Release PuzzlePix Halloween

[iprice]

Just in time for Halloween night here's a little puzzle for Pandora.




The game is a sort of cross between MineSweeper and Picross, where you are revealing an image by solving numeric clues.

Each clue represents how many picture pieces are placed directly around it, so a "9" will have 9 picture pieces around it.

The game is played over several colour tiers - select the colour tier with the colour palette on the right.

If a move is available (either a picture piece needs to be placed or a cross), then a tick appears in the colour palette.

The game is played with touchscreen only (it is mouse controlled on pc, but the mouse pointer isn't showing and I haven't got time to sort that tonight). Place a picture piece by clicking on a cell. To place a cross select the drawing mode icon at the top left of the screen.

If you need help then click the magnifying glass icon, which will show you a possible move for the colour tier you are on.

Due to the rushed nature of getting this done, the game is not as polished/optimised as I'd like and it visibly slows down as the puzzle progresses, but this doesn't make it unplayable - there's just some obvious delay. Sorry.

Anyway, another year, another Halloween puzzler from me (Yep, this is the third now).

Have fun.

View attachment puzzlepix.pnd

 

[Hooka]

Sah-weet, Alway's enjoy your releases!

 

[erico]

Me too, is it possible to have a pc version? No pandora, no game to me.

 

[Linux-SWAT]

Thanks !

Hope that you will polish it and put on the repo !

 

[iprice]

I won't be posting an updated version of this to the repo, as it's only a quick one level affair. I willl however be creating a fuller version in the future that's not Halloween related.

I've attached a Windows PC version for those that want to try it that way.

View attachment PuzzlePix Halloween.zip

 

[sebt3]

Interesting puzzle, thanks

 

[iprice]

Cheers

 

[edgex004]

Had a go. It's a nice game. I've never really played this type of game before so I don't really understand how to play. Is there a way to undo crosses? I think I put some down in error and can't remove them. Also since I wasn't quite sure what I was doing, I tried just scribbling across the screen and my available moves filled in for me. I think I'm doing it wrong?

I always love the visual aesthetic of your games!

 

[iprice]

Just double click on a cross to undo it. The crosses are toggled.

You can just scribble across the board, but only available moves will be filled in. Obviously that's not the expected  way to do it, but you can. Understanding how the puzzle works definitely helps. As this is a fairly unique game, prior knowledge doesn't exist, although it is similar in concept to other games like MineSweeper, PIcross and Fill-A-Pix. It's closest to the latter, but with tiers.

If you need help, click the magnifying glass icon - this highlights the next possible move. Maybe that will help you to work out how to play properly?

I would have liked to have included more puzzles (as well as a tutorial), starting with very basic ones to help show how to play, but time was not on my side.

As for the aethetics, cheers

 

[erico]

Yep. I had a hard time figuring it out too, quite the brain stuff!


You sure are an authority on puzzles me think, and I do love the gfx style too.

 

[iprice]

Cheers


Did you complete the puzzle?

 

[pmprog]

I completed it, but to be honest, I didn't actually know what I was doing and why I could only do tiles in a particular order, and I really didn't get what the crosses were for...


Presentation was great, maybe something that explained the rules would have been nice though

 

[iprice]

I did state -

Due to the rushed nature of getting this done, the game is not as polished/optimised as I'd like

Hence why I included instructions in the text -

Each clue represents how many picture pieces are placed directly around it, so a "9" will have 9 picture pieces around it.


The game is played over several colour tiers - select the colour tier with the colour palette on the right.


If a move is available (either a picture piece needs to be placed or a cross), then a tick appears in the colour palette.


The game is played with touchscreen only (it is mouse controlled on pc, but the mouse pointer isn't showing and I haven't got time to sort that tonight). Place a picture piece by clicking on a cell. To place a cross select the drawing mode icon at the top left of the screen.

Admittedly I didn't state what crosses were for; MineSweeper has flags, this has crosses but these work in the opposite way - they indicate where you think (or know) a picture piece isn't on a particular tier. Crosses can very important in helping highlight other clues on the same tier. Most of the time you don't need them, but sometimes crossed are required to make moves possible.


As I said, I didn't have enough time to beautify the game - I would have liked to have included a few smaller, easier puzzles to help learn the ropes as well as include a tutorial system. They will be in a fuller release, non-themed release.

 

[pmprog]

I did state -

I know, but I didn't play it as soon as I downloaded, so didn't have that reference to hand; and wanted to give you feedback from the perspective of when I played it. Take it as you will.

 

[iprice]

All feedback is welcome (even negative) and useful. I really do appreciate you taking the time to play and for your feedback

 

[pmprog]

I hope it didn't sound negative, I was trying to provide constructive feedback. I do always like your productions, so keep up the good work

 

[iprice]

I didn't perceive your comment as negative at all. What I meant was that I am happy for ANY comments/criticism about my games - positive or negative. Sometimes the negative is more constructive and helps to improve software.

 

[edgex004]

I did it! After another try, I figured it out pretty quick. Really quite fun once you know what you are doing. I'm sure you could easily implement something to prevent the random scribbling/drawing method. Like maybe a three strike rule on wrong spaces? Perhaps after that, a timer with C4A integration?


I look forward to more if you continue to work on it! Thanks again for your games. They are well presented and well thought out even when they are rushed.

 

[iprice]

Cheers.


I have actually considered a three "strikes" idea, however as accuracy on touchscreens can vary considerably I had to discount it.


I can add a time penalty to the game for making incorrect moves, as that doesn't penalise a player too much, but it's a tricky situation really. I like the game because it doesn't have a timer or anything that forces you to rush - it gives you time to think and enjoy the puzzle.


The only other thing I can do is put up delay clickable error messages if you try to draw on a spot that doesn't have a picture piece - however, then the player will know it's a "cross" spot. But it would slow down deliberate attempts to scribble - enough hopefully to prevent users wanting to do it.


BTW There's definitely more - I've got over 30 puzzles completed now, ranging in size and sifficulty I've got nothing to tie them together, or a titlescreen, sfx, music or  anything, but the game is definitely there!

 

[Neelix]

The only other thing I can do is put up delay clickable error messages if you try to draw on a spot that doesn't have a picture piece - however, then the player will know it's a "cross" spot. But it would slow down deliberate attempts to scribble - enough hopefully to prevent users wanting to do it.

How about only allowing picture pieces to be marked if they are in the immediate vicinity of clue for which it is possible to make valid deductions? EDIT: (and throwing up the clickable message otherwise)


-Neelix