Rate this puzzle (new Puzzle 2 added!)

[starseeker]

Hi, I am trying to develop my first game, it will be a first person perspective, gone home style (Navigation) game.

The game play is intended to be old school adventure style, like Crimson Room, where I got my inspiration.

The game started with you just woken up in a locked room, in a very old medieval house, & no recollection of why...or who you are. (Yes its not the most original of beginning), & over the course of the game, you unlock more location, & finding out more about the place, its previous occupants, & its dark secret (so its a bit like gone home), but more focus on finding clues & unlocking more doors, & solving a mystery!.......

Anyway, I need you guys to comment & rate this puzzle (difficulties from 1 to 5).

I have shown it to a few people, & some complaining its too hard, even with the mind map (see below). First try if you can solve this without mind map, if not, try it with mind map. Answer is given in the end, to see if you get it right. Trust me, the answer will jumped out when you solved it.

But to save your time, this puzzle is at very beginning of the game, you discovered the room is locked, & you see if there is anyway to get out.

(Note, these not the game art, only concept designs & place holder), I will shared this when they are of showable quality.

You saw this on a wall.

You open a drawer & see a magazine

You examine & see this

Now see if you guys can solve this puzzle with just the above info?

I realize its may be a bit too hard, so I made an additional step, the Mind map (until I find a better name)
Click to see mind map
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v211/Starseeker/The%20Locked%20Room/Mindmap_zps5896a08d.jpg

Finally, see the answer here.(the order of the words is not critical)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v211/Starseeker/The Locked Room/Answer_zps14965ba4.jpg
Before I dived into more design, I hope to hear comments, & rating for the difficulties. Also if you enjoy this puzzle.

(By the way, its my original idea)

 

[Z A C K]

I'll be honest, way too difficult for me. I had to use the mind map and then I only kind of had a guess as to what the answer really was. I think that some of the words on your mind map might be a bit of a stretch. For example:

Spoiler

For A, I could get that, I assumed that meant Room A.
For the male/female symbols, never would have guessed keys.
For the symbol of a guy my first instinct was bathroom.
For the magazine, I think this was actually really clever and maybe someone smarter would be able to the "mirror" clue out of it. I wouldn't in a million years think that rearside is actually an answer though.

 

[BraddersTheDog]

Being honest, I can't really work out what it is you're asking me to solve. Some of the language needs clarifying. I assume English is not your first language?

Please don't take that as criticism, it's not meant to be. Just my observations.

 

[Z A C K]

Being honest, I can't really work out what it is you're asking me to solve. Some of the language needs clarifying. I assume English is not your first language?

Please don't take that as criticism, it's not meant to be. Just my observations.

I have to agree with this too, in an attempt to make my failed attempt not look so bad. I wasn't fully sure I had a full understanding going in, but I think I was able to work it out.

 

[starseeker]

Being honest, I can't really work out what it is you're asking me to solve. Some of the language needs clarifying. I assume English is not your first language?

Please don't take that as criticism, it's not meant to be. Just my observations.

Its ok. The sentences are not meant for gamer to read, but bullet points for me, so that could explain why its hard to read. My bad.
But if you can clarify which parts are phased badly, I can maybe improve them.

But I hope the expectation is clear. You saw a clue on back of a magazine & trying to figure out what it mean, hopefully the clue lead to something that could help you escape the room.

But yes, I purposely did not tell you what type of clue you are looking for. Is this the reason you were confuse,d or is it the way the sentences were written?


I can add a hint, so gamers know what they are looking for. What I worried is that, if I told you what you should be are looking for, it will be too easy.

But anyway, I will maybe add this hint when the gamer first seen this magazine.

"Something is on the back, maybe its a reminder for a something, or where something is hidden?"
But maybe it become too obvious, but I like to hear from more people, before I refine this puzzle.

So I guess at the minimum, the mind map is needed.

The idea of using the mind map is not for gamer to try to randomly find the key words. That would be hard, but to find logical combination...See spoiler tag

Spoiler

The first symbol is a dead giveaway. It means room A (I can maybe make it even more clear)
2nd symbol is the hard one. But try combining the first with all these. Remember you are trying to get out of the room. One word should stand out like a nail not hammered down....my thoughts anyway.
1) Room couple
2) Room marriage
3) Room Bond
4) Room Keys
5) Room chains

Doesn't 'Room keys' jumped out from the rest? Just a honest question. Once you have this figured out, the rest is easy I think.

