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Work in Progress / Hextris

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Diggsey
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Posted: 6th Aug 2012 22:20 Edited at: 14th Aug 2012 04:55
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Here's a game based off an idea I had for a hexagonal version of tetris. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be an original idea, but oh well

Also, apologies for the repetitive music, I'll fix that at some point...

edit:
Updated to include special blocks in later levels.

edit:
Updated to remove music and added a few sound effects instead. Also changed to windowed mode and added 'r' key to reset.

edit:
UPDATE - The game is now available on android!
Free (with ads): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.ac.cam.djjb2.hextrisfree
Paid: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.ac.cam.djjb2.hextris

Gameplay video courtesy of Virtual Nomad:








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Sergey K
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Posted: 6th Aug 2012 22:25
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looks pretty original to me.
i think ppl who do play tetris, they might rly like that one.

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TheComet
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Posted: 6th Aug 2012 23:30
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This is great! I like how you are still able to slide in pieces into areas that would seem closed. Was it hard to program? Is it grid based?

TheComet

Your mod has been erased by a signature, please reduce him [overall] to no larger than 120 kg please.
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Diggsey
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Posted: 7th Aug 2012 00:14 Edited at: 7th Aug 2012 00:17
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Well I started writing it yesterday evening, so I wouldn't say it was that hard to program The whole thing (with two new special block types since the uploaded version) is only 671 lines, of which 85 are data statements.

It uses a 2d array where hexagons at the same Y position occupy array elements in the same row. This means every second row is shifted to the right by half a hexagon, and that the game board is a 5x30 array.

Individual pieces are stored in the same way in smaller 3x9 arrays, and are then blitted onto the game board when they settle.

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haliop
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Posted: 7th Aug 2012 16:22
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looks awesome. really nice.



[URL] http://forum.thegamecreators.com/?m=forum_view&t=198467&b=22 [/URL]
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Diggsey
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Posted: 7th Aug 2012 17:02
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Let me know what scores you get, currently my high-score is 20,108 and I reached level 8.

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Virtual Nomad
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Posted: 9th Aug 2012 02:57 Edited at: 9th Aug 2012 02:57
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lvl 2 seemed very tough compared to the first. it may have been the music getting to me... but, i did score about 2,800 the first time through.

my eyes started crossing while playing; it's "not right" to my mind (as simple as it is ).

scrap the music and add 2-3 simple sound effects, i say. and, enable the escape key while you're at it?

thanks for sharing.

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3d point in space
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Posted: 9th Aug 2012 04:53
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Music is annoying, but the game is good. I cant even get to lvl 2.

Developer of Space Chips, pianobasic, zipzapzoom, and vet pinball apps. Developed the tiled map engine seen on the showcase. Veteran for the military.
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Diggsey
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Posted: 10th Aug 2012 02:54
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Quote: "my eyes started crossing while playing; it's "not right" to my mind (as simple as it is )."


I know what you mean, I felt like that when I first played it, but after playing it a few times it feels as natural as playing normal tetris. I quite like it this way because it means there's a reward to playing - you can very easily tell that you've improved.

Quote: "scrap the music and add 2-3 simple sound effects, i say. and, enable the escape key while you're at it?"

Yeah, just have to find some decent sound effects... Also, the escape key is already enabled.

Quote: "Music is annoying, but the game is good. I cant even get to lvl 2."


Thanks, keep trying

I've almost finished porting this to android, I currently have it running on a phone and a tablet

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Virtual Nomad
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Posted: 10th Aug 2012 03:52 Edited at: 10th Aug 2012 03:54
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hmmm. well, questions:

are you disabling system keys because ESC and PRT SCR are not working? (specs in sig if you can think of anything)

i wanted to send a screen shot of lone hexes "floating" (not connected to anything on any side) while i expected them to settle down until they do. i haven't played a tetris-esque game in some time but i'm remembering (wanting) a "settling" behavior as common-place.

now second time through and i can't get past the first level... in the final product, will you include some "next piece" logic that recognizes when the player is in a jam with little hope of escaping if a certain piece doesn't arrive soon? given the odd "shapes", it's easy to get into said jam quickly, making any continued gameplay futile.

it's one of those imperfect games where the player needs some kinda cheat/help to extend play. ie, maybe a "single hex" freebie offered every 500 points or something to help get past the "imperfection"? and, a wider play-area would be nice as a "novice" setting?

i'm sure you've seen it around before but here's SFXR, a free SFX maker that i'm sure you could use to produce appropriate SFX for hextris.
online version here.

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Diggsey
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Posted: 10th Aug 2012 06:27
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Quote: "are you disabling system keys because ESC and PRT SCR are not working? (specs in sig if you can think of anything)"


Nope, nothing like that, there is no code at all which does anything like that.

Quote: "i wanted to send a screen shot of lone hexes "floating" (not connected to anything on any side) while i expected them to settle down until they do. i haven't played a tetris-esque game in some time but i'm remembering (wanting) a "settling" behavior as common-place."


There are a few variations of tetris which have this feature, but the standard ones don't, and I decided I preferred not to have it.

Quote: "now second time through and i can't get past the first level... in the final product, will you include some "next piece" logic that recognizes when the player is in a jam with little hope of escaping if a certain piece doesn't arrive soon? given the odd "shapes", it's easy to get into said jam quickly, making any continued gameplay futile."


