Most [newly added|../paper-puzzle] and [upcoming|plans] genres will follow the [#Modern Rule Panel Format], especially if these are simple genres ( 2 -- 5 rules, 0 -- 3 symbols).
## Modern Rule Panel Format
The following criteria comprise the Modern Rule Panel format:
- a single, unique puzzle is displayed in all panels
- each panel before the last breaks **exactly one rule** and **respects all other rules**
- the last panel shows the solved puzzle, with the phrase ´´Solved!´´
It's more challenging than it seems!
|:info: The puzzle should be very small, almost trivial (ideally 4x4 or even 3x3).
| For hex grids, 3x3x2 or smaller would be ideal.
| This can be relaxed in some genres (5x5, even 5x6) if other criteria prove very hard (or impossible) to fulfill
Also, a common convention is for the last broken rule(s) to be the distinctive rule(s) of the genre.
This ensures that someone new to paper puzzles will read the simpler, more general (base) rules before diving into the (more interesting) specific genre rule(s).
### **Single rule** guidelines
Sometimes it may not be clear what should constitute a **single rule** or panel. Here are some guidelines:
- when two symbols have related, yet different behaviours, each should be presented in a separate panel;
- when different symbols have identical behaviour, all should presented as a unified panel - with one highlight per symbol;
- number symbols should be presented in a single panel:
- numbers 1 and 0, if allowed by the genre, should always be present
- some larger number should also be present -- to showcase a variety of numbers
- the effect of multiple numbers in a line/region/etc... should be illustrated (if relevant)
- question marks, if available, should be included:
- if they behave like any number, no extra panel needed
- if they behave slightly differently, a separate panel must be added (for example, if questions represent only a subset of available numbers, e.g. non-zero)
| :info: Multiple or excessive highlighting in a panel generally indicates that it should be split
In doubt, please check past examples, such as the [#good examples] below!
### Good examples
Good examples to follow:
-- [Straight Mazes] (follows all criteria perfectly)
-- [Ore-dango] (panel size relaxed to 4x5)
-- [Nurisquare] (extra clarification panel added)
-- [Hex turn] (good example on the hex grid)
### Extra panels
#### Clarification panels
After the last panel, an additional correct panel (with a different puzzle) could be used to clarify a particular aspect of the rules.
However, please consider whether it is possible to clarify that aspect in some of the previous panels instead.
#### Variant panels
Additional [variant|variants] panels, if especially relevant for that genre (e.g. a local variant) are welcome. They do not need to use the same puzzle.
At the moment, variant panels are displayed only when a variant is selected. In the future they may be added to the genre pages as well.
## Sending rule panels
Panels for the chosen genre should be @@@ sent per email @@@ as plain text, using this template:
´´´
puzzle url
sentence for rule 1
puzzle url
sentence for rule 2
...
puzzle url
Solved!
´´´
| :warn: All modernised genres display a preliminary "blank" panel. This is added automatically, so please do not include it in your submission.
### Guidelines for panel Sentences
Existing sentences should be reused as much as possible when modernising a genre, as they are likely to have already benefited from prior feedback.
When writing new sentences, please do the following exercise: imagine that all images were erased, and only the sentences would be left. A new player reading them should still be able to fully comprehend a genre.
With this in mind, here are some extra tips:
### Describe the correct case, not the error
Since each panel corresponds to an error, it is tempting to describe it. Please resist this temptation and describe the correct case instead.
When crossing is not allowed, instead of pointing the error as ´´The loop crosses´´, say ´´The loop may not cross´´.
#### Pay attention to negation
The contrary of ´´must´´ is ´´may not´´ (instead of ´´must not´´).
#### Be concise, but not overly
Instead of writing ´´no branching´´, write ´´The lines may not branch´´ or ´´Line branching is not allowed´´.
#### Be concrete
For example, if a rule is about numbers, what are the numbers counting?
So instead of writing ´´under counting is not allowed´´, describe it as e.g ´´the number of adjacent shaded tiles may not be below a number´´
## New Panel Contributions
All rule panel contributions for new genres are gathered in these tables, one per release month, sorted by number of contributions per author, excluding site.author.
This is a means of showing gratitude to all authors that have contributed with new panels.
