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1. Game Rules |
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To understand the 'movement rules' of the game,
you should read first the topics 1.1 and 1.2 in which there is
a brief description of the different elements of the boards. |
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1.1
The Board |
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As
mentioned in Chapter 0, Tilerama
offers a platform for many boards. In the next figures are
shown all the elements that you can find and their explanation. Some of the explanations
may be
obvious, but they introduce the terms used in the rest of the
document.
Note : All figures used in this document are
snapshots of the default skin.
Other skins may have a different
look, but the elements have (almost always) the same shape.
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Figure 1 :
Board Zones |
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The Figure 1 shows a simple board with two main zones:
- 'Board Zone' : This area serves as a limit for the 'Tiles
Zone' (2), and is also used to locate the Flow Elements (see
Figure 3).
- 'Tiles Zone' : This is the area where tiles are free to
move. Here you can find Single and Compound Tiles, or Empty Spaces (see Figure 2).
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Figure 2 :
Tiles and Empty Spaces |
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The Figure 2 shows the same board, but
indicates the different elements of the 'Tiles Zone':
- 'Single Tiles' : These are the basic pieces that you can
find in the game. They can be single colors or part of a
picture.
- 'Compound Pieces' : These pieces are formed by two or more
tiles (three in this example) like the 'polimino' pieces in a
tetris-like game.
- 'Empty Spaces' : When there's no tile in a certain point
inside the 'Tiles Zone', this point is an Empty Space that can
be occupied by any tile.
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Figure 3 :
Jumps and Turns |
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The Figure
3 shows a portion of a different board, and indicates the two
'Flow Elements' of the game:
- 'Jumps' : The small bars
located in the border of the 'Board Zone' are called
Jumps. Read the next topic for more
details.
- 'Turns' : The small points
located in the corners of the 'Board Zone' are called
Turns. Read the next topic for more
details.
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1.2 Flow Elements |
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In Tilerama, the
flow elements are used to bring extra mobility to the tiles.
Without these elements, the only way to move a tile would be through
empty spaces.
1.2.1 Jumps
Jumps are symbolized by small bars (see Figures
3 and 4) located in the borders of the 'Board Zone'. These
elements work always in pairs; one jump is called 'Jump In'
and the other 'Jump Out'. When there's an attempt to move a
tile through the 'Board Zone' and a Jump is located right in
that border, this Jump becomes the 'Jump In'. Then, the moving
tile will disappear from its original location and will appear
in the 'Tile Zone' right next to the corresponding 'Jump Out'.
Jumps are reversible, so any one of the pair may become Jump
'In' or 'Out'.
The best examples of the use of Jumps are in the Boards
'Classic A xx'. In these boards, the borders are full of
Jumps, and all the pairs 'In' and 'Out' are opposite each
other. The Figure 4 shows the board 'Classic A x3' with an
example of a move using jumps. Note that the 'Jump Pair'
used is highlighted (read the topic 4.1
to know how to disable this feature).
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Figure 4 :
Example of Jumps |
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1.2.2
Turns
Turns
are symbolized by small points (see Figures 3 and 5) located
in the corners of the 'Board Zone'. Unlike the Jumps, these
elements work alone. When there's an attempt to move a tile through
the corner of the 'Board Zone' and a Turn is located right in
that corner, the tile will turn its direction, following the
shape of the corner.
The best examples of the use of Turns are in the Boards 'Atom
X xc'. In these boards, there are Turns in every corner,
making circular ways for the tiles. The Figure 5 shows a
portion of the board 'Atom A 2c' with an example of a move using
Turns. Again, note that the Turn used is highlighted.
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Figure 5 :
Example of Turns
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1.3 Movement
Rules |
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Single and Compound
Tiles can be moved freely, inside the 'Tiles Zone'. As you can
guess, tiles are pushed each other, that is, if there's a tile
in the way, this will be pushed in the same direction. This is
particularly important when you're moving Compound Tiles
(directly or not), because these pieces can push several tiles
at the same time.
There are a few rules regarding the behavior of the tiles when
they reach the 'Board Zone', and other situations. Here are
the rules and some comments about it (examples of them in the next
topic):
- A movement is considered
not valid if there's an attempt to move a Tile (Single or
Compound) through the 'Board Zone' in a point where there's
no 'Jump' or 'Turn' available.
