Locker puzzle

Inspiration I've always loved logic puzzles and those escape room games where you have to crack codes under pressure. I wanted to make something that captures that "aha!" moment when you finally figure out the combination, but in a quick, pick-up-and-play format.

What it does It's a number puzzle game where you've got to crack a locker code using hints. Each hint shows you which numbers are in the code and where they go. You mark numbers on buttons to keep track of your thinking, then punch in your answer. There's four difficulty levels that get progressively harder - more digits, fewer hints, less time. You've got three lives and the faster you solve it, the more points you get.

How we built it Built it in GameMaker Studio 2 using GML. The trickiest part was writing the puzzle generator - had to make sure every puzzle was actually solvable with the hints given. Used retro pixel fonts to get that classic puzzle game vibe. Added smooth curtain transitions between screens, English/Spanish language support, and color-coded hints so you can track multiple clues at once without getting confused.

Challenges we ran into Making sure the puzzles were always solvable was harder than I thought. Sometimes the random generation would create impossible situations, so I had to add validation. Getting the menu transitions to feel smooth took way longer than expected - lots of trial and error with timing and positioning. Also spent ages tweaking button hitboxes because click detection was slightly off and it was driving me crazy.

Accomplishments that we're proud of Really happy with how the puzzle generation turned out - every puzzle is fair and solvable, no cheap tricks. The color-coded hint system makes it way easier to follow multiple clues without getting lost. The whole retro aesthetic came together nicely, and having it work in both English and Spanish was a nice touch. The difficulty progression feels good too - starts easy but Expert mode is genuinely challenging.

What we learned Learned a lot about procedural puzzle generation and making sure random content is still playable. Got better at UI/UX design, especially around click detection and visual feedback. Also learned that small details like transition animations make a huge difference in how polished a game feels.

What's next for Locker Puzzle Want to add sound effects and music (just need to find the right assets). Thinking about daily challenges with online leaderboards. Maybe add more puzzle variations to keep things fresh. Would be cool to port it to mobile since it's perfect for quick sessions. Also want to add a proper tutorial and some colorblind-friendly options.

Built With

• gamemaker
• gml