amatkins [Lexaloffle Blog Feed]

Marble Warble

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 19:57:06 UTC

Marble Warble

by amatkins

[Click to Play]

Introduction

Mary Raleigh (Dr. Roly Poly), a whimsical professor of robotics engineering, has developed a game to teach her students concepts in automation. The aim of the game is to guide a marble through a maze using only a small set of context-based rules. You can try to solve the various challenges she’s devised or make your own!

Control Terminology

Term................controller / keyboard / mouse

Navigation..........d-pad / arrow keys / mouse
Primary button......O button / Z or C key / left mouse button
Secondary button....X button / X or V key / right mouse button
Menu button.........options button / enter key / middle mouse button

Quick Guide

The main game is a series of challenges available from the main menu. Open challenges will appear with a name and illuminated preview. Simply press the primary button to play it. Completing unfinished levels will unlock new ones.

While inside a challenge, the game board is divided into a grid. After each step of the simulation, the grid will shift.

The grid cell that contains the marble is the marble’s context. This context is used for the table on the right. During a step in the simulation, the marble context on the left will result in the configuration on the right.
➡️ ➡️

Please note that each entry in the table has rotational symmetry. That means, that each entry covers four possible scenarios.

Each entry has an icon to the left that determines something about the entry:
This entry is set by the game, but can be changed by the player
This entry needs to be set by the player before it can be used
This entry is set by the game and cannot be changed by the player
If the marble is in the context of this entry, the challenge is failed

To run the simulation use the primary button on the play icon to the left. To pause the simulation use the primary button on the pause icon in the same place. To run a single step of the simulation, use the secondary action on the play icon.

Other options available on this toolbar are:

changing the speed of the simulation
resetting the marble (primary button) or resetting the whole challenge (secondary button)
edit the challenge
exit the challenge

Solving challenges requires setting the entries in the table on the left in such a way that the marble will roll to the goal when running the simulation.

There is almost no guidance within the game so it’s highly encouraged to discover the mechanics for yourself through experimentation. However, a full description is provided in the manual below.

Manual

Main Menu

From the main menu you can play or edit any of the levels as well as add new levels. Levels created or added by the player can also be deleted from here.

Controls

Navigation controls to move to a selection (mouse uses the scroll wheel)
Primary button to play the selected level
Secondary button to edit the selected level
Menu button to open the console menu

Playing Levels

Completing the provided levels will progressively unlock new ones. Two levels past the highest completed level will be available so you may skip one if you are having difficulty completing it. Player-made levels are always available, but they must contain a start to be playable and a goal to be completable.

To start the marble rolling, press the play button on the right side. At each turn, the simulation will decide where to move the marble using the rules listed to the right of the map. A rule pairs a pattern of open and blocked tiles with an action for the marble to take. The marble can either move to one of the open tiles in the pattern or change its color. ?Each color follows a different set of rules.

Defining Rules

Rules associate an input (left of the arrow) with an output (right of the arrow). Using the primary button on the output will change where the marble goes. Using the secondary button will change what color the marble will be. Rules can only be changed while the simulation is paused. If the simulation comes across an empty rule while running, it will automatically pause, and it won’t continue until that rule has been defined. There are four kinds of rules indicated by an icon to the left of the rule. These change how the rule behaves.

Empty circle rules can be edited and start undefined
Filled circle rules can be edited and start already defined
Locked rules cannot be edited and will always take the same action
“X” rules cannot be edited and will cause a game over if they are used by the simulation

To the left of the rules is a tab with a colored number. Using the primary or secondary buttons on this tab will change which ruleset is being viewed. There is one ruleset per color. Below the tab is a circular arrow. Using the primary or secondary buttons on this arrow will rotate the orientation that the rules are viewed in but not change how they behave.

Statuses

Below the list of rules is a box with stats about the current simulation run. These include the number of unique rules used (marked with a rule symbol) and the number of turns taken (marked with a footsteps symbol). A rule is counted on the first use after it has been defined or re-defined. A turn is counted each time one is completed even if the marble has not moved.

Play Menu

To the right of the stats box is a menu with the following options:

Play/Pause simulation: primary button to toggle, secondary button to do a single step
Simulation speed: primary button to increase, secondary button to decrease
Restart – Primary button to reset the map, secondary button to reset the whole level
Build mode – Primary button to enter build mode
Exit - Primary button to return to the main menu

Building Levels

Any level can be edited using build mode, but only the three slots included for player-made levels can be permanently saved. Any other changes will be reverted when the game is closed. Furthermore, completion of edited levels does not count towards progression, but clearing the changes from the console menu will allow the level to count towards completion. If the level was already completed before editing it, making changes will not invalidate the completion status.

