Puzzles

[BigToastie]

Been doing some quests and I want to add puzzle quests so its not just farming over and over "kill this and get that". - I do have other quests but I want to add a nice variety of quests to do.


for instance, (this one is optional) you have to get all 8 crystals to light up to break a spell barrier, toggling one off may turn others on (there is a pattern)


so for instance 


you need to get it so all crystals are on - o


Complete:


ooo


o  o


ooo


Starting


oxx


x o


xxo


So turning an X one on will switch the crystal at either side off (if its on) and on (if its off) - a pretty standard puzzle - but what do you guys feel about ingame puzzles (and what other puzzles would you like to see in a game)?

 

[Linard]

Nice puzzle it is good  Better to use switches and variables

 

[KoldBlood]

This is a great topic! RPG Puzzles have been one of the aspects that I'm struggling with in my game and there seems to be very few discussions about them for someone to learn from.


Personally, I love solving most RPG Puzzles even if it's just the simple "find the key to the door" puzzle. I've never really cared for the "Password" puzzles though.


Here's a few of the puzzles I've managed to implement so far:


-A crystal puzzle where you have to slide a certain number of crystals onto certain tiles but the trick is that once you push a crystal is keeps moving until it hits another object or the edge of the puzzle. So solving them requires some thought into how to get them to stop on the right tile. The early versions are fairly simple to solve with only two or three crystals and multiple solutions but as I build future ones they will slowly become more complicated and precise. I even included a handy reset crystal that resets the other crystals t their original positions in case you mess up so you don't have to reload the room.


-Being a fan of Resident Evil (love their puzzles) I created a puzzle that requires you to find a fake item replica from one spot and exchange it with the real item in another spot so you can escape the room with the real item.


-I created a small maze-like puzzle that has 3 different colored gates blocking different paths with matching switches throughout. When one colored switch is flipped all of the gates of that color will switch states (from open to closed or closed to open). Navigating the maze requires flipping the switches in the right order to open the path you need. As an additional element, there are three unique colored switches hidden at the end of each path through the maze. When all three are flipped you open the path to the chest that contains the key you need.


I like your crystal lighting puzzle, I might have to hijack that idea! Lol 

 

[BigToastie]

I like puzzles in game, even with custom battles and unique interactions with monsters, i like to incorperate other things so it doesn't feel like you are repeating the same stuff as much.


With regards to your crystal puzzle, I have a similar idea I used when playing around with various things.


The Idea:


Script required ( slippery floors )


You basically make slipper ice floors and need to get to an exit, and you only stop sliding if you bump into a rock / other object, they are quite fun to do, all the pieces to the puzzle are in front of you and its a change from battling


I really like your idea for the replica item puzzle, could be an interesting one to take from you


I am also looking to add disguise quests (so you need to, for instance infiltrate a guard tower, and you need a guard costume (sprite changes)) to get certain objects.

 

[Oddball]

i emplemented an observation puzzle at the beginning of my game. basicly look for whats different and click on it. these puzzles will get more complicated as the game progresses though

 

[KoldBlood]

@BigToastieThe Resident Evil series (at least the first ones) had some pretty cool puzzles ranging from item swaps like I mentioned before to push button puzzles, block pushing puzzles, etc.


My favorite puzzle from RE1 was the opening of a jewelry box that contained a key you needed. You had to insert a gem into the box which made some pieces fall from the sides of the box. You then had to fit the pieces into the top part of the box like puzzle to unlock it. Not sure why but that puzzle always stood out to me as really cool.


I'll definitely keep the "Slippery Floors" idea in my back pocket. I'm sure it'll come in handy at some point when my characters inevitably reach the "Ice World" part of the game.


@OddballCan I ask what the context of the observation puzzle is? Like, what is the character(s) trying to complete/accomplish? Or is it just a straight up puzzle game?

 

[Oddball]

well. the puzzle is a big wall with four pillars ontop. yet one of them is broken. you check the wall under that to get out of the first cluster of areas. simple and intuitive!

 

[KoldBlood]

@Oddball


Oh cool, now I get it! An environmental observation puzzle! I'd completely forgotten about those! I really like those, the first one that comes to mind for me is Forever Forest from Paper Mario. You had to spot the difference in the background and use the exit near there to progress through the forest.


Thanks for reminding about those kinds of puzzles! 

 

[Oddball]

yes. im going to morph those into complete the pateren puzzles and morph them again from there

 

[GolfHacker]

I did something similar to your crystal puzzle in my game, except I've got a series of gates and switches. All gates are initially closed. Each switch toggles 2 different gates open/close. So flipping a switch may open a gate you need but also close a gate that you previously opened. The trick is to flip the switches in the correct order. A plaque on the wall nearby has a clue to the right order.


Riddles are always good, as long as they aren't corny or too difficult. I always liked the riddles in the Hobbit novel, and in Sierra's Conquest of Camelot game (an old DOS game that shows my age).


The Eschalon trilogy of RPGs by indie developer Basilisk Games had some nice puzzles that I enjoyed. If you've never played through those games, I highly recommend them. They're really good turn-based, isometric RPGs.

 

[EmperorZelos]

In case it has not been thought on at the moment, I feel like I should say this in order to maximize efficiency and minimize switch usage.


As you have 8 switches that are turned on/off, that is 2^3, which means you can use only 3 switches to mark the state of all 8 constantly and hence only use 3 instead of 8 switches.


Besides that, I love puzzles, the more puzzles the better, The story and puzzles are more important than battles if you ask me.

 

[BigToastie]

One puzzle, I am not sure how to work it yet, but is a magic chest puzzle (so rare out of the way chests have a puzzle, take THAT for exploring my vast world!)


Basically similar to Skylanders when you open gates and chests.


You go into a separate map (screen on skylanders) and need to get a thing from point A to point B to activate the lock.


Just an idea and its only on paper atm as not sure if I want to put it in, but an idea for people

 

[KoldBlood]

@BigToastie


Wow. I just had a revelation when you mentioned that.


It never even crossed my mind that you could make puzzles that are fully functional mechanisms (like a unique door/chest lock) evented on another screen, like a short mini-game.


Not sure why I never thought of that before!