${KudalistoMonthPaneltabl(Kudalisto,6)}
${KudalistoMonthPaneltabl(Kudalisto,5)}
${KudalistoMonthPaneltabl(Kudalisto,4)}
${KudalistoMonthPaneltabl(Kudalisto,3)}
${KudalistoMonthPaneltabl(Kudalisto,2)}
## Rule panel Modernisation Project
In some simple, older genres, rule panels would benefit from a redesign to align them with the modern format.
Please use the following table for guidance on which genre to pick.
Genres not needing modernisation were excluded (e.g. [Kudamono]).
This table will be updated periodically.
**Yes**-genres can be picked safely right now.
Other genres are either claimed (if stated) or currently under evaluation to determine whether eligible for / in need of modernisation.
GENRE RECOMMENDED SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
[subway] CLAIM Include at least one stations on corner, centre and edge; mostly full parks but one at least one quarter park. No need to include triangles as those may be extracted to a variant. Include multiple loop error.
[line-segment] CLAIM -
[2-3-mazes] TODO -
[knight-tour] CLAIM -
[field-trespass] CLAIM -
[hamiltonian-plumbers] TODO -
[unparalleled] CLAIM with "no line passes over a cross" displaying diagonal, vertical and horizontal possibilities)
[zig-zag] CLAIM -
[try-angles] TODO -
[dot-triangle] TODO -
[timber] CLAIM -
[dot-square] TODO -
[hamiltonian-mazes] TODO -
[corner-packing] CLAIM -
[five-and-dime] TODO -
[tet-color] TODO -
[unrectangles] CLAIM -
[venn] TODO -
[pentomino-puzzles] CLAIM one big clarification panel at the end that uses all pentominos, as in [tetro stack]
[hex-loop] CLAIM -
[arrow-loop] TODO -
[chess-pack] TODO -
[chess-battle] TODO -
[shapeshifting] TODO -
[dream-sequence] TODO -
[half-suits] TODO -
[chess-position] TODO -
[chess-num] TODO -
[honey-circuit] TODO -
[ice-dance-pair] TODO -
[shirokuro-pipe] TODO -
[flashlights] CLAIMED -
[crossing flashlights] CLAIM include: the number zero, a simple crossing (counted once), a multiple crossing (counted twice)
[soulmates] CLAIM use 1 panel per mark type to explain it
[magic-shape] TODO -
[chess-avoidance] TODO -
[chess-loop] TODO -
[starry-knights] TODO -
[dance-and-dance] TODO -
[redemption] TODO -
TODO:= :hourglass:
CLAIMED:= claimed
CLAIM:= @@@ claim @@@
### Progress
TOTALS DEC 2023 JAN 2024 FEB 2024 MAR 2024 APR 2024
Modernised 1 20 28 19 1
Excluded ? ? ? 1 13
Still available ? ? 75 55 41
### Contributors
CONTRIBUTORS DEC 2023 JAN 2024 FEB 2024 MAR 2024 APR 2024
@PinkHoodie 1 15 10 8 3
@EliDoris - - 5 8 -
@JustKirb - 5 6 2 -
@5381 - - 2 1 -
@AnuragSahay - - 5 - -
((Contributions to the Rule Panel Modernisation Project, in number of genres, per month. Variant panels not yet included.))
## Changes
**2023-12-22** Rule Panel Modernisation Project added
**2024-02-06** Rule Panel Modernisation became a separate page, with a genre guidance table and credits section
**2024-02-08** More precise guidelines about each panel's text were published
**2024-02-20** Added clarifications about the format in the hex grid, and an example, after a question by @5381
**2024-02-23** All modernised genres gained a preliminary interactive "new puzzle" panel, a suggestion by @EliDoris. This encourages people to try to solve the example and helps distinguish given elements.
**2024-02-24** Further clarification to the sentence guidelines
**2024-02-29** Stats section added, displaying per-month genre contribution totals
**2024-03-08** Stats section split in two - a separate board for newly added of future genres
**2024-03-11** More specific guidelines for what counts as one rule were added, after pondering questions by @PinkHoodie, @AnuragSahay and @EliDoris.
**2024-03-27** A [#progress] table was added to track how the modernisation project is going more easily
**2024-04-08** 13 additional genres, whose rules were less suited to the format, were removed from the table.
**2024-05-07** The [#new panels contribution] sectio was created, with monthly author tables.
**2024-05-09** Clarified the motivation for the "key rule in last panel" convention (@MartinEnder)