Initial Map Layout

On the left is the canvas for drawing the initial state of the level map. The primary and secondary buttons can be used to place their respective tiles. In the lower right corner is a palette of the different tiles that can be used. The primary and secondary buttons can be used to select their respective tiles.
The palette contains two pages that can be swapped using the tab to the right. The second page contains alternate versions of the tiles present on the first page with a few exceptions.

Page One

Floor and Wall: basic tiles that allow or prevent passage
Timed Gate: alternates between passable and impassable on an interval defined in the settings
Gate 1: alternates between passable and impassable when either a button or raised toggle is pressed
Locked Gate 1: alternates between passable and impassable when all key buttons are pressed
Toggle Button 1: alternates each time a button 1 or raised toggle 1 is pressed
Button 1: activates gates 1 and toggles 1 each time its pressed
Key Button 1: activates locked gates 1 when all are pressed
Skull: causes a game over when touched
Goal: completes the level when touched
Portal 1: instantly transports the marble when touched. Limited to two per level
Start: initial location of the marble

Page Two

Trap gate: alternates between passable and impassable when the marble leaves it
Elevator: raises or lowers the marble when touched. Impassible if the marble is on the other elevation
Reset: returns the marble to its last checkpoint
Checkpoint: changes marble’s spawn point when touched
Release: toggles all trap gates

The following are the same as their page one counterparts but react independent to them.

Gate 2
Locked Gate 2
Toggle Button 2
Button 2
Key Button 2
Portal 2

Initial Rules

Above the palette are the initial rules for the level. The left column is the type of each rule which can be changed with the primary button. The meaning of the four rule type symbols can be found in the play section of this manual. The right column is the output of the rule. The marble location is changed with the primary button and the marble color is changed with the secondary button. The tab to the right changes which ruleset is being viewed (one per color). The circular arrow below the tab changes the orientation that the rules are being viewed in.

Level Settings

Cycling the rules tab to the end reveals the level settings. There are six settings that affect the gameplay of a level.

Timer interval (0-7): determines how many turns are skipped before the timed gates are toggled
Time interval offset (0-timer interval): determines how many turns are skipped before the first timer-triggered toggle
States (1-4): how many marble colors (and thus how many rulesets) are allowed in the level
Initial grid position (1-4): aside from the starting position of the grid, this setting also determines which of the two positions the grid alternates between
Max rule count (0-127): maximum number of rules used before a game over, a value of 0 means there is no limit
Max turn count (0-127): maximum number of turns before a game over, a value of 0 means there is no limit

Edit Menu

On the right side of the screen is a menu with the following options:

Level code: primary button to view/copy the code for the current level (only includes saved changes), secondary button to import a level from a code (only available for the 3 player-editable levels)
Save level: primary button to save a temporary copy of the level, secondary button to save permanent changes to the level (only available for the 3 player-editable levels)
Play: primary button to exit build mode and play the level (UNSAVED CHANGES WILL BE LOST)
Exit: primary button to return to the main menu (UNSAVED CHANGES WILL BE LOST)

The ability to import from a code expands the number of levels you can save from just the three built-in slots to as many levels as you want. You can either store the codes in a text file or write them down, and when you wish to edit them: import the code, make the desired changes, save the level, and copy the new code. When importing from a code, whatever was already in the level will be lost so if it is something important remember to copy its code as well.

Adding Levels

Aside from the levels provided with the game, players can also share levels they’ve created using codes. How to get a level’s code will be discussed in the section on building levels. To add levels using these codes, select the “Load Level” option from the main menu. A screen will appear where you can either manually enter the code or paste it into the game (if your system allows it). Multiple levels can be pasted into this screen at once so long as they are on separate lines. However, only the first level of the group will appear in the code window. New levels will be added to the end of the list on the main menu. The name of the level cannot be changed from this screen; a text editor is required to change the name of a custom level.

