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Latest News

Version 0.4.0 - 2026-01-23

• Redesign of Collections and Levels
  • All levels now belong to collections, auto-registered at startup.
  • Collections are referred by string ID (path-like) or numeric ID.
  • Level ID format is COLLECTION-ID.LEVEL-INDEX, e.g. hero.2 or 13.2.
  • Collection configs use YAML and are stored in levels/ directory.
  • A special custom collection with ID 0 can be populated on startup.
  • Command line args and options configure the custom collection.
  • The custom collection can be recreated by clipboard import (Alt-C).
• Reworked Main Screen
  • Main Screen shows all auto-registered and custom collections.
  • Easier navigation and better hints for collections to enter.
  • The custom collection is only shown on Main Screen when non empty.
• New Themes and Updates
  • jewel — suitable for Sokoban and many other puzzles (press F5).
  • cargo — suitable for Sokoban and some other puzzles (press F6).
  • Reworked ancient1 theme, now it's green floor and yellow walls.
  • Improved plates and other images in several themes.
  • New keybindings Shift-F3 and Shift-F4 for ancient2 and modern2.
• Support for Various Level Arguments from Command Line
  • Collection IDs, e.g. "stoneage/original".
  • Level IDs, e.g. "atomix/original.5".
  • Map files (Sokoban map files and internal maps auto-detected).
  • Clipboard input (map or URL supported): "clipboard:".
  • Standard input (map or URL supported): "stdin:" or "-".
  • Map files via URL, e.g. "https://url-shortener.me/5NTJ".
  • LetsLogic collection IDs ("letslogic:Micro Cosmos", letslogic:30).
  • LetsLogic level IDs (after loading their collection), see below.
• Support LetsLogic Sokoban Collections
  • New flag --list-ll-collections shows all LetsLogic collections.
  • The LetsLogic collection list is cached locally for 1 week.
  • URL-like syntax: letslogic:<coll-id-or-title>, letslogic:/<level-id>.
  • Requested LetsLogic collections and all levels are cached locally.
  • Configurable LetsLogic API key (by default, generic acc is used).
  • Graceful handling and reporting of internet and server issues.
• New Sokoban Solver Highlights
  • Supports classical search algorithms: BFS, UCS, A*, Greedy, DFS.
  • Two solution cost metrics:
    • push/pull-optimal — minimize shifts then moves,
    • move-optimal — minimize moves then shifts.
  • Unified solver core for GUI and CLI with extensive automated testing.
  • Solver architecture separates barrel configuration (SuperPosition)
    and character state (Position) for efficiency.
  • Domain-specific heuristics with Hungarian matching and lower-bound
    costs for A* and pruning.
  • Detects multiple deadlock types: local, match, freeze, corral freeze.
  • Supports special level classes: Circular, ZSB, reverse mode.
  • Periodic progress reports and optional early return.
• New sokodun Command-Line Tool
  • Dedicated CLI for Sokoban solving using the same solver as the GUI.
  • Supports specifying multiple levels and collections on command line.
  • Allows algorithm selection: --astar, --bfs, --ucs, --greed, --dfs.
  • Supports solution types: push-optimal and move-optimal (--by-moves).
  • Return the first found solution with --return-first.
  • Time-limited solving via --limit-time.
  • Flexible output: visual vs standard map format (--show-sok),
    dead cell highlighting (--show-dead), timing per level (--show-time).
  • Record comparison and control with --record-file.
  • Quiet and verbosity flags for automation workflows.
• Command Line and Configuration
  • Unified startup option instead of --level and --collection:
    • -s, --start LEVEL-OR-COLL-ID
  • New custom collection options:
    • -t, --theme THEME
    • -m, --music MUSIC
    • -b, --bg-image BG_IMAGE
    • -P, --puzzle-type PUZZLE_TYPE
    • -c, --cloud-mode
    • -r, --reverse-barrel-mode
  • New options:
    • --list-ll-collections
    • -M, --no-music
    • -S, --no-sound
    • -p, --run-profiler
    • -d, --debug LVL-or-FEATURE
• New Debug Mechanism (via --debug option)
  • jreg, jprs — joystick debug registration/presses
  • grid, grid+ — grid subsystem output
  • path, path+ — pathfinding output
  • solv, solv+, solv++ — solver internals log (very verbose)
  • szsb, szsb+ — Sokoban ZSB output
  • prun — periodic prune and deadlock counters
  • nofd — disable Freeze deadlock detection
  • nocd — disable Corral Freeze deadlock detection
  • dlck — show all Match, Freeze, Corral Freeze deadlocks
  • sevt — SokobanSolver event log (verbose; redirect to *.sel file)
  • prevalid — SokibanSolver prepared valid shift data per level
  • precosts, precosts+ — SokibanSolver prepared costs per level
• New Modules
  • celltools.py
  • collectiontools.py
  • colorize.py
  • grid.py
  • hungarian.py
  • level.py
  • load.py
  • processcmdargs.py
  • profiler.py
  • progressline.py
  • records.py
  • sokobansolver.py
  • testsuite.py
• New regression Tests
  • tests/all
  • tests/celltools
  • tests/colorize
  • tests/grid
  • tests/hungarian
  • tests/progressline
  • tests/records
  • tests/sokobansolver
  • tests/sokobansolver-long
  • tests/teestream
  • tests/testsuite
• BarrelPuzzle (Sokoban) Enhancements
  • Full support for reverse-barrel-mode (press Alt-E):
    barrels and plates swapped; pulls instead of pushes.
  • Multiple solution controls via keyboard including algorithm:
    RCtrl-1/A/B/D/G/U/0/-/Tab/Backquote.
  • KP_Enter — find push/pull optimal solution.
  • Shift-KP_Enter — find move optimal solution.
  • Solution progress updates at least once per second.
  • Solutions in LURD format (no spaces), copied to clipboard.
• Input Handling and UX
  • Improved full-screen (F11 and Shift-F11), also fitting Ctrl-S.
  • Ignore lone Shift/Ctrl/Alt presses centrally.
  • Many keybindings no longer stop solution search or replay.
  • Reserve right Ctrl / right Alt combinations for puzzles.
  • Change RShift-D to RShift-M — copy current map to clipboard.
  • Backspace — clear prepared solution without reloading level.
  • Any key during solving marks stop_find, allowing early return.
  • Updated joystick profiles and error recovery.
  • Improved short status messages for common situations.
  • Import LURD-based solution from clipboard by Alt-S.
• Miscellaneous Fixes and Improvements
  • Fix mirror flip drawing and other rendering issues.
  • Fix convert_outer_floors for all border floors.
  • Fix warnings when switching levels during kill-enemy animations.
  • Add actor facing modes (static, horizontal flip, rotate) and
    use it for character and for enemy (in HeroPuzzle).
  • Improve level config error messages.
  • Fix GatePuzzle and LockPuzzle assert_config logic.
  • Auto-append .png in load_image for missing extensions.
  • Fix translated goal strings; allow recursive translation tokens.
  • Catch joystick disconnect errors cleanly.
  • Add cheat-mode (RShift-C) that allows pulls with Shifts and more.