Anyway, thanks for the feedbacks so far. I appreciated it.

But let me know how I can refine it.

 

[starseeker]

Ok, I have decided to remove the square box, & made 'A' more clear. Keep the comments coming, I have some other puzzles coming.

 

[DLC]

I see, deleted message because I better understand what it is about now:

Edit:
Nvm

 

[DLC]

Spoiler

Sow in your game you start out at the bathroom, very interesting. I was just thinking on rooms where could start this and since locked have to start from the bathroom since that is only room where can get the key. Sow move from bathroom to Room A.

 

[starseeker]

Spoiler

Sow in your game you start out at the bathroom, very interesting. I was just thinking on rooms where could start this and since locked have to start from the bathroom since that is only room where can get the key. Sow move from bathroom to Room A.

Please open spoiler for the general gameplay for chapter one.

Spoiler

This is part 1 of a 2 part puzzle happening in beginning of the game

You started in a locked room. There is a bathroom, but is also locked.

Gamer woke up in a strange room, couldn't remember anything, even who she is .

Part 1)
- Try to open door. Found it was lock. She hints to herself, "Many people keep a second sets of keys, maybe she can find it if she search hard enough"
- Start looking around room
- (optional),Bathroom door is locked, & she notice the door type is such that you can unlock from inside (without key).
She saw an air vent near ceiling connecting to bathroom. She has (at the moment) no intention of a pee, hence no purpose in going in bathrrom.
-Find the Spiegel Magazine in drawer,
-Solving Magazine puzzle activate part 2: "Find a way inside toilet"

Part 2)
- Find locker key under carpert.
- Use locker key to open locker, take screw driver
- Push locker below air vent, climb up
- Use screwdriver on air vent
- Looked down, she thought it was too high, she need something to cushion fall.
- Take pillow & throw it on the bathrrom floor, jumped down
- Examine back of mirror, Found room key
- Unlock toilet door
- Use room key to unlock room.

End of chapter one

I hope to have a running demo by year end at least .
I am dividing my time for:
1) creating the plot
2) Designing the puzzles
3) Concopt design & making game asserts (mainly 3D meshes)
4) Learning UDK. (started learning at beginning of the month)
5) I hope I can have the game ready in 2016, on PC.

 

[DLC]

Hope does not become as hard as Myst was, oh I remember that game and those puzzles

 

[starseeker]

It will not be that hard.
Anyway, I intended the game to have a progressive hint system. If you are stuck, you can call for a hint, every progressive hint is more obvious than the last. The last hint just give you the answer.

There will be a point system, the more (& more obvious hint you need), the lower your score. So it can catered to hardcore adventure gamers & newbie alike.

Anyway, since this project is pretty much solo effort, the way to make it possible is to have the play area confined to mainly inside the house. There will be environment puzzles now & then, but the core of gameplay will be finding clues from documents, surroundings.


Typically like the following:
You read an email, where one previous occupants wrote in an email to her friend; that her housemate was very loud. He would walk with his furry slippers. making a hard metal sound every other step, like a clown or something.
This hint that there is something metallic hidden in one of his slippers, maybe a key? Something along these line, as far as most puzzle goes.


I hope the full game it can clocked at least 3.5 - 6 hours from average gamers.

 

[Oblong]

I never would have come to the conclusion that the male/female symbols meant keys. Nor would I have pieced together that because the clue was on the backside of a magizine that I should then look on the backside of something. I would be the guy moving from room to room clicking every object until I got a detection hit (think Wolfenstein wall clicking to find secrets).

 

[DLC]

Oh yeah, you must add death traps for people clicking on everything joking

 

[Z A C K]

I think the mind map is actually a good idea, especially if you allow players to save and not have to finish everything in one session.

 

[starseeker]

I never would have come to the conclusion that the male/female symbols meant keys. Nor would I have pieced together that because the clue was on the backside of a magizine that I should then look on the backside of something. I would be the guy moving from room to room clicking every object until I got a detection hit (think Wolfenstein wall clicking to find secrets).

