Dustin's Boulder Dash

New game releases, new tools, website updates, ...

Moderator: Admin

User avatar
Dustin
Member
Posts: 602
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2007 1:15 am
Location: Erlangen, Germany

Post by Dustin »

Hi guys, I intend to release Dustin's BD21 this week! I think I've double- and triple-checked everything enough now :D
Cave E's name has changed from "Altermaven's Jackpot" to "Underwater Riches", with special colors! Of course, I'm still going to mention in the cave's intro text that I got the basic idea from Altermaven at Krissz's site :)
Boulder Dash X Rock, Paper, Scissors:
ROCKFORD collects DIAMOND, digs DIRT
DIAMOND outvalues DIRT & BOULDER
DIRT carries BOULDER, blocks FIREFLY
BOULDER kills FIREFLY & ROCKFORD
FIREFLY kills ROCKFORD, guards DIAMOND
User avatar
Dustin
Member
Posts: 602
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2007 1:15 am
Location: Erlangen, Germany

Post by Dustin »

It's out on the Game Base! Have fun, and thx Arno for the quick release! :D
Boulder Dash X Rock, Paper, Scissors:
ROCKFORD collects DIAMOND, digs DIRT
DIAMOND outvalues DIRT & BOULDER
DIRT carries BOULDER, blocks FIREFLY
BOULDER kills FIREFLY & ROCKFORD
FIREFLY kills ROCKFORD, guards DIAMOND
User avatar
Dustin
Member
Posts: 602
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2007 1:15 am
Location: Erlangen, Germany

Post by Dustin »

Announcement: What Rockford Left Behind!
A new GDash game is finished! "What Rockford Left Behind" is a compilation of BD1-3 caves where Rockford needs all possible diamonds (or, in caves where there is no clear maximum, Rockford needs a lot more diamonds than originally)!
The game has 30 caves divided in 5 chapters with 6 caves each:
Chapter 1: Grab 'em all! Introduction with relatively simple caves (for example, BD1-J with all 16 diamonds required). If you find these caves too hard, then the rest of the game probably won't be for you! :D
Chapter 2: Tricky tricks!
Caves where more diamonds are possible than (probably) intended by Peter Liepa! Trickery gains Rockford diamonds which might look impossible! :idea:
Chapter 3: A good strategy!
In these caves a trick isn't enough - Rockford must plan well to get enough diamonds!
Chapter 4: The grand manner
The ultimate challenge! Maximum runs we proved possible at Krissz's site, but they are so crazy that in some cases I increased the timer to make it slightly less insane :D For example, Rockford will have to extract all the diamonds from a cave where one single jewel used to be enough...!
Chapter 5: BD3 Bonus Caves
The four main chapters exclusively have BD1+2 caves, while I packed all my BD3 challenges into a bonus chapter! :gift:

I also recorded solutions for every cave, so if you find some caves too hard, you can still sit back and enjoy the solutions! (Press "R" on the GDash title screen to do so.) :popcorn:

The game still needs a title image, but I intend to release it in the next few weeks :)

Info on "The New Elements 2": I'm still working on ~20% of this big >100 caves game, so it's well possible that it will be released only in the second half of this year.
Some of the "new" (=non-classical) elements the game will feature: bombs, keys and doors, dragonflies, ghosts, nuts, teleporters... expect the unexpected! :D
Boulder Dash X Rock, Paper, Scissors:
ROCKFORD collects DIAMOND, digs DIRT
DIAMOND outvalues DIRT & BOULDER
DIRT carries BOULDER, blocks FIREFLY
BOULDER kills FIREFLY & ROCKFORD
FIREFLY kills ROCKFORD, guards DIAMOND
zsom
Member
Posts: 85
Joined: Sat Apr 10, 2010 5:46 am

Post by zsom »

Good morning
Waiting for "The New Elements 2" I decided to go through the first part again.

Thank you Dustin
User avatar
Dustin
Member
Posts: 602
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2007 1:15 am
Location: Erlangen, Germany

Post by Dustin »

"What Rockford Left Behind" is on the Game Base - thx 4 the release Arno and much fun to everyone! :D
For basic infos on the game, see my previous comment, or read the in-game story :)

@zsom: If you want, you can pm me your email and I can send you the first 6 zones (18 caves) of the game - as a little appertizer :D
This might also motivate me to start writing the game story. I have the basic ideas for the storyline in my head but I hadn't started writing so far.
Boulder Dash X Rock, Paper, Scissors:
ROCKFORD collects DIAMOND, digs DIRT
DIAMOND outvalues DIRT & BOULDER
DIRT carries BOULDER, blocks FIREFLY
BOULDER kills FIREFLY & ROCKFORD
FIREFLY kills ROCKFORD, guards DIAMOND
zsom
Member
Posts: 85
Joined: Sat Apr 10, 2010 5:46 am

