8 ms·

Sandboxels

407 points by 2sf5 8mo ago

bstsb 8mo ago
for context, this game was first built in 2019 by R74N. it looks like neal.fun has taken over maintaining/hosting its web version, while the Steam version continues development https://sandboxels.r74n.com/new-home https://sandboxels.r74n.com/new-home
rgbrgb 8mo ago
always enjoy neal's stuff. is he part of R74N?
- leorr 8mo ago
  [dead]
zem 8mo ago
I've seen a lot of cellular sandbox simulations but this one really dials things up to eleven!
bovermyer 8mo ago
Minecraft introduced me to the idea of tuff. This gives me more ways to play with it. I still don't know what it is.
- wlesieutre 8mo ago
  It's a rock formed from volcanic ash. Sort of igneous, because it came out of a volcano, but sort of sedimentary, because it starts out as an accumulation of powder that becomes a solid piece.
anon_cow1111 8mo ago
Wow, this is... kinda like the Noita engine but without the exploding yourself every 5 seconds. Probably going to spend the next several hours getting zero useful RL tasks done now, thanks again Neal.
- soulofmischief 8mo ago
  Noita descends from the lineage of both Rogue and Falling Sand Game. https://noita.fandom.com/wiki/Falling_Sand_Game https://noita.fandom.com/wiki/Falling_Sand_Game
danw1979 8mo ago
Thanks Neal. Is fun.
JKCalhoun 8mo ago
Awesome. Eagerly awaiting Line Rider.
Lwrless 8mo ago
See also: The Powder Toy (https://powdertoy.co.uk/ https://powdertoy.co.uk/)
Trannosaur 8mo ago
I feel like I've played multiple versions of this game, but I can't remember the names of any of them... powder... toy? Might be one?
- IvanKloss 8mo ago
  i remember playing one similiar a lot as a kid, the one i played at least is called dust by dan-ball [1]. It seems to be still playable [1]: https://dan-ball.jp/en/javagame/dust/ https://dan-ball.jp/en/javagame/dust/
halcdev 8mo ago
Created by R74N, not Neal. Has been live on http://sandboxels.r74n.com http://sandboxels.r74n.com as an independent project for several years. Just now hosted by Neal. Important distinction.
- SLWW 8mo ago
  I thought I remembered something about that
- huntercaron 8mo ago
  R74N wrote about its new home here https://sandboxels.r74n.com/new-home https://sandboxels.r74n.com/new-home
  - zem 8mo ago
    it doesn't answer the first question I have, which is basically "why". not in any sort of hostile sense, just that it would be very interesting to hear the back story behind this move.
- rizzlersigma 8mo ago
  Hello
  - rizzlersigma 8mo ago
    Idverafaliurbehf Iuhefhd Deb Wiufhuisdh Cubs I h Acdibdci SubuDVLBDCUbsduclbsudbcuisDbcilsdbcuibcluisdabcbslcas ScasejkckbS Echoiseieohcewoicosei hcaecho Eh E ChoeiScoh ascetic Insouciant back Cal Echo Ea
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hopfog 8mo ago
As a fan of both Neal and R74n this was an unexpected collaboration! I can highly recommend building your own falling sand simulator. It's really fun to see how such simple rules create emergent behaviors. Sand pixels try to move down, then diagonally down. Water does the same, then tries sideways. Me messing around with it eventually resulted in a game I'm now working on full time (think Noita meets Factorio): https://store.steampowered.com/app/2764460/Sandustry/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/2764460/Sandustry/
- thih9 8mo ago
  This is an old R74n project that has been moved, not a real collab.
- PoorRustDev 8mo ago
  how is working with hooded horse?
  - rizzlersigma 8mo ago
    Scammer get scammed
  - hopfog 8mo ago
    Awesome. I wasn't planning on signing with a publisher but now I'm really happy that I did.
- g105b 8mo ago
  This looks really cool. I'd love to read your dev blog if there is one?
- thunfischtoast 8mo ago
  Out of curiosity: Do you use a high level language (like C#) or do you have low level optimizations on (e.g. assembly level)? I imagine that there has to be some kind of map that keeps track of which pixels are "active" and need to be updated, but I wonder how do that efficiently.
Sharlin 8mo ago
My geology classes certainly did not mention sedimentary layers consisting of glass, quicklime, ash, salt, gingerbread, melted butter, and toast, from bottom to top.
- zem 8mo ago
  that's a grad student topic
spidrahedron 8mo ago
this is cool.
phailhaus 8mo ago
Falling sand games bring back a lot of nostalgia. If you're interested, you should check out dan-ball's version which is one of the progenitors of the genre. Over the years he's added a ton of features, elements, and interactions, to the point where it now has a fluid mechanics simulation for air! https://dan-ball.jp/en/javagame/dust/ https://dan-ball.jp/en/javagame/dust/
- bijection 8mo ago
  Ha55ii's powder game is perhaps the best of the genre, and the ease of sharing made for a pretty cool online community circa 15 years ago. I remember various calculators / computers created in powder game, along with a bunch of artistic efforts.
- moritonal 8mo ago
  If you didn't know, Dan-ball has a variety of fun free mobile games that are all great.
simonw 8mo ago
Here's the official announcement about the move to neal.fun: https://sandboxels.r74n.com/new-home https://sandboxels.r74n.com/new-home It doesn't explain why though, which is the most obvious question.
frizlab 8mo ago
Note to self: Do not open neal.fun links anymore…
- simonw 8mo ago
  https://neal.fun/stimulation-clicker/ https://neal.fun/stimulation-clicker/ absolutely destroyed me a few months ago.
