Share My Creation [B4X][B4XPages] "NegenTropy", a Game: Simple to Play - Difficult to Master

"Negen-Tropy" => "nay-gen" from Dutch or Afrikaans (the 324 distinct game pieces have four shapes of 'Negen=9' colors by 'Negen=9' symbols)
-tropie from French, τρόπος from Greek ("a turn"), turning from one state to another, from random pieces to meaningful figures
-the transition of randomness to order, the 'neg'ation of En-Tropy (the transition of order into chaos)

There a five kinds of popular games.
1. Skill based - you're happy if you complete the challenge
2. Competition based - you're happy if you beat your competitors
3. Treasure based - you're happy if find your desired object
4. Addiction based - you're happy if you get intermittent reinforcement
5. Power based - you're happy if you beat the enemy

This game has all but #5. There are no enemies. Here's to world peace!

The attached .zip source code will work on B4J and B4A
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The opening screen of play is a scene of an apparent random set of colored and numbered shapes.
They are all distinct: a subset of 324 = 9 colors x 9 symbols x 4 shapes (circle, square, star, diamond)
The number of shapes on the screen varies with difficulty level.

screen1.png


At the top of the screen is a rectangular window with a group of shapes that can be found in the scene below.
You have to find these and click/touch them. If you click on the wrong one, you get a strike.
After 5 strikes the game restarts with a new configuration.

If you click on the correct shape, it will change to a black dot. The shape is removed from the top panel.
That's it - Simple.
screen2.png
screen3.png


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If you get the target number of correct points on any given trace, that trace is revealed.
If there are remaining unfinished traces, the top panel will show a new set of items.

If successful at your difficulty level, you get a BINGO.
By then, all the dots will be connected into curved line segments called traces.
A hidden image appears and the traces match key elements of that image.
The traces and dots then fade away, and you'll see the original hidden image.

screen4.png
screen5.png


And then you're ready for another game - with a new hidden image.

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As the difficulty level goes up...
[NOTE: For the Demo, the control page with the various game options is skipped.]

a. The items in top panel are shuffled at faster intervals (once per n seconds, where n = 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, .5, .25)
b. The number of shapes in the scene increases from easy = 50, intermediate = 100, to hard = 200
c. The number of traces in the underlying image increases from 1 to 10
d. The number of correct points required to complete a trace goes from 1 to 10.
e. The number of misses allowed per trace before resetting the game 1 to 10

This game has the following challenges:
- Search for a pattern (like Where's Waldo, and Word Search)
- Limited time to absorb the pattern (like Tetris)
- Solving the puzzle reveals a meaningful object (like adventure/puzzle games)

This is not an action game: no need for good hand-eye coordination or fast reaction time.
You can turn it into a competition game by using the time to the solution info at the top of the screen.

The starting level is set at medium, but you can adjust it (this part is disabled in the demo).
If you find it too easy, go to a higher level.
If you find it too hard, go to a lower level.
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You can customize the game in a number of ways.

To do this you have to use NegenDesign, a stand alone B4J app that produces the definition file for NegenTropy.
Design in Android is not practical because the finger (at least my finger) is an imprecise pointing device.

A. Replace numbers on the shapes by emoticons or other icons (an icon picker is provided)
B. Choose your own set of colors (a color picker is provided)
C. Select the set of images you want to use (art, flowers, birds, pets, super heroes, family pictures, sports, travel)
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The source code of NegenTropy is attached. I am not posting NegenDesign at this time.
The code for the game is not complicated and you can easily create your own app doing the same thing.
Or to save time, you can use the source code as is or modify it for non-commercial purposes.
I do reserve the rights to the name of the game "NegenTropy" and the associated rules.
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If you try the game and 1, 2, and 3 below are true, please PM me for discussing a development opportunity.
1. you think it has potential for publication
2. you have a track record with publishing apps
3. you can make it B4i compatible
 

Attachments

  • NegenTropy.zip
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