Re: Dustin's Boulder Dash

Post by zsom »

Hi Dustin
Please give me a sample of this game :)
My e-mail:
zsommk@gmail.com
User avatar
Dustin
Member
Posts: 602
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2007 1:15 am
Location: Erlangen, Germany

Re: Dustin's Boulder Dash

Post by Dustin »

Hi zsom,
somehow I couldn't see your post earlier, probably because of the recent problems with the forum :D
You'll get an email from me this weekend :)
Boulder Dash X Rock, Paper, Scissors:
ROCKFORD collects DIAMOND, digs DIRT
DIAMOND outvalues DIRT & BOULDER
DIRT carries BOULDER, blocks FIREFLY
BOULDER kills FIREFLY & ROCKFORD
FIREFLY kills ROCKFORD, guards DIAMOND
User avatar
Dustin
Member
Posts: 602
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2007 1:15 am
Location: Erlangen, Germany

Re: Dustin's Boulder Dash

Post by Dustin »

Hi everyone,

I know that I've announced the release of Boulder Dash - The New Elements 2 for "probably the second half of 2022 or the first half of 2023". Well, now that this time period is already over, I thought at least I'd give you the current state of development :D

The game is currently 90% finished, here's what's still in work:
1 zone (of 26; each zone has 3 caves plus an intermission-sized intro)
about 1/3 of the story (I have the rough course of the story in my head, though)
final testings such that everything really works as intended
intro and outro cave
title screen

You see, each of these todos is not too much work, but I still don't want to rush myself too much - this >100 caves mammoth game has been in work since more than ten years, and now I want everything to be close to perfect! :D

To kind of compensate for the waiting time, I can send everyone who PMs me an appertizer with the first six zones (A-F; 24 caves!)

Also, here's some trailer-teaser-ish info on the game (some of which I already gave away earlier):

Zone A: Aspiring Adventurer Zone
Story: Rockford leaves his home and starts a new journey
New elements: keys and doors, nuts

Zone B: Big Mountain Zone
Story: Rockford climbs up the Big Mountain, aiming for the top from where he wants to enter outer space
New elements: dragonflies (=the first aliens at the end of the zone)

Zone C: Cosmos Chaos Zone
Story: Rockford explores the outer space
New elements: teleporters ("wormholes" in the story), mutant rocks, alternate fireflies ("aliens")
Special effects: no gravity, slower speed

Dusty Desert Zone
Story: Rockford lands on the first foreign planet - a giant desert!
New elements: gravity switch, water, clocks
Special effects: different gravity directions

Zone E: Endless Rain Zone
Story: Rockford gets into an asteroid belt.
Special effects: Endless falling rocks via open vertical border

Zone F: Fiery Firefly Zone
Story: Rockford discovers a new planet which seems to be made of pure fire!
Special effects: 5x5 firefly explosions and what can be done with it

Curious how Rockford's adventure continues? Release soon (I really want to do it until the end of the year!) :D
Boulder Dash X Rock, Paper, Scissors:
ROCKFORD collects DIAMOND, digs DIRT
DIAMOND outvalues DIRT & BOULDER
DIRT carries BOULDER, blocks FIREFLY
BOULDER kills FIREFLY & ROCKFORD
FIREFLY kills ROCKFORD, guards DIAMOND
User avatar
Dustin
Member
Posts: 602
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2007 1:15 am
Location: Erlangen, Germany

Re: Dustin's Boulder Dash

Post by Dustin »

Announcement: Dustin's Boulder Dash 22!

I just got aware that DBD 21 was already a year ago! At the moment, I've got quite a few "almost finished" GDash games in store (including DBD 22, 23 and even 24, and of course "Boulder Dash - The New Elements 2"), plus some more started projects, so I decided it's high time for a release again! And DBD22 is closer to being finished than TNE2 (mainly because it has "only" 20 caves while TNE2 will have 106!). So my plan is to finish and release DBD 22 in 1-2 weeks, and then fully concentrate on TNE2, which I still want to release this year (maybe as a Christmas present) :D

DBD 22 will be the first game of the series with only one difficulty level (except for DBD15, the special expert remix episode). This is because I collected several caves which work way better with 1L than with 5L, and now I've packed all these caves into one 1L game. Also, I'm going to count the caves with numbers instead of letters, to give the game more of a "PLCK/CLCK caveset feeling" which fits well with the one-level design.
For fans of the five-level gameplay: don't worry, DBD23 will definitely have the usual five levels again. 22 is just an exception!

