Success! Finally got a working prototype model tracking number of moves, game plays, and win/lost feedback. Still a few minor adjustments to address before adding more rings to the game play. Excited!
I had it loosely working at the end of Episode 4 but still had to work through a few considerations if a user were to move backward.
For scoring I needed to come up with a mechanism to show feedback when the minimum numbers of move were met – a win. Also, a mechanism to show feedback when a win is met but with more than the minimum number of moves were made.
This final design sketch is a combination of ideas from Episode 1 through Episode 5 (I sketched this after the episode). It accommodates the MVF – Minimum Viable Functionality, or the framework that I’ll use as I add 3, 4, and 5 rings.
DESIGN SKETCH:
The above sketch suggests the first move is Ring 1 to Tower B > Ring 2 to Tower C > Ring 1 to Tower C. The user could choose to first move Ring 1 to Tower C which the next moves would be Ring 2 to Tower B > Ring 1 to Tower B.
Meaning, a set of triggers needed to be created to accommodate one of two first moves for Ring 1. And…depending on the first move I had to evaluate the next two possible moves for Ring 2.
- 17 variables
- 3 Slide triggers to show either Win layer or Moves > 3 layer
- 20 triggers for Ring 1
- 16 triggers for Ring 2
Not bad. Less than 20 variables and less than 40 triggers to get the MVF prototype assembled. Don’t get too excited…those triggers will exponentially increase as I add more rings to the game play.
Assuming at least 20 per ring I’ll end up with over 100 triggers. I’ve built projects upwards of 900 triggers so I know Storyline can handle it. However, as the triggers exponentially increase it becomes more difficult to manage the them in a vertical scrolling stack in the triggers panel.
I’m not ready to publish and share yet. There’s few more items to address:
- Because of the starting positions of the drag items (Rings), if a user inadvertently lets go before dropping on the intended target it will snap back to its starting position. That’s fine in some cases, but if Ring 2 is on either Tower B or C and Ring 1 gets returned to its starting position, it will appear like Ring 1 is floating – Ring 2 is not there. I have an idea to fake Storyline out by moving the entire game play to a second slide after the first move. I only have to evaluate one of two positions where Ring 1 might get placed (probably another variable). Then on the second slide auto position Ring 1 in that first move position. If my idea works, it will work for any number of starting rings (2-5) because Ring 1 will always be the first to move and always only have two possible places to go. I dunno yet.
- Moves. Currently the minimum number of moves is 3 with 2 rings and the game shows a “Win” layer feedback. Any number of moves greater than 3 (4 moves) the game shows a “Move > 3” layer feedback. I only want to show feedback once the correct stacking occurs with Ring 1 on top of Ring 2 regardless of which Tower. Sometimes that might take more than 4 moves. The first time I won using the wooden prototype it took me 37 moves. The minimum for 5 rings is 31. Similarly, I don’t want to stop the game if the user moves greater than 31 (32) without completing all the moves.
- Need to add a Reset button. Not so much necessary with only a 2-Ring game play, but a user might want to end and start over once I add 3, 4, and 5 rings.
That’s enough to me busy for at least one or two more episodes!
AUGUST 11, 2017 FACEBOOK LIVE BROADCAST VIDEO:
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Episode 5 – Aug 11, 2017 – YOU ARE HERE