I dig this Game (tentative title) development thread

[Gors]

Please also visit the --> Release Thread

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While making several projects and playing minecraft, I've been thinking on a small, interesting puzzle game

which I'm going to share with you.

I dig this Game

You are a beginner miner, and can't wait going in your own adventures! You equip yourself with several digging and exploring tools to grab rare ores located underground and return to the surface safe and sound. Of course, there are several dangers while underground. You could get buried alive, fall in a hole, burn in hot lava or get stuck forever...

Still, you clench your hands, wear your favorite yellow helmet and start digging, in hope to find two shines: one from the valuable gems, and another from the sun, when you finally get out the dark cave.

Gameplay (old)

Gameplay

Visually, the game looks like Dig Dug: there are several layers of ground below the player, and several collectibles are inside. You have a fixed number of tools to reach to the gems and return safely to the surface. Once you complete the level, another one is presented to the player. Thing on the game as a mix of already mentioned Dig Dug, Lode Runner and King's Valley.

Code:

P
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░     P-represents the player
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░     O-represents the gem
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓
▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓O▓▓▓▓▓▓
▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓
▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓
██████████████████
██████████████████

To reach the gem, you have two types of digging tools:

Shovel: Digs downwards. It digs one block before breaking.

Pickaxe: Digs sideways. It digs one block before breaking.

There are also four support tools to aid you in the exploration:

Bridge: you can cross 1-block wide gaps without falling. Can be recollected after use.

Column: supports dirt above you, avoiding being crushed. Can be recollected after use, but the dirt will fall after 2 seconds.

Ladder: you can climb one block of height with the ladder. It can only be placed from bottom to top. Can be recollected after use.

Rope: Can be used either as bridge or to climb. Have in mind that the rope can only be placed from top to bottom. Can be recollected after use.

Game Mechanisms

Let's pretend the player has four shovels and four pickaxes.

Code:

░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░     P-represents the player
░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░     O-represents the gem
▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
▒▒▒P▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒     in this case, the player can use the shovels
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒     to start making a hole.
▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓     You can make as many holes as you want,
▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓     as long as you have tools to do so.
▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓
▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓
██████████████████
██████████████████

Code:

░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░     Next, he may want to start digging
░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░     sideways with the pickaxe, but it is
▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒     dangerous to do so. Digging sideways will
▒▒▒     P▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒     cause the dirt to fall,crushing anything
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒     below it.
       |
       V
░░░      ░░░░░░░░░     Player got crushed by dirt.
░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░    
▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒    
▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒P▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒    
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒

Code:

Any dirt that doesn't have something supporting from at least two blocks away will fall, bringing all the others down.

▒▒
▒ Dirt won't fall.

▒▒▒
▒ Dirt won't fall.

▒▓▓▓
▒ The highlighted dirt will fall.

This also works with dirt walls.

▒▒
▒▒
▒▒
▒▒
▒▒
▒ Dirt won't fall.

▒▒▒
▒▒▒
▒▒▒
▒▒▒
▒▒▒
▒ Dirt won't fall.

▒▓▓▓
▒▓▓▓
▒▓▓▓
▒▓▓▓
▒▓▓▓
▒ The highlighted dirt will fall.

▒▒▒▓
▒▒▒
▒▒▒
▒▒▒
▒▒▒
▒ In this case, the top dirt will fall. Only the rightmost column will fall if it's smaller than the column on the left.

Any of the falling dirt can be prevented by putting columns.

▒▓▓▓
▒  I     The highlighted dirt will no longer fall due to column's support.

▒▓▓▓
▒▓▓▓
▒▓▓▓
▒▓▓▓
▒▓▓▓
▒  I     The highlighted dirt will not fall.

▒▒▒▓
▒▒▒
▒▒▒
▒▒▒
▒▒▒
▒ I The top dirt will not fall.

Code:

In addition to dirt, there are also stone blocks. Stone blocks can be dug normally like dirt, but its interaction with gravity is different. It behaves like a cluster instead of several blocks.

consider # as stone block. Stone blocks differ from dirt blocks in that they don't fall, as long as they are supported somewhere.

##########
▒ the stones will not fall, as there is a column supporting it.

▒#########
▒ the stones will fall, as there is no column supporting it.

##########
    ▒ stones won't fall.

  V
#######
▒ if you destroy the marked stone, all stone after that point will fall.

##### ###
▒  #####
▒ no stone will fall in this configuration.

Code:

The player can climb ladders formed by dirt without the use of any tool.

    P
    ▒
   ▒▒
  ▒▒▒
▒▒▒▒▒

Code:

The player can jump 1-block wide gaps if there's no ceiling.

  P
▒ ▒

If there's a ceiling, the player can't jump, having to use bridges for this task. Bridges can only be placed if there's really a gap on the way.

▒▒▒
  P
▒-▒

Code:

The player can climb ladders. Ladders can only be put from bottom to top.

    H
    H
   PH
▒▒▒▒▒

The rope, despite being another climbing item, can only be put from top to bottom.

   P|
▒▒▒▒|
▒▒▒▒|
▒▒▒▒|
▒▒▒▒|

The player can die by being crused by dirt, by falling a height bigger than 2 blocks, by lava, getting stuck (in that case, the player must restart the level, costing a life). There is no life limit in this game, and the player can attempt the level anytime. The game will keep track of how many times he failed to complete the puzzle, though. Puzzles already completed can also be replayed.

Completing 10 puzzles will reward you a bonus puzzle, increasing gameplay.

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Beta



Support Icons:

Code:

[rel=/community/showthread.php?tid=18679][img]http://i.imgur.com/3CczX.gif[/img][/rel]

[rel=/community/showthread.php?tid=18679][img]http://i.imgur.com/480Yg.png[/img][/rel]