something with that timer/testtube.

 

The flashing cursor effect is really cool, but since you were wondering (a while back in the thread) about just keeping it white, would it be too much trouble to make the flash so it can be turned on/off? Another thought would be to have it only flash when the timer begins its warning.

 

Choosing colors drives me crazy too. What about having a default color setting, and then the player can cycle through available colors with the keys, if they want to? Like cycle through background tile color of the board with one key, and cycle through foreground tile colors of the board with another key, etc.

Oh man, I've had such a hard time with the colors. I wanted the game to be easily playable, the numbers, everything, should have a good clean contrast. That's why I simply had to make the cursor flash. I like it, but sure, I guess an option screen (instead of all those secret keys) with a few settings would be a nice twist.

 

And thank you for your input.

 

:)

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  • 2 weeks later...

I think the eyes logo version is the way to go. I could loose the eyes (in the new logo) and still have a more comic and more slick overall appearance of the game. It's going to eat a chunk of the 8K, but I think I'll be much more happy with it. The eyes are a bit apart, but I think it's alright.

Yeah, the eyes could roll, maybe look down on the board and then look at you from time to time. My initial thought was to exploit the 4 sprite limit. The letters O would be all black and filled. On top sprites with the white eyeball stuff. Then 4 sprites, higher priority, maybe not transparent color, but background yellow color, comes down, you won't see them, and make the eyes blink - gradually removing the white.

nonogram0035.gif

I could also just animate the white sprites, and then have more freedom in the design of the eyelid pixel animation. Phew, maybe it's best with the eyes rolling etc. That would basically be letters O all black and filled. White sprites, low priority, and black pupil sprites on top - just meeting the 4 sprite limit.

icon_smile.gif

Edited by sometimes99er
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Here's trying out some rollin' eyes.

nonogram0036.gif

Maybe it could stare at you, and then look down on the board from time to time. When time is running out, it could start rollin' its eyes. I'll drop the blinking completely. A lot of "older" cartoons (stop motion) didn't have blinking, so I guess it won't be that "unnatural".

icon_smile.gif

Edited by sometimes99er
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Here's trying out some rollin' eyes.

Maybe it could stare at you, and then look down on the board from time to time. When time is running out, it could start rollin' its eyes. I'll drop the blinking completely. A lot of "older" cartoons (stop motion) didn't have blinking, so I guess it won't be that "unnatural".

 

Really great effects ;)

in true i like a lot the old style graphics for the name of the program, anyway this is very funny...

i'm imaging if you could alternate the effects as a random movements... rollin' eyes, close one only eye, close two eyes two times fast, and one time only... ecc...

alse your idea to look down the board is very funny ;)

 

have you tried to insert the two animated eyes in the old style name ?

Edited by ti99userclub
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