I dig this Game (tentative title) development thread

[Gorsalami]

Please also visit the --> Release Thread

---

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) (Click to View)

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.

---

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]

[Yo-Yo Boy]

Love it!

[Yo-Yo Boy]

Sorry for double posting, but is this going to be made into a real game which actually is playable?

[sponge7325]

I dont think so, the title says [IDEA], therefore it is only an idea.

[Gorsalami]

yup, what sponge said.

I still hope that a programmer sees this and makes this into reality, tho.

[Previous]

Code:

One block of dirt next to supported stone.

#####▒
▒

What shall happen with the dirt next to the stone - will it fall?

Code:

Three Blocks of dirt next to supported stone - will definitely fall.

#####▒▒▒
▒

Or will only this 'configuration' fall?

Code:

Dirt on stone, further away from actual supporting column.

   ▒▒<
   ▒
#######
▒

And what about this? Will that one block fall or not?

I need to know because that is a crucial point in calculating block stability.

If dirt falls in the first scenario, but not in the third... things will get a little tiny bit more complicated.



Ath the moment, block stability is calculated expecting both the first and the third case to fall.
Take a look at this.

Orange being dirt, blue is rock/stone and pink is gem. Grey is nothing.
Numbers indicate calculated stability - 3 meaning fully supported, 2 is one field away from a fully supported block and 1 is two fields away - 0 means that a block will fall (if there is a block). A rock block connected to another rock block has a minimum stability of 1 if the other block has a stability greater than zero.
This means, if there was a block directly above the rock with a 3, it would be fully supported - a block next to it would only have a stability level of 2. The rest is as depicted in that image.



Also, no, it does not do anything but drawing some colored rectangles with numbers yet.

[Gorsalami]

(10-28-2011 01:13 PM)Previous Wrote:  

Code:

One block of dirt next to supported stone.

#####▒
▒

this config will fall because dirt is too away from the column (it doesn't matter if the blocks in-between are rocks.)

Code:

Three Blocks of dirt next to supported stone - will definitely fall.

#####▒▒▒
▒

Both will, see explanation above

Code:

Dirt on stone, further away from actual supporting column.

   ▒▒<
   ▒<<
#######
▒

And what about this? Will that one block fall or not?

R: no, because that dirt is supported in another column of its own (the one I marked with two arrows).

Also, I forgot to mention, the gem also counts as a block and a column. It'd make sense this way, or else it could be crushed like any other entity.

if someone has more hipothesis on how this will work, comment it and I shall explain/fix it. Apparently this game can have several dubious block placements, so let's talk about it.

[Previous]

How about this case:

Code:

▒####
▒▒
▒

Will the rock break into pieces or will it not fall or will it fall in one piece?


Calculating block stability works quite fine by now and I even managed to get chunks to fall in one piece and not in single blocks.

[Gorsalami]

rocks are unique in the way that a chunk of them are considered as a single block and yet it doesn't increase the 'weight'. So, since that dirt is stable, the rocks will not fall, not eve the protruding three. Considet those 4 rocks as a single dirt block.

[Previous]

Code:

This here rock piece has a stability level of 2.

     vv
    ▒▒▒
    ▒
▒####
▒▒
▒

Thus, the marked dirt blocks will fall since their supporting column, resting on said rock piece, has a stability of 2 as well and not 3 like a column that rests on the absolute ground.

Currently, the player can move, get crushed by falling blocks and die from falling two blocks or more. He can dig downwards (Action Key 1) or sidewards into the direction he faces (Action Key 2) (I guess later there will be Action Key 1 using an item and Action Key 2 cycling through the available ones. Or something else, if wished).
Gems get collected when their block gets digged (different gems could have different values on the same counter, but per-gem counters could be done, too). A gem falling onto the player is deadly.

[Gorsalami]

I forgot to mention, the rocks are like firm ground too, so anything above it is as stable as being on ground. Because, if you look closely, it wouldn't make that much sense to the player to see dirt falling even if it's firmly supported by the column.

[Previous]

Sure thing, no problem.
Even though it made perfect sense to me

Anyways, can ladders be placed onto ladders?
And shall the player be able to climb a rope that hangs one block above him?

Code:

▒|▒▒▒
▒ P ▒
▒▒▒▒▒

[Gorsalami]

Ladder placing work as follows:

Code:

P
▒▒▒▒▒

pressing the 'ladder button' will place a ladder on the block in front of the character.


PH
▒▒▒▒▒

Code:

pressing it more times will increase ladder's height, as long as you have enough ladders to do so.

H
H
HP
▒▒▒▒▒

To remove the ladder, press the corresponding button next to it. It is exactly the opposite of placing a ladder.


H
H
HP
▒▒▒▒▒
  |
  V  button pressed


H
HP
▒▒▒▒▒

Code:

You can place a ladder on top of a ladder.


PH
▒H▒▒▒

You can wak on top of ladders without falling. You also can't fall through it.