  - zem 8mo ago
    haha it's amazing how over time there's so much going on on the screen but all you really look at is the little upgrade button
  - frizlab 8mo ago
    I found a hack to finish it faster (that does not involve using the console…). Enter responsive mode, resize window to a very small size: the DVDs will hit the walls very fast.
Evidlo 8mo ago
Also see https://sandspiel.club https://sandspiel.club Though my favorite is Powder Game: https://dan-ball.jp/en/javagame/dust/ https://dan-ball.jp/en/javagame/dust/ It has a little man you can control to jump around the landscape!
Sharlin 8mo ago
I accidentally made soap once but haven't been able to repeat it. Lye plus oil or butter doesn't seem to work at least :/ Also, haven't been able to make lye – at least ashes plus water doesn't work. Things that I have made: * Bronze from copper and tin * Brass from copper and zinc * Rose gold from copper and gold * Electrum from gold and silver * Solder from tin and lead (while trying to make pewter) * Thermite from rust and ground aluminum (or directly from scrap metal) * Reduced iron from thermite, ignited with magnesium and a fuse * Reduced iron from rust * Steel from rust and charcoal * Batter and dough from flour, water, etc * Caramel from sugar and butter * Mayo from oil, vinegar, and egg yolk
- LukTheDuck 8mo ago
  no offense, but in settings you can use the unhide all feature to show every element rather than having to manually create them
  - Sharlin 8mo ago
    But that’s not the point, obviously! The entire fun is about figuring out what you can do by combining stuff.
LukTheDuck 8mo ago
how do we access the original version? the neal.fun one is more laggy, and the design is a bit worse. does anyone know the link?
- angry_albatross 8mo ago
  It moved. The old location redirects to neal.fun now.
deepfriedrice 8mo ago
Was not expecting it to be a single index.html. Pretty cool: https://github.com/R74nCom/sandboxels/blob/main/index.html https://github.com/R74nCom/sandboxels/blob/main/index.html
gatkinso 8mo ago
I still fondly remember fsgforums, where I was banned for impersonating the typical forum noob.
davidkunz 8mo ago
Falling sand games always remind me of the game Clonk. As a kid, I enjoyed digging tunnels, flooding them with water, all physics based. Great times.
Ef996 8mo ago
This is amazing. Some objective would be great
pbtank 8mo ago
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.powdertoy.tpt https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.powderto...
promiseofbeans 8mo ago
Lots of fun references here - the Minecraft world border, and green goo looking “strange matter” from Kurzgesagt
lai0602 8mo ago
> Instead of the original R74nCom/sandboxels repository, mods will now be submitted to R74nCom/Sandboxels-Mods. All existing mods have been moved over. Wait does that mean Sandboxels will become closed source?
- slig 8mo ago
  It's not open source and, as far as I can see, this has been the license for at least 2 years https://github.com/R74nCom/sandboxels?tab=License-1-ov-file https://github.com/R74nCom/sandboxels?tab=License-1-ov-file
  - soulofmischief 8mo ago
    2. You may not use our content for any commercial purposes without our explicit permission 4. We are free to use any content you create using our content for any commercial or other purpose. Content you create includes, but is not limited to: - User-generated content - Derivative works” Yeah, no thanks.
jl6 8mo ago
Fond memories of the Confetti Factory screensaver from After Dark.
vismit2000 8mo ago
For someone interested to try this out algorithmically: https://adventofcode.com/2018/day/17 https://adventofcode.com/2018/day/17
ctm92 8mo ago
This looks a lot like Powdertoy
dizhn 8mo ago
I heated the water inside the hole of the letter 'd' and the steam escaped through the sand. <3
yuppiepuppie 8mo ago
We have a couple of them on the HN Arcade, but I have added this one as well. https://hnarcade.com/games/games/sandboxels https://hnarcade.com/games/games/sandboxels Might be time to add a category "Falling Sand Game"...
nannwnwn 8mo ago
Im banned
- rizzlersigma 8mo ago
  Hahaha
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nannwnwn 8mo ago
Lebron
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gugsfu 8mo ago
Hi
- rizzlersigma 8mo ago
  Hello
nannwnwn 8mo ago
Hi
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rizzlersigma 8mo ago
Hello
rizzlersigma 8mo ago
Hello I know where you live
- nannwnwn 8mo ago
  Me too
  - rizzlersigma 8mo ago
    You can goon me
    - nannwnwn 8mo ago
      I like that
      - rizzlersigma 8mo ago
        Ok daddy
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CyberJCL 8mo ago
Hi
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mitmitmitmitmit 8mo ago
unblock please
Epic_jellybean 8mo ago
I love this game!
gugsfu 8mo ago
Hi ppl
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gugsfu 8mo ago
[flagged]
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nannwnwn 8mo ago
[dead]
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rizzlersigma 8mo ago
Sup gang
jejejejejejj 8mo ago
Hello
jejejejejejj 8mo ago
67
rizzlersigma 8mo ago
Shshjshhshhsshyhgfcfghchgcfhgjgvgygylyugyykkfytcgkyvghvhlgvhgv
nannwnwn 8mo ago
Hi im king and eapstain
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rizzlersigma 8mo ago
Guys stop gooning
nannwnwn 8mo ago
It hurts I like men black men

