v1.7.0 Redefining Optimal


This update required a database, a server, and a ton of refactoring. I was challenged multiple times making this, but I learned a lot too. In this update I redefine the stats of solutions for a new definition of *best*. Additionally, I introduce a server to keep track of best known solutions globally, who found them, and when.

A solution *A* is only better than solution *B* if all respective stats of solution *A* is lower than the stats of solution *B*, and vice versa. Otherwise, the solutions are incomparable. This results in a set of optima, that is, solutions where no better solution exists (yet). There may be multiple optima for a level, since they can be pairwise incomparable. This is also called lattice theory and partial orders if you are into computer science.

This is interesting for the levels, where there is an optimal solution using a few left arrows, but where the impressive solution is the one that uses no left arrows, but many up/down/right arrows instead. In this example, both solutions can be optima, since one has fewer up/down/right arrows, while the other has fewer left arrows. With this I hope to incentivizes players to challenges themselves with alternative solutions using as few as possible arrows of one or more direction.

Changes:

- A solution is now associated with the following stats: number of steps, up arrows, down arrows, left arrows, right arrows. Number of touched tiles is not tracked anymore.

- The game now keeps record of your personal best solutions (using the definition of better from above).

- A server keeps record of global best solutions (using the definition of better from above).

    - Note that the server cannot keep track of global optima for custom levels.

- The personal best and global best solutions are shown upon level completion, but can also be shown from level select.

- A level is marked with a blue star if you have found one of the global best solutions (or one with similar stats).

- Each user must pick a username when the game is first launched. This username is associated with any global best they may find.

- Added Tooltips.

- Added the following resolution options: 800x600, 920x600, and 1920x1200.

- The game is now an executable.

- Many internal technical things with networking, caching, and more.

Old solutions must be re-run to completion to be registered as personal/global bests.

Files

tawycpa-1.7.0.exe 64 MB
Aug 05, 2021

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