The first rule is a little
obvious. You can't move a tile outside the board, excepting
the cases allowed by the 'Flow Elements', as described in the
topic 1.2.
- A movement is
considered not valid if there's an attempt to move a Compound
Piece through the 'Board Zone', even if there's a
'Jump' or 'Turn' available.
This rule is not so obvious :
Compound Tiles doesn't respond to 'Flow Elements'.. This is understandable
if you think that generally is impossible to move a Compound
Piece through Jumps or Turns without separate its tiles or
disrupt its shape.
- A movement is
considered not valid if there's an attempt to move a Tile
(Single or as part of a Compound Piece) in two or more
different directions at the same time.
You may think that this could
never happen, since you can make only one move at the time.
But in some boards this possibility exists, because the tile
that you move can push other tiles through Jumps or Turns and
make a circuit in which a tile is pushed twice, and in
different directions. When this situation is detected, the
movement is avoided.
- A movement is
considered not valid if there's an attempt to move more
than one Tile (Single or Compound) into an empty space, at
the same time.
Again, you may think that
this could never happen, since you can move only one Tile at
the time. But in some boards this possibility exists, because
of the same reasons described in the Rule 3, although with
less frequency. When this situation is detected, the movement
is avoided.
Important : You don't need to remember these rules!
When some movement violates the rules described, it will be
simply avoided, without punishment of any kind, and the
corresponding 'Invalid Move Indicator' will
appear (If this feature is enabled).
Anyway, is important to know them to understand the behavior
of the tiles in any board, with a simple look.
Read the next topic for examples of these situations. |
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1.4 Invalid
Move Indicators (IMI) |
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When there's an
attempt of move that violates any of the rules described in
the topic 1.3, the move is not allowed and
the reason of the invalidation is indicated by the
corresponding 'Invalid Move Indicator' (IMI). This indication
is optional; read the topic 4.1
for more details.
Here are the IMI's of the game, with some comments and
examples:
- 'Tile Blocked' IMI :
This IMI is used to indicate a violation to the Rules 1
or 2.
The Figure 6 shows an example of a violation to the
Rule 1. At the left is indicated the attempt of
move of the user (black arrow), and the direction of
the pushed tiles (red arrows). At the right you can see
the corresponding 'Tile Blocked' IMI (the bar with
negative colors
drawn in the border of the 'Board Zone').
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Figure 6 :
Example of Rule 1 violation and 'Tile Blocked' IMI
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The Figure 7 shows an example of a violation to the
Rule 2. At the left is indicated the attempt of
move of the user (black arrow) and the direction of
the pushed, compound tile (red arrow). At the right you can see again the corresponding 'Tile Blocked' IMI.
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Figure 7 :
Example of Rule 2 violation and 'Tile Blocked' IMI used again
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- 'Multi
Direction' IMI :
This IMI is used to indicate a violation to the Rule 3.
The Figure 8 shows an example of a violation to the
Rule 3. At the left is indicated the attempt of
move of the user (black arrow), and the direction of
the pushed tiles (red arrows). Note the action of the
upper-right turn. As you can see, there's a tile that is pushed
in two different directions, and in this tile (now look
the figure at the right) has been drawn the 'Multi
Direction' IMI (the cross with negative colors). Sometimes
several tiles may be pushed like this, but the violation is indicated in the
first conflicting tile
detected, not in all of them.
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Figure 8 :
Example of Rule 3 violation and 'Multi Direction' IMI
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- 'Collision' IMI :
This IMI is used to indicate a violation to the Rule
4.
The Figure 9 shows an example of a violation to the
Rule 4. At the left is indicated the attempt of
move of the user (black arrow), and the direction of
the pushed tiles (red arrows). Note the action of the
bottom turns. As you can see, two tiles want to occupy the
same empty space, and in this empty space (now look
the figure at the right) has been drawn the 'Collision' IMI (the
square with negative colors). Sometimes
several empty spaces may be in this situation, but
the violation is indicated in the first conflicting
empty space detected, not in all of them.
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Figure 9 :
Example of Rule 4 violation and 'Collision' IMI
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