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0. Introduction |
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0.1 Overview |
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Tilerama is a
tile-based puzzle game. Your objective is to
slide the tiles from
a given initial pattern (called IP) to an objective pattern
(called OP). The game allows you to play a wide variety of
puzzles; from the classic picture-slide square, to complex
patterns of colored tiles. |
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0.2 Game Features
(and some history) |
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The idea of this
game was born with the well-known 'Sliding Puzzles' in which you
must slide the tiles to their original location, to rebuild a
scrambled picture. Movements in these kind of puzzles
are possible because of an empty space located, generally, in
the right-bottom corner of the board, and the level of
difficulty is achieved by varying the dimensions of the
board. A variation of this game, in which there's no
empty space and the tiles slide vertically or horizontally
from one side of the board to the opposite, was also an
inspiration. The first attempt of Tilerama included both variations,
with a few board dimensions allowed.
Then, several features were added to the original game
concept: |
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- Multiple shapes :
Initially, only 'square pictures' of different dimensions
were available (3x3, 4x4 and 5x5 tiles). A newer version
of Tilerama allowed any shape formed by tiles. At
this point, the 'board editor' is born to edit and manage
the different boards of the game. Today's board editor is almost the same. (read 'The
Board' for more details)
- Jumps and Turns :
In the variation of the 'Sliding Puzzle' described above
(without empty spaces), small bars positioned outside the
board indicated that a tile that came out in that side
re-entered in the opposite side. This bars were called
'Jumps', and in a newer version of the game, the 'Jump In'
and 'Jump Out' could be positioned anywhere, not only in
opposite sides. Then 'Turns' were created as small points
(also outside the board) to allow tiles to turn their
direction in the corners (read 'Flow
Elements' for more
details).
- Colored Tiles :
Thanks to the features mentioned above, the puzzles became very hard to solve, and then colored tiles were
created to make things easier. When you have to rebuild a
scrambled picture, there is a specific position for every
single tile, but when you have to rebuild a pattern of
colored tiles, several tiles may be positioned correctly
in several positions, making the same pattern.
- Compound Pieces :
To make things harder again, newer versions included
'Compound Pieces', that is, several tiles linked together
making 'poliminoes' (as the pieces in Tetris-like games).
- Time and Moves Limits
: Finally, 'Time' and 'Moves' limitations were added to
make the game even harder. This feature also introduced
the difference between 'board' and 'puzzle' files. (read 'Game Files'
for more details).
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As you can see, the game is extremely versatile; enough to
become a platform for a lot of different 'Sliding Puzzles',
which is its main purpose. |
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0.3 Other Features |
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Besides the game
features, Tilerama offers : |
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- 3 Game Modes :
'Single Game' , 'Against Computer' (in turns) and
'Campaign' (several puzzles played successively).
- Skin support : The
graphics of the board and tiles can be customized
individually, and if the puzzle includes a picture, this
can be replaced with any external JPG or BMP image.
- Customizable Sounds and
Music : The user can change the WAV files used for
sound effects, and the MIDI file used as ingame music.
- Top 10 Scores :
Every puzzle and every game-mode have their own 'Top 10
Scores' in two categories : 'Fewest Moves' and 'Fastest
Times'.
- Player's Log File :
The game writes a 'Log File' for every player, to keep
track of all their events.
- Official Web Site :
In Tilerama's web site you can find a lot of extra
resources, including more puzzles, skins and sounds. There
are also available the editors, as free as the game, to
create your own puzzles and campaigns.
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0.4 Version
History (What was new
in v1.3) |
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- 'Target
Zone' support : Since v1.3, the pieces of the board
outside a specified 'Target Zone' do not matter; a puzzle
will be considered solved if the pieces inside the target
zone are in place, ignoring the others. By default, the
entire board is considered as target zone.
- Load
and Save Game : In v1.0, the possibility to save a
game was restricted to the use of cheats. Since v1.3, this
feature isn't considered a cheat anymore, allowing the
access to Top 10 Scores.
- New
Options : The
'general options' window has been updated with 3 new
features : 'Auto-load GB+TS couples', 'Show OP when the
game starts' and 'Show non-target zone during the game'.
- Restart
Game : You can restart the actual puzzle at any time,
pausing the game and choosing 'Restart' or pressing the R
key.
- New shortcuts and buttons :
Several shortcuts were added, according to the new
features of the game. New buttons were added to some
windows as well, such as a 'Refresh' button in the
graphics cfg window, and a 'Play Again' button after
losing a puzzle game.
- New Puzzles : v1.3
includes 12 Puzzle Files (and a Campaign using them),
named 'Blocked 1.3 xx', specially designed to demonstrate
the 'Target Zone' support.
- New graphics : The
'Default' skin provided with v1.3 includes extended
background, and the computer's white hand (shown during a
game against computer) has been replaced by a cyan hand.
- Some minor
bugs have been also fixed.
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0.5 What's new in
Version 1.4? |
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- Custom
Random Moves : Version 1.4 includes a new setting for
single games with random IP's : you can define the exact
number of random moves that the computer will perform to
scramble the board. By default, this number is defined by
the game, based on the quantity of tiles of the board.
- Pattern Support for the Editors
Pack : Since v1.4, the Tilerama's Editors Pack is
included in the same installation file of the game.
Version 1.4 of these editors allow users to save and load
single patterns; these patterns can't be used directly for
the game, but makes the puzzle creation easier.
- New Game : Tilerama v1.4
includes Tilerama
MG, a memory game based on Tilerama's engine. This
game also shares resources with Tilerama 'Classic', such
as boards, graphics, sounds and music.
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