I understand your point. Its not completely logical. But then again, if we try to hard to be logical, the game mechanic will be very limited. Think about games where you unlock some doors after solving some square/chessboard puzzle piece. Who would made such a lock?

What I can do, is keep throwing clues, via the protaganist keep talking to herself. revealing more obvious clues the longer you are stuck. That & made puzzles more clear.

But I think you may not have played an adventure game for a while. These days, in most adventure games, you hit a button, you get into a 'detective' mode, or items that can be interect are shown. No need for clicking all over the screen.

Anyway, the feedback have been very useful. Keep them coming.

 

[BDaddyK]

I think that the player being in game will also help too, as you will be able to see the layout and furnishings/fixtures in said rooms.

Cultural differences I think may have made your puzzle a little harder, most people in the U.S. relate the blue picture of the man with "bathroom" and not toilet, I also think that unless someone has some inkling for German, Der Spiegel, will be totally lost on them.

 

[Z A C K]

Cultural differences I think may have made your puzzle a little harder, most people in the U.S. relate the blue picture of the man with "bathroom" and not toilet, I also think that unless someone has some inkling for German, Der Spiegel, will be totally lost on them.

I actually think the Der Spiegel thing is pretty good. Sure, a lot of people wouldn't know what it is, but after a little while of being stuck and looking at that magazine cover they might just be like "I wonder what this stupid magazine cover even says!? *types it into Google*.. Ooooh......".

 

[Grimmy]

Yeah, this was a bit difficult. I was looking to see if I was locked in one of those rooms or something. I really wasn't sure what was needed of me.

Now that I saw the answer, I have an idea what you maybe looking for. Though I don't associate the male/female symbol as keys.

Keep it up and feel free to ask us. I enjoy these sorts of things.

 

[starseeker]

I think that the player being in game will also help too, as you will be able to see the layout and furnishings/fixtures in said rooms.

Cultural differences I think may have made your puzzle a little harder, most people in the U.S. relate the blue picture of the man with "bathroom" and not toilet, I also think that unless someone has some inkling for German, Der Spiegel, will be totally lost on them.

Bathroom or toilet, both are acceptable. I can use Toilet/bathrrom for the mindmap hint. In any case, it will be made clear that 'Der Spiegel' is 'the Mirror'.

But I think you are right, the mind map is required to solve the puzzle. Without it, its too hard.

 

[Dark Helmet]

I was confused because you said I was locked in a room, but I had to get to different rooms to get the keys to get out...
After that, my ADD took over and I was lost..
Either that, or I was confused that I was locked in a room and still had my pants on...

 

[starseeker]

Ok guys, 2nd puzzle. Note: required some reading, & yes, I do know my language skill is bad, but I will get an English expert to correct all my text & documents before the game is release. This puzzle is definitely more logical, as long as you guys can get pass my English.

Hint & background.

Your login to Kate Laptop, & this is what you find.

You read Kate's Email exchange between her & her boyfriend Tom. You will need to look for clues of his birthday. Have fun

This is Kate's email to her sister Alice. Look out for clues to Toms Birthday

 

[starseeker]

Answer & detail explanation can be found here.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v211/Starseeker/Solution_zps302e5289.jpg

 

[starseeker]

I was confused because you said I was locked in a room, but I had to get to different rooms to get the keys to get out...
After that, my ADD took over and I was lost..
Either that, or I was confused that I was locked in a room and still had my pants on...

I think it will be more clear when you are in the game. Your feedback is important. I think flythough of the room in full 3D will be ready & I can show it here in a few months time.

 

[DLC]

Spoiler

Was easy to figure out that born in 1979. The Sunday however, clever, would have to have a calender for that one

 

[starseeker]

Spoiler

Was easy to figure out that born in 1979. The Sunday however, clever, would have to have a calender for that one

Spoiler

I figured most people should have no issue with the calender as they can use their PC/Smartphone

 

[DLC]

Spoiler

I figured most people should have no issue with the calender as they can use their PC/Smartphone

True that. Sounds interesting your game.