Controls

Navigation controls to move the cursor
Primary button to increment values in the code
Secondary button to decrement values in the code
Primary button on the “O” icon to confirm code
Secondary button on the “X” icon to return to the main menu
Use your system’s “paste” command to paste a code from the clipboard to the game

Deleting Levels

The temporary changes made to a level can be reverted from the main menu by selecting the “Revert Changes” option on the console menu. This option will say “No Changes” if the level hasn’t been modified.
If one of the provided levels has been edited, and thus does not count towards completion, reverting the changes in this way will once again allow it to count when next completed.
For player-made levels, pressing right on the d-pad or the right arrow key while on this option will change it to a permanent deletion option. It can be changed back by pressing left on the d-pad or the left arrow key. For the three built-in player levels, this option will clear the whole level. For levels added by the player, this option will remove it from the main menu.

Prior Versions

Dr. Raleigh's Marvelous Marble Mazes

by amatkins

[Click to Play]

Water Reflection Demo

Sat, 18 Jun 2022 00:40:36 UTC

Reflection Demo

by amatkins

[Click to Play]

Example cart to test out reflections and water waving effects. Code is not necessarily optimal, but demonstrates the basic concept.

Hedgerow Hazard Ver0.6

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 18:22:44 UTC

Hedgerow Hazard Ver0.6

by amatkins

[Click to Play]

In Hedgerow Hazard, you - a little white duck - must navigate mazes to rescue lost ducklings. Each one will give you a key to further open up the maze.

In your way are a cast of monsters that will send you back to the beginning if they catch you.

To avoid these rambunctious rascals you must either time your movements carefully to slip past them...

Or use a special power to rotate the world around you!

But this is no leisurely stroll! You're on the clock, and every second counts. If you don't save every duckling and make it to the exit in time, it's game over. Though any time remaining when you finish a course will be added to your score!

If you can complete 4 courses, then you can play a bonus course. Just see for yourself where you go from there!

Controls

Arrow keys / D-pad / Joystick to move
X key / button to rotate the tiles around you. Each press rotates a quarter turn clockwise. After a second, you can no longer rotate a spot. New spots cannot be rotated until the rotation cooldown is done.

Additional Credits:

Thank you to Grumpydev for the persistent high scores code snippet!

Change log:

Changed name to Hedgerow Hazard
Removed flag, coin, and hourglass sprites/items
Changed keys to ducklings
Added enemy variant, environment variant, spawn point, rotation, and teleporting player sprites
Changed floor palettes
Added waggle to items in the stage
Overhauled UI, game over and transition screens, and fade-in/out screening
Rearranged and simplified drawing logic
Overhauled how levels are built to ensure better quality
Made levels square so that a single dimension variable may be used
Increased spawning of fruit and change placement priority
Increased spawning of enemeies and evenly disrtributed their placement
Spawn point now marked with unique sprite
Opening the exit now only requires collecting all ducklings
Adjusted stage time limits
Changed completion bonus to be the time remaining when finished and removed bonus time
Changed bonus game to a small room that continuously spawns fruit
Added timers and changed logic from frame-dependent to time-dependent
Removed alternate control type
Overhauled input handling and changed polling frequency
Changed player movement to immediately jump to tile while screen scrolls to catch up
Changed player animation to always run
Removed manually teleporting
Added tile rotation mechanic
Rotation plays an animation and site of active rotation is marked by unique sprite
Rotation has a limited life time and can only be modified at the start of that lifetime
Duration of rotation effect is displayed at bottom of screen
Unified separate grids into one grid with layers to better accommodate roation
Changed enemy movement timing to accommodate sneaking
Overhauled enemy AI to utilize a distance map radiating from the player
Enemies reserve their spots so as to not clobber each other and to accommodate rotation mechanic
Changed penalty for getting hit from a direct time deduction to being sent back to spawn
Added invincibility frames when hit to avoid being repeatedly hit by same enemy
Overhauled scoreboard logic, variables, drawing, and default scores
Changed variable names for consistancy
Added, changed, fixed, moved, and removed various functions to support all these changes

Older Versions:

Important Note:

older versions that use the sub-nil syntax will no longer work

Old Controls:

Movement:
Keyboard style 1 (default): SFED for quick hops, cursor/arrow keys for smooth movement
Keyboard style 2: cursor/arrow keys for quick hops, SFED for smooth movement
(Deprecated) Gamepad style: Tap d-pad for quick hops, hold for smooth movement
(The control style can be changed in the menu)

Aiming:
Hold Z/W and tap directional keys (useful for shooting around corners)
Smooth movement will also use hops instead when aiming.