407 points by 2sf5 8mo ago

bstsb 8mo ago

for context, this game was first built in 2019 by R74N. it looks like neal.fun has taken over maintaining/hosting its web version, while the Steam version continues development https://sandboxels.r74n.com/new-home https://sandboxels.r74n.com/new-home

rgbrgb 8mo ago

always enjoy neal's stuff. is he part of R74N?

leorr 8mo ago
[dead]

zem 8mo ago

I've seen a lot of cellular sandbox simulations but this one really dials things up to eleven!

bovermyer 8mo ago

Minecraft introduced me to the idea of tuff. This gives me more ways to play with it. I still don't know what it is.

wlesieutre 8mo ago
It's a rock formed from volcanic ash. Sort of igneous, because it came out of a volcano, but sort of sedimentary, because it starts out as an accumulation of powder that becomes a solid piece.

anon_cow1111 8mo ago

Wow, this is... kinda like the Noita engine but without the exploding yourself every 5 seconds. Probably going to spend the next several hours getting zero useful RL tasks done now, thanks again Neal.

soulofmischief 8mo ago
Noita descends from the lineage of both Rogue and Falling Sand Game. https://noita.fandom.com/wiki/Falling_Sand_Game https://noita.fandom.com/wiki/Falling_Sand_Game

danw1979 8mo ago

Thanks Neal. Is fun.

