I've been picking at a game the last few days which is a puzzle game based on the Boston Tea Party (today being the 239th anniversary). The gameplay is Dr. Mario inspired. You drop the crates into the water, and when a match of 3 or more is found, they disappear. Boxes can also have modifiers on them, which are designed and on the boxes but said modifiers aren't programmed yet.

Where I Am:
  • A number of boxes are created at the start of the level based on the level number (a global variable). Right now I have a Start of Frame - Add 20 To Level event set up, but eventually it will just be 1 as the game loops through levels. Boxes are then randomly placed on the grid, which definitely looks awesome and challenging at higher levels!
  • The player can move their box left or right before dropping it. On PC, this is done with A or D to move, and S to drop. There are also touch zones set up for an eventual mobile version.
  • Boxes can be dropped


What's Wrong​:
  • Boxes don't drop to the last row.
  • Boxes that are already on the grid don't stop boxes that are falling.
  • There is a chance of boxes on the grid respositioning themselves when a falling box hits them, even though I thought I accounted for that.


What Needs to be Done:
  • Spawn a new box above the grid that can be moved around and dropped when, after a drop, the number of boxes on the grid > 0.
  • Check for 3 matching colors, horizontal or vertical, and destroy those boxes when a match is found. Don't need to match stamps.
  • Apply stamp bonuses (mainly the 2X double score, Bomb to destroy all surrounding boxes, and Pirate to adopt all characteristics of a touching box, color and stamp)
  • Increment Level global variable and restart scene when all boxes on the grid are cleared.
  • End game when a box is at Row 0, can't drop any farther, and doesn't make a match.


Right now, Advanced Game Board Object is giving me way too many issues. I've learned what I could from the example file and the Help page, but there are so many functions that kinda do the same thing it's hard to keep track of what's needed where. So I'm turning to the excellent Clickteam community for help, specifically with the "What's Wrong" section. Need to get boxes to fall to the last row, to stop when they fall on top of another box, and not randomly reposition themselves. I feel like I can handle the "What Needs to Be Done" section, especially once the current problems are fixed up.

If anyone can help me out, help would be much appreciated and you'll get proper credit. In the meantime I am going to crack open Photoshop and spice up these assets.
ZIP containing the MFA is attached. Thanks so much for your help!
teaTime.zip