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[Shadowspaz]

This level editor exists because, previously, I had no idea how to make a puzzle game. Now, I kinda do. But I have no idea what's difficult and what's not, I don't know how people think through my puzzles, and I don't know what people would do differently to suit their skills better.

On top of this, when everything is finished, the game will feature a series of procedurally generated puzzles, ranging in difficulty the farther you get.

This is were you guys come in. Build levels, play levels, share levels. You can grab the level code from anything you make and post it here.

I need to learn these mechanics from every possible angle, so I can get a much better feel for how people play this game. I need to find the patterns that arise in how people make levels, patterns in what makes them difficult, and patterns in what makes them easy. Then it's just a matter of writing the patterns into algorithms, and the levels will be generated on the fly. Here's what it looks like:



It is still rough around the edges, I'm still missing the falling animation, and there are a couple bugs, but this is just a tool for me to make the rest of the game. I'll worry about the little things later. The controls are not listed anywhere, so I will list them here:

B - Toggles builder mode.

In builder mode:
Q/A - Increase/decrease tile strength. This can pre-crack floors, and make walls indestructible.
S -  Place/remove walls
W - Set spawn point
E - Set goal

In play mode:
Arrow keys - Move
Space - Set bomb
R - Restart

ESC - Takes you to the menu. From here, you can load and share levels via level code. On the share screen, clicking 'copy' will copy it to your clipboard, where you can share it here. Like so:

Code:

MRDMRDMRDMRDL4I94I94LALDL4I94I94LMQLL5I94I94ILBDL
4IA94H4IMQLL4I94IH4I9BDL4LMRAI9294LMRD95CGJ4I4LL4
LI92H52A4LL4K952952A4LL54992952A4LL5298A95194LL52
994I9194LL5795255294LMRDMRDMRDMRD

Code:

MRDMRDMRDMRDN4IA4K98I94LL4KI4K994I95L4K94KI8IA4LM
94A94A4IA4LL4IA4IA4IA4LL4IA4IA4IA4LM94I4IA4KI95L4
IH4IA9494LL4II94I4K94LL4I98I94K94LL4I98I94K94LL4I
98I94K9ELL4I98I94K94LMRDMRDMRDMRD

Each standard wall segment takes two bombs to destroy. This also destroys the ground, leaving you with nothing to walk on. One blast will only crack the floor, which can support your weight once, but once you step off of it, it caves in. Also, bombs kill you. Don't kill yourself.

LINK TO THE GAME: DtDM Level Editor

Final notes: DO NOT exit build mode while on the goal. This will trigger as though you've completed the level, and erase what you've done. Just move off it, and switch modes. You'll be taken back to the respawn.

There is also a known glitch with placing the spawn and the goal in the same area. They will both write to the same space, and the level code that's generated will be invalid. If you accidentally place them on top of each other, both of them will need to be moved away from their overlapped position to ensure they write correctly.

I will be working these two bugs out.

So feel free to test out the two levels I've posted, give feedback on the design, or, if you're feeling especially awesome, make and post some of your own levels!

Thanks to all who participate! 

[jgrams]

Hmm...should I try to avoid spoilers...how do I say this?

Analyzing it a little, I think there's only one basic shape (other than partially broken walls) that allows you to break through. I feel like that doesn't leave much scope for interesting puzzles. Am I missing something, or am I just hopeless at designing this kind of puzzle?

--Josh

[Shadowspaz]

See, that's what I'm not sure about.

The two I posted are indeed pretty different, but they both come down to the same (I've found two) patterns that allow you to break through. But I have noticed that the size of the area you have to work with can greatly influence how it needs to be approached, as the margin for error will be a lot less. Particularly the second puzzle- I think you need to look some moves ahead to make sure you don't trap yourself.

But this is just me, and I'm obviously gonna be able to navigate my own system, which is the problem. What did you think?

[jgrams]

Yeah, I was just wondering if there would be much depth once I wrapped my head around the basics, or if it would just be complex because of the size. But I suppose there are always more mechanics you could add. Limited numbers of bombs, shaped charges, a springboard or something...

I did find both fairly difficult. Partly it took me a little thinking to figure out how it was possible to get through a wall at all. And partly it wasn't clear even then which way to go, or if there were multiple ways (which I think there are). Going back now I can't just run through the second level; I'm just fiddling around and hoping I get it right. Mostly I got through it by dying in the right place so it would put me somewhere that you couldn't otherwise get to. I assume that wasn't supposed to be the solution... Oh, yeah, I see the other pattern now.

And there was one bug with the walls (should have taken a screenshot, sorry. Now I can't remember exactly what it was) where you could walk diagonally up and right (or down-left) between a broken wall end and a (diagonally) adjacent broken floor block without hitting the floor.

I'd sort of like the movement to be grid-based. Or for the edges of the floor tiles to be clearer. I do tend to die if I'm in the middle of a room with no references because I think I'm far enough away from a bomb when I'm actually not quite...

[Shadowspaz]

Gah... I thought I got rid of that bug. Thanks for pointing that out.

I keep considering switching to a grid-based movement... The main reason I'd like to avoid doing that is because the entire inspiration for this game was actually the Eagle's Tower in Link's Awakening, where you carry that massive ball around and use it to knock down pillars (Pillars still need to be added, clearly).

So I modeled the tiled-level-design-without-grid-movement after that, as well as the slight sliding towards holes, and I know it isn't much, but I think it turned out nicely.

I think I'll try going with a more grid-like tileset, to make it more obvious, and hopefully, that'll make it feel better. Switching to grid movement is kinda my last resort. lol

Edit: Just updated the tileset for the floor. Should be more clear. Updating the walls will take a bit more time, because of how they're drawn, but I don't think that's as vital.

Thanks for the continued feedback, by the way! I really appreciate it.