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AppGameKit/AppGameKit Studio Showcase / Ruboku-X puzzle game - a bit like Marmite!

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Battoad
AGK Developer
17
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Joined: 12th Feb 2007
Location: A Dark Place
Posted: 11th May 2016 18:31 Edited at: 2nd Aug 2016 18:55
W.I.P. Hi, thought I would share my latest concoction,"Ruboku-X".
You may have already guessed that it is a 3D cross between Sudoku-X and the Rubik cube.
Now I know that some high-profile forum members like one of these puzzles but do not particularly enjoy the other, so here's hoping it does enough for most to enjoy and to sway the rest.

The idea is to rotate the rows/columns of cubes until the number you want shows on the front face of a particular cube and then "touch and hold" to LOCK. Once locked it will not rotate.
If you are not quite sure about locking at any stage, simply "short touch" to highlight a number. You can then deselect and unlock the same way.
The objective of course is to fill each row, column, diagonal and group of 6 sub-sections with each of the numbers 1-6 once.



I still have a lot to do yet including but not limited to:
Opening Titles
Music
SFX
Levels, (all buttons really)
including the number of "Locks" and "Unlocks" you are allowed since cubes not locked make the game so much more difficult.
Some kind of scoring whether it be moves or time.
Answer checker,
... the list seems to go on and on.

Anyway, and comments, suggestions, requests and I will do my best.

Cheers, hope you like so far

Edit 02/08/2016
Finally published this one in Google Play

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.batgames.net.rubokux

Would welcome any feedback, hope you enjoy.
Jeff Miller
19
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Joined: 22nd Mar 2005
Location: New Jersey, USA
Posted: 11th May 2016 19:43
Excellent work! Regarding constructive suggestions, I'm having a bit of trouble reading the small type on the buttons on the right side. If font cannot be increased, there are tricks you can do with increasing contrast between text and background. Incidentally, don't take my reading limitations as universal, I'm a fairly old man and I have difficulty reading small print everywhere.
Battoad
AGK Developer
17
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Joined: 12th Feb 2007
Location: A Dark Place
Posted: 11th May 2016 20:27 Edited at: 12th May 2016 11:39
Hi Jeff, thanks for your comments. Yes I agree with your suggestion to increase button font size and/or increase contrast.
I fell foul of this in an earlier project so know what you mean.
The buttons in this early stage are basically for some kind of placement, they don't actually do anything yet, but I will make them clearer to see/read in the next update.

Thanks.
Jeff Miller
19
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Joined: 22nd Mar 2005
Location: New Jersey, USA
Posted: 13th May 2016 00:55 Edited at: 13th May 2016 01:08
I have another suggestion, along the lines of the first one. This game has artistry to it, so I think you could make an artistic custom sprite mouse cursor, much larger than what appears to be the windows default at high resolution. Just use a DBPro type mouse-follower routine after hiding the system mouse. I take it you are pulling the 3D vectors from the screen to hit the cubes, so you don't need to modify that. For the buttons , which I presume are sprites, you just add another mouse-follower sprite which is a 1 pixel by 1 pixel hidden sprite and check collision between that sprite and the button sprite as the condition ahead of checking for a mouse click. That avoids overlap that could occur with the large sprite cursor. You have a very ingenious game project here, good luck.
Battoad
AGK Developer
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Joined: 12th Feb 2007
Location: A Dark Place
Posted: 13th May 2016 14:13 Edited at: 13th May 2016 15:36
Hello again Jeff, glad you like it and am very pleased that you have taken time to make suggestions.
The buttons shown in the video are just "virtual buttons" for just as an idea. The remaining objects are all planes used to create 3D cubes so that image can be easily changed, and yes I am pulling 3D vectors to hit.
I didn't really think about doing a pc version until you mentioned the mouse as the original intention was to export to Android to start with which uses touch screen so the mouse was irrelevant. But now you mention it a custom mouse would be a good idea for a pc version so thanks again.

I intend to replace the virtual buttons with similar "cubes" and if you see the left hand "title" cubes on the video showing both BatGames and Ruboku-X names, I hope to use 2 cube faces angle similarly to display the button labels, so on the left hand of the screen the top cube shows "B" and "R", these faces on the right hand side buttons will show for example, "HE" and "LP", making up a larger "HELP" label made from 2 faces. With every touch these 2 cube faces will rotate 180 to reveal the opposite faces showing a different label. This way I have a little more room and space and hopefully the text will be readable.

Thank you very much for both your encouragement and suggestions, they are really appreciated and the more the better from anyone as most of us need help in some areas.
Battoad
AGK Developer
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Location: A Dark Place
Posted: 18th May 2016 14:36
Hi, I've been working on the user interface on the right hand side to try to improve button legibility and function as well as trying to balance up the screen.
I have attached 2 png's showing how button options change after any "touch" of screen play components. So for example the top cube makes up the "HELP" button but after a play touch it rotates to display the "NEW" button for a new game. Other buttons act similarly.

I have also added a moves counter and a game clock for any one who like s to be competitive. The "level" cube is both a display and button combined so that you can make the puzzle easier or more difficult and this will be linked to the locks/unlocks indicator towards the bottom since locked faces do not rotate but unlocked ones do.

Still got loads to do yet but please let me know if you can think of any improvements which I will try to include as I go on.

Thanks.

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Battoad
AGK Developer
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Joined: 12th Feb 2007
Location: A Dark Place
Posted: 20th Jul 2016 15:47 Edited at: 21st Jul 2016 12:09
Have been slowly progressing and can now see light at end of tunnel as I approach possible completion before publishing.

Attached latest stage showing level, clue, new and help buttons working.
The solution button reveals all numbers but gives a maximum score so not worth cheating.
Tapping the "X" button from the title "RUBOKU-X" or the "AGK" button, or tapping a number will rotate the user interface cubes to reveal button titles on their opposite sides.



Background music and SFX still to do but all comments welcome.

I may try to get an HTML version for you to try, once I know how, but I am re-vamping my website so don't want to get too involved with that just yet.
Battoad
AGK Developer
17
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Joined: 12th Feb 2007
Location: A Dark Place
Posted: 2nd Aug 2016 19:08
Hi, finally published this one in Google Play Store, link in top post.

I hope you will try as I would like some feedback, I know its difficult to comment without actually playing it.

I think it might struggle on low end devices as the 3D appears to be resource hungry, but maybe you could let me know.

The lower levels are more Sudoku-X biased whereas the higher levels bring the Rubiks cube skills more in to play.

Anyway hope you enjoy, cheers.
Battoad
AGK Developer
17
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Joined: 12th Feb 2007
Location: A Dark Place
Posted: 14th Aug 2016 19:33 Edited at: 15th Aug 2016 11:27
Released a small update, v1.1.0, with a couple of improvements;
Included a "start" button together with opportunity to alter level, change to a new game if you don't like the layout, and enabled the viewing of the "Help" file should it be needed, all prior to starting a game, although these options are still available during a game if you decide to switch or access help.
I changed the wav SFX to ogg, after finding out why some didn't play, which has helped to reduce the game file size.

Hope some will try, and any suggestions appreciated, thanks

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.batgames.net.rubokux&hl=en_GB

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