[Kde-games-devel] Puzzle game for KDE

[Ian Wadham]

On Fri, 21 Mar 2008 07:30 am, Stefan Majewsky wrote:
> Am Donnerstag, 20. März 2008 20:25:27 schrieb Ian Wadham:
> > How will the "sawing" of the pieces be done?  Regular pattern?  Slightly
> > randomized pattern, etc.?
>
> If you mean with "regular pattern" that each piece has the same width and
> height, that is what we're thinking of (makes internal object management
> easier).
>
Other parameters in real jigsaws seem to be:
 - the size and configuration of the convex and concave interlocking
    bits (e.g. two convex bits can be in six (?) configs, such as N+S,
    N+E, E+S, etc. and there can be 1-4 convex bits on a piece),
 - the size, average direction and curve of each side of the piece,
 - the position within each side, relative to the centre, of the convex
    or concave bit.
This is all assuming four sides per piece, where the above parameters
can "slightly randomize" the pattern to give pieces of various shapes,
which in turn can make the puzzle easier or harder depending on
how detailed or featureless the picture is.

I have also seen puzzles that appear to be "hand-sawn", where
pieces can have irregular shapes and no connectors and can even
be cut to follow parts of boundaries of objects in the picture,
thus removing a valuable "clue" when hunting for pieces.

Of course, I do not expect you to implement every possibility in
version 1, but I have often wondered whether the machines that
stamp out cardboard jigsaw puzzles have cutter-patterns that are
somehow computer-generated and created.  If you are in Germany,
perhaps a tour of the Ravensburger factory ... ;-)

All the best, Ian W.