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MSXdev'18 #6 - Linez

MSXdev'18 #6 - Linez

by MSXdev Team on 25-10-2018, 00:24
Topic: Challenges
Tags: dewijngaert, linez, number link, numberlink, puzzle, MSXdev
Languages:

For the "MSX Classic" category of the ongoing contest, MSX veteran Wim Dewijngaert brings us a game based on Numberlink logic puzzles. Here, you have to connect faces of the same colours and avoid to make them cross trails with eachother.

Are you working on an MSX game, or even have one finished? Please consider to submit your work as an entry for this legendary MSX contest, and have the guarantee of a wide as possible audience, gain the attention of potential cartridge producers and even contend to win some prizes!

Relevant link: MSXdev - Linez

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  • MSXdev'18 #6 - Linez
  • MSXdev'18 #6 - Linez
  • MSXdev'18 #6 - Linez
  • MSXdev'18 #6 - Linez

Comments (36)

By valkyre

Hero (649)

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25-10-2018, 20:07

A nice ,simple and addictive little game!

By Uninteresting

Champion (352)

Uninteresting's picture

25-10-2018, 20:09

This looks interesting indeed.

By TheKid

Paragon (1238)

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25-10-2018, 22:29

Very nice game, well done.

By QBee Sam

Champion (282)

QBee Sam's picture

25-10-2018, 23:35

Very nice game, but... stage 29 can't be completed because unpair colours? or I didn't understand the rules...
Stage 29 with 3 blue faces?
Minute 15:38

By JohnHassink

Ambassador (5665)

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26-10-2018, 00:30

I'm not so good at puzzle games, but this one even I can enjoy. Smile

By wimpie3

Champion (435)

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26-10-2018, 06:13

The bug on level 29 has been corrected, File Hunter has the new version

By tfh

Prophet (3318)

tfh's picture

26-10-2018, 09:18

wimpie3 wrote:

The bug on level 29 has been corrected, File Hunter has the new version

There is also a bug in level 32. This bug was corrected this morning and the new updated version uploaded to: https://www.file-hunter.com/MSXdev/index.php?id=linez

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10095)

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26-10-2018, 10:56

Have to think a bit more about level 43 Wink

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10095)

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26-10-2018, 11:00

level 45 has only one blue guy.. And yes: that's where it ends, can't finish 45.

By tfh

Prophet (3318)

tfh's picture

26-10-2018, 11:18

wolf_ wrote:

level 45 has only one blue guy.. And yes: that's where it ends, can't finish 45.

I'll check this with WDW Smile

/edit 11:18/
The version with level 45 fixed is now online at: https://www.file-hunter.com/MSXdev/index.php?id=linez

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10095)

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26-10-2018, 11:46

Nop, still one blue guy...

By tfh

Prophet (3318)

tfh's picture

26-10-2018, 11:53

wolf_ wrote:

Nop, still one blue guy...

Is the file you're playing called "Linez-fixed45.rom" or "Linez.rom"? You might need to refresh you browsers cache.

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10095)

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26-10-2018, 11:54

that's it.

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10095)

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26-10-2018, 12:04

level 51:
3 reds
1 green

By tfh

Prophet (3318)

tfh's picture

26-10-2018, 13:33

wolf_ wrote:

level 51:
3 reds
1 green

Fixed!

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10095)

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26-10-2018, 14:08

finished the game \o/

By wimpie3

Champion (435)

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26-10-2018, 14:32

@wolf_ Congrats! Looking back now I realize the game's difficulty is a bit too unbalanced. Too easy in the beginning for too long. But this is my first attempt at creating something new on the MSX in a loooong time, next time will be better :-)

By tfh

Prophet (3318)

tfh's picture

26-10-2018, 14:39

wimpie3 wrote:

@wolf_ Congrats! Looking back now I realize the game's difficulty is a bit too unbalanced. Too easy in the beginning for too long. But this is my first attempt at creating something new on the MSX in a loooong time, next time will be better :-)

I actually had quite some fun with this game. Maybe a bit to easy at the beginning, but very playable & enjoyable!