JKCalhoun 8mo ago

Awesome. Eagerly awaiting Line Rider.

Lwrless 8mo ago

See also: The Powder Toy (https://powdertoy.co.uk/ https://powdertoy.co.uk/)

Trannosaur 8mo ago

I feel like I've played multiple versions of this game, but I can't remember the names of any of them... powder... toy? Might be one?

IvanKloss 8mo ago
i remember playing one similiar a lot as a kid, the one i played at least is called dust by dan-ball [1]. It seems to be still playable [1]: https://dan-ball.jp/en/javagame/dust/ https://dan-ball.jp/en/javagame/dust/

halcdev 8mo ago

Created by R74N, not Neal. Has been live on http://sandboxels.r74n.com http://sandboxels.r74n.com as an independent project for several years. Just now hosted by Neal. Important distinction.

SLWW 8mo ago
I thought I remembered something about that
huntercaron 8mo ago
R74N wrote about its new home here https://sandboxels.r74n.com/new-home https://sandboxels.r74n.com/new-home
- zem 8mo ago
  it doesn't answer the first question I have, which is basically "why". not in any sort of hostile sense, just that it would be very interesting to hear the back story behind this move.
rizzlersigma 8mo ago
Hello
- rizzlersigma 8mo ago
  Idverafaliurbehf Iuhefhd Deb Wiufhuisdh Cubs I h Acdibdci SubuDVLBDCUbsduclbsudbcuisDbcilsdbcuibcluisdabcbslcas ScasejkckbS Echoiseieohcewoicosei hcaecho Eh E ChoeiScoh ascetic Insouciant back Cal Echo Ea
- deleted 8mo ago
  [deleted]

hopfog 8mo ago

As a fan of both Neal and R74n this was an unexpected collaboration! I can highly recommend building your own falling sand simulator. It's really fun to see how such simple rules create emergent behaviors. Sand pixels try to move down, then diagonally down. Water does the same, then tries sideways. Me messing around with it eventually resulted in a game I'm now working on full time (think Noita meets Factorio): https://store.steampowered.com/app/2764460/Sandustry/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/2764460/Sandustry/

thih9 8mo ago
This is an old R74n project that has been moved, not a real collab.
PoorRustDev 8mo ago
how is working with hooded horse?
- rizzlersigma 8mo ago
  Scammer get scammed
- hopfog 8mo ago
  Awesome. I wasn't planning on signing with a publisher but now I'm really happy that I did.
g105b 8mo ago
This looks really cool. I'd love to read your dev blog if there is one?
thunfischtoast 8mo ago
Out of curiosity: Do you use a high level language (like C#) or do you have low level optimizations on (e.g. assembly level)? I imagine that there has to be some kind of map that keeps track of which pixels are "active" and need to be updated, but I wonder how do that efficiently.

Sharlin 8mo ago

My geology classes certainly did not mention sedimentary layers consisting of glass, quicklime, ash, salt, gingerbread, melted butter, and toast, from bottom to top.

zem 8mo ago
that's a grad student topic

spidrahedron 8mo ago

this is cool.

phailhaus 8mo ago

Falling sand games bring back a lot of nostalgia. If you're interested, you should check out dan-ball's version which is one of the progenitors of the genre. Over the years he's added a ton of features, elements, and interactions, to the point where it now has a fluid mechanics simulation for air! https://dan-ball.jp/en/javagame/dust/ https://dan-ball.jp/en/javagame/dust/

bijection 8mo ago
Ha55ii's powder game is perhaps the best of the genre, and the ease of sharing made for a pretty cool online community circa 15 years ago. I remember various calculators / computers created in powder game, along with a bunch of artistic efforts.
moritonal 8mo ago
If you didn't know, Dan-ball has a variety of fun free mobile games that are all great.

simonw 8mo ago

Here's the official announcement about the move to neal.fun: https://sandboxels.r74n.com/new-home https://sandboxels.r74n.com/new-home It doesn't explain why though, which is the most obvious question.

frizlab 8mo ago

Note to self: Do not open neal.fun links anymore…

simonw 8mo ago
https://neal.fun/stimulation-clicker/ https://neal.fun/stimulation-clicker/ absolutely destroyed me a few months ago.
- zem 8mo ago
  haha it's amazing how over time there's so much going on on the screen but all you really look at is the little upgrade button
- frizlab 8mo ago
  I found a hack to finish it faster (that does not involve using the console…). Enter responsive mode, resize window to a very small size: the DVDs will hit the walls very fast.

