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Puzzles in Games - Coggle Diagram

- - - - This defines puzzles as a form of play
    - - This distinguishes puzzles from games/toys
  - - - Suspends rules and practicality of everyday life
    - - Too Easy -> Dissapointing
      - Too Hard -> Discouraging
      - The lack of difficulty may simply be a perception
    - - Requires perceptual shifts
  - - - A chore for one person may be fun to another
      - Gamifying day-to-day life can make life more enjoyable
    - - Mean spirited competition ruins games
      - In well-played games, players are willing to alter the rules to keep the game fun for everyone
  - - - Most interactive
      - Rule-based systems in which the goal is for one player to win
      - Have replay value as it involves responding to an opponent's actions which may vary
    - - Less interactive than games and puzzles
      - Manipulable
      - No fixed goal
    - - Least interactive
      - Involves fantasy play, but not manipulable by player
    - - Rule-based systems in which the goal is to find a solution
      - Little replay value since it lacks the randomness of an opponent's actions
  - - - Ensure that the player is challenged by the puzzle itself, not by the controls
    - - If you're going to ask players to take a long trip, be sure they enjoy the journey
- - - - Simplest Puzzle
      - Straightforward and intuitive
    - - Use secondary characteristics of an object
      - Recognize things in ways other than what their creator intended
    - - Creating new object from available raw materials
        
        Convert one object into another
        
        Combine multiple objects to create a new object
      - Caveat: Need to nudge players to right solution as possibility space is large
    - - Player needs to supply a missing piece of information
      - Can be simple information provision or may require deduction
    - - Subset of information puzzles that define boundaries of information type
      - Crytograms or other "word puzzles"
      - Caveat: Need to inform player of the type of puzzle since it may be unrelated to wider game mood/setting
    - - Very hard puzzle
      - Cause-and-effect relations need to be leveraged
      - Player kicks off the correct domino in order to achieve their desired result
    - - Player creates the condition that would cause the final link in the chain to occur
      - Caveat: Very long logical chains may require players to "read the designers mind"
    - - Medium for players to learn more about a game's characters
      - Often involve a person blocking progress and requiring some "key" information in exchange of passage
    - - Actions have a delayed effect and hence need to be timed well
    - - Relies on player performing a series of actions in the correct order
      - Often require iterative solutions
    - - If this then that, If this then what?
    - - Not true adventure game puzzles, but still added to many games
      - Caveat: need to provide a reset, help system or alternative
    - - Least satisying because if the player doesn't get it, he doesn't get it
      - Need to provide several hints to avoid player from getting stuck
    - - Navigate through a conversation until a character says or does the right thing
      - Reaally brings out character that helps understand game better
      - Caveat: If the possibility space is too large, may take a lot of patience
    - - No context/info and requires player trying random option until one works
    - - May require logic or trial and error or both
      - Player must figure out how to operate controls of a machine
    - - Replace normal game interface and replace it with a screen that player has to manipulate in order to each a pre-defined condition
    - - Clichéd puzzle form
    - - Puzzle that comes from recognition of a general conddition rather than performance of a specific action
  - - - Puzzles that require the player to get it wrong before they are provided a clue/answer about what they can do, before being respawned
    - - Illogical puzzles wherein the effect isn't linked to a cause
    - - Puzzles that only make sense to the designer
      - Requires playtesting to fix
      - Designer needs to design puzzles around information players might know, not around what they know
    - - Yes/No puzzles with instant success or failure
      - Tempts players to try both options rather than employing creative thinking
    - - Object that needs to be found may be easy to overlook
      - Need to make the object stand out in some way
  - - - Answer to puzzle is contained within the game
      - Player should be able to theoretically solve all puzzles the first time by thinking hard enough
      - Don't withhold key consequential informaation
    - - Puzzles need to fit naturally into the story
      - Gives players the opportunity to learn more about the game world, setting and characters
    - - Player's actions in puzzles shouldn't contradict the character setup by the game
    - - "A HA! Of COURSE" is the reaction you want your players to feel when they finally solve the puzzle
  - - - Change the amount/directness of information provided
      - The more/more direct info is provided, the easier the puzzle gets
    - - The closer the answer is placed to the problem, the easier the puzzle gets and vice versa
    - - The more possible solutions to a puzzle, the easier it is to solve
    - - Adding Red Herrings can confuse a player and make a puzzle more difficult
      - Players often make up their own Red Herrings, so it may not be necessary for the designer to add them explicitly
    - - Navigate the player to the correct answer through clues in response to player input
      - Information should be provided in bits which accumulate to provide the full answer to the player
  - - - Puzzles are the obstacles that hinder players from easily reaching the sub-goal
      - Puzzle provides threats/obstacles appropriate to the game setting and theme
      - Puzzles need to be solvable by the materials at hand
      - Puzzles need to be fair and reasonable
    - - Need to put yourself in the player's shoes to determine what is "fair and reasonable"
      - Provide a better experience by inciting non-default reactions from players
      - Be unambigious about what is a puzzle and what's not
      - Need to ensure player is having fun at all turns of the game, not just when they solve a puzzle
      - Puzzles need to enhance the game, not detract from it