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DonationCoder.com Software => Older DC Contests and Challenges => N.A.N.Y. 2011 => Topic started by: timns on August 04, 2010, 12:43 PM

Title: NANY 2011 Release: cross-platform puzzle game - WhirlyWord
Post by: timns on August 04, 2010, 12:43 PM
It's running!

A small Java puzzlertimewaster  :D

And after all that blather about what a great name "They Must Be Stopped!" was, I have renamed it. Mainly because I changed the aim of the game a bit too much. So I might use the other title next year again for something else :-\

[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]

More info coming up shortly, but she's playable anyway:

 http://www.head-in-the-clouds.com/game/WhirlyWord.jnlp (http://www.head-in-the-clouds.com/game/WhirlyWord.jnlp)

ps I am pretty sure this is the first NANY app to mention 'gerbils' on its teaser screen.

Playable, and I'll finish it off when I return from holiday in mid-Jan.
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Pledge: cross-platform puzzle game - They Must Be Stopped!
Post by: Perry Mowbray on August 04, 2010, 11:58 PM
But hell, everyone knows that a good name is 99% of it. Now I just hope that IS a good name.  :-[

It certainly is intriguing  ;D
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Pledge: cross-platform puzzle game - They Must Be Stopped!
Post by: cranioscopical on August 05, 2010, 09:48 AM
My goodness, I hope it's not something to defeat current puns!
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Pledge: cross-platform puzzle game - They Must Be Stopped!
Post by: JavaJones on August 07, 2010, 04:31 PM
I am a big fan of Twigatelle, so I'm looking forward to this for sure. Good name! :)

- Oshyan
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Pledge: cross-platform puzzle game - They Must Be Stopped!
Post by: timns on August 07, 2010, 04:49 PM
Appreciate your comments. It's still totally in the conceptual stage at the moment, but as soon as anything's runnable, I'll start posting details.

Thanks for mentioning Twigatelle - I'll also add some more levels to that thing in the near future.
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Pledge: cross-platform puzzle game - They Must Be Stopped!
Post by: mouser on August 07, 2010, 04:50 PM
i can't wait!  :Thmbsup:
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Pledge: cross-platform puzzle game - WhirlyWord
Post by: mouser on November 20, 2010, 12:28 PM
Shouldn't Twiggles and Cobbe be on either side of those spinning wheels?
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Pledge: cross-platform puzzle game - WhirlyWord
Post by: timns on November 20, 2010, 12:35 PM
Shouldn't Twiggles and Cobbe be on either side of those spinning wheels?

Damn, I wish I'd thought of that! They absolutely should.
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Pledge: cross-platform puzzle game - WhirlyWord
Post by: mouser on November 20, 2010, 01:03 PM
maybe you could bundle in some of their cartoon strips and when the user gets some super high bonus score they get to see one as a reward :)
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Pledge: cross-platform puzzle game - WhirlyWord
Post by: timns on November 24, 2010, 10:19 PM
Ok folks, if anyone would like to try the game, it's available here:

http://www.head-in-the-clouds.com/game/WhirlyWord.jnlp (http://www.head-in-the-clouds.com/game/WhirlyWord.jnlp)

(No installation required, it's a little Java app so it should launch right away)

I'll do the proper 'blue box' update to the first post tomorrow. Right now it's time to go and walk the dog.

Enjoy! And see if you can figure out what to do  :-[
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Pledge: cross-platform puzzle game - WhirlyWord
Post by: cranioscopical on November 25, 2010, 06:58 AM
Enjoy! And see if you can figure out what to do
Clever and addictive  :Thmbsup:
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Teaser: cross-platform puzzle game - WhirlyWord
Post by: timns on November 25, 2010, 09:41 AM
Enjoy! And see if you can figure out what to do
Clever and addictive  :Thmbsup:
-cranioscopical (November 25, 2010, 06:58 AM)

Thank you koind soir! The intention is that if you can get all 30 words then you progress to the next challenge of 60... then 90, 120, 150 words.

If nothing else it should improve your Scrabble skills.
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Teaser: cross-platform puzzle game - WhirlyWord
Post by: mouser on November 30, 2010, 02:00 PM
wow that is really clever.. and interesting.

it could REALLY do with a tutorial/instructions.

this seems like a really novel word game to me.. and one of those things that those word game playing lovers would trample over their first born kids to play.
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Teaser: cross-platform puzzle game - WhirlyWord
Post by: timns on November 30, 2010, 02:25 PM
wow that is really clever.. and interesting.

it could REALLY do with a tutorial/instructions.

this seems like a really novel word game to me.. and one of those things that those word game playing lovers would trample over their first born kids to play.

