Crossmines
Project

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 2005v1.0.1
Guide 

New Player's Guide, available on the website.

22 Jun 2005v1.0.1
Package 

CrossMines packaged in a Windows XP compliant installer, with full uninstall options. Uses NSIS

16 May 2005v1.0.1
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 2005v1.0
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 2005v0.3.4
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 2005v0.3.3
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 2005v0.3.2
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 2005v0.3.1
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 2005v0.3
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 2005LaunchProject started.

Bugs

#RaisedFoundSolvedComment
1014 May 20091.0.1yesPatterns not detected when running on Vista. Until an update is released, running Crossmines.exe in 'XP (Service Pack 2)' compatibility mode solves the problem.
916 May 20051.0.1-Patterns: Can hang if pattern file is deleted or ID is changed within the text file while player is choosing a pattern.
816 May 20051.0.1-Patterns: Some inadvertent cell linking has been observed.
716 May 20051.0.1-Patterns: Sometimes does not save the 'pattern used' when remembering the New Game configuration between sessions.
616 May 20051.0.1-Patterns: 'One mark per cell' option does not work with patterns yet - an improvement is due soon.
516 May 20051.0.1-Patterns: Error-trapping poor with erroneous patterns.
426 Apr 2005-1.0New Game: Very low values for Cell Size cause a freeze, and the application must be quit.
317 Apr 20050.3B0.3.1BPop-up menu shortcuts and options now act correctly at all times.
2(no date)0.2A0.3BClicking outside the game area caused edge cells to be selected.
1(no date)0.2A0.3BLinked mines around linked cells were mis-counted as multiple areas, where they should have been one area. Solved using a different counting method.