     P
▒HHHHHHH▒

Code:

consider 'Y' the character climbing the ladder.

▒▒H▒▒
▒▒Y▒▒ <-the player is in the middle of the ladder.
▒▒H▒▒   he can dig blocks sideways normally.
▒▒H▒▒

▒▒ ▒▒
▒▒Y▒▒ <-pressing the 'ladder remove' button
▒▒H▒▒   will remove the ladder above you.
▒▒H▒▒

  X
▒▒H▒▒ rocks can't fall through ladders. Same with
▒▒Y▒▒ dirt.
▒▒H▒▒
▒▒H▒▒

Code:

Consider 'I' as column. Columns are placed exactly like ladders, but you can't climb them.

You can walk on top of columns. You also can't fall through it.
   P
IIIII

You can place columns on top of other columns.

  PI
IIIII

Code:

Rope '|' works like ladders, but goes downwards when placed.

P|
▒
▒  the rope is placed in front of the character first.
▒

P|
▒|
▒| pressing the 'rope button' will make the rope longer, as long as you
▒  have ropes.

▒|▒
P
▒▒▒ the player can climb on the rope above it by jumping. THE SAME
CAN'T BE DONE WITH LADDERS.

You CANNOT walk on top of rope. You WILL fall through it too.

This also reminded me of one thing:

Code:

this dirt is falling.
  ▒

▒▒
▒▒▒
▒▒▒

▒▒▒
▒▒▒<
▒▒▒< removing those blocks will not make the fallen dirt to continue falling.
It'll act as it was already attached to them. This also happens with stone that happens to attach with another stone.

Now, consider '@' as boulders.

Boulders are unique blocks that falls, no matter if it's supported by a column or not, as long as there is space below it.
▒@
▒ it will fall.

▒▒@
▒ it will fall.

▒@▒ it will not fall.
▒▒▒

  @
▒▒▒▒ it will not fall.

Boulders can be pushed the the player from the side, useful for puzzles. The player can climb on it too.

I still can't decide if boulders can roll down slopes, but if you want to know:

Code:

boulders will roll if they're placed in a 'slope' (blocks placed like a ladder).

@<boulder is here
▒
▒▒
▒▒▒
▒▒▒▒@<boulder will be here. They don't gain momentum and will not travel sideways as a ball would.
▒▒▒▒▒▒

they will only roll if it is placed in a block and there is a space right next it and is 1-block wide. If the boulder is placed in a place wider than 1 block, it won't roll.

▒@
▒▒
▒▒▒ boulder will roll.

▒@
▒▒▒
▒▒▒▒ boulder will not roll.

▒ @
▒▒▒
▒▒▒▒ boulder will roll.

If a boulder is on a top of the pyramid, it won't roll. 'Steeper' slopes will NOT make the boulder roll to it too, in this case.

  @
  ▒
.▒▒▒
▒▒▒▒▒

Breaking any block below a boulder will cause it to fall, often crushing the player. Falling boulders can be supported by blocks, columns, ladders and wooden bridges. Boulders can be destroyed and will take one tool to dispatch it.

A stationary boulder is as stable as solid ground, and support tools can be placed on it. All tools will be destroyed if the supporting boulder is moved, destroyed or rolls away.

[Previous]

What are the differences between ladders and columns in terms of supporting other blocks?

Can the player walk through columns?

Can the player stop climbing in the middle of a rope? Can he climb downwards?

Since the player will fall through ropes... how can they be used as bridges? (If stopping in the middle is possible, that point is clear.)

I take it that ropes won't hold falling dirt - right? In that case, falling blocks would destroy the rope.

And about placing ladders. As I had it, ladders got placed on the exact position of the player. So he can get out of thin pits:

Code:

▒ ▒
▒P▒
▒▒▒

[Gorsalami]

Ladders only support the block that is above them, so this way they can't be crushed. However, it can't be used as a column. Think on it as a special type of 'air block' that can't be occupied by anything else than ladder itself.

Columns act like a trespassable dirt block: you can walk on top of it, through it and it supports another blocks normally.

Rope acts exactly like ladder when it comes into climbing. The player can stop in the middle of it, and can climb downwards. I completely forgot about it being able to be used as a bridge, but then the best solution is to create two different entities for it: rope used as ladder and rope used as bridge.

Rope used as ladder is already explained; rope used as bridge, though, will act as follows:

*The rope-bridge can only be placed if the gap is only 1-block wide. You can't make longer bridges.
*You can't make a platform (a bridge with only one side conencted to the dirt) with rope-bridges.
*The rope is destroyed if you destroy any of the blocks between it.
*falling objects (player included) will destroy the rope-bridge, and they'll pass through.
*Rope bridges can be connected to any type of blocks, including wooden bridges.

And I agree with you on the ladder-placing. Make it so the ladders are placed exactly on the player's position.

I added more info about boulders in my last post.