Lights Out - The Best Puzzle

Inspiration

Lights Out is a project that has been near and dear to my heart since my university days. It all started during a class called "Interaction Between Humans and Machines," led by a professor who believed in pushing boundaries. For our final project, we were challenged to create an innovative game that would engage users by harnessing the principles of this course.

More than 10 years ago, Lights Out was launched and saw considerable success, achieving first place in the game category in a few countries and making it into the top 10 in several others. However, at that time, I wasn't yet pursuing iOS development as a career. When I eventually started developing apps professionally, maintaining Lights Out fell by the wayside, and the game’s last supported version was for iOS 6 or 7. Fast-forward to this year, and with some free time on my hands, I decided to revamp Lights Out.

What it does

Lights Out is a captivating puzzle game that challenges players' logic and strategy. The goal is simple: turn off all the lights on the game board. However, tapping a light toggles not only its state but also the states of adjacent lights, adding layers of complexity and intrigue. Featuring multiple levels and varying patterns, the game keeps players engaged as they work through increasingly difficult puzzles.

How we built it

When rebuilding Lights Out, we leveraged our extensive experience to develop it natively for iOS 17+ using SwiftUI. This modern framework allowed us to create a seamless and visually appealing user experience. The newly revamped game features a fresh and modern design that enhances the overall user experience.

Challenges we ran into

One of the primary challenges was finding a modern way to keep users engaged. Many players struggled to understand the game's logic, leading to complaints that the game was getting too hard too fast. We addressed this by creating a robust level generator to ensure a smooth difficulty curve. Additionally, developing an intuitive tutorial was crucial for explaining the game's mechanics clearly and efficiently.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are incredibly proud of several key accomplishments in the latest version of Lights Out:

Seamless Integration with Firestore: This keeps the user's game progress synchronized in real time and available offline. Users can play during a flight and maintain their progress without any issues.
Integration with Apple’s Game Center: We have added features for competition and leaderboards, enhancing the overall user experience.
User-Centric Design: We only request permissions (notifications, app tracking, etc.) when they are truly needed, avoiding flooding users with unnecessary requests.
Ad Implementation: We provide ways for users to earn rewards by watching ads, but these are never visible unless the user explicitly opts for them. This ensures a non-intrusive, user-friendly experience.

What we learned

This journey has taught us the importance of user-centric design and continuous improvement. Developing a level generator and a clear tutorial expanded our understanding of game design and user engagement. Integrating real-time synchronization and offline capabilities with Firestore, as well as competitive features via Game Center, highlighted the importance of modern backend solutions in creating a seamless user experience. Additionally, user feedback proved invaluable, underscoring the importance of engaging with the community to shape a better product.

What's next for Lights Out - The Best Puzzle

Moving forward, we have big plans for Lights Out. The next steps include:

Launching a Level Selection Screen: This feature will allow users to see their progress and beat their own records, adding an additional layer of engagement.
Introducing Realtime Matches: We are considering the addition of realtime matches so players can challenge themselves and others in a competitive environment.
Introducing Achievements via Game Center: To further enhance engagement, we will be incorporating achievements using Apple’s Game Center.

In addition, we will continue to add more challenging levels and introduce new gameplay modes to keep the experience fresh and exciting. Our aim is to continually enhance the social features, allowing players to compete with friends and share their achievements. Continuous updates and improvements will ensure Lights Out remains a captivating puzzle game for years to come.

Let’s light it up! 🚀