Tetris For Nutz - Pentominos

[christo930]

While reading the Arthur C. Clark book, Imperial Earth (which is a great read btw), in a scene in the book the main characters grandmother introduces the young version of the main character to Pentominoes. So I looked up a computerized version and found one complete with source code (only java) at:

http://www.math.clemson.edu/~simms/java/pentominoes/

BUt this version is rather limited and I can't play it on the go which is when I really have the time to try and find one of the 2600+ solutions to the puzzle. It also only lets you work in a 10x6 grid and to my knowledge any 60 square grid is solvable but with a different number of solutions, the hardest having only 2 solutions.
What makes this really bad is that the psp people have a version available to them
I've played this game on and off (but never more than 10 minutes) for a couple of years and the most I've been able to get is 11. I consistently get 11 and I want to dedicated more time to it.
I think I might do better with an actual physical set and not computerized, but I can't lug a physical set onto the bus (which I spend 3 hours a day on. A 20 minute car ride, 1 1/2 hour 3 bus ride, 3 hours both ways and they wonder why we don't want PT)

Anyone up to the challenge? It seems like a fairly simple project a developer could do in an afternoon.

Chris

 

[Alex.]

Alright, so what we'd need is:

- option for 6x10, 5x12, 4x15, and 3x20 grids
- ability to rotate and flip (reflect) pieces, and place them anywhere on the grid
- ability to move around or get rid of a piece you already placed
- save/load, maybe 3 or 4 slots
- saving every unique solution you find for a grid, to keep track of them

I'll let you know if I get anywhere with this

 

[zaoin]

:unsure:

I've seen a game for gameboy that is very similar.

 

[christo930]

Alright, so what we'd need is:

- option for 6x10, 5x12, 4x15, and 3x20 grids
- ability to rotate and flip (reflect) pieces, and place them anywhere on the grid
- ability to move around or get rid of a piece you already placed
- save/load, maybe 3 or 4 slots
- saving every unique solution you find for a grid, to keep track of them

I'll let you know if I get anywhere with this

Thanks,

Chris

 

[Alex.]

I have the base idea working, but I'd like to know what you think about the controls. Here's a screenshot:

Pad - move current piece around
L/R shoulders - cycle through the top menu, selecting the piece
B - rotate the piece clockwise
Y - flip the piece horizontally
A - place the current piece on the board, if it's a valid placement

Now the tricky part will be making removing pieces intuitive. I was thinking something like this:

X - go into remove mode, and in remove mode:
Pad - go through the pieces on board
X - remove current selected piece
A/B/Y - exit remove mode

Let me know what you think.

Alex

 

[christo930]

I have the base idea working, but I'd like to know what you think about the controls. Here's a screenshot:

Pad - move current piece around
L/R shoulders - cycle through the top menu, selecting the piece
B - rotate the piece clockwise
Y - flip the piece horizontally
A - place the current piece on the board, if it's a valid placement

Now the tricky part will be making removing pieces intuitive. I was thinking something like this:

X - go into remove mode, and in remove mode:
Pad - go through the pieces on board
X - remove current selected piece
A/B/Y - exit remove mode

Let me know what you think.

Alex

Would it be possible to drag them around? Also, once the piece is used it should be removed the upper part since each piece can only be used 1 time. Maybe A could be used to pick up the piece and drop it (obviously only if it's a valid drop).

Chris

 

[christo930]

I have the base idea working, but I'd like to know what you think about the controls. Here's a screenshot:

Pad - move current piece around
L/R shoulders - cycle through the top menu, selecting the piece
B - rotate the piece clockwise
Y - flip the piece horizontally
A - place the current piece on the board, if it's a valid placement

Now the tricky part will be making removing pieces intuitive. I was thinking something like this:

X - go into remove mode, and in remove mode:
Pad - go through the pieces on board
X - remove current selected piece
A/B/Y - exit remove mode

Let me know what you think.

Alex

Would it be possible to drag them around? Also, once the piece is used it should be removed the upper part since each piece can only be used 1 time. Maybe A could be used to pick up the piece and drop it (obviously only if it's a valid drop).

Chris

Have you had a chance to work on this? I would love to see it done.

Thanks,

Chris

 

[Alex.]

Hi Chris,

(Un?)fortunately these past days coincided with me writing the core functions I'll use in all of my future programs, as well as with chill-out time after an exhaustive exam schedule... However, all that needs to be done now is the solution saving and browsing. One of these days, soon

 

[christo930]

Hi Chris,

(Un?)fortunately these past days coincided with me writing the core functions I'll use in all of my future programs, as well as with chill-out time after an exhaustive exam schedule... However, all that needs to be done now is the solution saving and browsing. One of these days, soon

I hope everything went well with your exams.
I'm looking forward to the release. Thanks.

Chris

 

[Alex.]

Here's Pentominos 0.5.

The game is feature-complete, you can play all 4 grids, save current game, browse solutions, however it misses sound and polish here and there. Let me know what you think, I'll come back to it soon and bring it up to 1.0.

Happy New Year