Sokoban: January 2013

"laizhufu" is a master. Its puzzles are very imaginative, sometimes stunning, of great beauty, technically perfect, and medium difficulty (not easy, not too hard...). The expert player has to sweat to solve them, and are challenging for the beginners.

Their last three puzzles - which I publish below - are a marvel. A Sokoban lesson! (Thanks to Yang Chao for his explanations with regard to the titles.)

                    ####
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          ##      # *   *#
         # #    # * * *#
## ######$ #    # * .$* *#
# #     $ #    # *** *#
# # ## $## #   ####     *#
# # .# #. # ##    # ***##
# # $ .. $ ##   ##   #.#
## *##* .**** * $ ##
   #      #     #.#*** * ##
    ###### #***#    * * #
   #       #      $**.**$ #
#   ## #.#*** # * *    #
# # #        ##* *** ##
   ## # .***$ ##    $ @#
      #      ##   ##   ##
       ###### #########

Author: laizhufu
Title: 戌狗之小狗狗 (Xu small Dog)
Date: 2013.1.16
URL: bbs.mf8-china.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=92715&page=24#pid1692492
Best moves/pushes: 475/126

戌狗 (Xu Dog) is the 11th animal of the Chinese zodiac.

Chinese zodiac - Xu Dog

#################################
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
# # @ # # # # # . # # # # . #
# * * * * * * * * * * * * * #
# * * * **** *# * * **** *# * * #
# * * * * * * * * * * * * * #
# $** $ *# * **** * *# * **** * #
# #
#################################

Author: laizhufu
Title: 小灰灰 (Xiao Huihui)
Date: 2013.1.18
URL: bbs.mf8-china.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=92715&extra=page%3D1&page=25
Best moves/pushes: 344/96

Goals: "HUIHUI". Xiao Huihui is name of a famous Chinese cartoon (喜洋洋与灰太狼). it is about the story of wolves and sheep. Xiao Huihui is the name of a wolf. Here's the video of an episode: 小灰灰上学记-11

Xiao Huihui

#                 #
##                 ##
#.#                 #.#
# #                 # #
# ##               ## #
# * #             # * #
# * ## ##### ## * #
# * ## * ## * #
#       *$*       #
   ##*##* * *##*##
# #    #   #    # #
# # $* #*# *$ # #
#### *.# * #.* ####
     #   #*$*#   #
      ## * * ##
        #     #
        ##.#.##
       # $    #
      # *   $* #
      # #***@* #
       #       #
        #######

Author: laizhufu
Title: 丑牛之牛气冲天 (Chou Ox)
Date: 2013.1.22
URL: bbs.mf8-china.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=92715&extra=page%3D1&page=27
Best moves/pushes: 423/106

丑牛 (Chou Ox) is the 2nd animal of the Chinese zodiac.

There are hundreds of skins, what to choose? In this post I have collected some of the skins that I like most. In the item "Source", I mention the Sokoban program that I used to get the image, and then pointed out other programs where you can also find the same or similar skin.

You can download the skins on the website of Sokoban programmes:

- Sokoban, by Philippe Galmel
www.phg-home.com/index_pc.html
Skin format: .bmp

- Sokoban, by Björn Källmark
www.sourcecode.se/sokoban/index.php
Download skins: www.sourcecode.se/sokoban/skins.php
Skin format: .skn

- Visual Sokoban, by Sylvain Gravejat
visual-sokoban.narod.ru
Download skins: visual-sokoban.narod.ru/skins_1.htm
Skin format: .vsk

- Sokoban++, by Joris Wit
www.joriswit.nl/sokoban/
Download skins: www.joriswit.nl/sokoban/en/skins.htm
Skin format: .ini

- Sokoban YASC, by Brian Damgaard
sourceforge.net/projects/sokobanyasc/
Skin format: Sokoban YASC can use almost any format of skin: .bmp, .png, .skn, .ini, .ssk, .vsk ...

