2026-06-21
Rocks’n’Diamonds was partially able to read and play level files of this classic game since
about 20 years, but there never was an “official” level collection – until now!
This is a collection of classic level groups from the Amiga game Diamond Caves,
created by Peter Elzner in 1995 as a clone of the Amiga game Emerald Mine.
The level sets contain the game’s original Amiga graphics, and you can select
between the original graphics set using 16 colors and the enhanced graphics set
using 32 colors. Regarding sounds, you can select between the classic Amiga 500
style, low-pass filtered sounds, or the more clear Amiga 1200 style sounds.
Most level sets also include additional level set descriptions. The user interface
for this level collection was designed to resemble the Workbench 2.0 of the Amiga,
with the main menu screen modeled closely after the original game’s start screen,
with a few enhancements.
This level collection features 12 level groups that were exclusively available
for Diamond Caves, and 26 level groups converted from the Emerald Mine Club
collection to be played with Diamond Caves. Most level sets are designed to support
either one or two players.
Make sure to use the latest version of Rocks’n’Diamonds
to play it!
The new level package is available at the Levels & Artwork page!
2026-06-20
This patch release fixes some more bugs and problems:
- added checkbox to use fast opening and closing exits and gates
- added support for non-masked drawing for game elements info screen
- added truncating text if it does not fit into the playfield viewport
- added flags for DC style behavior to fix a few old tapes
- fixed visual bug with adjusting scrollbar while dragging it
- fixed running program in headless mode
The new version is available from the download page!
2026-06-13
This patch release fixes a few bugs:
- fixed program window from being upscaled by Windows 10/11
- fixed animation of BD style rocket
- fixed animation when collecting BD style clock
- fixed animation when releasing BD diamond from wall with BD jackhammer
- changed pause button to behave like pause key for tape recorder
The new version is available from the download page!
2026-06-08
This new release of the Emerald Mine Club level collection (which requires the
latest R’n’D version 4.4.2.0) adds full support for all 35 “Emerald Dash” level sets
in this collection.
These level sets use an improved, special version of the Emerald Mine game engine with some
differences similar to the classic Boulder Dash game (like BD style amoeba behavior),
but also things like voodoo players which have to be protected, or else the player will
be killed, too (as shown in the screenshots).
The new package also uses an improved native Emerald Mine sound engine which sounds much
closer to the original game.
The updated package is available at the Levels & Artwork page!
2026-06-07
A new minor release version is available that contains quite a number of
changes, new features and bug fixes.
Even though the list of changes seems long, there are no single major
changes, and most people will probably not even notice any change at all.
(And I really hope I haven’t added too many new bugs with this release.)
But some of the changes are required for updates of level sets that are yet
to come, including an update of the Emerald Mine Club collection, which
contains a number of “Emerald Dash” level sets that are not fully supported
with previous versions of the native Emerald Mine game engine.
Another change (not even listed here) is an update of all SDL libraries to
the latest versions (but not to the new SDL 3 major version yet) for all platforms,
so general graphics and sound support may have improved by this update. (For
those who are interested, the source code now also contains the script to build
and package the game for all platforms.)
For those interested in playing in team mode, both the game and the high score
server now distinguish between single player and team mode scores, which was
important as some very high scores could only be reached in team mode, and should
therefore not be listed with lower scores that can be reached in single player
mode.
- additions to improve Boulder Dash support
- fixed importing certain native BD levels – thanks to HerzAusGold!
