Let's Program a Puzzle Game - Part 1

Welcome to my first tutorial on how to make a Puzzle Game. We are starting basic with a Sliding Tile Puzzle. 

Everyone is familiar with Sliding Tile Puzzles. While they are relatively easy to solve (in theory), many players find them annoying when they pop up in a video game. Either way, creating a Sliding Tile Puzzle is a great way to learn how to code a variety of puzzle game mechanics in GB Studio. Download the project files and play around with them, or follow allow with the tutorial series on GB Studio Central for more instructions on how the whole thing works.

Part 1 will cover the puzzle setup regarding background tile-swapping, the general puzzle design, and setting up controls. 

Part 2 will get our code set to move our tiles around, check for a win state, and discuss debugging and options for finishing our Sliding Tile Puzzle. 

Part 3 will cover randomization of the puzzle setup and adding quality-of-life features such as a menu that allows you to create a new puzzle and visuals that show when the puzzle is loading.

The files included will contain the full project from Part 1, so feel free to peruse and learn as you peek into the code or follow along as the tutorial sections are released.

Where can I read the articles?

GB Studio Central is hosting the tutorial for this series. 

- Part 1 is available now

I hope you enjoy this peek into the madness of scripting something like this and my process. After releasing In The Dark and finishing the code for In The Dark 2, I realized that the complexity of the code I was putting together for these games could be useful to others. Depending on the reception of this first entry, I will possibly make more in the future!

Feel free to leave feedback or ask questions about the main project as you progress.

Good luck, and happy coding!

💚🍐