I have a technical question about the hint system and overall design. Does the game store some sort of tree of all possible game states for each level? If so, did you also use that tree to check that you can't softlock yourself by bringing balls into levels? If not, how does the hint system know if it's solvable or not? Also, how is "closest to the finish" measured if the path is not unique?
Each puzzle stores a set of every state in which the puzzle is solvable. Because the game is relatively small I was able to create these sets manually, but if the game were any larger I would have used a solver to find all the solvable states. Checking a hash set is a constant time operation, so it's virtually free to check if the current state of the puzzle is contained in the set, which if and only if it is, the puzzle is solvable.
Since each puzzle only has a finite number of shots the player can possibly obtain, and the player cannot move without consuming some sort of resource, each puzzle can be represented as a Directed Acyclic Graph with all solution states being leaf nodes. Because of this, we know that every move will always bring the player closer to a solution state (provided they move into a state that is contained in our solvable states set). Therefore, we can fairly accurately check how close a player is to solving a puzzle by just checking how many moves they have made in that puzzle.
I should also mention now that levels and puzzles are distinct. Some levels will have multiplepuzzles in them. For instance, the level named "Bridge" has two different puzzles in it: the one entering from "Toucan" and exiting into "Gator", and the one entering from "Gator" with an extra ball and exiting into "Cyclone". This means that each level can have multiple sets of solvable states corresponding to different puzzles within the level. The game knows which puzzle the player is attempting to solve within a level by using the player's starting position, whether they brought a ball with them, and the lists of pipes the player has already entered and exited through. If there is no puzzle that matches the starting configuration, the hint system will say there is no solution.
Also, the game is designed in a way where it is never bad to bring a blue ball into a level with you, so there are no possible softlocks (as far as I'm aware)
Although the rules are simple - hit the ball and put it in the gate - the puzzle design is very elaborate and deep! I managed to reach the ending with my baby brain, but I didn't realize that it was ending 1 and that there was a more hidden ending with a higher difficulty level... Incredibly awesome game, meow~!
I'm actually quite deep on my second run, already did ending one, and it's fun the second time, "CUMMON BRAIN, YOU DID THIS ONE BEFOER!!!!!!!!!!!!!! why can't brain do it again :("
Found this from Icely's video and knew I had to play it myself. (I think was after he beat bones that I quit spoiling it and dived in.)
I love the tight puzzle design, especially the way it stays so when rooms are reused from different entrances. I love the way it sticks closer to the actual rules of croquet than I would ever have expected a hard puzzle game could. I love the way the Almanac doesn't tell you what to do, but does clarify the rules on what you've seen. I don't love how the web version crashes if make a move in any level, open the map, pick a multi-entrance level, open the map again before picking and hit reset. I love the way the hints are based on "don't tell me what to do, just tell me if I've gone wrong;" more puzzle games should try that! (Where the state-space permits.)
Oh no! Can you give me some more details so I can try to figure out what happened? Were you playing in the web browser, or were you playing the downloadable version? If you're playing in the browser, please tell me which browser.
That's really strange. I always use chrome and saving has always worked. I was thinking that it could have been because I pushed a new update last night, but I just did some testing on an unlisted itch.io page and my progress transferred between the old version and the new version. Maybe you somehow cleared your browser cache?
Can you verify that saving has ever worked for you? Play a couple levels and then close the window and come back and see if your progress is there.
Hmm, I don't know what the issue could be then. If you remember what puzzle you had gotten to, I can send you a save file with the unlocks up to that point so you can get back to where you were (it would have to be for the downloadable version though, idk how to manipulate the save file in the web browser)
Never played Croquet before, puzzle design is incredible and makes for some really interesting puzzles.
I didn’t get very much into the meta puzzles, but I overall enjoyed playing through the game!
If you've got a back yard I 100% recommend picking up one of those $40 croquet sets from Walmart or something. It's such a fun game because it has just the right mixture of skill, randomness, and rivalry. You would also pick up the rules pretty quick because the real game uses most of the same rules as this game does (2 shots max, wickets give +1 shot, balls give +2 shots and let you put your ball next to them, etc.)
Well I'm glad you enjoyed it, thanks for playing and cataloguing your experience! It definitely won't be the last game I make, so no reason to be sad :)
hahahah, just got ending 2, that one is funny. Thats 1 2 and 3 done. The hunt for 4 begins. Great game, seriously so good. And the hint system is great, next level. You could have even charged an add for hints, made a little money from this gem.
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Really really good 'thinky' !
I have a technical question about the hint system and overall design. Does the game store some sort of tree of all possible game states for each level? If so, did you also use that tree to check that you can't softlock yourself by bringing balls into levels? If not, how does the hint system know if it's solvable or not? Also, how is "closest to the finish" measured if the path is not unique?