Evidlo 8mo ago

Also see https://sandspiel.club https://sandspiel.club Though my favorite is Powder Game: https://dan-ball.jp/en/javagame/dust/ https://dan-ball.jp/en/javagame/dust/ It has a little man you can control to jump around the landscape!

Sharlin 8mo ago

I accidentally made soap once but haven't been able to repeat it. Lye plus oil or butter doesn't seem to work at least :/ Also, haven't been able to make lye – at least ashes plus water doesn't work. Things that I have made: * Bronze from copper and tin * Brass from copper and zinc * Rose gold from copper and gold * Electrum from gold and silver * Solder from tin and lead (while trying to make pewter) * Thermite from rust and ground aluminum (or directly from scrap metal) * Reduced iron from thermite, ignited with magnesium and a fuse * Reduced iron from rust * Steel from rust and charcoal * Batter and dough from flour, water, etc * Caramel from sugar and butter * Mayo from oil, vinegar, and egg yolk

LukTheDuck 8mo ago
no offense, but in settings you can use the unhide all feature to show every element rather than having to manually create them
- Sharlin 8mo ago
  But that’s not the point, obviously! The entire fun is about figuring out what you can do by combining stuff.

LukTheDuck 8mo ago

how do we access the original version? the neal.fun one is more laggy, and the design is a bit worse. does anyone know the link?

angry_albatross 8mo ago
It moved. The old location redirects to neal.fun now.

deepfriedrice 8mo ago

Was not expecting it to be a single index.html. Pretty cool: https://github.com/R74nCom/sandboxels/blob/main/index.html https://github.com/R74nCom/sandboxels/blob/main/index.html

gatkinso 8mo ago

I still fondly remember fsgforums, where I was banned for impersonating the typical forum noob.

davidkunz 8mo ago

Falling sand games always remind me of the game Clonk. As a kid, I enjoyed digging tunnels, flooding them with water, all physics based. Great times.

Ef996 8mo ago

This is amazing. Some objective would be great

pbtank 8mo ago

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.powdertoy.tpt https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.powderto...

promiseofbeans 8mo ago

Lots of fun references here - the Minecraft world border, and green goo looking “strange matter” from Kurzgesagt

lai0602 8mo ago

> Instead of the original R74nCom/sandboxels repository, mods will now be submitted to R74nCom/Sandboxels-Mods. All existing mods have been moved over. Wait does that mean Sandboxels will become closed source?

slig 8mo ago
It's not open source and, as far as I can see, this has been the license for at least 2 years https://github.com/R74nCom/sandboxels?tab=License-1-ov-file https://github.com/R74nCom/sandboxels?tab=License-1-ov-file
- soulofmischief 8mo ago
  2. You may not use our content for any commercial purposes without our explicit permission 4. We are free to use any content you create using our content for any commercial or other purpose. Content you create includes, but is not limited to: - User-generated content - Derivative works” Yeah, no thanks.

jl6 8mo ago

Fond memories of the Confetti Factory screensaver from After Dark.

vismit2000 8mo ago

For someone interested to try this out algorithmically: https://adventofcode.com/2018/day/17 https://adventofcode.com/2018/day/17

ctm92 8mo ago

This looks a lot like Powdertoy

dizhn 8mo ago

I heated the water inside the hole of the letter 'd' and the steam escaped through the sand. <3

yuppiepuppie 8mo ago

We have a couple of them on the HN Arcade, but I have added this one as well. https://hnarcade.com/games/games/sandboxels https://hnarcade.com/games/games/sandboxels Might be time to add a category "Falling Sand Game"...

nannwnwn 8mo ago

Im banned