- YSokoban, by George Petrov
ygp.orgfree.com/
Download skins: ygp.orgfree.com/sokoban_skins.html
Skin format: .bmp, .png

- Sokofan, by Eric Leung
www.freewebs.com/sokofan/index.html
Download skins:
www.freewebs.com/sokofan/skins.html
www.sokofan-ar.tk/
Skin format: .ssk

- JSoko, by Matthias Meger
www.sokoban-online.de/
Skin format: .ini

As a curiosity, I use the "Heavy Metal" skin, of Gerry Wiseman. The boxes placed are displayed very well, and the dark tone of the design is relaxing and is not aggressive to the sight, which is very important if you spend many hours with staring at the computer screen. The sight is very important and have to take care of her! In general, I prefer the skins that meet these conditions:

- The various elements of the game - boxes, placed boxes, goals, walls, player...- are distinguished perfectly between themselves, so they are easily identifiable, and there is no need to force the sight to distinguish them.

- I prefer the stylized elements, for the same reason as above: are distinguished more easily than the figurative elements.

- With respect to the background - very important for not to strain the eyes -, I prefer the uniform colors or with discrete drawings, and preferably dark tones.

Ancient greek
Author: Alberto Pettarin
Date: 2002
Description: It looks a bit like as ancient Greek style games, isn't?
Source: Sokoban++

AntiqueDesk
Author: Gerry Wiseman
Date: 2009
Source: Sokoban YASC / JSoko

AntiqueDesk (with counter)
Author: Gerry Wiseman
Date: 2002
Source: Sokoban++ / Sokoban YASC (AntiqueDesk2)
Skin available in the forum Yahoo! Sokoban (section "Files"). To download it, is required to register in the forum. File Name: GerryWisemanSokoban++skins.zip

AntiqueDesk3 (with counter)
Author: Gerry Wiseman
Date: 2002
Source: Sokoban++ / Sokoban for Windows (AntiqueDesk2), Sokoban YASC, YSokoban (oldesk), Sokofan, JSoko
Skin available in the forum Yahoo! Sokoban (section "Files"). To download it, is required to register in the forum. File Name: GerryWisemanSokoban++skins.zip

Aymeric
Author: Gerry Wiseman, based on Aymeric du Peloux Sokoban site
Date: 2004
Source: YSokoban

Balls
Author: Hans-Dietrich Pester
Date: 2001
Description: I got the idea from an icon...
Source: Visual Sokoban / YSokoban

Barbara Chamberlin - moonstar
Author: Barbara Chamberlin
Date: 2004
Source: YSokoban

Björn Källmark's Sokoban
Author: Björn Källmark
Date: 2000
Description: Same graphics as in the Björn Källmark's Sokoban for Windows (1999)
Source: Sokoban++ / Sokoban for Windows (Classic), Visual Sokoban, YSokoban, Sokofan, JSoko

Blue Bubble Bobble
Author: Annie Sherman
Date: 2011
Website: www.freewebs.com/sokoskinner/

borgar_20
Author: anian, based on lager-20 skin by Borgar Þorsteinsson
Date: 2011
Skin available in the MF8 forum. To download it, is required to register in the forum. URL of the file:
bbs.mf8-china.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=53597&extra=&highlight=%C6%A4%B7%F4&page=2

Borgar yoshi
Author: adapted for YSokoban by Ferris, based on yoshi-32 skin by Borgar Þorsteinsson
Date: 2012
Source: YSokoban / Sokofan (Borgar Þorsteinsson Sokoban)

Boxes
Author: Gilles Mérour
Date: 2001
Description: Same graphics as in Gilles Mérour's Boxes (2000)
Source: Sokoban++

Box Man
Author: based on Box Man (1999) by MagicSeven Studio
Source: SuperSoko

BoxWorld Classic Small with Counter
Author: Jucarur
Date: 2003
Description: Small Classic skin with counter
Source: Sokoban++ / Visual Sokoban, Sokoban for Windows, YSokoban, Sokofan

BoxWorld Indigo Small with Counter
Author: Jucarur
Description: Small Indigo skin with counter
Date: 2003
Source: Sokoban++ / Sokofan

Boxxle
Author: Nintendo
Date: 1989
Description: Graphics from Boxxle (1989), the game for the Nintendo Gameboy
Source: Sokoban++

Chinese
Author: Dan Adrian Baluta
Source: Sokoban for Windows

ChineseCheckers
Author: Gerry Wiseman
Date: 2009
Source: Sokoban YASC / Sokoban for Windows, YSokoban, Sokoban++, Sokofan, JSoko

