Show HN: Make a rectangle – a puzzle game

[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]

Yes! Some Donald Knuth person even published an algorithm for it. :)

[zem]

same here! there are also lots of solutions for the 12x5 rectangle, and two for the 20x3

[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.

[pistoriusp]

I think `make a rectangle!` is easier to understand than make a box :)

[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. :)

[nkrisc]

Is that not enough satisfaction!? What more do you want?

[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)

[kelukelugames]

Yes, the goal is to make a rectangle. It cannot be one giant square as there are 60 (5 x 12) mini squares.

[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.