Thanks! And yes, it still needs all the frippery as well as some more development. At the moment I think the fanciest feature is the motion blur on the reels  :-[
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Teaser: cross-platform puzzle game - WhirlyWord
Post by: mouser on November 30, 2010, 02:29 PM
im sad to see twiggles and cobbe are not in their rightful place next to the wheels though..
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Teaser: cross-platform puzzle game - WhirlyWord
Post by: timns on November 30, 2010, 02:38 PM
im sad to see twiggles and cobbe are not in their rightful place next to the wheels though..

Had a bit of a hectic start to the week. New HITC (http://head-in-the-clouds.com) and updates to this game (and Auspex) are all in the works asap.
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Teaser: cross-platform puzzle game - WhirlyWord
Post by: Deozaan on December 01, 2010, 03:57 PM
I seem to get a lot of letters that aren't even in any of the words. Letters that aren't in many words to begin with, such as X.

[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]

Also, here's a slightly humorous result of a spin:

[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Teaser: cross-platform puzzle game - WhirlyWord
Post by: timns on December 01, 2010, 04:04 PM
I seem to get a lot of letters that aren't even in any of the words. Letters that aren't in many words to begin with, such as X.
 (see attachment in previous post (https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=23644.msg225698#msg225698))
Also, here's a slightly humorous result of a spin:
 (see attachment in previous post (https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=23644.msg225698#msg225698))

Yes, the random letters are deliberate, otherwise it's just too darn easy to make all the words. This will be more clear when the "player guide" gets cranked out. Don't suppose anyone wants to write it, do they?

And... oh my. I should warn users that there is definitely the potential for some naughty words  :-[
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Release: cross-platform puzzle game - WhirlyWord
Post by: timns on January 05, 2011, 03:40 PM
Ok, well on mouser's sage advice, I have released the game as is. True, it's playable so as usual he's right.

Later on I'll release an update with more words, more levels, maybe a hi-score table etc.
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Release: cross-platform puzzle game - WhirlyWord
Post by: mouser on January 05, 2011, 03:42 PM
the one thing it still badly needs is some HELP and INSTRUCTIONS.
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Release: cross-platform puzzle game - WhirlyWord
Post by: timns on January 05, 2011, 03:45 PM
the one thing it still badly needs is some HELP and INSTRUCTIONS.

Yes yes  :-[

Gimme a chance to get home and I'll write something up to go wivvit.
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Release: cross-platform puzzle game - WhirlyWord
Post by: mouser on January 05, 2011, 03:49 PM
plus its too hard.  :D
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Release: cross-platform puzzle game - WhirlyWord
Post by: timns on January 05, 2011, 03:51 PM
No-one volunteered to do the help etc. for this one - I wonder why  :P
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Release: cross-platform puzzle game - WhirlyWord
Post by: cranioscopical on January 05, 2011, 03:55 PM
No-one volunteered to do the help etc. for this one - I wonder why  :P

Because you're making such good progress; clearly, you're beyond help.  :o
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Release: cross-platform puzzle game - WhirlyWord
Post by: mouser on January 05, 2011, 04:05 PM
 ;D
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Release: cross-platform puzzle game - WhirlyWord
Post by: mouser on January 05, 2011, 04:32 PM
Right now it works like this:

when a word can be formed using the current letters, that word gets highlighted, and you can click it to get credits for it and this starts wheels spinning.

How i think it should work:

when a word can be formed using current letters, you automatically get credit for it (and words should be worth more i think!), and nothing happens.  then you can choose to keep making new words by adjusting wheels, etc.  and also add that for every 3 words you get within a spin you get an additional spin.
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Release: cross-platform puzzle game - WhirlyWord
Post by: KynloStephen66515 on January 05, 2011, 06:48 PM
Wouldnt mind a new game/re-credit button :P Its getting annoying having to close and open when im finished haha.
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Release: cross-platform puzzle game - WhirlyWord
Post by: mouser on January 05, 2011, 07:05 PM
stephen has a point there.
Title: Re: NANY 2011 Release: cross-platform puzzle game - WhirlyWord
Post by: timns on January 06, 2011, 03:49 AM
Right now it works like this:

when a word can be formed using the current letters, that word gets highlighted, and you can click it to get credits for it and this starts wheels spinning.

How i think it should work:

when a word can be formed using current letters, you automatically get credit for it (and words should be worth more i think!), and nothing happens.  then you can choose to keep making new words by adjusting wheels, etc.  and also add that for every 3 words you get within a spin you get an additional spin.

I did originally have something similar to that, but it turned out to be too easy. Even if a simple word comes up, you may not want to choose that, if a really nice word is easily formed by nudging. The number of credits awarded is based on the length of the word, so you may want to build up some extra credits to help make the difficult words before choosing the easy words. Ooh: almost some strategy required  :-[