FamReynaBrain/resources/paper-apps/README.md

Date, Author, Tags

Date	Author	Tags
2026-07-21	Adolfo Reyna	games paper-apps foundation tactility

Paper Apps - Game Foundation

Purchased games from Gladden Design - to be used as foundation for device games.

Files

• Paper-Apps-GOLF-ZERO.pdf - Original GOLF notebook (3 courses x 18 holes)
• Paper_Apps_GALAXY_ZERO.pdf - Original GALAXY notebook (~50 sectors + encounters)
• GOLF-rules.txt / GALAXY-rules.txt - Extracted rules text
• This README - distilled mechanics for porting

GOLF (Paper Apps GOLF)

Core Loop

• 3 courses per notebook, each 18 holes, each hole randomly generated, unique per notebook
• Goal: ball to hole in fewest hits. Par 6 per hole.

Movement

• 8-directional movement (orthogonal + diagonal)
• Draw line + circle for new position

Dice GOLF Mode

• Roll d6 = distance
• Fairway: +1 to roll
• Sand: -1 to roll
• Can always choose to putt (move 1) instead
• Tee: one free re-roll; 6 Mulligans per course for re-rolls
• Optional challenge: pick direction BEFORE roll

Speed GOLF Mode (no dice)

• DRIVER: move 6, fairway only, can go over trees
• IRON: move 3 (2 from sand), can't go over trees
• PUTTER: move 1, always allowed
• Overshoot rule: crossing hole allows overshoot by 1 and counts as in; otherwise over.

Terrain

• Rough: majority, normal movement
• Fairway: bonus (+1 dice, allows 6-move), only place can hit over trees, includes green
• Sand trap: penalty (-1 dice, 2 max in Speed)
• Water: cannot land, can travel over
• Trees: cannot land, cannot travel over except from fairway
• Slopes (arrows): auto-roll 1 space in direction; chain if next is arrow; ignore if points to water; if 2 arrows point at each other, stop after first

Multiplayer

• Different colors, Dice mode best
• Turn order by distance (furthest first) after tee-off

Device Adaptation Ideas

• Grid-based golf puzzle: procedurally generate holes (terrain tiles)
• 8-way input, dice roll animation or Speed mode for kids
• Render fairway/rough/sand/water/trees as sprites
• Slope arrows auto-move
• Score tracking per hole / course
• Perfect for: Tactility devices (M5 stack, T-Deck), e-ink, kidsOS

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GALAXY (Paper Apps GALAXY)

Core Loop / Meta

• Pilot ID card: draw profile + choose race (Robot/Human/Alien) - preferential treatment from same race
• System map: ~50 numbered sectors, arrow = start, cross off as completed
• Can travel to any sector connected to completed sector
• Collect 6 Warp Drive Pieces: must complete ALL sectors connected to a piece to collect it
• Most sectors played just to collect pieces; completionist = visit every sector
• Credits earned on win, spent immediately on upgrades or prestige ranks
• On loss: keep only credits picked up on map, spend immediately

Sector Layout

• Top: sector map (ship starts bottom row)
• Middle: Flight Computer = movement values (numbers + ? = roll d6)
• Bottom left: missile + shield counters
• Bottom right: mission, reward, W/L mark, sector number

Sector Objects

• Ship: start bottom row
• Asteroid: shoot to clear, or fly through losing 1 shield
• Wormhole: always 2 per sector, teleport to other, keep direction + remaining spaces
• Mine: explodes if within 1 space (lose shield). Can shoot to detonate - destroys anything within 1 (enemy/asteroid/mine). Chain!
• Credit pickup: note it, spend after sector
• Shield pickup: outline new circle in shield counter (not carried over)
• Missile pickup: outline new circle in missile counter (not carried over)
• Items single-use except wormholes

Movement

• 6 directions (hex-like)
• Values in Flight Computer - cross off as used
• Can skip a value (cross off) but NOT ? values
• ? = must roll d6 for distance
• Straight line only per move, can cross own path
• If no possible moves: skip to next value; if rolled value has no possible directions, cross out and move on
• If run out of moves without objective -> Lose (fuel)

