Puzzle Rules - Simple Maths

Rules

• Cube HitPoint range from 9 to 1; 0 = no cube
• Player can remove Cube 1 HP by tapping it
• When Cube 1 HP is removed, it decrease its six neighbour's HitPoint by 1

• Cubes with HP > 1 can't be remove by tapping them
• Line of three cubes of same HP create a 'combo' and are removed automatically
• when removed, a cube from a combo decrease its six neighbour's HipPoint by 1 (like a Cube 1 HP); except cubes from the combo itself.

Dynamics

Example #1

• Choices a) or b) both leads to solving the puzzle
• but a) is more efficient, as it create a 2-2-2 combo which remove b)
• still player could choose b) and remove all cubes one by one

Example #2

• Only choice a) solves the puzzle
• Removing a) creates a 2-2-2 combo which removes b)
• But removing b) first leave a 2-3-1 setup which can't be solved.

Additional comments

• We can use texture to communicate cube HP ; by clearly writing the number of using dots like dices.

• This type of level design can be procedurally generated.
• Difficulty parameters:
• Puzzle cube HP range: 
• easy = [1-2]
• hard = [1-9]
• Puzzle combo opportunities at start
• easy = a lot
• hard = none
• Puzzle size 
• easy = small (4x4x4)
• hard = big (6x6x6)

• Questions to be solved by prototyping:
• how the inside layers of the puzzle impact the puzzle?
• Should we create some sort of 'skin' on artefact rather than aiming for a cubic puzzle?
• is the challenge interesting ; can its difficulty be tweaked? ; is there room/needs to add more ingredients?