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Expand - Randomly generated puzzler fun!

Archive: 21 posts

Hello everyone! I just released a new level called Expand!

Expand is a puzzle game in which you.start with a single square that you can change the color of. You change that square to match the color of an adjacent square (or squares) and you take control of those. Your cluster of controllable squares expand outward until the board is all one color. Your goal: get the board to one color as quickly and in as few moves as possible.

Expand features:

-6 auto saved achievements
-Randomly generated puzzles to give each play a uniqueness
-A minimalist, soothing art style
-Frenzy mode for score fanatics who like a fast paced challenge
-Relax mode that can be played a on a board from 4x4 to 7x7 for practice or more laid back play.
-Masterfully composed music by Breezy-the-Pro and SwordANDshield22
-a variety of options for a personalized experience

Gameplay photos:


http://if.lbp.me/img/ft/e6f8e94aa60402dc846a42a5d7435982c2d1018a.jpg


http://i0.lbp.me/img/ft/be0924d735199362e35a32e4fad79f24a16ed129.jpg

Here's the link! Have fun!
http://lbp.me/v/qr5n956

http://lbp.me/v/qr5n95		2014-06-19 18:52:00

Author:
Tynz21
Posts: 544

Super super super super queued!2014-06-19 20:33:00

Author:
Kalawishis
Posts: 928

Nice! Queued!


-hyper		2014-06-19 22:50:00

Author:
hyperdude95
Posts: 1793

This looks cool, I'll give it a go.

Lil' tip, I think you can turn whatever image links into images in thread by wrapping tags around them.

Like so: [img]http://if.lbp.me/img/ft/e6f8e94aa60402dc846a42a5d7435982c2d1018a.jpg

http://i0.lbp.me/img/ft/be0924d735199362e35a32e4fad79f24a16ed129.jpg		2014-06-20 01:28:00

Author:
Mnniska
Posts: 531

Very nice minigame! My only problem with it is that it's too short not to have an internal replay function, specially considering the level is presented with an unskippable intro! I would have also liked the opportunity to play on a bigger board but i don't know if thats even reasonable. I'll be sure to replay if there are updates!2014-06-21 00:01:00

Author:
actio1_618
Posts: 81

looks neato. queued.2014-06-21 01:51:00

Author:
biorogue
Posts: 8424

Very nice minigame! My only problem with it is that it's too short not to have an internal replay function, specially considering the level is presented with an unskippable intro! I would have also liked the opportunity to play on a bigger board but i don't know if thats even reasonable. I'll be sure to replay if there are updates!


Everyone says that. I had it like that initially. All the logic and everything is in the level. But a weird issue has forced mean to remove replay option as of now. If you're interested, read this thread:

https://lbpcentral.lbp-hub.com/index.php?t=89444-emitter-thermo-issues

Also, It was intended to be 8x8 but I had to cut it down for thermo issues. I can take a look and try to optimize the logic somewhat, but I doubt I'll fit 8x8 unless I remove everything in the level aside from the puzzle itself, which isn't happening.		2014-06-21 07:50:00

Author:
Tynz21
Posts: 544

Everyone says that. I had it like that initially. All the logic and everything is in the level. But a weird issue has forced mean to remove replay option as of now. If you're interested, read this thread:

https://lbpcentral.lbp-hub.com/index.php?t=89444-emitter-thermo-issues

Also, It was intended to be 8x8 but I had to cut it down for thermo issues. I can take a look and try to optimize the logic somewhat, but I doubt I'll fit 8x8 unless I remove everything in the level aside from the puzzle itself, which isn't happening.
I am going to post some more detailed thoughts about this level here since my review in game is confined to a ludicrous size limit.

Some of these issues may have been fixed by now, so these thoughts are on the release version of the level yesterday.

First off, lets talk about the options menu. More and more LBP levels are starting to have these since the addition of the memorizer, and rightfully so. With the memorizer, options menus are more practical than ever since the ability to remember a users options between plays is possible. That is the problem here. If you have specific options you like to set up to play this, you will have to do it every time you load up the level. Another thing to note is the nature of the "themes" option. What this does is add a color correction over the top of everything. Since this is a game about matching colors, I found it much harder to play with any of these options enabled since the color corrections make everything less distinct and more washed out. So a couple strange design decisions, but ones that can be easily fixed.

Next thing to note is that there is no endgame sequence. You don't get any reward or indication by the end of the level that you have either unlocked any of the achievements, or in fact won the level at all. You are forced to hold circle to exit the game just like you would if you are giving up. My first time playing, there was this awkward silence after I solved the puzzle where I was waiting for the level to at least pat me on the back a little. Unfortunately the level never acknowledges that you have actually beat it. Also, as mentioned above, players who want to take advantage of the replay-ability of this randomly generated puzzler will be frustrated by the need to watch the same opening cinematic over and over again. Another issue that could be fixed with the memorizer, or even with a loop back to the main menu after completing the game. Just a couple more strange design decisions that can be addressed like I described above.