Version 0.3.0 - 2025-08-21

• Improved Windows support:
  • New install-deps.bat to check for and install missing dependencies.
  • dungeon.bat now prompts you to run install-deps.bat if needed.
• Level collections
  • Introduced named collections that contain actual levels.
  • Main Screen now shows collection plates in the maze; press
    Space on a plate to jump into that collection.
• Command line support
  • New command line options for Unix and Windows, see: dungeon --help.
  • Implemented: --level N, --collection NAME, --list-collections.
    Start directly in a level / collection; list available collections.
• Solution system
  • Solutions now include notions of 'push' and 'press-cell' primitives.
  • Solutions are summarized as: N moves, N pushes, N presses, N targets.
• New Mirror Puzzle
  • Reflect beam from generator to collector using mirrors.
  • Mirrors are static or moveable, attached to barrels, lifts, carts.
  • Mirrors may be rotatable or have a fixed orientation.
  • Mirrors may be activated or deactivated, or have fixed activeness.
  • Walls, closed gates and locks stop the beam; portals relocate it.
• New actors and map cell types
  • Cart: like lift, but slides by 1 cell on floor in 4 directions,
    while lift moves in void until obstacle.
  • Mirrors attached to barrels, carts, or lifts.
  • New map cells: glass (an obstacle that passes the beam), traps,
    beam generator, beam collector.
• Themes
  • Added variants of mirrors and all new cell types across themes.
  • Added beam image for clipping, currently identical across themes.
  • The minecraft theme is now quite complete and pleasing.
  • New character and enemy images in moss theme (druid and troll).
• GatePuzzle now supports traps:
  • Traps are like gates with reversed meaning; toggled by plates.
  • The character dies when stepping on non-disarmed trap.
  • Added one GatePuzzle level demonstrating traps in place of gates.
• BarrelPuzzle improvements:
  • Auto-detect Sokoban Zero-Space type B (ZSB) levels.
  • Generate ZSB levels of given size when "zsb" flag is set in config.
  • Optimize solution for ZSB levels using double-push.
  • Fix and improve solution in many level configurations.
  • Fix solution when not at level start (after pushes).
• Clipboard support
  • RShift-D now copies the current map to the clipboard too.
  • The solution string (on KP-Enter) is also copied to the clipboard.
• The actor selected by the cursor is now highlighted for clarity.
• The native map format now supports portals and mirrors (with metadata).
• Solution speed can now be changed with the mouse wheel or PgUp/PgDown keys.
• Update web site with Mirror Puzzle info, controls, video and screenshots.