Circle
Author: Ariel Rodriguez
Date: 1999
Description: Simple Circle skin
Source: Sokoban++ / Visual Sokoban, Sokoban for Windows, Sokofan

Facets
Author: John Davis
Date: 1999
Description: Geometric skin
Source: Visual Sokoban

Francois Marques 1
Author: Marek Letrab, based on François Marques part 1
Date: 2004
Source: YSokoban

FreeSoko
Author: XiBei Tian Lang, based on FreeSoko skins
Date: 2011
Skin available in the MF8 forum. To download it, is required to register in the forum. URL of the file:
bbs.mf8-china.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=72379&extra=page%3D1&page=2

Games4Brains Animated - Yellow
Author: Games 4 Brains
Source: Sokoban YASC

Ghislain Martin
Author: based on Sokoban Factory (2006) by Ghislain Martin
Date: 2007
Source: YSokoban

Go
Author: Marek Letrab, based on Go skin by ZiKo (2000)
Date: 2004
Description: Graphics from a classical GO game
Source: YSokoban / Visual Sokoban

HeavyMetal
Author: Gerry Wiseman
Date: 2008
Source: Sokoban YASC (only in old versions) / YSokoban, JSoko

Japan
Author: Tanaka-Nikos
Date: 1999
Description: Graphics from the online Java Sokoban Solver (1997) by Takaken
Source: Visual Sokoban

Jumanji
Author: Gerry Wiseman
Date: 2006
Source: Sokofan / Sokoban YASC

Jumanji3
Author: Gerry Wiseman
Date: 2009
Source: Sokoban YASC / JSoko

Kenyam
Author: Kenyam (Kenya Maruyama)

Kids
Author: Dim Xanthis
Date: 2007
Source: Sokoban++
Skin available in the forum Yahoo! Sokoban (section "Files"). To download it, is required to register in the forum. File Name: kids skin.rar

Kit256Couls
Author: Philippe Galmel
Date: 1999
Source: Sokoban BDE / Visual Sokoban

KitLego2
Author: Fred Just
Date: 1999
Source: Sokoban BDE / Visual Sokoban

KitPhG2
Author: Philippe Galmel
Date: 1999
Source: Sokoban BDE

KitToto
Author: Philippe Galmel
Date: 1999
Source: Sokoban BDE / Visual Sokoban, YSokoban

KitVousk
Author: Lio
Date: 2002
Source: Sokoban BDE

KSokoban
Author: based on KSokoban (1998) by Anders Widell
Date: 2003
Source: YSokoban / Visual Sokoban (KDE Sokoban), Sokoban for Windows (Warehouse Guy), Sokoban YASC (KSokoban), Sokoban++, Sokofan (Warehouse Guy)

Macmini
Author: Franco
Date: 2007
Source: YSokoban

Magneto
Author: Gerry Wiseman
Date: 2009
Source: Sokoban YASC / Sokofan, JSoko

MarbleMagic
Author: Gerry Wiseman
Date: 2009
Source: Sokoban YASC / YSokoban, JSoko

Mark McIntyre's Soko
Author: Sokofan Argentina, based on Soko (2000) by Mark McIntyre
Date: 2000
Source: Sokofan / Sokoban++

MegoLega
Author: Jan Kaluza
Date: 2003
Description: "MegoLega" - MegaBloks(TM) and/or Lego(TM)
Source: Sokoban++

Metalica3
Author: Gerry Wiseman
Date: 2009
Source: Sokoban YASC / Sokofan, JSoko

NightShift2 (with counter)
Author: Gerry Wiseman
Date: 2002
Source: Sokoban++
Skin available in the forum Yahoo! Sokoban (section "Files"). To download it, is required to register in the forum. File Name: GerryWisemanSokoban++skins.zip

NightShift3
Author: Gerry Wiseman
Date: 2012
Source: Sokoban YASC / Sokoban++ (NightShift3D), Sokoban for Windows, YSokoban, Sokofan

Original MS-DOS
Author: Spectrum HoloByte
Date: 1988
Description: Graphics from the original Soko-Ban (1988) DOS game by Spectrum HoloByte
Source: Sokoban++ / Visual Sokoban (DOS Soko) / YSokoban (DOS)