Lastly, there is obviously an elephant in the room here that I have to address. As the creator himself has stated above, the logic needs to be optimized. It is really unfortunate that it was released before the logic was streamlined because I feel a more complete, satisfying experience could have been delivered if only there were room on the thermometer to address the things I brought up previously. That being said, I will personally help you streamline any logic if you want any help. There was too much potential here for it to be released in this state. If everything I talked about above is fixed, then this level could have easily earned a 6/10 or a 7/10 from me.

With everything above considered I rate this level:

5/10, an average experience.
The questionable design decisions I described above hold this level back. I still encourage everyone to play it regardless because of the unique and original ideas presented in it.

This is what is new in the update:
The intro cutscene only plays once now. Upon replay you won't have to watch it ever again. Makes replaying the level less of a chore compared to the release version, thanks for this feature.

The level still doesn't remember your options between loads. Although it sends you back to the main menu now after completing a puzzle, when you replay the level after leaving it still won't remember your options. Please implement this. This is a reason why the memorizer was added into the game in the first place.

"Themes" now have the description "for an added challenge". This is kind of a makeshift fix to the actual problem that the themes have. Using these as difficulty options is a cheap way to make the level harder without having to make any logic that can determine the difficulty of the level. I honestly think removing the themes and placing a more useful option in their place such as graphics settings would do more good here. With a low/med/high graphics option you could make the level more playable and have the frame rate stay reasonable.

Now that the return to main menu ability is added, the level runs poorer then before. The frame rate will drop to insane low levels and the visuals will glitch. Some of the bigger issues may have been fixed, but an equally big issue has been created in the process. Expect very low frame rates that make the level unresponsive.

You will also still have to hold circle after completing the level to return to the menu. This is the same if you give up in the middle of the puzzle. The endgame still has the same issues. Anything at all to let the player know the puzzle is actually over is better then nothing. Maybe a timer that keeps track of how long it took you to complete?

Also, I didn't mention these issues before but they are worth mentioning since the creator asked me to take a second look at the level. Note that the creator of the font was not given any credit in the release version. The tutorial boils down to "play it on untimed mode until you figure out what is happening". Lots of people will not like this. If you want the level to let you know what the puzzle is that you are trying to solve unfortunately you are out of luck. Also, the entrance is visible when you start the level on replay.

Improved, but there are still several issues to be addressed and even new ones that have been created with the update. My original score of 5/10 still stands for this reason. The main improvement is that people who want to replay this puzzler will not be as frustrated by the conflicting design decisions.		2014-06-21 08:41:00

Author:
Reblskum666
Posts: 39

Unfortunately for me, what I can do is pretty limited because of the thermometer. A lot of the issues you have with this level are decisions that made a lot more sense initially, but don't anymore because of the thermometer glitch that mostly destroyed the level. Even If I fully optimized the logic, which there isn't actually that much to do, I might free up a bar or two of thermo. I'd much prefer that the **** thermometer would just work like it was supposed to so I didn't have to fiddle around wother stupid solutions and end up butchering my levels.2014-06-21 16:10:00

Author:
Tynz21
Posts: 544

I'd much prefer that the **** thermometer would just work like it was supposed to so I didn't have to fiddle around wother stupid solutions and end up butchering my levels.

Well, I'd love to agree with you and yell, throw my hat down in anger upon the world for breaking a great game, but the thermometer is a CPU check, so that players don't crash when playing, not so much on LBP's end, as mentioned before by multiple people, and regarded as the elephant in the room, you need to optimize, even saying that you cant do much, that is what the optimization is for, so you can give yourself a little wiggle room to make the community happier with better quality of level. I really hope that the level receives some patches so that it may be more enjoyable for the people of the community.

Still though good job with the level (just needs a touch up, remove those double not gates, take out those nodes, and remove those sub-chips, let the CPU BREATHE)		2014-06-22 07:25:00

Author:
amiel445566
Posts: 664

Well, I'd love to agree with you and yell, throw my hat down in anger upon the world for breaking a great game, but the thermometer is a CPU check, so that players don't crash when playing, not so much on LBP's end, as mentioned before by multiple people, and regarded as the elephant in the room, you need to optimize, even saying that you cant do much, that is what the optimization is for, so you can give yourself a little wiggle room to make the community happier with better quality of level. I really hope that the level receives some patches so that it may be more enjoyable for the people of the community.