Here are the (current) cave names of DBD22 to make you curious!
Cave 01: Butterfly Palace
Cave 02: Jewel Jungle
Cave 03: Hole Plugger
Cave 04: Big Barrier :frusty:
Intermission 05: Spectator :popcorn:
Cave 06: Exit if you can :?:
Cave 07: Erin Limitation
Cave 08: Spider's Web Returns
Cave 09: Butterfly Burglar
Intermission 10: Burglary Bonus :pirate:
Cave 11: Lucky Luke :lol: :pissed:
Cave 12: Evacuation
Cave 13: Tunnel Timing
Cave 14: Reverse Enclosure
Intermission 15: Take the Opportunity! :!: :!: :!:
Cave 16: Arno's Caterpillars (inspired by an Arno cave at Krissz's site!)
Cave 17: The Amoeba Rocks!
Cave 18: Fright Flight :fear:
Cave 19: My Oldest Puzzle (I designed this cave over a decade ago, and I already considered it for my very first game Rock Fort 1 in 2008!)
Intermission 20: Firefly Protector

Excited? Release soon...! :bye:
Boulder Dash X Rock, Paper, Scissors:
ROCKFORD collects DIAMOND, digs DIRT
DIAMOND outvalues DIRT & BOULDER
DIRT carries BOULDER, blocks FIREFLY
BOULDER kills FIREFLY & ROCKFORD
FIREFLY kills ROCKFORD, guards DIAMOND
User avatar
Dustin
Member
Posts: 602
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2007 1:15 am
Location: Erlangen, Germany

Re: Dustin's Boulder Dash

Post by Dustin »

Dustin's Boulder Dash 22 is on the Game Base! Thanks Arno :D
Also, revvv committed that he will include the game in the next version of the GDash port.Thanks to him as well :)
Boulder Dash X Rock, Paper, Scissors:
ROCKFORD collects DIAMOND, digs DIRT
DIAMOND outvalues DIRT & BOULDER
DIRT carries BOULDER, blocks FIREFLY
BOULDER kills FIREFLY & ROCKFORD
FIREFLY kills ROCKFORD, guards DIAMOND
User avatar
Dustin
Member
Posts: 602
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2007 1:15 am
Location: Erlangen, Germany

Re: Dustin's Boulder Dash

Post by Dustin »

Happy New Year everyone! :D

I know I said a few months ago that I "really want to" finish BD - The New Elements 2 until the end of last year, but obviously I didn't, so I just want to let you know that I have by no means forgotten about it!

I started my "final testings" on the game in October - well, it was supposed to be final testings, but while playing through the caves, I still got a loooot of ideas to improve things here and there, and it would feel unsatisfactory not to try out these ideas!

My final testings slash improvements slash however-you-would-call-it have actually reached zone R, the 18th of the 26 alphabetical zones, so the finish is in sight, but I don't want to give a concrete release deadline this time - I'm ust having fun with my last improvements so you can have maximum fun with the game when it's finally out :D
Boulder Dash X Rock, Paper, Scissors:
ROCKFORD collects DIAMOND, digs DIRT
DIAMOND outvalues DIRT & BOULDER
DIRT carries BOULDER, blocks FIREFLY
BOULDER kills FIREFLY & ROCKFORD
FIREFLY kills ROCKFORD, guards DIAMOND
User avatar
Dustin
Member
Posts: 602
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2007 1:15 am
Location: Erlangen, Germany

Re: Dustin's Boulder Dash

Post by Dustin »

Good news about Boulder Dash - The New Elements 2! The last few weeks went very well, I was highly motivated and so the game is now practically finished! So now I feel safe to announce its release in March! What do you ask? Oh yes, of course this year's march, 2024! :D

There's one little thing about the story and the design of one zone where I'm not completely certian yet. Perhaps you guys can help me with the decision! The question is:
Would you like to have a complete zone (3 caves and one intermission) playing underwater, with intense blue background similar to Dustin's BD 21, cave E?
I will take every opinion into account :D

Here's again the basic info on the upcoming game:
- 106 caves, divided into 26 alphabetical zones with 3 caves and 1 int each, plus one intro and outro cave
- The game features a lot of non-classical elements and effects, introduced one by one and beginner-friendly
- a big story going along with the caves
- Bonus challenges and an extra difficult "Hard Mode" are meant to increase the long-time replay value of the game!

