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H-BLK — a free browser block puzzle where every rotation counts

A topic by idearig created 46 days ago Views: 195 Replies: 10

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Hi everyone! I’m the developer of H-BLK, a free block puzzle you can play directly in your browser.

Place shapes on a 9×9 board and clear rows, columns or 3×3 boxes. Rotations cost credits that you earn through play, so deciding when to rotate is part of the strategy.

There’s also a daily challenge: use the Shape of the Day to earn bronze, silver or gold medals and extra rotation credits. Prefer a simpler challenge? Classic mode turns rotations off.

H-BLK is completely free, with no ads.

Play H-BLK on itch.io

I’d love to hear how your first game goes—and whether the rotation system feels clear when you start playing.

Evolutionary Games46 days ago

It's fun to play.

I dragged a block not quite onto the other blocks and it got stuck there, obscuring the screen. I couldn't get rid of it except by refreshing the browser.

(It's not a game I'd necessarily play daily - so the daily bonuses won't apply. I'd play it occasionally when I had a few minutes spare.)

idearig45 days ago

Thanks for the feedback! Much appreciated.
I'll look into this bug, and try to reproduce it.

What would you consider the single feature that should be improved to make the game better?

Evolutionary Games45 days ago

Probably just to add an explanation: My game generally ends because I have no rotation credits left. And I don't know how that works. I can see there is a yellow bar counting down something, but sometimes multiple numbers are deducted, and sometimes the yellow bars still show 1 but I get the message that I can no longer rotate. It also seems to affect the next game - if I restart a board, I have fewer rotation credits than when I first play a game.

idearig44 days ago (2 edits)

Thank you so much for the detailed feedback! I'll try to make this clearer with the next release.
Until then, I hope this helps:

Rotation credits are displayed as a number on the top right of the grid.

You start with 10 rotation credits with every new board, and get a +5 daily bonus.
By clearing lines/columns/boxes, you get progress towards one additional rotation credit - that's the golden bar above the grid.
Once the bar is fiilled all the way from left to right, it is reset and a +1 rotation credit is awarded. The progress is augmented by up to X20 streak bonus, for clearing simultanious/parallel areas.
Additional ways to get rotation credits: solve the bronze, silver and gold daily challenges (+3, +5, +10 credits).

A bit too complicated, I get it now. I will try to simplify in the next release.

Many thanks again for the feedback!!

idearig22 days ago (1 edit)

Hi,

I uploaded a new, refined version :-)

Main improvements:

- More intuitive animations, that clarify the relationship between cleared areas and rotation credits bar on top.

- 2->3 undoes and 10 moves back instead of 5 - less risk to loose your highscore when you're stuck. Also, more generous Rotation Credit bonuses on achieving the daily goals.

- Sharable highscore

Many thanks again, for all your feedback!
If you have any additional suggestions, they are always welcomed :-)

idearig22 days ago

Hi all,
A new, refined versions is up in the air!

Enjoy :-)

Evolutionary Games22 days ago

Awesome logic game!

The new version is really cool. Everything works well and it's much easier to understand the game now. As a result, it takes far longer to play it because I understand the strategy I must use better.

idearig21 days ago

Awesome! Thank you for the feedback!
Any tips on reaching larger audiences? Any communities here on itch, or external, where I should publish the game? I'd really like to see a viral growth in new and returning users :-)

Evolutionary Games21 days ago

I get more plays of my browser games on my own website than on itch.io.

Most of the plays on my own website are driven by a listing in Huawei App Gallery. Huawei created an interface for players to easily find browser games and create icons (shortcuts). At the time you needed your own https site for Huawei to accept the game - but a lot has changed there.

On itch.io it is very difficult to get noticed and the top question that nobody here can really answer is: How do I get more players? In general, the answers are: find the players elsewhere like on social media and direct them here. Personally, I've had a 100% failure rate with social media marketing. I can get followers but that doesn't translate into traffic or game plays.

idearig21 days ago

Thanks! I'll try FB and other SM channels, and I'll check out Huawei App Gallery too.