Still though good job with the level (just needs a touch up, remove those double not gates, take out those nodes, and remove those sub-chips, let the CPU BREATHE)

Lol you didn't read the thread did you. There's enough wiggle room for everything to be fine currently. But when I had the respawn system in originally so that you could replay the level, the thermometer wouldn't go down after I destroyed everything to respawn it, so the level broke on the third replay. So regardless of how much optimizing I do, the level will NEVER work with a replay system, I.e. how it's supposed to work, unless I find some way to fix the thermometer. Or fix the game so it knows when things are destroyed, If you prefer I phrase it like that.		2014-06-22 15:56:00

Author:
Tynz21
Posts: 544

Queued it up. So the in game restart was the problem we talked about in the help section. I have to check this out.2014-06-23 03:19:00

Author:
one-mad-bunny
Posts: 334

I should probably elaborate more on the review I left because I wasn't specific enough. I think that the major problem with the level (among others) is a severe lack of depth and mechanics, which is because of the randomization in my opinion. If you had specifically designed a set of 16 or so puzzles with additional restrictions (such as a limited amount of moves or risks beyond losing points no one cares about), this level might of qualified as a puzzler with thought required. If you did this, you'd also be able to get rid of the randomization logic, which would make this level infinitely more playable. As it stands, the level is easy to a ridiculous degree, and I felt no desire to play it again other than a faint curiosity to see if there was more content (there wasn't much).

The alternate themes were also a bit silly in a level about matching colours. I won't get into it, but I will say that I do think the aesthetic was pretty lazily done. I think that there was too much emphasis on logic gimmicks rather than making a fun minigame, so overall I'd say that this level is very undercooked and not much fun to play.		2014-06-23 21:53:00

Author:
bonner123
Posts: 1487

I should probably elaborate more on the review I left because I wasn't specific enough. I think that the major problem with the level (among others) is a severe lack of depth and mechanics, which is because of the randomization in my opinion. If you had specifically designed a set of 16 or so puzzles with additional restrictions (such as a limited amount of moves or risks beyond losing points no one cares about), this level might of qualified as a puzzler with thought required. If you did this, you'd also be able to get rid of the randomization logic, which would make this level infinitely more playable. As it stands, the level is easy to a ridiculous degree, and I felt no desire to play it again other than a faint curiosity to see if there was more content (there wasn't much).

The alternate themes were also a bit silly in a level about matching colours. I won't get into it, but I will say that I do think the aesthetic was pretty lazily done. I think that there was too much emphasis on logic gimmicks rather than making a fun minigame, so overall I'd say that this level is very undercooked and not much fun to play.

Personally, I like to compete for high scores. But apparently you don't. Most people seem to like the randomized game setup, but I can't please everyone. Sorry to disappoint. Anyways, I think we just have very different tastes in levels to be honest. But thanks for the input		2014-06-24 05:04:00

Author:
Tynz21
Posts: 544

Fair enough. I do think that the core idea has potential, but you're right we just have very different tastes.2014-06-24 11:35:00

Author:
bonner123
Posts: 1487

Fyi, thanks to enigma_0123, I was able to fix the glitch and add in a replay feature. I also memorized away the intro so it'll only play the first time you play the level.2014-06-29 01:51:00

Author:
Tynz21
Posts: 544

This is a pretty sweet game! I honestly was a little confused at first, but after a few button presses I got it
This displays really good logic, although... Here is my only beef. Being a high-score based game (which you claimed earlier to prefer), it has random tables, so the high score doesn't have so much to do with skill, but getting an easy layout.
Don't get me wrong, I think this is great, but ya.. Random + highscore = unjust leaderboards.

Oh ya, gratz on the mm pick! Made it really easy to find XD		2014-06-29 16:32:00

Author:
Turkeyntz
Posts: 88

This is a pretty sweet game! I honestly was a little confused at first, but after a few button presses I got it
This displays really good logic, although... Here is my only beef. Being a high-score based game (which you claimed earlier to prefer), it has random tables, so the high score doesn't have so much to do with skill, but getting an easy layout.
Don't get me wrong, I think this is great, but ya.. Random + highscore = unjust leaderboards.

Oh ya, gratz on the mm pick! Made it really easy to find XD

I mean, luck is a factor, but with the number of possible combinations, it's not a huge factor. Skill is definitely more important.		2014-06-30 01:08:00

Author:
Tynz21
Posts: 544

Woo congrats on the Team Pick! I guess fixing that bug did wonders 2014-06-30 03:28:00

Author:
Rpg Maker
Posts: 877

Congrats on your team pick!2014-06-30 03:48:00

Author:
one-mad-bunny
Posts: 334

Thanks guys! I thought something might be up when steveni hearted it...2014-06-30 04:55:00

Author:
Tynz21
Posts: 544


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