Shoot:
X/Q

Portals
When standing in a portal, release all buttons then press:
Z to cancel portal operation
Left cursor/arrow key to go counterclockwise in the portal loop
Right cursor/arrow key to go clockwise in the portal loop

Version 0.5

Hedgerow Ver0.5

by amatkins

[Click to Play]

Massive code overhaul including rewriting the controls again (now utilizes the adjustable autofire delay to allow use of the default APIs)
Removed Gamepad control scheme
Interacting with portals now allows some control over destination (or whether you even want to use the portal at all)
Stage exit is now always visible, but still only accessible when all keys have been collected and doors opened
"Par time" for each level has been adjusted to account for changes in movement
Number of coins now scales better with the size of the bonus stage
Time allowed in bonus stage adjust to account for changes in movement and number of coins
Number of enemies has been adjusted so that larger levels are more populated
Number of shots has been fixed to twice the number of enemies
Various fruits have been added as an additional source of points in each regular level
Added indicators when a park/room contains keys/doors/hourglasses/enemies/fruit
Removed game over screen

Version 0.4

Hedgerow Ver0.4

by amatkins

[Click to Play]

Replaced level transition/pause with a fade out/in of the level and a results screen
Added bonus level that appears once every 8 stages
Added time bonus for completing levels quickly
Renamed levels/rooms to parks/plots and colored score blue

Version 0.3

Hedgerow Ver0.3

by amatkins

[Click to Play]

Smoothed player movement
Added smooth movement and three control schemes (keyboard styles 1 and 2 and gamepad style)
Teleportation now runs at a consistent speed rather than taking the same time regardless of distance
Added animation to ghost movements
More lenient with door placement so more map configurations are considered valid
Removed inaccessible doors

Version 0.2

Hedgerow Ver0.2

by amatkins

[Click to Play]

Fixed some issues with level generation
Animated the wormhole sprites
The camera now pans from the wormhole you entered to your new destination

Version 0.1

Hedgerow Ver0.1

by amatkins

[Click to Play]

Another Toki Pona Flash Card System

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 19:09:21 UTC

TokiFlash v0.1

by amatkins

[Click to Play]

This is a personal project that I slapped together to help practice toki pona vocab. As such, the features are fairly limited, and I don't ever expect to fully release it.

Controls:
Arrow keys to move.
Z to confirm.

Ossified v1.5

Sun, 29 Nov 2020 06:14:03 UTC

Ossified 1.5

by amatkins

[Click to Play]

This is my first game on this system. I'm not too familiar with some of the more technical tricks yet, but I'll be working on optimizing the code, improving the music, and adding little quality-of-life improvements where I can.

Directions:

Controls:
- Arrow keys to move
- Z/C to jump
- X/V to do action
Ropes and vines can be climbed using the up/down arrows, and you can flip side of the rope/vine with the left/right arrows
When you have multiple actions to choose from, the down arrow can be used to cycle through them

v1.5 Change Log:

Made death pits more obvious
Changed color of hint arrow
Fixed hitbox of attack

Ossified 1.4

by amatkins

[Click to Play]

v1.4 Change Log:

Elevators are now automatic; either always running or triggered by the player
Re-did level design to better utilize ropes/vines and elevators
- Ropes/vines are better for horizontal movement
- Elevators are better for vertical movement
- Some jumps have been made easier
Made player attack reach further
Player heals up to 6 hearts after beating bosses

Ossified 1.3

by amatkins

[Click to Play]

v1.3 Change Log:

The player now climbs ropes/vines from the side, and horizontal movement is limited while climbing
While climbing:
- Pressing left/right will flip to that side
- The player will jump in the opposite direction they are facing
- The player will attack in the direction they are facing
- If the player is on the ground and presses down and left or right, they will step off instead of jumping
Boss projectiles will disappear immediately when a boss dies
Added track to indicate that elevators go up and down
Removed checkpoint tracker to free up memory space for other features

Ossified 1.2

by amatkins

[Click to Play]

v1.2 Change Log:

Fixed issue where bosses could cause damage at the end of their death animation
Fixed issue where the player could fall through stairs/slopes

Ossified 1.1

by amatkins

[Click to Play]

v1.1 Change Log:

Added animation to projectile sprite
Added damage sprite for graves
Added hint arrow
Slight tweaks to HUD
Changed attack sprite and animation
Changed level 3 theme
Changed final boss sprite and animation

Ossified 1.0

by amatkins

[Click to Play]