Perfect Sokoban (BOY) 3D
Author: Andrey Molchanov a.k.a. -=*MAN-biker*=-
Date: 2003
Description: BOY skin from Sokoban Perfect (1995) by SoftStar Co., Ltd
Source: Sokoban++ / Sokofan

PeterBox
Author: Juan Carlos Garcia (True Emotions Software)
Date: 1994
Description: Graphics from the Peter Box (1994) DOS game
Source: Visual Sokoban

Piastrelle 1
Author: Riccardo Riva
Source: Sokoban for Windows

Pimpernel
Author: Pimpernel Online Entertainment
Source: Sokoban for Windows

Rock
Author: Sokofan Argentina, based on BoxWorld X (2005) by Samprox
Date: 2000
Source: Sokofan

Rubik's Tiles
Author: John Davis
Date: 1999
Description: Turn the flat bits of Rubik's Cube into complete mini-cubes
Source: Visual Sokoban
I recommend to replace the original background by a white background color ;)

simple-32
Author: anian, based on simple-32 skin by Borgar Þorsteinsson
Date: 2011
Skin available in the MF8 forum. To download it, is required to register in the forum. URL of the file:
bbs.mf8-china.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=53597&extra=&highlight=%C6%A4%B7%F4&page=2

Sokoban 97
Author: Gerald Holler
Date: 2000
Description: Graphics from the Sokoban 97 by Gerald Holler
Source: Sokofan / Visual Sokoban

Sokoban for the Macintosh
Author: Scott Lindhurst
Date: 1999
Description: Same graphics as in Scott Lindhurst's Sokoban for the Macintosh (1992)
Source: Sokoban++ / YSokoban

Sokoblue
Author: Ming, based on Sokoblue java (2002)
Date: 2011
Source: YSokoban

Sokobox
Author: requested by Ming
Date: 2009
Source: YSokoban / Sokoban for Windows
In fact, this skin is from Gartic for the game online Sokobox available in the community Orkut

Sokodroid
Author: Riccardo Riva
Date: 2011
Source: YSokoban / Sokoban for Windows (Plastico)

Sokofun
Author: based on Sokofun (1998)
Date: 2011
Source: YSokoban

Sokofun1
Author: based on Sokofun (1998)
Date: 2011
Source: YSokoban

Sokofun1 (.bmp)
Author: Franco
Date: 2007
Source: YSokoban

Sokofun DeepSkyBlue Big
Author: Sokofan Argentina, based on Games 4 Brains skin
Date: 2007
Description: Graphics from Sokofun (1998)
Source: Sokofan

Sokofun MediumPurple Classic
Author: Sokofan Argentina, based on Games 4 Brains skin
Date: 2007
Description: Graphics from Sokofun (1998)
Source: Sokofan

Sokofun RedWall Big
Author: Sokofan Argentina, based on Games 4 Brains skin
Date: 2007
Description: Graphics from Sokofun (1998)
Source: Sokofan

SokoGems
Author: Gerry Wiseman
Date: 2009
Source: Sokoban++ / Sokoban YASC, Sokoban for Windows, YSokoban, Sokofan, JSoko

Sokomind
Author: Gerry Wiseman, based on Sokomind by Gerald Holler
Date: 2004
Source: YSokoban
In fact, this skin is used in the "Level of the Week" on the old web page of Gerald Holler

Sokosave
Author: Marek Letrab, based on SokoSave (1999) by Eric Sunshine
Date: 2004
Source: YSokoban

Soukoban
Author: Franco
Date: 2007
Source: YSokoban

Takaken
Author: Marek Letrab and Peter Santo, based on Takaken skin
Date: 2011
Source: YSokoban

Text-Skin
Author: ZiKo
Date: 2000
Description: Text format of Sokoban levels
Source: Visual Sokoban / YSokoban

WinSoko
Author: Robert Vašíček
Date: 2000
Skin from WinSoko (1996) by Robert Vašíček
Source: Visual Sokoban / Sokofan

XML Sokoban
Author: Ilya Kozachenko
Skin from XML Sokoban (2001) by Ilya Kozachenko
Source: Sokoban for Windows

XSokoban
Author: XSokoban Team
Date: 2000
Description: Graphics from the Linux game XSokoban (1993)
Source: Sokoban++ / Visual Sokoban, Sokoban for Windows