I'm really looking forward to the release, after having designed the game and caves for 14 years! :sunsmiley:
Boulder Dash X Rock, Paper, Scissors:
ROCKFORD collects DIAMOND, digs DIRT
DIAMOND outvalues DIRT & BOULDER
DIRT carries BOULDER, blocks FIREFLY
BOULDER kills FIREFLY & ROCKFORD
FIREFLY kills ROCKFORD, guards DIAMOND
User avatar
Dustin
Member
Posts: 602
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2007 1:15 am
Location: Erlangen, Germany

Re: Dustin's Boulder Dash

Post by Dustin »

It's out on the Game Base!!! Thanks Arno! And a lot of fun with the game for all of you :D
This is just a very... well, fascinating moment for me personally, after having designed this game for so long!

BTW I tested around with the underwater colours for the aforementioned zone. Although I liked the colours, I decided that they might deflect too much from what is going on in the caves, especially as it is one of the last and hardest zones anyway. (the "Winged Army Zone"). So this zone plays in outer space instead. But that's enough spoilers, just enjoy the game :)
Boulder Dash X Rock, Paper, Scissors:
ROCKFORD collects DIAMOND, digs DIRT
DIAMOND outvalues DIRT & BOULDER
DIRT carries BOULDER, blocks FIREFLY
BOULDER kills FIREFLY & ROCKFORD
FIREFLY kills ROCKFORD, guards DIAMOND
User avatar
Dustin
Member
Posts: 602
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2007 1:15 am
Location: Erlangen, Germany

Re: Dustin's Boulder Dash

Post by Dustin »

Announcement: Dustin's BD 23 out soon!

Recently I've brought forward so many different BD projects for GDash and at Krissz's site that I was now kind of surprised to find that the release of DBD 22 was already more than half a year ago! Sure, there was the big release of "The New Elements 2" in-between, but for the fans of classic-style BD, here comes...

Dustin's BD 23
Rainbow Run
The basic idea behind the subtitle is that each cave is coloured monochromatically, and from cave to cave, the colours switch from red (start of the rainbow) over all rainbow colours to purple and then, for the next level, back to red. I already experimented with monochromatic caves earlier (Dustin's BD 22, cave 07 "Erin Limitation", for example). I wanted to make a whole game out of this idea, but at some point, I disliked the idea and almost abandoned it until I gave it another try, and now I really like the result! :D
Most background colours are also slightly non-black, but still very dark.
The cave design is pretty classical as usual, and also with 5 levels again after DBD 22 has been a 1L exception.
For fans of more classic colours, I also made a version of the game with classic C64 colours where I also adapted the title image, cave names and story accordingly (while the cave design is the same).
And here the usual teaser - the cave names of all 16 caves and 8(!) intermissions (there are 8 ints because then 16+8=24 is the count of primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary colours of the colour wheel, one hue for each cave/int!):
Cave A: Red Rhombuses
Cave B: Vermilion Vault
Int. 1: Orange Obstacle :frusty:
Cave C: Amber Yard
Cave D: Yellow Ambush
Int. 2: Lemon-Lime Growth
Cave E: Chartreuse Chase
Cave F: Even is Odd
Int. 3: Green Line
Cave G: Sneaking Swarm
Cave H: Spring Spinning
Int. 4: No One's Firefly Nests
Cave I: Cyan Swampland
Cave J: Capri Classics
Int. 5: Azure Lake
Cave K: Missing Missiles
Cave L: Blue Ocean :goldfish:
Int. 6: Ultra(sub)marine
Cave M: Mystic Seven :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :dunno:
Cave N: Purple Packing
Int. 7: Magenta Kite
Cave O: Pink Return
Cave P: Rose Packet
Int. 8: Crimson Criminals :pirate:

Curious? Release very likely this month! :D
Boulder Dash X Rock, Paper, Scissors:
ROCKFORD collects DIAMOND, digs DIRT
DIAMOND outvalues DIRT & BOULDER
DIRT carries BOULDER, blocks FIREFLY
BOULDER kills FIREFLY & ROCKFORD
FIREFLY kills ROCKFORD, guards DIAMOND
User avatar
Dustin
Member
Posts: 602
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2007 1:15 am
Location: Erlangen, Germany

Re: Dustin's Boulder Dash

Post by Dustin »

It's out, thx Arno! Have fun guys :D
Boulder Dash X Rock, Paper, Scissors:
ROCKFORD collects DIAMOND, digs DIRT
DIAMOND outvalues DIRT & BOULDER
DIRT carries BOULDER, blocks FIREFLY
BOULDER kills FIREFLY & ROCKFORD
FIREFLY kills ROCKFORD, guards DIAMOND
Post Reply