larrymurk
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1911
Registered: 12-09-2004
IP: Logged

File: Mine3.exe (2.4 MB)
Downloaded 72 times.
License: Public Domain

Well, I'm making another game and figure I can use any help I can get.

As per the title, this is a mine sweeper clone.

I'm using Game Maker and you can use Escape at any time to exit or F4 to toggle between windowed and full screen.

The game is a little ruff now, but should be pretty functional.

So, "Why make a mine sweeper clone?" you ask. I was just playing the clone recommended on the electronic games forum. The clone had enemies of strength up to level 9 and your skill level increased allowing you to kill higher and higher level enemies. While it automatically stomped around cells of value zero, I thought it would be much nicer if it automatically stomped around any cell of your skill level or lower. So I'm working on a mine sweeper with several options of play.

There are pretty much three modes of play.

1. Classic.
Choose Trainee which sets the player skill level to 0. Mines can not be defused in this mode. The player wins by stomping on all non-mine cells.

2. Marker.
Choose Certified which starts the player's skill level at 1. Choose Must Flag. Mines must be flagged at the appropriate level using the right button. Then left clicking will call in a tech to defuse the mine. Win by defusing all mines.

3. Tech.
Choose Certified which starts the player's skill level at 1. Choose not to Must Flag. The player defuses any mine his level or lower simply by stomping with no need to flag it first.

You can choose from some sample levels from the main menu. You can also create your own level on the game play screen.

I'm looking for any help anyone anyone cares to give.

- Aesthetics. Please, I can use a lot of help here I'm sure. In particular, I wrote bomb levels in big bold red numbers and cell levels on top in thin white letters. How can I most easily convey this info?

- Testing

- Creating more fun levels

- Who knows what else??

I'm attaching the executable here.
I'll attach the exact same file but with the filename extention changed to .tmp in the next post in case you have trouble downloading the .exe, simply download the .tmp and rename it to .exe

Thanks,

Larry

larrymurk
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1911
Registered: 12-09-2004
IP: Logged

File: Mine3.tmp (2.4 MB)
Downloaded 45 times.
License: Public Domain

Here is the program with the extension changed to tmp. Download this then rename it to exe

Tim
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1979
Registered: 08-07-2004
IP: Logged

larrymurk wrote:
- Aesthetics. Please, I can use a lot of help here I'm sure. In particular, I wrote bomb levels in big bold red numbers and cell levels on top in thin white letters. How can I most easily convey this info?

Your problem is that there are too many distracting things on screen. Keep it simple. If you remove all the clutter, the most important things will become automatically visible. (This is exactly how you design holds anyway, so why not apply it to another game?)

- Creating more fun levels

What do you mean by "levels", as in other layout?

And I'd recommend you to play mamono sweeper. http://forum.caravelgames.com/viewtopic.php?TopicID=30981

EDIT: I notice that you actually did add some of that stuff in (even if I had to play for some time before I understand what you're trying), but how you represent red numbers is not good, it still get buried (ie. hidden) under the normal numbers in harder levels.


____________________________
The best way to lose customers is to let little kids running loose on a forum with too many mod points.

---

[Last edited by Tim at 09-21-2010 02:02 AM]

larrymurk
Level: Smitemaster

Rank Points: 1911
Registered: 12-09-2004
IP: Logged

Thx for your comments Tim.

1. I know the cells are cluttered/confusing which is why I'm asking if anyone has a better idea of how to represent the information. I am removing the bomb pictures. The question is how to display the sum of the surrounding bombs(1-72) and the level of the bomb in the cell(1-9).

2. By more levels I mean board setups that might be interesting and fun to play. There are several parameters to play around with.
- Mode: Trainee, Marker, Tech
- Board dimensions
- # of bombs. What about a level w/ all high bombs, maybe all odd, ..
- exp. required and bomb suit can also be adjusted

I was hoping to make a little adventure by starting off w/ trainee levels then saying the player is promoted to being a marker. After some marker levels they are promoted to tech. Along the way they would earn the bomb suit and the autostomp option.