Recent changes to feature-requests

Lights out golf!

Anonymous — Fri, 12 Jul 2002 17:16:26 -0000

This feature request is part of a larger idea I have
about making this game a little more like golf.
Perhaps we should carry over the score after each
"hole" (round), until the player completes the entire
"course" (set of rounds that make up a game) we could
then have a best scores list for each course.

However, for this to happen we'll have to figure out
how the player can get scores under "par" (min. number
of moves to complete the round). If we can use david's
equations to implement skill levels (I haven't looked
at his code just yet), then we may be able to set par
at something like:

par = minNumberOf Moves + (minNumberOfMoves * 0.2)

or 20 percent higher than what the minimum number of
moves are. Easy levels (minMoves <= 4) should not use
this multiplier. Maybe harder levels could use 30%? I
dunno.

I think we could implement all of that for 1.0 if you
think it's a good idea.

restart current round for random puzzles

Justin Berstler — Sat, 06 Jul 2002 14:12:58 -0000

Currently, using the 'restart current round' function
when playing a random puzzle either does nothing or
restarts the last puzzle loaded from file.

What should happen is that the randomly generated
puzzle is regenerated exactly as before and the score
set to zero.

This could be done by providing a method in
LightsOutBoard called getVector() which returns a
Vector of booleans in much the same fashion that
writing to file works. Then a constructor for
LightsOutBoard could be made to read this same Vector
and produce the same puzzle state. This function and
constructor would also be useful in improving
performance of switching themes since, currently, I am
writing the state of the board to file (yeah, I know...
but it was a quick fix) and reading it back.

theme change during a puzzle

Justin Berstler — Fri, 05 Jul 2002 18:51:03 -0000

Currently, if you change the theme in the middle of a
puzzle, your current state gets wiped out (lights,
score, etc.). It would be nice to be able to changed
the theme in the middle of a game without having to
start the game over.

high (low?) scores?

Justin Berstler — Fri, 05 Jul 2002 18:35:19 -0000

There should be some way to keep track of best scores.
Since the object is to finish the puzzle in the least
number of moves, then there could either be a "Low
Score Board" or perhaps some sort of points system that
gives higher points for fewer moves.

As the game is currently, these scores would only work
with saved levels since random levels can't really be
kept track of permanently. However, a system of
numbering the random puzzles uniquely could be devised
and then save the best score that way.

Another option would be to implement a timing system
for scoring, rather than a 'number of moves' score
which is currently implemented.