RE: Collapse game logic help

I haven't done this particular one, but I'm wondering if in
this case it
wouldn't be better to use an object approach rather than the
standard list
method.

The exact behavior is that blocks shift either down or
toward the center in
order to fill gaps. If the cup center is a 2x2 table,
storing data to refer
to the type of block in the slot (or 0) if no block is in
the space.

Theoretically then, the problem is to parse the table
starting with the
bottom row, looking for vacant spots. (zeros)

You'd want to do vertical rows first, though because blocks
prefer falling
over sliding. Hang on... checking again. Yes. So first check
each column for
blanks, then check each row.

I did similar work in my "Casual Games" book
(blatant plug
http://www.amazon.com/Creating-Casual-Games
-Profit-Fun/dp/1584505192/) for a
match 3 sliding game.  This however adds the variable of the
sideways
sliders, whereas that just accommodated falling blocks.

The principle is basically the same however. You just parse
the columns for
blank spots and then let each blank spot inherit the
properties of its
parent from above to do the initial fall. (make sure you
update the table
data after each change -- but you'll also need the original
position data to
trigger the animations.)

Then go through and update the horizontal (rows) only
instead of making all
fall to the bottom row, you're making the left side migrate
right to fill
empty cells - the middle and the right side migrate left to
fill empty rows
toward middle.

Add a test for all clear and a spawner to generate new rows
up -- note a
reverse of the spawner would let you load the initial table.

I think it might be just as easy to imaging lingo the cells,
rather than
fuss with sprites -  but you can do it with sprites.

Hth,

--al

-----Original Message-----
From: dirgames-l-bouncesnuttybar.drama.uga.edu
[mailto:dirgames-l-bouncesnuttybar.drama.uga.edu] On
Behalf Of Paul Steven
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 8:14 AM
To: 'Director - Shockwave - and Flash Game Production'
Subject: [dirGames-L] Collapse game logic help

Sorry if this is a really basic question but I can't quite
figure out this
one...

I am making a game similar to this one
http://www.shockwave.com/content
Play/shockwave.jsp?id=sbcollapse&memberStatu
s=NotSignedIn&brand=clubhouse

In this game, when a column becomes empty the other columns
move to fill
this gap.

Now I am having real trouble working out what the logic is
here. It seems
that sometimes a column will move from the left to fill a
gap and sometimes
a column from the right will move to fill the gap and
sometimes columns from
both sides of the gap will move.

I am sure there is some logic here but I cannot work out
what it is doing. I
initially thought it was always ensuring the solid columns
were always being
centered so thought it was simply a case of representing the
columns as an
array and stripping out all the empty columns and then
repopulating the
array on with zeros around the solid columns.

e.g

[1,0,0,1,1,1,1)] would become [0,1,1,1,1,1,0]

If anyone can explain the logic here I would be most
grateful.

Thanks

Paul

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RE: Collapse game logic help

Thread: RE: Collapse game logic help