So moving on with designing levels. This is a slightly more involved example of what is possible.

But it does show what is possible with a little planning etc.

Sometimes, it is useful to also sketch out what you would like from a level. This also helps with the design process.

RESOURCES

• Rocks and Diamonds
• Peertube profile
• More videos
• My own LevelSet on salsa
• Debian project page
• Debian Rocks and Diamonds repository

#Games,#Rocksndiamonds,#Level,#Conveyor.#Belt

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A conveyor belt can be very useful, move objects towards you, or away for example. They are also a cool way to add a challenge your level.

A basic example

With a slightly more advanced example here

So you need to move the rocks to get to the key.

RESOURCES

• Rocks and Diamonds
• Peertube profile
• More videos
• My own LevelSet on salsa
• Debian project page
• Debian Rocks and Diamonds repository

#Games,#Rocksndiamonds,#Level,#Conveyor.#Belt

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So by now you have got the general idea. To expand on Dynamite, there are also bombs. These explode when either dropped or have something dropped on them (e.g a rock)

So here I have already added some more wall and to add to the puzzle element you need to drop the rock on to the bomb. Timing here is important.

As with dynamite, a bomb will destroy the 8 squares around it when detonated.

As an extension to this, lets go the other way round and drop a rock on a bomb, see what happens and fix any issues that come from this.

From this, you see why testing is important. But also making sure you are not making it too easy for the player.

• Rocks and Diamonds
• Peertube profile
• More videos
• My own LevelSet on salsa
• Debian project page
• Debian Rocks and Diamonds repository

#games,#rocksndiamonds,#level,#bombs

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So on to, doors and keys. In this video I add a wall, a door and a key.

As you can see you need the right key / door combination. So during testing I have found that

• I was using the wrong door
• I did not complete the wall fully

So had to go back and make a minor change to this

So this highlights why you need to keep testing. I have left this in, rather than creating the perfect video with no errors.

I also got killed by a falling gem, so again, left this in.

• Rocks and Diamonds
• Peertube profile

#games,#rocksndiamonds,#level,#door,#keys

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Dynamite can be very useful in Rocks and diamonds.

One option is to have this explode when you start the level, the 2nd option is to allow you to carry and drop when you want.

Each of these has it's own use. Having things explode at the starts adds some dynamics to the start of the video.

• Rocks and Diamonds
• Peertube profile

#games,#rocksndiamonds,#level,#dynamite

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I am working on a few resources to help people get started with Rocks and Diamonds level creation.

So this video shows the basic level configuration setting size, time and number of gems to collect. Then I add the required elements to the level area (gems and an exit). Finally I test the level to make sure it is working ok.

• Rocks and Diamonds
• Peertube profile

#games,#rocksndiamonds,#level,#config

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Placing the same element, multiple times, in the playing area, in random positions.

As mentioned my previous post I am going to briefly discuss random placement of elements on the playing area.

It is important this point to stress that the game editor will randomly place the selected element multiple times, and NOT just place random elements on the playing area.

On the game editor find the following block.

Within this there is a random placement button, depicted by a dice. Select this:

If you now click on one of the game elements for example a green emerald, and press the dice the editor will place several on the playing area.

You don't need to keep everything where the editor puts it, feel free to delete and add others manually elsewhere, but where you need lots of one thing it may help.

This is one of the features you end up wishing you had known about, especially when you have spent weeks, creating levels by manually placing the items multiple times.

Don't for get to add your exit block manually.

Placing lines of blocks.

The third button in, is a line drawing tool. As this sort of relates to the above, I will cover this too. Pressing the line button and then selecting, for example a wall element, you can draw straight lines. This makes it quicker and easier to draw longer walls or even mazes for example.

Links

• Personal Level Set
• Rocksndiamonds

#games, #levels, #rocksndiamonds, #level,#creation,#codeclub, #random

Licenced under Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

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Further to previous post you can see that creating levels for Rocksndiamonds is fairly simple.