Maybe I will do an easy mode which picks pieces for specific targets, but really it's quite rare that a piece cannot be placed anywhere, it's just not always very easy to see because we don't normally have the same spatial awareness for hexagons as we do squares.

Quote: "it's one of those imperfect games where the player needs some kinda cheat/help to extend play. ie, maybe a "single hex" freebie offered every 500 points or something to help get past the "imperfection"? and, a wider play-area would be nice as a "novice" setting?"


Levels 3 and 5 introduce special single hexagons which do special things, which help counter the speeding up of the game.

Quote: "i'm sure you've seen it around before but here's SFXR, a free SFX maker that i'm sure you could use to produce appropriate SFX for hextris.
online version here."


Thanks, I'd forgotten about that.

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Virtual Nomad
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Posted: 11th Aug 2012 00:23 Edited at: 11th Aug 2012 01:20
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Quote: "are you disabling system keys...?"

accidentally coming across this thread fixed my "disabled" ESC issue. (had cs2 open; once closed = )

Quote: "special single hexagons"

i consistently reach lvl 3 now but struggling to understand the usefulness of the single, magical hex (i'll figure it out).

meant to ask/comment on earlier: Hextris™ runs in full screen mode but actual game play takes place in the top-left quadrant? plans on window mode or using the fullscreen differently in the future? curious as the screen shots you've provided don't represent either (and, i want a window so i can use the snipping tool now that i can't have CS open while i play).

feature request: R = (immediate) Restart.

feature work-around: i've replaced the themeA.mp3 with Dio's "The Last In Line" = my ears are happy to hear the game music over and over now

edit: officially Hexed, now. 190 & counting (swiss cheese strategy™ in effect):



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Diggsey
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Posted: 11th Aug 2012 04:29
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Quote: "i consistently reach lvl 3 now but struggling to understand the usefulness of the single, magical hex (i'll figure it out)."


Cool

Spoilers for the special pieces:
Level 3


Level 5


Quote: "meant to ask/comment on earlier: Hextris™ runs in full screen mode but actual game play takes place in the top-left quadrant? plans on window mode or using the fullscreen differently in the future? curious as the screen shots you've provided don't represent either (and, i want a window so i can use the snipping tool now that i can't have CS open while i play)."


This was meant mainly as a prototype for the android version, which I've been busy with, but I'll get around to it at some point.

Quote: "feature request: R = (immediate) Restart. "

Will do

Quote: "feature work-around: i've replaced the themeA.mp3 with Dio's "The Last In Line" = my ears are happy to hear the game music over and over now"


If you have any suggestions for music that I can freely distribute which would go well with the game, I'll use that.

Quote: "edit: officially Hexed, now. 190 & counting (swiss cheese strategy™ in effect):"


Excellent - my plan to make everybody think in hexagons is working!

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Virtual Nomad
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Posted: 11th Aug 2012 10:26
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it's working... and, it's a shame when i pull into the driveway thinking, "i wonder if i can get to lvl 5 before i start on my chores".

on music, nothing to offer but a notion i've had since early myspace days: there's so much good music out there; i think a bit of searching for appropriate music followed by a "hey, i've made a game and i'd like you to be on the soundtrack, with credits, of course" email should produce an agreement + solid music for any game. otherwise, i'll listen around and forward a link to anything with potential.

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Diggsey
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Posted: 11th Aug 2012 18:44
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I've uploaded a new version with the changes suggested.

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Virtual Nomad
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Posted: 11th Aug 2012 23:15 Edited at: 11th Aug 2012 23:15
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diggsey, i know you're thorough and plan your work so, before i continue to suggest too much, what do you have in the works for this? ie, do i need to suggest:

P = Pause

level 3 checked to not begin with the empowered hex? (happened once so far)

or





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Diggsey
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Posted: 12th Aug 2012 00:47
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I'm not going to have a pause option, because especially for a PC version it makes it too easy to cheat. The android version already pauses when you bring up the options or switch to another activity, but only when you can no longer see the board.

I've added more sound effects (still need "next level" and "game over" sounds) and the android version has a main menu, settings, high scores.

The last thing I do before doing a first release of the android version will be adding an easy mode. I'm saving anything else until later or I'll never finish

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Virtual Nomad
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Posted: 12th Aug 2012 02:28
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atleast a "ready" prompt between levels, then!

meanwhile, i uploaded a snippet of gameplay footage as i feel the need to share this with everyone



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Diggsey
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Posted: 12th Aug 2012 04:38 Edited at: 12th Aug 2012 04:39
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Wow, thanks Adding video to first post...

Just finished adding easy mode on android, just need those new sound effects now and I can release it! It only chooses blocks which could potentially fit (although since it chooses ahead of time the board may change), and also is more likely to choose the simpler blocks.

Possibly I will only do the probability change for easy mode on the PC since it was a lot of effort to calculate which blocks can fit and it didn't seem to be that effective at making it easier...

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Virtual Nomad
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Posted: 14th Aug 2012 03:56 Edited at: 14th Aug 2012 03:56
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haven't been able to get past this, yet:


was hoping for a new special piece at level 7 or 8. tell me there's one at 9 and i'll keep playing!

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Diggsey
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Posted: 14th Aug 2012 04:43
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Ah sorry, there's only the two I mentioned. After that it's just about getting a good score.

On the plus side you can now get Hextris from the android store! There is a free version and a paid version - the free one has an advert across the top.

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