Greenhouse Gambit

Devlog #20: Final Preparations for Second Ship

In this devlog, I changed up stuff in the ReadMe (+ a new top secret text file) and made a new Python file for v1.2! That’s going to be it for this project!

Devlog #19: Merging Complete!

The fact that I have 3 days & 6 hours… it shivers me to think about it. However, I was able to merge the 4 new puzzles together in today’s session, with a few bugs. The last few coding sessions I’ll have before the end of Flavortown (join #stardance in Slack for the summer) will be helpful towards making this project the best possible. [Maybe I’ll work on a sequel in the summer or something :)]

Devlog #18: 12 Puzzles!

In this devlog, I made puzzles 11 & 12! Puzzle 11 is all about the patterns in shapes; puzzle 12 is about DNA testing (finally fits the greenhouse). What’s left is to merge these new puzzles (pretty easy!), (maybe) add more randomization, & create a new file for anyone who wants the answers because they’re struggling!

Devlog #17: v1.exe Revisions

I added more details to the puzzle in the .exe for voting. Please use v1.1 (ReadMe, puzzle details increase etc.)

Devlog #16: The Start of v2

After some thinking, I came up with Puzzles #9 & #10! They include school-related questions & newspaper logic riddles/puzzles. Puzzle #9 includes a little bit of randomization, and Puzzle #10 doesn’t. In the future, I will implement this to make the options more random (8 out of 10 different ones) while making the first 8 more random. Remember, the goal is to make different runs so that repeating the room is still enjoyable!

Note: The 40 minutes also includes the changes I made to ship v1.

Devlog #15:

After some quick changes to make the .exe, I am offically done with all the coding needed! I am so glad I made this project, and I hope you enjoy it (same pictures because no changes in output)! Have a great time! :)

Devlog #14:

It has been finished! After 9+ hours of work (long for my first event like this), I finished the escape room! Future plans include: adding graphics, improving randomization, & having more story lines. The output of my run is below (1 is the first, 2 is the second etc.):

Devlog #13:

Debugging–the thing every coder hates. After finally trying to get a completed speedrun, I found two bugs: the e bug & the ending bug.

The ending bug, the easier to fix, is where the ending DON’T show up. The e bug, as I have dubbed it, is where my program prints only the same letter (shown below). After these two bugs are fixed, this porject will be complete!

Devlog #12:

Over the past session of coding, I was able to implement keys! With 10 different locks (that would be randomized right before the first puzzle is shown) that are 8-letter words, I have made it so that each puzzle reveals a letter at random (NOT in order). All that’s left to do is test out the final lock & connect it to the ending in my next session(s). [Note: I also made the time rate different –> 5 minutes per 10 seconds to a minute per two seconds. Shown below: ]

Devlog #11:

Endings done! There are 4 endings (two containing randomization, which are shown below) that depend on how long it took you to finish. All that’s left before shipping is to connect all of these seamlessly…

Devlog #10:

Final lock achieved! In this session, I have created a randomization of the final lock & the final lock function (not conencted to main program yet). After the endings are made, I will connect everything together and hopefully ship by the 1st week of April. But, who knows? All I know is that I have this wonderful, almost-done project…

Devlog #9:

Randomization unlocked! 6 of 8 puzzles have some element of randomization; the other 2 involve a lot more for randomization, so I may save that for the future.

Next up: the letters & the final puzzle! You have seen the presentation of letters (but no letters), which factor in to the 8-letter key of the final puzzle/lock to achieve the ending(s).

Devlog #8:

Finally, all the puzzles are finished (in a way). I have the idea for all 8; however, some are pretty short (& boring) without the randomization of clues & keys (letters unlocked). In future devlogs, this is the plan; this is only the beginning.

Devlog #7:

So, I’ve created Puzzle #4 and started Puzzle #5. However, I am going to change how build these puzzles. Right now, Puzzles #1 & #2 are the only ones with some randomization (not much), and the rest have NO randomization. I have decided to build the puzzles and then add randomization later.

Puzzle #4’s output is linked below:

Devlog #6:

In this devlog, I added the concept of in-game time (10 seconds = 5 minutes). Therefore, you’ll have 15 minutes to finish the escape room. There was an 11:80 AM bug (but it disappeared as mysterious as it appeared) & a puzzle loading bug, but those should be gone. Now, I can focus on building the 5 puzzles remaining! (Note the pictures are one output, and the order of them is flipped.)

Devlog #5:

In this session, I was able to connect the introduction shown in Devlog #1 to the puzzles made in Devlogs #2-4. The choice menu allows for two other choices (wait & try to break open, which both have some randomness) and allows the player to solve a random puzzle.

My next step is to enable the concept of time, so that there is a winning or losing gameplay.

Devlog #4:

Since I recycled the riddle from an old script of mine, I was able to finish Puzzle #3 a lot quicker. Also, I changed up the formatting to include blank lines (easier readability). However, this puzzle doesn’t allow much room for randomness (unless I do a lot more coding, which I might).

Here is the plan: in order to connect the puzzles created, my next session will focus on connect the introduction shown in Devlog #1 to these 3 puzzles.

Devlog #3:

Over the past session of hacking, I was able to add a fifth hint to Puzzle #1 (took a lot of brainstorming and trying out) & start a base for Puzzle #2 (no randomization).

During this time period, the extension of Flavortown to April 30th was announced officially (although word of the extension was spread before). Unlike my description, I may only go till the end of March (but we’ll see!).

Devlog #2:

I have the baseline for Puzzle #1 (out of 8) done, but I just realized I have some brainstorming to do to make the puzzle actually solvable.

Puzzle #1 is like the lock to a safe with some mathy hints, and I’ll improve the hints to make the puzzle less impossible. Since it’s been a bit, I decided to just post a devlog to show my progress.

Devlog #1:

So I just came up with the idea of creating a FUN escape room, unlike the ones you have to do in class. I remember doing only ONE fun escape room, but that’s for another day (look at comments!).

In this project, I start from the front (menu) to the back (end). Therefore, I created the menu & introduction during today’s 16 minute session of working, completing the very front of the project!