Great questions!
Each puzzle stores a set of every state in which the puzzle is solvable. Because the game is relatively small I was able to create these sets manually, but if the game were any larger I would have used a solver to find all the solvable states. Checking a hash set is a constant time operation, so it's virtually free to check if the current state of the puzzle is contained in the set, which if and only if it is, the puzzle is solvable.
Since each puzzle only has a finite number of shots the player can possibly obtain, and the player cannot move without consuming some sort of resource, each puzzle can be represented as a Directed Acyclic Graph with all solution states being leaf nodes. Because of this, we know that every move will always bring the player closer to a solution state (provided they move into a state that is contained in our solvable states set). Therefore, we can fairly accurately check how close a player is to solving a puzzle by just checking how many moves they have made in that puzzle.
I should also mention now that levels and puzzles are distinct. Some levels will have multiple puzzles in them. For instance, the level named "Bridge" has two different puzzles in it: the one entering from "Toucan" and exiting into "Gator", and the one entering from "Gator" with an extra ball and exiting into "Cyclone". This means that each level can have multiple sets of solvable states corresponding to different puzzles within the level. The game knows which puzzle the player is attempting to solve within a level by using the player's starting position, whether they brought a ball with them, and the lists of pipes the player has already entered and exited through. If there is no puzzle that matches the starting configuration, the hint system will say there is no solution.
Also, the game is designed in a way where it is never bad to bring a blue ball into a level with you, so there are no possible softlocks (as far as I'm aware)
Good amazing game! 5 stars
Although the rules are simple - hit the ball and put it in the gate - the puzzle design is very elaborate and deep!
I managed to reach the ending with my baby brain, but I didn't realize that it was ending 1 and that there was a more hidden ending with a higher difficulty level...
Incredibly awesome game, meow~!
This is fantastic. I'm partway through and looking forward to completing it.
I did it!
Glorious game!
Android Play Store when?
I have no estimate currently, but I do still intend to get it onto Android
I'm actually quite deep on my second run, already did ending one, and it's fun the second time, "CUMMON BRAIN, YOU DID THIS ONE BEFOER!!!!!!!!!!!!!! why can't brain do it again :("
Found this from Icely's video and knew I had to play it myself. (I think was after he beat bones that I quit spoiling it and dived in.) I love the tight puzzle design, especially the way it stays so when rooms are reused from different entrances. I love the way it sticks closer to the actual rules of croquet than I would ever have expected a hard puzzle game could. I love the way the Almanac doesn't tell you what to do, but does clarify the rules on what you've seen. I don't love how the web version crashes if make a move in any level, open the map, pick a multi-entrance level, open the map again before picking and hit reset. I love the way the hints are based on "don't tell me what to do, just tell me if I've gone wrong;" more puzzle games should try that! (Where the state-space permits.)
Really really amazing game :)
Sad that its over tho, but sometimes keeping things short makes them better i guess ;p
my progress is gone
Oh no! Can you give me some more details so I can try to figure out what happened? Were you playing in the web browser, or were you playing the downloadable version? If you're playing in the browser, please tell me which browser.
browser, chrome
That's really strange. I always use chrome and saving has always worked. I was thinking that it could have been because I pushed a new update last night, but I just did some testing on an unlisted itch.io page and my progress transferred between the old version and the new version. Maybe you somehow cleared your browser cache?
Can you verify that saving has ever worked for you? Play a couple levels and then close the window and come back and see if your progress is there.
my progress has saved before, it justrandom;y dissapeared today
Hmm, I don't know what the issue could be then. If you remember what puzzle you had gotten to, I can send you a save file with the unlocks up to that point so you can get back to where you were (it would have to be for the downloadable version though, idk how to manipulate the save file in the web browser)
Never played Croquet before, puzzle design is incredible and makes for some really interesting puzzles. I didn’t get very much into the meta puzzles, but I overall enjoyed playing through the game!
Btw, hint system is awesome.
If you've got a back yard I 100% recommend picking up one of those $40 croquet sets from Walmart or something. It's such a fun game because it has just the right mixture of skill, randomness, and rivalry. You would also pick up the rules pretty quick because the real game uses most of the same rules as this game does (2 shots max, wickets give +1 shot, balls give +2 shots and let you put your ball next to them, etc.)
Awwwww, it's done now, i'm kinda sad
Well I'm glad you enjoyed it, thanks for playing and cataloguing your experience! It definitely won't be the last game I make, so no reason to be sad :)
hahahah, just got ending 2, that one is funny. Thats 1 2 and 3 done. The hunt for 4 begins. Great game, seriously so good. And the hint system is great, next level. You could have even charged an add for hints, made a little money from this gem.
i got only end 1 and 4, oasis and tunnel look too spaghetti to me lol
10/10 game! Hint system is next level!