By gdx

Enlighted (6116)

gdx's picture

26-10-2018, 15:40

Thanks, Nice game!

I noticed a little graphic bug. A character sometimes appears at the bottom left of the screen. (Maybe when using a joystick?)

By wimpie3

Champion (435)

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26-10-2018, 20:59

That bug has been corrected a while ago, File Hunter has the latest version.

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10095)

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27-10-2018, 14:21

Wim: Was this game done in ASM or BASIC?

How did you define each level? Is it something like:
data 5, 2,1,3,0,0, 0,0,0,1,0, 0,0,0,2,0, 5,4,0,4,0, 0,0,0,5,3

..with the first number being the mapsize and the rest just y*mapwidth+x

By wimpie3

Champion (435)

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27-10-2018, 20:23

I will probably release the source code at some point. I hope to launch a big bang in the MSX development scene soon for which I want to showcase this game.

By santiontanon

Paragon (1770)

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28-10-2018, 04:53

nice game!!!! also, any clues about the big bang in development? Smile

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10095)

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28-10-2018, 14:32

Wim: Due to being bored, I've made a Linez map-editor, including validation (so no more map bugs). It supports four and five colours and three map sizes (5, 6 and 7), and has some minor editing functionality.

What would the map format look like in case I'd like to export it as text? E.g. a line of ASM db, a line of BASIC Data, something else? Say, the idea could be that people can submit a bunch of maps here or in the forum by just pasting lines of code that can be added immediately.

By wimpie3

Champion (435)

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28-10-2018, 21:48

The amount of empty spaces in the grid is represented as a number, a face as a character (B is blue, R is red, ...) The strings can be found if you open the ROM with a text editor.

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10095)

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28-10-2018, 22:39

So, for a 5x5, it could be like:

R4Y4G1G2B1BYRP3P

Where is the mapsize stored? (if relevant)
Where is stored whether there are 4 or 5 colours in a level? (if relevant)

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10095)

wolf_'s picture

28-10-2018, 22:45

Say,

R6B2BOG1775R11G1Y1OY7 (it's from the game)

is there any difference between ^this, and this:
R6B2BOG2666R11G1Y1OY7
?

By wimpie3

Champion (435)

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29-10-2018, 20:14

Empty places are counted till the end of the line. B4 fills the first of five positions with a blue face followed by four empty spaces.

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10095)

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29-10-2018, 20:39

Ok, so is this R6B2BOG1775R11G1Y1OY7 a complete level definition, with the square of the amount of tiles matching the size of the level? Or is there a byte elsewhere stating the size of the level?

By wimpie3

Champion (435)

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30-10-2018, 06:30

Size of the grid is calculated by counting the contents of the string. There is no extra byte. The most difficult part of writing your own editor is that the solution must be possible (all squares filled and all faces connected).

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10095)

wolf_'s picture

30-10-2018, 08:33

The validation is already 100% working. In fact, I think the editor is as good as done. Might want to improve the error notifications a bit. As such, I'll release it shortly. Wink

In the meantime you could think about a way to support user levels based on such scripts. Maybe include 'm in another ROM?

By wimpie3

Champion (435)

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30-10-2018, 16:27

If extra stages have been made, I'm willing to expand the current ROM or make a second one.

By tfh

Prophet (3318)

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30-10-2018, 17:18

How about in import / export function, If Wolf then releases his editor, everyone could make maps and import them Smile

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10095)

wolf_'s picture

31-10-2018, 09:55

In fact, you could think about importing a whole set of levels rather than single levels. If only because, in comparison, importing a single level takes a lot of time when compared to the typical single minute (or less) it takes to solve.

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10095)

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31-10-2018, 12:03

Mm, I just stumbled upon a 7x7 scheme for which there can be more than one solution.

71B51G55B12R1GO13YO2RY5

Might have to think about how to fix that, or whether I leave this to the end user to keep in mind.

To be exact: this is a scheme which doesn't require the whole field to be filled-up. The question is in fact whether the game performs checks for that situation. Does it?

By wimpie3

Champion (435)

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31-10-2018, 16:22

The entire grid HAS to be filled. Otherwise the game does not proceed to the next stage.