!! Warning, Under Development !! 

This game is currently under development. It may contain bugs and has not be optimized for speed yet. Level setup and controls may change between versions.  Feel free to add bugs or suggestions to the comments in the devlog related to the version that you are playing. If you are not playing the latest version, please check the devlog for the next version to see if a specific bug has already been patched.

About Methane Mayhem

Methane Mayhem is a puzzle game written in BASIC where you have to complete a connection between two points using random pipe sections. It's turn based with a time limit. The left side of the screen contains a timer. The time will start full and drop on each turn. Once at the bottom it will start to rise again. Reaching back to the top will fail the level. The timer initially represents the time until the pipe start to leak, and then how much has leaked as it rises.

The game has a main game area in the middle of the screen and a tool section on the right. There is a indicator in each section to show the player what is currently selected. Use WASD to move the indicator in the main play area, and numbers 1 through 4 to select the pipe or tool. The pipe above the right section is the next pipe to use.

The download include a d64 image and has only been tested in Vice so far.

Pipes

There are 6 different pipes that are randomly fed into the right side. Pipes can be placed on any empty space on over another pipe.

Obstacles

These will block spaces on the board.

• cows will move about the area randomly
• trees can spawn randomly, but only block the space once grown
• rocks spawn as meteors which cause an explosion
• alien cows are placed by UFOs

Tools

Tools are used to help with obstacles and connections in the play area. Each tool is removed when used, but will be refilled randomly once empty. Each tool can only be used on its specific target, but may affect other obstacles.

• rotate pipe left or right
• giddy up, move cow
• axe removes tree
• pick axe removes rock
• match removes tree, takes 1 turn and causes cows to panic
• dynamite removes rock and anything in the 4 adjacent spaces, causes cows to panic

Events

The events that can happen in the game. Some will only occur after a specific level.

• cows can move 1 space horizontally and vertically into empty spaces, and 2 spaces when panicking
• alien cows can move unlimited destroying whatever is in the place that they move to
• trees can spawn and will grow on the next turn

• meteors can strike causing the same damage as dynamite and leave a rock

• cows can be abducted by aliens and returned as alien cows on the next turn

Levels

The number of obstacle starts with a maximum of 10 on the first level and increases by 1 on each level. All levels can include the rotate tool, and will include the same items as the previous level unless specified.

Obstacles, tools and events by level:

1. cows, trees, giddy up, axe
2. adds rocks and pick axe
3. adds matches
4. adds dynamite
5. removes axe
6. removes pick axe
7. adds meteors
8. adds abductions
9. adds invasion
10. adds alien cows from start

There's currently no end to the levels. The number of starting obstacles and event chances just continue to rise.

Challenge Mode

Pressing L on the title screen will allow the user to enter a number as a seed to generate a random level.  Entering the same number will allow you to retry the same level.

Upcoming

Here's the current list of enhancements planned:

• incoming alert signal
• joystick support and alternate keys
• scoring system
• leaking pipe animation and effects
• sound effects
• title screen
• game states
• performance tuning
• loading splash image
• title screen music