I would like to share the following tips for any budding level designers:

• Start simple
  • Experiment with different game elements
  • Add new elements as you create new levels
  • Don't overwhelm users or players
• Testing levels
  • Self test levels
  • Get others to test
  • Get feedback
  • Consider any feedback
  • Act on feedback
• Set the time so that there is :
  • Enough time to complete the level
  • Have a few seconds left over
  • Set time once level is completed
• Mix it up
  • Start simple and work up to more complex levels
  • As you create more complex levels throw in a simple level

• Make use of the game editor features to save time such as:

  • Random element placement (discussed in next post)
  • You can draw lines
  • Shapes
  • Fill feature, don't add 25+ blocks manually

• Have fun

• Take regular break

• Stop and comeback later, this gives a fresh view

• Submit and share levels with the game developers, they can be part of the game level archive

  • If doing this, remember to follow online safety rules
    • Ask permission from an adult
    • Make sure you have not included your name or contact info in any levels
    • Follow any guidelines for submitting levels
      
      

Links

• Personal Level Set
• Rocksndiamonds

#games, #levels, #rocksndiamonds, #level,#creation,#codeclub

You can find me on Friendica at zleap@social.isurf.ca

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We have Rocksndiamonds installed at the library for Code Club.

I am going to write a series of tutorials on level creation. Firstly a very basic how to create a simple level.

When you load the game you are presented with the main menu.

The two items we are concerned about here are :

LevelSet and the screen at the bottom. This screenshot shows level 12 with a preview at the bottom of the menu. This is part of my own level set.

If you click on LevelSet you get the following

Select custom and make sure this is set to 1, which it will be by default. Now LevelSet will read 001

CREATING A LEVEL

If you now click on Level Creator You get a similar screen to that below: ( this is one of my own levels you will get a blank playing area with just the brown sand)

I have already created a very basic level here. We can explore how this is done.

Firstly the default level created is huge usually 128x128, this is too big for what we need. On the right hand side there are lots of options. Clicking on CONF:

Brings up the level properties.

For this level we are going to set

• Size to 8 x 8
• Gems to collect to 4

Press Escape to return to the editor area.

For a level to work we need at least 2 items.

Exit door

Emeralds to collect

If you click on the item to select, then click on the level to place it on the playing area.

Press Enter to test.

Press Escape to go back to the editor, you now need to save your new level. Click SAVE, this can be found in the same panel area as conf

Answer yes. Your level is now saved.

Pressing esc from the editor takes you back to the main menu. The new level will be shown at the bottom.

So adding a new level is pretty easy.

You may want to create your own level set as the above adds to an existing level set.

Links

• Personal Level Set
• Rocksndiamonds

Location of level files in different Operating systems.

• Linux – ~/.rocksndiamonds/levels
• Windows –
• Mac

Note : The file levelinfo.conf is important without this the levels won't show up when you copy them to a new location.

#games, #levels, #rocksndiamonds, #level,#creation,#codeclub

You can find me on Friendica at zleap@social.isurf.ca

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The next Code Club will be on Saturday 18th January at Paignton Library and information Centre

Carrying on from what we were doing on 4/1/2020. If anyone is interested in the Hour Of Code activity, we can have a go at that too.

More Scratch 3.0 coding, which is great and a good starting point before moving on to other programming languages.

Rocksndiamonds. which I hope we can eventually use to learn level layout.

References and further information

• Code Club Website
• Paignton Library and information Centre
• ChildNet – e-safety
• Scratch Website
• w3 Schools website
• Rocksndiamonds
• Hour of Code

Next week 11th January 2020 is the South Devon Tech Jam

Next Code Club is on : Saturday 18th January 2020

• Code Club Flyer

#coding, #codeclub, #programming, #scratch, #python, #html, #css, #javascript,#coding, #games, #rocksndiamonds, #hourofcode

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