Combat - Attacking

• Between movements (not during) can fire missiles
• Fire in same 6 directions as movement - must be aligned
• Cross out missile from counter (used even if miss)
• Count spaces to enemy, must roll that value or higher on d6 to hit (1 away = auto-hit)
• Destroyed enemies can be flown over, no longer fire

Combat - Being Attacked

• Enemies fire when you cross through their range (line of sight)
• Roll distance or higher for hit against you
• Lose shield if hit; no shields left = Lose
• Enemies can see/fire through asteroids

Mission / Win Conditions

• Either "Blast X enemies" or "Grab artifact" / "Grab parts" etc.
• Win = objective without running out shields/fuel -> mark W, earn CREDITS
• Lose = mark L, tally lost ship in stats

Upgrades (spend credits in order)

• Double Shot: 2 rolls to hit (not vs enemy fire)
• Battering Ram: ignore asteroids
• Nav-Control: choose movement instead of rolling ?
• Extra Starting Shields: 1/2/3 additional (must earn in order)
• Extra Starting Missiles: same, in order
• Missile Range: +1 or +2 to hit roll
• Prestige Ranks: spend credits for rank (Cadet -> higher) - fun/challenge

Special Sectors

Space Monsters mini-game:

• 8 rolls d6, choose row OR column of that number containing monster, cross out 1 monster, 1 credit per hit

Alien Encounters:

• Narrative encounters with race types (Robot/Human/Alien)
• Bonuses: credits (roll dice, +1 if same race), extra missiles next sector (+2, +3 if same race), random bonus table (d6: -1 shield, -1 shield, +1 missile, +1 credit, -1 missile, -1 shield - pick best of 2 if same race as Alien)

Device Adaptation Ideas

• Hex grid movement (6-directional)
• Procedural sector generation: asteroids, enemies, wormholes, mines, pickups
• Flight computer as queue of moves with skippable values
• Missile combat with dice-roll hit check (distance mechanic)
• Shield/missile counter UI
• Galaxy map as node graph - unlock connected sectors
• 6 warp pieces as meta-progression
• Encounters as pop-up events with race bonuses
• Space Monsters as bonus mini-game
• Upgrade shop between sectors
• Save: W/L per sector, credits, upgrades, warp pieces, lost ships tally

Seed / Generation

• SYSTEM MAP - GALAXY #000000 - suggests seeded generation (000000 is seed)
• Each notebook unique random generation like GOLF's 3 courses unique
• Flight computer values appear random with ? mixed in

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Common Paper Apps DNA

• Pencil + d6 (or Speed/variant without)
• Draw lines + circles to track
• Cross-off counters (shields, missiles, Mulligans, Flight Computer values)
• Single notebook = complete campaign (3 courses / ~50 sector galaxy)
• Randomly generated per notebook -> replayability via new notebook
• Both have special rule variations and multiplayer/social hooks
• Contact: hey.gladden@gmail.com - Gladden Design - www.gladdendesign.com

Adaptation Strategy for Devices

Tactility / ESP32

• Grid engine: generic tile system (GOLF: 8-way square, GALAXY: 6-way hex)
• Dice as RNG + animation
• Procedural generation using seed (like notebook number)
• Save system: sector/hole progress, counters, upgrades
• Render: low-res tile sprites work on M5Stack / T-Deck / RLCD

KidsOS / Grace and Elias

• GOLF simplified: Speed mode (6/3/1) no dice math, colorful tiles
• GALAXY simplified: fewer enemies, auto-hit at close range, visual dice
• Race selection fun (Robot/Human/Alien or royal twist)
• Prestige/ranks appealing for Grace

Reuse

• Both games provide proven fun loops with minimal rules
• Good candidates to merge: exploration map (GALAXY) + precision movement puzzles (GOLF terrain ideas)