- fixed hatching delay when playing native old Krissz BD engine caves
- additions to improve Emerald Mine support
- added improved random number generator for native EM game engine
- added raising previously missing scores for some EM engine game elements
- added checkbox to use EM/DC style duration in “moves” instead of seconds
- added pause element for EMC magic ball switch to improve switching
- added support for native EM sounds when using native EM game engine
- fixed amoeba growth speed for native EM game engine
- fixed alien (robot) movement behavior for native EM game engine
- fixed bug with dead, but growing amoeba for native EM game engine
- additions to improve Emerald Dash support
- added support for Emerald Dash style behavior for magic walls
- added support for Emerald Dash style behavior for bugs and tanks
- added support for Emerald Dash style behavior for amoeba when growing
- added support for Emerald Dash style behavior for amoeba when changing
- added support for Emerald Dash style behavior for exploding bugs
- added support for Emerald Dash style behavior for magic walls
- added support for Emerald Dash style behavior for voodoo player
- added support for Emerald Dash style behavior for player explosion
- added level editor checkbox for Emerald Dash EM engine compatibility
- additions to improve Diamond Caves support
- changed growing EM/DC style amoeba for Diamond Caves style behavior
- added newly grown EM/DC style amoeba killing player if on top of him
- added checkbox to handle EM/DC style amoeba differently for DC levels
- added support for decoding old DC level files
- added support for old (packed) DC level files
- added support for old (single) DC level files
- added checkbox to use DC style behavior when digging traps and landmines
- added support for reading certain non-standard DC level files
- added checkbox to use classic BD/EM/DC style behavior for magic walls
- added setting classic BD style behavior for magic walls in EM/DC levels
- improved classic BD/EM/DC style behavior for magic walls
- changed counting DC style shield time in “moves” instead of seconds
- changed shield time from seconds to “moves” for old DC level files
- added checkbox to use classic BD/DC style behavior for slipping down
- added checkbox to keep content of DC style walls in enemy explosions
- added checkbox to let player survive level timeout when using shield
- added dropping EM/DC style dynamite using snap key
- added checkbox to reset shield time instead of adding when collecting
- added checkbox to flash the playfield when the exit is opening
- additions to improve Supaplex support
- fixed zigzag diagonal movement with gravity for SP game engine
- other game engine changes
- fixed old bug when two adjacent yamyams are exploding at the same time
- fixed tape desync after quick save/load caused by intermediate key state
- graphical changes and fixes
- added improved player graphics – thanks to TheOnyxGuy!
- added improved graphics for some BD elements – thanks to TheOnyxGuy!
- fixed not displaying single-step mode after loading tape snapshot
- fixed drawing player entering and/or leaving explosion
- fixed drawing animation of explosion for player leaving explosion
- fixed drawing explosion on field player is just leaving
- fixed drawing field exploding one frame after player is entering
- fixed potential drawing bug in level editor when using MM game engine
- fixed bugs when centering the playfield when using the MM game engine
- level and artwork customization changes
- added level config option to use Emerald Dash engine for EM level sets
- added sound config option to use native EM sound engine
- added configurability of menu scrollbar and scrollbar button sizes
- added configurability of menu scrollbar border size
- added separate graphics config options for editor playfield scrollbars
- added graphics config options for background graphics for scrollbars
- added support for gadget on main screen to toggle team mode
- added support for gadget on main screen to toggle sound set
- added support for indicators for played and solved games to main menu
- added support for key navigation with custom main menu positions
- added graphics config options for shifted text and elements on gadgets
- added level config option to always skip intro screens
- added support for player graphics to be used when player uses shield
- added support for twinkling animations for gem style game elements
- added support for sound played one second before shield is deactivated
- added support for custom window/viewport sizes for info/setup screens
- other changes
- added build script to create R’n’D packages for all platforms
- added support for level intros (limited to R’n’D engine levels)
- added support for level intro template “docs/intros/template.txt”
- added support for level story template “docs/stories/template.txt”
- added disabling team mode for levels containing only one player
- added team mode flag for API action to get scores
- added forcing program restart after each addition of new level sets
- added hiding toolbox gadgets not usable with current level editor mode
- fixed navigating to previous page on credits info screen
- fixed bug when selecting and immediately un-selecting brush in editor
- fixed bug with request door opening and closing without user input
The new version is available from the download page!
