Match3 Game - Dragon's Cavern Puzzle Quest

Started by Matty, September 08, 2020, 21:38:20

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Matty

Ahh Derron, sorry my mistake I didn't tell you, you don't click the tiles to select them you simply click the line between them, the join between tiles in my mind would be the least clicks and in my mind seemed intuitive if you wanted to swap those tiles.

Also - GfK and Derron - I've changed the sliding mechanic for the tiles - they now slide without lurching....I deliberately had a acceleration factor in the sliding earlier which I thought looked nice but upon changing it to a fast constant velocity it looks nicer.


Steve Elliott

Quote
Ahh Derron, sorry my mistake I didn't tell you, you don't click the tiles to select them you simply click the line between them, the join between tiles in my mind would be the least clicks and in my mind seemed intuitive.

Well that's nonsense, nobody would realise that unless you told them, and it's not intuitive.
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Derron

It is not ... intuitive ... as swapping stuff always is a physical process involving "movement".

Also it is much more common for this kind of games.


Yet I understand what you planned. Remember what IWasAdam once wrote? Do not just code for YOURSELF - code for the OTHERS. So try to understand how other games work, benefit from their experience in GUI, controls ... and yes, this often means to "copy" stuff from others. You cannot go 100% opposite. Take the players with you by "copying" (and improving!) 80% and mix in 20% "new stuff" (to stand out).


Edit: is your video recording leading to the frame drops?

bye
Ron

Matty

I could change it to tap a block, then tap another but to me it seems so natural to swap by touching the edge between two blocks.


Steve Elliott

Quote
I could change it to tap a block, then tap another but to me it seems so natural to swap by touching the edge between two blocks.

That's why nobody buys your games!  Wake up Matty, others here give you advice and you constantly and arrogantly ignore it!...If you're writing a game for yourself then do what you want, but if you want others to also like your games then you really need to wake up and take the advice you are given.
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Matty

That's ok.  I'll just accept the bad reviews/performance in the comp and enjoy the game myself. 

Steve Elliott

#22
Then you are beyond help.  Adam and Derron really put a lot of effort into helping you improve your games, but you are stubbornly arrogant in not wanting to change your games in even the smallest of ways - and then whine about no sales!  It's your own fault, and I sense Adam has lost all patience with you.
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Derron

> I could change it to tap a block, then tap another but to me it seems so natural to swap by touching the edge between two blocks.

Swipe!
mouse down and "movement direction" when mouse up.

This works on touchscreens the same as with the mouse.


so:
- on mouse down you store start position
- DURING mouse movement you can "indicate" the movement of the block (start movement animation - but do not complete it, just progress as far as you moved with the mouse/finger), already show if something is not possible ("jittering block" or so)
- on mouse up you can finish the movement - or abort, if there was too less movement - this needs fine grained values as people might want to play "fast" which means they only do short travel distances but still "Long enough" to not be counted as "does not want to move, abort"


bye
Ron

Xerra

Also on Safari.

As soon as I click to start a load of combos kick off and squares start dropping really slowly. Once it finishes (10 secs or so) then you can't do anything. Clicking alt squares, or dragging. Nothing at all. Can't be a cache problem for all of us.
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iWasAdam

QuoteWell that's nonsense, nobody would realise that unless you told them, and it's not intuitive.
oh Matty FFS!!!!!!!

My new theory (and not the one about dinosaurs being much MUCH bigger in the middle), is that all this is deliberate! What you are actually wanting is people to engage with you - in whatever way. Which is a bit sad as with a bit of effort into making stuff that actually worked you would A. have positive engagement and B. feel much better in yourself.

I wish you well :)

iWasAdam

ok. I sort of 'get' the concept. it's terrible but i can sort of get it...
thoughts:
All you projects have some form of sound that NEVER worked on safari and some other browsers - therefore you probably have something wrong with the framework/dev system - whatever you are using DUMP IT and get something that actually works. Otherwise what's the point?

ok. the fire at the bottom adds nothing apart from being a distraction - get rid

There is no connection with the 'tiles' and the figures (which i'm assuming there is). There is a spark of a really good concept here:
1. dungeon.
2. go into room
3. meet enemies
4. a board is drawn with tiles
repeat
5. you move a tile
6. enemy does the same or drops a tile or whatever - it must be simple a clear
until you or enemy wins
7. pick a new room until you meet the dragon


Derron

You could even have smaller blocks ... and there you have different backgrounds ... indicating if a block slot/cell was cleared at least once.

Now you could use your "pixel outline skills" to have a door "frame" or a "chest frame", a "skull" ... and in some levels your mission is to clear this figurine (so clear a cell at least once for each of the "marked outline") to be able to finish the level (to open a magic crate, unlock a magically sealed door...).
Or maybe mix it - clear the marked fields to be able to "attack" (before the enemy is invulnerable).


I assume there is a lot of potential in this kind of game ... almost intruigued to do this on my own :)
Yet I bet we wont be the first doing it.


PS: As Adam wrote: create a new kind of framework (you might still copy some basic functions). Create a test which does interaction/controls, plays sound, does deferred loading (avoid a loading bar - if you could do loading while showing your "company" logo/intro ... or load more stuff when on the title screen). Means: disable "new game" (or similar) until the required assets are loaded. That way the "game" starts earlier and less waiting time is needed (loading + intro + .... )

Then let people test it so we see if sound works, older browsers work ... etc.


Edit: I assume this "match3" (or similar game) + "automatic gameplay" was often used in "castle defenses" or such stuff ... but might even work for detective stories etc ... so you have your game and eg on the "right" you see a detective moving along in a room and finding proofs ...  or an action thing with cops pursuing criminals ...
hey you could even have a "racing" game going on ... or a golf course (the less matches you need for a level, the more "birdey" it becomes).

Yet I think it might be better if the right side also requires your "interaction" ... eg your match3s could create "power" which you could manually set free by one of your characters ... so it does not automatically do everything (maybe optionally if you are just trying to play match3). This will add a bit of "strategy" (which character to choose in which situation).
Else you will end up with a game only occupying 2/3 of the screen (or even less) and the rest being filled with some kind of "movie".



PS: I just had a kind of "congenial" theme ... and do not want to let it leave my memories without writing them down: PIRATES!
Having match 3 with sea items ... anchors, swords, skulls, gold coins, ... rum bottles. And on the right you have to seize ships, kidnap governor-daughters for some ransom ... etc.
Hey you could even have sword fights... like in Monkey Island

bye
Ron

iWasAdam

taking the core gameplay and reimagining it could give you something like this:


lots of scope for your art :)

Derron

Just looked for a pirate match 3 game ... and found Ron Gilbert's Scurvy Scallywags:
https://grumpygamer.com/scurvy_almost_here
[youtube width=600]https://youtu.be/n1NkxsNJ3xQ[/youtube]

And it looks like a similar idea ... match 3 + rpg. Here you move your units right on the game field ... maybe this is also an idea for you?

bye
Ron