Project Status: Completed

CrossMines is a puzzle game, where the player must guess the locations of mines hidden in a minefield. Full details of the concept can be found in the introduction.

The current release is an up-to-date rewrite of the 1996 version (which was written by the same author, for Windows 3.1/95).

News

18 Sep 2005	v1.0.1 Guide	New Player's Guide, available on the website.
22 Jun 2005	v1.0.1 Package	CrossMines packaged in a Windows XP compliant installer, with full uninstall options. Uses NSIS
16 May 2005	v1.0.1 Release	Distribution ZIP changed to being a Crossmines folder containing the application and a sub-folder containing .tes pattern files. Regular tessellated shapes introduced. Each pattern demands its own general set of strategies for winning. 15 patterns added. Patterns stored as text files; new patterns can be created by anyone. Note: Patterns have unique IDs (to allow patterns written by different people to have the same name), and comp-sci will soon host an ID number allocation service to ensure no duplicates occur in public patterns. File format to be published soon. Some bugs known - see 'Bugs' below.
25 Apr 2005	v1.0 Release	Improvements to Scoring: New Game settings are remembered between sessions. High Score table can be filtered to show: (a) Everyone's scores or just the current player's, and (b) Closeness to the existing New Game settings. Player clicks on the High Score table to challenge a score using the same New Game settings as the player who achieved the score.
22 Apr 2005	v0.3.4 Beta stable	Improvements to Scoring: Scoring while clearing squares is determined by minefield difficulty. End-game bonuses: large bonuses for leaving cells unexplored. Timed games enjoy a time bonus.
21 Apr 2005	v0.3.3 Beta stable	Improvements to New Game Box: Re-arranged options. Simplified layout. Advanced options are hidden behind a flip-down button. Timed game, with selectable game speed. Game ends if time runs out. Most words removed from the New Game box, to be replaced by pictures. Other changes: Lifelines: use a lifeline just before risky test. Lifelines are safe, but cost time and points. Two lifelines per game - this may change in future releases. Scoring: difficult levels score more highly. This feature will be fine-tuned in future releases.
18 Apr 2005	v0.3.2 Beta stable	Improvements to New Game Box: Re-arranged most options. Icons to show purpose of sliders (to help players whose first language is not English) Additional drop-down menus (left disabled): 'Linking Pattern' and 'Tessellation Pattern'. Quick Settings: 10 'Levels' of play. Other Changes: Minor change to highlighting 'Holes' now implemented
17 Apr 2005	v0.3.1 Beta stable	Small changes to tidy the v0.3 release: About Box Icon for the program Minor change to highlighting Some inactive interface items hidden: menu options, 'Holes' game option.
15 Apr 2005	v0.3 Beta stable	Re-written. This update is released at this point because it is an improvement on the 1996 release: Highlights area under the cursor, Bugs solved. Does not include scoring.
05 Apr 2005	Launch	Project started.

Bugs

#	Raised	Found	Solved	Comment
10	14 May 2009	1.0.1	yes	Patterns not detected when running on Vista. Until an update is released, running Crossmines.exe in 'XP (Service Pack 2)' compatibility mode solves the problem.
9	16 May 2005	1.0.1	-	Patterns: Can hang if pattern file is deleted or ID is changed within the text file while player is choosing a pattern.
8	16 May 2005	1.0.1	-	Patterns: Some inadvertent cell linking has been observed.
7	16 May 2005	1.0.1	-	Patterns: Sometimes does not save the 'pattern used' when remembering the New Game configuration between sessions.
6	16 May 2005	1.0.1	-	Patterns: 'One mark per cell' option does not work with patterns yet - an improvement is due soon.
5	16 May 2005	1.0.1	-	Patterns: Error-trapping poor with erroneous patterns.
4	26 Apr 2005	-	1.0	New Game: Very low values for Cell Size cause a freeze, and the application must be quit.
3	17 Apr 2005	0.3B	0.3.1B	Pop-up menu shortcuts and options now act correctly at all times.
2	(no date)	0.2A	0.3B	Clicking outside the game area caused edge cells to be selected.
1	(no date)	0.2A	0.3B	Linked mines around linked cells were mis-counted as multiple areas, where they should have been one area. Solved using a different counting method.