Version 0.2.1 - 2025-06-13

• Fix Windows compatibility
  • Fix critical startup issues related to locale encodings.
  • Add dungeon.bat to run the game from Windows console.
• New install and packaging
  • Add Makefile with targets: install, uninstall, web, and more.
  • Enable packaging with "make dist" (creates tar.gz and zip).
• Documentation updates
  • Update README.md and download.html with download instructions.
  • Document new keybindings (such as 'u' for undo and KP-Enter).

Version 0.2.0 - 2025-05-30

• New Solution System
  • Puzzles can provide a solution from any current position.
  • Solutions are computed first and then replayed centrally.
  • The first press of KP Enter computes; the second replays.
  • Support in puzzles: Barrel, Gate, Color, Minotaur, RotatePic.
• New Undo System
  • Press 'u' to undo one step back to the level or room start.
  • Full undo includes actor moves, states and cell transitions.
• New Minotaur Puzzle
  • Escape the labyrinth while being chased by the Minotaur!
  • Auto-generated levels with configurable size and Minotaur step.
  • Support for pre-created maps.
  • Support for solution playback.
• New SwitchBox Puzzle
  • Push barrels onto plates to toggle related gates and barrels.
  • Related gates and barrels are color-coded for clarity.
  • Support for pre-created maps.
  • Four handcrafted levels.
• New actor states: phased (semi-transparent, passable), hidden.
• Character flipping is now automatic, no need for duplicate images.
• Themes can now customize character, enemy, and cursor images.
• Improve several themes; some now include own character and enemy.
• Update all translations for supported languages.
• Better support for bidirectional text, like Hebrew.
• Level titles, names, and goals are now smarter and better localized.
• The "press cell" event is now a formalized part of the game.
  • Space key sends "press cell" for the char cell with no info.
  • Mouse clicks and some keys send "press cell" with button info.
• Improve joystick support with multiple PlayStation controller profiles.
• Implement music fadein on start.
• Key and animation handling refined for smoother gameplay.
• More robust input handling at level start/end and during animations.
• Update web site, including new category Videos.
• Added 3 new videos demonstrating both new and existing features:
  • Minotaur Puzzle
  • SwitchBox Puzzle
  • StoneAge Puzzle
• New tutorial pages on creating puzzles and themes.

Version 0.1.0 - 2025-02-24

• 12 puzzles
  • Atomix Puzzle
  • Barrel Puzzle
  • Color Puzzle
  • Fifteen Puzzle
  • Gate Puzzle
  • Hero Puzzle
  • Lock Puzzle
  • Memory Puzzle
  • Portal Puzzle
  • RotatePic Puzzle
  • StoneAge Puzzle
  • Trivial Puzzle
• 13 themes
  • default
  • classic
  • ancient1, ancient2
  • modern1, modern2
  • minecraft
  • moss
  • stoneage1, stoneage2, stoneage3, stoneage4, stoneage5
• Some puzzles (Hero, StoneAge) do not have Generator yet.
• Initial support for Solvers (Barrel, Gate).
• Support for Hints (Atomix, Fifteen, Memory, Portal, RotatePic).
• Support for precreated level collections (Atomix, Barrel, StoneAge).
• Support for mouse and PlayStation controlers.
• Background music and sound effects.
• Initial support for main screen.
• Initial support for translations.