February Game: PyCross

Yes, the lamest month game since I made a Bejeweled clone, it’s PyCross! (Hey, now that I think about it, Bejeweled is kinda like one-player naughts-and-crosses/tic-tac-toe with gravity and colors)

This was actually February game attempt 2, my first one was electronics and a microcontroller, I was trying to make a Simon game. I ran into some hardware issues (fried one too many LEDs) and then ran out of time. So my second choice was a simple game, just so I can say I at least didn’t fail at making a February game 🙂

It’s pretty simple, and the most interesting part is the AI (if you can call it that). It is pretty simple:

1. Can I win this turn? If so, make that move.
2. Could the player win next turn? If so, block them.
3. Can I start making a line that’s not yet blocked? If so, start on that.
4. We’re screwed, so pick something randomly.

Good thing it’s still February here, because I just realized a bug in step 3 that could lead to an invalid move. Fixed!

January Game: DONE! (microgue)

It was finished at literally 11:59 and I didn’t get it actually beaten until 12:22 (confirming my 11:59 revision was gold), but it finished.
One-day game this time, started at 1AM on the 31st and finished at the above time. Given breaks for family and food, I think I spent 19.5 hours on this game.

It’s a roguelike, with a lot of almost-features.
It has random map generation, but no curved corridors.
It has an inventory system, and one item (which you can’t use but have to collect anyway)
It has gold, but no shops.

And so on. Still, it’s playable, and as annoying as all roguelikes. I’mma go sleep a week.