10 replies to this topic

[Lemon Flavor]

6Flip
6Flip is a puzzle game where you flip hexagons and try to match a pattern.
When you click a hexagon, every hexagon around it flips and changes color.
This game can be difficult, walk throughs are included though. Just click the help button.
This is my first puzzle game.  


Easy mode:


Hard Mode:


I'd love to here your suggestions, and constructive criticism!
Please inform me if you find a glitch.
If you liked the game, rates/reviews are very appreciated.  

[pokemonguy2]

I liked this game, but the easy difficulty is even a little tricky. I noticed a glitch where if you go to the previous level, you cannot click next and go back to the next level.I don't know if this was intentional due to programming complications or what, but it is still a fun game!

[Lemon Flavor]

I liked this game, but the easy difficulty is even a little tricky. I noticed a glitch where if you go to the previous level, you cannot click next and go back to the next level.I don't know if this was intentional due to programming complications or what, but it is still a fun game!

Thanks for the review! That isn't a glitch that's intentional. I'm planning on making a system where if you beat a level once you are able to skip it if you go back a level or play again, but as of now you can't do that.

[chance]

Great puzzle game! +1 Seemingly simple at first... but it's not. It reminds me of Rubic's Cube in a sense.

Anyway, it's a well made game. Have you considered an HTML5 version?

[Lemon Flavor]

Great puzzle game! +1 Seemingly simple at first... but it's not. It reminds me of Rubic's Cube in a sense.

Anyway, it's a well made game. Have you considered an HTML5 version?

Unfortunately I haven't invested in GameMaker Studio so I am unable to make an HTML5 version.

[Dark Exiler]

I usually don't like casual puzzle games but this is an exception.
Totally agreed with the comment that it's like a rubic cube.
It seems simple but it does require some thinking.
Shame there's only 10 levels. I didn't take too long to finish them and I'm guessing other people won't either.

Though personally I stick to PC I think that this would make a good mobile game.

Did you saw a game like this somewhere or is this your own idea?


If you considered expanding the game here are a few simple suggestions:

• Improved graphics. This looks more like a prototype.
• Simply, more levels.
• Larger hex boards for higher difficulty.
• Various shapes of hex boards for lower/higher difficulty (I think less field neighbours would actually make things easier).
• More field colors (switched in order) for higher difficulty.
• Game mode with selectable difficulty level and randomly generated patterns for infinite play.

I think it would be quite easy to make algorithms of generating new patterns automatically.
You'd just need to have the game "switch" hexes at random (or in some pre-defined randomised way) to generate a pattern. (Obviously, this can't be visible to the player.)
It would surely be solvable then, as the solution would be following the exact order of switching as the algorithm did. Except player would have to figure it out first.

Along with other possible factors listed above as suggestions, number of algorithm's "switches" could determine difficulty level of result pattern.

Additionally, the algorithm could optionally include behaviour rules like, for example:
- switching a random field at limited distance from previous one,
- switching fields in pairs mirrored at two opposite sides of the board (split either horizontally, vertically or around any other symmetry axis),
- switching fields along a line (or any other shape) drawn over the board,
- counting performed switches for each field and make sure it isn't switched too often (e.g. avoid the same field being switched dozen of times in a row).
I think that by switching fields according to rules like these (being selected at random) the result patterns of algorithm would look less random.

Edited by Dark Exiler, 06 June 2012 - 01:22 AM.

[Lemon Flavor]

I usually don't like casual puzzle games but this is an exception.
Totally agreed with the comment that it's like a rubic cube.
It seems simple but it does require some thinking.
Shame there's only 10 levels. I didn't take too long to finish them and I'm guessing other people won't either.

If you considered expanding the game here are a few simple suggestions:

• Improved graphics. This looks more like a prototype.
• Simply, more levels.
• Larger hex boards for higher difficulty.
• Various shapes of hex boards for lower/higher difficulty (I think less field neighbours would actually make things easier).
• More field colors (switched in order) for higher difficulty.
• Game mode with selectable difficulty level and randomly generated patterns for infinite play.

Though personally I stick to PC I think that this would make a good mobile game.

Did you saw a game like this somewhere or is this your own idea?

I'm glad you liked it! If I could improve graphics I would, but I am simply not a good artist. I do plan on adding more levels and larger boards, but the system I made for shapes of the hex boards will limit me to one shape per difficulty. I have considered the idea of adding more field colors, but how would the color of a hex affect the hexes around it if clicked? And randomly generated levels is a good idea, but it would increase the difficulty of the game a lot without symmetry or other patterns.

I came up with this game idea on my own, but I wouldn't be surprised if there are other games like it.

[Dark Exiler]

Oh... Sorry. I still edited my post adding to it while you replied.

I think the graphics are not much of a problem for a game like this. Hexes can have just about any texture on them.
Many good (and often free) graphic programs can easily make something you could use for hexes.
For example, Gimp got some pre-made textures and "filters" you could use to prepare something nice.

With the different colors of hexes it's pretty simple. The colors would be ordered like:
red -> blue -> green -> red.
If you press a hex all red ones around it turn blue. All Blue ones turn green. All green turn red.

My suggestions were intended to increase difficulty.
Of course, the game definitely need also easy puzzles to let anyone enjoy it
but the harder it can get the more challenge for hardcore puzzle gamers.
Obviously, difficult level must be selectable though.

Edited by Dark Exiler, 06 June 2012 - 01:34 AM.

[Lemon Flavor]

I appreciate the suggestions very much! I have exams this week so a new version will likely be released in 2 or 3 weeks. I myself am not a good puzzle gamer, so it is an interesting situation when I'm creating levels that I would not be able to beat myself.

[Dark Exiler]

I'm glad if I could help you with the suggestions.

One more thing I'd like to warn you about is that you should think it through well if you're going to implement the generator algorithm.
You will need to be able to properly estimate the resulting difficulty.
Especially if the algorithm ends up generating patterns more difficult than you can solve.
How can you then, tell which algorithm results are "super hard" and which are "impossible"?
I think a possible solution to this problem could be analysing all the "switching" rules themselves and estimate how they impact difficulty.

By the way, I know you already got the game implemented but just in case it comes usefull for you somehow I happen to have made a hex board engine ages ago.
It's got a lot of functions related to hexes so maybe you can use some of it's code for the algorithm.
Here's the link.

[Lemon Flavor]

I think I could detect difficulty by using how many steps it would take to get to the solution. I will be sure to check out your hex board engine.