
Show HN: Make a rectangle – a puzzle game - kelukelugames
https://github.com/kelukelugames/makeabox
======
Marcus316
This was always one of my favourite puzzle games growing up. I had a plastic
copy of it that I would spend hours rearranging.

For those who aren't familiar with this puzzle, the goal is to take the 12
pieces and make a 10x6 rectangle. The 12 pieces are known as Pentominos, and
each one is a unique arrangement of 5 squares connected on the edges. There
are more than 2000 different ways to arrange the pieces into a 10x60
rectangle.

It's a lot of fun!

~~~
ideaoverload
Same here. I kept notebook full of solutions I have found. My favourite trick
was to use sets of 2 pieces placed next to each other that could be flipped
without need to rearange other pieces. This way I could get 2 slightly
different solutions in one shot.

------
kelukelugames
The mods asked me to repost my puzzle game. Someone appreciates something I
made. I want to cry. :)

~~~
efeamadasun
How does this game work? What am I supposed to be doing? Do you mind providing
a short description? I could not manage to find one.

~~~
kelukelugames
Try moving the pieces so they make a rectangle. :)

------
petepete
So I made a rectangle and nothing happened. Is it supposed to, or am I meant
to simply bask in my quadrilateral glory?

~~~
kelukelugames
Bask!

Thanks for the suggestion. I should add a screenshot function or something.

There are thousands of solutions so I couldn't figure out a good way to detect
if the user was finished. Much to learn I have. :)

~~~
goorpyguy
You'd probably have to check algorithmically. Starting from the top-left most
piece, have they (reasonably fuzzily) covered the 6x10 grid proceeding down
and right? If so, yay! You can also check for things like too much overlap,
but checking if there is a piece covering each of the centers of the relative
grid should be sufficient.

My first solution:
[http://i.imgur.com/rV2Ueow.png](http://i.imgur.com/rV2Ueow.png)

edit: It also was not clear up front that I could click to rotate/flip the
pieces, until I did it by accident.

~~~
Nadya
_> edit: It also was not clear up front that I could click to rotate/flip the
pieces, until I did it by accident._

This explains why I couldn't solve it... I was feeling rather stupid seeing
all the people solving it with 1,000's of solutions but I couldn't find one.

Thanks! :P

------
soral
Currently the game is too complex, so it's not satisfying for an average user

It might be a good idea to turn it into a game where it starts easy, gets
harder, and you can share the level you achieved and brag about it (like 1 2 3
4 5 6 7, the level could be stored in localStorage so a user can continue
fresh from that same level later on, with a different random pieceset)

Edit: Just checked the code, impressive :) - I assumed the game and pieces
were randomly generated

------
chrisBob
In safari I am able to rotate a pice by clicking, but I can only do it once
for each piece. I am not sure if it is even still possible to complete it this
way.

~~~
kelukelugames
Oh no. Thanks for the error report. I just re-prod the bug and will work on a
fix. Sorry about that.

It took me a while to get it working on Android and desktop. I need to get
better at making things cross platform.

------
markbnj
Good start. Needs more snap :).

------
scottcanoni
I assume the goal is to make a rectangle? Does it have to be a square?

~~~
mistagiggles
Rectangle, not possible to make a square. (Count the area and try and find
integer width & height that fits)

~~~
Someone
But two squares is possible (8x8 with a negative 2x2 anywhere inside,
including at the center)

------
kelukelugames
Wow, people are solving it fast! Took me a few hours the first time. Granted I
was 10. :)

------
zem
feedback: would be more satisfying if the pieces snapped to a grid. also are
they not flippable? i couldn't find any way to do that.

