calling all creative game inventing type people.. READ IN

[mouser]

has anyone seen the recent craze for sudoku?  http://www.sudoku.com/

its just a simple little game.

i'd like us to hold a little contest here for people to try to come up with similarly super simple game,
which will be programmed by one (or more) of the coders who visit donationcoder.com.

so what i'd like to suggest is that the next coding snacks weekend be devoted to new invented little games.
the challenge for you non-programmers is to try to invent a game.
it has to be really simple, with minimal graphics and user interface elements, so that it can be coded in a day or so.

you guys/gals up for it?

maybe we can have some prizes, but the main prize would be your part in inventing a fun new freeware game
(plus you can name it )

[Veign]

Games are usually tough to code because the algoritms and logic is typically complex.  Not sure that this is a coding snack type of application. 

Even what seems to be very a simple game takes some pretty advanced algorithms and logic.  Coding and debugging the logic could take weeks (spare time) and not something that could be done in a weekend....

Well see what the suggestions are like....

Just my .02.

[mouser]

i suspect that you are right for most of the suggestions we are likely to get -
it can be difficult for non-programmers to get a good feeling for what ideas would be hard vs. easy,
and so often one gets requests for things that would take a month to do.

but i think it's possible to come up with ideas that can be coded in a day or two;
hopefully if we get enough suggestions, there will be a few that can be coded.

key will be that suggester really should work out the entire game and ideas,
very specifically; each rule should be described and it should require minimal graphics, etc.

in other words, design the complete little game on paper - make it as simple as possible.

[Veign]

Agreed....

I know I don't have the imagination to come up with a new game idea but would love to see what others can come up with...

Remember when Snood was huge?  I played that game for hours on end - my productivity went way down during that time.  Very simple game but for me very addictive...

[kfitting]

Sudoku = addictive.  Great mind-bender!!

Kevin

[mouser]

might be nice to program any game in flash, then we can host it online.

[Carol Haynes]

If people don't know what Sudoku is here is an easy puzzle for you to try:

http://www.lairdswoo...m/SuDoku/sudoku.html

You need to ensure that every number from 1 to 9 is in every row and column, and also in each of the 9 larger squares.

You may find it easier to print out the grid !

(PS This is a Java applet so you will need to have Java enabled in your browser)

Note on using it onscreen. Pressing SPACE clears a square, pressing a number tries to enter a number into a square. Only numbers that can logically fit will be allowed - so if there is already a 1 in the row/column/large square you cannot put another 1. You can still enter an incorrect number though, just not an inconsistent number with the current state of the grid.

If you can't see the JAVA here is the grid

[mouser]

maybe this will inspire someone:
http://www.c-jump.com/

[mouser]

another tool for people who want to make games:

http://www.gamemaker.nl

[Nighted]

You ever play that dice game with 6 dice? It's not Yahtzee...it's called 10,000. That would make a kick ass little app. If you want to know more about it I will try to describe it here in detail as well as the full set of rules.

[mouser]

sounds like a nice idea, assuming their aren't already freeware implementations of it.

[Nighted]

This is basically it, although where I learned to play it in western Canada we have slightly different rules, and better in my opinion. But this is very close and gives you the basic idea: http://raeside.home.mchsi.com/dice.htm

[mouser]

looks like farkle has been implemented as both freeware and shareware in lots of places..

i think we should stick with making something that's never been made yet

[mouser]

i just checked GameMaker website:
http://www.gamemaker...nl/registration.html

it costs $20 to register and their are tons of useful resources and tutorials, and it looks like a great way to get kids started programming and looks like the author has really spent time writing fun tutorials and stuff.

at $20 how can you go wrong?

[app103]

There was a board game I used to like to play back in the 80's that was a series of egg timers that you moved across an hour glass shaped board. It was called Quicksand. (I don't think it was very popular as nobody I know has ever heard of it.)

calling all creative game inventing type people.. READ IN

It was a 2 player game.

Each player had 4 timers that started empty.

You took turns rolling a single die that had (2)1's, 2, 3, (2) S's

You couldn't move a timer unless you had sand actively moving in it. If you ran out of sand the timer had to be moved back to start.

You would roll and move the number of spaces on the die, or if you got an S you would flip a timer...yours or your opponent's. You had to use the S...even if that meant giving yourself less time.

The object of the game was to get your timers to the other side without running out of sand in any of them...they all had to be active at the end of the game.

I have never seen a version that could be played on a pc. I loved this game! It was an idea I had a few years ago to someday make a game similar to this one that could be played on a computer.

Now I am going to be honest...I haven't tried to do this because I don't think I have either the programming skills...or digital art skills...to do something like this yet.

[mouser]

sounds pretty straightforward.. and i have never heard of it..
let's make it a challenge in the programming school unless someone tries to write it before hand.
i'll put up a cody mug to whoever implements it, and we can make a web page for it if the coder wants.